The night was cold as usual for a Halloween in Chicago. The chill air whipped through the downtown streets like a dervish, pushing and blowing the travelers and revelers around like rag dolls. It wasn't anything new, and any Chicagoan would find the night disappointing without the cold wind and constant threat of rain. It made the night seem sinister and dangerous, the perfect night for Halloween.
Women wearing the most skimpy and scandalous costumes they could find and men drooling wolfishly after them filled the dance clubs. Every store, bar and restaurant decorated for the occasion and offered Halloween versions of whatever they sold. You could find a 'Devilishly good' cigar at a smoke shop, or drink a 'Dracula' Bloody Mary. For one night every year Chicago stopped being the Windy city and become the Scary City.
The W Hotel was no different from any other business in the City. Orange and purple lights decorated the hotel, while skulls and the lurking shadows of witches peeked around every corner. The Manager of the hotel dimmed the main lights and everyone enjoyed the faux-frightful atmosphere.
Melissa sat at the bar and sipped a vodka martini. She wore a short black cocktail dress which showed off her shapely legs and firm breasts and made her impossible to ignore. Her short black hair framed her face like the lustrous feathers of a raven, and her plump red lips attracted both men and women. A few young men in the bar had sidled up next to her, trying to gain her favor, but Melissa had already decided on which man would take her up to his room.
The man Melissa had set her sights on would have surprised the other patrons of the dimly lit bar. He sat at one of the small corner tables, quietly eating dinner while enjoying a drink and reading e-mail on his phone. Melissa judged that he was in his fifties, but was still in good physical shape. Though not what she would call handsome, he wasn't unattractive either. If asked, she would have described him as plain or average.
Melissa found the unremarkable nature of the man his most appealing feature. He wore a dark blue suit that was neither expensive nor cheap, and even though his phone wasn't the latest model, it wasn't old either. His ring finger was bare, so he probably didn't have a wife. She had watched him for almost an hour and he had not made or received a call, which was a good indicator that he didn't already have a woman in his life.
All of these observations helped Melissa form a fast opinion of the man. He was a single man with a middle management position and with little excitement in his life. This meant he probably had disposable cash and credit cards. He would be another perfect score.
At twenty-four years old Melissa was a successful call girl and con-artist. She was a smart young woman and had quickly learned the easiest way of making money was the worlds' oldest profession. She knew exactly what to look for in a client and targeted those that would easily part with their cash in trade for her attention. Unfortunately, thanks to a little drug-spiked drink most of her clients slept all too well after getting what they paid for. When they awoke they found their money and credit cards missing and under the circumstance were unable to engage the local police.
Many would say it was a shame that such a bright young woman had not found her place in a more respectable occupation. She kept notes on where and when she met her clients/victims, and made sure to find out as much about them as possible. If she had scammed a man who was attending a dental convention, she made sure to stay clear of the sort for months. She changed her hair and appearance often, transitioning from brunette to blond and then red head often. Her thoroughness would have taken her far in the business world.
Melissa watched as one of the waitresses stopped by the man's table. She dressed like Little Red Riding Hood, with a short red dress, white stockings and a small basket dangling from one arm. Melissa watched as the waitress did her best impression of the famous fairy tale character, asking if the man needed anything else. When she left, Melissa watched as the man's eyes lingered over the girl's body. He wasn't obvious about it, but it was clear that he liked what he saw.
Melissa waited until the man had almost finished his dinner before she made her move. She ordered a fresh drink and then walked over to his table.
"I don't mean to disturb you, but I was wondering if you could help me?" She said.
"It's no problem. How can I help you?" He replied, placing his knife and fork on the table.
"Do you mind if I sit with you for a while? My friends are late and some of the men here make me a little uncomfortable." She explained with a tone dripping with distress.
"Sure, take a seat." He said.
Melissa sat down in the chair opposite of his. She introduced herself as Holly, and he introduced himself as Steve. She found out that he was in town on business and wouldn't be leaving until the morning, but that was all. He quickly returned to eating his food, apparently believing he had fulfilled his obligation by allowing her to sit with him.
Melissa soon became annoyed that he was ignoring her with such ease. She slid her hand down her stomach and tugged on the front of her dress, pulling the thin material down to reveal more of her cleavage. She coughed to catch his attention, but after a quick glance he resumed reading whatever was on his phone.
The waitress returned to ask about drinks, and as before his eyes lingered over her as she walked away from the table. Indignation and anger raged through Melissa as she watched the waitress. The young woman was cute but that was all. Melissa knew that she was better than the waitress in every way, but her prey wasn't giving her a second look.
Steve finished his dinner and was enjoying his drink, and Melissa knew that she didn't have long to reel him in. Simply offering him sex for money wouldn't work. She thought it over for a moment and pretending to receive a call pulled out her phone.
"Hey. Where are you guys at?" She said to the silent phone.
"How long will that take? I don't know anyone here and it will cost a fortune to take a cab home." She said to the imaginary caller, her voice tinged with despair.
"I guess I'll have to stay close to the hotel. Call me when you are on your way." She said before dropping the phone back in her purse.
"Is everything all right?" Steve asked.