you get what you pay for [log]

CEDRIC:
Cedric Morris stood with his hands shoved into the pockets of his coat. The fleece on the inside keeping his hands warm from the winter chill of that night. He scowled at the place of business he was about to subject himself to. His scowl deepened. He was always scowling. His colleagues had given him the nickname "smiley" as an ironic joke. He hated it. Letting a growl of annoyance out, he lifted a hand to pull out the rolled cigarette from his mouth. Letting a puff of smoke out he tossed it on the ground, and took the toe of his shoe, and squashed out the remaining embers. He pulled his shoulders back, took a deep breath, and quietly gave himself a pep talk. Get in get out. Stay focused on the job, and for god's sake, you don't actually have to partake in the activities. Just do what you need to get what you came for. With a disgruntled huff, Cedric looked both ways before he left the safety of his corner and crossed the street. Walking with purpose as he crossed to the building.

He'd staked it out for a week. Knew who came and went at what hours. When they were open, when they were slow when they were at their most busy, what night the busy night was, and watched when the girls would come and go when they weren't working. His recon had gotten him so far. Now came the hard part. His scowl was still on his face when his hand reached the doorknob, and he had to remind himself to smile or he wasn't going to get very far. He rolled his eyes up to look at the sky and muttered something under his breath about the greater good was more important than his uncomfortableness.

He yanked the door open and strutted in. His tall frame filling the doorway. His eyes glanced around at the establishment. The smell of cheap perfume and cigar smoke filling his nose immediately. It took every bit of control he had not to wrinkle his nose. He could hear the soft murmurs of voices filling the air. A mix of male and female laughter came from down the hallway. He was suddenly greeted by a tall woman with curves, smiling at him. "Can I take your coat, Sir?" She asked. Her voice was husky and sweet sounding. The definition of a bedroom voice. She had dark almond eyes, plump lips, and dressed in a red dress. Cedric barely looked at her and did as she asked. Quietly removing his coat and handing it to her. She smiled and went to hang it up before coming back. "First time?" She asked. Beaming a smile at him. He swallowed. Feeling his shoulders tense. Was he that obvious? He cleared his throat and gave her his best sheepish smile. "That obvious?" He chuckled a little. She giggled at him. "Oh, honey...Come on, we'll take care of you." She said sweetly at him. She motioned for him to follow and he did. Noticing the way her hips swayed as she moved.

She led him to an open area where the voices had been coming from. There was a bar, with bar stools, plush furniture sat around being used by several men and girls. There was what looked like a staircase to the back of the room and a balcony showing several different doors. There were a few men sitting at the bar, nursing their drinks or chatting with a girl that was giving him attention. "Sit back, relax, get comfortable." The hostess told him. She smiled at him again, placing a hand on his shoulder as she walked by. Her touch was warm, and Cedric's eyes watched her stop and talk to another girl before she went back to the front.

Cedric moved to the bar, signaling to the bartender. "What'll ya have?" The man asked. "Whisky," Cedric told him. He didn't plan on actually drinking it, but he needed it to blend in. While He waited for his drink, he pulled out the small box he kept his tobacco and paper for his cigarettes. He rolled one with the experience of a long time smoker, and then put the box back into his pants pocket. The weight of his pistol tucked under his vest and shirt was a comforting weight at the small of his back. He saw a candle on a nearby table and went to it. Bending over the flame to lite his cigarette, and then returned to the bar. Nodding in thanks as the bartender slid him his drink. He picked it up and then turned. His eyes scanning over the patrons and the workers. His eyes taking in all the information around him as he leaned back against the bar, and pulled the cigarette from his mouth to let the smoke out after taking a puff. His blue eyes instantly narrowed in on the woman suddenly approaching him. His body becoming tense and alert. Showtime.

FAITH:
Faith had been sitting with Angel and a customer, drinking and laughing as the watched the two of them become more and more entwined with each other. She couldn't help keeping a close eye on her after what had happened, and she got the feeling that the younger woman appreciated the support. Still, she couldn't follow her back into her room, so she was already rising to her feet to give them some privacy when Penelope, the hostess, approached. She smiled and laughed at the look on her friend's face, but the false note in it would be obvious to someone--like Penelope--who knew that her true laugh was something much less musical.

"What's the matter, Penny?" she whispered as she wrapped one arm around her friend's neck in a half-hug which brought her right shoulder to meet the other girl's so they could speak without being heard.

"That first-timer. There's something off about him. He didn't even look at me when he came in! Men who come here for fun don't usually ignore any skin they can get their eyes or their mits on."

"I'll handle it," Faith promised. She kissed her friend's cheek affectionately and winked at a customer who had been watching them before she turned to evaluate the newcomer. He wasn't a noble, judging by his clothes and his haircut, and not a fashionable merchant, either. Penelope was definitely right about him; the way he held himself practically screamed his discomfort to the room. She leaned on the far end of the bar, pulling the belt of her wrap-front dress a little looser as she waited for him to take a seat so she could approach. He might not be too interested, but few men were impervious to a little extra cleavage--especially when it was soft and white as porcelain... Her hooded green eyes trailed him as he moved to light a cigarette from the nearby candle, and caught a glint of light off of something bulky in the small of his back when his jacket pulled up. Her lip twitched, wanting to curl in disgust at the thought of someone bringing a firearm anywhere near her girls, but she curved her garnet-painted lips into a sultry smile instead. Her soft, bare feet were nearly silent as she padded across the bar towards him, but he spotted her nonetheless as he scanned the room. Hm, not a thief, then, he wasn't looking for the till; he was looking at the people.

Plan of action decided just as she reached him, she leaned her whole body against the front of him and slid her arms around his waist as if she were cuddling up to him, but rather than run her hands into his hair the way she normally might, she rested her slim fingers on the handle of his pistol with just enough force to alert him to the fact she knew it was there. With her face mere inches from his and her breasts prominently showing from the deep V of her robe's neckline, it looked like she was making a bold move on him to any of the others in the room. A normal day at the brothel. But the smile she gave him had a sharp edge to it.

