The Grim Spectre

by Ralph L. Angelo Jr.

  Tammy leaned over the man’s reception desk and kissed him on the cheek.

  “Now what was that for, Miss Thomas?” Zachary asked in wide-eyed surprise.

  “For you caring. Thank you Zachary,” Tammy replied.

  She turned, walked to the elevator door and entered it. A moment later and a floor above she pulled open the door to the Gazette’s city room and walked inside. It was empty and the lights were dimmed. Tammy walked over to her own desk and turned the lights on.

  Tammy settled into her seat and began to load a fresh sheet of paper into her beat up old typewriter.

  “You shouldn’t do that, you know.” An eerily modulated voice said.

  She practically leaped out of her seat at the sound of it. Looking around quickly she saw no one there. Then she said, “Where are you?”

  “Here,” The Grim Spectre replied, slowly fading into view before her dramatically.

  She inhaled deeply at the sight of him glowing faintly before her.

  “Do not scream,” he said, “I mean you no harm.”

  “I-I won’t,” Tammy replied.

  “Good,” The Spectre said.

  “W-what do you want? W-why are you here?” Tammy questioned fearfully.

  “Are you unharmed?” he asked.

  “Y-yes, they didn’t touch me. I think the Mayor just wanted to scare me,” Tammy answered.

  “And did he?”

  “Not as much as you are right now,” Tammy replied truthfully.

  “Then I will leave you. Once again I mean you no harm and you have nothing to fear from me. But I suggest you stay away from Mayor Winston. Leave him to me, I will handle him,” The Grim Spectre said.

  He turned to walk away and began to fade from sight when Tammy said, “Wait, did you do this tonight? Make him free me?” she asked.

  Without looking at her, he slowly nodded his head positively and said, “I did. I could not bear the thought of you held against your will by that corrupt man for simply doing your job.”

  “Thank you for freeing me. I-I’m sorry I hit you earlier at the crazy ape-man’s place,” she paused a moment and then added, “Does it hurt yet? Your head I mean.”

  “I am an avenging spirit, Miss Thomas. No, it does not hurt. Even if you were able to somehow harm one such as myself you would find the effect would not last.”

  “I-I see,” she replied, shivering slightly at the sound of his voice. “But how was I able to hit you? I mean you are a ghost right?”

  “To exist in the world of men, I must abide by some of its rules. I must be a part of it, not totally distanced from it. It causes me some…vulnerability at times,” he replied, slightly above a whisper.

  He turned toward her then, his terrible countenance still in half shadow and his eyes glowing brightly. Tammy inhaled sharply and felt herself press backward against the back of her seat involuntarily at the sight.

  “Miss Thomas, are you…interviewing me?” The Grim Spectre asked suddenly.

  “I-I, well why waste a good opportunity, right? Whaddaya think? I mean er, what do you think? Sorry, sorry I always go back to contractions when I’m nervous. My boyfriend nags me about it, but he is right, I guess,” she finished reluctantly.

  The Grim Spectre thought, ‘She called me her boyfriend, that’s a first. Maybe I can play with this angle a little bit.’

  He stared at her in silence a moment and then said, “This boyfriend, are you in love with him?”

  She looked at him incredulously and replied, “What business is it of yours? You’re some kind of ghoul or ghost, heck, I don’t know what you really are.”

  “I am an avenging spirit on the side of the angels sent to right a terrible wrong and to clean up this city,” he said.

  Tammy looked at him, still with fear gnawing at her heart, but then said bravely, “You should mind you own business. Why do you wanna know anyways?”

  The Grim Spectre shrugged and answered, “You seek to learn of me, to understand me; I merely seek the same of you. It is easier at times to learn from whence the heart speaks. So again I ask, do you love this nameless man?”

  “I think I do, and his name is Bobby Terrano,” she answered.

  The Grim Spectre nodded in agreement, “Ah, the trumpet player. I recognize his name.”

  “I’m not surprised; you’ve been in town long enough to hear it I guess.”

