Chapter Seven
Catherine was just finishing getting dressed when she heard a discrete knock at the door. "Come on in, we're decent."
Warrick and Brass walked in.
"So, what'd you boys think of our little floor show?" Catherine asked slyly.
"You might consider doing a side job as an exotic dancer still because you've definitely got the moves," Brass replied with an admiring look her way.
"Brass man's right, Catherine, you got it and then some," Warrick agreed with a wide dimpled grin.
"Well, now how about my sidekick?" Catherine countered, draping an arm over Iris' shoulder.
"Uh, not necessary…," Iris started to say.
"Iris, you convinced me that Catherine is your lady love," Warrick said in a low voice so as not to be overheard outside the door.
Brass made a noncommittal shrug and said nothing.
Iris dropped her eyes a moment and then looked only toward Catherine and Warrick. "I think we'd better go on and do the mix and mingle at the bar."
"Right, see you gents later," Catherine said while she and Iris left the dressing room.
"Brass, what the hell? Iris did great too and you know it!" Warrick said angrily but still keeping a low volume of voice after the door had shut behind the women.
"We'll just have to agree to disagree, Rick," Brass said with the hint of a jutting jaw that Warrick knew too well meant further discussion was not an option.
* * * * *
Drae was mixing up a round of drinks, one of Nick's table orders, while he waited by the bar. Catherine and Iris walked up hand in hand to join the women lined up at the counter and each took a seat on a bar stool.
"You two ladies had a great set. No competition from those other two," Nick said to Catherine.
"Thanks. Did we hear Dominique say your name was Nick?" she replied.
"That's right, ma'am," Nick drawled.
"You're not from Vegas. That's a Texas twang sure as I'm sitting here," Iris piped up.
"I'm from big "D" originally," Nick grinned.
"Really, I lived in Dallas for several years before moving here less than two years ago myself," Iris smiled back.
"Too bad we can't rodeo together," Nick told Catherine with a wide ear-to-ear grin.
"Well, sugah, if'n I was ever to consider that trail it'd be with someone like you," Catherine said with an exaggerated southern accent.
"Hey, remember who wears the pants and brought you here," Iris grumbled with a miffed look.
"Sweetie, you're my one and only," Catherine reassured her with a kiss on the cheek. "I think we're a hit here."
Drae gestured at Nick that the drinks were ready and he excused himself before she turned her attention to Catherine.
"You're right about that…you sure wowed the crowd," Drae agreed. "What'll you ladies have? It's on the house at Dom's request."
"I'll have a Fuzzy Screw," Catherine said suggestively with a wink at Iris.
"I'll see what I can do about that later, hon, okay? Make mine a strawberry-banana daiquiri, please," Iris giggled with a return wink.
Warrick was strolling casually by just then making a round through the crowd and heard their banter. His eyes widened but he remained silent as he moved on.
"Coming right up," Drae replied and went to work on the drinks.
"There they are!" a voice shouted.
Catherine and Iris both turned to see a tall, slender, exotic looking woman with flowing curly ebony hair, almond-shaped amber eyes, café au lait skin and a very well-endowed buxom region approach them walking arm-in-arm with a slightly shorter also well-built woman with layered strawberry blonde hair pulled back and blue-gray eyes. The taller woman took her seat on the vacant stool by Catherine as the other woman remained standing beside her with an arm around her waist. A move Iris took to be possessive.
"I'm Brittani Hampton. We've been looking for you two. We absolutely adored your songs and I told my partner we just had to meet you," the taller young woman gushed while introducing herself in an accented voice.
"Hello, I'm Megan Weiss. Hope we're not barging in on you two," the shorter woman said with a thin smile while shaking hands with Iris and then Catherine.
"Brittani, sweetheart, what's your pleasure?" asked Drae.
"I don't know yet but I might be looking at it," giggled Brittani at Catherine.
"Are you flirting with me?" Catherine queried with a raised eyebrow.
"She flirts with everyone," Drae said as Brittani tossed her head.
"That's true and I should know," Megan said softly to Iris.
