DAYBREAK: a gripping thriller full of suspense (Titan Trilogy Book 3) (31 page)

EPILOGUE

Brendan stood on the hotel balcony overlooking Grand Cayman Island as the sun came up. Far below, the waves broke the coral reef and slid over the rippled white sands up to the beach.

It was nice to watch the sun spread light over the ocean. It was good to inhale the salty air. But he didn’t care much about the hotel luxury.

His parents, before they split up, had often dragged him into uncomfortable situations as a boy. Parties and functions his father enjoyed, affluence that his mother didn’t like. She relied on the wine to get her through, while Brendan would find places to hide. His father would invariably find him and scoop him up to meet someone. His father, laughing, showing all those teeth, hair swept back, while his mother would sit at the dining table. Brendan had inherited her dark hair. Also the dark introspection, the aversion to crowds, the tendency to chase it all away with alcohol.

He had loved both his parents.

He turned from the sunrise and looked into the room. White linen billowed in the breeze. Cozy furniture sat with bright cushions, a hutch with Aztec molding, a kitchen with blond-oak cabinetry and marble counters. The place smelled of oiled leather and sea air. On the stone table was the black, portable storage drive, caught in the light of the rising sun. Daybreak illuminated the device containing information on more black markets, human trafficking, malfeasance, corruption. There was much more to be done, but that could wait for another time.

He lit up a cigarette.

***

The Westin Grand was ridiculously opulent. She knew Brendan was indulging her for a few days before they left for the Maldives, to simple stilt-houses over turquoise lagoons. That would suit her just fine, too.

Jennifer walked through the door adjoining their suites, made her way through his room, and came up behind him. She handed him a cup of coffee, which he took, wordlessly. The two of them drank and admired the view. She couldn’t believe that less than forty-eight hours ago she had been sitting in her townhouse in Washington. Under constant watch. It worried her — she couldn’t lie; it worried her to disappear the way she had — but she couldn’t deny that it felt good. Free. It didn’t feel like running away, it felt like moving towards something. She just wasn’t quite sure what, exactly.

She stood beside him. He reached over and put a hand on her lower back. Still looking out into the morning, he asked her, “How are you feeling?”

“I’m great. Head is clear.” She watched a boat coming into the small port. “My room-phone rang last night.”

He turned his head slightly, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Someone looking for Hanna Becket? Asking what I wanted for my in-flight meal tomorrow.”

“Huh,” he said. “What did you decide? Chicken or fish?”

She raised her eyebrows at him, trying not to smile. “Hanna?”

Brendan stepped away from the railing and spread his arms. “The names get chosen at random. But, hey – Hanna’s got a ring to it.”

He took a sip of his coffee, watching her over the rim of the mug.
Not Brendan
, she thought,
William Chase.
And she was now Hanna Becket. He had set her up with a new identity. Yet, looking into his eyes, she thought that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Names didn’t matter. She knew who she was, she knew who he was, too. Or, she was learning.

They’d been here for two days now, and she hadn’t so much as kissed him. She would fix that tonight, she thought.

“Yeah the name’s not bad,” she said.

She glanced into the room at the storage drive on the table. She had a feeling there was more in store for her in the Maldives than volcanic islands and overwater bungalows. She turned back to him, and he winked.

They both moved up against the railing to take in the full view.

He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

THE END

TJB

6/23/14 - 6/25/15

Elizabethown, NY

Acknowledgements

This book would not have been possible without the help of some incredible people.

My main man, Geoff Pierce, helped me through the darkest doubts and pointed out the shapes in the inkblots. Jasper Joffe personally edited this entire trilogy with ruthless precision and indefatigable patience. Dava Clement-Brearton listened, allowed, waited, responded, supported, and knew intuitively how to deal with my chaos each step of the way.

Thanks to early readers Bob Sirrine and J.V. Manning. To everyone at Joffe Books, including the other writers who have inspired and cheered me on. And to you, for taking this trip with me.

Thank you.

CHARACTER LIST

Warning: contains some spoilers if you haven’t read HABIT and SURVIVORS (books one and two of the trilogy).

