Authors Note: I own absolutly nothing.
Okay this is my first CSI fic. I'd wanted to write one for sometime but I couldn't think of an idea. Then the idea of Greg in 1930's Vegas came to mind and this is the result. The challenge is to figure out who the girl is before the end of the chapter which shouldn't be too hard.
Happy Reading
The Best Is Yet to Come
Las Vegas 1935
Las Vegas in the Thirties. Where a fortune can be made or lost at the turn of a dice. Where the girls are pretty and money rules all.
This was the thought running through the head of Detective Greg Sanders as he walked down the strip once again marveling at the casinos and bars that lined the streets.
He'd worked in Vegas for three years since he'd been transferred from Los Angeles but he could still not get his head around the glitz and glamour. "I'd better get back to work soon" he thought before taking a look at his watch "but I've still got time."
He took a sharp left and turned into one of his regular haunts. "Greg" the barkeeper said as Greg threw his fedora onto the hat stand and slid onto a bar stool "what are you doing here at this time of day. You're still on shift aren't you?"
Greg nodded "Yeah Joe but I'm on my lunch so I thought I'd take a walk around."
Joe cocked an eyebrow "Your business. The usually."
Greg shook his head "nah. As you said I'm on duty. Better make it a soda." Turning away from the bar he reached into his pocket for a cigarette before collecting his lighter from his other pocked. Lighting the cigarette he turned towards the stage. He breathed out as a brunette walked out onto the stage. There was something strangely familiar about her. "New act" he asked casually when Joe bought him his soda."
Joe nodded "yeah. Just hired her yesterday. She won't be on till tonight though."
Greg looked across at the girl. She was of middle height with brown hair cut in a bob. She was dressed casually and was talking to the bad leader clearly going through her warm up routine. Greg quickly downed his soda before throwing some cash on the bar.
"See you tonight" Joe asked taking Greg's glass.
Greg took another look at the singer "yup" he muttered "you certainly will."
Arriving back at Police headquarters Greg put his coat and hat on the stand before sinking back down at his desk. "Don't get too comfortable" a voice said. Greg looked up and saw his partner Nick Stokes standing on the other side of the desk,
"Something up" he asked casually.
"Yeah we got a report of a body down by the strip. Chief wants us to go have a look."
Greg sighed before standing up "Fine. We'd better get moving."
A few minutes later they were standing at the scene, uniformed cops littering the area looking down at the man. "Looks like a robbery gone wrong." Nick muttered
Greg bent down to take a look "yeah" he replied "gently patting the victim down "wallet's missing." He stood back up "I'll go and find out if anyone heard anything okay."
Nick nodded "I'll ask around out here."
Greg looked around and spotted the entrance to a small club just a few feet away from his victim. Walking in he gasped as he spotted a woman sitting at the bar. It was the singer from the bar.
He slid onto the seat next to her before tapping her on the arm. She jumped slightly "Sorry" he said as she turned to look at him. He passed her his card before he continued talking "Detective Greg Sanders I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions."
She took the card and studied it for a few minutes "Certainly Detective. What can I do for you?"
"There's been a robbery out front and a man was shot."
The woman gasped "was he badly hurt."
"Unfortunately he was killed and I wondered if you had heard anything."
His strange companion laid her hands on the bar and studied them for a few moments. Eventually she looked up "I did hear something shortly after I arrived but I wasn't entirely sure what it was."
"What time would that be" Greg asked pulling out a notebook.
She thought for a second "about half an hour ago."
"Thank you" Greg said writing it down "this should help a lot."
The woman looked at him "did I see you at Joe's earlier" she asked suddenly.
Greg nodded "I was on a break and slipped in for a drink."
She smiled "go there often."
He nodded again "pretty regularly."
"Will you be there tonight" she said looking slightly nervous "it's my first show."
He smiled "I'll be there. I'm sure you'll be fine."
She shook her head "You're just saying that."
He stood up "nope. I'm telling the truth." When she attempted to pass his card back he pushed her hand away "keep it" he said "in case you ever need to contact me."
As he walked away Greg realised two things. One that yet again the mysterious singer had seemed familiar and two. He had never learnt her name.
Returning outside he spotted Nick talking to a couple of onlookers. Suddenly he spotted a small shabby looking man out of the corner his eye. Turning and moving closer the man broke cover and began to run across the street pushing pedestrians out of the way.
Greg yelled over to Nick before setting off after the runner. He followed him for several blocks before the guy stupidly turned down an alley. As the man attempted to scrabble up a wall Greg pulled him back by the collar of his shirt and threw him to the ground.
"Well well" Nick said catching his partner up "If it isn't Howie Weasel. Still working for the South Side boys Weasel."
Weasel looked up "I ain't saying nothing."
Greg clicked his tongue "I hope you'll be a bit more co-operative down the station Howie."
Howie's face turned pale "What. But I ain't done nothing."
Nick sucked in his breath "two double negatives in the space of a minute. That means you've done something."
"I think I know what" Greg said pulling their victims wallet out of Howie's jacket. "Running was a mistake Weasel" he said pulling him to his feet "you almost got away."
Later that night Greg walked into Joe's and sat down on his usually stool. "The usually Greg" Joe asked as he came over.
Greg nodded "better make it a double" He looked over at the stage where a blonde singer was just finishing up "new girl up yet" he asked when Joe bought his drink over.