Hello, officer," she purred, "Care to tell me why you brought this into our home? Worried that one of us pretty girls is going to start a shootout?"

CEDRIC:
Cedric watched the encroaching girl, no, woman as she came at him. Rather boldly as well. He had just enough time to turn and put his whiskey on the bar counter and his cigarette in the ashtray. As he turned back his hands met her shoulders the moment her body was pressed up against his. His eyes widened for a mere millisecond at the action, and he kept himself from pushing her back to a more appropriate distance. She was a beautiful woman. Red hair down to her waist, flowing in elegant waves, emerald green eyes staring up at him with the intelligence he shamefully hadn't thought anyone of this line of work would have. He kept his ice blue eyes glued to her face, and not the deep V of her chest, revealing her white skin. Ignoring the feel of her breast pushed against his chest. His body jumped at the contact. How long had it been? Two? Three years? He had lost count since his last rump in the sack, too busy with work to be chasing after girls. He swallowed, feeling himself becoming agitated and uncomfortable with how the contact was making him feel. He needed to focus on something. Luckily, she provided that with something other than her body. What he focused on was the tug she gave his pistol, and his body tensed underneath hers.

Observant girl... He noted when she purred at him. A small smirk appeared on his face as he let his hands move from her shoulders to her hips. Playing along with her and making it seem like he was very much so enjoying the attention as his hands slowly trailed down the delicate light fabric and the beading.He widened his legs a bit as he pulled her more flush against him. Providing more room. She was dainty next to him. Like a porcelain doll, he thought. He lowered his head down so his lips were next to her ear. "Not you I'm worried about dollface." He whispered. Pulling his head back he smiled at her as if he'd just told her the dirtiest thing in the world, and then his eyes went to look at the room again. Making sure they weren't being watched. There was one guy in a corner who seemed a bit disappointed that she was giving him attention. "I Think you have an admirer who's a bit jealous." He said softly. The small smile not reaching his eyes as he looked down at her. "How'd you know I was an officer so fast?" He asked her quietly. Curious to know.

FAITH:
Her right eyebrow rose as he shifted under her, and she took in each movement with interest, adding it to her growing understanding of him. He was disciplined, she'd give him that much: it took a good deal of self-control not to glance down at something so entrancing that close to you. But she could tell by the way he jumped that his body didn't entirely agree with his analytical mind. He was attracted to her, that much was clear, but he wasn't here for a good time. Still, she was pleased when he adjusted himself to give her a little more room. If he played along, she'd help him blend in--provided, that is, that he wasn't here to harm any of her friends.

She laughed easily at his comment, making it seem for their audience as if he had told a joke. Her skin prickled as he slid his hands down her body, surprising her with its reaction. She didn't normally get anything out of her work, but then, it wasn't often that she had even this much interest in one of her clients. He was intriguing, and the mystery danger of a gun had certainly kicked her body into a higher gear. She wrote it off as only natural and turned her mind back to the task at hand: watching his blue-eyed gaze flicker around the room again as he scanned it. She wasn't surprised that the man she'd winked at was still watching; she'd been planning to get a massive tip out of him by the end of the night until she'd been waylaid by this nonsense.

Determined to punish him for ruining her night's pay, she brazenly pushed one leg forward so that her knee rested against the counter behind him and her hip pressed firmly against his crotch. Where a man might use torture, she had learned from experience that it was far easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar, as the old saying went. Pleasure could be just as effective as pain if you knew what you were doing.

"You looked like you had just bitten into a lemon when you walked in here, baby," she replied cheerfully, then nuzzled her head into the curve of his neck to hide the amused grin that she couldn't hold back. Oh, this boy had no idea what he had gotten himself into. She pulled one hand back out from behind his back and trailed her long fingers down his chest, clicking her fingernail off of one of his shirt buttons as she listed each item on her list of reasons. "No man who's here to buy can keep his eyes off of Penelope. You've got a gun, but you're not looking for the money. So, you're looking for a person, but you aren't angry. Not a thief, not a murderer...Gotta be police. You need to relax."

CEDRIC:
Cedric sucked in the air quickly through his nose when she moved her leg. Feeling her hip pressed against his crotch started to do things to his mind, and he needed a clear head for this. Not a distraction, or to go off on a tangent to the territory he told himself to strictly stay away from. But the little minx was playing with him. That didn't mean his body didn't react on its own to the gesture.

He kept himself from scowling at her. She nuzzled into his neck and he caught a good whiff of her perfume. A mix of...Lavender? was that it? It was a pleasant smell. Soothing almost. He didn't have to fight his head from turning towards hers. his nose brushing against the top of her head. He watched her fingers suddenly appear on his chest as they trailed down it, tapping his buttons as they went. She was pushing them, in a figurative, and literal sense. He did the complete opposite of what she said. His muscles bunched up underneath her touch, and he forced a slow breath out. Easy Cedric. She's just very observant, very good at her job, and a very smart woman. He told himself. He had to tread carefully with this one. If she knew his guy, she might be willing to keep that info from him, or even protect the bloody bastard. Play this smart Ced...

Relax. He told himself. He found his body had no issues doing that if he just gave in a little. Slowly they unbunched, his breathing came out more normally. Needing to play the game, to blend in, his hands moved from her hips to rest over her bottom. One of his hands trailed up the leg that was bent and his fingers brushed against her bare thigh. "She wasn't my type." He said simply. Almost sounding bored. It was an honest answer. Granted he didn't really know what his type was. He went off the vibes of women, at least those he was interested in, to start something or not. As of late, it had been a definite not. Penelope seemed...nice enough...She was pretty sure. Hell, all the girls were pretty but he hadn't wanted to drop his pants and rutt her at first sight either.

