It was mood-lit, full of shouting men, and fluttering dollar bills. Women were objectified, though he often wondered if they were as mentally incapable as his boss said, and often the root source of some of the problems in this bar. Gil Grissom hated it instantly.

But, as always, he was getting fieldwork, and that involved getting hair samples, footprints, and things like that. He had tried to get the lab work instead, but no, Conrad was deliberately being difficult. However, the minute Conrad had found out the newer recruit was going to a strip club, he had been trying to trade cases...and Grissom wasn't going for it. Not entirely typical of him, but hey, it justified the ends.

The music blared as a voluptuous black haired woman hit the stage. Though he wasn't considered `hip' so to speak, Grissom could recognize the synthesizer and gravel-ly staccato music as "Do you Think I'm Sexy?" The woman was dressed in a catholic schoolgirl outfit, and he frowned at the tastelessness of it. Several of the men below were howling, but a couple were simply talking, even when the stripper went to their tables.

Grissom turned around to look for Brian, another young officer assigned to the case, but he was watching the stripper intently. Shrugging, he turned and walked to the bar, pushing aside a few men. The bar tender, a muscular looking man with the nametag of Jason, looked over at him and immediately poured a shot for him. "First timers get two complimentary shots, buddy," Jason told him, starting to turn away when Grissom flashed his badge at him.

"I'm with LV Crime. Sorry, but I can't take it," he said and Jason froze, his face tightening before that friendly grin was back. "Hey, you wouldn't have happened to see a man about my height, with long brown hair and glass through here? He had a tattoo on his arm of a tiger. Big man." The bar tender seemed to think about it as he poured another drink for the man beside Grissom before he nodded.

"Yeah, I remember him. He hasn't been here a few days though. Usually came in around this time, he was a regular. Tipped the girls big time, and rumour is that a couple of girls tipped him as well."

"Alright then, who knew him well?" Grissom asked.

"Well, Jimmy the manager of course. He's friendly with all the customers." Jason broke off suddenly and groaned. "For God's sake, Taffy...classless." Grissom turned and saw the black-haired woman on her knees trying to entice a man to slip a bill into her half-undone bra. Jason was watching with remarkable interest though.

"Hey, where can I find Jimmy? I just need to get some information from him." Jason shook himself from his little trance and glanced at Grissom.

"Yo, Jason! I need some tequila. Get me the bottle!" a thin, lanky man ordered from the other end of the bar. Jason turned and nodded before he looked back at Grissom.

"Yeah, he'll be along the wall as usual. You can catch him probably. He watches all the newbies dance. And that Taffy...she ain't lastin'," Jason commented. He suddenly passed Grissom the shot, who shook his head and tried to push it back. Jason grinned. "You're gonna need it."

Brian was questioning customers now, but he looked far too much at home in this crowd. Why oh why was he paired with Grissom? Ah well, it could have worse. Most of the men in Grissom's shift would be drooling by now. Grissom himself could just not find this entertaining though. The black haired woman was off the stage now; holding a few dollar bills to her chest as a bouncer followed with her clothing. Her face as filled with humiliation, and Grissom realized that she was probably no more than nineteen years old. Despite himself, his heart went out to the poor girl.

Jimmy was a well-dressed, average looking man with a mole on his cheek. He didn't look all too welcoming, but as the black-haired girl went by him, he gave her arm a squeeze and pushed her on. The girl's face relaxed as she disappeared into the back room. Jimmy saw Grissom approaching and saw the way the young man walked. Not a customer.

"Jimmy? My name is Gil Grissom. I'm with the LV Crime Lab." They shook hands and Jimmy sighed.

"I bet this is about Randy," he said wistfully and Grissom looked at him in surprise. "Hey, this may be a strip club, but things are always what they seem. Randy was a good customer and he was nice to my girls. If only they were all like that." Jimmy gestured to a few men drinking beers and hollering their heads off at waitresses. "He was a good friend. I was sad to hear about his death."

"Yeah well, I have a few questions," Grissom told him and Jimmy nodded, leaning against the wall. He caught sight of the shot glass held uncomfortably in Grissom's hand.

"Jason? God, he thinks every man needs to drink. Which is what makes him a great bartender, you know?" Grissom shrugged and held it in his hand more firmly.

"Do you know of any Randy's dealings in this place?" Grissom asked him and Jimmy shrugged.

"I don't know where he sold, but he dealt drugs on the side. Would have made him plenty of enemies, I'd think," Jimmy mentioned, but he was watching the bouncers circling the room. The lights darkened.

