CSI:NY The Saints Aren't Coming

Marianne

Chapter 39: Marianne

Gus nervously yanked down on the hem of her very short, and very glittery silver tank dress. She felt like a walking disco ball and was praying that she didn't run into any midgets less they see more of her than even her gynecologist saw.

Thank god she was able to slip out of the precinct wearing a tench coat, otherwise she never would have heard the end of it from the guys.

Unfortunately, she had to leave the protective covering of the coat in the car and was now tottering up the street in what could only be described as 'hooker heels' and was praying she didn't fall flat on her almost exposed ass.

"This isn't going to work", she groaned, surveying the line snaking around the club behind the velvet ropes that were headed up by a very nasty looking, and apparently very discriminating bouncer.

"We'll be fine, just remember the cover story," Doyle said, leading her by her elbow.

Gus sniffed, "I've got the cover story, I just don't see how anyone is going to buy that I am am still a co-ed, for Christ's sake."

"You've seen these girls, they've done a lot of hard living in a short amount of time," Doyle countered.

"Are you saying I look like I've done a lot of hard living?" Gus shot back.

Jimmy Doyle looked stunned for a moment and then shook his head, "I've been married far too long to fall for anything like that."

Gus sighed with relief once they were past the bouncer, who waved them in after leering at Gus and taking the money Doyle slipped deftly into his giant paw.

The club was packed, on multiple themed levels and the lighting was such that you couldn't tell anyone's age very accurately. Gus felt this was good for her and very bad for potential victims.

She was perched on a bar stool when a sleazy looking man in a long leather coat sidled up next to her. Doyle had been running interference all night on the college boys and Wall Street types that had come her way, but he let this man get very close with no warning. Gus assumed this had to be a player.

"May I buy you a drink?" the olive skinned man asked, leaning in close so Gus could hear him over the music.

She took note of his accent, trying to place it, while taking in every detail about his face. "I already have one," she replied, gesturing at her cranberry and soda.

"Perhaps, some champagne in the lounge. Lovely drink for a lovely girl," the man continued, gently stroking her forearm.

Gus suppressed a shudder, this man had evil oozing from every pore. "But I don't even know your name,"she twittered, twisting a lock of hair around her finger.

"You may call me Marco, and what may I call you?" he prodded, looking around the room in a practiced manner.

Gus barely caught the hand signal he gave to anther man standing near a railing above them, she was praying Doyle had caught it as well. "I'm Savannah", Gus answered, extending her hand.

"Ah, Savannah, beautiful place, beautiful name, beautiful woman. So, are you visiting the city?" he asked, shaking her hand and then pulling her to her feet.

"No, I'm a student." Gus didn't give him anything more, wanting to see where he was going.

"A student, I see, and what do you study?" Marco pressed on, leading her up a set of stairs.

Gus tried to keep her story on script, while not falling in her tall heels, "Um, I haven't really decided yet, but I need to soon, or my parents will stop paying tuition and then I will have to move home to Alabama and I really don't want to do that, I hate it there."