by K E O'Connor
“Let’s hope so.” Selina poured three mugs of tea and handed them around. I noticed a tremor in her hand as she did so.
“You’re not convinced,” I said.
Selina took a long sip of tea before setting her mug down. “We all lived through the zombie uprising. I’m sure both of you have memories of what occurred. Rabid zombies are fast, ruthless, and hard to kill.”
I nodded, refusing to dwell on the dozens of memories flashing through my mind of the uprising. It had taken us by surprise. A mutated virus that infected everybody, turning half the population into zombies, some harmless and placid and some most definitely not. Everyone else got off with simply having a severe case of the flu and then recovering. It had taken years to contain the threat from rabid zombies.
“What can you tell us about the victim?” I asked Selina.
“He’s male, mid-thirties. His driver’s license has him named as Jim Crabtree. He had his throat bitten. Plus a few other nasty injuries,” Selina said. “Mainly defensive wounds on his arms.”
I grimaced. I had no stomach for the details of murder.
“What’s going to happen now?” Jen asked. “Will they shut the border to stop anybody else coming in?”
“That’s what Nick’s talking about,” Selina said. “We can’t risk having any more tourists in town, in case things get out of hand and we have to lock the town down.”
“There aren’t many around,” I said. “I imagine there’ll be more coming to celebrate Spring Fling, but this time of year isn’t popular with tourists. We can keep the incident quiet. They don’t need to know what’s going on.”
Selina took a cookie and dunked it in her tea. “You can try, but Nick’s already barking orders about curfews and people staying inside.”
I recalled the enforced curfews we’d lived through when the uprising had begun. Never travel alone outside, be inside before dark, carry a weapon with you at all times. Basically, make it as hard as possible for rabid zombies to hunt you down.
“A curfew will make people panic.” Jen clutched her mug to her chest. “You’ll get an exodus of people trying to leave Zee Town if they know it’s no longer safe.”
“Where would they run to?” Selina asked. “Zee Town’s still a safe place. We’ve got the best security going. It’s only one rabid zombie. We can have everybody looking out for the zombie. So long as we follow the safety protocols, we should be fine.”
“Does Nick have any idea how the zombie got through?” I took a sip of my tea and eyed the cookies, but my appetite had vanished.
“No, but he was roaring down the phone to Archer at one point,” Selina said. “I could hear Archer roaring back. Your typical alpha male stand-off, trying to pin blame on somebody else.” Selina had a no-nonsense approach with men. She enjoyed their company, but if they ever put a foot out of line, she let them know with a quick shove out the door, and she wasn’t a fan of male bravado.
“We should talk to Archer.” I turned to Jen. “He’ll know what’s going on, and can tell us how the zombie got in.”
“I should call Alex,” Jen said. “He might know what’s going on.”
Jen was dating Alex Strong, a police officer working with Nick. Jen and Alex were a sweet couple and had been dating for a year.
“Call him on our way to the border.” I drained my mug and stood.
“He’ll tell us to stay away,” Jen said, her phone halfway to her ear.
“Which is why you don’t need to talk to him right now,” I said. “Let’s find out what we can and then decide if we need to barricade ourselves away.” I reached into my purse, pulled out a trinket, and passed it to Selina.
“A gift?” she asked me.
“I thought you might like it.” I hadn’t intended to give them away, but felt that Selina needed one. Her clinic was sometimes on the wrong side of clinically smart to be welcoming to patients.
She took the trinket and examined it. “I already have one. You shoved it through my letterbox a few months ago.”
“Well, now you have more,” I said. “Hang it by your front door or in the window.”
Jen stood. “They bring good luck. I’ve got four in my house and three in the salon. The customers love them. The zombies do, too. They say they keep people safe.”
“We need all the luck we can right now,” Selina said. “This rabid zombie needs finding and fast.”
I couldn’t agree more. I left the clinic with Jen and kept glancing over my shoulder, half expecting a zombie to lunge out at me.
