Page 14 of Unexpected Danger (Mountain Justice #2)
Londyn cleaned out her desk the next day. She regretted she hadn’t been able to chat with Jasmine beforehand, but she was in Sonja’s office. And Dustin was out sick.
Both deserved to know she was leaving. She felt like a heel. Their friendship was important to her.
After the discussion at the police department, she was more assured than ever that BJ Nuss was not her stalker.
Detective Rivas informed her that tracing the several burner phones had resulted in mixed results.
It had been purchased with cash at an out-of-the-way convenience store located ten miles east of Rowland.
The purchaser was dressed in all black, including a hoodie.
The images were grainy, but the clerk didn’t think it was BJ Nuss.
And the purchaser had an erect and upright posture and was a few inches shorter than Mr. Nuss.
BJ Nuss had an alibi for the time the burner phones were purchased.
Which meant it was someone else—someone still out there.
Jasmine poked her head around the corner. “What are you doing?”
“Oh, there you are.”
“Yeah, I was in Sonja’s office discussing a recalcitrant client. What’s going on?”
“I'm quitting.”
“What? Are you serious? And you were going to tell me when?”
“I’m sorry, Jasmine. I decided just last night.”
Jasmine pinned her thin arms across her chest. “Does this have anything to do with Mr. Nuss cornering you in the pizza place parking lot?”
“That confirmed it even more.”
“So, you were thinking of this before that episode?”
“I have been contemplating it for a while.” Londyn scooped up some spare change from one of the compartments in her desk drawer.
Irritation edged Jasmine’s voice. “What precipitated this?”
“I just think it's time, especially with all that’s been happening with this crazed weirdo.”
“He’s been pestering you for a while now. Why don’t the police just arrest Mr. Nuss?”
“I don’t think it’s him. There are too many inconsistencies.”
Jasmine pasted on a hard smile. “But you love this job.” She raised her voice. “I truly do not understand you, Londyn.”
“I do love this job.” Jasmine was a good friend, but she wouldn’t understand. Not fully. Londyn stuffed her coffee mug into the box.
“Does Sonja know?”
“She does.”
“And you gave her two weeks' notice?”
Jasmine had suddenly become adept at interrogation. “I am unable to give a two-week notice, and yes, Sonja does know, and as I mentioned before, I do enjoy this job, but it's time for me to move on.”
“But where will you go? And can we at least throw you a going-away party?” Her narrowed eyes bored into Londyn before she scanned the office. “Dustin is out sick today, but maybe we can take you out tomorrow, and we can invite Sonja and a few of the others.”
“That's sweet, but honestly, I'm going to be on the road tomorrow.”
“To the road where?”
“I'm heading back to Pronghorn Falls.”
Jasmine scowled at her. “Is this some kind of a joke to you?”
“Some kind of joke?” Londyn had seen Jasmine become irritated a time or two if she had to be put on hold or was behind someone slow in traffic, but never as frustrated as she was now.
“Yes, some kind of joke.” Jasmine released an exaggerated sigh, and her brow pinched. “Didn't you just leave Pronghorn Falls? Or did you and Brodie get back together?”
A ton of packing awaited her, but Londyn didn't want to be unkind to the woman who had become her friend. It was obvious she’d hurt Jasmine. “I know this is sudden, and I am sorry.” Londyn swallowed hard. How could she explain this? “It's just a decision that I needed to make.”
“So, you just stay at places for a matter of months and then move on? What about the workload here? It will take Sonja forever to replace you. We’re already shorthanded.” She took a step closer and tapped her long fingernails on the desk. “And what about Dustin? He really likes you.”
She’d told Jasmine more than once that she was not interested in Dustin for more than a friend, but her admonition had fallen on deaf ears. “You have been an awesome friend, Jasmine, and I hope we can maintain our friendship.”
Jasmine planted her hands on her hips. “Well, I would hope so too, but if I'm such a good friend, then why didn't you tell me this sooner? You can't just spring it on people like this.”
