Broken Link

By Rebecca L. L. Denton

Owen Link, working as a hitman for the mob had one job to do, little did he know this job would lead to his undoing.
Now on the run from the mob and the law, Owen must prove that although several murders he may have committed, this one was not done by his hand. Running out of options Owen turns to an old friend, Robert, for help. Now working for the F.B.I. Robert would hold Owen’s fate in his hands.
Going against his better judgement Robert decides to help, unaware this would uncover secrets he thought had been buried long ago. Keeping Owen out of jail, however, would prove difficult when Robert and his partner Charlie, realize that this murder holds many similarities to their existing case. Now on the case, will Robert help Owen escape, or use him to save himself from the demons of his past?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: May 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781528998116

Rebecca L. L. Denton

Rebecca Denton was born in Essex and raised in Norfolk where she currently resides with her parents and four rescue cats in various stages of disrepair: Victor, Davey, Arthur and Wobble, so named as he only has three legs. Rebecca alternates her time between her love of writing and art, having previously spent two years at art college.

Book preview

About the Author

Rebecca Denton was born in Essex and raised in Norfolk where she currently resides with her parents and four rescue cats in various stages of disrepair: Victor, Davey, Arthur and Wobble, so named as he only has three legs. Rebecca alternates her time between her love of writing and art, having previously spent two years at art college.

Dedication

I would like to thank my friends who told me I have a weird brain and should write a book, so here it is.

Copyright Information ©

Rebecca L. L. Denton 2022

The right of Rebecca L. L. Denton to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781528998093 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781528998109 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781528998116 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2022

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

One

As Owen Link stepped out of the car that morning onto the busy New York streets, he stood there in the heat of the summer afternoon surrounded by the noise of the bustling sea of people—all rushing around to get to their next destination. No one ever took a second to stop and breathe, to take in the scenery, to live their life, enjoying their limited time. He stood there, like he did every day, he’d take in one big breath taking in his surroundings remembering why he did this and trying to remember a better time when life didn’t revolve around the next pay check. Once he had done this he jumped into the sea of people and walked to his next stop.

Owen had always been a cautious person, but recently he had taken extra precautions to stay unpredictable as he kept feeling someone’s eyes piercing into his back wherever he went. Continuing with this routine, he had made sure to always take different routes to where he was going so that no one could predict his next move. So, today he stopped halfway down from his usual turning point and turned left between two cafes down a dark back alley, although there weren’t many other people there with him, he felt safer in this narrower path. He could see who was coming and could escape down several other pathways, if he needed to, he had many different options and could easily lose his pursuer.

As he walked, he kept discreetly looking over his shoulder making sure not to alert anyone as he tried to get a grasp of who was following him. He turned left around the back of one of the shops and as he looked back, he saw him a middle-aged man with short, thick, dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes had been following him since he had gotten out of his car. Suddenly, Owen’s safe tactical route planning wasn’t feeling all that safe, he looked forward calculating the risk each route presented as he tried to pick the best path to go down, he was running out of time. He looked down the paths seeing three possibilities—a long straight route with very little ways of escape and with not much hope at being able to outrun the man this was not an option. Next was a route that had many other paths leading off, which Owen liked, but not many opportunities for escape it would be a while before Owen could lose him and he would prefer not to be late for his next meeting if that was at all possible. Finally, he narrowed his eyes as he tried to see as far down the final route as he could, until he saw that this was his best chance.

Breaking into a run Owen took a sharp right almost running into a child and her family, seeing this the man behind him took off running pushing straight through the family almost tripping and tumbling to the floor as he did so. Using that small extra bit of time, he jumped up onto the set of boxes that had been placed outside one of the back entrances of the store to be dispersed with later, he ran up the boxes taking a leap on the last one clutching onto the wire fence that was blocking his route, he turned his torso slightly kicking the boxes aside as he did so to give him as much time as he could to get away. He only just managed to keep his hold long enough to do this and sneaking one glance back he saw the man was still fast approaching, so with one big push he clambered over the fence dropping to the ground and sprinting away as fast as he possibly could. Unfortunately, the man was still on him kicking off the side of the store grabbing the wire fence quickly pulling himself over. He was now in a fast pursuit and Owen knew he had to get back with the public fast unless he was to let the man reach him, God knows what would happen then.

So, looking around Owen saw a path that led back to the main road, so he quickly turned right again hoping he could hide in the sea of people still rushing around. Looking back one more time he gave the man a quick nod and a smug little wink before jumping into the crowd and quickly running away shoving past people till he was a safe enough distance away to start walking to blend in with the crowds around him. Shit! the man said kicking the wall next to him before jogging to the edge of the road as he hailed a cab.

