A Deadly Exchange

A Deadly Exchange, Sheryl Jane Stafford, Writer's Showcase, 2000

Former POW Matthew Spencer, and his wife, Alexandra, are on what they think is a leisurely sailing vacation in the Bahamas. That is, until they discover twenty pounds of cocaine hidden on their boat. They suddenly realize that the two men they met earlier that day, a duo who don't look like Caribbean natives, are probably drug dealers. The thought of simply giving them the cocaine is quickly abandoned, because Alex and Matt won't be allowed to stay alive, knowing what they know.

Matt takes the cocaine to one of the islands, intentionally not telling Alex where he is going. As long as the cocaine is missing, they'll stay alive. Alex is kidnapped, and taken to the private island of Raoul, a Colombian drug lord. Alex is treated very well, except for being held prisoner, but Raoul makes it very clear that if Alex is lying about not knowing the whereabouts of Matt, and the cocaine, after Raoul is finished with her, she will be handed over to Jorge, his chief torturer.

Meantime, Matt, getting increasingly desperate and worried about Alex, runs into Dwight and Jeremy, a couple of undercover DEA agents assigned to keep an eye on Raoul. They take Matt to Raoul's private island. Despite Matt's care in looking for Alex, he is captured, and, when he won't talk, is handed over to Jorge, who nearly beats him to death.

Matt and Alex escape from the island, and make it back to the DEA agents and their boat. One old cabin cruiser doesn't have much chance of making it back to US territory against several ultra fast cigarette boats, especially since, during a refueling stop, Jeremy, who secretly works for Raoul, calls to reveal their location and course.

This is a fine piece of writing, worthy of any of the Major Bestseller thriller authors. Stafford does a first-rate job from start to finish. It's plausible, exciting, an easy read, and one of that rare breed of stories that is not easily put down. It's well worth the reader's time.