  “Yes,” was the Spectre’s simple reply.

  In the distance fire sirens sounded. Both The Grim Spectre and Tammy turned toward the sounds. The Grim Spectre moved toward the window, where an orange glow could be seen in the distance.

  “I must go,” he said.

  “What can you do?” Tammy asked nervously.

  He turned his terrible face toward her and said, “I can save lives.”

  Without another word he walked through the wall and disappeared. Tammy raced to the window and looked out, but The Grim Spectre was nowhere to be found.

  * To see what befalls The Grim Spectre next, make sure to read the aforementioned story contained within the pages of the ‘Legends of New Pulp Fiction’ anthology.

  Chapter 24

  Several days later, at the Olympus room, Phylo Zeus sat at his usual table protected by his guards who milled about the crowd. The Mayor walked up and quietly sat down at Zeus’ table.

  Zeus looked at his men and nodded his head, as if to say, ‘It’s all right.’ Then he turned toward his new guest.

  “What is it, Winston?”

  The Mayor looked around the room and spoke quietly, not looking Zeus in the eyes, “We seem to have a mutual problem.”

  Zeus chuckled softly and replied, “What problem? I’m not aware of any trouble.”

  Winston continued to scan the room, then said, “Don’t play games with me, Zeus. You know what I’m talking about. This Grim Spectre, He’s some kind of monster. He paid me a visit, in my very bedroom. I-I don’t think I’ve ever been so frightened in my life. This is a problem for both of us. I can turn him into public enemy number one, but I don’t think my boys in blue can take him down. This guy is a ghost. I saw him up close. Those eyes, th-they burned into my very soul!”

  He turned toward Zeus, reached across the table and grabbed his lapels. Then he stared with maddened eyes at the bigger man.

  “W-we have to work together on this, Phylo, we have to.”

  Zeus removed Winston’s hands from his suit and pushed the other man back into the seat across from him.

  “Don’t do that again, Winston, ever” Zeus admonished.

  “I-I’m sorry, Phylo, I’m just still shook up from his visit. It’s been almost a week and I can’t shake the feeling that this thing is going to just appear in my bedroom once again, when I’m not expecting it.”

  Zeus sat back in his big chair, and smiled, then after a moment said, “He spooked you.”

  Zeus lit up a cigar and blew smoke rings before he proceeded. Chuckling softly he turned back to Winston once again.

  “What do you suggest we do?” Zeus asked coyly.

  “Track this thing down and kill it or do away with it or whatever it takes. I’m telling you, Phylo, it’s a monster,” Winston spat in reply.

  Zeus chuckled again and reached to the small table before him. He picked up his just delivered drink and told the waitress, “Get the Mayor whatever he wants, too.”

  The Mayor waved her off and turned back to Zeus, “You have to listen to me, Phylo, this guy is too much for either of us to handle alone, but if we pool our stuff we just might be able to take him down.”

  “I’ll…think about it Winston.”

  William Winston leaned back in his chair and said, “Why the hesitation? We’ve worked together before when it benefitted us both. This benefits us both.”

  Zeus smiled, then replied, “Why are you worried? Is he getting close to exposing something you did? Perhaps a few apartment fires to drive the tenants out so you could sell the buildings?”

  “Is this something new?” Winston
replied, “You know what I’ve done and what I’m capable of doing. I’ve made no bones about it. You also know how much I look the other way where you’re concerned, all the time. I allow you to operate almost without restriction unless one of your boys screws up so badly that it has to look like we did something to ‘protect the peace.’ Just remember, I let you prosper in this city, without me, things get bad for you really quick.”

  The two men locked eyes for a moment across the table, both staring like statues until finally Zeus exhaled, and both relaxed, “All right,” Zeus said, let’s get this ghost. You keep your cops on him every time he shows up and I’ll send every freak and maniac I can after him and together we’ll make sure he goes back to whatever hell he crawled out of.”

  William Winston extended his hand and Phylo Zeus took it. They shook.