Brendan Healy
– trained as a neuroscientist, spent three years as a cop in Hawthorne, NY, and a few months as a detective for the Oneida County Sheriff’s Department where he had one case – the murder of Rebecca Heilshorn. Brendan lost his wife and daughter in a car accident, and is a recovering addict

Olivia Jane
– Mental health therapist, works as a grief counselor on the Rebecca Heilshorn case for Rebecca’s brother, Kevin

Rebecca Heilshorn
– A young woman from an affluent background who wound up working for a high-end escort service known as XList where she sometimes used the alias “Danice”

Kevin Heilshorn
– Rebecca’s brother

Alexander Heilshorn
– Rebecca and Kevin’s father, a wealthy obstetrician from New York City and a partner in a global private equity firm

Greta Heilshorn
– Alexander Heilshorn’s wife

Leah Heilshorn
– Rebecca’s illegitimate child, who lives with Alexander and Greta

Seamus Argon
– Brendan Healy’s police partner when working in Hawthorne for the Mount Pleasant Police; Argon has saved Brendan from self-destruction more than once

Lawrence Taber
– Sheriff of Oneida County and long-time friend to Seamus Argon

Reginald Forrester
– Former college professor of Rebecca’s

Ambrose Delaney
– Lead detective on the Rebecca Heilshorn murder

Deputy Mark Bostrom
– first on-scene at the site of the RH murder

Russell Gide
– a friend of Seamus Argon’s from AA

Santos
– another friend of Seamus Argon’s from AA

Officer Leonard Dutko
– Argon’s fellow police officer at Mount Pleasant PD

Jennifer Aiken
– a lawyer, special prosecutor for the Department of Justice, Jennifer gets involved when her Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit (HTPU) takes an interest in the Rebecca Heilshorn murder

John Rascher
– a man Jennifer dated in law school and also a special prosecutor with the DOJ

Sloane Dewan
– a young woman Brendan meets at an AA meeting, with a unique past and relationship to Seamus Argon

Jerry Brown
– a lowbrow sort who does certain work for Alexander Heilshorn

Gerard Healy
– Brendan’s late father, a former thoracic surgeon in NYC who sat on several boards with Alexander Heilshorn, including The Foundation, an advisory committee on medical and technological considerations for the government

Kim Edward Stemp
– a lover of Rebecca’s who was also her driver and bodyguard, later becoming a born-again Christian when Rebecca left him

Donald Kettering
– another lover of Rebecca’s who owns a hardware store in Boonville, NY

Jeremy Staryles
– Former black operative, possible hired gun for Alexander Heilshorn

Philip Largo
– A state politician who has been disgraced by a sex scandal

Louis Tremont
– Cellmate to Brendan at Rikers Island, former bank robber

Philomena Argon
– Seamus Argon’s older sister, a woman with deep secrets

Howard Grimm
– Deputy Warden of Rikers Island

Detective Kendall
– Lead NYPD detective on the murder of Alexander Heilshorn

Harlan Doherty
– FBI Agent, fond of handlebar moustaches

Tony Laruso
– Inmate at Rikers

Didier Lazard
– Former head of the IMF, has a brief stay at Rikers

Gentian
– A critical member of Nonsystem, a libertarian hacker group

General Wick
– Deputy Chief of the NSA and the CSS

Persephone, Hermes, Zeus
– Agents

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Other books by T.J. Brearton:

THE TITAN TRILOGY

HABIT
a #1 best-selling thriller that you won’t be able to put down, BOOK 1

A young woman, Rebecca Heilshorn, lies stabbed to death in her bed in a remote farmhouse. Rookie detective Brendan Healy is called in to investigate. All hell breaks loose when her brother bursts onto the scene. Rebecca turns out to have many secrets and connections to a sordid network mixing power, wealth, and sex. Detective Brendan Healy, trying to put a tragic past behind him, pursues a dangerous investigation that will risk both his life and his sanity. Habit is a compelling thriller which will appeal to all fans of crime fiction. T.J. Brearton amps up the tension at every step, until the shocking and gripping conclusion.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HABIT-detective-mysteries-thrillers-BREARTON-ebook/dp/B00HRIJVFS/

http://www.amazon.com/HABIT-detective-mysteries-thrillers-BREARTON-ebook/dp/B00HRIJVFS/

SURVIVORS
BOOK 2 of the Titan Trilogy

"T.J. Brearton has created interesting characters, including good villains, a convoluted plot and a thoughtful foundation. This is a fun read ... The conspiracy Brearton has created is reminiscent of some David Baldacci thrillers ... bad people are everywhere and in control, and that only a few - but enough to provide some hope - are fighting to save the little nobility and truth that hasn't been bought yet ... Some of the back story was provided in the first book of the trilogy, but Brearton is adept at bringing the reader up to speed on the connections among the various characters." - Jerry McGovern, The Adirondack Daily Enterprise

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SURVIVORS-crime-thriller-books-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00LF4U578/

http://www.amazon.com/SURVIVORS-crime-thriller-books-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00LF4U578/

And follow @BreartonTJ for news of more books, coming 2015