Tad Spector Part I,II & III

By O.K. Nelson

Tad never thought he would be a part of saving the world. He was just barely holding his together. But when an ex-wife, government conspiracy, zombies and a rag-tag group of friends come together who knows what can come about?

• Language: English
• Publisher: O.K. Nelson
• Release date: Apr 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201931100

Book preview

Chapter 1

This blood looks dried. This wasn’t done today. I was told this was recent.

The detective I was assigned to seemed to look right through me as he went around messing up the remains of what could scarcely be called evidence.

Hey Jack!

I could feel my system fighting the new medication.

I mean, look, I was hired by ... someone important and they expect a certain... care... when it comes to this information. I know this is out of line but you understand the circumstances better than I do, or I would be nowhere near any of this.

I could feel my ears warming up, generally not a good sign. My doctor warned me about my anger. Time to take some deep breaths. I could feel the skin on my knuckle turning white as my fingers dug into my right hand.

What do you want? The blue uniform and short face now staring me down. Looking up at him and him looking down on me in more ways than one, I just sucked in a breath. The smell of cleaner and old cigarettes took me back to an easier time as well as repulsed me.

I want five minutes. Alone. I won’t touch anything.

His eyes squinted. I could practically hear the conversation he had earlier ‘anything the little guy needs, give it to him. Just get him out of there.’ This was something bigger than what it looked like and we both knew it. The tension hung in the air like a bad joke, his face broke into a fake smile.

Ya... okay. Five minutes.

Thank you. Officer... Jendall. Looking at his crisp uniform the name felt fake as soon as I said it but whatever, I had my time.

Everyone out! Coffee run. The bustle halted in the room and thankful, tired eyes looked passed Officer ‘Jendall’ and out to the hallway behind him, already mentally out the door.

The room seemed to expand as soon as it emptied and the door hit the jam. I could feel the solitude around me. A deep breath in and out as I looked around the fancy, well-lit penthouse room. Red, like abstract art, splashed haphazardly where many nice people once wined and dined. Why would the President of the United States want to have someone other than the police involved in this case? And why me? A swell of pride helped quiet the nagging thoughts. I was asked for by name, and me alone.

Time was fleeting and I knew it was not enough time to do what I needed to do. This was a disaster and this was not a drunk husband two timing his lady or insurance fraud. This was the First Lady.

The camera was quickly out of my bag. And it didn’t take long to feel that I had taken enough shots. My blood pressure jumped at the sound of the door handle squeaking. The silence of the room engulfing me like a blanket only moments before.

What are you doing? A young officer looks at me then back at Officer Jendall.

Just leave him. And you are done here. I didn’t see you, and you need to keep to yourself. We have a job to do. No matter who asks favors or calls the shots. This is murder and we know it.

Half smiling, I just left.

Ya.. we’ll see. I breathed out as I left, the door shutting firmly behind me and a metallic sound signaling the lock was turned. Finality. But I had what I was after.

I pushed the button on the elevator. Back to the basement and out to town. I take another deep breath. I can feel the tightening in my chest. People. It was easy when I had to do something but going anywhere was a hassle. Being invisible isn’t easy, but neither was my job.

It didn’t take me long to drive back to my small plain office. The camera case on the desk and chip in the computer. What was I looking for? It seemed so obvious, but impossible. Improbable that the President would shoot his own wife with so many people around. But he had blood on himself. I heard an officer mention it and saw a glimpse of the file open, picture of his suit. But the pattern did not fit. The red on the walls seemed to be much more than what the wounds indicated. But I had not seen the body. She was rushed away, signs of life fading on the way to the hospital I heard.

Chapter 2

Tad Spector at your service!

I remember vaguely a week ago talking to the President on the phone.

Look Tad, I heard you were the best. I need you on my team, on my side. You hear me. I need a guy that’s not a part of the system.

Seemed a bit paranoid at the time. But now he seemed even more suspicious.

They are after me, Tad. You can keep a secret right. I mean that’s your job.

