Ghost Box by Neville Derek

Author:Neville, Derek [Neville, Derek]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Skye Harbor Publishing
Published: 2014-12-13T16:00:00+00:00

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Boyd held a hand up to shield his eyes from the oncoming headlights of Teddy’s pickup. They washed over him momentarily as Teddy pulled up next to Boyd, who was parked at the bottom of the hill. Teddy rolled down his passenger-side window so he could talk over to Boyd.

“You doing all right?” he asked.

Boyd nodded, but that was more for Teddy’s benefit than his own. His throat was still raw from calling Lady’s name, but it hadn’t mattered. The shepherd hadn’t turned back up. Boyd had gone back inside and awoken Teddy with a phone call, and Teddy had promised to get there as soon as he could. It wasn’t quite 5 a.m.; the sky was getting lighter, but everything had a slate-gray hue.

Boyd followed Teddy in his pickup back up the incline toward the hotel and he brought it to a stop next to the breezeway. He climbed out and started toward where Teddy was standing with his hands on his hips. “What the hell is going on?” Teddy asked.

He wasn’t looking at Boyd, but up towards the third floor of the hotel. Boyd followed his gaze and when he saw what Teddy was looking at he almost fell off his feet. On the far side, several windows were shattered, but the most alarming was what looked like a roving black net over the windows closest to the two of them. Teddy started toward it first, but was walking in a diagonal path so as not to get too close.

He grimaced and looked toward Boyd. “Locusts,” he said. “A whole swarm of them are on the windows.”

“How?” Boyd asked. His stomach was sour and the last thing he wanted to do was look at a swarm of insects.

“Don’t know,” Teddy replied. “They should’ve died out in July. It should be too cold for them.”

Boyd put the back of his hand to his mouth and tried to keep the contents of his stomach down. He felt light headed and his felt knees rubbery. He went back to his truck to fetch his canteen.

“You want to tell me what happened last night?” Teddy said as he made his way back toward Boyd. “Looks like someone vandalized the building.”

Boyd shook his head. “I don’t know what happened. Like I said on the phone, someone called the lobby and shortly after I came out here and my truck was open and Lady was missing.”

“And you didn’t see anybody?”

Boyd paused. He wasn’t sure he liked the tone in Teddy’s voice. Teddy lowered his eyes at him and noticed the canteen in Boyd’s hand.

“Just keeping water in that bottle, Boyd?”

“Oh come off it, Teddy. Who are you, Donnie, now? If you’re thinking I got sloppy drunk and let my dog run away you’re wrong.”

Teddy held his hands up in defense. “Easy now, partner. I’m not trying to get you hot at me. I’m just trying to piece this together. Take a look at it from my point of view for a second. You call

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