by K E O'Connor
“No, it’s not that.” Nick sighed, his gaze going to the ceiling. “It’s Council business. I need to focus on that and make sure they don’t do anything stupid.”
“Like what?” Zee Town Council was an official pain in the behind, but they kept us well-funded, generally supported what we did, and only occasionally asked for too many reports about the zombies.
“It’s confidential Council business,” Nick said, his dark hair a mess where he’d raked his fingers through it.
“I have to deal with the Council, too,” I said. “And I can get a copy of the minutes from their meetings if I want to find out what you’ve been talking about.”
That generated another sigh from Nick. “Fine, but keep this to yourself. It’s not definite. They’re talking about cutting the police budget. They don’t think there’s enough crime in Zee Town to warrant keeping on extra officers.”
“There are only a few of you as it is. We’re not such a small town. Why do they want to cut the budget?”
“They’re still talking about that theme park,” Nick said. “If they cut a salaried post from the police, they can pay for a park manager and a consultant to design the park.”
I shook my head. “There’s no way we’re having a zombie theme park in Zee Town.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Nick said. “But if we do end up having it, we’ll need additional police officers. There will be more tourists and a greater potential for trouble when they get merry, go on some terrifying zombie ride, and decide to pick a fight with a zombie as part of a fun day out.”
“Did you say a salaried post is under threat?” I asked.
Nick nodded. “They’re talking about getting rid of Alex’s post. His position was only on a trial basis, with six months funding attached. I assumed they’d continue the funding. I filed the reports they requested and showed the post was valued.”
“They can’t do that,” I said. “I don’t want Alex to lose his job.” He was also dating Jen. She’d be devastated if Alex had to leave town to find work.
“Alex is doing a good job,” Nick said. “He needs to work on being more discreet, but other than that, he’s a competent officer. I don’t want to lose him. and I don’t want to lose that funding.”
“You need to fight the Council on this,” I said.
“Which is exactly what my top priority is. Which means I have to disappoint you. I can’t disappear off for hours on some wild zombie hunt, especially if the zombie in question has gone for a long walk and gotten a bit lost.”
I glared at him but nodded. “Fine, but when you do have five minutes, can you put in some time to help find her? Audrey means a lot to Laura. We need to keep an eye out for our vulnerable residents.”
“Sure, you don’t need to tell me how to do my job,” Nick said.
“I’m not.” I bristled under his sharp tone. “I’m simply looking out for our residents, the living and the dead.”
“Just like you were looking out for the resident in that room?” Nick pointed to the morgue behind me. “Don’t get involved in this, Cassie. Most likely, this zombie died of natural causes.”
“I didn’t say anything about the zombie in the morgue. You’re the one making accusations and assuming I came here to learn more about the zombie’s death.” Nick knew me too well. I never could resist a mystery.
Nick shook his head and moved past me. “Stool, stay here and keep guard. Make sure Cassie doesn’t come into the morgue.”
“He won’t listen to you,” I said. “Stool loves me.” I always kept dog treats in the office and at home because of Stool’s frequent visits.
“That dog is crazy.” Nick pushed through the morgue door and slammed it behind him.
“More like his owner is crazy.” I tickled Stool behind his ears. “You’d never stop me from going in there, would you?”
Stool looked at me and wagged his tail in response. I took that as a sign I’d be able to sneak in if I wanted to, but I’d seen everything I needed. I knew who the zombie was. It was time to get back to work and immerse myself into the heart numbing facade of Valentine’s Day, and convince myself my perfect guy was out there somewhere.
Chapter 3
The next morning was as chilly and crisp as the previous day. Ice made pretty star-shaped patterns on the windows of my house.
I snuggled on the couch, wearing a pair of thick socks, a large mug of tea in hand as I enjoyed the last few minutes in front of the log burner before I stepped out into the frozen morning and headed to work.
