3. Chapter One
Tommy Marconi doubled back and hid between the buildings. That was too close.
The cops had been quick this time and he'd nearly been caught. He didn't have a
good reason to be here, so it would have been difficult to explain why he was.
Getting caught wouldn't be the best way to begin the new year. The beginning of
the 1960's was also supposed to be the beginning of Tommy's new life.
He took several deep breaths trying to try and calm himself down. He must be
getting old. He couldn't run like he used to do. At the ripe old age of 27 he felt
like he was over the hill. The boss had a couple of younger guys coming up
through the ranks pretty quickly, which had been making it increasingly harder for
him to keep up with this life.
It had taken a lot of work to earn the name 'The Silencer'. He had once been
proud of his accomplishments but that was back in his early days. These days the
younger guys didn't respect him. They even thought that it was stupid to have a
special name. A fat lot they knew. He used to be able to bring a man to his knees
just by saying his name. People used to be scared of him. Not any more though.
Things were different now. Tommy had seen the writing on the wall and
requested to get out of the business. Getting out was usually impossible. The only
way you could leave was in a pine box. The boss wasn't too happy with the
request but because Tommy had been loyal to the family for so long he had
reluctantly granted it, with one proviso. One last, very important job.
He'd promised the boss this one last job and he'd kept his promise. He'd
completed it successfully so now it was time to get out of town. The hit-man
business was a young guys game and had gotten way too hot recently. He could
feel the heat getting turned way up on him and he wasn't sticking around to get
burned. He had everything in place for a quick getaway, all he needed was the
destination.
He wiped the sweat from his face with the sleeve of his jacket. His breathing was
now under control so he figured it would be safe to casually enter the street and
disappear.
…................
Back at his flat he grabbed a beer from the fridge and sculled it quickly. He
grabbed another and sat down. His debt to his boss was now paid. It was time to
become someone else, live somewhere else.
He had a couple of places picked out but hadn't decided for sure where to go. He
liked the sound of Tempest Beach. He thought it suited his brooding personality.
4. What did it matter where he settled down? One place was as good as another. He
had plenty of cash so he didn't need to get a job straight away. He could even
afford to buy a small house there.
He finished his beer and he looked at the bottle thoughtfully. He wondered how
hard it was going to be to put his life of crime to one side and start living like an
ordinary person. He got up and threw the empty bottle in the bin. He walked over
to the bed and flipped the mattress.
Tommy took a knife from the sheath at his waist and slashed the mattress. A large
envelope fell out. He'd stashed it in the mattress months ago in preparation for
this day.
He slit it open and pulled out the documents from inside. On these papers were
the details of his new identity. He read them slowly taking it all in. As he read the
name of his new persona he breathed a sigh of relief. He got to keep the name
Tom. He was glad. He'd been worried that with a new name he might screw up
but this was so much easier, thank you boss.
He grabbed his already packed bag and stuffed the documents inside. He looked
around his dingy flat. He would not miss this place one bit. It was time to go and
start his new life.
….................
Lightning split the sky above as the thunder boomed all around. The wild wind
slapped Elizabeth Harrison's long, luscious auburn hair around her face, stinging
her skin. It was dark. So dark that she could hardly see a thing. The surf was
whipped to a frenzy as the waves crashed to the shore in a deafening roar.
She could hear the men in the distance calling for her. The terror she felt at the
prospect of them catching her made her feel like she was going to vomit. How
had it come to this? She wasn't too sure. She hadn't done anything wrong but the
men were convinced she was to blame. Sebastian had seen to that.
If they caught her she would be dead, for sure. Either literally or figuratively.
There was no doubting that. Surely Sebastian wouldn't follow through with his
threat, would he? She wished that she had someone that could help her. But she
had no family left, no husband, no one. She was all alone in the world.
She could hear the men getting closer to where she was hiding amongst the sand
dunes. She felt the first drops of rain hit her. Big fat drops. This was going to be a
huge downpour, she just knew it. But before she could move and find shelter
somewhere the rain came down in buckets. She could hear the men cursing just
up the beach a little way.
She had to stay put. If she moved now they would surely see her. She knew she
could never outrun them. They were too big and powerful. As they got closer to
5. where she was hiding she hunkered down further so that they couldn't see her.
She watched as they passed her hiding spot. Sebastian's thug Tyrone was leading
the pack. She shivered at the thought of him getting a hold of her. As they got
down the beach further away from her she breathed a sigh of relief.
Just then a hand slapped across her mouth and she was hauled backwards. She
slammed into a hard surface. Beth realised that she was being held tight against a
man's chest. She was unable to scream or move. She tried to squirm out of the
firm hold only to be held tighter.
She wriggled trying to find some part of her assailants body to bite, pinch, kick,
scratch or punch, if she was able.
“Stay still woman, I'm trying to help you,” a deep masculine voice rumbled in her
ear. She shivered. The voice was like pure granite, strong and hard. She stopped
struggling. Maybe this was the help she'd prayed for. The man dragged her
backwards and dropped them both down behind some bushes that were growing
haphazardly among the sand dunes.
The blinding rain had drenched the pair of them but there was nothing they could
do about that right now. They just had to sit it out until the opportunity arose for
them to make their escape.
When the men were even further down the beach, her captor said, “If I let you go
are you going to scream? I mean you no harm. I just want to help.”
He slowly loosened his hold on her. She turned her head to look at him. Her
breath hitched when she looked into his eyes. She was stunned motionless by the
deep brown of his eyes. A strange feeling swept through her. What was
happening?
…...................................
Would you like to read the rest of this FREE book? You can get 'The Silencer'
absolutely free from KathrineEmrick.com
'The Silencer': When Tommy decides he's had enough of being a hit man he
assumes a new identity and heads to Tempest Beach to begin his new life. There
things take a turn for the interesting when he meets a woman on the beach who
is in dire need of his help.
This short story is NOT available anywhere else. Go to KathrineEmrick.com
….....................................
More Books In The Tempest Beach Series:
Book One - Missing
Direct Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007YSEFG6
6. Soon to be Released:
Book Two – Obsession
Book Three – Revelations
Visit the authors website to get updates and extra information about the
Tempest Beach Series of books.
KathrineEmrick.com