The Creeping Dead: A Zombie Novel (31 page)

Yost sat on his desk and stared into space, his eyes wide with terror. “Sophia Russo eloped. The police are looking for her.”

“Once again, Alan, it’s not our problem. The minute he signed her out, she became
his
liability. Why did he call Renee, anyway?”

“When she’s found, he wants to bring her back.”

MacAteer was beginning to lose what modicum of patience she had left. “So, when they find her, they can go through the admissions office, and we’ll be glad to have her back after she’s evaluated at the hospital. I don’t see why this has you so spooked.”

Yost looked MacAteer dead in the eye. “Mr. Russo said she’d been behaving erratically. He said she was saying some very inappropriate things in front of the children and then vomited blood everywhere. She had a fever.”

MacAteer’s blood went cold. Now she got it.

She pointed an accusatory finger at Yost. “I thought you said she wasn’t bitten.”

“I didn’t think she was. I examined her myself. Sophia Russo, herself, denied being bitten.”

“That woman’s a pain in the ass. Maybe she lied.”

“I didn’t see a thing. No bite marks. She only had a cut from falling down.”

“Well, I guess we now know what your examinations are worth, don’t we?”

“Linda, she’s wandering around Smuggler’s Bay.”

“She’s an old lady. She’s not going to have the strength to bite anyone.”

“We don’t know that. What if she cuts herself and bleeds on someone?”

“The police will find her,” said MacAteer. “It’s a small island.”

“And then what? She’ll be sent to the ER, placing everyone there at risk. Linda, we have to tell someone.”

MacAteer closed in on Yost, looming over him. “Are you crazy? We’ll both go to jail.”

“Linda, people will die. We don’t have to talk about how we’ve been billing Medicaid all this time for these beds—we can gloss over that—but we have to tell someone about the disease.”

“We’re not going to tell anyone anything.”

“Well, then I’m going to tell the authorities that it was all your idea. It’s your neck, Linda. The buck ultimately stops with you.”

She saw the panicked look in his eyes and backed off a moment. She turned around, facing away from him. “Let’s just both calm down. I’m sure there’s a solution.”

Yost stood. “I resign. There won’t be any notice.”

MacAteer wheeled around, turning on him. “Resigning doesn’t absolve you, Alan.”

“I can’t live with causing the deadliest epidemic since Ebola with a disease we don’t understand. I’m going to the CDC with this. Do whatever you have to do. I’ve made my peace with this.”

“And what about your kickbacks, Alan?”

“I don’t care about that anymore. It’s gone too far. Goodbye, Linda.”

He reached out, gently moved her aside, and he left his office.

MacAteer stood there, alone in Yost’s office, her mind racing. That lousy bastard was going to implicate her in committing Medicaid fraud, not to mention endangering the lives of countless staff and other residents.

Her mind grasped at straws in frantic desperation to find a way out, but all she could think of was that sniveling jerk, Yost. He was going to cost her everything. If he wanted to go down, fine, but there was no way she was going to allow him to take her with him.

She wanted to hurt him. Badly.

Seeing red, MacAteer stormed out of his office, rounded the corner, and shoved her way past a medication nurse behind the nurses’ station. She threw open the supply closet and started rifling through boxes until she found the needles.

She grabbed one, ripped off the plastic wrapping, and shoved her way past the startled medication nurse again. She rounded the corner, passed Yost’s office, and punched in the security code to the electric lock for the dementia unit.

She flung open the door, marched into the closest room, flicked the plastic cap off the syringe with her thumb, and plunged it into the arm of an undead resident.

It looked up at her with its glazed raccoon eyes and grinned wickedly as it reached out for her.

MacAteer easily slapped its hands away as she withdrew blood. The resident attempted to sit up, but MacAteer shoved it back down and fled the room.

She punched in the security code from the inside and let herself out, not even waiting for the electronic lock to re-engage. She entered the stairwell, taking two steps at a time, and burst into the lobby. She barreled past the security guard, syringe tucked behind her back, and raced into the parking lot.

Yost was opening the door to his car.

“Alan! Wait!” she called out.

