by K E O'Connor
We sat in silence as we finished the last of the pastries and mulled over this seemingly unanswerable question.
“There’s one good thing that’s come out of all of this.” Jen’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Alex has asked me to move in with him. He wants to keep me safe from any possible attack. He’s my hero.”
I grinned at Jen. “He’s your romantic zombie slaying knight. Sworn to keep you safe from all rabid attacks.”
Jen giggled. “It isn’t like that. He said I’m a strong, independent woman, but he likes his women alive and warm-blooded. The best way to ensure that is to have me move into his place.”
That wasn’t the most romantic request I’d ever heard, but was quite cute. “And you agreed?”
Jen grinned and blushed. “I’m thinking about it. It’s sweet of him to want to keep me safe.”
I shared a smile with Laura. “The two of you are great together. It’s the perfect next step.”
“You don’t think it’s too soon?” Jen asked. “We’re still getting to know each other. I’ve never lived with anybody before, so I’m not sure what to expect.”
“Expect lots more washing and smelly socks to appear everywhere,” Laura said. “My husband was incapable of working out where the laundry hamper was or how the washing machine worked. That’s despite him being able to strip apart a car engine and rebuild it in a weekend.”
“Alex has lived on his own for a while,” Jen said. “He knows how to use the washing machine, and I’m not moving in so I can clean his clothes and cook his meals. Although, I like the idea of looking after my man. After all, he’s helping to keep me safe.”
I recognized the soppy expression on Jen’s face. Her thoughts were totally focused on Alex. “When are you moving in?”
“Tonight,” Jen said.
So much for her thinking about it. “Do you need a hand taking your things over?”
“No, I’m just taking essentials for now. Alex is helping me to move the rest of my stuff over the next week or so,” Jen said. “He’s not got spare time at the moment, what with the zombie taking everybody’s attention.”
I ignored the pang of loneliness in my gut. It had been a long time since I’d shared my life with anybody. I was pleased Jen had found someone who suited her, but it would be nice to have someone of my own. Somebody who worried about me when I wasn’t around and wanted to keep me safe from marauding zombies.
Laura stacked the plates and mugs and took them to the counter. “As you can imagine, with business being slow, I’ve had time on my hands.” She brought two large brown paper bags to the table. “Take these and eat them up.”
I took one of the bags and opened the top. Inside were a dozen large chocolate chip cookies with iced zombie faces on the top. “These look amazing.”
“And they taste amazing,” Jen muttered around a mouthful of cookie.
“They’ll give you energy as you complete your mission to make sure the Spring Fling happens,” Laura said. “We can’t have one tiny zombie getting in the way of things.”
“My thoughts exactly.” I stood, determined to get the revised plans for the Spring Fling under way. “And I’ll let you know if I hear more about our missing zombie.”
“Same here,” Jen said.
I left Jen and Laura in the diner and walked to the office. My thoughts drifted to Jen’s good news. I couldn’t shift my pitiful feeling of loneliness. I wanted to share my life with somebody again, but losing so many people I cared about during the zombie uprising had made me cautious. You never knew what was around the corner, waiting to pounce and take away your happiness.
I wanted somebody I could rely upon. Someone who didn’t get spooked by zombies, and someone who didn’t mind how obsessed I was with my job, my trinkets, and the placid zombies of Zee Town.
I smiled and shook my head. That would be an interesting online dating profile to write: Dream guy wanted: must love cold-blooded creatures, a woman who carries stones and dog treats in her pockets, and who’ll enjoy watching her write work proposals in bed.
I dismissed these thoughts as I let myself into the office, sat at my desk, and set to work on figuring out how we would have an indoor Spring Fling this year, and exactly how I would get Nick on side and make sure he didn’t cancel the fun.
Chapter 9
It was seven o’clock by the time I’d finished in the office that evening. After walking Zara home and making sure she was safe, I hurried to my cottage, knowing I was breaking the new curfew.
