SeaSide

By W. Joseph Puza

Caldus Montgomery left the Chicago bomb squad looking for a more peaceful setting for his family to live in. Surprising to many locals, that he had been elected County Sheriff, being an outsider. Caldus is quickly faced with a crazed bomber wanting to  destory all the rides on the amusement pier. To make matters worse for the Sheriff, a demented madman is playing a guessing game with his Deputy. Every time the officer guesses wrong, another teen is murdered. The Mayor and Amusment Park Authority are breathing down his neck to find the man. Caldus knows from experience that there are two killers to find. The powers in charge want to close their eyes and ears to what he knows is the  truth. To make things more horrifying, the bomber has set his sight on the Sherif's son. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. Joseph Puza
• Release date: Mar 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393331148

W. Joseph Puza

I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I have enjyed writing it. This story was given life a few years ago when I was screenwriting. I didn't put much work into selling it, in the back of my mind, I knew one day I was going to release this one myself! What better form than a book. Here I was able to expand everything and get deeper into the lives of the people that lived in these pages. I believe a good writer must be part of those he or she brings to life for people to watch or read about; and I believe a did a pretty good job of breathing life into these ones! This Picture is of Brittanty, this is how Agatha would look after salt was tossed in her face. Let no one stand in the way of your dreams and goals, my best to you all!

Book preview

Seaside

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by storage retrieval systems without the written permission of the author, other than brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogs are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously

Seaside

{

A Thriller}

W.Joseph Puza

For my wife, Julia.

my love is always yours.

ISBN# 13:978-15390178806

ISBN# 10:153901780x

Copyright © 2017 W. Joseph Puza

All rights reserved.

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Death it dances in my head, when I see people I want them dead, with a knife or with a gun, killing them all is my fun. Death wraps it’s arms around me, it says listen boy can’t you see, getting their souls honors me. Death it dances next to me, and soon I will be dead that too I see.

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From The Book of Love, Sorrow and Blood.

Seaside

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Seaside

1.

A cool breeze blew along the boardwalk as a line of would-be riders streamed back from the entrance to the roller coaster. Above them, the CLACK- CLACK -CLACK of the coaster could be heard, as it was pulled up to the first drop by its chain.

Rick Vanguard watched with excitement as his parents advanced in line, closer to their turn on the coaster. The thirteen-year-old looked up at his Aunt Terry Richards. His ice blue eyes and curly blond hair seemed just the right mixture of waves and sun. He tugged at her sleeve; she was a pretty middle-aged woman with long flowing auburn hair and the type of skin that roasted on a mid-summer hot day.

I rode this six times. Dad hates these rides, Rick boasted.

Terry laughed. They should be on the next one.

The sound of screams of terror and joy could be heard as the roller coaster flew down the wooden drop. Rick glanced around at the different bikini-clad girls waiting to get on various rides. He knew enough at his age that the girl’s barely clad sun-bronzed bodies stirred something deep inside of him, something that made him feel awkward and embarrassed. His attention was drawn back to the coaster as it came to a noisy stop.

Jack Vanguard grabbed hold of his wife’s hand. He was a tall, rugged man in his late thirties, with dark hair. His eyes were almost identical to his son's, eyes seemingly able to pierce through to your soul. He smiled as Helen took the inner seat, he climbed in next to her. Helen leaned in and kissed her husband’s right cheek.

It'll be all right; I know how you hate these things. She said.

I know how I hate them also, but I figure it's 1987. I'm sure they're a lot safer than they used to be.

I'm sure they are also, Helen smiled, a gentle smile capable of putting a raging tiger at ease. It had been her smile that had drawn Jack to her when they first meet—that and her tightly packaged butt. Jack never hid the fact that they were the two things that had attracted him to her. He sometimes knew it embarrassed her a bit when he bought those two facts up—especially when he had told the priest on the day of their marriage. Fortunately, the good Reverend O'Hara didn't seem to mind; in fact, he had gotten quite a hoot out of Jack's honesty. 

Maybe I should have eaten the cotton candy after the roller coaster, Jack said.

Well, if you're going to puke up, please don't do it on me, Helen joked. They both broke into laughter, which seemed to relax him.

Old Bill Carpenter had worked the boardwalk since he was thirteen. He had helped run the stands and would help hawk in the marks, to get them to try to win some prize or another, and the guys so wanting to impress thier girls would go through more money than they would have if he had just bought her the stuffed animal at a local toy store. He had always found the pride and greed of the human race humorous. Of course, Bill had gone on to college, and did the things he thought he had wanted to anyway, somewhere along the way as he had grown old. His wife of 35 years had passed on to be with the good Lord. All his children had grown and went off on their own to raise their families. Old Bill had come back full time. Yes, even when he had come home for summer break during his college years, Bill Carpenter could be found here, either repairing rides or games of chance, or just policing the area. One thing Bill had realized was that over the years people became messier and a lot ruder. Everyone was in a hurry and had no time to enjoy themselves. After all, wasn't that why you brought your family to the boardwalk? To have a good time?

