The Lure of the Lie: A Modern Detective Anthology (*On Hold*)

3 Convention

I had never seen the convention center in such a state. Even from outside, I could tell that the mood and decor of this particular event was a far cry from the scientific conferences which I had attended in the same space. There were limos and other luxury cars waiting in line for the door, red carpets roped off from paparazzi at every entrance, and a crowd of people waiting to gain entry. Parker placed a hand on my back to lead me through the crowd and I tried to ignore his state of irritation as I took in the glamour around me that was far more than I'd expected from such an event.

"It's what I imagine the Oscars would be like," I marvelled as a petite blonde woman emerged from a limousine and the crowd erupted into cheers of her name as she paused and blew a kiss with a wink to a nearby horde of fans.

"Right except less respectable," he grunted as he pushed me forward.

"I don't know about that," I countered. "Theirs is a job like any other. Sex as entertainment has existed since the dawn of humanity. Their activities are nothing new. What's new is the invention of digital video and photo which makes their scenes far more attainable to a wider population. And the result is, clearly, fame."

I held my arms out in explanation as another "star" emerged from a new limousine, this one a male who puckered his lips in a pout as he posed for the waiting paparazzi.

"Let's just get inside, yeah?" Parker asked again, clearly agitated. Despite my desire to remain outside and observe the arrivals and the intriguing reactions of the fans, I agreed and craned my neck to see the latest star arrive as we reached security and Parker flashed his badge.

We were inside the convention center in a matter of moments to a chorus of accusations from the crowd that had been waiting behind us. Once we stepped inside, I felt Parker tense. The atmosphere within the building was far different than it had been outside. It was enclosed and crowded with a half naked woman posing and preening every ten feet with fans waiting in line for their chance to meet her and take a picture. There were stalls set up to sell various wares of the trade. We passed a stand of marital aids and I watched as Parker cleared his throat and adjusted the tie around his neck.

"Are you alright?" I asked him as we strode through the central aisle.

"This is just- it's weird. Don't you think it's weird?" he replied quietly as we passed a man claiming he had the best lubricant in the country for sale.

"On the contrary, I find it quite fascinating," I answered and he shook his head. "Our culture is full of many very interesting subcultures. The industry of porn, while commercial in origination, has developed into a culture of its own. It allows for free expression and exploration of human sexual desires in a way that previous time periods in history would never have allowed."

"Yes, well, as curious as a study as this may be for you, Doc, we're here to find out what happened to our victim. So just use that crazy brain of yours to point me in the direction of the people I need to question and we'll be on our way."

"We can't just come in asking questions. These people have chosen to take part in this subculture as a reaction to the oppression and judgement they feel from the mainstream culture. We can't just start making quick judgements and asking questions. They will shut us out completely and we'll never learn anything."

"So what do you suggest?"

I bit my lip and peered around for a plan. There were vendors, casting directors, actors and actresses, all lit up in neon and lusty colors.

"I'll make a purchase from a vendor to show that I'm a patron, one of them. Maybe I can question the merchant or, at the very least, the bag I carry around will gain me some trust to speak with others," I said and then I saw a group of three women at the end of our lane. They were posing for pictures in bikinis made of gold, silver, and bronze though the line for them didn't seem all that long. "You should talk to some of the actresses. Maybe those three at the end. They don't seem too busy."