Deadly Discern - Book Three ✔️

Chapter Seventeen - Tormented Musings

"Thanks." I say, watching as Jane cheerfully walks away.

I pick up my cell, find Justine's number and wait while it dials through.

On the fourth ring, the line picks up, "Hey Dan, how you going?" Justine says in a happy tone of voice.

I clear my throat, "Good, good. How are you?"

"I'm good too. So, I take it Alex is back?" I can almost hear her smiling down the line.

I grin, my original annoyance dissipating at her reminder, "Yes, he's back. Thanks for being there for me when I doubted everything."

"What are friends for? Anyway, what's been going on with you? How is Alex? Is everything back to normal?" She rattles the questions off in quick succession as I listen on amused.

"How about I tell you over coffee? You free?"

"Definitely. I mean, not exactly, but I'll make time for this. Ready now?" I can hear her shuffling papers in the background, clearly busy but wanting to find the spare time for her friend.

I smile, happy she can come along, "Yeah, I'm ready now, but I'm bringing one of the girls from work, she actually suggested we go out and I asked if it was okay if I called you. That alright?"

"Of course, how about we meet at Urth?"

"Got it. I'll let Jane know, we will leave shortly."

I wave at Jane, who perks up at her desk and then stands up swiftly, making to walk over to me.

"Great! See you gals soon then. Catcha." Justine hangs up straight away as I set my cell down, watching as Jane closes the gap between us. I quickly grab my purse and turn the screen on my computer off, getting ready to leave.

"Justine is in, you'll like her, she's really friendly." I say, then I stand up.

"I don't doubt it, where would you like to go?" Jane asks, she has her purse already in her hand, her delicate, pale pink painted nails gripping the black studded purse. Today she is wearing a pleated black skirt that sits just above the knee and a white, short sleeved button up shirt, a pair of black pumps finish her look. Jane always dresses well, forever classy and proper.

"Justine said she would meet us at Urth."

"Oh great! I love that place." Jane says perkily, eager to get going as she begins to walk to the elevators across the room from where my desk is. I follow behind, looking forward to seeing Justine and finding out how her new job is going.

We arrive a short while later, I glance around expecting not to find Justine so soon, but there she is, sitting in the far right back corner, staring at an iPad and typing quickly on the small screen, clearly still busy and unaware of our arrival.

"That's Justine." I say, pointing her out for Jane to see. "Follow me." I add, making my way over to her.

When we are almost upon her, Justine looks up and smiles brightly at me and then glances briefly at Jane, who returns a smile.

"Hey Juss." I say, taking a seat beside her.

"Hey Chick. And hello to you too, friend of a friend." Justine says, letting me know I hadn't introduced the two women yet.

"I'm so sorry! Justine, this is Jane from work, and Jane, this is Justine, one of my longtime friend's." I swallow down the fowl taste in my mouth at the statement, now that she is technically my only longtime friend left.

Justine notices that my words have set me off kilter and pipes up. "Jane, it's so nice to meet you. I hope my being here isn't a bother."

Jane shakes her head animatedly, "No, never! I love meeting new people. You can never have too many friends." She smiles cheerily at Justine as she takes a seat opposite her and then picks up the menu, giving the unusual meeting a calm and comfortable feel.