Carmen studied the bracelet the jewellers shop assistant had given her;she could see the assistant was a young,dark haired pretty girl called Louise,and she was proving most helpful.

Carmen was here to buy something as a treat for herself.Her superiors had given her a pay rise,due to her successful track record as police detective.

This was due partly to her looks,as Carmen was a really beautiful,young woman.She had long,blonde hair falling down her back,and she loved wearing her favourite,sleeveless red dress,as well as her fur vest too.

She was also very intelligent,and once given a case,Carmen was determined to succeed in it.

For now though,she could relax and devote some time to herself.This was why Carmen was here in this jewellers,to buy herself something nice.

She was still studying the bracelet Louise had given her,and was trying to decide if she would buy it.She had to admit she was strongly tempted.It was a nice bracelet,proper gold too,but it didn't make her look flashy.Carmen wasn't one of those people.

There was a telephone on the desk where the till was too,and it suddenly rang.Carmen nodded to Louise politely excusing herself,so she could take the call.

Louise did so,and Carmen gave the girl a quick glance.She was dressed in a white shirt,unbuttoned at the top.A black,knee length skirt with black high heels made Louise very smartly dressed indeed.

Carmen however,had only given the girl a quick glance as she walked over to the phone.She did however,hear what Louise was saying to whoever was calling.

'Smith's Jeweller's,Louise speaking.Can I help you?'

A brief pause,before Louise answered,'No,I'm sorry.The manager's not here at the moment.She won't be back till later.Can I take a message?'

Another pause as Louise listened some more.Carmen could see the young woman's face frown in puzzlement.

'Well,I'm sorry,'she responded.'I don't know anything about that.I'm sure I would have been informed,if that had been the case.'

Louise listened again,before she then said to the caller:'Okay then.I will see you shortly.Bye.'

Carmen watched Louise hang up the phone,and made her way back over to her.

'Everything okay?' she asked Louise.

'Yes,everything's fine,'Louise smiled.'It was some bloke asking to see my boss,about a new security system being installed here.He said my manager would know about it,but she's never told me.'

'What time is he coming?'

'Just before closing time,'Louise answered.'My boss is due back then.'

Carmen made no more comment on this.Instead,she decided to buy the bracelet,but that phone call intrigued her.There was something fishy about it.

After she'd paid for the bracelet,Carmen heard Louise say to her:'Come again,'the girl smiled pleasantly at her.

'Oh,I will,'Carmen nodded pleasantly back to her.She then bade Louise farwell,and left the jewellers,not seeing her every move was being watched.

As Carmen headed back to her car,she failed to spot the two burly men,exiting a large white van.They had parked right next to the jewellers,and after checking there was nobody about,the two men quickly donned black balaclavas,and headed into the jewellers shop.

Louise heard the shop door bell tinkle,and knew she had more customers,but she had her back turned to the door.She was busy tidying up a tray filled with expensive rings.

'Just a moment please,'Louise called over her shoulder.'I won't be a mMMMMFFFFF!'

Louise's eyes bulged in shock,as she felt herself being seized from behind,and a gloved hand clamped hard over her mouth.Her unseen captor pulled her back hard.

'Don't make a sound,pretty lady,'the man holding and handgagging Louise whispered into her ear.It wasn't just a whisper,but also a chuckle,and it frightened Louise even more.

'MMMFFFF! MMMMFFFF!' Despite the man's warning,Louise couldn't help,but struggle in his grip.However,her efforts were futile.

'Get the rope,'the man called over to his accomplice,'and tie her up.'

Louise's eyes bulged even wider as she was forced into the back of the shop.Her faint mumbles behind the handgag,amused her still unseen captors,but both were determined to keep her out of the way.

Louise was forced into one of the back storerooms,and she was then made to lie on her front.Still feeling the man's tight handgag over her,she was powerless to then feel her arms yanked behind her back.Strong coils of white clothesline,were then wound over her wrists tightly,before they were firmly secured.

More loops of the clothesline followed over her ankles as they were trussed together,before her upper body was encircled by the clothesline.The two men hurried quickly,knowing every second counted,but they were still determined to secure their pretty prize.

Within a couple of minutes,Louise was tightly tied up,before she then felt the hand over her mouth leave.She was just about to give the loudest scream of fear and for help she could give,before a large,balled up cloth was roughly forced into her mouth,keeping her tongue flattened.Speech was practically impossible,before a large strip of rectangular silver duct tape,was firmly sealed over Louise's mouth;she was virtually silent now.

'There!' one of her kidnappers smiled down at the pretty,bound and gagged girl at his feet.'That should hold you.Just stay there,and you won't get hurt,pretty lady.If you try anything smart though,you will regret it.'

Louise fully heard the menace in his voice,and she knew she'd better obey.But then,she felt one of the men kneel down beside her,and she could only protest inaudibly behind her gag,as she was turned over onto her back.Her eyes bulged again,seeing the two burly men in balaclavas staring down at her.

'Shall I show you what I mean,my pretty?' the man asked her,lifting Louise's chin with his finger,before he then leered down at the girl's breasts.He obviously liked what he saw,as he then fondled them both,making Louise flinch in terror,dreading worse to come.

However,much to her relief,the man stopped groping her chest,before he gave her a final warning to stay where she was.

