A test of Love - Navaura Campbell (best management books of all time .txt) 📗

car?" Denise inquired, glancing over at Jordan, who was staring at her intently.
"No, I did a stupid thing and left my phone at the dorm."
Denise narrowed her brows. "Why would you do that?"
"I didn't think to bring it, that I would need it."
"Well, damn girl, the next time you'll know to bring it. It's dangerous out there, you never know what kind of loonies are out there."
"Yeah, I know. I waited for twenty minutes with my flashes on, but when no one came, I cut the engine got out and walked to the nearest ramp."
"Neema, that's even more dangerous."
"De-De, you know it's freaking cold out there. The heater wasn't on and no one was even driving along the freeway."
Denise glanced at the clock on the book shelf, in the right hand corner. It read ten thirty. She'd been at Jordan's this long? Two hours more and she would be locked out the dorm. At twelve o'clock at night, they usually turn off the door codes, not allowing anyone exit except the lady who ran the dorm. The school had decided that this would be safer than allowing everyone out late at night, prey to predators lurking around the school grounds. Denise thought it was stupid due to the fact that if they had a fire or something, everyone would be locked inside the dorms and burn to death.
"Ok, Neema, where are you?"
Without her having to ask, Jordan stood up, went into the sitting room, where the computer was located, opened the desk and then grabbed a slip of printing paper. Grabbing one of the pens off the top of the desk, he went back into the kitchen where denise sat.
Denise wrote as Neema spoke her where abouts.
"I'm right outside the city limits entrance ramp to Falsom Virginia. Right on the freeway, a quarter of mile into the town, there's a red roof inn. Turn into the parking lot and come inside. I'll be waiting in the lobby."
"Ok. I'll see you in a few." Denise stated.
"Yep. Thanks."
"You're welcome." With that, Denise hung up the phone and stood up.
Ten minutes after they'd pulled out of the parking lot, Denise inquired, "How far is Falsom from here?"
"A good thirty more minutes." Jordan answered
"Ok." Denise turned on her turn signal and got into the turning lane leading up to the free way.
Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Twenty Eight:

When Denise pulled into the Red Roof Inn located off the main highway, she wasn't surprised that Neema was just inside the doorway, glancing out the window. Denise cut the lights, grabbed her door handle pushed it out and as the door opened, exited the vehicle.
When they came back to the car, Neema got into the back seat and Denise took the passenger's seat.
"Hey Neema. Jordan greeted as he put the car into drive."
"What's up," Neema responded.
"What I want to know is how you got up here." He inquired as Denise shut her door and cut on the engine.
"I walked."
"Neema, it's less that zero out here and there's rumored to be a blizzard on its way and you walked up the ramp?" Jordan's tone was scolding.
"Well, let's see, my car ran out of gas, plus the heater wasn't working, so it was either stay in the car and freeze or try to get to a phone."
"Where was your phone?"
Neema sighed, irritated. She knew how dumb her decisions were, she didn't need him to bring that obvious fact out. "I left it ok. Look I know I did something stupid, so I don't need you ragging on me about it, besides Denise already beat you to the punch."
Jordan looked at her through the rearview mirror and let it drop. "Did you call a mechanic?"
"Ofcourse, tripple A is supposed to come in and haul it in a couple of hours and take it back to the dorm."
" are you going to do then?"
"Just let it sit till I can afford a mechanic to have a look at it."
"I can do that for you." He stated.
Both Denise and Neema turned to him. "You can?"
"Of course. I know basic procedures, plus I know where everything is located under the hood. It shouldn't be that difficult to at-least tell where the damage is coming from."
"Didn't she just say she ran out of gas?" Denise inquired, with a raised brow.
"Well, we can never be too sure."
"That's true." Neema said, although she didn't know anyone who would harm her in a way that would involve her loosing her gas.