Looking down at his watch Owen started to pick up the pace again as he realised he was cutting it close. He stopped to look and find a route, the fastest route. He turned to his left and saw swarms of people walking everywhere as far as the eye could see, even the occasional group standing dead still waiting to get past the crowds of people walking the other way. He turned to his right and saw not only swarms of people on the pavement, but also cars jam packed, horns blazing, fumes filling his nose as they waited to get past, but the queues were backing them up for miles. He knew neither of those were going to get him anywhere fast, so he had to find something else. He closed his eyes, took a deep calming breath, then his eyes darted open filled with determination he had to get there on time and he had a route in mind.

He turned on his heels and ran back to the back alley between one of his favourite coffee shops and a hair salon. He ran straight through until he found the fire escape linked to the nearby flats, bolting up there he scanned the horizon seeing how busy the traffic was in other places. He cursed himself under his breath for not driving closer to his meeting, when there was less traffic and taking the back roads to get there quicker avoiding some of the other traffic. But he couldn’t bother about that now, he had to leave his car there for the day and continue on foot. He started moving across the building seeing a row of flats neatly packed together. He came up to the first gap full of determination and in one leap he passed from that building to the next. He continued this pattern for the next three roofs. Until he reached the fifth roof where the gap was larger, he ran to the edge and stopped. He looked down, then to the other roof and judging how far it was, he took a few steps back and started running as fast as he could. He stepped up on the ledge and jumped forward bringing his left leg forward landing just past the ledge of the next roof falling down into a barrel roll. He got up again and started running. There was no time to look back and see what he had just done. So, he continued on jumping and leaping from building to building over coffee shops, hairdressers, shops and flats. Then he stopped at another block of flats running two steps at a time down the fire escape jumping the last few to the ground before running down. If he was right the road in front of him was closed, so he could easily get across to the back-alley opposite. So, he legged it across still checking as he went and, thankfully, he was right. He got across and turned right behind a new building that was under construction, turning right again he came out in front of an old, abandoned garage and stopping to catch his breath he walked up and knocked on the door.

He waited a few minutes before the hatch in the door slowly opened to reveal a pair of beady, unforgiving eyes on the other side. He looked at Owen for a few minutes saying nothing. Suddenly, he heard the sound of bolts being unbolted and locks unlocking before the door creaked open on its old, rusted hinges. Owen had always thought that with all the money they put towards locks you’d think they’d at least attach them to a decent door that didn’t look like it was about to fall down. But, ignoring that, he strolled inside ignoring the clear hatred he was getting from the guy who had just let him in. Ah Lawrence, always a pleasure. He stifled a laugh as he turned his back to walk away. I heard that, he hollered as Lawrence, the door man, turned to one of the other guys rolling his eyes as dramatically as possible. He carried on walking, smiling at the guys playing pool, then to his left the people in the communal space sitting on the sofas chatting. However, on this day he wasn’t planning on sticking around so he kept on his straight path to the main office. He knocked on the door three times making an effort to make sure each knock was slow and deliberate. Enter, a deep slightly Irish accented man on the other side of the door exclaimed. Owen slowly opened the door holding his breath as he heard the loud, crowd silencing creek of the door. He didn’t dare look back as he could feel the eyes of every person there staring into his back as all the chatter stopped, he made sure once inside he closed the door quickly so as to avoid the dread he already felt in his gut getting any opportunity to grow and make him loose his nerve to confront this guy, his boss, Tony O’Bentley or Big Tony to those in his ‘group’. He stepped forward as Tony began to stand up Owen, you’re back! I haven’t seen you in a while, thought you’d left me even sent one of my guys to keep an eye on you… big help that was guy couldn’t even keep up… Owen cut him off, Tony, you know I’d never leave you. I’m loyal. Don’t you know that by now, we’re family! I just feel bad for the guy you sent after me, I mean, I could have killed him you know that’s what I do, he smirked at Tony. He’d been working for him for as long as he could remember and he didn’t have the nerve to leave, The guy was terrifying. Everyone knew what he did to snitches. God only knows what he’d do to traitors. Then Tony smiled at him. Ah, you wouldn’t have killed him, not your style. He laughed, then went serious, Enough of that I need you to deal with an issue of mine since you’re here and being one of my most trusted guys like you said, we’re family. Silence filled the room as Tony waited for him to respond. Fine. Who is it this time? he replied kicking himself as he realised what had come out of his mouth and knew, once again, he’d lost his nerve. Glad to hear you say that. His name is Richard Palmer. He’s an ad executive from New Jersey, I presume you will take care of him discreetly, he said knowing Owen’s M.O. He was in and out like a ghost, a shadow in the dark. He was a well-known name that the police had been trying to convict for years, but they could never link it back to him and so, there he stood a free man about to kill his eighth victim, why, well that he never knew, he had his victim, he got the job done, then got money transferred into his off shore account, untraceable, obviously. After that Owen left to go do his research on this Richard Palmer find out when he was alone, his routine, his schedule, and when he would strike.