He turned and saw her, and the expression on his face turned quickly to annoyance.
What now?

Yost stood there, car door ajar, as he waited for her to cross the parking lot. She was drenched with sweat, and her eyes were wild. She stopped right in front of him.

Yost shook his head. “Listen, I’ve already said all I’m going to say.”

MacAteer whipped her hand from around her back and plunged the syringe right into his shoulder.

His eyes widened, and his mouth flew open. “What the fuck?”

MacAteer depressed the plunger, sending the tainted blood into Yost. He gasped as it quickly dawned on him what she had done.

She had just handed down a death sentence.

Yost jerked away and grabbed his arm as blood stained the sleeve of his white dress shirt. “What have you done?” he gasped. “I have a wife and two children!”

MacAteer said nothing. She just glared at him with savage eyes, her hair wild, her face dripping with sweat and twisted in rage. To Yost, she looked like one of the monsters in the locked dementia unit.

“Use what little time you have left on this Earth wisely, Alan.”

Chapter 16

Mike Brunello walked up the Russo’s front path and rang the doorbell. He heard loud voices and rapid footsteps on the other side.

The door flung open, and Marie answered the door, looking hopeful. When she saw it was Mike, she looked disappointed.

“Who is it?” yelled Mario from inside the house.

“It’s Mike Brunello,” shouted Marie over her shoulder. She opened the storm door. “Hi, Mike.”

“Marie, I just heard. I’m so sorry.”

Marie smiled musingly. “We thought that maybe you were the police with news about Mama Sophia. Come in. Maybe you can calm Mario down. He’s beside himself.”

She stepped out of the way, and Mike entered the house. “Well, that’s understandable given the circumstances.”

“Mario, Mike’s here.”

Mike stepped into the living room. Mario had just gotten off of the couch. The television was on, and there was a radar image of a giant, swirling storm front about as tall as the eastern seaboard, just off shore.

“Mike, how are you?” said Mario, clapping a hand on Mike’s shoulder.

“
I’m
okay. I was wondering how you were doing? I just heard from Vinnie Cantone.”

“Mike, I should’ve never taken her home. Never. It was a big mistake.” Mario’s face scrunched as he spoke. He struggled to hold back tears.

“He’s been like this all morning,” said Marie, exasperated. “Maybe there’s something you can tell him to calm him down. His heart can’t take this.”

Mike put his hand on Mario’s shoulder. “Mario, hindsight’s twenty-twenty. There was no way you could’ve known.”

“I-I had to get her out of that place. She wasn’t being treated right.”

“I know how you feel. You remember I had to put Mary in one of those places. I feel guilty to this very day that she didn’t pass on in her home with me. It’s a luxury for someone to die in their own home.” Mike saw Salvatore and Alessandra peeking at him from the kitchen, so he decided to change the topic.

“I’m sure the police are doing their best to find her as we speak.”

“The Chief was here this morning,” said Marie. “He’s a nice man. A good man.”

“Yes, he is,” agreed Mike. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Marie hugged Mike. “You’re such a good friend. You’re always checking up on us. I wish there were more people in the Bay like you.”

Mike blushed. “Oh, there’re still plenty of good people here. We’re a small community, but a tightly-knit one, I think.”

Marie gestured to the children. “Why don’t you guys come and say hi to Mike and thank him for bringing that delicious pizza over.”

Mike put up his hands in a ‘wait-a-minute’ posture. “Vinnie sent the pizza. I was just the delivery boy.”

Salvatore and Alessandra entered the living room.

“Hi, Mr. Brunello.”

“Hi, Alessandra. Hi, Salvatore.”

“Hi.”

“You did thank Vinnie for the pie,” said Marie.

“Yes, I did,” said Mike. “He said it was his pleasure.”

“He’s a good kid, that Vinnie Cantone,” said Mario, eyes welling up. “Just like his dad.”

“So how are you two doing?” Mike asked the children.

“Worried about Nana,” said Alessandra.

“These poor kids have been going stir crazy in this house,” explained Marie, “and now they’re going to miss Circus Faire.”

“Marie, their Nana’s missing,” said Mario. “I think Circus Faire takes a backseat.”