"This better?" He asked. Giving her bottom a small pinch, arching an eyebrow at her. A challenge in his eyes as he stared down at her. His face for a moment was the cool calm, stoic look he usually wore. He turned then slightly, removing the hand on her thigh to reach for his cigarette. He tapped off some of the ash into the ashtray before he brought it to his lips. Taking a puff, and then blowing the smoke up above their heads. He turned his head then to whisper in her ear. "There someplace we can talk in private dollface? Or do you want keep up with the show?" He asked her. He wanted to make it as believable as possible. If that meant he had to sit here with his hands on the woman for their audience to see he grudgingly would. But if they could go to a place where he could keep his hands to himself it would help him think better too. He didn't need everyone in the room knowing he was a constable. His guy might even be here, and he didn't need himself given away. The hand on her bottom wrapped loosely around her waist and he looked down at her, continuing to smoke the cigarette. Needing tobacco to calm his racing nerves. Seeing her nestled into him was messing with his mind the more and more they stayed like they were. He needed his head clear, not muddled with a goddess-like woman and her all-knowing emerald colored eyes.

FAITH:
She didn't bother to hide her low chuckle at his quick reaction. She was perfectly comfortable letting his body react however it liked to her teasing; it was exactly what she wanted. His tense muscles and strained breath told her that he was fighting his natural instinct to push her against the wall then and there, which made her grin even wider. He was really working at it, wasn't he? How honorable. Most of the officers she'd met before now were all too happy to give in to her attentions, no matter how they paraded their 'truth and justice' message before that. This one was truly committed. She waited patiently for him to decide what he was going to do: either take her advice or run for the hills.

Good boy, she thought as his breathing slowed and his hands began to migrate. He might not like it, but she knew everything that happened in this place, and it was better to trust her judgment while he was here. His answer about Penelope caught her attention even as his rough fingers trailed her inner thigh, the sensation vying for her attention. Not his type, hm? Does that mean I am? Because I'm certainly getting a 'rise' out of him. Pun oh so intended. She laughed internally at her own joke. Alright, Officer, you have my attention... Just as she thought that he pinched her rear, making her eyes fly up to his in surprise. Well! That was definitely taking her advice. She caught the look in his eye and held his gaze, her victorious grin fading into a defiant pursing of her full lips. Hmph. Maybe he wasn't as much of a clod as she'd thought.She squinted at him as he turned to reach for his cigarette, trying to decide what she thought of him. He seemed honest enough, and he hadn't immediately groped her. He was probably not a good tipper, if were here for pleasure instead of business. But she couldn't quite put a finger on what he was actually like. Odd.

His breath tickled her ear as he suggested they get a room, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Oh quit that, you, she told her body, you know better than that. Just because he's not old and scabby doesn't mean you can go getting all excited. Rather than pull away to relieve the feeling, however, she decided to challenge herself, to act as if nothing was wrong. Did he want to speak in private? Alright, they would speak in private.

"I thought you'd never ask," she cooed, taking his cigarette the next time he removed it from his mouth to exhale. She took a drag of it herself, leaving a lipstick mark around it, then blew the smoke just past his face before she twirled away from him and half skipped to the bottom of the stairs. She turned back to him with a genuine grin as she waited for him to follow, one that made her eyes sparkle like the gems he'd compared them to. Once he caught up, she'd lead him the rest of the way up the stairs and to her room. At the door, she would turn to face him with her back pressed against the door and a sly smile on her face before she opened it, then offer him back his cigarette. When he took it, she would press the door open with her back so she could watch his reaction to the room inside.

Her room was decorated all in rich purples and smelled faintly of lavender and patchouli. The bed was large, with the covers folded back to show the lavender dyed sheets underneath invitingly. Over the years she'd acquired more and more things to keep here: a dark wood dresser with silver-colored handles, with an incense burner and a bouquet of dried lavender displayed in a glass jar atop it; a nice rug with pink and purple woven into the grey floral pattern; and a few miscellaneous potted plants with wide leaves. The gas lamps were turned low; combined with the incense smoke they made for good mood lighting. A few wooden screens painted with images of naked women lounging in a garden divided the main room from what she considered her dressing room, giving her a little bit of privacy there. If he was bold enough to look behind the screens, he'd see a worn looking vanity with a large mirror with table surface covered in various makeups and hair care products and a faded wooden stool tucked under it. Next to it was a massive old wardrobe with faded, yet somehow still garish, flowers painted on the cream exterior, which was scratched in places so that the pale wood shown through the glossy enamel. The wardrobe was large enough to hold both her various costume pieces and her plainer day clothes, though a few pieces of lingerie still littered the floor beside it simply because she hadn't taken the time to pick them up. Last, nestled into a corner near the lamp, was an orange and brown plaid armchair with the clear imprint of a much-larger person still left in the cushions. Her latest sewing project was still draped over the armchair: a bandeau top she was currently hemming with a beaded fringe.

CEDRIC:
Nimble fingers touched his, removing the cigarette from his hands. He arched one of his bushy light brown eyebrows as he exhaled the smoke. Relief filling him that she wasn't going to keep being pressed against him any longer. She was quite the little....he didn't know what to call her, but the way she pulled from the cigarette leaving behind the lipstick and the way she blew the smoke at him indicated she had a fun side, but also a wild side Cedric decided. he didn't know if he would like any of them. Your going to cause me trouble smarty... He thought. He watched her twirl away, catching a glimpse of the white lace underwear she wore underneath her dress.

His chest rumbled with a quiet growl as he watched her skip away, and he reached behind him to grab his whisky. Thinking he might need that drink after all... Not taking his eyes off her as he began to follow with determined footsteps. She stopped and waited for him, the smile she threw him was enough to put a falter in his steps, but not for long. He followed her up the steps and to her room. Arching an eyebrow at her as he watched her press herself against the door, he waited a bit impatiently. An unamused look on his face as she passed him back his cigarette. It went right between his lips and to the side of the mouth where he usually kept it and then watched her open the door.

