The Major Crimes Team - Vol 1: Lines of Enquiry (6 page)

‘What do you take me for? I’m doing this to get myself out of a financial hole not to catch God knows what.’ Lauren filled her voice with indignant outrage but she’d expected the warning. Strip clubs were always associated with brothels and she wanted to lay down her marker before Scruffy or Nicholson miscounted two and two.

Her indignance would also serve to keep them from getting any ideas about her availability.

Scruffy gave a lackadaisical shrug. ‘You wouldn’t be the first to try it and I don’t expect you’d be the last.’

Three girls walked in together. Dressed in jeans and jackets, their bored expressions didn’t inspire Lauren with confidence.

Scruffy waved them over and pointed at Lauren. ‘This is Monique. She’s starting tonight so show her the ropes.’

Looking at the trio, Lauren felt the first stirrings of animosity. A tall blonde with an acne scarred face held out a limp hand

‘Katya.’ Her thumb jerked to her left then right as she made the other introductions. ‘This is Scarlett, and Candy. We get changed and then talk proper.’

The way Katya spoke, the promised talk was inferred as more of a threat than a helpful showing of the ropes.

Despite herself, Lauren began to feel the first prickles of apprehension. Now she was here and about to embark on a stripping career, the unfamiliar feeling of butterflies in her stomach threatened to have her sprinting for the bathroom.

Steeling her nerves, Lauren walked around the room getting an in-depth feel for the room. As she went she made mental notes of the dark corners, the angles which would see lights flashing into eyes and the areas best covered by the CCTV cameras.

Looking at the clock on the wall she saw it was almost nine and there still wasn’t any sign of the girls emerging from the cramped changing room. They either mustn’t care about not being ready for when the doors opened or they knew from experience they didn’t have to be ready as it would be quiet at first.

Regardless of the reason for their tardiness, Lauren wanted to try and befriend them. The key to her getting the information she needed lay in how well she was liked and trusted by the staff and management of Shakers.

Candy was the first to appear. Her dumpy body clad in a loose fitting babydoll which did little to hide the rolls of flab sagging over the top of her lace knickers.

Lauren greeted her with a smile, only for Candy to ignore her and head for the bar where she handed Scruffy a sheaf of notes.

Realising she too would have to pay her way Lauren joined her at the bar and reached into her purse.

‘D’you think it’ll get busy later?’

Candy didn’t look at her but at least she answered. ‘I bloody hope so. I need every penny I can get.’

‘I know what you mean.’ Lauren tried a conspiratorial smile. ‘I’m only here for the money too.’

‘So pretty new girl is here for the money too. She make sure all girls get fair number of dances she be allowed to stay.’

Lauren whirled round to find Katya right behind her, a malevolent look on her face. Scarlett was at Katya’s side, her bikini-clad body showcasing a tapestry of eclectic tattoos set against pale flesh.

‘What do you mean allowed to stay? I’m just here to make as much money as possible so I can pay off my debts. Surely it’s Mr Nicholson’s decision about who works here not yours.’

Lauren couldn’t stop herself from snapping the angry reply to Katya. Too often she had seen first hand the damage caused by bullies and their aggressive ways. She’d learned the best way to deal with such behaviour, was challenge it from the start and then let the chips fall where they may. Yet she didn’t want to pick a fight with any of the girls working here. Not when she needed them to confide in her, to trust her with their secrets.

Katya’s false nail jabbed into Lauren’s chest. ‘You not have to be fired to stop working here. You maybe decide quit. Yes?’

‘No.’ Lauren held Katya’s eye. ‘I’m here because I need the money. If you can’t handle a little bit of competition, maybe it’s you who should quit.’

‘Pah! You no dancer. You last five minutes. You no competition for me.’

‘Then what’s your problem?’

Katya didn’t answer her. Instead she went behind the bar and whispered into Scruffy’s ear. Lauren couldn’t tell what was said, but she didn’t like the way a broad smirk painted itself on Scruffy’s face.

Before she could begin to guess, a group of men came into the bar. From their dirty clothes and hob-nailed boots she figured they were involved in the building of the new supermarket on the outskirts of town.

Although clearly under the effects of the alcohol they’d drank since finishing time, they weren’t too rowdy. A spotty faced youth in the middle of the group was the only one who appeared to be drunk.

The lad’s eyes oscillated around the room until they settled on Lauren. An unsubtle elbow was dug into the ribs of the man at his side as a wobbling arm was pointed in her direction.

Unsure whether to approach the lad or let him come to her, Lauren’s momentary hesitation gave the more experienced Katya the opportunity she needed.

Lauren could do nothing except watch as Katya sashayed her way towards the lad, her intentions to steal his custom quite blatant. Her thin body clad only in a bra and thong attracting his gaze when she got close enough for his bleary eyes to focus on her obvious charms.

Scarlet and Candy followed her lead and set off towards the men, their attempts at alluring sexiness forced and unnatural.

Understanding the protocol, Lauren caught the eye of a forty-something man who appeared to be the natural leader of the group and made her way towards him.

Each step taken forward caused the growing knot of tension to tighten in her stomach. Unfamiliar with the sensation, Lauren had to battle the flight instinct screaming at her to run for the door.

The overriding feeling swirling through her brain was that she was out of her depth. It was one thing to wear clothes which gave discreet flashes, it was quite another to seduce men into paying for her to strip. It was only the thought of Christopher lying in the hospital bed which kept her to her intended purpose.

‘Hi. I’m Monique.’

‘Tom.’ The builder smiled at her and kept his eyes on her face. ‘Been busy?’

Lauren shook her head, smiling at the banality of the conversation. ‘Not yet, we’ve only just opened for the night.’