"Hey, they're new here and I'm just being friendly," Brittani said defensively.
"Oh, hon, you're the first to introduce yourselves and we're totally new to clubbing. We did the karaoke thing just to get our feet wet. I'm Catherine and this is my partner, Iris," Catherine said as she hugged Brittani and then Megan.
"Drae, darling, could I have my usual Orgasm and Megan her Rearbuster," Brittani purred.
Drae rolled her eyes with a slight smirk and went to work on the drink requests before she posed a question to Iris. "How long have you been together?"
"About eight months. We'd been working together longer than that," Iris replied, finding she had the full attention of Brittani and Megan. Catherine was attentive to keep her reminded of their "past."
"Oh and where is work?" Drae asked. She felt these would be new regulars and she made sure she knew all of her regulars well.
"We work for the Vegas crime lab," Catherine replied.
"Is this about the murders?" Brittani gasped.
"Nasty business," Drae commented with nods of agreement from the other women.
"Here's the thing. Iris and I were involved on the first three murders helping with the forensic field investigative work. We were a couple but had been totally discrete at work about it. We didn't go out anywhere except in group work situations. No one knew about us, not coworkers, not even our family. We hadn't come out to anyone. When we knew the victims had one thing in common, that they were family, the mainstream investigation was just dragging along. Iris and I went to our superiors and demanded more be done and announced we were in a committed relationship. We were told to "keep quiet" about that and promised that the investigation would be stepped up. Not long thereafter we were pulled from the forensic work entirely and reassigned to other lab duties," Catherine said angrily with flashing blue eyes.
"That's discrimination, pure and simple!" Drae exclaimed. "You're going to fight it and sue their asses, right?"
"I know a very good lawyer and she may be here tonight," Megan offered.
"We'd like to think things have progressed in acceptance," Brittani shook her head.
"Catherine and I exposed our necks when we came out but we can't stand by and watch women being killed simply because of their preference," Iris declared. "We're here to take a stand and a lawsuit isn't out of the question." She downed the rest of her daiquiri.
"Brave of you, ladies, personally and professionally," Drae concurred and gave them a round of fresh drinks.
"Brittani, can I say you're one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. I simply adore your look top to bottom and I hear the hint of a lilting English accent," Iris observed truthfully.
"I'll second that on the gorgeous part," Drae agreed with a nod at Brittani.
"Don't let me get a big head now," laughed Brittani. "That's astute of you, Iris. I am from England originally. My mother is of Ethiopian descent while my father is as English vanilla as they get. I work as a professional lingerie model, places like Victoria's Secret."
"I am very partial to this mix then and come to think of it I have seen you in the VS catalogs," Catherine said as she licked her swizzle stick.
Brittani had a gleam in her eye as she impulsively took Catherine's hand. "Wanna dance?"
"I thought you'd never ask," Catherine said.
As the women left for the dance floor, Megan looked on wistfully.
"Trouble at home?" Iris asked loudly as she leaned over to be heard but also giving an encouraging pat on Megan's hand.
"Not really. I've just accepted the fact that Brittani has a roving eye but she views me as her steady so I'm content with that," Megan smiled but still looked pensive.
"You want to go out there too?" Iris gestured toward the dance floor with the sea of gyrating and/or entwining bodies as the music throbbed and light effects strobed overhead. Brittani was glued to Catherine as the two danced.
"No thanks, I'm not really one to dance unless it might be the horah," Megan replied with a chuckle.
"Ah, you're Jewish," Iris said.
"Very good, yeah, one of the lost tribes, you know the thirteenth," Megan said wryly.
"Thirteenth?" Iris asked.
"Uh-huh…of Lesbos," Megan replied self-deprecatingly.
"Oooookay," Iris said slowly.
"You want to hear my testimony?" Megan laughed hollowly.
"Sure, go ahead," Iris moved to sit right by her and hear better.