On every street corner was a large white poster, giving details of the curfew. The streets were quiet and a little creepy. Even my zombie escorts had disappeared, most likely ordered home by one of Nick’s officers so they weren’t caught out after curfew.
I remembered the curfews from years ago. If we were caught outside, we could be arrested. Any zombie caught outside after curfew was a threat and had to undergo an extensive assessment to make sure they were safe. I was glad those times had gone and hoped the curfew was a temporary measure.
Once inside, I made a dinner of pasta, sauce, and vegetables, and ate in front of the warm log burner, while I worked on more of my trinkets.
I jumped at the sound of a knock on the door and checked the clock before answering. It was almost nine. Nobody should be out at this time of night. I hurried to unlock the door and peered through the crack. It was Nick and Stool.
“I’m checking on household security,” Nick said. “I wanted to make sure you were locked up.”
“Yes, I’ve got my chain on and the back door’s locked,” I said. “All the windows are bolted. Nobody’s getting in.”
“A rabid zombie could break through this poor excuse for a door chain.” Nick’s stern gaze was on the chain. “You need a deadbolt on this door.”
“Cottage doors don’t suit deadbolts,” I said. “There’s no need for such a hardcore lock.”
“There is if a rabid zombie tries to break through. They could most likely break through this entire door.” Nick rapped his knuckles against the sturdy wooden door.
“I’ll put a chair against it before I go to bed,” I said. “Although, I’m not expecting a rabid invasion soon.”
“It’s better to be safe than bitten,” Nick said.
“Should you be out after curfew?” I asked.
“Yes, I should. I’m out checking security measures and making sure people have seen the curfew notices and are sticking to them,” Nick said.
“And are they?”
“On the whole, it’s going well,” Nick said. “People are taking this seriously, as they should.”
“I bet it’s got people spooked,” I said. “There’s already a rumor about the zombie attack going around.”
“Not coming from you, I hope?”
My eyes narrowed. “Of course not.”
Nick nodded. “We’re doing what we can to contain the concern, but we’re running out of time. If we don’t find this zombie tonight, I’ll have no choice but to alert the Council and see what they want the next move to be.”
“The Council will panic,” I said. “Is there any way you can keep them out of it for a bit longer?”
“I’ve done what I can,” Nick said. “If this gets back to them through an unofficial channel, we risk them setting up more intensive monitoring, maybe even doing something to your precious zombies. They’ll think we can’t be trusted.”
I grimaced at the thought. “They’d better not shut us down.”
“I’ll do my best to convince them that’s not necessary,” Nick said. “Is any news coming through on social media?”
“Nothing,” I said. “I’ve got posts going out every hour about the Spring Fling to divert people’s attention. So far, nothing has come out about the rabid zombie attack.”
Nick sighed. “You’re still going on about the Spring Fling?”
“I’ve had an idea about that,” I said. “There’s a way to hold the Spring Fling and wipe away your unnecessary concerns.”
“My concerns are necessary,” Nick said. “We’ll have to talk about it another time. I’ve got fifty more houses to check before I can go home.”
“Can’t you spare five minutes?”
Nick ran a hand across his face. “I’ve had five hours sleep in the last two days.”
Dark circles sat under his eyes. I shouldn’t keep pestering. “Another time, then. I still want to talk to you about the event. It’s important.”
“Fine, tomorrow,” Nick said. “I’m not happy about the Spring Fling. All that warm, tasty human flesh on display isn’t good news.”
“You’ll agree to it when you hear my brilliant idea,” I said.
“We’ll see.” Nick shifted from foot to foot. “I’m leaving Stool with you overnight.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Can’t you look after him this evening?”
“More like he’s going to look after you,” Nick said. “He might not act like it most of the time, but he’s an excellent guard dog. If anything comes sniffing around in the middle of the night, he’ll let you know.”
“I don’t need Stool to protect me.” I looked at Stool, who wagged his tail.