“Let’s get my car,” Jen said. “It’ll save us time and keep us off the streets. We don’t want to run into any trouble.”
I grimaced. Jen was a terrible driver, but I’d risk a ride with her to stay away from a rabid zombie.
We ran along the cobblestone streets to Jen’s house. Once inside her tiny red Fiat, she floored the gas pedal, and we shot out of her driveway.
“I hope Archer has good news for us,” she said as we sped along the narrow lanes of Zee Town.
“If anyone can stop a rabid zombie, it’s Archer.” I kept out of border patrols way. Hardened former special forces personnel were not to be played with. Archer was a solid wall of muscle and intimidating even when he was being friendly.
Jen took a corner too sharply, and her car’s wheels squealed in protest.
I grabbed the door handle and shut my eyes as the car shot toward the border patrol office. “Slow down! Anyone would think we’re being chased by a marauding horde of zombies.”
“I’m too panicked to drive slowly.” She looked at me. “What if this is the end of Zee Town?”
“It won’t be, but it might be the end of us if you don’t keep your eyes on the road.” I blew out a breath. “We need to be in one piece if we’re going to find out anything useful.”
Jen eased off the gas a little, and my heart slowed.
“Thanks. Now, think calm thoughts, and let’s see what we can find out about this rabid zombie.”
I wished my gut wasn’t always right, but as soon as I’d heard about this death, I’d started to worry, and with good reason.
If the rumors were true, Zee Town might never be the same again.
Chapter 4
“You’d definitely outrun a zombie in this car.” I patted the dashboard as Jen brought the car to a stop.
“I can always rely on Big Red to get me places,” Jen said. “She’s never let me down.”
We were outside the border patrol office. It was a solid red brick building with a pitched gray roof and metal bars across the windows. It was the base for border patrol staff, a team of twenty dedicated personnel who looked after our security. They were all ex-special forces, all pretty terrifying looking in their patrol gear and weapons, but deadly efficient in keeping Zee Town safe.
We sat inside the car. I played with a button on my coat while Jen fiddled with the radio knob on the car stereo.
“This is ridiculous,” I said as our anxiety filled the car. “Let’s see what we can find out.”
Jen looked around the outside of the car. “It looks safe to me, but it’s really quiet. There’s no one on the gate.”
I looked at the twelve-foot high gate that sat behind the office. There was usually at least one patrol officer visible. During peak season, when the tourists came in all the time, the gates were left open and security doubled to keep a check on the crowds and make sure no rabid zombies got through.
“Maybe they’re all out searching the town.” I opened my door and placed a foot on the ground.
The door to the office shot open. A patrol guard emerged, dressed head to toe in black and a gun by his side. It was Archer Rhinehart.
Archer had been in charge of border patrol since Zee Town was established. He was six foot five inches of muscle, his dark hair clipped into a crewcut, and cheekbones sharp enough to cut yourself on. He was good-looking but lethal.
As Archer stalked toward the car, I was tempted to get back in and lock the door. I to
ok a deep breath, and eased myself off the seat, standing as upright as I could and trying not to lean away as he drew near.
“Do you need the gate open?” Archer asked, his cut glass accent ensuring he spoke every word perfectly.
“No. We’re not leaving town.” I gestured Jen to get out of the car. She sat with her fingers wrapped around the steering wheel as if she was intending to flee. If she left me behind with Archer, I’d come back as a rabid zombie and hunt her down.
Archer gave me a wry smile. “Let me guess, you’ve heard the latest rumors?”
“What rumors would they be?” I asked.
Archer’s grin broadened, showing off perfect teeth. “Cassie March, I know you’re good friends with our doctor. I also know that she’s recently taken acquisition of a particularly chewed up body. Is there any chance the two of you have been gossiping?”
“Possibly,” I said. “Is there any chance you can tell us more about those rumors?”
“If I tell you anything, will you keep it quiet?” Archer leaned toward me, his tone turning conspiratorial. “Because, if I tell you something confidential and find out you’ve been spreading it around town, I have the legal right to make you disappear. For good.”
