The Creeping Dead: A Zombie Novel (33 page)

Marie sat with her back to the kitchen counter and looked at the prone body of her nemesis of so many years, and she started to chuckle. The feeling spread through her body quickly. The chuckle turned into a laugh, and the laugh became hysteria as she howled at the long-awaited demise of Mama Sophia.

Then she looked at her husband lying still on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood, and the laughter died down to half-hearted chuckles as it dawned on her that Mario was dead.

Suddenly, his head whipped around, eyes wild, and he began to crawl over to her, shrieking like a bird of prey. Fortunately, his body was big and clumsy, which made his attack slow. Marie reached out, pulled the knife out of Mama Sophia’s head, and sat back against the cabinet, waiting for her husband.

He crawled over Mama Sophia’s body, pulling it underneath him. He crawled over Marie’s legs, pushing himself up with his hands so he was face-to-face with her.

His breath was putrid, and he bared his teeth at her like an animal.

Marie put her left hand on the side of his head, caressing his hair. Then she grabbed a handful.

Her other hand came up with the knife, plunging it sideways into his temple, pushing his head into the knife with her left hand. She twisted the blade, and his lights went out.

The storm door opened and Marie heard someone yell, “Jesus Christ!”

Officers Pike and Lawson entered the blood-spattered kitchen with guns drawn, shouting for Marie to drop the knife. Marie let go of the handle as Officer Lawson pulled Mario’s body off of her.

“What happened?” asked Officer Pike, shocked by the scene in the kitchen. “What did you do?”

Marie didn’t answer. She just looked up at the two officers, exhausted and resigned to how the scene must’ve looked to them.

Lawson grabbed her by the wrist, turned her on her stomach, and began to cuff her behind her back.

“Marie Russo, you’re under arrest for the murders of Sophia and Mario Russo.”

* * *

Lenny Krueger dashed into the front office of the Ocean’s Gate to say goodbye to his mother. The Circus Faire parade was going to start in a half hour, and he didn’t want to be late.

Alice grabbed a tin box from under the counter and snatched a twenty dollar bill from it. She handed it to Lenny, who folded it neatly and inserted it into his pocket.

“Now don’t lose that,” instructed Alice. “That’s for food, not games. There’ll be plenty of free entertainment at the parade.”

“Yes, Mom. I know.”

“You go have a good time. Make sure you’re back for dinner. I’m making your favorite, mac-and-cheese.”

Lenny smiled. “Thanks, Mom.” He dashed out of the office and down the block on his way to the boardwalk, cape billowing in the breeze behind him. It was a cooler breeze than the Bay had felt of late, and it was a bit stronger as the atmosphere became progressively more unsettled, not that Lenny took much notice.

The circus was in town, and he was looking forward to seeing all of the clowns and the animals—dogs jumping through hoops and baby dancing bears.

Chapter 17

On the boardwalk, Vinnie took a break from the pizza shop and waited for Dharma. She was going to march in the parade as a clown, but there were tons of clowns all over the boardwalk, so recognizing her wouldn’t be easy.

A female clown with a red wig smiled at him and sauntered over, honking her horn. Vinnie smiled and met her half-way, throwing his arms around her. He kissed her softly.

“You look great,” he said, drinking her in from her rubber nose to her floppy shoes. “Where’d you get this outfit?”

She didn’t answer him. She only honked her horn.

“Ah, so now I’m getting the silent treatment,” Vinnie teased. He leaned in close. “I have ways of making you talk.” His hands slipped around her waist and one slid down to cup her ass.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” asked a voice from behind him.

Vinnie turned around to see another female clown. Uh-oh. “Dharma?”

“Uh, yeah. What’s the big idea, Vincenzo?”

Vinnie released the other clown from his embrace. “Who the hell are you?”

“GOTCHA!” yelled Dharma. “That’s just my friend, Lucy.”

“
Just
? What’s that supposed to mean?” quipped Lucy. “Your boyfriend didn’t seem too disappointed.”

“Uh…um…” Vinnie had no words.

“I told you I’d get you back,” said Dharma as she leaned in for a kiss.

“Now I’m confused,” said Vinnie. “How do I know which one is the real you? I mean how do I really know?”

“You mean you can’t tell by my kiss?” asked Dharma.

“I don’t know. Let me kiss each of you again.” He pretended to lean in for a kiss from Lucy when Dharma punched him in the gut.

“Ouch,” said Vinnie. “Love hurts.”

“So are you going to watch me march in the parade?” Dharma asked.

“You know I wouldn’t miss it. Mike’s marching, too.”

At Blackbeard’s Pier, Mike was putting the finishing touches on Salvatore’s and Alessandra’s clown makeup. “And…that…should just about do it. We march in the parade soon. Have you two ever marched in a parade before?”