So it was Lavender...He thought as he took the room in. It was cleaner, nicer then he expected and he walked in. Taking note of the room, but mostly for the exits, and anything of real interest. He spied the lingerie and then pictured her porcelain skin again before he averted his eyes and took a pull from the cigarette. He walked to her dresser, placing his whisky on top off it, and then would make sure the door was shut. If she had already done that, then he would walk towards her and fix her with his ice eyes. He reached out with his fingers. Gently grabbing the edges of the fabric of her plunging neck line. Keeping his eyes on hers, he tugged both sides closer together. Covering her exposed skin as much as he could, and then held them together with one hand while the other reached down, took one of her own and put them over the fabric so she could hold it. He then used both his hands and went to her belt. With a quick tug he tightened it tightly and then gave her a pointed look before he went and retrieved the drink he still hadn't drank from. No distractions now. Good. He thought. Relaxing now that he could finally focus and not have her body exposed and pressed against him.

"I'll cut to the chase Dollface, You're a smart girl. I am looking for someone." He let out smoke as he turned to look at her. Setting the whisky down he reached into his vest pocket and began to unfold a piece a paper. "I'm looking for a guy who's been reported to have stolen from several other brothels across the city. Not from the patrons, but the girls themselves. The last few times have been armed robbery. From what I know he makes himself become a regular so he can get a feel for all the girls and layout of the place before he does anything, and then disappears. But our boy is getting bolder." He explained. He thought of this case. How everyone at the office had laughed, and not put much thought into it because of the clientele who had been robbed. Had it been the actual patrons would have been a different story. Cedric on the other hand viewed the case entirely different. It was no laughing matter if women were being robbed of their livelihood at gun point. It hit too close to home. So, he took the case.

Once the piece of paper was unfolded he held it out to her. It was a sketch of their man that at artist had done from a witness statement. The man had longish hair, stringy. A wide mouth, broad nose, beady looking eyes that from the description he'd heard had been the color blue. He waited, crossing his arms over his chest to see if she would recognize him.

FAITH:
Faith had closed the door the second both of them were already inside, and although her eyes never left him, she made her way to the bed to recline easily on it with her hands behind her to prop her up as she extended her legs. She watched him cooly as he set down his whiskey and approached her with an intense expression. Oh now, was that whole resistance just an act until we were alone? I bet you like to be dominant, Officer, she thought, reevaluating him as his hands went directly to the neckline of her dress, and his thumbs brushed her cleavage as he grabbed it. And then he pulled it shut up to her neck. Buzzkill, she thought sullenly, her face falling into a pout as he took her hand and placed it so it would hold the dress shut, then cinched the belt quite a bit tighter.

As he turned away she stuck her tongue out at him, but by the time he turned back to her, she had retracted it and was smiling innocently with her hands back where they had begun. She wasn't going to bother holding her dress closed; he could learn to deal with it. Even so, it hardly fell open again now that the belt was tight, and the new placement fell just short of revealing her cleavage again. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes as he kept up the nickname 'dollface' and told her she was a smart girl as if she were a dog. She was already writing him off as one of those people when he revealed that the thief had been stealing from other working girls. He was pursuing someone who stole from people like her? Normally she'd have had to promise favors and free services to bribe her way into even a half-assed investigation of something like that.

She sat up straight when the words 'armed robbery' left his mouth and all traces of her promiscuous persona were left behind as she gave him her full attention. A new-ish regular planning to rob the girls at gunpoint? He was certainly making himself sound quite a bit like the criminal, and she started to wonder if she ought to have been more cautious about bringing him to her room until he held out the sketch. I guess he's serious... She snatched the paper from his hands and took a close look at the greasy looking man on the page. She recognized him quickly--he'd been with Mirror the night before, and she'd already complained about him hardly paying attention to her. It made sense--if he was trying to gauge what was in her room, why bother keeping your eyes on the girl? She frowned heavily down at the criminal on the page, wishing she had realized he was bad news the first time she saw him. She'd pegged him as someone who liked it rough, and a penny-pincher, but an armed robber? She hadn't even considered it. She ran a hand over her forehead and back down her hair, smoothing her nerves as well as her face, then turned to look at the policeman.

"First of all, I have a name, and it's not Dollface. It's Desire. If you don't think you can manage to say that without blushing, you can call me Dezi. Second, the nose is wrong on your little drawing. The real one has got a kink in the middle where it's been broken before. But yeah, I've seen him. He's not here tonight, but he has been the last two Thursday nights, I think. Kind of a stocky guy, badly dressed, doesn't look like he has the money to pay our fees, but he does." She held the paper back out to him, eyes narrowed as she reconsidered what he had said. "What do you mean by 'bolder,' exactly?

CEDRIC:
Now that he was aware from her, she was back to being somewhat decent, and he had told the reason he was really here, Cedric could focus. The job was taking control as it should have been. His hands went to rest inside his trouser pockets, and he began to slowly pace the length of the room. Looking down at his feet as he went, but he didn't miss the way she had sat up. Giving him her full attention, and from what his eyes told him as he gauged her reaction, his guy had been there.

He couldn't help the snort that came out when she told him what to call her. "Desire is not a name I would have pegged for you Dollface." He actually chuckled out. Cedric rarely laughed but when he did it usually revealed a dimple he had. No, he'd have pegged her for Minx or even Vixen. Hell maybe even Eve, as she was a tempting woman that was a big no-no. The smile fell, and he settled back into work mode. Making a mental note to have the artist adjust the drawing. She confirmed what he had guessed. He was already here beginning his stakeout.

