Bound

Chapter One

Brianna Walsh picked up the coffee cup on the worn linoleum counter top from her last customer of the day. Her blond hair fell in long sheets around her heart shaped face as she cleaned up the plates and silverware left behind by the diners.

She had been a waitress for several months now at The Greasy Spoon and it lived up to its name. Serving plentiful portions of diner foods it was a cheap eating spot for locals and travelers alike to the quaint town of Sail Shores. Brianna was in her late twenties, pretty in a subtle way and more likely to be withdrawn than outspoken. As she placed the last dish into the dish tub she noticed a headline on that days' newspaper. THE PHANTOM STRIKES AGAIN! It proclaimed in bold print.

Picking up the paper she skimmed the article. Another young woman had been found slain in a town not far from Sail Shores. Backwater Bay was twice the size of Sail Shores and had lately had a rash of murders of attractive young women. Young women who went missing from their daily lives, only to turn up dead on the side of the road weeks or even months later. The police so far had no leads, increased patrols had found nothing to lead to the elusive killer. So many people said it was like a phantom in the night that the papers had taken to calling him that.

Brianna shook her head sadly, tossing the paper into the trash. "Brianna what you doing honey?" came her boss from the diner's cramped kitchen. "Bout time to close up, ain't it?" Yolanda Smith said.

Brianna called into the kitchen, "Of course...just finishing cleaning up.." and looked up as the door bell chimed. Cursing her forgetfulness at not locking the door as the stranger entered she quickly pasted a bright smile on her face and raised her eyes to his.

Tall, dark and definitely handsome she noticed with a small blush, he was the type of man seldom seen in their town. An expensive suit of the highest quality fit him like a glove, a pair of leather driving gloves in his hand. Removing the mirrored sunglasses from his eyes he moved as if to sit at a table. Dark obsidian eyes glinted from a face that could only have been sculpted by the gods. His dark hair was clean cut and his gaze piercing as Brianna bumbled out..."I'm s-sorry sir, but we are c-closing."

He froze, statue-like for a moment before speaking. The voice that emanated from his mouth was every bit as attractive as the rest of him. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were still open as the door was unlocked. Is there anywhere else a weary traveler can get a drink?"

Brianna tried to stop the fluttering feeling he gave her from just one look and mumbled self-consciously, "That was my fault sir, I normally lock up before I clean. For a nice restaurant there is Roberto's down the street a bit. Good seafood." And more your class was her unspoken thought.

He stood there a moment, gaze resting on her face. With a brief smile he reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a bill fold, extracting a bill from it. He placed the bill on the table, with a smile and said "For your troubles Miss and thank you for the suggestion." With that he left, the door bell chiming cheerily behind him. The scent of an expensive cologne was the only thing left behind.

Brianna looked at the table and gasped. Upon the worn placemat sat a hundred dollar bill. More than her pay for three days work! Yolanda came out as she stood clutching the bill. "Wow girl, that's what I call a lucky break!" She said. Brianna looked out the door, there was no sight of the gentleman, but she was very grateful. Men like him were almost unheard of, but she now believed they existed. Smiling she laughed joyfully. Tonight she could even go out to eat for a change!

As the ladies talked about the exciting visitor they were unaware of the attention Brianna had garnered....

He laughed to himself as he parked the black Audi in front of Roberto's. Unexpected this day, to be sure. He hadn't expected to find a girl so soon after his last disappointment. He turned to look up the street at the shabby little diner. What a diamond in the rough, he mused. But already the proper attitude of deference was there. She'd called him sir twice and even blushed! He felt the familiar stirring inside, the hope, yes, even the excitement. Perhaps this one would be different, maybe she would, he mused.

With one last look he handed the keys of his car to a valet and stepped inside the restaurant she had recommended, plans already forming in his mind...