Free The Major Crimes Team - Vol 1: Lines of Enquiry by Graham Smith

his brain. He now lay in a hospital bed in an induced coma while doctors waited to see if his brain could repair itself from the damage wrought by the toxins.
    Since hearing the news, Lauren had bullied, demanded and coaxed information from those in his company on that fateful night. They’d told her how Christopher was fine one minute and on the ground fitting the next.
    Now she’d been asked for a superior dance, she knew she was on the right track. All doubts about being here assuaged by confirmation of the stories she’d been told. Knowing for certain didn’t make it any less risky, to either her health or career if she was uncovered, but it did give her the confidence to see it through.
    Returning to the club floor after the dance, Lauren saw Scruffy waving her across to where he and Katya stood at the bar.
    Now she had confirmation, it was all Lauren could do not to claw Katya’s eyes out. Tempting as the thought was, Lauren knew a greater satisfaction was to be had from bringing down Nicholson and whoever was behind the supply routes.
    Scruffy looked at each of them in turn. ‘Youse ready?’
    Not bothering to listen to their answers he climbed onto the bar and raised the microphone to his lips.
    ‘Iiiiit’s here! That’s right ladies and gentlemen, the time you’ve all been waiting for has arrived. We’re about to start a Shakers dance off between the sultry Monique and the devilishly dirty, Mistress Katya. The girls will dance to two tracks each and you can decide on your favourite. The loser will buy every one of you a beer while the winner will be crowned Shakers’ champion.’
    A host of cheers rang around the bar, but now the moment was at hand, Lauren’s nerves had evaporated. Armed with the surety of conviction she felt invincible. She would beat Katya. She would gain the approval of Scruffy and Nicholson. The approach to deliver the more exotic dances would soon be made and then she’d have her evidence.
    She wasn’t sure how she was going to explain having the evidence, but that was a bridge she’d cross when she came to it.
    ‘First up we have the lovely, the bow-dacious. Miiistress Katya.’
    Katya made her way onto one of the podiums playing up to the crowd as she went. As the music began, she embraced the pole and effortlessly hauled herself towards the ceiling. Halfway up the pole she stopped climbing and sat in an upright position, held in place by the strength of her thighs.
    Unhooking her bra she let herself fall backwards, flinging her arms towards the podium, the move leaving her topless and upside down. Retaking the pole in her hands she somersaulted backwards and went straight into a series of gyrations.
    Lauren watched with an analytical eye. Katya had the moves and she was brazen enough to follow through on them but there was no grace or style about her, or her act. Once exposed from the bra, her implanted breasts sat immobile on her chest like half grapefruits, her moves were more look at what I’m prepared to do, than seduction or enticement.
    Katya was naked for the whole of the second song and she used the time to display her prowess with the pole while making sure every man in the room got an eyeful.
    Scruffy led the round of applause and the cheering before introducing Lauren to the baying crowd.
    Taking her place on the other podium, Lauren was grateful Katya had warmed the crowd up first.
    She took a different approach to Katya and went for subtle seduction rather than shock and awe, only starting to remove her clothes when the second song kicked in. When the last item of her clothing hit the floor it was greeted with a load cheer.
    As the music faded out Scruffy stood on the bar and called for order. When the crowd had quietened down he raised the microphone to his lips.
    ‘Gentlemen, I have Mistress Katya on my right and Monique on my left. Please cast your vote by moving towards whichever girl gets your vote.’
    It took a couple of minutes but soon all the men in