The Creeping Dead: A Zombie Novel Read online

  As it ended up, there were so many complaints about the Russian exchange students that after last year, they were no longer hired. The hotel guests complained that their rooms weren’t properly cleaned, and there were even a few accusations of articles being stolen from suitcases.

  Ted overheard a conversation between his mother and Irene Bissel, the owner of the Surf n’ Turf Motel, that one guest walked in on a young Russian housekeeper wiping the sink and faucets…with the same rag that she wiped the inside of the toilet.

  Other guests complained about their luggage being opened and small electronics going missing. On the boardwalk, the Russian exchange students were showing up late for shifts, some intoxicated, others high on God knew what.

  This year there was an influx of Asian exchange students. Frankie and Ted had no idea of which precise nationality, but they were clean-cut, quiet, and professional. The complaints ceased and everyone, businesses and clients alike, were happy.

  The Russian wave had crested and receded. There was only one problem—not all of the Russian exchange students left town. In fact, all summer, right outside of the seedy Morning Star Hotel, sat a bevy of various girls on their laptops and cellphones. Occasionally a girl would run into her room and a man in a car would drive up, park, and disappear into the same room, only to resurface a half-an-hour or so later.

  “What if they’re not hookers?” asked Ted after they went to the end of the block and rounded the corner.

  “Oh, they’re hookers all right,” laughed Frankie. “Look at them. Every single one of them is hot.”

  “So? There’re lots of hot girls in Smuggler’s Bay.”

  “Not a lot of hot Russian girls. Ted, do you see any more Russian girls working in the hotels or on the boardwalk?”

  “Frankie, I don’t know every single person working in Smuggler’s Bay.”

  “Well, I do. Open your eyes, dude.”

  “You’re so full of shit, bro.”

  “So if they’re not working here, then how are they paying for the Morning Star?”

  “C’mon, man, everybody knows the rents are dirt cheap there. It’s a roach motel.”

  “And everybody knows that only real scumbags stay in that roach motel,” added Frankie.

  “They don’t look like scumbags,” said Ted.

  “You’re such a bleeding heart,” said Frankie. “I can’t believe that the local fuzz hasn’t picked up on any of this yet.”

  “Maybe it’s because there’s nothing illegal actually going on there. Seriously, get professional help, man. Like, as soon as possible.”

  Frankie gave him a mischievous grin. “Listen, I’m going to need a lookout.”

  “A lookout? For what?”

  “I’m going to sneak through these backyards until I’m around back of the Morning Star. You’re going to text me when a guy pulls up and disappears into one of the rooms, and you’ll tell me which room.”

  “And what are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to peek and snap some shots with my phone.”

  “You’re crazy, man. There’s no way I’m doing that.”

  “C’mon, dude. Maybe I’ll get some prime shots of these hot Russian bitches with their clothes off. For evidence.”

  “Evidence? Get the fuck out of here. What do you need evidence for?”

  “If there’s really a prostitution ring set up in the Morning Star, this is something the authorities need to know.”

  “No way, man. Why don’t we just call in an anonymous tip?”

  “Because they’ll think it’s some kid with a screw loose playing games.”

  “And they’d be right.”

  “I’m sneaking back there, so you might as well do it. Unless you want me getting hurt.”

  Ted shook his head. “I’m not doing shit…How would you get hurt?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe there’s a pimp lurking around in there somewhere. A pimp with a knife. No, a gun.”

  “Well, make up your mind. Does he have a knife or a gun?”

  “He has a gun. Okay?” Frankie sounded exasperated, but he also knew how to play his dumb friend like a fiddle.

  Ted sighed. “All right. I’ll wait across the street. I’ll run into the convenience store and look at some magazines or something.”

  “See, now that’s the spirit.”

  “Gimme a couple of bucks.”

  “What? I’m not giving you money.”

  “Frankie, if I go into the store, I have to eventually buy something.”

  “Oh, all right, you fucking grub.” Frankie reached into the pocket of his shorts, pulled out two dollars and some change, and shoved it into Ted’s hands. “Buy yourself something nice, princess.”

