Of all the replies to his personal ad, he liked hers best.

"My name's Josie."

"I'm Bill."

Of course neither was telling the truth.

They enjoyed drinks in an unfamiliar bar and for the first time in a long time, he felt happy. He liked her, they laughed and it turned out they had a lot in common.

Shared interests, indoor bowling, chess, reading Dickens and watching ER.

So pretty, he thought as she pulled her hair high above her head in a makeshift ponytail, which he took to be a nervous gesture. She was a real maybe - not like the others.

What a terrible shame.

But he could feel the woven ligature hidden in his trouser pocket, against his thigh, just begging for a quick release date.

The excitement of what it was capable of was far preferable to a long-term relationship.


"Come back to mine?" she said.

“Why not.” He smiled.

They walked slowly through the park, footsteps marking time.

His pulse rate quickened as he linked arms with his potential victim, now he thought, now. But just as he was about to strike she planted a wet ruby red lipstick kiss on his mouth and pushed him back against a tree, trapping him with her lithsome body.

As he slid to the ground, blood pouring from the wound in his abdomen she made her escape, clutching her neat little knife safely in her hand.

Yes! She thought, Yes, there’s really nothing quite like it.