I’d lived in the cottage on Ramshackle Lane for years. I loved the small rooms painted in calming colors, the soft squashy couch, and the pretty courtyard garden. It was compact, but it suited me perfectly. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
After delaying the inevitable, I pulled on my winter boots, stuffed myself into the warmest coat I owned, donned a hat and gloves, grabbed my purse, and headed into the gray morning.
I hurried to the office and opened up. I set the heating to its highest level, switched on the kettle, and heated some beef broth for Zara, who had yet to arrive.
Once the tea was made, I settled in my seat and grabbed a trinket from the half-finished pile on my desk. My hobby was making hanging trinkets from stones, beads, and anything shiny. Whenever I had a spare moment, I worked on them.
I looked at the four large boxes of Valentine’s cards in the corner of the office. It was a tradition that every Valentine’s Day the zombies played Cupid and went around town delivering cards to lucky loved ones.
This year, there was a lot of love to go around. I’d never had so many cards. Between me and Zara, it had taken the best part of a day to get them in order. I also knew there’d be a few last minute arrivals over the next couple of days. My Cupid zombies would need to be on top form if they were to make all the deliveries.
The card deliveries would start our day of love. Later in the day, Laura would host her Valentine lunch, with champagne and strawberries on arrival, heart-shaped canapés, a selection of sandwiches and salads, and pudding to finish. Most likely, that would be heart-shaped as well. Laura loved making her themed food.
In the evening, we had the dance. The dance I didn’t have a date for. Both residents and tourists attended these events. We had more tourists every year coming to Zee Town’s activities, drawn partly by our unique status. People were fascinated by placid zombies. We were a haven for zombies. However, increasingly, the tourists came because they enjoyed the fun events. And if there was one thing I knew how to do, it was host amazing events.
The bell over the office door jangled as Zara walked through. She raised her hand at me and headed straight for the beef broth. It was important to keep zombies well-fed. The placid ones didn’t bite, but if they don’t get enough food, and the right sort of food, they quickly faded.
“I’ve got news about Phil from the shelter.” I set the trinket to one side. “He’s passed away.”
Zara paused, her mug halfway to her mouth. “Phil’s dead?”
“He was brought into Selina’s yesterday. I don’t know what happened to him. Did you know him?”
Zara shook her head and sat in her seat. “Not well. Sometimes ate together at the shelter.”
“Selina will find out if anything bad happened,” I said. “Was anything worrying Phil the last time you saw him?”
Zara focused on the mug in her hand. “No, he was a well zombie. He only had one arm. He didn’t like that.”
“No one was bothering him? He wasn’t being bullied?”
“Nothing like that.”
I picked up the trinket and added another few pink beads, before setting it down again. I couldn’t afford to get distracted. There was lots to do to make sure the Valentine’s events ran smoothly. However, my hands kept straying to the trinket. Making these darn things was a compulsion. I loved them, and so did the zombies. As I worked, I kept thinking about Phil. Something niggled about this death. What had happened to him?
&n
bsp; Before I knew it, an hour had passed and a beautiful pink and red beaded trinket was ready to hang in the window.
I hunted in my desk drawer for a hanging loop. It looked like I’d used up my supply. It wasn’t a surprise, given the number of trinkets that already hung in the office window. “Zara, I’m going to Bill’s store. I need a loop for my trinket.”
“Pretty,” Zara said. “It’s for our window?”
“Yes, not that we need any more.” I shrugged on my coat and shot a cautious glance at the gray morning.
“Always need more trinkets,” Zara said. “We feel safe with them.”
I didn’t understand Zara’s comment, but it was a good thing she liked them since I felt compelled to make them and hang them all around the town.
I grabbed my purse, turned up the collar on my coat, and headed outside. Bill’s store was a few minutes’ walk from the office. I power walked the whole way to avoid getting a frozen nose.
Bill Guthrie ran the town’s general store. If you needed a liter of milk late at night or a loaf of bread, Bill had what you needed.
