Page 21 of Grave Danger

“She knows about this particular zombie?”

“Stop saying that.”

Ollie grunted. “Fine. This particular undead senior citizen. Is that better?”

Cody clenched his jaw and tried to think of pleasant things. Going to sleep next to Demmy. Waking up next to Demmy. Kissing Demmy. Being inside Demmy.

“Shouldn’t you call Lucia and let her know about… well, about what just happened?”

Cody sighed as all attempts at calming thoughts evaporated.

“I mean, she’s out there roaming around the woods,” Ollie continued. “And she had…” He waved a hand up and down in front of his chest. “Stuff all over her, so she’s been eating something.” Ollie looked a little pale. “Or someone.”

“For fuck’s sake.” Cody pulled onto the gravel shoulder. He dug his phone out of his front pocket, and then plugged it into the truck’s entertainment system.

“Oh, and my car is back at the cemetery, if you could…?”

Ollie left the question hanging as Cody turned a cold-eyed gaze on him. Without acknowledging the unspoken ride request, Cody kept his gaze locked on Ollie and hit a button on his steering wheel. “Call Lucia Durant, mobile.”

The call connected and rang through the truck’s sound system. Cody finally dragged his gaze from Ollie’s steadily reddening face and pulled back onto the road. The heavy tension in the cab built with each unanswered buzz, Cody tightening his grip on the steering wheel the longer it stretched out.

When he thought it was about to finally go to voicemail, Lucia answered with a gruff, “What?”

“I found another one.”

“Another what? Guy you’re attracted to?”

Ollie snorted a laugh, then clapped a hand over his mouth and looked at him with wide eyes.

“Who was that? Am I on fucking speakerphone?”

“That was Ollie,” Cody said, giving him a death glare. “We’re in my truck.”

“So is he your go to when Demetrius has a headache?”

Ollie made a face. “Gross.”

“Feeling’s double that on my end,” Cody said.

Lucia sighed. “As fun as this is, some of us have jobs that require attention for more than thirty minutes a day. What’s your point? You found another one what?”

“Zombie,” Ollie said, then gave Cody a challenging look.

“Goddammit, Bower. Did you tell a fucking reporter about all this?”

“No, I did not,” Cody said.

“I’m not a reporter anymore,” Ollie said. “Not sure why none of you seem to be able to understand that.”

“I found him in the woods, and an old woman came after us.”

“You found him in the woods?” Lucia said. “Was he lost?”

“No!” Ollie exclaimed. “I was following the creek from the cemetery.”

“The creek?” Cody and Lucia said together.

“Yeah, Davenport Creek,” Ollie said, then frowned and looked from Cody to where Lucia’s name was displayed then back to Cody. “Don’t either of you know that creek runs past the cemetery and eventually ends up in Parson’s Pond?”