Prologue
The hour was ticking towards ten but being a week day meant the bar was quiet and the few people that were dwarfed in the empty space still kept their conversations low and to themselves. The music filled the near silence with a soft and steady beat, light and uplifting and adding to the calmness of the venue.
Every so often a clink could be heard from the bar where the staff were keeping themselves occupied with cleaning glasses and wiping down surfaces, or the odd chortle of laugher would raise above the soothing atmosphere before quickly quieting once the realisation of the persons own volume embarrassed them.
Most of those enjoying their night had company. They sat smiling and sipping away at their drinks as their joy was from the quality time being spent with people they like, rather than trying to knock back drinks in the presence of people they didn't in the hopes of finding a stranger to fill a gap.
Only one character sat alone, a man who seemed to haunt one corner. He was dressed in casual ware and he wasn't out of place in his choice of clothing, others had finished a day shopping by taking advantage of the happy hour too, only he had no bags.
Two glasses sat in front of him, having been making the most of the deal, and once he drained the dregs of one glass he set it towards the edge of the table to ease it's abduction when the bored staff came to steal away. His hand was quick to go to his second glass while in his other was held his phone. The screen was glaring with it's brightness and his head bowed down towards it as he swiped a thumb rhythmically over it, but his eyes weren't on the screen. His attention had been caught by a woman the moment she entered, she was lovely in her looks as she was in her style.
He took in every detail he could from where he skulked and imagined what she'd be like to experience. Her long, sleek hair; he wondered how easily the strands would slip between his fingers, how smooth it'd feel clenched in his hand. When she flashed her teeth in a smile her dimples would show, with one pulling deeper than the other on one cheek, but would it be the same when she screamed?
The woman stood to leave, talking still with her friend. She'd made a lot of effort in her appearance and unlike her friend she hadn't brought a coat, she didn't want to go unnoticed. She wanted attention, she was asking for it. Her skirt was flowing and reached her knees but it was cinched in at the waist to flaunt her hourglass figure. She was wearing heels, it was like she didn't want to run away. No, she wanted to be followed, chased and caught, else she'd ware more appropriate foot wear.
He brought his drink to his lips as he shuddered on a hungry breath as his eyes travelled up her legs. How would they look, taught and flaring with effort as she ran? How would her hips sway and her breasts bounce? The bra she wore was strapless, it wouldn't support a run but she teased in the top she wore, off the shoulder but with no show of cleavage, there would be no accidental expose if she fled, but she was just like that top, a tease.
He took a large mouthful that wouldn't curve his craving but it would hold him back from rushing as he watched the women leave. He waited, watching which direction they took through the glass window and let them slip from sight before he calmed his breaths and followed.
He stayed at a distance, pretending to linger on his phone while his eyes remained entranced by the sway of the woman's walk, every time they turned a corner he'd rush after them and hang back once he had them in sight again, he didn't want to let this one slip.
They came to a taxi rank and the man felt panic and disappointment fill him, he'd lose this one, he though with frustration. But, no. The woman closed her friend in the taxi and waved her off and the man though luck was on his size.
His chest swelled with a deeply pleased breath and excitement tingled within him. He watched giddily as the woman rooted in her small bag before pulling out an item he couldn't see. She stood tall then, beautiful and elegant in her curves as she swept all her hair up into her hands, smoothing the strands back tidy before binding them high on her head with a hair bobble.
His tongue crept out to sooth his dry lips as he watched the thick length of hair swing past her shoulders once she was done with it. She was making it easy for him now. Again the woman rooted in her purse before letting it hang from her shoulder once again and he smiled in glee as he watched her put her head phones into her ears and plug them into her phone. It was too easy.
She was asking for it.
The woman stood a moment as she scrolled through her music before deciding on a tune to set of too. She kept her phone in hand so she could easily skip songs if she needed and let it drift past her side in motion with her calm walk while her other hand gently curled around the long strap of her bag to keep it on her shoulder. She was unabashed as she walked, knowing her route and taking no notice of anything or anyone around her. She was working on automatic, breezing along with out any worry. She was confident and when she turned to take a short cut the man was unsure if she was brave or stupid. Sure the route would take her onto the next street faster but it was an unsafe ally that homed only the skips for the neighbouring shops, even the back of house doors seemed rarely used with how rubbish and forgotten cardboard homes blocked them. The retailers and restaurants deemed the ally unsafe to use for their staff it seemed, and yet here this woman took it with out care, her heels clicking against the rough concrete, skirt swaying and hair swishing as she listened to her music.