He went on like a teenager not sounding put together at all. I was ready to believe this was a prank call until the large Venmo payment cleared. Ten grand is a lot for a prank!

Ya, what’s up. I recall casually asking after the money cleared. The flood of words seemed like a small eternity ago.

He said a lot while not saying anything at all. Adderall? Was all I jotted on my yellow notepad.

A wave of hunger came over me and I realized I had been on my own adrenaline rush for the last several hours. The weight of my eyes and the time of day reminding me it was time to go to work. It's a backwards time of day in my line of work. I put the coffee pot on and blinked at the sudden brightness of the fridge light as I grabbed a beer from my otherwise barren fridge.

Chapter 3

The pictures were barely anything to work off of. It was definitely something that needed to be checked against the wounds on the body but the First Lady was locked tight as a drum in the D.C. morgue I was told. The investigation already heating up and newspaper ink being drained over this in speculation. The only one there was the President and the Secret Service, but they did not see anything. The President looked rattled in the few pictures he had let slip in his vain attempt for some privacy and a few moments to himself to mourn. The official statement was yet to come forth but the small number of facts at the briefings indicated something was up. I rubbed my eyes and looked at the clock, the last bitter swig of cooling black coffee hit my tongue as the words three twenty-eight a.m. rang in my mind. Kicking the rolling chair back into the desk I stood and plopped into the couch next to me. Threw a blanket over and just stared up to the ceiling. ‘There was blood on his suit.’ The last thought ringing in my mind as I looked up at the ceiling.

Chapter 4

I woke up to a pistol crack to the head. I half didn’t know if it was dream or real.

What’s that kid know? A deep voice from behind a ski mask barked.

That ain't no kid. That’s the guy. The guy from the Penthouse, with the camera. Being pretty sure they think I’m passed out as I feel the warm thick blood pool in my eye socket. I don’t dare open my eye to make the mess worst. I try to peep the other eye open and accidentally open both. The rush of blood startles me even though I was prepared for it and jolted under the covers.

He heard you. A fist landing on my side as quick as the words came out.

I know that. Now you, little man. The covers jerked off made me blink again, more blood getting into my eyes as I try to wipe it off with the blanket.

Ya, how can I help you. I usually take visitors by appointment only. I try to talk much slower than I feel like, hoping to de-escalate this storm brewing in my living room.

Give us the camera and the chip.

A gloved hand outstretched in my face like I could somehow puke it up. A pistol slides and clicks into place. I can feel it pointed at me without even looking. Likely the one that gave me the gaper still leaking all over my crappy carpet. I walked over and got them what they wanted. Just dropped the camera and chip into their hand, not looking up. I sat back down on the couch. They paused like they were waiting for me to do or say something. They looked at each other and left, leaving the door open to my small apartment.

Chapter 5

They were just barely gone before the gunshot, sudden and almost like a firework jolted me to my feet. My ears hot and chest pounding as I looked out the dingy window to the early morning sun cutting across the large parking lot full of cars.

I heard staggered footsteps and spun around to see a bloody mess plopped onto my living room floor. More dark blood on the carpet. The scruffy man had fabric in his hand and reached up to me for help before collapsing. I grabbed the fabric from him instinctively and saw it was a mask. The cocked gun seemed to have found a use I thought. I shook the guy, now gurgling on the floor, trying to see if he was still alive. I checked his pulse, but nothing.

‘Oh man, this just keeps getting better’ I told myself. I looked back out the window and could see an old Cadillac screech its tires over the sidewalk and fishtail out into traffic. He could have just drove away. No one calls the cops on anything in this neighborhood.

I looked at the now dead man on my floor while closing the door behind him. Luckily, he was in the living room far enough to where I didn’t need to move him too close the door, not sure I would be able to if I tried. I went to the small bathroom on the other side of the wall and tapped out a capsule, the thought I needed to keep my meds going flashed to mind. A water glass was nearby and I swigged down the little helper. Hope this is doing something, a flash of doubt crossing my mind.

