Page 25 of Unexpected Danger (Mountain Justice #2)

Londyn’s follow-up appointment with her primary care doctor at the Pronghorn Falls Clinic the following week couldn’t come quickly enough.

She couldn’t wait for the go-ahead to be able to drive and, hopefully, begin looking for a job, even if that employment was working from the ranch until Dustin had been arrested.

Which she knew would happen at some point. The man wasn’t invincible—although he might think he was.

“I wish I could take you, but I have to be in Lyleville this morning,” said Brodie.

“I don’t anticipate anything happening. Dustin doesn’t know I have a follow-up appointment.”

Her statement seemed to appease Brodie. “Roarke and Mila are out of town and won’t be back until tomorrow.”

“I can take her,” said Aileen. “I have an eye appointment, and it’s in the medical complex just a few doors down from the clinic.”

Brodie vacillated his attention from Aileen to Londyn, then back to Aileen. “All right.”

While she appreciated Aileen's offer to take her, Londyn wanted to do nothing to put the woman who’d become like a mom to her in jeopardy. “I’ll reschedule.”

Aileen shook her head. “It’ll be fine, and you need to be checked out for the concussion.”

Three hours later, Londyn and Aileen drove in the rain to what would soon be a cluster of one-story buildings that resembled a cleaner and larger strip mall.

A lot had changed even in the time Londyn had been away.

The clinic was formerly housed in the hospital, and the eye doctor, dentist’s office, and chiropractor, who now had offices in the complex, were formerly disbursed throughout town.

More trees had been planted in a common park area, and the town had removed a dilapidated structure and added more parking. Stationary heavy equipment, including a skid steer and backhoe, remained parked on the site, temporarily stalled due to the weather.

Aileen zipped into the closest parking spot, down and around the corner of the L-shaped complex.

“Since your appointment is a half hour after mine, I’ll just meet you there,” suggested Londyn.

“Sounds good. If anything changes, let me know.” Aileen put an arm around her. “So glad you’re back in Pronghorn Falls.”

“Me too.”

They dodged mud puddles and went their separate ways.

The spitting rain dampened and humidified Londyn’s hair, and she wondered why she’d even bothered to fix it.

But the smell of fresh rain was glorious, and the vividness of the plush green grass recently planted in and around the buildings sharply contrasted the gloomy gray sky.

The primary care clinic boasted a spacious waiting room and a counter extending the length of the front office. After checking in, Londyn met with the nurse, then waited for Dr. Murnane.

The older male doctor, who still looked the same as he had when Londyn was a teen, with his snowy-white hair, mustache, tiny eyes behind glasses, and thickset build, entered ten minutes later.

“Haven’t seen you in a while, Londyn.” He shook her hand, then took a seat across from her on a cushioned stool with wheels.

“It’s good to be back.”

“Staying long?”

“I hope so.” So many factors would affect that decision.

“I see in your records you were in a car accident a couple of days ago and suffered a concussion, several lacerations, rib contusions, and whiplash. They performed a non-contrast CT scan to rule out more extensive intracranial bleeding and monitored you for signs of internal and peritoneal bleeding. That’s quite the laundry list. How are you feeling overall? ”

“I feel much better. Still sore, and I do have headaches and some difficulty concentrating from time to time, but improving every day.”

Dr. Murnane asked her to sit on the exam table, where he inspected the bruising on her face, torso, and ribs and checked to see how the lacerations on multiple parts of her body were healing.

“Good. There are no signs of infection.” He then shone the light into her eyes and subsequently tested her balance. “Any problems with vision?”

“No.”

“Are you more sensitive to light or even sounds?”

“No.”

“Good. What about fatigue? Or sleeping. Any concerns there?”

Londyn surmised any difficulties with obtaining a restful night of sleep weren’t due to the injuries, but rather to the fear that Dustin would find her again. “Not really.”

Dr. Murnane arced a fuzzy gray eyebrow. “I’ve known you since you were a teen, Londyn. Honesty helps me evaluate you more thoroughly.”

“Yes, Doctor, I know. It’s just that I don’t believe my insomnia has as much to do with the injuries as it does with all of the changes and concerns for the future.”

“Understood. Sometimes even though we know the Lord is in control, it’s still a challenge to thoroughly comprehend that.”

One of the things Londyn always appreciated about Dr. Murnane was his strong faith. He served as an elder at the church she’d attended in Pronghorn Falls and filled in a time or two for the youth pastor. “That’s true, and I do try.”

