A/C compressor bypass?

I have a friend that went to a mechanic about a noise in the engine. He told her that it was her air conditioner compressor and it would disable her car if it failed. I know that a failed bearing would cause the belt to burn up, but I think he was just trying to scare her into an expensive repair job. He told her it would cost $1,900.00 to fix and the cheapest compressor he could find cost $750.00. She has parked her car and is borrowing one because of this greedy jerk. He said that for a smaller fee (still too much) he would bypass the compressor with a shorter serpentine belt. My question is; would it damage anything if I got one and put it on for her and what size (length) it would take to accomplish this? I am a decent mechanic and just want to double check that, by only bypassing the air conditioner, I will not affect anything else and get a recommended belt size. This will at least ease her mind and get her back on the road until I can sort out what is really going on.

What a relief to confirm this stop gap fix to buy time to figure out where to get the money enough to do what I am reading is an expensive endeavor.
To inquire or calculate the appropriate size short belt? Can you please be the elusive easy button for this? With a recommended part of a source for me to start birdoggin it myself?

Standing by with gratuity. Urgent time-sensitive plea.