Cedric walked towards the bed, stopping in front of her to take the paper. He folded it back up, puffed out the smoke from the last drags of his cigarette, and went and set it on her incense burner. "He started out by pickpocketing. Things would begin to go missing until someone noticed and began to piece the puzzle together. He was sneak at first. Common thief. Would already be gone by the time you realized he robbed you. Only as of late, he's taken to using a gun. Enjoys the girls first before he demands they put their personal belongings in a bag for him. Holds them at gunpoint and makes them get him out of the place unseen before he takes off. Last place he held up the hostess as he was leaving and made her give him everything they had made that night." He explained. He leaned back against her dresser, folding his arms over his chest before his gaze settled on her. "If he's starting to stake this place out you need to be careful. Warn the other girls about him. Keep any valuables out of sight or kept locked up. I can get a few officers in here undercover to provide some protection if he shows up waving a gun around, but I want to nail him before he ends up doing that. I fear he might get so bold he'll try and hold the whole place up rather than holding whatever girl he's with up. And if that happens, he might get trigger happy and shoot anyone that moves." He voiced his concerns. His face hard at the seriousness of the matter. He clenched his jaw tightly, taking a sharp intake of breath before letting it out. Not on my watch. He told himself to calm down.

FAITH:
Faith rolled her eyes at his reaction. Of course, he'd scoff at it, he still thought he was all high and mighty and could just treat her like a doll--an object. He must be investigating out of pity, not a desire for justice. She kept the scowl off her face, but her posture stayed tense even after he'd taken back the criminal's sketch. No matter his attitude, she'd have to keep her cool if she wanted to work with him to catch this man before he harmed any of the other girls. She forced herself to listen to every detail of his explanation, mentally cataloging it.

So, the thief had gotten bold by taking advantage of helpless women, taking what he could from them both in body and spirit. He was a coward, to threaten naked women with a gun just to see them cry, and then to force them to lead him out without a confrontation. It plucked each of her nerves, leaving her hoping that things took a violent turn during his arrest. The officer was right--if he was already coming here, then her girls needed to be ready. She already had a knife tucked beneath her own mattress, but she wasn't sure that other girls had taken the same precautions, and even so, a knife was no match for a pistol in speed. Her only hope would be to get his attention for herself and then stab him while he was still in the throes of--no, she couldn't claim self-defense if he died in-flagrante-delicto. The thought of more 'undercover' officers in the brothel nearly made her jump to her feet in indignation.

"You can't bring any more officers in here! Even you is bad enough. I hate to break it to you, honey, but you weren't under any cover when you were standing at the bar, you were practically holding a sign that said 'I'm here to arrest you' in sequins. If I hadn't come over when I did, every other patron would have fled the place like it was on fire." She flipped her hair over her shoulder dramatically and fixed him with a narrow-eyed stare. "You can come back if you want, but you're not to lay a finger on any of my friends. You can stay in the lobby drinking and flirting with me, or you can come up here, and we'll find some way for you to look out. Does your department have a glass witch who can charm a mirror to show the lobby or something? Elseways we'll have to make you a peephole, and I prefer my walls intact."

CEDRIC:
Cedric was a bit taken aback by her reaction. His jaw clenched more and he fixed her with a look that left most of his colleague's shutting up about whatever joke they were going on about. He might have been easy to spot out, but that didn't mean there were other officers like him. Hell, they had a whole section that specialized in blending in with the crowd to gain intel. He was insulted! For his fellow men of course! "I don't like sequins." He growled out. "I'm not the best at blending in if my resting bitch face is any indication. But my colleagues are." He defended, not caring if he was sticking his neck out and burning himself in the process. "I'm not laying a finger on anyone, in case you noticed I hardly layed a finger on you." He gave her a pointed look and shoved off the dresser. Beginning to pace again. Needing to get out some of his agitations by pacing.

"I have connections, that won't be a problem." He told her. He stopped, an idea occurring to him as he looked around the room. Eyeballing the screens separating her wardrobe and vanity. He moved and walked behind them, ignoring the lingerie lingering about. He turned to face the door, seeing what he could see, and how easily it would be to hide behind them long enough to get the perp. in the room. He looked to wear the bed was, could see the light from the lamps filling the space, and casting shadows on the other side. He could faintly make out Desire laying on her bed, and just her silhouette was enough to remind his body that it had been pressed against that not that long ago. He had the inkling she could see his silhouette as well through the screen and knew it wouldn't be the ideal place despite the cover it provided. He could pretend to hide in plain sight all he wanted, he could still get noticed.

He scowled, as he came out from behind the screen. "Is there someplace in here I can hide easily? I have an idea, but I don't want to put you up to it unless you're comfortable with it." He asked her. Coming to a stop at the end of her bed. His eyes on her face and his stare hard. "I won't lie to you Dez," going with the name she had requested he use out of respect and consideration, though he liked his nickname better. "It's going to be dangerous, and I won't put you in danger if you don't want to be." He said being honest with her.

FAITH:
Faith scowled at the officer as he insisted that more men should come--the further they got into this conversation, the further she left her well-trained graces behind. She hadn't even realized that she had dropped it, giving all her attention to the matter at hand instead.

"You know quite well that isn't what I meant," she grumbled at his comment about putting his hands on her--frankly, things would have been a lot simpler if he did. She knew how that worked, but this was a whole new playing field. She watched him with arms crossed over her chest as he passed behind the screens, where she could see his shadow behind the thin paper, but no detail. It was easy enough to see him there, so she knew before he even tried it that it wasn't going to work. Still, he had the right idea. There had to be a way to conceal him here. If they got this fugitive up to her room, it would be simple to have the officer jump him--or to run him through while his attention was on the police officer. She liked that plan better, although she didn't say so. It seemed that the policeman had eventually arrived at the idea of using her as bait on his own; what had seemed a given to her was apparently a moral dilemma for him. She couldn't help the incredulous laugh that burst from her lips, absolutely ruining the disapproval she'd been broadcasting for the last few minutes. This one wasn't fake, and if he was paying attention he'd hear the difference in the slight snort as she tried to reel herself in by clapping a hand over her nose and mouth. It took her a moment to recover, with tears at the corner of her eyes. She knew it probably wasn't normal for her sense of humor to relate primarily to her own untimely demise; she'd joked to one of the other girls just last week about how she was going to fake her own murder to make sure she went out with as much drama as possible, and the girl had nearly cried. It wasn't for everyone.

