Chapter 4

"You are all right!" Tina exclaimed the next day, hugging Briana. "Oh my God."

Briana was confused. "Of course I'm all right. What's this all about? What's going on?"

"You didn't hear?" Phyllis asked. "There was a girl raped near the bus stop last night."

Briana gasped. "What?"

Oh God, Brian may have saved her from a far worse fate after all…

"Yes," Tina nodded. "And knowing you closed up late last night, I was concerned it was you, being you didn't come in until late today."

"Well….." Briana blushed a little. "I kind of had a late and impromptu date last night."

"What? You? With whom?"

Briana told them.

"No way!" Tina and Phyllis cried in unison, smiling.

"That must have been some trim," Jean commented. "He gave you that number for some reason anyway."

This got Raymondo's attention. "You went out with Mr. Beautiful Ass? Aw, no fair! You always get the pretty ones."

"Sorry, Ray; I guess you weren't his type," Briana replied.

"Too bad, because from the look of what he was packing in the jeans in front too, he's got a big–"

"We didn't get that far, Ray," Briana shook her head. "Not even a kiss."

She then got back to the original subject. "But did they get the guy who did the rape?"

"Luckily, yes," Tina nodded. "That poor girl from the dress shop, though. She'll probably end up quitting. Barely twenty years old. At least she wasn't hurt too badly outside of that awful rape."

"Still," Phyllis shuddered. "The thought of it is just horrible."

"Which is why starting tonight I want you all to start closing in pairs and leave with a security guy. One of you call me before you leave the shop so I know you're okay. Got it?"

"Works for me," Briana replied, grateful that she hadn't been a victim. Perhaps Brian had had some premonition after all.

Later:

"So how was this big date of yours?" Jean asked.

"Nothing fancy, just a late dinner at a coffee shop," Briana shrugged. "At least it beat taking the bus home for a change, even if he did drive like the hounds of hell were after him."

"At least you got home safe."

Briana nodded. "Yes. But there's something else I'm still thinking about."

"What?"

"He….sort of offered me a job."

Jean gasped, eyes wide. "What!"

"Yeah, it's good money, I'd travel and all that, but I love working here too. I'm kind of torn."

"Sure, this is a great place and Tina's an awesome manager, but if I had the opportunity to blow this town, I'd take it," Jean said. "Bree, you're still relatively young, you just sold the house and got a good profit from it; you invested well from the life insurance you got from when Gary was killed, so I don't think money's a problem. The guy seems pretty decent, especially since he may have helped you avoid a much worse fate last night. Why not start to live? This could be the opportunity of a lifetime."

"Maybe, but I don't want to let Tina down and have her think I'm suddenly disloyal after all this time."

"Thirteen years is hardly disloyal, love. If anything, she may be thrilled for you. Why not have a chat with her after work today?"

"Perhaps I should, but it may not be a happy moment."

"You know, Gary may have wanted this for you two. Remember, sometimes things happen for a reason."

"I don't know, Jean…." Briana sighed. "I've been here thirteen years, and this man, I barely know him."

"Have a talk with Tina," Jean encouraged. "She knows people and can look further into it if you're so concerned. In any event, I doubt a mad killer is going to offer you such a great job opportunity most women in our business would give their eyeteeth to have. I still say you should go for it. Five bucks tells me that Tina will say the same."