4: Friday.

Sarah Walker = The reporter

Bryce Larkin = Hazard Herald editor

John Casey = Hazard Sheriff

Skip Thompson = Hazard deputy

Diane Beckman = Judge

Jill Roberts = Paper Copygirl & Ex Head cheerleader

Friday suppose to be copy deadline day for the Monday edition of the Hazard Herald and Sarah was confident that all her work for the week was complete and the editing of her bylines would go smoothly.

It was Friday lunchtime when Sarah noticed that her phone had died. The phone unresponsive and wouldn't turn on.

"Damn, my phone has died. Where in this town do I get it fixed?"

Bryce, who was leaning over Jill's desk turned his head at look at her.

"Go see Morgan Grimes at the Buy More. He's probably the best in town."

"He's good but a bit slow, but seeing that it is Friday you would probably won't get it back until Monday morning. He must work on them over the weekend!" Jill added.

"Oh, thanks for the advice!"

Sarah wasn't happy that her phone had died because it had photos of the Charlie Brown's chickens and other stuff for her articles. It was annoying that she wouldn't have it until after the weekend, it meant her stories wouldn't get printed as she wanted them. It wouldn't affect her social life as she realized that she was still new in town and the only phone calls she got were work related. She hadn't made any friends yet so there was no one to phone her for a chat.

So off she went to the Buy More. The Buy More was a big box store that dealt with household whitegoods and electronics. The store was two blocks from her office and only took a couple of minutes for her to complete her journey. She walked in and went looking for the customer service counter. What she found was a Nerd Herd desk that was unattended. She saw a small desk bell on the counter so she hit it causing a ring noise to be emitted.

A smaller man suddenly appeared to her right and stopped a short distance from her, this man was almost invading her personal zone. He had a nametag on that stated his name was Morgan.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you Morgan Grimes?"

"Yes I am!"

Morgan couldn't believe his luck as a beautiful blonde had walked into his store and asked for him by name. He hadn't seen this woman before and if he wasn't in customer service mode he wouldn't be game to speak to her at all.

"I'm told you are the best person to get my mobile phone working." Sarah said holding out her useless phone.

"Let me have a look at it." Morgan gently prized the phone off Sarah. He looked at it and turned the phone over and back again then said "I'll have it fixed, ready on Monday morning."

"You can't do it sooner?"

"Sorry, I'm a busy man."

"I really need to have my phone."

"Sorry, but I can guarantee it will be ready Monday morning now if I just get your details?"

"Sarah Walker, Hazard Herald reporter." Spoken with authority

Morgan looked at her, his face showing signs of recognition.

"I've read your articles. You are very good. Good writer that is."

"Thank you."

Morgan then a pause, "Do you want to go out to dinner with me?"

Wow that was fast, she didn't know anything about him so she would be wary of him.

"Why?"

"Well you're new in town and I know the best places to eat."

"Fix my phone first and then we'll see?"

Morgan took it as a positive, "It will be done."

Morgan turned his back from the counter and then reached into a drawer of tools. Sarah couldn't see what he was doing but within a minute he had turned around with a big grin on his face. In his hand was her phone with the display showing, somehow he got the phone working.

"And fixed." Morgan was proud of himself, he was rocking on his heels.

'Oh god', Sarah thought 'is this little man going to be unbearable.'

Morgan handed the phone back to Sarah, he was really pleased with himself, now Sarah owed him a dinner date and Morgan would want Sarah to uphold her end of the bargain.

"I feel as if I've been played."

"Would I do that?" Morgan acted offended, but he was willing to try again.

"Ok no date just a late dinner, as friends. After work tonight, I know the best food in town. I won't bother to get changed. After all I have to lock the store at nine."

Sarah finally agrees, "Alright nine o'clock but it is not a date."

Morgan smiled, "Here at 9. It's only a short walk."

Sarah rolled up to the store at five to nine. She had been home for a while and had changed into something more casual, she was wearing jeans and flats, she had replaced the pencil skirt and heels from earlier in the day. The store was in the process of closing and there were only a few customer finalizing their purchases. True to his word Morgan Grimes was walking around the store with a large swag of keys locking display cabinets and security doors. He smiled and waved to her when he spotted her. But he continued with the shutdown routine. Morgan with the help of two other employees started turning the lights off as they move towards the front of the store.

With the last shutter locked Morgan walked over to Sarah and thanked her for coming.

"Thanks for meeting this late, I hope you have an appetite?"

The best food in town is Big Mike's diner. The décor probably needed updating but at lest it was clean. In fact it was spotless. Even though it was getting on the late side for a meal the place was still reasonably full.

Morgan and Sarah stood by the sign that said "Wait here to be seated" before an attractive brunette with chocolate brown eyes showed them a table near the back of the diner that was clean and vacant. Morgan waited until Sarah had slid into her seat before he took the seat opposite her ad smiled at the waitress.

"I'll have my usual thanks Elle, and what would you like to drink?

"I'll have a sparkling water please." Sarah replied.

Elle the waitress wrote the order down then handed both of them a menu to peruse. She then moved away to check on another table whilst Sarah got a look for the first time what type of menu variety was available.

Elle was back shortly with the drinks. Morgan had a very large glass of beer whereas Sarah had a bottle of sparkling water with a glass full of ice cubes.

Morgan takes a large pull of his beer, he then places it down on the table and lent back into his seat. He noticed "Sarah looking at him whilst she sipped her water through a straw. Morgan smiled at her then spoke,

"Fridays are always a long day, open at eight then locking up at nine. Thirteen hours so I can get the weekend off."

Sarah understood the hidden meaning to what he said, she needed a reason to be up early tomorrow.

"Being a reporter is practically 24/7 job. I've got headlines to write."

Elle listening to the conversation cotton on to what Sarah was doing, she thought she would help and intervene.

"Are you ready to order?"

Sarah was hoping most men don't want a vegan girlfriend, so she acts as a vegan and asks for the Chef's special after Morgan ordered a steak Parmigiana. The meal Sarah order didn't go unnoticed by her dinner date. Morgan was in the middle of taking another big gulp of beer and he nearly lost it. Hmmm doesn't like vegans.

After eating Sarah excused herself and went to the bathroom, she was checking on whether she had any food suck in her teeth when the waitress followed her in.

"It's Sarah?" the waitress asked.

"Yes that's right!"

"Look you do not have to continue the masquerade with Morgan. I know his little games. That man just has to grow up. If he thinks that holding hands with someone else is going to get me jealous and then jump into his arms well he's got another thing coming."

Sarah just looked at her, she knew she was right. So she nodded.

"I'll take care of him for you" Ellie said with conviction.

Morgan wasn't looking when he felt someone side in beside him at the table, he was looking at his phone at the time. When he turned his head he saw two mean brown eyes burrowing into his skull.

"Enough of your games you little shit. How dare you take advantage of a good natured stranger!"

Morgan shifted back in his seat, a pissed off waitress named Elle Bartowski, she had him boxed in as he lent back against the glassed wall. Sarah had returned to retake her seat. Morgan looked at Sarah to see if she would come to his rescue but Sarah just nodded back with indifference.

Morgan's night was ruined as the Elle and Sarah walked out the door together, Elle had invited Sarah over for a nightcap which she accepted, Elle made the point of not including Morgan.

Elle practically lived just across the street from her. She rented a house next to a vacant block.