"My parents came unglued when I told them a few years back. I was tired of living a lie, this half-life my mom was sure I would follow in her steps of marriage and babies. She believes that's what women are created for and she's old school so no going back on that. I had a horrible argument with my folks and ugly things were said that I can't forgive. There had to be a complete break so I moved to Vegas five years ago. I'm working for one of the top law firms as a paralegal. I'm also going to school to get my degree in law. I met Brittani a few months ago and at first I thought it was a fluke. This drop-dead gorgeous woman interested in me of all people. She was dancing here with someone else like she is tonight and I was mesmerized by her. Our eyes met and she smiled at me. She danced with me next and we've been together ever since. Mind you I've never staked a claim or tried to say we're exclusive to each other but in my heart we are," Megan finished as she looked fondly out at Brittani who was dancing up a storm with Catherine.
"Wow, that's tough about your parents. My mother's gone and my father lives back in New York where he's from originally. He's still not speaking to me and my siblings back in Indiana refuse to accept it. They've all said I'm welcome to visit sans Catherine which I won't do. Family can be very hard to win over if ever," Iris said sympathetically.
"Well, my family is now here in Vegas with the friends I've made through the clubs and a lesbian support group that has some fellow sister Jews. Best of all, I have Brittani," Megan said emphatically.
"Megan, you're very lucky to have Brittani. Granted, she's on the promiscuous side but she's always been open about her tastes," Drae chimed in after serving another patron at the bar counter.
"Right you are, Drae, another Rearbuster if you please," agreed Megan.
"Drae, are you spoken for?" Iris asked between sips of her drink.
"Yeah, my honey's working this evening. What sucks is we have to keep things discrete because a former girlfriend of hers has been making trouble and trying to break us up but love conquers all as they say," Drae replied with a somewhat sarcastic chuckle.
Catherine and Brittani had finished their tour on the dance floor and walked back to the bar. Megan didn't hesitate in welcoming Brittani back with a hearty kiss and long hug. Iris received a quick peck on the cheek from Catherine before she sat by her again.
"You two were all over the place out there," Megan said admiringly.
"Iris, we were getting all kinds of compliments out there including invites to go home with several of other women," Catherine informed her.
"Hmmm," Iris appeared to be mulling this over with a hand over her mouth while she was actually gulping in thinking of a response.
"You'd go home with us before any of that other so-called competition, some of which are out and out skanks!" exclaimed Brittani.
"We haven't tried swapping yet…but you never know," Iris laughed.
"Keep us at the top of that list then," Megan said but with a faint catch in her voice while trying to look enthused.
"So we have to watch out for ATM's and peanut butter thighs?" Catherine asked.
"Huh?" Brittani looked confused.
"What?" Megan echoed the same confusion.
"You mean you don't know that ATM's are for anything that moves and peanut butter spreads easily," Catherine snickered.
"Catherine, lovey, you are too much!" Brittani roared with laughter.
Megan joined in with a series of escalating chuckles while Iris just slowly shook her head at her partner.
"You'll just have to find out," Catherine said with an "I dare you" look as she impulsively caught Brittani in her arms and they exchanged a long, probing kiss.
Warrick was transfixed by what he was observing from the other end of the bar as he conversed briefly with two young women who were appreciative that he and Jim were there for security. He glanced in the direction of Brass who was watching with an increasingly dour expression.
Iris coughed politely after several moments. "Okay, do you two have to get a room?"
"Mmmm, I don't know if I could wait that long because you're as tasty as you look," Brittani confirmed to Catherine as she ran her tongue slowly across her lips.
"I think we've had enough excitement for one night, honey. We have to be to work early, remember?" Iris reminded Catherine.
"We're out but maybe we can get together some time before next Friday," Catherine told Brittani.
"Sure, Megan is a homebody during the week but we'd love to go for dinner and a movie or whatever else you had in mind," Brittani replied with a sly smile as she said "whatever."
"I could dance all night," sighed Catherine when suddenly found herself being lead by Iris to the dance floor.
"You're being very convincing, my sweet, but your wish is my command and I can accommodate this part," Iris grinned at her.
* * * * *
Brass sidled up to Warrick as they observed their coworkers at the bar. Warrick was still irritated by Brass not noting Iris' contribution to the first night of their undercover assignment. He was puzzled that Jim would readily acknowledge Catherine and not their junior member. Iris was an established level two now and generally Brass had treated her as he would the rest of the CSI team.