She was begging for it.
The man was transfixed on her hair as it swung past her shoulder blades like a silk rope and his palms became sweaty as he reached for it. He needed to feel it coiled tightly around his hand, he had to yank her by it, control her with it, make her scream because of it. His pace quickened as he finally closed the distance between them and snatched at her hair.
Her scent filled him, the perfume she wore was delicious and had been used sparingly, and the gasp that fell from her lips worsened his arousal. She was surprised and she shouldn't have been. She brought this on herself, he thought as he pulled her by her glorious silk hair and brought her tumbling into the wall where her head met it with a crack and a groan escaped her.
He started to pant then, not from exertion but from the excitement. Spit crept past his teeth and he mopped it clean with a swipe of his tongue while he reached for his crouch to shift his erection into a more comfortable position. He pulled her by the hair again, using it to turn her head so he could drink in what wonderful expression would be on her face. Fear, shock, despair, pain, confusion? Would she beg and plead, scream and cry? He was desperate to know and so excited but when he finally caught a glimpse of her eyes he saw only one thing.
Realisation.
1
The radio filled the silence of the shop as it quietly chortled out one of the latest songs. It was something relatively upbeat and catchy but the woman wasn't paying much attention to it as she trimmed the stems off a few flowers, filling her day by making a display vase to sit next to the till.
"Ellie?" A voice called in a questioning tone and the woman called back a "Yeah?" the same way to both show she'd heard and to prompt them to continue. "Do you have two sugars in your tea?" They asked.
"Yes, please!" Ellie called back and instantly the clinking of a teaspoon was heard as sugar was added and stirred in.
Ellie found herself bobbing away to the tune as she gathered up her flowers and set about arranging them, she switched the flowers around and threw in some baby's breath and more greens as fillers before pausing to inspect. "Here you are!" Came the chirpy voice of a short, plump girl.
"Thanks, Sarah!" Ellie smiled as she carefully took the hot mug being held aloft for her.
"No problem!" The younger beamed, her cheeks plumping and causing the highlighter dusted on her cheek bones to glow as it caught the light. Suddenly then her skilfully pained face changed to a dramatic look of shocked awe, her eyes opening so wide that her thick and fluttery fake lashes nearly curled over her immaculate brows. "Oh my god! Have you seen the news?" She gasped like she'd just heard the latest scandal and Ellie pulled her attention from the youngster's impressive make up to give her a questioning look. Sarah rolled her wide eyes at the look and near scoffed as she further explained. "About that other murder!?"
Realisation came to Ellie's face and she bobbed her head in a nod to show she was on the same page. "Oh yeah, I did see!" She confirmed before a light crease formed in her brow as she thought. "There's been a few now hasn't there?"
Sarah grinned. "Yeah, there's been four!"
Ellie passed the girl an odd look, she seemed overly excited about the murders. There was one thing to take enjoyment out of old murder documentaries, it was a little different to be giddy over something currently happening. "You do understand there is and serial killer out there?" She had to ask, needing help in following the youngster's train of thoughts.
"Yeah!" Sarah rolled her eyes, a smile on her lips. "But, not like a real killer!" She tried to justify and Ellie took a slow sip of her tea as she tried to work through the short girl's words.
"People have been murdered, Sarah, I think that classes as pretty real!" Ellie countered with a narrow of her eyes and shake of her head.
"Yeah, but it's more like a vigilante!" She continued to defend, hoping to get the older woman on side but all she received was a bemused look. "There's a killer, sure, but they're getting the bad people!"
A natural brow rose on Ellie's face, having been lazy with her morning and just about managed to make herself look decent with a tiny smear of foundation and quick swipe of eyeliner. "There are police for that." She countered and Sarah hung her head back with an exaggerated groan. Ellie flashed a smile and shook her head at the reaction. "I get what you're saying, Sarah!" She assured and took another swig of her tea and turned her flower arrangement so it faced a more flattering way. "But still, aren't you scared? There is a killer out there!"
"A killer with a fan club!" Sarah corrected and Ellie threw her a frown.
"Please tell me you're joking!" She pleaded with a wince and instantly the younger set her mug down with a flurry of excitement and waved her hands for the work laptop. "No! I'll show you!" She smiled and Ellie could only shake her head as she shifted the laptop along the counter and let her take charge. "There's this online crime journalist that has all the inside information about the crimes, she even has uncensored photos!"
