The receptionist glanced up when she heard the whirr of the revolving door.  Even without looking up she knew it would be Joe, 8:30 every day on the dot, never late, never sick, always happy.  That was Joe. 

She looked up and couldn't help but return Joe's smile.  By God, she thought, but he's an attractive man.  Her smile widened slightly as she allowed herself to enjoy the fantasy she had every morning, the one where Joe took her home and allowed her to do unspeakable things to his gorgeous body.  It was a fantasy she knew she shared with every other woman in the building.  Mmmmm, but I could do some serious damage to that man, she thought while she admired the easy way Joe moved as he strolled over to the lifts.  She discretely watched Joe until the elevator doors slid closed, cutting him off from her view. The best thing is he that doesn't even seem to know how good-looking he is, she thought as she returned to her work; he's not at all arrogant.  She allowed herself a few more minutes of imagining what it would be like to sleep with Joe before turning, reluctantly, to the pile of filing that awaited her.

Joe pretended not to notice, but he was aware of the receptionist's eyes on him from the moment he entered the office, just as he was aware of how most women looked at him.  Tall, with a swimmer's physique and deep blue eyes, Joe knew he was attractive to the opposite sex, had known it since he was a teenager.  He had always found it easy to get women but he knew that this was due to more than just his looks.  Joe honestly liked women, he enjoyed their company, he liked to spend time with them, to listen to them, to hold them, and yes, to sleep with them.  He knew that women responded as much to his obvious interest in them as they did to his looks.

Joe was also very discreet in his affairs, he didn't talk about the women that he had slept with, didn't gossip or boast to his co-workers and he knew that women appreciated such discretion.  Although he had slept with a great number of women he had never had a long-term relationship.  Something just seemed to prevent each relationship from developing.  In his more honest moments Joe was prepared to admit that the problem probably lay with him.

Today however, Joe hoped that all that would change.  He had just spent the night with the most beautiful woman in the world and he felt that maybe this time he had found ‘the one'.  Her name was Elizabeth, not Beth or Lizzie, but Elizabeth.  An elegant name for an elegant woman, Joe thought fondly. 

He had gone out last night for a quiet drink, although if he were honest with himself again he would admit that he had also hoped to find some company.  As was his habit he had walked randomly until he had found a bar he liked the look of.  Joe could never understand people who had a ‘local' bar; it seemed to him that they must miss so much by being in the same place each evening.  Joe preferred to explore the city, and of course as a bonus it allowed him to meet women while still retaining that important discretion. 

Joe had a couple of drinks before thinking of moving on.  There had been a few women in the bar and Joe was aware that they were checking him out.  He knew that if he wanted too he could take any one of them home for the night but they weren't his type.  Joe very definitely had a ‘type'.  He liked his girls to be tall and slim, with long, feminine, brunette hair and brown eyes.  He was aware that his Mother had shared the same looks but he didn't subscribe to Freud's theories on sex and knew only that women of that type made his pulse race and his heart beat with excitement.

He had been about to leave when he saw Elizabeth enter the bar with another girl.  The moment he saw her Joe knew that he had to meet this women.  She was stunning.  He ordered another drink and waited until the two girls had got settled before going over to introduce himself.  It never occurred to Joe that he might get knocked back, but it was not arrogance that made him feel like that. Joe felt the fear of rejection as much as any man, but when he saw a woman like Elizabeth all such fears just melted away.  Sometimes when he saw a particular woman, Joe would know, just know, that that they were going to be together.  That it was their destiny. He felt that way the moment he saw Elizabeth, he knew that she was special.

Joe introduced himself and turned on his considerable charm so that in a short time the three of them were laughing together like old friends.  Joe knew from previous experience that it was important to make both girls feel special and not to just focus his attentions on Elizabeth.  He knew that when picking up a girl from a group of her friends it was important to ensure that he didn't isolate anyone, as that could just lead to bad feelings later.  Although he admitted that it was a bit naive, Joe liked it when people only had good things to say about him.

As it turned out Joe needn't have worried.  It quickly became apparent that Elizabeth's friend was just as enamoured with Joe as Elizabeth was.  Joe wondered briefly if he could have both girls, it wouldn't be the first time that he had shared his bed that way, but decided that Elizabeth was so beautiful that he just wanted to be with her.  At the end of the night Elizabeth and Joe left together, leaving her disappointed friend to find her own way home.  Nothing had been said but they had all known that that was what was going to happen. 

Joe had never felt happier as he walked home with Elizabeth on his arm.  They had stopped by the river to share a first kiss and it was obvious that Elizabeth was just as taken with Joe as he was with her.  As Joe held her tight, feeling her flesh warm and soft beneath his hands and her tongue hot and inquisitive in his mouth he had sworn that this time he would make it work.  He wouldn't blow this relationship like all the rest; this time he would make sure that everything was perfect.

They had all but fallen in the door of Joe's house in their haste to be together.  Their clothes were gone even before they reached the bedroom and they collapsed on the bed in an orgy of touches and kisses and lustful cries.  Joe could not believe the depth of his need for Elizabeth.  By the end of the night he knew that he could never ever live without her.  He was completely and totally in love and never wanted her to leave him.

Joe smiled to himself as he reached his desk; remembering how beautiful Elizabeth had looked lying in his bed when he had left for work that morning.  He had apologised for leaving her and had made her promise that she would still be there, waiting for him, when he came home. 

The day dragged for Joe, he found it hard to concentrate on his work.  His thoughts kept returning to Elizabeth and the night they had shared.  He couldn't believe how compatible they were in bed, how Elizabeth loved the same things he did and how she was so keen to please him.  He knew that she was very special.

At last the workday ended and Joe hurried from his office, eager to see Elizabeth again.  Night had come early to the city as winter crept across the country and Joe cast shadows from the street lamps as he walked quickly along the familiar streets towards his home.  He was nearly at the bridge when he heard the first siren.  The flash of blue lights quickly joined the sombre wail as the police car sped past him.  Joe frowned but the thought of Elizabeth's waiting embrace quickly restored his good humour and he continued across the bridge. 

More sirens split the quiet of the evening and two more police cars and an ambulance hurried past Joe.  Joe had reached the centre of the bridge and he paused to watch the vehicles as they made their way importantly through the rush hour traffic.  Joe could see his house from the bridge and with a growing sense of unease he watched as the police cars pulled up outside his home. 

The flashing lights reflected off the building's walls, creating a strobe-like effect as he watched the police breaking down his door.

Joe looked down at the cold water flowing by beneath the bridge, the winter rains had swollen the river and the dark mass of water ran by as if eager to find the summer.  Joe felt empty; he knew that something had gone very wrong.  Somehow he had lost Elizabeth.  He climbed up onto the railings and stood looking down at the surging water.  He knew that it was entirely his fault, that once again he had lost someone dear to him and that he alone was to blame.  Joe looked again at the flashing lights that framed his house.  Then he stepped forward off the bridge and into the dark waters below.

The Evening Standard

Police discovered the dismembered body of a young woman this evening after she had been reported as missing by a friend.   The woman, whose name has not yet been released, was found at the home of a local businessman.  Early indications are that the woman had been sexually abused and tortured prior to being murdered.  The police have also reported finding the decomposing remains of several other young women buried in the basement of the house. 

A nationwide search is being undertaken for Joseph Bradley Wilson who the police believe is involved in these crimes.  Anybody with any information regarding his whereabouts is requested to call the police hotline on.....