“Anything I need to add to my prayer list?”

“Just safety. There’s a man from my former place of employment who has been a little challenging.” To say the least. But Dr. Murnane needn’t know all the details.

The doctor nodded. “I assume if there’s anything concerning, you’ve told Brodie?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good.” He asked a few more questions before completing the appointment. “I do want to see you again in a couple of weeks for a final follow-up.”

“Can I drive?”

“I want you to rest as much as possible, as fatigue can linger, and your body heals best when it’s not stressed with activity. As far as driving, let’s give it another couple of days, and if your symptoms continue to lessen, you can drive.”

The relief flooded her. “Thank you.”

Ten minutes later, she exited the clinic and walked in the direction of the optometrist's office. Just knowing God was healing her and that soon her life would return mostly to normal—as normal as it could be with the exception of a crazy stalker—caused her to feel lighter than she had in months.

The rain was intermittent now, and a mild breeze blew. Spring in Pronghorn Falls was her favorite season—when it wasn’t snowing or hailing. She rounded the corner and entered the vacant alleyway a short distance from where she’d meet Aileen.

As she stepped out of the alley, she eyed Aileen’s SUV just steps away in the front row, where only two other vehicles were parked, one beside two vacant spots.

One would think it was a holiday with the lack of people out and about.

As far as she could tell, she was the only person in the parking lot.

The realization caused her pulse to quicken and hairs on the nape of her neck to stand on end. She sped up her pace.

Londyn heard the gunning of an engine and smelled the diesel fumes first.

Then she saw him.

A familiar maroon-colored truck with a dent in the right fender swerved into one of the vacant parking spots. Londyn peered behind her and to the sides. No one was around. She sped up her pace to cross the street and dash inside Pronghorn Falls Eye Center.

But Dustin was quicker.

He’d bolted from the truck and flung open the back door of the truck all in one fell swoop. He grabbed her arm. “Not so fast, Londyn.”

Bile rose in her throat. “Let me go.”

“Unfortunately for you, the two buildings on this part of the complex are vacant.”

“Not true. The eye doctor up ahead…” Did Dustin detect the tremor in her voice?

She could reach that office if she were able to tug out of his grip. She screamed, a piercing and shrill shriek. Would anyone hear her?

“That is enough of that!” Dustin squeezed her arm tightly, directly on the wound from her accident. The pain nearly brought her to her knees, as her legs attempted to fold beneath her. She winced as he dug his fingernails into her flesh. Dustin gritted his teeth. “You’re coming with me.”

Londyn would not go anywhere with him. She spun and kicked him as hard as she could in the kneecap.

Dustin grunted, but held fast to her arm. She squirmed, bemoaning the fact that her injuries made her less capable.

How had Dustin known about her appointment? She’d process that question later.

“Do as I say, Londyn, or I will see to it that that older woman you arrived with seeks medical care from more than just the eye doctor.”

His words stunned her, and she simmered with rage. “You will not hurt Aileen.”

“Aileen. Oh, yes, that’s her name.” He snarled a distorted smile that made him appear like a depraved villain in the worst of nightmares.

She regretted instantly mentioning Aileen’s name.

Loyalty, love, and fondness for the woman would cause Londyn to do whatever was necessary to protect Brodie’s mom.

Dustin dragged her toward the truck, and she fought him, clawing his face with her free hand.

A brief perusal indicated no one walked about on such a dismal day, and inside the occupied buildings were other noises that would compete with her screams. No one else was in the immediate vicinity save elderly Mrs. Rumberger, who inched their way.

“Londyn, is that you?” Mrs. Rumberger adjusted her cat-eye glasses with their jeweled strings as she drew near with an oversized pink-and-purple umbrella.

“Do anything foolish and the old lady dies,” Dustin hissed in her ear.

A rush of panic flooded her, but she’d do her best to hide it. “Yes, it's me. What are you doing out on such a bleak day?”

“I had to gather a few things from the corner store. My car wouldn’t start, so I figured God gave me two good legs, so why not use them?”

Mrs. Rumberger looked the same as she always had, with her thinning gray hair wound into a sparse bun, brightly-colored moo-moo, knee-high stockings that had begun to roll down her calves, and plain white tennis shoes.

As was her trademark, she’d tucked a silk flower behind her ear. “I’m so glad to see you, dear.”