“No, but I want him here. You need to be safe.”
“I’m perfectly safe,” I said.
“No arguing about this,” Nick said. “He stays. Besides, he wants to stay. He told me so on our way here.”
I smiled at Nick’s comment. I often had conversations with Stool when he came for one of his visits. “He can stay.” I patted my leg.
Stool hopped up and limped into the house quite happily.
“I’ve no doubt he’ll abuse your hospitality,” Nick said. “Don’t let him sleep on your bed. I’ve been training him for months not to sleep on mine.”
“It sounds like you’re not having much success,” I said.
“What can I say, he’s one stubborn dog.” Nick leaned forward and petted Stool on the head. “Look after Cassie. And no drinking out of the toilet.”
“Thanks, Nick,” I said. “The company will be nice.”
He stood, his gaze going to mine. “You’re welcome. It’s not nice being alone at a time like this.” Nick turned to go.
“Just a second.” I hurried to the table and picked up a trinket I’d made. It was a jade and black one. “I thought you’d like this. You can hang it at home or in the station.”
Nick blinked a few times as he took the trinket. “It’s nice. What’s it for?”
“I make them because they look pretty,” I said. “A lot of people think they bring them good luck, and the zombies love them. You may have seen them in people’s homes.”
“I’ve seen them. They’re everywhere,” Nick said. “I think every business has at least one trinket. You must have made hundreds.”
I nodded, not sure why I’d had the urge to get a trinket to Nick. “Put it wherever you like, or don’t. It’s up to you.”
Nick gave me a tired smile. “I will put it up. Thank you. It’s nice.” We stared at each other in silence for a few seconds.
“When do you want me to come to the station to interview the zombies?” My stomach flipped over. I’d never noticed the warm chocolate tone in Nick’s eyes.
“Oh, I meant to tell you about that,” Nick said. “Blame the exhaustion. We’ve got the final list of zombie suspects. Can you do tomorrow?”
“Of course,” I said. “I’ll come by the station in the morning.”
“That’ll be good.” Nick’s gaze returned to the trinket in his hand.
It must be the tiredness making him flaky. He was normally much more abrupt and decisive. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Nick took a step back. “Yes, see you then. Sleep well. Tomorrow, we can get this case solved and life will return to normal.”
I smiled. “As normal as it will ever be in a town full of zombies.”
Nick scrubbed at the stubble on his chin. “Yes, back to our kind of normal.”
I closed the door and leaned against it. Weird. Nick was being friendly. I shook my head. And he was looking out for me. He didn’t have to come to my house, and he definitely didn’t need to leave Stool with me.
What was happening to Nick Morton? And me? Why did I feel all warm and fuzzy because he wanted to look out for me?
I was tired, too. That must be it. Because I wasn’t falling for Nick Morton, was I?
Chapter 10
A cold nose nudged me out of my slumber. I opened my eyes to see Stool’s face a couple of inches from mine. He was stretched out on the other side of my double bed, looking as if he slept there every night and was right at home.
“So much for you not sleeping on my bed.” I sat and scratched Stool’s head. “Nick’s not going to be happy to know you crept on here.”
Stool grumbled a few times, and his eyes closed.
“Still, he doesn’t have to know where you spent the night. He won’t be checking for fur on the bedsheets. This will be our little secret.”
Stool grumbled again and rolled over, exposing his belly for a rub.
My fingers ran over the scar where he was stitched up after losing his leg. It must have been a terrifying and painful experience. Stool was fortunate to be alive. His missing limb didn’t stop him from getting around. When Stool wanted to be somewhere, he just kept on limping until he reached his destination.
“Let’s get breakfast. Then we’d better get to work.” I petted Stool’s belly a few times, before shuffling into my slippers, putting on my robe, and heading downstairs.
Stool followed me, and I let him outside to do his doggy business in the yard.