"Iris looks to be holding her own over there," Warrick observed.
"So far," Jim said. "Catherine didn't hesitate and seems the more relaxed of the two."
Warrick rolled his eyes and gave up on that line of conversation.
Nick was strolling by with an empty drink tray and stopped moment to take brief break. He pointed toward the kitchen where there was just one men's room for the male staff as he gestured at Drae. She nodded and went back to her bartending duties.
"How's it going?" Nick drawled.
"Catherine looks to be a sure thing and Iris is keeping right up," Warrick grinned.
"You should hear them over there. I'd have a hard time knowing they weren't regulars here," Nick observed with a knowing wink.
"Makes you wonder how the rest of this is going to play out," Jim considered as they all saw Iris and Catherine heading to the dance floor. His arms were folded and the expression on his face was anything but one of approval. The crowd made immediate room for the women as slower Latin-type dance music started and Iris took Catherine along in a slow version of the tango with expert dips and gliding steps. Clapping came from the inner ring of admirers as the dance came to an end with Iris kissing Catherine's hand.
Drae was talking to Nick when Catherine and Iris came by to say good night.
"You two sure have some suave moves and you made quite an impression on Brittani and Megan," Drae commented.
"I was hearing from several of the ladies throughout the night and only heard good things about you too," Nick confirmed.
"Catherine and I love to dance and it's helped me a lot with my fencing," Iris smiled at her partner.
Another woman sitting nearby at the bar couldn't resist joining the conversation.
"Fencing, you mean with swords, right?"
"Yes, it's a hobby of mine," Iris replied amiably.
"Ha, that's why you're familiar to me! I go to the Las Vegas Fencing Club too. If you ever want to duel over Catherine or for that matter Brittani, I'm Twila," the other woman laughed while shaking hands with Iris.
"Twila, you'll never give up trying to find a way into Brittani's pants," chided Megan with a roll of her eyes.
Twila's reply was to dart her tongue rapidly in and out between her lips like a snake.
"Promises, promises, love," Brittani laughed as Megan possessively placed a hand on her shoulder with a smirk at Twila.
"Can you blame me?" Twila winked at Iris before she left to pursue a new interest giving her the eye on the dance floor.
"I suppose not," Iris said to Megan who shook her head.
"They never stop hitting on her!" Megan grumbled.
"Honey, will you still drop me off at home instead of your place tonight. Mom's only watching Lindsey until midnight," Catherine asked Iris and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
"Lindsey?" Drae asked.
"Yes, she's my 14-year-old going on 21 daughter. I've been divorced for a long time and my ex died a couple of years ago. It was a bad marriage for different reasons. I trust my kid but this one older boy's been hitting on her, trying to call or text her, chat on the PC, you name it. I don't get a good feeling about him at all. Sure as I leave her alone I'm betting her college fund he'd try to show up and, well, you know," Catherine said in a rush.
"Yeah, kids are in a hurry to grow up too soon," Drae agreed. "We'll see you Friday then."
"Hey, Catherine, nature calls," Iris told her as she jerked her thumb toward the ladies room.
Brass was walking by and Drae motioned him over.
"Detective, you look parched, how about a club soda?" Drae held up a shot glass amiably.
"Yeah, thanks," Brass said and took Iris' stool by Catherine.
"Looks like I get to enjoy your company for a few more minutes," Catherine smiled at Drae but gave Jim a surreptitious nudge in the ribs. "Have you always bartended?"
"Nope, I've been in the Air Force as a medic which was a great way to travel and see the world. I've had some college – math was one of my favorite subjects. I've done some freelance writing for a crime drama series that shoots in Los Angeles. I've been doing bartending for about five years now. It pays well and the tips are killer…oops, poor choice of words…until my writing takes off, so this pays the bills," Drae said between filling drink orders but prioritized Jim's club soda and set his on a napkin before him.
"I was a Marine back in the 60's and did two tours in 'Nam," Jim said to establish something they had in common.