I patted the guy down. Gun, some handcuffs, keys, and a note. I looked closer at him and thought I recognized him somehow. One of the cops! He was at the Penthouse. I stood up and looked around the small room. As I was taking in a deep breath I nearly jumped as the phone rang. Instinctively I answered it with a ‘Ya, Tad here.’

Holy cow kid, you miffed this up good! The President’s ragged voice was like another punch to the head. Still looking at the body in my living room actively bleeding more on my poor carpet the ten thousand dollars in my account suddenly rang out as I heard that voice. You had a job to do. I needed you, counted on you. I already got word you lost the pictures I hired you to get.

I just squeezed the phone to my red-hot ear. This was definitely not good for my blood pressure. Things have changed. Was all I could grit out and hung up. The phone instantly rang again but went silent as soon as the line was pulled from the wall. Not long after a vibrating was felt in my pocket, I just let it buzz, knowing full well who it was.

Chapter 6

The Cadillac was stolen. He knew he had to get to a new ride and back to the Station.

Jones! The radio in the back seat blared out. What is going on?! Status Report NOW or its your hide!

Looking around the corner as he was slowly driving, James Jones pulled into an alley between two dim, dingy brick buildings, barely fitting between the garbage dumpsters. Bars and restaurants used this alley for more than trash and smoke breaks. This is where Jones had caught most of his drug busts when things got slow in town. Stoker Alley they call it, a market of sorts for anything one wanted in a small part of a big town. He parked, killed the ignition, and just left the keys. Easy fix for a stolen vehicle, the next sap would have to deal with it. A hermit crab finding another shell. The backpack with the gun and camera with the chip in it was all he grabbed and tossed the latex gloves he had on into a nearby dumpster as he walked back to the sidewalk. A grey van pulled up slowly and Jones got in the passenger side, the van barely slowed down, the passenger door opened and banged closed multiple times.

Chapter 7

Look I know it sounds crazy! I’m nearly shaking as I try to explain to dispatch what’s going on. I have a dead body in my living room! Just get someone over here to clean this up. Please. I fight the sarcasm at the end and hope in the silence the person on the other end is doing something helpful.

Okay. We will send someone over. But not sure how long. There is a lot already happening around here this morning.

It seemed odd that a dead body was nearly brushed off. I look at the cell phone screen to be sure I have the right number for some reason, but it was dispatch, I have called it hundreds of times over the years of being a P.I. Something seemed odd though.

Who is this? Her voice sounded unlike anyone I had talked to there. The line went blank and looking at my phone screen again I saw I was hung up on. Looking back over at the dead body I had to get out of there.

Chapter 8

He didn’t have a clue. Jones shifts in the uncomfortable front seat of the grey van, rolling the window down to let the diesel fuel smell out. What the ... what kind of van is this? He looked back seeing metal and odd parts.

Stole it from a job site, not sure. We need to ditch this ride soon too. The driver was calm and slow but driving fast.

He didn’t expect anything? The driver looking over at Jones as he drove.

Nope. And pulled out the camera from his backpack. No idea. Jones noticed the van was picking up speed and the sharp turns made the loose-fitting door rattle. Hey no one is following us. Jones holds the door closed while looking over at the driver, someone who he now realized he knew very little about.

Ya, about that. And with a smooth motion he grabbed the camera and tossed it in the back of the messy work van.

Hey! Jones looks like he was going to punch the driver.

Look, I liked you but bye. And he jerked the wheel on a cutback turn and at the same time pushed the passenger seatbelt release. Jones flies out the now open door and off the jagged cliff. The door just flapped, banging into the frame as he drove on like nothing happened.

Chapter 9

I could smell donuts as I walked the early morning streets. I wasn’t hungry but it sounded good so I found myself walking towards the smell. I had money now, it had been ages since I had a paying customer but now what. I can’t go back to my place. I have no pictures to give the client. I just walked, deep in my head, passing the bakery without hardly noticing when I bumped into Jim. Literally.

Hey. The wall of a man turned and looked down to me.