They both shook their heads.

“Well, it’s real easy. You just put one foot in front of the other. Just like that.”

Randy smiled when he saw Mike and the two children in make-up. “You guys look great.”

“Thanks,” they said.

“Hey, did Nancy see you giving these two free rides all morning?”

“No,” said Mike, “and what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

“What don’t I know?” said an irritable voice from behind Randy.

“Nothing, Nancy,” said Mike. “I’m going to take the kids to line up for the parade.”

Nancy didn’t even acknowledge the children. “Well, come right back when the parade’s over. I’m not paying you to march in parades.”

“What a sense of community you have there, Nancy. Admit it, you miss me already.”

Nancy scowled at Mike, then Randy, and she left in a huff.

“I’m growing on her,” said Mike. “I can tell.”

“She’s not very nice, is she?” asked Salvatore.

“Oh, she’s not so bad,” said Mike. “You just have to get to know her.”

“Oh, yeah?” said Randy. “How long does that take?”

* * *

Alice Krueger arranged the paperwork in the binder for the next day’s reservations, while her sister Patricia checked someone in. While the man filled out the information for the parking tag, his wife looked at the brochures on the little table, and their two children watched the television set. A game show played, but it was television, which meant the children were deeply entranced.

There was a thud on the glass door, and Alice looked up. Her sister gasped when she saw it too. The two children screamed and ran to their mother, hiding behind her legs.

There was a clown covered in fake blood pressed up against the glass door. He pressed his face up against the glass, smearing red stuff all over it. He smiled, showing yellow teeth.

“It’s okay,” said the guest, Joseph Torres, looking up from filling out the paperwork. “It’s all part of Circus Faire.”

“Well, I think it’s in poor taste,” said his wife, holding the children close to her.

“Damned clowns!” Alice made as if to round the check-in counter when Patricia grabbed her by the arm.

“Alice, don’t.”

The clown put a hand up, palming the glass. It was missing fingers.

“Jesus,” gasped Patricia.

“That’s not funny!” shouted Alice. “You’re scaring the children!”

The clown cocked its head sideways, as if it was mocking Alice.

“Wait a minute,” she said, “that’s one of the clowns that trashed the rooms. The one that ran away.”

“What does he want?” asked Patricia.

“I know what I’m doing,” said Alice. “I’m calling the police.” She picked up the phone and dialed 9-1-1. “I’m calling the police!” she shouted at the bloody clown.

She nearly dropped the phone when the clown let out an other-worldly shriek against the glass.

“Mommy, I’m scared,” said the little girl.

“Me, too,” said the little boy. “Make him go away.”

Joseph dropped the pen and walked toward the door. “Okay, ha ha. The joke’s over. Why don’t you get lost, asshole?”

“Joe! You shouldn’t talk like that in front of the kids.”

The clown pressed his face up against the glass, his bloody tongue wiping back and forth.

“I said that’s enough!” said Joseph. “Do you hear me?” He slammed the palm of his hand on the inside of the glass where the clown’s face was.

The clown didn’t even flinch.

“Hello,” said Alice. “I’ve got an emotionally disturbed person at the Ocean’s Gate office. He’s dressed as a clown, and he’s scaring my guests. I think he’s the missing person who trashed one of my rooms.”

“He’s scaring the heck outta
me
,” said Patricia.

Joseph went to push open the door.

“No, don’t open that!” shouted his wife.

“Well, what am I supposed to do, Trish?”

“Let the police handle it.”

“They’re coming,” said Alice. “They know that when I say, ‘emotionally disturbed person,’ that I mean an unstable person. They’ll be here real fast.”

The clown looked down at Joseph’s hand on the door and raised his other hand to grab the door handle.

“He’s going to come in!” cried Trish.

With raccoon-like eyes the clown looked at her and began to pull on the handle.

Joseph grabbed the handle on the inside and pulled the door closed.

The clown pulled harder, and Joseph pulled harder, putting his foot up against the glass next to the door. Another guest was rounding the outside of the glass-encased office, unaware of the scene he was about to walk into.

“Warn that guy!” shouted Alice.

Trish, Alice, and Patricia started to shout at the man as he rounded the office to the front.

He looked at them questioningly as he made his way around, wondering why everyone in the office was shouting at him.

It was too late.

He ran into the clown, who promptly let go of the door handle and grabbed the man. The man tried to shove the clown away, but the clown pulled him in and bit him on the neck, pulling away a mouthful of flesh and blood.

Trish screamed, and the children began to cry.

“Somebody, help him!” cried Alice. She was halfway around the counter before Patricia could grab her.

Joseph stood there stunned. “Jesus,” he gasped as Alice threw open the door and rushed outside to help the poor man.