“Well, I have an idea,” said Mike. “How about I bring them to work with me at Blackbeard’s? The whole place is done-up for Halloween. They can help me set up for the Faire. I even think I have enough clown makeup for the both of them.”

The kids looked at each other excitedly and started jumping up and down. “Can we, Mommy? Can we, please?”

“Great,” said Mario. “They’re Nana’s missing, and all they want to do is have fun.”

“Oh, for goodness sake, Mario,” rebuked Marie. “They’re kids. They don’t fully understand what’s happening.”

“If I take them, it’ll get them out, take their minds off of it. They can’t help anyway, and it’s no good for young children to be around all of this anyway.” Mike smiled. “Plus, I think I can score them some free rides on the carousel.”

The kids started jumping up and down again, cheering.

Marie put her hand on her husband’s arm. “Mario, it’ll do them some good to get out. It’ll be one less thing for us to worry about while we look for Mama Sophia.”

“Oh, all right,” said Mario. “Marie, give them some money for pizza.”

“Oh, I’ve got it,” said Mike.

“No,” insisted Marie as she grabbed her purse in the kitchen. “You’re doing enough to help, and we certainly appreciate it.”

“Yay!! We’re going to Circus Faire!” shouted the children.

Marie handed Mike forty dollars. “This should do it. Thank you again. You’ve done so much to help us.”

“Don’t mention it. All right, kids, are you ready to go?”

“Yay!” They ran to the front door to get their shoes.

“Please, call us if you need any help,” said Marie, “or if you get tired of them and need a break.”

“Not likely,” said Mike. “Hopefully they don’t get tired of me.”

Marie looked at her children waiting anxiously by the front door. “Not likely.”

* * *

Lenny Krueger waited by the pool, taking a break from collecting used towels for the laundry, when his mother walked over with Joann. When he saw them, he perked up immediately and ran a hand through his hair to straighten it.

Alice opened the gate and let Joann through. Lenny dropped a wet towel into the receptacle and met them halfway.

“Lenny,” said Alice, “Officer Campbell would like to talk to you about what you saw last night.”

Lenny extended his hand, beaming. “Hi, Officer Joann!”

Joann took it and returned the smile. “Hi, Lenny.”

Alice tentatively eyed the two of them for a moment. “Let’s not do this by the pool in front of all the guests.”

“Good idea,” said Joann. “Where can Lenny and I talk?”

“Follow me,” said Alice.

She took them to the motel pub, which hadn’t opened yet. She unlocked the door and pulled out two stools. “Will this be all right?”

“Perfect,” said Joann.

“Well, I’ll leave you to your talk,” said Alice. “Lenny, make sure you answer Officer Campbell’s questions honestly. Just tell her what you saw.”

Lenny gave her a thumbs up. “Okie dokie.”

Alice left them alone. They each sat in a bar stool.

“So, Lenny, how are you?”

He smiled. “Fine. You look very nice today, Officer Joann.”

Her smile was genuine. Lenny was always such a gentleman, doling out compliments without any ulterior motive of getting in her pants. She wished there were more men like Lenny out there.

“Thank you, Lenny. You’re looking good yourself.”

He puffed out his chest in bravado, a gesture that made Joann smile even wider.

“Lenny, I need your help with something.”

His expression suddenly became serious. Lenny liked to think of himself as a helpful person. It was the way his mother raised him. However, this was Officer Joann, so he was definitely all ears. “Wh-wh-what can I do to help?”

“Lenny, your mother tells me you saw something last night, in the back building, sometime past midnight.”

Lenny shook his head.

“Oh, you didn’t?”

“Not in the back building,” he explained. “In the parking lot.”

“Oh, I see. What did you see?”

“I was up late…watching TV…” he looked down at the floor sheepishly, as if he had gotten into trouble with his mother for revealing that little nugget. Then he recovered. “…and I heard a man and a girl yelling.”

“Wow. At that time of night? What were they saying? Were you able to hear what they said?”

Lenny swallowed hard. “The girl was yelling ‘Laquan! Laquan!’”

“Laquan?”

“Yup.”

“Okay, so then what happened?”