Tad! What are you doing walking around ‘Ol Man? A deep breath of relief at finding someone I knew.

Hey Jim. You got a minute?

Ya just a sec, hey guys I got to go. I’ll see how bad my boys are going to kick your boys’ butts tonight. Remember I got a hundred on em. The other men left. Jim was always hustling some angle.

What’s up, Tad? You look terrible. The blood had been cleaned up but the wound was barely held together with the super glue and tape I had around. You look like Rocky found you! Jim’s thick New Jersey accent making me smile a bit and lightening the pain that was throbbing in my skull.

I got jacked Jim, everything I was working on for someone important. I think this is deeper than I realize. Don't want to get you dragged in on it, but I need someone to know this wasn’t me. I told him about the body and the camera, the President, and the crime scene.

Sheesh man, you got yourself in a deep one this time, Tad. I remember when you just did little jobs, simple stuff. Adultery stakeouts, business fraud stuff, this is dense man.

I just nod. It was way over my head when the offer came in and needed the money.

"Look, the guy, president, asked for me by name. I mean, weird right. I’m a nobody. Barely have a line in the newspaper, no ads, no credentials, no reason to be on a job like this.

Ya, does seem weird. Let's go see what Sal has to say. You up for an eye opener?

I just start walking. We both know I was always up for an ‘eye opener’.

Chapter 10

Who gave you that shiner? Sal’s voice barreling over the dim lighting like a bright ray of light.

Not really sure. That’s why we are here.

Jim pulling up a stool to the bar as I scurry up and get up on mine.

You know anything about that First Lady death the other night? Sal nods and we both nod back and he starts talking as his hands pour two mugs of beer. First Lady, dead without much to do. Blood and wine all over but no real idea how it happened. Seems fishy to me. Heard the injuries are questionable and that they are still not talking much about what was on the scene. Heard there was some weird stuff involved. You're not involved in this are you? Sal looking at Jim then at me.

Ya, Tad is. Jim finally cutting the silence.

Look, the pictures I took in the hotel don’t add up. There was blood all over and wine on the walls and furniture but their Secret Service was right there and said they saw nothing. There was blood on the President but when I had blood on me and the carpet in the apartment it was far darker than what I saw on the scene or in the pictures. I stop for a second and think the flash of thought was too crazy to consider. Wine? I breathed out more to myself than to the others.

Tad, they would not think blood was wine, or I mean the tests and stuff those guys have would tell them if it was something different. I just couldn’t shake the fact that it had seemed so different. Let me see the picture and I’ll give you my opinion. Sal standing up straight like he was playing at being a professional.

Ya, well that’s the other thing. The guy that gave me this gash has the camera and the chip... has everything. And the other guy with him is dead in my living room. The dispatch at the P.D. didn’t seem too worked up about it. So I am here. I take a long drink off the beer not caring about the foam.

Oh man! Tad, you are into something deep here. Jim trailing off as he takes a drink as well.

Chapter 11

––––––––

A thudding sound was heard before the two of us went to the door. Jim looked at me with a questioning look. I just shrugged like he didn’t know. Climbing the last step to my apartment we heard a door open below us.

Tad, you better knock that off, been banging and making all kinds of racket all morning! You know I need my beauty sleep! I could see Jim rolled his eyes

Ya, no prob Mrs. Glick. But what she said made me wonder what was to be found on the other side of the door. I slowly got my key out and unlocked the door.

Come on Short-Stack we got to get this over with.

Another thud and shuffle. I look at Jim and he is braced to enter. I was suddenly glad he decided to come back here with me. I open the door and feel something I have to push out of the way to get the door all the way open. Jim bursts though and kinda turns in a half circle taking it all in. I follow behind him leaving the door open in case we have to leave in a hurry. The first thing I think of is a rummage sale, stuff everywhere! It was the couch I had to push out of the way with the door, everything else was strewn all over the drab floor. The blood was still there but no body.

That ain't good. I said out loud to Jim briefly looking back at me.