The clown already had the man on the floor and was on top of him. Alice reached out and grabbed the clown by the shoulder, trying to pull him off. The clown turned and grabbed Alice’s arm, chomping down on her forearm.

Alice screamed as the man underneath the clown tried to struggle free. Distracted, the clown released Alice, and she fell backward on the wooden deck.

Officers Campbell and Breslin ran up the front path, guns drawn and shouting at the clown. The clown had already opened the man’s abdomen and pulled out intestines. The victim twitched helplessly, mouth wide in a silent scream as he was being eaten alive.

The officers fired at the clown, who stood, still clutching entrails in his good hand, but he didn’t go down. Dark blood welled up where the bullets hit him, staining his clown suit.

He screeched at them and charged, snapping his jaws, bits of flesh stuck between yellow teeth. He tripped on Alice, who lay on the ground frozen in terror, and fell off the narrow wooden deck and into the flowers.

The two officers open fired until a headshot dispatched the demented clown to the great unknown.

“Are you all right, Mrs. Krueger?” Joann asked.

To Alice, ears ringing from the gunshots and adrenaline coursing through her veins, it sounded like a muffled and distant calling, as if she was hearing it underwater.

Joann squatted down next to Alice and gingerly held her arm, examining the bite on her forearm.

Patricia cried outside, saying something to Alice that she couldn’t quite make out.

Breslin radioed it in as she peered down at the still body of the murderous clown.

Overwhelmed with horror, Alice’s world faded to black.

* * *

Mike Brunello lined up at the beginning of the boardwalk with the various residents and visitors of Smuggler’s Bay clad in clown attire. Behind them were the various performers, and behind them were the circus animals spaced judiciously apart.

Alessandra held Mike’s hand, while Salvatore stood next to him, too old to hold hands. The overcast day and cooler temperature were a relief from the recent heat wave.

Mike saw Chief Holbrook meandering through the crowd, scanning the people. He was looking for someone in particular. When he saw Mike, his face lit up, and he made his way over. Mike didn’t like the expression on his face.

“Chief, how’s it going?”

“Hi, Mike.” He looked at Alessandra and Salvatore. “Hey, kids. Excited for the parade?”

“Yup,” beamed Alessandra. Salvatore nodded coolly.

“Mike, I need to talk to you for a moment.”

“Sure, Chief.”

“Alone.”

Mike wasn’t sure what to make of the request, but he realized it was something Holbrook didn’t want the children to hear. Mike figured Holbrook found their grandmother, and not in working condition.

Dharma moseyed over to Mike and the children. “Wassup, fellow clowns?”

“Dharma, perfect timing. I have to talk to the Police Chief for a moment. Can you stay here with Alessandra and Sal?”

“Hello, Dharma,” said Holbrook.

“Hi, Mr. Holbrook.” She saw the grave expression on his face, despite the warm greeting. “No problem, Mike.”

“Thanks.” Mike looked down at the children. “I have to talk to the Chief for a minute. You two, wait here. I’m just going to be right over there.” He pointed off to the side. “I’ll be right back.”

Alessandra released his hand, and she and Salvatore started to talk to Dharma about the various animals in the parade behind them.

Mike strolled over to the side of the boardwalk with Holbrook, making sure to keep both children in line of sight.

“What is it, Chief? Did you find Sophia Russo?”

Holbrook furrowed his brow and sighed. “I’m afraid it’s much worse than that. We received a 9-1-1 call earlier today from Mario Russo claiming someone was attacking him. When the officers arrived on the scene, they found Sophia Russo dead on the floor, stabbed to death, and Marie holding a knife in Mario’s head. He’s dead.”

The color drained out of Mike’s face. His mind didn’t want to process what Holbrook had told him. “I-I…that’s terrible.”

“Marie Russo is in our custody for the murders of her husband and mother-in-law.”

“My, God. I’m speechless.”

“It gets worse.”

“I don’t see how,” said Mike.

“In our investigation of Billy Blake’s murder, the bartender at the Jolly Roger reported seeing Marie having some beers with Billy, cozying up to him. After they both disappeared to the restroom area, Marie stormed out of the bar in a huff.”

Mike clenched his jaw. “That son-of-a-bitch.”

Holbrook sighed. “Yeah, we figured that’s how she felt.”

“No,” said Mike. “I saw that snake pay Marie a visit after Mario had his heart attack. I brought them a pizza that Vinnie Cantone sent over, and as I was leaving, there was Billy moseying up the path.

“I knew he was up to no good, moving in on Mario’s wife while he was in the hospital and she was vulnerable.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” said Holbrook.

“Oh, come on, Chief. Those two were never friends. She has a good husband and family. She’d never lower herself.”