At first it was only a fantasy. A pleasant daydream, unusually vivid. He would stop whatever he was doing and run the images like a filmstrip in his mind, filling in details one at a time, revising as he went.
Her eyes would be very wide, bright with fear—no, he couldn't let her see him. A blindfold, then. Yes. He would sneak up on her from behind and knock her unconscious, then quickly blindfold her and bind her wrists with rope. Uh-uh. With tape. Heavy strapping tape. Better. Then he would put her in the front seat of his car....no, in the rear. Not seated, but stretched lengthwise. He couldn't risk anyone accidentally seeing her. Perhaps her ankles ought to be taped too.
All right, start over. First knock her out, then blindfold her, then tape her wrists and ankles, and next....
The fantasy occupied his mind for months. Winter yielded to spring, and spring to summer. He changed jobs several times. He did not return to the restaurant.