After they reached town and dropped Neema off at her dorm, Jordan glanced at his watch. It read Nine o'clock. "So, what do you want to do?"
Denise glanced over at him. "Didn't you say a blizzard was heading our way?"
"Unfortunately yes."
"Then what else is there to do than to go home?"
Jordan smiled. "Ok, I can take a hint."
Denise laughed, "I'm just saying if we do something, we could end up getting caught in the storm."
"Alright, Denise." Jordan sighed.
Denise glanced over at him. "We can always stay in doors and do something."
Jordan let out a sheepish smile. "Such as?"
"There's a whole lot of games in the rec room of the girls dorms."
"Aren't guys off limits there after Ten p.m.?"
"That never stopped you before."
"True." Jordan glanced out the window.
Denise sighed and turned a right in stead of a left. When they made it back to the girls dorms, she said, "Don't forget to lock the doors." With that, she made a right and pulled into the girls dormitory.
The following day after leaving Denise's dorm and getting a shower at his place, Jordan made a call to Neema's dorm, to see how everything was going. He was surprised when Carrine answered. "Well, hello sugar, her voice stated flirtatiously. Jordan cleared his throat. "Let me speak to Neema, please."
"What's the hurry? Can't say hi?"
Jordan felt a twitch on his insides. "Put Neema on the phone." He stated firmly.
"Awww, sugar, I know what you're up too, I know what's going on."
Jordan raised a confused brow, "What?"
"I'm not stupid, Jordan, I wasn't born yesterday. I know what you and Denise are planning."
"Do you?" Jordan inquired sarcastically.
"Of course I do." she replied, clearing her throat. "You are planning to look into my past."
Jordan sighed, "Yep. We have nothing better to do."
"I'm betting you're going to start at the last known address and work your way backward, right?"
Jordan sat down at the desk, unsure how to answer that one. How did she know?
"It's what they all do. Jennifer Chen did that with Todd. Right before she stole him from me that is."
"Who is Todd and what are you talking about?" Jordan wondered.
"Todd darling was my fiancee."
"Is he the guy in the picture?"
"The guy in the picture is you, Jordan."
Jordan shook his head, "I've never taken pictures with you before."
"Don't be silly, Jordan. Of course you did. It was a while ago that we took them."
"That's not me in those pictures."
"If it's not you, then who is it?" Carrine asked, making him seem silly.
"I don't know."
"You don't know? How convenient. Anyhow, I have to get ready for a class, here's Neema." With that, Carrine threw down the phone and he heard footsteps leaving the area. As soon as the door closed, he heard shuffling and then a voice cleared their throat over the phone, "Hey Jordan."
"Neema, Carrine is seriously crazy."
"I can tell. She kinda had this wide eyed look on her face when she left a twisted happy face. I wonder who is in the pictures."
Jordan sighed, already tired, "I don't know."
"So you and De are going back to chicago?"
"Yeah, over the christmas break."
"Ya'll going to do some searching then?" Neema sounded excited.
"Yeah, but that's not why I called." Jordan stated, trying to get to the reason for his call.
"I wanna go, can I go?"
"Neema. Girl, Denise and I are going to stay with my grandma's doing christmas break and she won't have enough room with the family coming and all."
"I can stay in a hotel or something, besides I want to go sight seeing and stuff."
"It's not a trip to go around town on, it's business."
"Yeah, I know, but there is always the night time. Maybe you could show me some tight spots since you've been there a lot of times."
"Neema, I just called to see if your car was towed in yet."
"Triple A towed it in this morning. Aww, come on Jordan, I just want to see the town and help you guys look into that possessed girl's past."
"She's not possessed Neema."
"Jordan, have you seen her face lately? It's like she's looking for someone's skin to crawl under."
"That doesn't make her possessed."
"It does when she is trying to convince herself that a man who doesn't want her is with her."
Jordan sighed, "What ever you say Neema. Look, I just wanted to let you know that I will be out there as soon as the storm passes to take a look at your car and see what's going on, ok?"
Neema sighed, "What time ya'll leaving over the break?"
"I haven't decided yet, probably after finals are done."
Neema smiled, "I'll be ready."
Jordan closed his eyes, hoping that all would go well. He had a feeling they were in for more than they bargained. Who was Jennifer Chen and this Todd guy she kept talking about? Sighing, he said goodbye to Neema and hung up the phone.

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Twenty Nine:

A week before Jordan, Denise and Neema left for Chicago, Jordan checked out Neema's vehicle. The results were that her gas line had been slit and a small hole leaked the fuel from the vehicle. He explained to Neema that she was lucky that she'd pulled over when she had because if she hadn't, there was no garantee that she would've made it home without severe damage to the vehicle, nor blowing something of importance in the vehicle, which perhaps could've ended up taking her life.
Both Neema and Jordan were leaned over the hood looking on the inside of the car. He pointed to the gas line that was connected to the gas tank. "See that?"
"Yeah?"
"That has a tiny leak in it which is why your car died out."
"I take it that's not a good thing?"
Jordan sighed, removed himself away from the engine of the car, waited for Neema to do the same and then shut the hood.
"No, just the fact that your gas line was nicked proved that someone else has been under the hood."
Neema cleared her throat. She already knew without even asking who it was. A confrontation was a must, but the big question was when. "Thanks