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Emma wanted to ask him if he saw ghosts around her, but thought better of it. The older man stared at her with his keen blue eyes and she got the impression he was waiting for her to ask. She took another swig of beer and held her tongue.

“Your ghost friends should be a little more helpful with the info,” Monica said, her tone a bit bitter. “Like why Eddie showed back up as a zombie.

“The dead got their own agenda. I can’t make them do my bidding. Hell, I’m doing their bidding most of the time. If they don’t want to talk, I ain’t got nothing.”

Flicking his gaze toward Rune, Juan straightened in his chair, the tension in his shoulders revealing his anxiousness. “So you don’t know about Ed, Belinda, and the others at all, right?”

“Sorry. I ain’t got nothin’ on what happened to Old Ed. I wish I did. He was a good guy until he got a case of the stupids and took off.”

Bette stared at her beer as though contemplating how much more to drink. “This is a weird, weird world.”

The conversation lapsed into silence. Emma tilted her head so she could observe the night in all its brilliance. Despite the huge spotlights illuminating the area around the Fort, the stars were visible overhead. The vast firmament of the heavens was breathtaking. It had been a long time since she’d felt safe outside, longer still since she had last admired the stars. Back at the old Airstream she’d hidden inside its metal walls, too afraid to venture outside in the dark for fear of the undead. It was surreal to feel safe enough behind the high concrete walls to sit back and relax.

“Shit! What’s that smell?” Monica abruptly exclaimed, covering her nose.

Emma caught a whiff and choked. “Oh my God!”

“Did a zombie get in the gates? Because damn!” Bette jumped to her feet and took a few steps back.

“It’s not me!” Rune exclaimed defensively. “I’ve blasted some good ones, but that ain’t me!”

Emma eyed the dog next to Juan. “I think he’s the guilty culprit.”

Chuckling, Juan petted the dog’s head. “The kids gave Jack some macaroni and cheese. Not the best idea. Jack, those are some impressive dog farts.”

It amused Emma to see a smidgen of guilt in the dog’s eyes. It didn’t last long, because the dog let out another one and gave everyone a big doggie grin.

“Glad you’re here, Em?” The twinkle in Juan’s eye and smile were a little naughty, the tension from earlier draining out of him.

Emma wasn’t sure he was talking about being in the range of the reek, or being at the Fort. Covering her nose and mouth with the collar of her shirt, she gave him a thumbs up.

“Then we’re ending the day on a high note. And that I’ll drink to.”

Juan tapped her bottle with his and winked.

Again, she was reminded of just how handsome he was.

Emma took another long swig to hide her blushing face and wide grin.

It would be hours until she retired to her hotel room, happy with the promise of new possibilities.

8

Tamale Interrogation

A knock on the door startled Emma from a deep slumber. The room was dark except for a line of bright sunlight peeking through a gap in the curtains. Her hand instantly closed on the pistol under the mattress and she rapidly rolled over beneath the covers, pointing at the trailer’s front door, only to discover she was aiming at a window. Disoriented, she flailed about until she located the actual door to the hotel room.

Another knock.

It took her a few seconds to remember that she was on the sixth floor of a tall building behind high concrete walls.

Zombies wouldn’t be banging on the door.

With a sigh of relief, she sagged back onto the pillows.

A glance at the clock revealed it was earl

y afternoon. She’d slept close to fourteen hours straight.