Both men then left the storeroom,leaving Louise securely bound and gagged in it,and they then locked the door too.Louise heard the men head back to the counter desk.She could only lie in the dark,full of despair and fear,and hoping that she would be found soon.

Back at the counter desk,the two men had obviously come prepared to plunder what they could.Both were piling in rings,bracelets and anything that was of value into heavy sacks.

'Hurry up!'one of the men snarled at his accomplice.'We don't want anybody else coming in.'

'Almost done,'his accomplice responded,showing him an almost full sack.'We should get a fortune for this lot.It's the best haul we've ever had!'

'Just hurry the hell up! Keep a lookout!'

'Okay,okay,stop panicking,will you?'

The man moved to the jeweller's shop windows,and he peered anxiously outside.Their van was still outside,and there was still nobody about.It looked as if they would get away scot-free.

But then,he saw a familiar face approaching the shop again.

'Damn it! That cop woman's coming back!' he called over.

'Well,let's give our pretty sales assistant some reassuring company,shall we?' his accomplice gave a nasty smile,showing him the still plenty of clothesline.

++

Carmen had made it back to her car,pleased she'd made a good purchase with the bracelet,but that phone call was still bothering her.

She sat thoughtfully for a few moments in her car,thinking,before she decided her next course of action.

It had occurred to Carmen to head back to the station,and request back up,but she wanted to be sure about some things first.Maybe that caller who rang the girl,was indeed a bogus caller;but Carmen wanted to go back and ask Louise a few things first.

She exited the car,and headed back to the jewellers,and once outside the shop windows,she peered inside.

There was nobody to be seen,but there were certainly no alarms ringing,and even though Carmen saw no sign of Louise,she wasn't worried.The girl was probably in the back somewhere.

Carmen then entered the jewellers,and much to her shock and surprise,she noticed all the display boxes filled earlier with all the expensive jewellery,had now vanished.She instantly knew a robbery was taking place.

She had just made the decision to race back to her car,where she could call for help,when this was ruthlessly blocked from her.

Three figures then came into her view,and her eyes widened at what she saw.

Two were heavily built men,their faces masked by balaclavas,and their eyes burned menacingly into Carmen.

However,Carmen could also see Louise,the pretty shop assistant,now bound and gagged very tightly,and held securely by one of the men.Louise's eyes were full of fear,and Carmen knew,despite her own fear,she had to stay calm to reassure the girl.

'Don't even think about making a run for it,Detective,'the man not holding Louise warned her.'That wouldn't be a good idea,not if you value the pretty lady's health.'

Carmen heard Louise whimper into her gag,and she had a very nasty feeling she was going to join her,but as long as she kept calm,these two thugs would leave them unharmed.She did recognise the menace in the man's tone,and she wasn't going to annoy him.

'Okay,'Carmen nodded.'I'll do what you want.Just don't hurt the girl.Please.'

'Not to worry,'the man nodded,pleased at Carmen's surrender.'Just co-operate,and everything will be fine.Now,if you will walk this way,please..'

Carmen gulped,as he took her arm,somewhat forcibly,but she didn't resist.How could she? He then dragged her into the same storeroom,where they had previously bound and gagged Louise.

'Sit down on the floor,Detective,'the man ordered,'and put your hands behind your back.'

Carmen did so,fully realising her worst fears were confirmed.She was going to be tied up.

Just as the two thieves had done with Louise,both of them worked quickly,effectively tying the clothesline in tight coils around Carmen's wrists.Her ankles were also tied tightly together too.

It was then,that she felt Louise being placed behind her,and more loops of the clothesline were wound tightly over each of their upper bodies.Within five minutes,both Carmen and Louise were tightly tied up back to back.Carmen angrily glared up at the two men;one of who was preparing to gag her.

'You realise you'll never get away witmmmmmffffff!'

Carmen's angry protest was cut off,as the man,now grinning,shoved a balled up cloth into Carmen's mouth,making sure it didn't choke her;but still rendered her quiet.He secured the gag,by adding another cloth tying it into Carmen's mouth,and making it a highly effective cleave gag.He was pleased to hear the policewoman groan,as she felt the cloth cut tightly into the corners of her mouth.

Pleased with their handiwork,the two thieves stood up,smiling down at the two,bound and gagged young women.

'I have to admit,'the first man stold them.'This is a part of the job I really enjoy,when I can tie up and gag two very pretty ladies.We'll be off now,but don't worry;I'll call your fellow police friends,and tell them where you are.You do understand though,that it won't be for a while yet.'

He gave them both a nasty grin,as he knelt down beside them.Both Louise and Carmen cringed away from him,but obviously,they couldn't get very far from him.

The two girls clenched their eyes shut,as he gave them both an unwanted kiss on their gagged lips.He chuckled again,before he stood up,shouldering his sack with the stolen loot.His accomplice followed his example.

'Well,enjoy yourselves,ladies.Sorry we had to tie you both up,but that's the price you pay,when you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.'

Both men laughed,as they then left the storeroom,and for the second time,locked it,keeping Louise and Carmen prisoners inside it.The two girls then desperately tried to free themselves,but made no headway at all.In fact,they were found the next morning,utterly exhausted from their efforts,but still bound and gagged.

The two robbers were never found....