"Honey, I live my life in danger. I have no trouble playing bait for this guy if it means the others will be safe. Just you leave it to me, he'll be as docile as a lamb and twice as helpless." She beamed at him as she raised her hand into a playful salute. "Now, as for your hiding place..." She rose to her feet and headed for the wardrobe, laying both her palms flat against one side and pressing with her whole body. The heavy wood shuddered loudly before it began to inch across the floor, emerging ever so slowly from behind the paper screens. Once she had gotten it far enough to the side, she moved to the front of it, hooked her fingers behind the other corner, and flung her weight backward, jolting that corner forward a few inches. She repeated the motion, trying to rotate it so that the back sat against the other wall. On the side that would eventually face the bed, a crack in the wood was visible, where the wardrobe had been slammed against the banister of the stairs the day she brought it home. As she worked, the tie of her belt grew looser and looser, until it neared the point it had been before. Well used to being exposed and focused on her task, she didn't even notice.

CEDRIC:
Cedric's face took on one of shock. Which was not a normal expression for the man. His blue eyes were large in surprise as he watched the woman before him act as if he had said the funniest damn thing this side of London had ever heard. Had he said something funny? He didn't think danger was something to be laughed at. Especially the way she was now. He knew it was a genuine one from the way her body shook. Coming straight from her belly, and the way she tried to hide the snort that he heard. His own lips almost twitched up to a smile, the sound of her laugh like a clear bell on Sunday. It was a lovely sound, but his took on a deeper scowl. Annoyed at himself for almost joining in. What was so damn funny?

When she finally seemed to pull herself together, it was like she had slugged him in the stomach. She was okay with this? Okay with putting herself in a possible line of fire? Who the hell is this woman? He suddenly wondered. Who was she to be okay with doing risky things with her life? She seemed keen on keeping the other girls out of it. Something that could be taken as brave, but also foolish. He was more intrigued with this woman than he ever had been with another. Maybe it was just her profession that made her seem like she was tougher than nails.

He watched her move then, beginning to move the wardrobe, and his brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you doing?" He asked. Even as the words left his mouth he was already shooting himself in the foot. Moving a wardrobe what's it look like? He thought would be her response. He stood there watching her throw her weight backwards trying to move it, he was about to step forward to help, when his feet stopped. His eyes no longer focused on the wardrobe and now more on the fact that her dress had worked it's way loose again. From his view, the V of her neckline had loosened to the point he could see the creamy curve of one of her breast in profile. The fabric barely covering her nipple as the belt around her waist was nearly undone, and he stood and watched at it slowly worked it's way free, the dress exposing more of the porcelain skin that laid underneath. The way her hair moved with each jerk of her body backward had him imagining other things. He could feel the blood drain from his face and to other regions of his body, making his pants almost painfully uncomfortable. A sharp inhale of his breath caused his body to tense, and his pupils had become dilated. He looked up at the ceiling then and crossed himself mouthing a God, help me.

He reached for the closest thing, being the purple quilt on top of her bed. His hand fisted it, and he did nothing to hide the growl that ripped through his chest as he yanked it off the bed, and stalked towards her. "Stop." He bit out. A bit harsher than he intended. Placing a hand on top of hers to get her to stop the movement. He took the quilt then and tossed it on her. Leaving it so her head wasn't completely covered and so she could see him, but he even covered her hair. He turned her gently then, wrapping the quilt tightly around her and covering her body from him. "Damn you." He growled barely above a whisper. He looked down at her with a heat in his eyes he would normally be ashamed for showing while working. Because this is what this was. Work. Not a fling, not something for him to gawk at, work. No distractions. His hands held the ends of the quilt together in front of her. His voice coming out hoarse. "I'll move it, just tell me where." He told her. "I suggest you step behind those screens and change into something more suitable for moving furniture." He told her. Almost looking angry, but it was anger at himself for reacting in such a way. "Please." His next word came out as a breathless plea. Barley audible, and his hands pulled on the quilt to pull her closer to him. He wanted to feel her body against his again. To feel the softness of her skin like he had downstairs. His body was tense, and he felt the buzz of electricity in the room as he looked into her eyes.

He suddenly let her go as if she had burned him, and sidestepped her. Avoiding her gaze, and he moved to the side of the dresser she had been pulling on. Keeping his back to her, and praying she did as he asked.

FAITH:
Although she was normally the farthest thing from obedient, Faith turned instinctively towards the sudden growl in his voice, confusion clear on her face as his hand rested over hers. He was closer than she expected, surprising a sharp gasp out of her as she took a step back to regain her space. When she was working, she was in control, guiding things. Having someone else in her personal space unexpectedly was an entirely different matter, throwing her into defensive mode instead. Her body was already screaming for her to knee him in the groin when, luckily for him, the weight of the quilt over her head and shoulders left her too confused to move.

"What on earth--?" Still bewildered she let herself be twirled into a quilt cocoon until only her inquisitive face was visible. What the hell was he doing? It wasn't until his hands pulled her to a stop in front of him and she got a good look at his face that she realized what was going on. Unfortunately, realizing that he had been turned on left her even more puzzled than before, and added a touch of frustration. All that effort earlier, and she finally got to him by trying to move furniture around? What was this guy's deal? It probably wasn't about heavy labor, that was too weird, but she must have--oh. She could feel the quilt against bare skin all the way to her navel, and only then did she realize what she had done. Well, shit. She really hadn't meant to do that. As much as she loved seduction, she respected consent, and she wasn't about to force anything on anyone. After all, she knew what it was like to have your wishes ignored.