  “Thanks.”

  Ted started to walk back around the corner from whence they came, and Frankie dashed down a driveway for a condo development.

  Ted rounded the corner, but he quickly crossed the street. Maybe if he was on the other side of the street, they wouldn’t notice him walking back. That is, if they noticed him the first time, which he didn’t think they did because they were staring at their laptops.

  Except for the one on the phone. She might’ve noticed him. Hopefully she was too preoccupied with her phone conversation. Besides, he walked past them with Frankie, and now he was returning alone. Maybe she’d think he walked him home or something.

  He ducked into the convenience store across the street and began eying the magazine rack, which faced away from the window looking out onto the street. He looked over his shoulder and saw the three girls sitting out front.

  The one that was on the phone was now off. He looked up in time to see her fold up her laptop and stand. She said something to one of the other girls, who smiled and nodded in reply, and then she disappeared into a room, the second room from the right to be exact.

  Ted didn’t like this plan. Not one bit. He pulled out his cell phone and texted Frankie: ‘girl went in second room from the right.’

  Frankie silenced his phone before he forgot. He hopped the fence of a back yard when his phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his pocket and retrieved Ted’s text. Good boy.

  He slipped his phone back into his pocket and crept along the back of the Morning Star until he reached the second to the last room from the end.

  The bathroom window next to a rear exit door was pushed up, and Frankie heard a thick Russian accent. She must’ve been talking on the phone.

  “Room two twelve. Yes. How close are you? Fifteen minutes. Good. See you then, sweetie.”

  Frankie crept very quietly up to the window, and he was just about to peek in when he heard the toilet flush. He ducked back down as he heard the faucet running and then closing.

  He raised his head up to see the brunette walking out of the bathroom. She wore shorts and a tee-shirt. Not very provocative for a prostitute.

  He heard her padding around in the bedroom. She turned on the television. She was watching…a children’s show. He heard a character talking, and then he heard the girl repeating everything the character had said.

  Frankie covered his mouth to stifle a laugh and bit down on his fist while the young Russian girl repeated everything she heard, exactly the way the character had said it. No wonder why these Russian girls sounded funny when the spoke English. They had cartoon characters as teachers.

  Frankie looked at his phone when it buzzed again. He retrieved another text message from Ted: ‘man parked.’

  Great. It was show time.

  Frankie heard a knock at the door. The girl turned the television off and there was a pause. She was talking on the phone. “Yes. Larry? Yes.”

  Frankie heard the chain being slipped off, and the door creaking open, letting in the sounds of the street.

  “Svetlana?” It was a man’s voice.

  “Hi, sweetie.”

  Frankie heard a wet sound. She must’ve kissed him hello.

  “On the dresser,” he heard Svetlana say. Svetlana. That was a sexy name.
/>   That must’ve been the money. Her payment. There was a moment of silence. Was she counting the money?

  “Come here,” he heard her say. Then there were more wet sounds. “Sit on the bed.”

  “You look beautiful,” he heard the man say. Christ, the guy was actually complimenting a prostitute. C’mon, man. She’s a sure thing.

  He heard a zipper and then clothes rustling.

  “I’ve been thinking about you all week,” the man said.

  Ah, a regular.

  “Aw, you’re so sweet. I missed you, too,” said Svetlana. “I’m so glad you’re back.”

  “So how’ve you been?” asked the man.

  “Bored. There’s no work in this town. They don’t seem to like Russian girls here.”

  “Not even on the boardwalk?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Don’t worry, honey. Something’ll turn up.”

  Wait a minute. Was this hooker complaining to her John that there was no work? That was strange.

  “The money?” he heard Svetlana ask.

  “Always straight to business,” he heard the man say. “It’s all in the duffle bag. Do you have the flash drive?”

  Flash drive?

  “Yes. Right here.”

  Frankie wheeled around as he heard crunching in the dirt to his back.

  “Frankie Martinez, what the hell are you doing back here?”

  It was Officer Pike.

  “What was that?” asked the man in the room. “What the fuck is going on here?”

