Page 12 of Unexpected Danger
If anyone could offer her some advice on this crazy stalker, it would be Brodie. Although he’d probably immediately drive to Rowland and offer to find the guy and arrest him himself if jurisdictional laws allowed it.
But calling him wasn’t only awkward, it was potentially out of line. How could she not speak to him for months, and then all of a sudden call out of the blue just because she needed help? Sounded like something her mom would do.
As soon as she had dialed the familiar number, she hung up, hoping it hadn’t registered as a call.
She documented the disturbing call and texts, then sat at the table, prayed for her meal, and swirled the liquid around in the mug, having lost her appetite.
If her stalker’s desire was to frighten her, he’d succeeded.
Chapter 4
Brodie hated high-speed chases. He hated the risks involved. Hated that innocent lives were endangered. Hated that they were put in the path of an idiot. A maniac who thought it was a good idea to do all he could to elude the police, driving speeds far faster than what was safe and prudent. On this occasion, it was a male driver who misinterpreted the speed limit on one of the back county roads. Instead of going forty-five miles an hour, or even a few miles over, he took his speed in excess of a hundred miles an hour. Might work on a straightaway, but not on backcountry roads with curves. The guy illegally passed several innocent drivers on the shoulder of the road. Fortunately, no one else was injured in the chase.
Law enforcement put down spikes, attempting to stop him. Finally, the criminal failed to negotiate one of the curves a mile later. He flipped the car he was driving, and it had come to rest on its roof. The ambulance was en route, and Brodie and one of his deputies pulled the guy from the car before it burst intoflames. He was barely breathing and died before the ambulance arrived.
After completing some paperwork, Brodie was ready to be done for the day. He was glad when Roarke called him.
“Hey, Bro, it’s Thursday night. You know what that means. You up for a juicy burger over at Jody’s?”
Brodie was always up for a juicy burger, especially at his favorite restaurant. However, weariness tugged at him, and he could see himself curling up in his recliner and not making it to the bedroom to sleep. But his rumbling stomach begged otherwise.
“Yeah. A juicy burger sounds good.”
Besides, it would take a lot for him to want to miss out on his weekly dinner with his favorite brother.
“All right, I’ll meet you over there at six-thirty.”
“Six-thirty it is.”
Of course, Brodie would do just about anything to get out of having to do paperwork. It was a necessary evil. And if it wasn’t done correctly, some overzealous defense attorney would get the criminal off with barely a slap on his wrist. While that wouldn’t be the case for this situation, with the man having passed away, Brodie still had to complete the paperwork.
He finished dotting his i’s and crossing his t’s and climbed into his truck. The drive to Jody’s took him about ten minutes from the sheriff’s office. He pulled into a parking spot near the back because everywhere else was taken. If there was ever another recession in Pronghorn Falls, Jody’s would remain unscathed and probably come back stronger than ever. There was never a day when the place wasn’t crazy busy.
The aroma of hamburgers, french fries, and onion rings filled his nose, and he inhaled the savory smell. Roarke found them a booth on the right-hand side of the restaurant.
“Hey, Bro.”
Brodie slid into the brown upholstered seat across from his brother. “Hey, Roarke.”
“Rough day?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Looks like you’ve had a little bit of excitement today.”
“Yeah, just a little bit.
“I can only imagine.”
“It was a high-speed chase. A guy thought he could get to the next county going a hundred miles an hour. Thankfully, nobody was injured or killed, with him being the exception.
“That’s my brother. Always out making the roads in the county safer.”
“Glad it’s over with. So, what’s new with you?”
“Just busy at the ranch today. Mila is ready to have this baby even though it’s not nearly time yet. I sure don’t blame her.”
“Probably not too bad now, but when the summer comes in all that heat…have you settled on a name yet?”