The barkeep shook his head "not yet. She mentioned she saw you earlier."
"Yeah. She was a great help in a case."
"Well she should be up in a couple of minutes" Joe said reaching for an empty glass "she's on after Kitty."
"Where's she from." Greg asked casually
Joe shook his head again "not sure. She came here yesterday and asked for a job. I gave her a test and she was good so I hired her. Judging by the accent though I'd say Los Angeles."
Greg smiled "that's what I thought."
Joe looked at him "you want me to set something up between the two of you."
Greg shook his head "No thanks. Maybe later."
Joe moved away "fine. Let me know if you need anything."
Greg nodded and looked deep into his drink. All day he had been trying to remember where he had met the mysterious woman before but every time he had got close to an answer he had been distracted. Suddenly he heard cheers and cat calls and looking up saw that his new friend had come on stage.
I've got you under my skin.
I've got you deep in the heart of me.
So deep in my heart that you're really a part of me.
I've got you under my skin.
I'd tried so not to give in.
I said to myself: this affair never will go so well.
But why should I try to resist when, baby, I know so well
I've got you under my skin?
I'd sacrifice anything come what might
For the sake of havin' you near
In spite of a warnin' voice that comes in the night
And repeats, repeats in my ear:
Don't you know, little fool, you never can win?
Use your mentality, wake up to reality.
But each time that I do just the thought of you
Makes me stop before I begin
'Cause I've got you under my skin.
I would sacrifice anything come what might
For the sake of havin' you near
In spite of the warning voice that comes in the night
And repeats - how it yells in my ear:
Don't you know, little fool, you never can win?
Why not use your mentality - step up, wake up to reality?
But each time I do just the thought of you
Makes me stop just before I begin
'Cause I've got you under my skin.
Yes, I've got you under my skin.
She sang for another ten minutes before she left the stage. A few minutes later Greg felt a hand on his shoulder and turning he found her sitting next to him. "What did you think" she asked nervously.
"You were great" he said enthusiastically.
"You sure" she said reaching for a drink "I thought I could have been better"
He took her hand and stroked it gently "you kidding" he smiled "you were brilliant. Not a bum note in the set."
She smiled back "so how's the case going"
"We got our guy" Greg replied "found him hanging around outside."
"That's good". The singer fiddled nervously with a chain around her neck.
"Is there anything I can help you with" Greg said eventually.
She looked away for a few minutes before saying anything "Well you see. I was wondering."
Suddenly a man came up to them "Joe want's to see you backstage" he said before walking away.
She stood up "I'm sorry. I've got to go."
Greg nodded "Of course. Call me if you need anything."
She smiled again "I may just do that."
"Wait" Greg called as she walked away "what's your name" but she was already out of earshot.
The next morning Greg was sat at his desk idly spinning a pen across the polished wood. "You okay Greg" Nick asked from opposite.
Greg looked up "yeah" he muttered.
Nick put his pencil down and leant back in his chair "let me guess" he said after a few seconds "female trouble."
Greg looked up "how'd you guess."
"You've been spinning that pen across the desk for the past ten minutes and didn't even hear Warrick asking if you wanted any coffee."
Greg shook his head "and that suggests female trouble."
"In my experience yes. Want to talk about it."
Greg laughed "I was Joe's yesterday and there was this singer."
Nick smirked "it all comes out."
Greg playfully threw a piece of paper at him "anyway I keep thinking I know her but I can't remember where from."
"Have you seen her again?"
"Yeah. I went to see her last night" he paused before continuing "and she was at the crime scene last night."
Nick sucked in his breath "she was the witness. This could be interesting."
Greg slumped across his desk "I know" he muttered "It's such a mess."
"I'm sure it'll all work out" Nick drawled "now how's that report coming."
Greg grimaced before returning to his work. A few minutes later one of the other officers came over. "Detective Sanders. The Chief wants to see you in his office right away."
Greg sighed again before standing and following the officer. He came to a door marked Chief G. Grissom and knocked on it. "Come in" a voice instructed.
Greg walked in and sat in the spare chair "you wanted to see me Chief"
Grissom nodded "I'm pulling you off all other cases for the foreseeable future" he said tersely.
Greg's face fell "why"
Grissom looked up "You know about Johnny Black's operations on the South Side."
Greg nodded "Detective Stokes and I busted one of Black's boys yesterday for a homicide."
Grissom nodded before continuing "well we've had reports that something large is going to go down."
"Any ideas what" Greg asked curious.
"No but we do know that Black's bought in some guys from out of state."
"How'd you know all this?"
"Someone called us yesterday and told us everything. But there was one condition. We had to protect them until everything's over."
"How' longs that going to be."
"We don't know. At least two months."
"So what does this have to do with me?" Greg was genuinely interested by this stage.
"They specifically asked for you to be the protection detail."
"Me why" Greg's curiosity had turned to bafflement by this stage.
Grissom smiled for the first time since Greg had arrived "you can ask them yourself." There was a knocking at the door and Grissom called for them to open it.
"You" Greg gasped as his mysterious new friend stepped into the room.
"Hello Greg" she said quietly falling into a second chair.
"I see you already know each other" Grissom said "this should make things easier. But allow me to make introductions anyway. This is Greg Sanders. Greg this is Miss Sara Sidle."
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