I swallowed. There was no doubt about it, Archer was hot. Hot, but terrifying.
“You wouldn’t do that,” Jen squeaked from inside the car.
Archer’s grin made his features soften. “No, probably not, but even I have my off days.”
He was remarkably relaxed for someone who may have accidentally let a rabid zombie slip through the fence. “What can you tell us about the attack?”
“Why don’t you come take a look?” He gestured us toward the gate. “Come on, I don’t bite, unless you ask me really nicely.”
Jen finally got out of the car after I glared at her for several seconds and walked alongside me.
I nudged her so she’d start asking questions.
“Did you see the body?” Jen asked Archer.
“I saw it. I agree with both Morton and Talbert. It was a zombie attack.”
“How did the zombie get in?” I asked.
Archer stopped by the gate and pointed at it. “I’m not sure. One thing I know, there’s no breach in my defense lines. The gate’s secure. My patrols have been out as per their usual work pattern, and my team’s doing a sweep of the border fence to ensure there have been no breaks in the wire. They won’t find anything. We’re just doing it to cover our backs. I had Morton threatening me this morning. He reckons there’s a weakness in my procedures.” He let out a snort and ran a hand over his cropped hair.
“You’re sure there’s no break in the fence?” I persisted. “Could a zombie have burrowed under the fence line or found an abandoned badger sett and crawled in?” We were in the wilds of Cornwall. The wildlife around here was hardy, and the badgers were huge and almost as mean as a rabid zombie when they were hungry.
“I’m positive there are no breaks. And it’s a no to the tunneling and badger sett theories,” Archer said. “The border fencing has twenty-four-hour patrols. Once a week, we check for new incursions under the fence. If it were a rabid zombie, they wouldn’t have that kind of control, anyway. They wouldn’t start digging a trench and disappear when a patrol came along. The rabids don’t act like that. They act on their primal instincts. If it were a rabid trying to get in, we would have dealt with it.” He patted his gun like it was his favorite dog.
“Could they have come in with a tourist?” Jen asked. “We’ve got some in town right now. Cassie’s planning the Spring Fling.”
“Yes, I know about the Fling,” Archer said. “We have a calendar of the town’s events in the office so we can monitor when there’ll be an upsurge in tourist numbers and make the appropriate adaptations. No zombie got in with the tourists. We do body checks and thermal scans on people coming through the gates. A rabid zombie wouldn’t have snuck in. Plus, they don’t sneak. They rampage and snarl and try to grab your throat and rip it out.” He grinned at me. “That kind of tourist we don’t let through.”
“Can we see the fence?” I asked.
“You doubt my word about how good the fence is?” Archer quirked an eyebrow.
I took a step back. “I’m sure your fence is fine. I just want to have a look for my peace of mind.”
Again, Archer’s face softened as he smiled. “No problem. I’m proud to show off how good we are. Follow me.” He led us along a length of the fence, the damp grass underfoot squelching as we walked.
“He doesn’t seem worried,” I whispered to Jen. “Maybe Nick’s getting this out of proportion.” It wouldn’t be the first time Nick had come down hard on the wrong assumption, especially when it had anything to do with zombies.
“Let’s hope so,” Jen said. “It’s good to check everything is safe, though.”
“As you can see,” Archer said, “the fence is twelve-feet high, with barbed wire at the top. The foundations go down ten feet. In addition, we have reinforced metal on the fences, and also the option to electrify the fence.”
“Is it electrified now?” Jen asked. “Do you keep it like that all the time? That would be a great deterrent to keep zombies out.”
“Would you like to test if it’s electrified?” Archer asked. “Place your hand on the metal. Let’s see if you survive.”
“No! I don’t want to do that,” Jen stuttered. “I thought it would be a good idea, you know, a real deterrent for stray rabids.”
Archer crossed one leg over the other and tilted to the right until he landed on the fence. No sparks flew, and he didn’t fry. “Does that answer your question?”