“I-I-I looked out my front door, and a car drove really fast, away. Then I saw a woman walking in the parking lot. She tripped and fell.”

“Oh, my. Was she okay?”

“I left my room, and I went over to her, to help her.”

“Oh, that’s very nice of you, Lenny.”

“S-s-she was covered in blood. All over her clothes. What a mess!”

“Oh my goodness. Was she hurt?”

“She-she screamed at me. Loud. Then she tried to bite me.”

“She tried to bite you?”

“Yes. I asked her not to do that, but she kept trying to bite me.” Lenny looked down at the floor again. “I pushed her down.”

Joann put her hand on Lenny’s shoulder. “Lenny, don’t feel bad. She was trying to bite you. She was a sick woman.”

Lenny looked up with puppy dog eyes that just melted Joann’s heart. “I didn’t mean to hurt her. S-s-she scared me. She was m-m-mean.”

“It’s okay, Lenny. So what happened next?”

“I ran back to my room and closed the door. I locked it. She came and banged on the door, but I didn’t open it. Then she went away.”

“Did you see where she went?”

“No. I was scared. I-I-I didn’t want to look out the window.”

Joann noticed that Lenny was really starting to stutter. He was still afraid.

“Lenny, what did this woman look like? Was she old or young?”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“Lenny, was she like my age, or more like your mother’s age?”

“Like my mom.”

“Was she short or tall?”

“S-s-short.”

“Skinny, fat, or medium?”

“Skinny. Or medium.”

Joann took out her phone and called up Sophia Russo’s picture on the screen. “Was this the woman?”

Lenny recoiled from the sight. “T-t-t-that’s h-h-her. She’s m-m-ean.”

Joann put her hand on his shoulder again. “Thank you, Lenny, You’ve been a big help. You did the right thing by going back to your room and locking the door.”

Lenny nodded.

“I have to go now. Are you going to be okay?”

“Yes. I-I’m okay.”

“Good man. You’ve really helped me with my case.”

He sat up and smiled at this. “Any time, Officer Joann. You’re my special friend.”

“And you’re mine, Lenny. Are you going to Circus Faire?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll see you there.”

Joann patted him on the back and left the pub. She got on her radio. “Chief, you there? Come in. Over.”

Her radio crackled. “Chief, here.”

“Lenny Krueger positively identified Sophia Russo last night at the Ocean’s Gate, but he’s not sure where she went. She’s very sick. He said she was covered in blood and tried to bite him. Over.”

“Good, Joann. That should help her to be identified easier in a crowd. We’ve got auxiliary helping. Keep patrolling the boardwalk. Keep me posted. Over-and-out.”

“Okay, Chief. Over-and-out.”

Joann waved to Alice Krueger as she passed the front office. Alice came running out. “Was Lenny helpful?”

“Oh, yes, Mrs. Krueger. Very helpful. He saw the elderly missing person we’re looking for.”

“Is this Mario Russo’s mother?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Poor thing. Lenny said she was covered in blood. Tried to bite him.”

Joann nodded. “She’s very sick. We need to find her so we can get her treated.”

“Well, I hope you find her. If I see her, I’ll call you guys right away.”

Joann smiled. “Thanks.”

As she headed back to the boardwalk, all she could think was that Sophia Russo must’ve had one hell of a urinary tract infection.

* * *

“I think we should be out driving around,” said Marie. “She’s out there somewhere, wandering around.” She felt really awful about the way things went down. She didn’t give a rat’s ass about the old hag, but she saw how this was tearing her husband apart.

“Marie, I think we should wait here. She’s going to come home. What if we’re driving around out there, and she comes back here? And there’s no one home?

“Why don’t you go out looking, and I’ll wait for her here?”

Marie shook her head. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Mario. Not in your condition.”

“That’s exactly the point,” he said. “I can’t be out running around. It’s no good for me. I’ll wait here. I’ll be fine.”

She glowered at Mario. “You keep the phone by you. Just in case.”

“I will, Marie. Please find her.”

Marie looked at him for a moment. She grabbed her purse and pulled out her car keys. “Stay by the phone. I’ll be back later with lunch.”