“Lights on!” Bosco shouted and the music stopped abruptly just as the room brightened with overhead lights.

“Girls on one side and boys the other,” Natalie ordered as people began moving to their designated places.

“Who’s in charge here?” Bosco howled as he scanned the faces of the people in the bar.  His eyes rested on the bartender, “You?”

“That would be me,” a cool collected voice spoke out from a short distance.  Bosco turned to the source of the voice and saw a well groomed young man, impeccably dressed in dark attire advance towards him with a calm expression.  Although the expression on his face was neutral and could border on friendly, Bosco did not mistake the deadly venom in his dark eyes.

Bosco took a step forward to meet him and held up his badge, “I’m inspector Bosco Wong from the homicide team.”

Without looking at the badge, Raymond said in a casual voice, “I’m Raymond Lam, owner of the bar.  How can I help you Wong Sir?”

“We’re here to investigate in connection to a body that was found in the alley way behind your bar…”

“Do you have a search warrant?” Raymond cut in with a small smile, “Without that I don’t have to let you do anything.”

“What’s going on here?” Charmaine called out as she walked into the room and towards them.  She took out her badge and held it up to Raymond’s face, “I’m senior inspector Charmaine Sheh of the homicide team.”

“Madame Sheh, as I was saying to Wong Sir, without a search warrant I don’t have to let you do anything,” Raymond reminded softly, his eyes hooded as he looked at them with a bored expression.

“You’re right,” Charmaine sighed dramatically and turned to Bosco, “Since they’re not cooperating I guess we would have to do this the hard way.  Tell the team to set up a desk outside the bar and question anybody that comes in and out of here.  Do it every night until we get some answers.”

Kenneth who had been standing silently behind Raymond spoke, “You can’t do that!  It’ll kill our business.”

Charmaine looked at him with sympathetic eyes and said apologetically, “I’m sorry for putting you guys through this but we’re just doing our jobs.  Since a body was found behind the bar we want to protect all your patrons from meeting the same fate.  I’m sure you understand.”

Raymond stared at her as a sinister smile formed on his lips.  He turned to Kenneth and in a silky smooth voice said, “We have nothing to hide and are good citizens so of course we should do everything we can to cooperate.”  He turned to the room at large and clapped his hands for attention, “Do what the officers say and have everything out for inspection and answer whatever questions they have.”

Charmaine gave him a cool smile and said politely, “Thank you for your cooperation Mr. Lam.”

“Of course,” Raymond said in that same soft tone.  He spread his jacket opened with his hands and with a lewd grin asked, “Madame Sheh, would you like to search me yourself?”

Charmaine saw the mockery in his eyes and was incensed by it.  Keeping her polite smile in place, she took a step closer to him.  “Mr. Lam, are you sure you rather not have a male officer search you.  I don’t want you to turn around and charge me with illicit behavior.”

Raymond chuckled at her choice of words and thought she was using that as an excuse because she didn’t have the guts to actually search him.  With a cocky grin, he said, “I understand Madame Sheh.  No matter how tough a cop you are you’re still a woman and women gets qualms about these types of things.”

Charmaine opened intending to tell him just how totally off the mark he was but instead she didn't.  Giving him a wide smile, she lifted her hands to his shoulders and abruptly turned him around so that his back was towards her now.  Leaning up against his ear, she snickered, “Mr. Lam, try to stay still until I’m done.  I’ll make it quick,” she promised with a chuckle.  She saw him tense and knew that she caught him off guard by her boldness.  Without waiting for his response, she patted one arm then across his shoulders to end at his other arm.  She brushed down his backside, skipped his middle area and jumped to his thighs, knees and ankles.

When Raymond no longer felt her hands on him, he turned his head to survey her and taunted, “You left out the pockets of my pants, front and back.  Go ahead and finish the search.”  With another sinister smile, he added, “If you think you could do it.”

Charmaine knew he was toying with her and hated it when people belittled her or think her gutless.  “I was planning to,” she cooed softly and dipped her hand into first one back pocket then the other of his pants.  When that was done, she deftly turned him around, ignoring the amusement on his face and dipped her hand into one front pocket, felt around and did likewise with the other.  “You’re clear Mr. Lam,” she said with professionalism then turned away from him to walk towards a group on the other side of the room.

Raymond slowly lowered his arms but his eyes followed her while he waited for them to finish up.

“Anything?” Charmaine asked Bosco when he was done searching the last employee.

“Nothing at all,” he responded with a tinge of disappointment.

“Then let’s go,” Charmaine said to her team and they were on their way out when a voice stopped her.

“Madame Sheh,” Raymond called out and waited for her to turn and look at him.  When she did, he gave her a coy smile and said softly, “Please feel free to come back and search me any time you want.”

Reading the vulgarity in his words, Charmaine glared at him then stomped out with the sound of Raymond’s amused laughter trailing behind her.