Bill moved beneath the coaster; he crossed to the far end where it would turn out over the ocean. He had never liked that turn and had remarked many times to management that a metal railing or fence should be put there, just for safety’s sake. He bent down and picked up a taffy wrapper. As he stood and looked up, his eyes were drawn to the broken wood. He dropped the wrapper, dustpan, and broom he was carrying; fear edged deeply into his ebony features.

My sweet Lord, he whispered. Bill felt frozen in time. He knew he had to pull the radio from his belt; he knew it was time to hear the Velcro separate and free his walkie talkie. But he was scared for the first time in his life—not fear for himself, but fear for the people that were on the coaster and for the horror the families and friends would experience if the coaster derailed. He was frozen with fear. Bill could hear the blood pumping to his heart, as if his heart was trying to break free from the rib cage prison that held it bound. He let out a gasp of air and pulled the radio free. It no longer felt like a radio to old Bill—no, it felt as if the weight of the world was bearing down on the tiny handheld talkie, he needed Herculean strength to raise it to his lips. 

Keep your hands in and enjoy the ride, Brian Mitchell announced over the loud speaker. He tossed the switch and heard the chain engage that would bring the coaster to the first drop. This was Brian's favorite part of the ride. He knew that as much as they tried to hide it, everyone on that coaster had butterflies in their stomachs. Brian hung out the window of the small engineer booth and gave a thumbs-up sign to Gary Aldrich, who was the deck attendant for this ride. Both he and Gary had worked the coaster for the past two years. Is this a puke ride or what? Brian called to Gary, who nodded a yes. Patrons in line laughed. 

Sue Morgan could feel the lump in her throat; her mouth felt as if it was stuffed with cotton. She wasn't sure she could scream if she wanted to, and she knew it was too late for her to get the attendant to stop the coaster. Sue had just turned sixteen yesterday. Her Mom and Dad had taken her down to the boardwalk with her best friend, Hilda Saperstein. Sue had never ridden a roller coaster before, and she had decided it was time she tried. She had grown bored with the Bumper cars, Ferris wheel, and Whip. She wanted something with a little more gas to it. Hilda, on the other hand, had ridden the coasters many times. From the east coast to the west coast. She had always made them sound like so much fun. But right now, Sue wasn't interested in fun, right now she was hoping she wouldn't wet her pants and praying she didn't die. She knew it had been a mistake to sit in the front, but Hilda insisted that was where the action was—that was where you'd feel the drop the most as you rocketed down to the first turn. Maybe the bumper cars hadn't been so boring after all. She glanced at Hilda, whose face was stretched with a wide smile. Like her, Hilda had long flowing blond hair and green eyes. Right now, though, all she looked like to Sue was an evil goblin who had tricked her into riding this coaster from hell with some mystical power.

As the coaster went into its first drop, Jack's stomach felt as if it was about to come out of his throat. It took a few seconds for him to realize he was the one screaming and not the two girls seated before him. He heard his wife's laughter as they whipped around the first turn. Are you being all you can be? she mocked playfully. Jack's heart was pounding so hard he could barely hear her over the ba bump ba bump. He felt his eyes widen with fear as they went into a second drop. Oh, my sweet Lord, get me off here! he prayed out loud.

You've gotta stop the Land Lizard coaster. There's a break in the track! The turn going over the ocean! Bill Carpenter screamed into his radio.

Come back, Bill. Take the radio away from your mouth.  I can hardly make you out.

Bill heard Keith Murray's voice; Murray was the head of the engineering department and was responsible for every ride in the park. Bill felt sorrow sweep over him; he knew in his heart it was too late to stop the Lizard, and he knew Murray would take it hard if anyone were hurt. He knew Murray walked every inch of every ride every day himself, except for the past three days, Keith had been away at his mother's funeral back in Iowa. Bill knew that Murray had a cracker-jack team, but today someone had messed up, today someone had missed the break in the track and the hanging wood on turn four.

Keith, there's a broken track on the Lizard. Wood’s hanging on by a splinter. There's no way that track will hold the weight of the car. The ride has to be stopped!

It was only a few seconds before Murray replied, but to Bill, it seemed like an hour.

There's no way to stop the car. Are you sure about this, Bill?

Yes.

Bill could hear the sound of pending doom in Murray's voice. He knew before Murray had answered him that there was no way to stop the car, but what he didn't want to know was what would happen next. Bill looked around; he heard the first of the long warning horns bellow and knew that would send paramedics racing to the Lizard. The only problem Bill saw was that the coaster would not land in the best place for the people on it to be helped. He looked around and figured the best thing for him to do was to get as far away from the coaster as he could.