"Something about you hollered jarhead to me! I was out before nine-eleven but couldn't go back in due to family problems," Drae gave him a broad smile, poured herself a Coke, and raised a toast, "Here's to semper fidelis and above all."
"Cheers," Jim added as glasses were clinked as Catherine joined in.
Jim listened to the conversation but maintained a more focused expression of scanning the crowd.
Iris now rejoined Catherine and noted Brass had taken her spot. Jim started to get up but Iris placed a hand on his arm. "Please stay, Detective." They shared a look briefly as Iris moved to Catherine's other side. They all watched the bartender's fingers dance over the touch screen monitor with numbers as she expertly rang up drink after drink. Nick gave them a smile as he stopped by to pick up another round of drinks.
"That one's proving to be a very popular waiter, so I make sure he's serving the best tippers," Drae commented before taking another waitress' order.
Iris took the chance to lean over and speak to Catherine who noted her wide-eyed expression. "You won't believe the action going on in the bathroom! I thought I saw four pairs of legs in the handicapped stall at any given moment. There was some heavy action going on from the sounds inside. Drugs are being freely used and exchanged. Some of these chicks can't wait to get home or I suppose it's strike while the iron and the mood are hot."
"Dorothy, you're not in Kansas anymore," Catherine said slyly.
Drae was getting ready to resume her conservation with them when a woman three bar stools down from suddenly screeched at Drae, "Bitch, I need another drink!"
Drae's lips clamped together in a thin line as she muttered, "Every night…" She smiled grimly at Catherine, Iris, Brittani and Megan before she held up a finger in Brass' direction and then approached the woman demanding a beverage.
"Cleo, you've had enough tonight. Where's Yvette?" Drae asked soothingly.
"Dumped me here tonight in front of all our friends and probably dancing with the whore now!" Cleo spat out angrily and her mood became morose with crying.
"I know Yvette drove so let me call you a cab to get you home," Drae recommended as she tried to remove the empty glass from the sobbing woman's hands.
Cleo's mood shifted again as she batted Drae's hands away and smashed the glass on the bar counter the bowl of the glass breaking in two from the stem. She held the jagged stem of the wine glass and jabbed it at Drae. "Stay away! I'll cut you! Yvette…Yvette." Cleo stopped and seemed to realize herself and dropped the broken glass with a moan. Brass had slowly approached from behind and firmly grasped the woman's arms to her side.
"Miss, we'll call you a cab. You know the club rules. You're in no shape to try and go home on your own," Brass told her coaxingly.
Cleo suddenly broke free of Jim's hold and spun to face him. "Maybe I should try men! They can't be any different! Come on, handsome, interested in a free ride tonight?" She clutched at him and tried to lay a sloppy kiss on Brass.
Jim looked alarmed for just one moment, keeping the woman at arm's length and looking at the bartender. "Drae?"
"Cab's on the way. I gave them her home address and requested a female driver…a burly one who comes by here often to take patrons whose capacity to drive home safely is nil," Drae grinned at him.
"Thanks. Cleo, come on and sit down. Drae's called you a cab and I'll walk you out when it gets here," Jim said as the woman woodenly took a seat.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, it hurts about Yvette," Cleo blubbered and clung to Brass once more as she cried into his chest. Jim nodded slowly while he tried to give her comforting pats on the back.
"You'll get over it…we all do…eventually," Jim tried to sound consoling and confident at the same time. His heart called him a liar though as unbidden thoughts of Nancy and then Annie rose up from its depths.
After he had gotten the inebriated woman out to the cab, he came back to an applauding Dominique flanked by Warrick.
"You're very understanding, Captain Brass, a true and gallant knight," Dominique proclaimed.
"He's trying to be modest, Dom," Warrick said.
"Warrick, our other dark knight, per Drae let me know also that Cleo came close in trying to harm herself or Drae. You handled the situation beautifully and all is well. I do my best to see to it that all of our guests have a wonderful night," Dominique observed.
"I'm just doing the job, Dom. We've all had a night like this where it all goes to crap," Jim said with a shrug."