  Chapter 25

  Bobby Terrano walked up the flight of stairs to his apartment, his trumpet in its case in his right hand, and his jacket tossed over his left shoulder. He walked down the hallway to his apartment and saw something tacked to the door.

  “What the hell?” he muttered aloud.

  Bobby removed the envelope with his name scrawled across it and opened his apartment door. He walked inside and placed his trumpet on the floor. He opened the envelope and looked inside. Within were two tickets to the Olympus room.

  “Zeus,” was all he said. He shook his head and tossed the envelope on his kitchen table, “This guy never gives up.”

  Bobby turned and began to walk away but stopped and turned back to the table, picking up the envelope once again and pulling the tickets out. He looked at them again and shrugged, “Why not?”

  ***

  Twelve hours later Bobby and Tammy entered the Olympus room. Both were dressed in their best finery.

  “No matter what I’m wearin’ I still feel outta place in this dump,” Tammy whispered.

  “You’re really nervous aren’t you?” Bobby asked, “You’re strangling the language again.”

  She sneered at him and then looked about the room, “Look at these people,” she said, “they’re wearin’ stuff that’s worth more than I make in a year.”

  “Don’t sweat it, Doll, Phylo Zeus invited me down here, and I’m sure he knew you’d be coming too.”

  “Maybe he did, but that don’t make me any more comfortable,” Tammy breathed.

  “Try to relax and have fun, who knows the next time we’ll be in here,” Bobby said.

  She looked at him cautiously and said, “I’m more worried about getting out of this place alive.”

  Bobby nodded slowly and replied, “Good point.”

  “Bobby, Miss Thomas, how nice to see you both tonight.”

  They both turned toward the sound of the voice and saw Phylo Zeus approaching them in his best white tuxedo, a champagne glass in his meaty paw.

  “Hello, Phylo,” Bobby replied, “thanks for the invite.”

  “You are quite welcome, Bobby, come, both of you and sit at my private table with me.” Phylo Zeus reached forward and took Tammy’s hand in his. He leaned forward and kissed it gently, his eyes not leaving her face.

  Despite herself, Tammy blushed.

  “Come, both of you, sit with me and enjoy the show tonight, on me, on the house. Order whatever you want, food and drink, or just drink if you’d prefer, hahahaha!” he laughed gregariously.

  The three people sat at Zeus’ private table and a waitress immediately appeared, “Donna, get my friends whatever they want, it’s all on me tonight,” he said.

  Donna the waitress turned and smiled at Bobby and Tammy. Bobby returned her smile and said, “I’ll take a beer, the stronger the better, and Tammy here will take a glass of Rose’.”

  Donna smiled once again and left.

  Bobby turned to Phylo and asked, “So what’s this all about anyway, Phylo, why the sudden invite?”

  Zeus smiled warmly and replied, “Why do you think, Lad, I want you to play here. Word has it you are the very best in town, perhaps on the east coast. Isn’t it time you played in the best club around?”

  “Look, Phylo, I appreciate all of this, but I really like playing the smaller clubs; it’s more personal,” Bobby answered.

  “And that is the beauty of all of this, Bobby, you still can. I’m only asking you to play at the Olympus room once every two weeks, what do you say?”

  “One night every two weeks?” Bobby asked incredulously.

  “Yes, My Boy, once every two weeks,” the bigger man replied.

  “And what are you offering me for pay?” Bobby asked.

  Phylo Zeus wrote a number on a napkin and slid it across the table to him. Bobby looked at the number and his eyebrows rose up in surprise.

  “That’s what a whole band makes; you realize it’s just me and no backing band right? You have to supply the other musicians.”

  Zeus nodded and said, “I do, Bobby. I know full well it is you alone.”

  “I don’t get it, why so much for me? What’s the catch? Some kind of contract that says I can’t ever play anywhere else?”

  Zeus shook his head and replied, “No Bobby, no contracts. Just a handshake, nothing more. You agree to play here every other Wednesday, until we both agree that it would be time to move on and that’s it. There are no other stipulations. You can play wherever you want, otherwise.”