Her friend was correct, and under normal circumstances, Londyn would have informed her sooner.
If she’d arrived at her decision sooner.
“After much prayer and with what happened with BJ Nuss yesterday…it cemented my decision of whether or not to return to Pronghorn Falls. I’m sorry I hurt you by telling you at the last minute. ”
Several other coworkers moseyed by. Likely, they were interested to see what all of the fuss was about. Jasmine lowered her voice to an almost seething tone. “I'm not a psychiatrist or anything, but you have a problem with running away from things and people.”
A retort lingered on Londyn’s lips, but she refrained from uttering it. Maybe she really did have an issue with running when things became unmanageable. But in her defense, this time it could prove life-threatening. “I need to go chat with Sonja and pick up my last paycheck.”
“And that's it, you're just gone? Now I see how Brodie could be so upset with you. And I'm not even as close to you as he was.”
At the insertion of Brodie's name, Londyn's heart fell to her stomach. That was something she hoped she could work out when she returned to Pronghorn Falls. “It's just with the stalker and everything, I need to go.”
“There hasn’t been anything else, has there? I mean, Mr. Nuss’s confrontation in the parking lot didn’t end badly. Maybe the guy is done with bothering you.”
“Or maybe he’s not, and the entire thing escalates.” Even as she said the words, fear coiled in her belly.
“It’s probably another one of our clients. I think you’re making too much out of a few texts, and what? Two phone calls?”
“And a man attempting to break in, then succeeding and standing in my room.”
Jasmine shrugged off her concerns, and Londyn continued.
“There’s been no one else as frustrated as Mr. Nuss.
I’ve already talked to Detective Rivas about this.
Besides, I need to get back home. I miss my friends.
I miss my life I had there. I need to apologize and seek Brodie’s forgiveness. Make things right with him and Aileen.”
“And yet you chose to leave there.” Jasmine's accusatory frown accompanied her tone, which was harsher than normal. “You are so flighty.”
Londyn rose and took a step forward to hug her friend. “Thank you for your friendship. I could not have settled into life here in Rowland without you.”
Jasmine did not return the hug. Instead, she stiffened, her arms remaining at her sides.
Londyn released her. “I will text you when I get to Pronghorn Falls. Just because I'm moving back doesn't mean I won't return to Rowland, and we can catch a movie or go out to lunch. Or you could even come to Pronghorn Falls for a visit.”
“I doubt I'm going to be coming to Pronghorn Falls. I don’t care much for small towns. And unlike you,” said Jasmine, taking a step back, “I don't run off at the first sign of trouble.”
“Stalking is hardly a minor matter. Who knows what this creep is capable of?”
“Maybe. Or maybe you just blew everything out of proportion. Besides, I still think you need to tell Dustin. He's going to be heartbroken.”
The continued insistence from her friend that she pursue a relationship with Dustin was getting tiresome, but she was correct in that Londyn needed to tell him she was leaving.
While not boyfriend material, Dustin had been there for her when she needed him.
“Speaking of guys, I forgot to ask you how the second date went with the server.”
Jasmine’s face fell. “He doesn't seem to think we are compatible.”
“I'm so sorry.”
“Yeah, well, it is what it is.”
“Maybe it’s meant to be for you and Dustin to get together.”
Something crossed Jasmine’s face. A glimpse of hope, perhaps? “I don't know, we'll see. He's in love with you, so that doesn't exactly work too well. So, what time are you leaving?”
“I plan to leave tomorrow, no later than nine. I have to pick up the cargo trailer from the rental place. The forecast is calling for rain again, but from the radar, at this point, I’ll miss most of it.”
“At least it’s all freeway driving.”
“That does make it easier and faster.”
After a few more minutes of conversing, Londyn was finally able to excuse herself and meet in her boss's office. Sonja, too, attempted to convince her to stay, but Londyn knew she was making the right choice.