As Catherine and Iris walked by Brass while he chatted with Dominique, he gave a discrete thumbs-up toward Catherine that Iris observed but for her there wasn't the barest hint of recognition.
Because of the killings, the Girl Bar on its busiest nights of Friday and Saturday had decided to close early by 1 a.m. and supervise the exit of all patrons and staff before security could leave.
Drae and Nick were walking out and noticed Jim and Warrick also in the parking lot.
Nick walked Drae over to her vehicle. He stopped in astonishment.
"Is that what I think it is?" he gasped.
"Yeah, this is my pride and joy, a red 1949 Ford Woody station wagon. It was my dad's originally and it became mine when he passed away. It's been my daily driver ever since," Drae said affectionately as she patted the left front fender.
"Very cool ride," Nick agreed.
Drae pulled out a cigarette and offered Nick one.
"Nope, don't smoke," Nick declined.
"No problem," Drae started patting her pockets for a lighter when a flame suddenly appeared in front of her nose. Brass always carried a lighter and came to her rescue. She leaned into it as the end of the cigarette glowed red.
"Thanks a lot." Drae stood back and blew a long gray plume of smoke into the night air away from the others. "I appreciate you taking care of Cleo the way you did. She takes rejection pretty hard and thought Yvette was going to be the one. You know how that goes."
"Yeah, when you feel like you've been kicked in the crotch so hard you puke up your balls," Brass commented and then realizing mixed company apologized.
"No, I don't but I can imagine," Drae replied with a deep, husky laugh.
"Guess we can call it a night then. See you all next Friday," Warrick said in farewell. "See you back at Metro, Jim."
"'Night, Rick. You two need to shove off too. I'm the last one out," Brass told Drae and Nick flatly.
* * * * *
Three hours later, Brass was sawing logs when his cell phone rang by his bed. Muttering about the sweet dream interrupted with the red-haired bartender at the Toby Keith bar that seemed to be a recurrent one for him where he was this close to getting lucky, he rolled over, turned on the lamp on the night table and flipped the phone open. The conversation with dispatch was quick and terse: "Brass. When? Dammit. Vartann's already there? Fine."
Brass called Gil next. "Hey, Gil, you get the news?"
"Yeah, Jim, I'm on the way with Sara."
"Hell, another one…one too many."
"I got a call from Nick after the Girl Bar closed for the night. It sounds like Catherine and Iris made quite a splash."
"Catherine's doing terrific."
"Of course and Iris is up to the task also."
There were several moments of silence before Gil spoke up.
"Jim, are you there?"
"Yeah, Gil, sorry. My mind wandered a moment. Are you going to call Catherine and let her know?"
"Would you mind doing that for me, Jim? We just got here to the church parking lot."
"No, I'm up and going back to sleep ain't happening. Sure, I'll give her a buzz."
Catherine was sound asleep when the phone rang with the ring tone assigned to Brass. One eye glaring at the time on the alarm clock, she pulled a pillow over her head with a groan. The cell phone was one ring from going to voicemail when she gave up and answered. "Willows."
"Hey, hot stuff," Jim chuckled drily.
"You better have a VERY good reason for calling at this God awful hour," Catherine fumed.
"They found number seven an hour ago. Gil asked me to call you," Brass now said tonelessly.
"Jim, I'm sorry…are we needed in?" Catherine asked with a heavy sigh.
"Gil's got it covered with Sara but you'll probably want to come in later this morning as soon as you can," Brass recommended.
"I'll be there. Are you going to let Iris know?" Catherine replied.
"Uh, no, I'd rather not so if you could…" Jim started to answer.
"Jim, is something wrong? I mean between you and Iris?" Catherine's voice was tinged with worry.
"Nothing to concern yourself over," Jim sounded distant to her.
"Fine, I'll call her," Catherine said and hung up.
Jim sat up wearily. He understood Catherine had questions, so did Nick and Warrick. He had his reasons and would keep them to himself. He headed to the bathroom to take a long, long shower. His footsteps sounded hollowly as he walked down the hall.