"Do you know of any of your girls that would have..." Jimmy held up a hand.

"Hold that thought. It's about to get very loud in hear. Cat's coming out and they love her," Jimmy told him. Grissom stopped and leaned against the wall as Jimmy's attention left him to the stage.

Step inside, walk this way
You and me babe, hey hey

A woman, clad in a black cat suit, strode out from behind backstage just as a heavy guitar and drum mix began to pound in the air. She stopped, gracefully bending over to brace herself on her fingertips. Her head flung back, a cascade of blonde waves whipping back as she dropped to her knees. The men in the room, even the bouncers, roared in approval as she unzipped the top half. The top hanging in halves on her slender frame, she strode directly to the center pole.

Love is like a bomb, baby, c'mon get it on
Livin' like a lover with a radar phone
Lookin' like a tramp, like a video vamp
Demolition woman, can I be your man
Your man

Razzle 'n' a dazzle 'n' a flash a little light
Television lover, baby, go all night
Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet
Little miss-a-innocent sugar me, yeah

Grissom couldn't help watching avidly this time. This Cat was obviously far more experienced than Taffy, but there was a raw energy that she exuded that seemed to infect the audience. She passed the pole he saw the zippers that went all the way from her ankle to her hips. He gave himself a shake, not used to watch dancers like this. The fact was, normally he hated strip clubs, and this sort of music. But as he raised his eyes and looked at the woman's face, he realized that she truly enjoyed this dancing-far more than could be expected at times-, and despite himself, his eyes followed her one hand as it seductively travelled down her thighs and calves to tug the zipper up to her calf on one leg. With the same pattern of seduction, she did the same with the other leg.

You got the peaches, I got the cream
Sweet to taste saccharine
'Cos I'm hot, so hot, sticky sweet
From my head, my head to my feet
To my feet
Do you take sugar, one lump or two?

The Cat jumped agilely into the air and swung around the pole, her hair flying around her before she landed. He leg lifted and hooked around the pole as she shrugged off her jacket, coyly looking over her shoulder to the crowd as she pressed her breasts against the pole. Grissom locked eyes with her, and immediately forgot to breathe when she seemed to smile at him. She bent over backwards suddenly, her body arching into the air just before her legs lifted. The Cat rolled and moved in exact time and rhythm to the music, her hair moving around her like a banner before she stood again.

You gotta squeeze a little, squeeze a little
Tease a little more
Easy operator come-a-knockin' on my door
Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet
Little miss innocent sugar me, yeah
Give a little more
Take a bottle, shake it up
Break the bubble, break it up
Pour some sugar on me, ooh, in the name of love
Pour some sugar on me, c'mon fire me up
Pour your sugar on me, oh, I can't get enough
I'm hot, sticky sweet from my head to my feet yeah

Her eyes refocused on Grissom as she unzipped the sides of her pants completely and tossed them into the crowd, her eyes never leaving him. He was glad though that the stripper couldn't see him completely, nor see his eyes. Clad in her black lace undergarments and her high-heeled shoes, her hands slipped up her shoulders in a brief caress. She winked at him before turning to the crowd again. She used the pole to accent every movement she did as her legs held her in place.

Listen
Red light, yellow light, green-a-light go
Crazy little woman in a one man show
Mirror queen, mannequin, rhythm of love
Sweet dream, saccharine, loosen up
I loosen up

With a skilful movement, she undid her front clasp but held it to her chest still. One of the front row men jumped up and waved at her. She walked over to him and placed a high-heeled foot on his chest gently. The man looked like he was in heaven and even Grissom couldn't help the small tinge of jealousy he felt. Smiling, the Cat leaned down and deftly took the bills he held with her teeth. She spun around, leaving him with her bra in his hands.

You gotta squeeze a little, squeeze a little
Tease a little more
Easy operator come-a-knockin' on my door
Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet
Little miss innocent sugar me, yeah
Give a little more
You got the peaches, I got the cream
Sweet to taste saccharine
'Cos I'm hot, so hot, sticky sweet
From my head, my head to my feet
To my feet
Do you take sugar, one lump or two?

Clearly unashamed of her nudity, she moved on and dipped her body low in time with the ending music. The men hollered, trying to get her attention like the other man, but she coyly kept to the centre and leaned against the pole.

Take a bottle, take a bottle
Shake it up, shake it up
Break the bubble, break it up
Break it up
Pour some sugar on me, ooh, in the name of love
Pour some sugar on me, c'mon fire me up
Pour your sugar on me, oh, I can't get enough
Pour some sugar on me, oh, in the name of love
Pour some sugar on me, get it, come get it
Pour your sugar on me, ooh
Pour some sugar on me, yeah
Sugar Me...

