Finding a decent job in the current economic climate is not an easy task. That's the reason for my current job, working as a receptionist/ secretary for this small firm and it was a firm that wasn't going to get any bigger. My boss, who was also the owner, was a sleazy scumbag. I worked for him because he paid me but if anything else came up, anything at all, I was out of there.
Mr Brandon's policy was to gouge the customer for all you can, and if you can avoid doing the work he's paid you for, do so. Anyone who paid Mr Brandon in advance had effectively done their dough. He was constantly advertising his services because he didn't get repeat custom.
I soon found out that one of my unofficial duties was to message Mr Brandon when an irate customer was at the office. When he got such a message my beloved boss would either sneak out the back way or just not return to the office until I sent him the all clear. A very hard man to catch hold of was Mr Sleazy, unless he was sweet-talking a prospective client. Then you couldn't get rid of him.
There was a bit of fun and games going on at the current time. Mr Brandon had cheated someone who wasn't taking it quietly and apparently didn't believe in lawyers. The first couple of time I managed to text my boss and he just didn't appear in the office for the rest of the day. The third time, this guy was watching me like a hawk from the moment he came in, and I suspect he saw me texting. He just looked at me, nodding his head slowly, and then departed.
I was in the office alone the next day when a couple of men entered. I knew at once that they would not be customers. They looked nice enough, clean and neatly dressed, not bad looking, but also very tough looking. At a guess I'd have said cops but they didn't introduce themselves as such.
The leader of the pair smiled at me, and a very nice smile he had, and asked in Mr Brandon was available.
"I'm sorry," I said, "but he's not in the office at the moment."
This was actually true and once I'd sent him a message I suspected he wouldn't arrive to chat with these guys. I was surreptitiously reaching for my mobile when the incredible oaf who was talking to me reached over and took it out of my hand.
"Hey, that's my phone," I protested.
"Is it your personal phone," he asked, "or a work phone?"
"It's my personal phone," I told him. "The firm doesn't provide us with mobiles."
"In that case I won't break it," he said, and crossed over to a set of drawers and put it inside them. "Neither," he added, "will I permit you to use it. Now, when can we expect Mr Brandon to arrive?"
"Ah, not for another hour, at least," I admitted. "He said he had to go and see some clients this morning."
"He still has clients? How odd. We'll wait. Thomas, why don't you go and wait outside. That way, when Mr Brandon arrives, you can follow him in."
Which would also prevent Mr Sleazy from turning and running as soon as he saw who was waiting.
"Um, are you gentlemen police?" I asked. "If you are I want to see some ID. If you're not I would prefer that you leave the office. I'll have to call the police if you don't."
"Do we look like cops to you?" the guy I had mentally dubbed Boss-man asked.
"Ah, actually, yes. That's why I asked. I don't see what's so funny," I added, glaring at Thomas who was almost giggling.
"No. We're not police," said Boss-man. "We tend to help out friends on those occasions when someone wants to avoid messy things like lawyers and courts."
OK. Trouble was what they were.
"Then I'm afraid I must ask you to leave," I said firmly, my hand hovering over the phone on the desk.
"If we leave she'll call Brandon," stated Thomas.
"Yes, I realize that and I am not going to spend the next hour or so trying to make sure she doesn't sneak out or grab a phone. Tie her up."
Tie me up? The hell with that for a joke. I was on my feet quick smart, ready to run, and found I had nowhere to run to. For all that he was big and beefy, Thomas was fast. He seemed to just spring across the office and had hold of me.
"Don't bother struggling," I was told. "It won't help and you might hurt yourself."
That didn't stop me from trying to struggle. My attempts at struggling didn't prevent Thomas from very rapidly winding some sort of cord around my wrists, dumping me on the office couch and then winding more cord around my ankles. With that he stood up, smiled at me, gave me a wave, and headed outside to wait for Mr Brandon to show.
"Are you going to scream?" asked Boss-man. "If you are I'll have to gag you, but I'll accept your word that you won't."
Not wanting to be gagged I gave my word. I was feeling most peculiar. I was tied up and at the mercy of this man. He could do anything he wanted to and I wouldn't be able to stop him.
"What are you going to do to me?" I asked nervously.
"To you? Nothing. Our complaint is with Mr Brandon."