Page 106 of Until Joy

I laughed. “She’s just lonely. And anyway, from what she’s told me, that Rob guy is an absolute dick. She needs a girl posse.”

“Whatever,” July groused. “I don’t care if he’s a dick. We’re the ones stuck, so you owe us.”

I laughed.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of appointments and routine procedures. By closing time, my feet ached and my head pounded from the constant noise and activity.

“I'll finish cleaning up,” July offered as I gathered my things. “Graham's probably waiting for you.”

“Thanks.” I shouldered my purse, grateful for her thoughtfulness.

I was heading toward the front door when a smell hit me. Something awful, like sulfur mixed with decay.

“Oh my God,” Kayan gagged, covering her nose with her hand. “What is that?”

July appeared beside us, her face scrunched in disgust. “It smells like something died.”

We followed the stench to the bathroom.

“I don’t want to go in,” Kayan wailed. “We’re going to need Hazmat suits.”

“Wait a minute, it’s not the bathroom, it’s coming from the breakroom. We turned to the room directly across from the bathroom. There was a trashcan right by the door. July went into one of the exam rooms and grabbed a pair of latex gloves then she gingerly lifted the trashcan lid.

“Rotten eggs.” She pulled out a clear plastic bag filled with what looked like a dozen broken eggs, their contents now a putrid, yellowish-green mess. There were holes poked in it, and the slimy mess was dripping into the can. “Someone put rotten eggs in our trash.”

“Who would do that?” Kayan asked.

July continued to peer into the trashcan, then stopped. “Joy, there's an envelope down there with your name on it.”

My blood turned to ice. “Don't touch it.”

July brought up the slime-covered envelope. It was a standard white envelope, my name written across the front in the same script we'd seen before. “Should I open it?”

“Yes.” My voice came out as a whisper.

July tore open the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of paper. Her expression darkened as she read.

“What does it say?” I asked, though I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

“Joy, you know what you need to do. Leave him. This is your last warning.” July looked up at me, her face pale. “That's it. Just those three sentences.”

The room spun around me. I gripped the door jamb to keep from falling.

“He was here,” I managed. “In the clinic. He put those eggs in the trash and left that note.”

“When?” Kayan's voice was sharp with fear. “We've been here all day.”

“The smell,” July said slowly. “Rotten eggs don't smell immediately. It takes hours for the odor to develop and spread.”

“So, he could have put them there this morning before we opened,” I said. “Or last night after we closed.”

The thought of my stalker creeping around the clinic in the dark, planting his sick surprise for us to find, made my stomach lurch.

My phone buzzed with a text from Graham. Outside. Ready when you are.

“I have to go,” I said, my voice shaking. “Graham's here.”

“Joy, wait.” July caught my arm. “We should call the police.”