It was early, the dawn light still fighting to get through the last dark remnants of night. I’d slept restlessly, my thoughts occupied by the zombies. I was in two minds about what had happened. A part of me wanted to discover the attacker and put an end to this, but I didn’t want that to happen if it meant one of our placid zombies had turned rogue. If that was true, what would it mean for the rest of the zombies in Zee Town? Would they be imprisoned, or interrogated, or put down? I shuddered at the options available.
After Stool had returned from his brief exploration of my garden, and I’d showered, I dressed in a pair of soft stretchy jeans and a pale pink jumper with a long-sleeved T-shirt underneath. I pulled on my thick socks and a pair of flat boots.
Peering out into the morning gloom, I could see that spring had decided to have a nap, and a light sprinkling of frost dusted the cobblestones outside the cottage.
After a quick breakfast of muffins and English breakfast tea for me and crunchy dog biscuits for Stool, I pulled on my coat and headed to the office, Stool by my side.
Zara was waiting for me outside the office when I arrived.
“We’re only opening for a few minutes this morning.” I unlocked the door. “I’ve got to keep an eye on Nick to ensure he treats our zombies well.”
Zara and Stool followed me into the office. Stool settled by my desk and tucked his nose under his tail.
“Not a suspect?” Zara pointed to her chest.
“No, absolutely not,” I said. “I completed a questionnaire for you because I knew you were with me all day when the attack happened.”
“Yes, then went home at night,” Zara said.
“That’s right. And one of the other zombies you live with remembers you staying in your room all evening. Don’t worry, Nick won’t come after you.” He could try, but I’d stop him getting anywhere near Zara. Zara was innocent.
Zara heated her beef broth while I did a quick check of social media and uploaded another few email blasts and updates about the Spring Fling.
Our luck was still holding. No one had posted about the rabid zombie attack. Let’s hope it stayed that way.
My desk phone rang. For a second, I was tempted to ignore it. I didn’t have time to get into a lengthy debate with a visitor about what to feed the zombies and whether you could take one for a walk. Honestly, some of the questions I got asked boggled the min
d.
But I never could ignore a ringing phone. “Cassie March, Zee Town’s Tourism and Cultural Center. How may I help you?”
“Cassie, it’s Councilman Richard Tapping.”
It felt as if a dozen icy fingers scraped down my back. He must know about the rabid zombie attack. “Councilman Tapping. How are you?”
“I’m very well,” he said. “I’m enjoying the updates you’ve been sending about the upcoming Spring Fling. It almost tempts me to come to Zee Town.”
I hoped he couldn’t hear my thudding heart as it betrayed my panic. “You’re always welcome.” He sounded surprisingly relaxed for someone who was about to tell me the town was closing and the zombies would be destroyed because the Council had been informed about the rabid attack.
“I do my best to come to Zee Town when I have a spare moment,” Councilman Tapping said. “My work keeps me busy.”
That was a lie. Few of Zee Town’s council members came into town more than once a year. Anyone would think they were scared of zombies.
“What may I do for you today?” I couldn’t put off the inevitable for much longer.
“I’m calling to see if you’ve given more thought about the job opportunity we’ve previously discussed?”
I stuffed down a burst of relieved laughter. “The theme park? Is that why you’re calling?” The Zee Town zombie theme park proposal had slipped my mind.
“Naturally. It’s of great interest to us that the park is well planned out and we have the best people on board,” Councilman Tapping said. “The role of park manager is yours if you want it.”
I’d dismissed the idea when the Council had raised the prospect of me being involved with the theme park. I couldn’t see myself running a park I would hate. It would offer people nothing more than an expensive day out to prod and poke at zombies as if they were freaks. “I’m not sure the role is right for me—”
“Now, Cassie, you’re perfect for this role,” Councilman Tapping said. “If it’s money making you hesitate, the salary’s negotiable. We’d be happy to add an extra twenty percent on top of the current wage. And there are, of course, the bonuses.”