Hey Everyone - thanks for all the great reviews! I hope everybody enjoys this next chapter too! Don't forget to review, and if you could, please answer the survey questions at the bottom! Thanks!! Mia21
Basic Disclaimer Applies
Body English was full when they arrived, dancers pressed together in large grinding masses. The music was loud and the club was stiflingly hot. The colored flashing lights wrecked havoc on Vicki's eyesight, and for once she was glad Henry's hand was on the small of her back as they made their way to the bar.
Once there, Henry turned to survey the club and the people themselves.
"Well?" Vicki asked impatiently.
He looked down at her and smiled, knowing his next words would annoy her and finding he didn't really care. "Nice place."
"Henry!"
He just laughed.
"I don't sense anything unusual, Vicki."
"Hm." The noise was non-committal, and only served to enhance her glare.
"Ms. Nelson." Vicki heard the voice before she could see the person.
"Mr. Allard."
"I'm glad you made it…" Mr. Allard's voice trailed off as he looked at Henry.
"Oh, Mr. Allard this is my partner, Henry Fitzroy; Henry, our client, Mark Allard."
"Nice to meet you." Mr. Allard began to extend his hand, but inexplicably changed his mind when Henry smiled.
"Uh," he said, as he turned back to Vicki, "would you like to see the rest of the club?"
"Yes, thank you." Vicki answered before Henry could.
"Autopsy came back on Lindsey Moyer; cause of death was the two bullet wounds."
Mike nodded to show that he heard Dave as Kate walked through the door.
"We've got another body."
"Well, what do you think?" Mr. Allard asked after showing Vicki and Henry around.
"Nice place," Vicki repeated Henry's words, "but I'm more concerned with the case. You haven't noticed anything odd have you? Any of your employees or customers acting strangely?"
Mr. Allard shook his head, "Not really, but I do have the list of names that you asked for; all of the employees and a few of our regular patrons."
Vicki sighed and Henry looked down at her. "What are you thinking?"
"Assuming we're dealing with a kidnapper or a killer, I'm thinking maybe the best way to draw him or her out would be to go undercover."
"Undercover?" Mr. Allard asked, intrigued.
"Do you think that I could pose as a singer for a night or two?"
Mr. Allard was already nodding. "I'm sure we can figure something out. Can you come by the club tomorrow when we're closed?"
Vicki smiled. "Sure, say around noon?"
Mark Allard smiled in return. "It's a date."
Henry growled low in his throat, but Mark Allard was already walking away. Nevertheless, Vicki still punched him in the arm.
"Ouch, what was that for?"
"What are our rules Henry?"
"But he-" Henry stopped at the look on her face, and then sighed, "No biting the bartenders and no growling at the clients. But he said it was a date."
"So, what, I can't date a client but you're allowed to go out to eat all the time?"
"That's completely unrelated, not to mention unfair, and you know it."
Vicki just shook her head, but she smiled too. "Just get me to the door."
"I should just leave you here."
"You do and I'll never talk to you again."
Henry smiled now, "Well, I can't have that." He said as he took her hand, pulling her back through the throng of people, safely to the exit and then home.
Mike found himself staring down at another young girl with identical bullet wounds to the first girl.
"Her name is Isabelle Jones…"
"Does she have any connection to the first girl?" Mike asked, cutting Dave off.
"Two actually. The first is that they're both ex-girlfriends of some guy named Brian Morton. The second is that they're both singers, and the last place either performed was that new club, Body English.
"Good. We'll run a check on this Morton guy, and we'll have to go the club. It'll be closed tomorrow, so we'll check it tomorrow night. For now, let's let the forensic team take over."
Before he could leave, Kate called to him. "Hey Mike?"
He turned back to her, and as she walked towards him he couldn't help but notice that she really was an attractive woman; she had great legs too.
Reining his thoughts back in, he tuned in just in time to hear her ask whether or not he'd like to have dinner. A million and one answers popped into his head, but the one that came out was, "I'd love to."
Her smile, however, was worth it. "Great. I'll meet you at Champion House at six?"
"Sure."
On the walk home, about every five seconds, Vicki could feel Henry's glance sweep over her. Finally, as they reached her apartment building, she'd had enough. She stopped dead in her tracks, tightened her grip on Henry's arm, and swung him around to face her.
"What?"
One of Henry's brows went up and he cocked his head to the side.
"Just because I can't see very well in the dark doesn't mean that I can't sense your little looks. Now what is it?"
Henry considered his next words carefully. "Can you actually sing?"
"As a matter of fact I can. I won my high school talent show three years in a row. Was that it?"
The brow went back up and was joined by a grin. "Why, we're you expecting something else?"
Vicki grinned back, but only shrugged and walked inside.
Well, what do you guys think? Don't forget to answer the survey!!
Survey Question
1) If you had the choice, would you rather: a) Vicki and Henry get together the way they are, b) Henry regains his mortality and they live out their lives together, c) Vicki becomes immortal and stays with Henry forever, or d) Vicki kicks Kate's ass and gets together with Mike
Thanks everyone, I look forward to your answers!
Mia21