It wouldn't have happened, Dianne decided, if she hadn't been so damn conscientious about the job. She'd assured her boss that the amended tender he wanted would be on his desk when he arrived in the morning. And then she'd had to go home early for a family emergency.
An emergency that wasn't, as if turned out. Her mother had been panicking over nothing. She should have got more details before rushing home, expecting to have to take someone to hospital. Instead of which she arrived home to find her little brother, not at death's door with a serious head injury, but out playing cricket with his mates.
He'd banged his head and cut his scalp and there had been blood everywhere, but by the time Dianne had arrived home the blood had been cleaned up and a very small cut had finally been located on Brian's scalp. Not exactly a major injury.
Dianne quietly fumed during dinner. She'd really have to go back in and finish that damned tender. Her boss had a meeting first thing and it was going to be presented at that meeting.
After dinner Dianne returned to the office. She settled down at her desk, her light the one lone bit of light in the entire building as far as she knew.
Dianne had nearly completed the tender when she heard a noise behind her and turned.
Standing in the door way was a young man. She looked at him in surprise, taking in his appearance. Casually dressed, probably a couple of years older than her, say twenty two or twenty three. He looked calm and confident, as though he belonged there, but Dianne was quite sure she'd never seen him before.
Kurt, in his turn, was examining the young woman he'd come across. Probably a secretary working late for some reason, he thought. About twenty, fair haired, nice complexion and a very nice figure.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" demanded Dianne.
Her question crossed with Kurt's cross "What the hell are you doing here?"
Kurt laughed. "Ladies first," he said, waving his hand to indicate she should speak up.
"I'm just finishing off a report that my boss needs first thing. That's it printing now," she added, indicating the printer smoothly rolling out printed sheets.
"And you couldn't have finished five minutes ago, could you," grumbled Kurt. "You had to be here in my road when I expected a nice empty building.
Oh, and if you're still wondering who I am, I'm a thief. I'm raiding this set of offices for a few little items.
This means that to keep you quiet and out of my hair while I finish working I'll need to tie you up. Might I suggest that you don't try to fight me? I'd really hate to have to knock you out. I'd much rather just tie you up nice and safe and release you before I go.
So what's it going to be? Are you going to fight or behave?"
Dianne went pale. She'd have no chance trying to fight him, and she knew it.
"I'll behave," she said sourly. "What do you want me to do?"
"Turn around and put your hands behind your back," she was instructed.
On doing as she was told, Dianne felt something close around her wrists.