As the coaster went through the third turn, Sue wasn't sure if she had wet her pants, or because she had thought about it so many times, through the two drops, her mind was playing tricks on her. She hoped it was the latter. She glanced at Hilda, who had a smile on her face from ear to ear. Sue wagged her head as the horrid noise of the old guy behind her screaming continued. Sue figured it was his first time on the Lizard as well; she wondered if his bladder was stronger than hers. As the coaster went into the fourth turn, Sue's eyes raced over the ocean, then fell on the broken track. This time she had no doubt that her bladder had let loose as she screamed for her life. It hadn't taken long before Hilda joined her. The last thing Sue would remember was the sound of breaking wood and twisting metal as the Lizard rocketed off the main frame and out over the ocean.  Her eyes caught the sight of two seagulls parting to make way for the coaster, then the sound of the coaster hitting the ocean, then nothing. 

Jack heard the difference in the sound of the screams of the young woman in front of him; his screams trailed off; his mind began to race. Jack wondered if the girl had become so frightened that she was having a heart attack. No, that couldn't be it, she was way too young for heart failure—but on the other hand, fear could work her into such a frenzy that it could cause heart failure.

My God! Jack heard his wife's words echo through his head; he felt her hand grab so tightly to his arm that he wondered if she had split his flesh. Jack heard the crack of the wood and the sound of metal against metal as the coaster flew through the wooden rail and out over the ocean. He looked down at the water, seeing the waves breaking on the shoreline; he also noticed people scrambling away from the area where they thought the coaster would land. Jack found that funny because he knew the turn would lead them about quater a mile off shore. For some reason he didn't understand, he was calm. He knew he was about to die along with his wife and that his son would be parentless, but he knew his aunt would take good care of him. The sound of the coaster hitting the water sounded like a bomb going off in Jack's ears. It took only a few seconds for the ocean's waters to claim his life along with that of the other riders, but to Jack it had seemed like hours He looked at his wife and saw the terror in her face as she pulled at the safety bar that held her in. Jack felt bad for her; she wouldn't die in peace. For some reason, she hadn't gotten the same feeling he did. He prayed as the lights of his life slowly drifted from his eyes, as his lungs filled with salt water, forcing the last of his life-giving oxygen out; he prayed she would find peace.

Bill Carpenter watched with horror as the coaster hit the turn and burst through the safety rail and out into the ocean. He could hear the sirens of the emergency response team as it raced towards the shoreline. Bill shook his head as the last of the coaster dipped beneath the waves. He heard the screams of the people and felt as if all the blood had been drained from his veins. He glanced up. He saw two Coast Guard helicopters come into view, knowing there would be divers on board, but knowing it would be too late for the riders. Bill crumbled to his knees. In all the years he had worked here, never had such a horrific thing happened. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a young boy racing towards the water with all his might. A woman screamed at him and tackled him before he could reach the ocean. Bill could only guess that the child had a friend or family member on that coaster. He wiped a tear from his eye.

At the first sound of the coaster breaking through the wood, Rick could feel bile rising up into his throat; he watched in disbelief as the coaster slammed into the water below, then began to sink. He was racing across the sand. Rick didn't remember sending the signal from his brain to his legs to run; he just remembered taking off. Let me go! I have to save them! Rick screamed.

Terry raised her head just enough for her to see the last of the coaster submerge. She felt Rick still struggling beneath her. She knew if she let the boy stand, he would push past her and she wouldn't be able to catch him before he reached the ocean. She knew he would plunge into the water and be swallowed up like his parents, but more than anything she knew she wouldn't be able to bear watching him die also.

She tasted the first of her tears as they made their way into her gasping mouth; they were salty like the water that had just taken her family, a family she depended on, a family she and Rick still needed. She heard the sound of sirens echoing around them; she heard the screams of men and women. She felt as if she had been sucked into Dorothy's twister and had ended up in Oz. Something deep inside her told her this was something Rick would never be able to cope with. This was something that would destroy his life, and she knew deep in her marrow there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Rick lay on his bed, listening to the bump-bump-bump of the headboard as it slammed against her wall. His aunt’s room was adjacent to his. He tried various ways to block out the noise coming from her room, but no matter how he tried, it filtered in and gnawed at his brain. Three years had passed since Rick’s parents had died in that horrible roller coaster crash—three years of listening and watching his aunt farm herself out as an unpaid prostitute. It seemed to him that she lent herself out to any guy she happened to bump into. The sight of his Aunt Terry had begun to turn his stomach. Here he was once more listening to her moans, screams, and the sound of bedsprings. He pulled his pillow over his head, hoping to muffle the yes-yes-yes of her voice, which made him want to vomit.

The court had appointed Terry as his legal guardian six months after the accident. She had told him that the insurance company had made a comfortable offer. She had sold his parents’ house and promised Rick that the money from the insurance and house had