“Good morning, Bill.” I shot through the door of the store and closed it swiftly, welcoming the warm air that surrounded me as I walked to the counter.
Bill looked up from the newspaper he was reading, his round cheeks bright pink and a smile appearing on his face. “And to you. What can I do for you on this gloomy day? Have you come to sprinkle some of your hearts around the store?”
“Not this time,” I grinned at him. “I’m after more hanging loops. I finished a trinket, and it’s just the right color to go in the office window in time for our Valentine’s events.”
“I’m sure that will look lovely.” Bill heaved his heavy frame off the high stool he sat on and walked around the counter. “Has someone stolen your heart this year in time for the dance?”
I gritted my teeth and forced a smile. “You know me, married to my job.”
Bill smiled and patted my arm as he passed. “I am too. Not by choice these days. I find this time of year tricky, what with my wife no longer here.”
Bill had lost his wife, Mary, during the zombie uprising. They’d run the store together before she’d died.
“Will you be coming to any of the events?” I asked him.
“No, I shouldn’t think so,” Bill said. “I’m sure they’ll be lovely. Although, I’ll be dropping into the diner once the fancy lunch is done. I want to see if Laura needs any help to get rid of her delicious leftovers.”
“I’m sure Laura will have treats she can give you. She always makes too much.” I could understand why Bill didn’t want to go to the events. If I had a choice, I’d spend the day under a duvet, eating too much chocolate and watching romantic movies, feeling sorry for myself.
He nodded and handed me a small packet. “Here you go. That’s a pack of twelve hanging loops. They should keep you going for a while.”
“Great! Thanks.” I paid for the hanging loops and looked around the store. “Are you on your own today?” Usually, Bill had at least one assistant with him.
“It seems like it,” Bill said. “Chris has been missing for three days.”
“You’re missing a zombie as well?”
“It’s not such a loss,” Bill said. “I was thinking of letting him go.”
“Why? I thought Chris was a good worker.”
“He is when he shows up,” Bill said. “He does what I ask and never bothers the customers, which is a good thing.”
“You don’t want to keep him on?”
“I don’t know. I understand that our placid zombies are supposed to be safe, but now and again, I’m sure Chris gives me a strange look. It’s as if he’s thinking about turning me into his lunch.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Chris would never hurt you. He’s gentle. Whenever I’ve been served by him, he’s so considerate.”
Bill shuffled his feet. “There’s another small issue. My nephew, Grant, is in town. He’s been struggling to find a job and asked if he could work with me. He’s a good kid, about your age. I couldn’t say no to him.”
“Can’t Chris and Grant work together? With more staff, you can have time off.” Bill worked long hours in the store. I got the impression he did it to avoid going back to an empty house.
“No, if I have Chris then I can’t have Grant. I can’t afford them both. Chris can get himself a place at the shelter and be fine. He won’t miss the work. And since he hasn’t shown up recently, maybe he doesn’t even want the job.” Bill looked at the ground. “It’s best he’s gone. It works out well for all of us.”
“Are you sure he’s simply lost interest in the job?” I rubbed my finger against the scar on my left palm. “Chris told you he doesn’t want to work here?”
“He doesn’t say much. His actions speak louder. Chris isn’t here. He can’t want the work.”
“I’m not so sure. Laura’s missing Audrey from the diner. I wondered if the two are connected, somehow.”
“Maybe they’ve gone somewhere nice together,” Bill suggested. “It’s no matter. Family has to come first. You must understand. I can’t let a zombie get in the way of making sure my nephew’s provided for.”
“Give Chris a little more time before giving away his job. I’ve asked Nick to look into Audrey’s disappearance. I can add Chris’s name to that list as well. Nick might take this more seriously if more than one zombie is missing.”
Bill shrugged, his gaze moving around the store. “It’s a bit late for that. Grant has already accepted the job. Chris is no longer working here.”