Tom nodded. His eyes stealing a glance at her lace covered chest. ‘Oh right’-

Whatever he was about to say was drowned out by Scruffy’s voice on the microphone.

‘Ladies and gentlemen, would you please put your hands to together for the beautiful, the flexible, the desirable, Candy.’ His words were met with a fierce scowl from Candy and a resigned look from the other two girls as a few polite handclaps echoed over the music.

Candy left the group of men she was with and made her way to the nearest of the two stages. As she climbed the three steep steps, the music dipped as Scruffy made another announcement.

‘Coming later tonight we have a special Shakers event. A dance off between two of our loveliest dancers. The sultry Monique has challenged our reigning champion Mistress Katya to a fully nude dance off. The loser will buy everyone in the bar a beer. Tell your friends and get them here. It’s gonna be epiiic’

Lauren tried to process this information as Scruffy held the last syllable in the style of a boxing commentator. Glancing around she saw Katya give her a confident wink.

That bitch has set me up.

The anger coursing through her veins loosened the knot in her stomach and filled her with an extra determination. Not only would she stick this out to get justice for Christopher, she’d damn well make sure she beat Katya in the dance off.

‘You didn’t know about that did you?’

‘No I didn’t.’ Lauren was honest with Tom, but annoyed at herself for letting her surprise show.

Her next words took a lot out of her, but she had a role to play and knew what she must do to play the part.

‘No thanks. I’m only here because of that lot.’ A thumb indicated Tom’s workmates.

‘No problem.’ Lauren wondered at the etiquette of leaving now she knew Tom wasn’t going to pay for a dance. Figuring on an exit strategy she flashed him a genuine smile. ‘Let me know if you change your mind.’

His hand landed on her wrist, his fingers coarse with calluses but his touch gentle. ‘Stay and talk for a minute. So long as she’s up there, this lot won’t be interested in anything else.’

Lauren recognised the truth in Tom’s words. While Candy was giving a free show, nobody would be interested in paying for a private dance.

As she chatted with Tom she kept her eyes on what was happening elsewhere in the room. Katya was stood in the middle of the group with a proprietal arm draped around the drunk lad.

On stage Candy twirled and posed in a series of faux seductive moves. As the song neared its end Candy’s fingers found the clasp at the front of the babydoll she wore. Undoing the clasp she teased the material to either side with a deliberate slowness until her breasts were exposed. A faint cheer went up from one or two of the builders, although the majority just looked for a moment and then turned their attention back to the drinks in their hands.

Lauren felt embarrassed for Candy. A group of half-pissed builders hadn’t been impressed by the sight of her flaccid breasts dangling over her lumpen stomach. While she’d not expected any glory in this role, she knew a kick in the teeth when she saw one.

The response of the builders retied the knot in her stomach as doubts began to assail her.

What if they turn away from me like that? What if I get even worse from them?

A voice at her ear and a hand on her elbow interrupted her doubts.

‘Scuse me. Can you give me a dansch?’

It was the drunk lad. Behind him stood a glowering Katya.

‘Sure.’

The single word spoken before Lauren had time to consider its implications. Everything she’d done up until now could be explained away if her superiors found out. Now she’d agreed to accept money for stripping there was no going back. The line had been crossed.

‘D’you want a ten or twenty pound dance?’ Again the words came without thought, making Lauren realise just how much she’d unconsciously immersed herself into the undercover role. She almost felt as if she was watching herself in some kind of weird out of body experience.

‘Twenty please.’

‘C’mon then.’

Lauren led the youth towards the booths at the back of the room as new doubts assailed her.

Christ! He doesn’t look old enough to drink. Am I about to expose myself to a minor?

A self-preserving sense of reason kicked in and offered some reassurance to counteract the doubts.

Don’t be soft. He wouldn’t have been able to get drunk if he was seriously underage. Besides I’m protected by the door policy. It’s their job to make sure the people in here are at least twenty-one.

It could have been a lot worse, this lad’s eyes are so glassy he’ll hardly see me.

Lauren pulled back the curtain and ushered the lad into the three by six feet booth. Taking the twenty pound from his hand, she positioned him on the stool and started to move in time with the music.

As she danced, Lauren kept her eyes on his, alert for any sign of boredom or the intent to reach out. Beer fumes rose from the lad as she gyrated her way to nudity.

Watching his eyes lock on to her bare breasts and then her more intimate areas Lauren felt a transfer of power in the poorly lit booth. She’d entered the booth at his request, lured by the money in his pocket. Just another purchase made after a few beers on payday.

Yet the unrestrained lust in his eyes put him in her control. It was her who called the shots and he who said thank you first.

Lauren was used to using her body to get whatever she wanted but dancing for this lad had shown her a whole new level of control was available. He’d fallen under her spell long before any clothing had been removed and the experience of dancing for him dispelled all her nerves and self doubts.

Letting the lad exit the booth first, Lauren put her clothes back on and emerged to see a few more men had come in. Scarlett and Katya were nowhere to be seen, but Candy was trying her luck with the new faces.

The young lad’s voice carried across the room as he was teased by his older colleagues. ‘Fucking brilliant. You should try her.’

*    *    *    *

Time passed quickly for Lauren as more and more new faces piled into the club. By observing the other dancers she soon learned the men to target and the best way to get them to part with their money. Her purse bulged with notes taken from beer filled men intent on getting a cheap thrill.

Some of the men seemed to be regulars as they commented on not having seen her before. Others appeared to be here for the first time as their behaviour was nervous as if they were unsure of how to conduct themselves.

Frequent reminders from Scruffy had built up expectation for the dance off. Unsure when it would be, Lauren wasn’t able to inform the men who asked her. Whenever she tried pressing Scruffy for a time, he just said ‘later’.