"You know, if this was a documentary in a few years time, it wouldn't be weird and I'd be interested!" Ellie commented as Sarah clicked away and found the site before scrolling to the comments.
"Here, look at all the support!" She cheered, pointing to the screen before smiling at the older woman. "Isn't it weird!?" She gushed, unaffected by how Ellie threw her a judging look.
"The fact that you're loving it, is weird." She stated.
Sarah shrugged. "If it was a normal killer I wouldn't, but I suppose because the only targets are rapists and murderers, normal people don't have anything to worry about!"
Ellie nodded to that. "I guess you're right there!" She shrugged and moved around the counter to wander across the shop and peer out the window.
It was a grey and overcast day but the drizzle from the morning had finally stopped enough that a few people dared to venture out with out an umbrella. Ellie slipped a hand into the front pocket of her over sized hoodie and brought her mug to her lips. The murders played on her mind, but she wasn't excited about them like Sarah, she didn't find it a scandalous story to follow like the youngster, but she shared in the thought that it was bad people and they deserved it.
What worried her though, was the beastly details of the crimes and she was sure by now they had been noticed by the Bureau too, but still she was sat in an odd radio silence. She was known to the Bureau and they knew where she was, add that with vicious murders in the area, that bares the marks of a monster and it's only a certain amount of time before they come knocking.
But they hadn't.
Ellie took a sip of her tea as she let her gaze wander to the cafe opposite. The window was fogging a little from where cold and damp customers had scampered in to shelter in the warmth but over all inside looked to be comfortably full for the mid day rush. A man sat in the window, a creature of habit of late. He'd occupy the same table in the corner and sit with his back to the wall to be able to view both the cafe and the street. The small round table he sat at was always strewn with papers he seemed to be working through and the laptop that was perched open left little room for his mug to fit amongst his work.
Every so often the same barista would come over all smiles and chatty, and at first Ellie thought she must like the guy but she knew the blonde wasn't a barista, because for as long as the woman worked there she had yet to make a decent drink. The woman's presence was constant in that cafe and it seemed to gravitate close to Ellie, she was never far away from anywhere she went. Ellie always suspected the woman was there as surveillance and with the recent activity around she hoped that was the reason no one had come knocking yet. After all, if her surveillance hadn't caught anything suspicious then she was in the clear. But who was this new character she wondered. No, the woman was no barista, which meant her sudden fancy was something else.
Anxiety knotted in her stomach and left her with a sickly feeling. She was worried. She knew how the murders looked and it wouldn't be the finger of blame pointed her way but rather a gun.
Ellie watched as the man lifted his mug to make room and tried his best to wrangle his papers back into order with one hand. She wondered what they were. Were they about her, the recent murders perhaps, or maybe she was wrong and they were just some simple business figures?
With a sigh she pulled her hand from the front of her hoodie and pressed her finger tips between her brows to smooth out the crease that was forming there. She hated sitting in this odd limbo but she had no one to contact to ask and of course breaking her routine would not be favourable, her options were limited to staying put and waiting. She couldn't risk acting out, no matter how much the stress and anxiety wound her up.
Slowly her fingers pulled down from between her brows to scoop under her eye as if the action would wipe her worries like it would a tear and again her hand found it's way back into the front pocket of her hoodie and her gaze to the new figure sat in the cafe.
The man had battled his papers into some semblance of a pile and sat back with visible exhaustion. Even from across the road Ellie could see the large huff he exhaled as he took a moment to pause. His gaze lifted from the table and out the window, he didn't seem to be in search of anything in particular, looking instead for a moments distraction. He brought his drink closer to his lips and Ellie did the same, watching as the man's gaze casually browsed the street and guessing he couldn't find anything of interest and just as he was about to take a drink from his mug and she hers, his gaze came to her shop and they locked eyes.
Ellie paused where as the man froze, she could see how his body language changed, his relaxed sit suddenly becoming rigid as he straightened up with alertness and his drink lowered a fraction to show the slight gawk on his lips. He looked caught out.
With her suspicions worsened Ellie took a sip of her drink before turning casually, to call out to Sarah. "How are our orders looking?"
"What?!" Sarah called back from where she'd vanished in the back room but Ellie simply tipped her head back with a quick shake.
"Never mind!" She dismissed with a smile and took another drink before shifting slowly around the shop before eventually moving away from the window. She hadn't asked because she wanted to know, she'd simply wanted to look less suspicious and caught out for staring.
Ellie was sure though- that man knew her face.