  Bobby looked Zeus in the eyes and said, “What do you mean ‘we both have to agree’? I can’t call it quits if I’m unhappy with the way things are going?”

  “I would need proper notification, a weeks’ notice, at least, but that is all.”

  Bobby looked at Zeus carefully and finally said, “This is not what I was expecting. I thought I’d find some raw deal here that I’d be walking away from. I need a few days to think about this.”

  Zeus smiled and said, “Take a week. Return to me with your decision then, no strings attached,” he slid the napkin back to Bobby, “and you can keep that.”

  Bobby stood and with him so did Tammy, “Thank you Phylo, You’ll be hearing from me.”

  “I hope so, My Boy,” Zeus replied and shook Bobby’s hand.

  “Thank you, Phylo,” Bobby said and he and Tammy walked toward the exit.

  “Did you see that number?” he asked Tammy as they exited the Olympus room into the pleasant night air.

  “Yes, I did, are you really thinking about doing this?” Tammy asked, surprised.

  “That’s a lot of money, Tamm. He’s not making any demands from me; he just wants me to play at his club.”

  “But Bobby, It’s Phylo Zeus; he’s the biggest gangster in this town. You can’t really be serious.”

  “From what I’ve heard from other people in the business is that he’s very generous to those that have worked in his clubs, and that he treats everyone very professionally. Besides, don’t you want some inside info on his club?”

  “I want you to stay alive, Stupid.” Tammy snapped back.

  “Don’t worry about it, Red; I have no intention of dying anytime soon. Trust me, Tammy; I know what I’m doing.”

  They both entered a waiting cab which drove down the hill and disappeared into the night.

  Chapter 26

  Saturday night and Bobby exited a small bar with his trumpet case in hand and a pocketful of cash.

  “What the hell?” he asked aloud as people rushed past him on the busy street.

  “Hey, Hey!” he shouted at the scurrying crowd, “What’s going on? Why are you all running?”

  A frantic woman turned back to him and shouted, “Some maniac dressed like a priest just took a church full of people hostage and he’s demanding The Grim Spectre comes there to fight him. If he doesn’t show up, he’s going to start killing people.” She continued running away from the church.

  Bobby turned toward it in the distance when a beeping car horn caught his attention. Lou the cabbie stuck his head out the window, his familiar yellow cap atop his grey head of hair and yelled, “Bobby! Bobby! Get in here, all he
ll is breakin’ loose back there.”

  “You only have to ask me once, Lou,” Bobby replied as he slid into the back seat.

  “Home, Kid?” Lou asked.

  “Yeah, definitely,” Bobby answered. He looked out the back window as the cab sped away from the curb and left the running crowd behind. “What’s going on back there? Some woman said a priest had people held hostage and he wanted to fight The Grim Spectre; is that right?”

  Lou nodded as he drove, “Yeah, Bobby, it is. There’s some maniac in there. That is definitely not some man o’ God, that’s for sure.”

  Bobby slumped back in the cab’s back seat and said, “Just get me home, Lou, as fast as possible.”

  Lou nodded and said, “You got it, Kid.”

  ***

  Fifteen minutes later Bobby was bounding up the staircase in his hallway two at a time. He ran down his hallway and unlocked his door. Taking one last look in both directions Bobby slammed the door and immediately locked it. He ran to his room and took his costume out of the closet where he had it hidden behind a false panel.

  ‘I know I can call this crazy costume up with the magic belt anytime I want to, but tonight I have to make sure everything is right before I leave.’

  He checked his guns and made sure the magazines were loaded as well as the extra’s he carried within his cape. He hung his whip from the belt carefully and then loaded up on the special throwing knives he had made up for his use.

  Bobby looked around carefully in his apartment and then bent to one knee with his head bowed and said, “Dear God, please help me in making the right choices tonight and please guide my hand to saving lives, and not taking them, if I can. I know I’m going up against a defrocked priest tonight, but he was still a priest. Please help me, I’m going to need it, I think.”