  Frankie made a motion with his fingers across his throat, gesturing for Officer Pike to cut it out.

  “I asked you a question, Martinez,” demanded Pike, now standing in front of Frankie.

  “Are you trying to pull a fast one?” asked the man inside the room, his voice panicked.

  “No. I don’t know what that is,” pleaded Svetlana.

  “Are you wearing a fucking wire?” he heard the man ask. Svetlana cried out, there was a loud thud, and something broke.

  Pike heard the ruckus inside the room.

  “I would never!” Svetlana insisted. “Please, no!”

  More thrashing around.

  “What the hell’s going on in there?” Pike asked Frankie, who only shrugged in response. “Ma’am, are you okay in there?” Pike shouted. No response. Then a gunshot.

  “Get out of here,” Pike told Frankie, and then he ran around to the front of the building.

  However, Frankie didn’t run. He was frozen in place, horrified that he might’ve been responsible for Svetlana being killed. Maybe she wasn’t a prostitute after all. Maybe she was a drug dealer. Maybe the man in the room was her supplier.

  He heard rustling in the room, and then he heard a zipper closing. He heard the door creak open, and he heard Pike. “Police officer!”

  There was a gunshot and a lot of yelling. Frankie couldn’t tell if it was Pike or the mystery man yelling. Hell, it could’ve been both of them.

  Then Frankie heard a struggle in the room. There was more thumping, and he heard both men breathing hard and grunting. Frankie’s heart was in his throat.

  He heard Pike yell, “Oh, Jesus! Wait! Please!”

  “Are you alone?” asked the mystery man.

  “Please, no! Don’t!”

  “Are you by yourself?”

  Frankie figured that Officer Pike lost the struggle. The mystery man wanted to know if he was alone so he could make his escape. Yeah, he’d run away, and Officer Pike would be fine. Then a grisly thought entered Frankie’s mind.

  If Officer Pike says he’s alone, he’s an only witness. A loose end. Frankie realized that he hadn’t heard Svetlana’s voice. At all.

  Frankie’s phone buzzed, and he picked it up. It was Ted: ‘what’s going on?’

  This was it. Frankie decided he needed to do something. One more moment, and Pike was going to be murdered, and it would be his fault.

  Frankie tested the back doorknob. It wasn’t locked.

  “You are alone, aren’t you?” he heard the mystery man say.

  Frankie took a deep breath, turned the knob, and pushed into the room. He saw Pike lying on the floor, his face bleeding, and the mystery man turned and pointed his gun at Frankie.

  Frankie dashed into the bathroom to his right as a bullet whizzed by, just missing his head.

  “What the fuck is going on here?” shouted the mystery man.

  Frankie heard Pike grunt and moan in pain. He peeked out of the bathroom and saw the man holding Officer Pike in front of him, his one arm under Pike’s throat, the other hand pointing a gun to Pike’s head.

  “Don’t do anything stupid,” said the man. He was a tall, thin, Caucasian man. He had an accent, but it wasn’t exactly like Svetlana’s. He had a black duffle bag slung around his shoulder.

  “I’m just a kid,” said Frankie. “Don’t hurt him.”

  “I’m going to back out of here, get in my car, and leave. You do anything, and I’ll blow his brains out. I swear,” said the man.

  “Frankie! Get out of here!” shouted Pike.

  “Anything you say, Mister,” said Frankie to the man.

  The man reached back with his gun hand and spread his fingers to turn the doorknob, dragging Pike with him. He pulled the door open awkwardly and kicked it all the way ajar with his foot.

  Frankie’s eyes went wide when he saw who was in the doorway.

  Ted grabbed the man’s gun hand and tried to wrestle the gun away from the man. The man dropped Pike and grappled with Ted. Frankie rushed the man, tackling him, and all three tumbled to the ground in a heap.

  Ted was holding the man’s arms back while Frankie wailed away at him. Ted finally wrested the gun from the man’s grip, and it slid outside onto the pavement.