A few weeks later Owen was just leaving the house with his equipment trying to sneak out early so his wife Ruby wouldn’t see him leave. She was getting worried about him he’d be gone for days on end and he’d come back tattered and beaten or covered in someone else’s blood with only the excuse that he had been in the wrong place at the wrong time or that he was just doing a job for Tony, but she knew what his real job was she had figured it out long ago but he still tried to keep up the charade. Unfortunately, on this day she saw him go. You’re going to dispose of another one, aren’t you? she said accusingly, tears threatening to break the edges of her eyes as she tried to keep herself looking and sounding calm and in control. After a few minutes of silence, he just looked at her sadly. I’ll be back soon, he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, but she pulled away. She knew what he was doing, and she couldn’t deal with it. He was not the man she married, not at that moment. At that moment, he was Owen the assassin for hire from the O’Bentley mob.

He left the house walking away sadly, but then he shook his head and left Owen Link behind. Now he was Owen, second hand man to Tony O’Bentley, his private killer and he was on his way to take care of his eighth victim, he was just another person getting in the way this was a good thing. He always tried to convince himself of this but to no avail, he never forgot their faces, their names, how they would beg for mercy all different and yet all the same. For any other killer it would be get in, kill them, get out and forget about them, move onto the next, but not for Owen! He wasn’t like the rest. He remembered all of them, they haunted his nightmares and controlled his mind during the day. He was barely coping, but he wanted it that way he couldn’t just forget them nor did he want to. It’s his fault. They are gone and this was the punishment he had to live with, the cross he had to bare.

As he stood there outside Richard’s home, he lay in wait looking down at his watch. It was 8:05 am, time for him to get into place. He pulled up his hood and put on his black gloves so as to not leave any fingerprints and started walking around the first security camera that faced the house making sure to keep his head low and away from the houses. Then he turned slightly into the group of flats next to Richard’s going in and sneaking out the back door. From there he kept his hood pulled up tight to cover all of his tattoos, his hair and as much of his face as possible. He walked out the back pulling out a fag so that to anyone looking at the surveillance tapes he just looks like another renter going out to smoke. Walking casually over to the other building always keeping his face angled away from each camera that he had spent weeks triangulating the positions of. Then he put out the fag and walked inside the back entrance making sure to keep the cigarette with him, this wasn’t his first hit, he wasn’t stupid enough to leave D.N.A of any kind anywhere especially not in a blunt he had lit up and simply tossed away. It was now 8:30 and he laid in wait sitting in a comfy chair outside Richard’s apartment hidden from the camera at one end of the hall and hidden behind a ‘conveniently’ placed plant that blocked the camera’s view of him from the other side of the hall.

Fifteen minutes later Owen heard someone’s footsteps walking up the hall he waited for a beat of ten steps, which he knew would take him one step away from being face to face with Richard Palmer. He knew this after he had spent time watching Richard’s steps to and from the elevator to his room. He casually stood up making it look to the camera as if he was just an old friend that had stopped by to say hi. Keep walking forward normally, you’re going to let me in now and if you protest or make it look like I’m anything but a friend I’ll kill you right here, right now, you understand. They walked forward quietly with Owen still talking the whole way, the occasional noise or remark made by Richard, but apart from that they walked into his apartment without raising any suspicions. Once they were in, Owen pulled Richard over to the mahogany table that separated the kitchen from the living room pushing him against it patting him down for any electric devices, any weapons, anything he had on him. After he pulled out one 9 mm pistol, two mobile phones, a beeper, and a Bluetooth device he proceeded to march Richard to the couch. You’re going to answer my questions quickly and clearly OK… nod if you understand me. He slowly nodded, so Owen continued, What is your affiliation with Tony O’Bentley? Richard looked confused. Who?

Don’t screw with me right now or I’ll put a bullet right through your skull! He was losing his patience he needed this guy dead, but he needed the information on Tony if he was ever going to get free of his icy grasp. I don’t know a Tony O… Wait… This Tony he doesn’t have a Lawrence Hill working for him… Does he? Richard asked quizzically. He does, how do you know him? Owen was thankful that they were finally getting somewhere. I’m not saying shit to you! Richard spat out anger