“Even so, I’ll keep my eye out for Chris,” I said. “I need to go around town today posting updates on the dance posters. If I see him, I’ll ask him to drop by the store and you can get this sorted out.”
“I do need to give him his final wage packet. Perhaps you can do that for me when you see him?”
“I don’t think that would be right.” I wasn’t prepared to do Bill’s dirty work. “If you’re going to let Chris go, he needs to hear it from you.”
Bill gave a shrug and looked up as the store door opened, a smile crossing his face. “Grant, come and meet my favorite Zee Town resident, Cassie March.”
I turned. A tall slim guy, with shoulder-length dark hair and piercing green eyes approached me. Wow! Grant was gorgeous.
He walked over and extended a hand for me to shake. “Hello, Cassie. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Grant dropped my hand and passed a large bag to his uncle. “I got the supplies you need.”
“Excellent. Cassie looks after the town’s events,” Bill said. “She’s in charge of the Valentine’s celebrations happening in a few days.”
“The hearts dotted around the town are your doing?” Grant’s green eyes gleamed.
“I’m happy to say they’re all my fault.” I smoothed down my hair. “The locals love it, and we get tourists coming to the lunches and dance. It’s also good for Zee Town’s businesses.”
“I saw there was a dance,” Grant said. “Are there any tickets left? I wouldn’t mind going. It’ll be a good way to meet new people.”
“Sorry. We’re sold out.”
“That’s such a shame.” Grant’s shoulders slumped. “I love to dance.”
“Well, maybe I can squeeze an extra one in.” I’d definitely make space to have Grant at the dance. He’d set hearts fluttering when he walked in the door.
“That’ll be great,” Grant said.
Bill chuckled. “Come on, you two. I’ve got work to get through. I can’t have my favorite nephew distracted by a beautiful woman.”
A blush crept across my cheeks. “I need to go, too. Dance business to attend to.” I did a crazy wave of my hands in the air to convey, well, I don’t know what.
Grant’s smile broadened as he watched me back away. “Will you be at the dance?”
“I have to be. I’m in charge.”
“Do you ever get a break from work?”
“I take five minutes, now and again.�
�� My hand was on the door as my heart thumped.
“I hope to see you again,” Grant said.
“Definitely.” I did a thumbs up and hurried out of the store, cringing at how uncool I’d appeared. Why do a thumbs up? A hot guy won’t find that sexy. I mentally slapped myself a few times. I was hopeless around attractive guys. And Grant was the hottest guy I’d seen in a long time.
As I walked away from Grant’s alluring influence, my thoughts returned to the missing zombies. Audrey and Chris disappearing, and Phil was dead. Something felt wrong.
I paused and looked back at Bill’s store, remembering that he kept a baseball bat under his counter for fear that the zombies might turn on him and he’d have to defend himself. Did Bill still hold a grudge against our town zombies?
He had been offhand about Chris vanishing and seemed shifty when I’d spoken about Chris going missing.
I shook my head. I couldn’t imagine Bill harming a zombie. Maybe he was just under pressure to find work for his nephew and felt he had to get rid of Chris swiftly and didn’t like to say he’d fired him. Chris would most likely turn up safe and well in a day or two.
I hurried away, my thoughts still unsettled. Were these disappearances a coincidence, or could there be more to it than that?
Chapter 4
I spent the rest of the morning with Zara, finalizing and printing sold out banners for the dance posters and updating our social media on the upcoming events for Valentine’s Day.
Once everything was printed, I headed out again, banners in hand, and visited the stores to put up sold out signs on posters.
I stopped at the diner to grab a mug of tea and thaw my frozen fingers. “Is there any sign of Audrey?” I asked Laura as she served me.
“No, she’s still missing,” Laura said. “It’s as if she’s vanished into thin air. No one’s seen a glimpse of her. Not out walking or getting food, nothing.”
“Chris is missing, too.” I handed over money to pay for my tea. “Bill didn’t seem concerned about his disappearance. He’s got his nephew working for him now.”