As the music started to die, she opened her legs and slid down, her body arching up as her head tilted back. She continued to drop down until she was flat on her back and the music died.

Cheers and applause roared throughout the room as she picked herself up and grinned at the crowd. Jimmy turned to see Grissom still watching the young woman quite avidly. "Yeah...she's good, isn't she? One of my best up-and-comers; I hardly put her on tables any more. She can give five awesome floor shows a night, so I don't hassle her," he commented proudly. Grissom didn't seem to hear him as he watched the stripper be handed, not thrown, bills of money. She gave each man a warm smile before she stood, almost prancing off the stage happily. Grissom caught his breath again, and ignored the pounding in his blood. While Jimmy was gesturing to one of the bouncers, Grissom did the unthinkable and drank the small shot quickly. "So, what were you going to ask about the girls?" Jimmy asked as he turned back to the young man.

"Oh, right. Well, what girls do you know that would have known Randy Jefferies? Maybe he sent things to them..." Grissom asked, shifting against the wall.

"Well...Daphne and Mini would have, but they're not working tonight. I don't even know where they're staying. They moved in together, so they're just getting things organized. Come to think of it, they're usually out in the casinos. But they are working tomorrow night and they never miss a day. I pull them from their 11 pm shift if you want to talk to them," Jimmy offered and Grissom nodded.

"I'd appreciate it." Jimmy suddenly snapped his fingers.

"I'll check out the girls in the back and see who got stuff from him." He suddenly jogged into the back room while Grissom exhaled and turned to see Brian waving at him from a table.

"Damn, was that frickin' hot or what, Grissom?" Brian commented as Grissom sat across from him against the wall.

"The Manager, Jimmy, is a little too friendly I think. What'd you find out?" Grissom asked, suppressing a groan as Brian shrugged casually.

"Mostly the same stuff. These guys aren't here to talk to other men, Grissom, they're here to watch women get naked. And not speaking as a cop, I would love to get that dancer's body around my pole." Grissom cringed at the crudeness of the comment, but before he could say anything a voice dripping with sarcasm spoke from behind Brian,

"Personally, I enjoy larger poles than yours to slide down, babe. That, and I don't screw cops." The dancer from before suddenly sat down beside Brian while Jimmy sat beside Grissom. He gave a small gesture to a waitress.

"Cat, this is Gil Grissom with LV Crime, and his associate..."

"Brian Biatt, Las Vegas Police," Brian offered. Jimmy gave a nod.

"They're looking into Randy's death. Gentlemen, this is Cat..."

"I hate that nickname, James." She scowled at the manager before nodding to the young men, "My name is Catherine." Jimmy suddenly swore.

"Ah shit. Deb's doing `Like a Virgin'. Cindy is going to kill her. Excuse me." He left just as Catherine pulled her black robe tighter around herself. Brian coughed, and quietly began to question her.

Grissom merely watched, taking everything in. She looked rather young, but there was age and experience in her blue eyes. And she was very beautiful to him. Grissom rarely, if ever, was attracted to women since his break-up with his long-time girlfriend Lisa. But this Catherine...

Catherine answered as best as she could, but she was distracted. She could feel the other man -Grissom she thought his name was- eyes watching her every gesture and move. He had almost thrown her off in her dance routine, simply because of his intensity. Catherine wasn't used to feeling like she was being examined, and mentally, she tried to think of all the molecular compounds and equations she need to know for that test tomorrow afternoon. She couldn't.

She was stronger than this, but when she locked eyes with the man, she felt his intelligence. God, could he tell that she was not being completely and utterly honest with him? She wasn't a druggie, in her own opinion, but Randy had thrown a few parties and A plus B usually equalled C. C for Catherine, she thought stupidly as she ripped her eyes away from Grissom. She needed a cigarette, despite her decisions to quit.

"Are you feeling well, ma'am?" Grissom suddenly asked, interrupting Brian, and Catherine jumped. She hadn't noticed her hands shaking.

"Yeah...post dance nerves, you know? Are we done here?" she demanded, trying not to run off. Brian gave a nod and Catherine all but ran to the bar. Grissom watched with complete focus as Jason served her a drink. Brian stood up and gave him a hard nudge. Grissom followed the young cop out of the club, but before he left, he glanced over his shoulder and his eyes locked with Catherine, partly in suspicion, and partially in curiosity.

He got the feeling that things weren't what they seemed...