He said he wanted her to get dressed, and she would.

This man's deeper desires, however, were as clear as the crystal blue of his eyes. She could practically feel the heat in them, and she knew that the obstruction of the quilt was doing nothing to clear his mind of what he had seen of her body. If she wanted, it would have been easy to lean forward, to press herself against what she knew was the source of his frustration--but he did it for her, tugging her so close that their breath mingled for one long moment, and then just as quickly, he was gone. Her body trailed after him as if it were magnetically drawn for a few steps and the sensation of the quilt against her skin as she walked was a dim echo of what she knew she could get if she just grabbed his arm.

Wait, what? No.

Damn, he had gotten her caught in it too, for a moment. Shaking her head sharply, she turned away, snatched the most shapeless dress she could find from inside the wardrobe, and stalked back behind the screens before she dropped the quilt. She ripped the sash from her dress, furious that it had even gotten her into this mess, and kicked the quilt furiously when it tangled around her ankles. Fucking police officer ruining my fucking night and then not even fucking me. Mental curses punctuated each movement as she put on the new dress as well, venting as much fury as she could while she was safe from her audience. Shouldn't even be fucking interested, can't believe I'm wasting my energy, never even like this shit anyways, just a job, fuck.

Changing complete, she scooped up the quilt and stormed over to the bed, tossing it into the air and snapping it violently by the corners to drape it back over the bed. It was miserably crooked, with one side brushing the floor and the other not even hanging fully to the side, but she was too frustrated to give a damn. She took a deep breath, crossed her arms, and turned to him with a completely blank face. Tension? What tension? She was completely calm and professional. She was tempted as hell to say out loud what she knew he was thinking about her, but she was going to do what he had said whether either of them liked it or not.

"The wardrobe should be against the same wall as the bed, so that crack points toward it. You'll be able to stand inside and look out without being seen." Against her best intentions, her voice betrayed a glimmer of the irritation that held her spine perfectly straight.

CEDRIC:
In, out. In out. His eyes were closed as he focused on his breathing. Thinking of the grossest things imaginable and not of Desire. He changed his mind immediately once he had seen her trying to move her furniture. She was Desire, and temptation all wrapped up in one. A seductress that would even get Cedric's stiff knickers in a twist. It wasn't until he heard her move out from behind the screen did he open his eyes. Movement out of the corner of his eye, had him glance over to see her angrily putting the quilt back on the bed. What are you so mad about, you aren't going to suffer from blue balls tonight. He thought annoyed. And that thought had him get even more irritated. Feeling like he could finally face her, he met her blank face with one of his own. Good. Baggy is very good. He thought as he glanced quickly at her new dress. Liking how this one definitely covered up the important bits.

His shoulders relaxed, and he found his breathing returning to normal. He grunted in understanding her directions. Not trusting himself to speak, he went about his task. Noting the underlining irritation in her words. Oh goodie. They could both be irritated now. He let a huff out and set to work. Feel the pull on his muscles as he moved the heavy infernal thing to where she said it needed to go. He was a fit man, or at least he tried to be. Often times he liked to go on a run in the early morning to keep himself in shape. This way he could keep up with criminals he chased, as well as doing his share of push-ups and weight lifting. It took some work, but eventually, he got it in place.

He then opened the doors to the wardrobe and arched an eyebrow. "Sugar I'm 6'1, and you expect me to fit in here?" He asked, looking over at her. It was going to be tight. Very tight with her dresses. He grumbled in annoyance and began to shove dresses and garments aside, as he climbed on into it. A lacy piece of lingerie was suddenly resting inches from his face and he growled in frustration. Grabbing the piece of infernal clothing and tossing it out with a snarl. His hands reached out from the garments then, grabbed the doors on either side and closed it shut. With some shuffling, and shoving he was able to see through the crack to the door, and most of the room. He had to crouch to be comfortable and to be out of the way of most of the clothes.

He nudged the doors open and then climbed on out, standing back to his full height. "It'll work." He sighed. "You get him in here, and the moment I think I have an opportunity to snag him I will. I just....Be careful." He said, letting himself finally look at her face again.

FAITH:
She almost laughed again watching his reaction to the wardrobe plan, although this time it was more out of spite than amusement. Hell yes I expect you to get in the wardrobe. I could just as easily have the bouncer throw you out of here if I wanted, and he wouldn't even question it. She kept her thoughts to herself, staring in stubborn silence as he shoved her clothes aside without any kind of consideration and crammed himself into the wardrobe. Well, alright. She hadn't expected him to test it then and there--she had planned to take some of her clothes out and dump them on the chair so he would have enough room. They could even put her vanity stool in there if it helped. But now that he was already doing it, she decided that she may as well let him suffer. She'd have it better prepared when they actually needed it. The way he tossed out one of her favorite lingerie sets sealed the deal--she wasn't going to lift one finger or utter one syllable to help him. It served him right.

When the shuffling noises died down she assumed he was settled and gave the peephole a perfunctory wave to test his vision. Soon enough he was climbing out with even less finesse than he had gotten in, unfolding himself awkwardly from the cramped space. She was glad to have seen it--watching him leave her wardrobe like a badly proportioned jack-in-the-box was enough to soothe her frayed nerves back to where they belonged. He made eye contact, and she knew they had made it past whatever that was. Good, she liked this little mystery partnership a hell of a lot better when it wasn't bringing on things she thought she'd cut out of her life years ago.

"Quit your worrying, I'll be fine. I'd be trying to get this guy with or without you now that I know what he is, so you can calm your overactive conscience knowing that you'll be here to 'protect me,' or whatever."

