Wearing a skimpy white outfit and a huge feather hat on her head, Crystal Bright kept in step with the rest of the dancers on the Las Vegas stage. Danny DeLuca kept watching her from the audience, a grin forming on his face. She knew what he wanted, but she wanted to string him along.
When the music slowed, the dancers made their exit for the next act. Crystal was in the lead, and as soon as she was off-stage, she scurried to her dressing room, where the rest of the dancers joined her. Because it was the last show of the night, she took off her ridiculous costume and put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, just wanting to look normal.
While sitting in front of a mirror to remove the gallons of required makeup, the door to the dressing room opened and Danny DeLuca made his grand entrance.
“Wonderful show! You were all gorgeous up there!” He bent next to Crystal and kissed her cheek. “Especially you, darling. You're the best.”
She wanted to knock some sense into him, but knew better, so she pasted a smile on her face and raised her voice to a ditzy level. “Oh, you say that to all the girls.” She was far from ditzy, but that's what Danny wanted-someone to do his dirty work who wouldn't ask intelligent questions.
Amidst the hubbub of the dressing room, he pulled up a chair and sat beside her. “Did you get the information?”
Crystal leaned closer to the mirror, wiping her eyes with a wet cotton ball. “Sort of, but this takes time.”
“Time? All I've given you is time!” The others in the room stared at him, forcing him to sigh and lower his voice. “Look, babe, the Bahamas are calling our name.” He waved his hand through the air, painting the scene with his words. “Can't you see the blue skies and the white beach? We'd have enough cash to bask on the beach, our every whim satisfied for the rest of our lives if we can blackmail the man. Isn't that what you want?”
Crystal watched him in the mirror, consciously keeping her voice high. “Sure, sweetie. I want whatever you want, but this takes time. No one is allowed to see the Big Man.”
“I can have the middlemen rubbed out-”
“No.” She turned to face him, her hand on his arm. “I don't want anyone killed. I have a date with none other than Carmine Pietro tonight.”
Danny sat back, his face pale. “Carmine? The butcher? But he's not the Big Man!”
“No. I'm working my way up. The Big Man won't see me until I meet with his underlings, and since I don't want to give myself away, I have to work in a different way.” She leaned forward and kissed him gently. “See my dilemma, sugar?”
“Yeah, babe.” He stood up, seeming dejected. “Just remember me when you're on your date.”
“I have these.” She reached into her purse and removed a bottle. “They're sleeping pills. I'll tell him what a good time we had, but he's going to sing before he falls asleep. I don't need to meet with the Big Man if I get information from Carmine.”
Danny moved away, then blew her a kiss. “And he's going to hunt you down. It's been nice knowing you.” He opened the door and walked out.
As soon as he was gone, a man named Jake walked out from behind a dressing partition. “Did he buy it?”
Crystal lowered her voice. “Yep.” She continued to remove her makeup. “Ready to go?”
“Absolutely. You have it all on tape, right?”
She reached into her purse and handed the man a small tape recorder. “Sure do. Think the D.A. will accept it into evidence?”
He kissed her cheek with a grin. “You know I will.”
~~~~~
“You're quite a girl.” With his crooked nose, one scar across his left cheek and stitches above his eye, Carmine Pietro wasn't a good-looking man. He would've been a looker if he'd never gone into the life of crime.
Crystal made her voice rise again to keep up the façade. “Thank you. So, what do you want to do tonight?” She leaned closer, her low-cut blouse touching his arm, drawing his stare downward.
He finally lifted his eyes, motioning to the bar surrounding them. “You're looking at it. I have to meet with an associate and it's going to be a long night.” He gave her cheek a kiss. “Sorry babe, because I know you want me.”
Crystal pasted a smile on her lips and moved closer to his face, trying not to outwardly cringe. “I can wait for you. Anticipation makes it all worthwhile.”
