Levels

By Rik Hunik

10,350 words. A science fiction novelette wherein Detective Frank and his rookie partner are confronted with a headless corpse in a locked motel room. When similar murders occur in other places it seems he will have to accept a supernatural aspect, but nothing is as it seems and he’s in for a wild trip that will take him places he never imagined. This story first appeared in Buzzy Mag, May, 2012.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rik Hunik
• Release date: Apr 29, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310824807

Rik Hunik

Rik Hunik was born in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, in 1957, and has lived his entire life in BC, except for a few summers in Alberta, and a few days in Washington State climbing rocks. He has lived in Ymir, Wells, Quesnel, Prince George, Quesnel, North Vancouver, Quesnel, Burnaby, North Delta, and Quesnel. I live with my wife Jo and a blue-eyed, white cat named Mister. I mostly build houses and shops to earn a living but I'm also a writer, poet, artist, photographer, role playing game designer and independent e-book publisher. I’ve written dozens of stories, including fantasy, horror, sword & sorcery, mystery, humor, erotica, and science fiction, frequently combining genres. Forty have been published in small press magazines and e-zines, from the 200-word "The Hole" in Ascent Aspirations, to the 10,000-word novelette "Levels" in Buzzy Mag, published in May, 2012. Some of them are available now as ebooks at Smashwords. Contact me at: [e-mail]

Book preview

LEVELS

by Rik Hunik

Published by Rik Hunik at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 by Rik Hunik

This story originally appeared in Buzzy Mag.com, May 2012

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book is the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied or distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

Chapter 1

Joshua bounced up the two concrete steps and pulled open the door to the office of the seedy motel. This is my first locked-room murder, he said, holding the door.

Mine too, Frank growled at his rookie partner as he stepped past him into a dingy office that could have been transplanted from any other cheap motel.

Really? After all your years as a detective?

Yeah. They don't happen very often in real life. And any kind of murder first thing on Monday morning was not something he could get enthusiastic about.

Frank's eyes zeroed in on the motel manager sitting behind the counter. You found the body?

The little brown man bounced to his feet and stood nodding enthusiastically for a couple of seconds. Yes, yes. He did not respond to the knocking of the maid so she contacted the front desk. The sing-song rhythm of his accent annoyed Frank. I tried calling him on the phone. He did not answer so I went with the pass key, but he had the chain on the door, so I got my bolt cutter and cut the chain.

You keep a bolt cutter handy?

Yes, a small one, and a supply of replacement chain. People have tried before to lock themselves in my rooms, just never a dead person.

How did you know he was dead?

The manager looked at the detective like he was slow. The same way you'll know. I poked my head in and saw blood on the walls and furniture and him there on the floor beside the bed. I assumed he was dead from the size of the wound on his neck, and the amount of blood everywhere.

Frank studied the man for a few seconds. There was something he wasn't saying, but he didn't flinch under the detective's steady gaze.

Joshua said, What time did he check in?

The manager riffled through a box of file cards, extracted one. About ten o'clock. He used the name John Smith and he had a woman with him, a bleached blonde with big blue eyes, a tank top, a short skirt, and long legs. You know the type. She had a tattoo of a pot leaf on her left arm.

Frank and Joshua exchanged a glance. Joshua said, That sounds like Yvonne.

Yeah. Frank turned back to the manager. Do you know what time she left?

Some time before midnight.

How many security cameras do you have outside?

Just one, over the door. He flicked one finger up to point.

We'll need to see the footage.

Of course. He knew