CEDRIC:
Cedric gave a defiant tug of his vest down, and his eyes glared at her. Turning dark for a moment. "I Will do no such thing." He growled out. His once calm body became frigid again just like that. Up down, up down. That's what this woman did to him. He was fine one moment, and angry at the next. She was causing him a whirlwind of emotions that wouldn't settle on what they wanted to feel.

He thought of the last person he didn't think he needed to protect. In fact, that person had tried to protect him. And they ended up dead. Not again. He'd never be in that situation if he could help it again. "I'm going to protect you." He declared. Using a tone that said he didn't want to argue about it. "So, I'll hide in the wardrobe before you fetch him, wait here for you, the moment he's in here and is open, I'll come out of the wardrobe, apprehend him, cuff him, and we'll walk right on out the front door of this place and he'll find himself at the station," Cedric said, telling her of what he was thinking for the plan. He gave a sharp nod of his head as if confirming it for him before he turned and walked to her vanity. Eyeballing himself in the mirror.

His clothes were a bit rumbled from his climb in wardrobeland, so that was good. He reached up and began to run his fingers through his light brown hair. Making it stick up in even more odd angles than it normally did. Now...How else to make it believable that they had...His cheeks turned a slight pink and he sighed. Job. He was sure their business was done, and that there was nothing more to discuss. He turned to her then, hesitated for a moment, and then approached her with the hard expression he always wore, but his eyes glanced at her lipstick covered lips. "I'm going to need to play up the act Dez if I'm to walk out of here without suspicion." He grumbled out. He reached up at tapped his cheek. "Parting gift?" He asked. He didn't meet her eye, trying desperately to make it seem that this was just an everyday part of the job.

FAITH:
Wow. It had only taken him about ten seconds to infuriate her again, but for completely opposite reasons. What a talent.

Disgusted beyond words at his stupid savior complex, she didn't even bother to respond. Just because she was a woman didn't mean she was helpless, and for him to suggest otherwise was the height of ignorance. She could have injured him six different ways when they were standing close together, and even now she had weapons (both real and makeshift) planted around the room. She was perfectly capable of handling a dangerous situation with a man, and she had done so more than once.

Her self-righteous thoughts conveniently left out that she'd never faced an opponent with a gun before.

Having let him have his preachy little moment, she simply rolled her eyes as he turned to the vanity and made sure he looked as if he'd had a good time with her. He had it all wrong, really, his hair ought to be going the opposite way, and he should undo a few buttons... When he turned to her and asked for help by tapping his cheek, a sly smile crept onto her face. Vengeance and a successful cover for him, all in one? Perfection.

"Whores don't kiss any cheeks," she answered brightly, already approaching him before he could change his mind.

She drew close immediately went to work, never glancing at his eyes. She fluffed his hair on the sides so that it looked as if she had run her fingers through it, turned up one side of his collar, then undid the top few buttons of his shirt. She pressed her lips to the now loose collar to leave a distinct print, smudged one of her fingers against her lips to get some of the pigment, then rubbed it onto the corner of his mouth. Finally, she untucked one side of his shirt, then stepped back to admire her handiwork.

"That's more like it," she declared, hands on her hips and eyes sparkling with amusement, "The real way would have been more fun, mind you, but this should pass muster. Hope you don't mind going back to the office a little worse for wear!"

CEDRIC:
Cedric arched his eyebrows, not liking the smile she gave him even though it was a cheery one. She then set to work then, apparently making him look like he was supposed too, and he stood still like a good boy, letting her smear lipstick next to his mouth and get it on his shirt. I hope it comes out easily... He thought, his scowl beginning to return.

He looked down at her when she was finished. Noticing the amusement in her eyes and he scowled even more. I'm not head back to the office, I'm going home to my cat. He thought annoyed. He grunted in anwser, and went to step away, when he paused for a moment, and looked at her. He was a stubborn devil who always wanted the last say in any conversation. And she did't have to go walzting out of there and doing the walk of shame when he didn’t do a shame.

His hand shot out like a viper, gripping her chin surprisingly lighlty, before his head quickly followed and he pressed his lips against hers. They were firm and soft, and the light stubble on his jaw he could feel brush against her skin. It didn't last long, but long enough he knew he would need to watch himself. As quickly as he did it, he turned around quickly fishing a shilling out of his pocket and flipped it to her from over his shoulder. "Wanted a souvineer for the road." He said. He bent down then and grabbed the lingerie he'd thrown out of her wardrobe. Eyeballing it with disdain, and then rolled it up and tucked it in his pants pocket. "To make sure I see you again, Thursday night." He shot over his shoulder. A smug look on his face as he opened the door and began to leave.

FAITH:
Faith's hands dropped from her hips as his lips brushed hers, making her heart lurch briefly to a stop. It was...nice. He smelled like cigarettes, but his lips were soft against hers.

Before she had time to really enjoy herself, he was already turning to leave. She snatched the coin he threw out of the air and swore when she saw how low a coin it was. Really, he was going to pay her for that? That snarky asshole! She stared at him, mouth and eyes wide with outrage as he grabbed up the purple lace and crammed it into his pocket. She was going to kill him. No, she wasn't going to kill him, he deserved a fate worse than death for tormenting her like this. Sure, she liked a challenge, but this was too much. She would find a way to make him regret it.

And then he told her it was to make sure she kept her end of the bargain! That fucker! Eyes practically blazing with rage, she reared back and threw his useless shilling coin at the back of his head as hard as she could. Sadly, he closed the door behind him just in time, and it pinged uselessly off the wood and rolled under the bed.

"Fuck you!" she shouted at the space where he had just been.

She rolled her eyes to the ceiling and threw her hands in the air. How could a police officer be so damn useless? He needed to get the hell over himself and make up his mind whether he thought she was a viper or a helpless damsel in distress because all this flip-flopping was giving her a headache.

"Can't believe that little shit thinks he can play with me like that. I'll show him..." she grumbled as she began to make the bed, readying the room for the next real customer.