“It’s a good fence,” Jen said a little breathlessly. “You’re right. It doesn’t need to be electrified all the time. Good thinking.”
“It’s the best fencing we can get. It’s a perfect deterrent to stop any unwanted individuals coming into Zee Town,” Archer said. “Sure, we get a few rabids now and again, but they’re contained. I don’t care what Morton says. No rabid zombie has gotten through my fence. This isn’t my responsibility.”
I chewed on my bottom lip as I studied the fence. “How about the sea? Could someone have dumped a rabid zombie off the side of a boat and they ended up on the beach?”
Archer shook his head as he led us back to the main gates. “Highly unlikely. Zombies don’t swim. We’re not ruling anything out, though. I have a team on the beach, checking for evidence that something crawled out of the water.”
“Maybe one got picked up by an incoming tide and they were washed up on the beach,” I said.
“We should put mines in the water.” Jen looked up at Archer. “Can you do that?”
“No, we shouldn’t do that,” Archer said. “And while I can set mines, I have no plans to do so. Waterlogged zombies aren’t a threat. If the attacker rolled in on the tide, it’s a one-off.”
“A one-off that could see us all eaten in our beds,” Jen muttered. “I love our zombies. We can’t have a rabid one ruining everything.”
Archer looked at me and shrugged. “There’s no chance of that. Not if I’m overseeing things.”
Someone was full of confidence. “What are you doing to capture the zombie?”
“A town search. We’re also talking about a curfew if we don’t pick up the zombie quickly. We need to keep everybody safe until the threat’s contained,” Archer said. “But it’ll be over quickly. Most people aren’t even aware of the problem. We’re keeping this as quiet as possible. Which means you two must keep your mouths shut. Don’t spread this news around and cause a riot.”
“Of course, we don’t want word of this getting out.” I ignored the gleam in Archer’s narrowed eyes. He was even scarier when he dropped into his tough guy military mode.
“Morton’s even holding off from informing the Zee Town Council,” Archer said. “He wants to contain and control the zombie before we let them know, just in case they get jumpy and start talking about shutting the town down.”
&
nbsp; “They wouldn’t shut Zee Town. It brings them far too much money,” I said. The Council oversaw all of our activities, looked after our financing, and usually demanded a few too many reports and statistics for my liking.
“Our wonderful Council is greedy, but they’re not stupid,” Archer said. “If the threat is too great, I can see them shutting this whole place.”
“They can’t shut Zee Town.” Jen’s hands fluttered over her chest. “What would happen to the placid zombies? What would happen to us?”
“It’s too soon to start talking about things like that.” I shot Archer a warning look.
Jen continued, her voice pitching alarmingly high. “We would have to find new homes for the zombies. I’d lose the salon. And what about all the tourists who come to town to see the work we do? Our lovely town could be ruined because of one out-of-control zombie.”
“We’ll find the zombie.” Archer patted Jen on the back, and she staggered forward.
“I bet by Spring Fling this will be a distant memory,” I said to Jen.
“I hope you’re right,” Jen said. “Although, maybe the Fling won’t happen now. Nick may not like you having a public event.”
I hadn’t considered that. The thought of canceling the event chilled my blood almost as much as the idea of running into a rabid zombie. “He won’t do that. Everything’s arranged and people are sensible. We all know how to spot a rabid zombie and how to react around one.”
“Run as fast as you can in the opposite direction.” Jen nodded once.
“Exactly,” I said.
“You can ask Morton yourself what plans he has for your event.” Archer’s gaze lifted and he stared along the road.
I turned. Nick’s police car cruised toward us. From the grim expression on his face, he wasn’t happy to see me or Jen chatting to Archer.
“We should go.” Jen edged toward her car, her keys in hand.
“Good idea,” I said. “Thanks for the information, Archer.”
“Anytime, ladies.” Archer gave us a salute.
We raced to Jen’s car and jumped in.