  Pike slipped his retractable baton out of his pocket and extended it. He threw himself on the heap, pushed Frankie out of the way, and brought the baton down on the man’s skull twice. After the second blow, the man stopped struggling.

  Ted squiggled out from underneath the man and crawled away from him. Frankie stood and backed away as Pike collapsed on top of the unconscious mystery man, panting.

  “Are you okay, Officer Pike?” asked Frankie.

  Pike rolled onto his back. “Yeah. Help me up.”

  Frankie reached out his hand, and Pike took it. Frankie helped him to a kneeling position and then to standing. Pike groaned with the effort.

  “Who was that guy?” asked Ted.

  “I don’t know,” said Pike. “The bigger question is, ‘what the hell were you boys doing here to begin with?’”

  Chapter 10

  Frankie and Ted sat in Chief Holbrook’s office squirming in their seats. Officer Pike had just taken written statements from them, and they still weren’t sure what kind of trouble they were in.

  Frankie knew they weren’t under arrest because when Officer Pike wanted to take their statements, Frankie demanded a lawyer. He saw it on a cop show once. Officer Pike laughed and told them they weren’t under arrest.

  Chief Holbrook had placed calls to both of their parents. Frankie’s parents were both out of town, but Ted’s were right outside. Holbrook was talking to them.

  “We’re in deep shit this time,” said Ted. “Thanks a lot, asshole.”

  “Hey, I didn’t hold a gun to your head,” said Frankie. “Besides, we’re not the bad guys.”

  “Yeah, right. Your parents aren’t waiting outside to skin you alive. Christ, I hope Holbrook locks us up. It’ll be safer that way.”

  “Will you relax, Ted. You’re such a pussy about these things.”

  “Pussy? That guy had a gun, Frankie. He tried to kill Officer Pike. He would’ve killed you.”

  “He was just some crazy pimp tweaked up on God knows what. It wasn’t like he was a marksman or anything.”

  Ted shook his head in exasperation. “In that tiny hotel room, he didn’t need to be a marksman, you jackass.”

  Frankie pointed a finger at Ted. “You could�
�ve stopped me at any time. This is your fault. You know me and my stupid ideas.”

  Ted was clutching his right hand into a fist when Holbrook and Pike barged into the office. Holbrook stepped around the boys and took a seat behind his desk, while Pike closed the door. Ted caught a glimpse of his parents and swallowed hard as the door closed them off from view. Pike stood behind the boys.

  Holbrook regarded both boys with a gravity that made Ted’s blood run cold.

  “Frankie…” Most cops would address the teen by his last name or Mister so-and-so for the sake of intimidation, but Smuggler’s Bay wasn’t that kind of town. Here, everyone knew everyone on a first name basis. “…what in God’s name were you doing behind the Morning Star Motel?”

  “I was just cutting through. You know, a short cut.”

  Holbrook arched one eyebrow. “Ted,” he said while still eyeing Frankie, “what was Frankie doing in back of the Morning Star Hotel?”

  Frankie glared at Ted.

  Ted twitched a bit. “Frankie thought it’d be a good idea to check out those Russian girls that always hang out in front, to see if they were…prostitutes, sir.”

  Frankie buried his face in his hands.

  “So what if they were?” asked Holbrook, addressing Frankie. “You thought you’d get a glimpse of two people having sex? That would make you a peeping Tom, which incidentally, is against the law.”

  Frankie slouched in his seat and threw his hands up in the air. “C’mon, Chief. You know there’s been a lot of talk about that place. All of Smuggler’s Bay knows what’s going on at that dump.”

  Holbrook shook his head. “So, what, you and your sidekick thought you were going to crack the case for us and save Smuggler’s Bay from the scourge of prostitution?”

  “I’m not his sidekick,” demanded Ted.

  “If I saw or heard anything strange, I was going to call you right away, sir. Honest.” Frankie offered up his best genuine smile.

  “So you boys think you cracked a prostitution ring…”

  Frankie shrugged. “Frankly, someone had to, sir. My parents are tax payers, and no one wants to see the town go down the toilet. We’re a family town.”