"Izzy!", Eva Sharpe's voice rang out. She waved to make sure her friend of ten years had definitely seen her but from the look on her face she was beginning to think this meeting wasn't such a good idea. Eva knew she had done wrong by asking Isabella to investigate one of her colleagues, on her and SunHill's behalf, but it was too good an opportunity to miss and they had gotten a good result from it…at least Eva's team had.

"Izzy!", she attempted to be up-beat though she knew too well what would be wrong with her friend.

"I'm in trouble Eva and it's your fault", she slammed her purse down before sitting with a thump, "You had better have something up your sleeve otherwise…"

Frustrated, she screwed up a paper napkin and tossed it carelessly over her shoulder where it happened to collide with their neighbouring table. Eva shrugged in their direction as if to say, 'What can I do' before turning her attention back to the woman sat opposite.

"Look I told you I would talk to your Super didn't I? I'll sort it no worries", with that she sipped on her coffee and glanced around, going from the other latté drinkers to the window shoppers who stood drooling over creations they would never be able to afford. Checking her watch from time to time she noted that ten minutes had passed and Izzy had not stopped her insistent staring. Beginning to get freaked out Eva made the decision to speak, knowing it would no doubt lead to more trouble but at least it would bring an end to the insufferable silence.

"What?"

"How exactly are you going to sort it?", she seemed to pronounce every word precisely, in order to make sure Eva understood the question was not one she would easily weasel out of.

"Look. I'll go right now and speak to Superintendent…", she waited for Izzy to complete her sentence.

"Whitman."

"Right, well, I'll go and see this Whitman the now", she stood, downed the last of her latté and snatched her jacket off the back of her seat. Izzy glared after her all the way out of the shopping centre but Eva never looked back causing her best friend to smile. She shook her head and smirked at the thought of Eva coming face to face with Mr. Whitman. She really didn't have a clue what she was in store for.

She ran her finger along the brass plate reading 'Superintendent Whitman'. She was in the right place. A sharp chap was all it took for him to jump from his seat and fling the door open with all his might, causing Eva to step back in alarm as the entire foyer seemed to shake. She stared at the man in front of her…a short, stocky figure with a balding head and beady eyes hidden beneath thick, bottle like glasses. This was who intimidated Izzy so? It took all of her might not to laugh.

"Yes?", he asked in gruff, Yorkshire accent.

"Mr.Whitman? I'm Detective Constable Eva Sharpe and I work at SunHill station. I'd like to have a word if it's not too much bother", he didn't look pleased by the interruption and so remained where he was, blocking the doorway, "It involves the Henry Debbie case."

His jaw appeared to clench but he stepped aside, allowing Eva to pass. She stood waiting to be told to take a seat but the command never came. Instead Whitman made himself comfortable behind his desk, hands in lap, right leg over left and demanded to know what business was it of hers.

"Well sir, as you know Police Constable Isabella Angel was working under her own steam but what you don't know is that during the period where she was investigating your DC Henry Debbie, she was actually being employed by the CID team at my station which, as I said before, is SunHill. You can check with Superintendent Okaro if you must, but the real reason I am here is to request that you don't go too hard on PC Angel. She did have her orders even if they did not come from you sir."

Eva finished confidently, knowing she had done all she could and that it would be enough. Unexpectedly, Whitman picked up the phone and dialled through to reception.

"Get me Superintendent Okaro on the phone. Now", Eva's shifted uncomfortably. She hadn't expected him to follow through with such an unnecessary procedure but she wasn't in trouble. Yet. Okaro had some understanding of what had gone on and he was a proud man, he wouldn't let on that he knew practically nothing of the investigation. If she was to get a telling off it would come when she was back at the station.

"Okaro? Yes it's Whitman here, calling from Barton Street station. Yeah mate how you doing?", Eva's jaw dropped, she would never have expected the two men to be friends. They just didn't suit. She listened to their conversation as well as she could and nothing worried her too much about what was said. The natter was brought to an end and he placed down the receiver. Looking to Eva he resumed his earlier position.

"Well, it seems that you lot like to keep Okaro in the dark about your dealings with my station". Eva gulped but still stood in a secure manner, "He did, however, inform me that PC Angel was indeed working with you and your team so now that I have confirmation I think I will have to change the action which was going to be taken against our Angel."

Eva smiled. She knew she would be able to do it. Now Izzy wouldn't be mad at her anymore, even better, she would owe her one.

"So she'll no longer be suspended from duty until notified otherwise?"

"No, she will not", He grinned as he picked up the phone once more, "Yes can you get Isabella Angel on the phone, tell her I wish to see her as soon as possible. Thank you."

"Now DC, what was your name?", he continued to grin in a demonic way.

"Sharpe. Eva Sharpe."

"Well you can go back to your station and don't worry, I'll let PC Angel know that it's all down to you", the grin had not faded and he gave her a little wave before she closed the door. It struck Eva as she walked to her car…it didn't matter what Whitman looked like because he still held the power to crush and destroy those below him, all she could do was hope that he did not claim Izzy as one of his victims.

"Some woman called for you", Juliet handed her the piece of yellow, sticky back paper.

"Ok", Eva looked it over carefully. All it said was, 'Must talk. Will be waiting for you after shift.' She went to the window and opened the blinds slightly, enough for her to see but not to be seen. There was no reporter waiting so that had to be a good sign. She shrugged her shoulders, stuck it back on her pad and went about her work, letting the meeting slip to the back of her mind until the end of her shift inevitably came.

"Drink?", Mickey requested. They were the last to leave the office together, as per usual.

"Yeah…", she picked up a pile of folders and quickly spotted the yellow paper again, "Actually, you know what. I've got to meet someone. Sorry, maybe next time." With that she exited swiftly, leaving Mickey with a puzzled expression across his face.

Stepping out into the night Eva instinctively hugged her flimsy jacket around her slender frame, she stood, waiting, until Izzy ran up to her. Eva smiled, thinking she would have come to say thank you and so she held her arms out, awaiting a hug but what she got instead was a firm slap across the face just in time for uniform to be leaving after their shift.

"What's going on over there?", Kerry whispered to Smithy.

"I dunno", the ladies began to have a heated argument, "but whatever it is we better go help Eva."

As the rest of the officers carried on to the pub Smithy and Kerry made their way towards their colleague and her apparent attacker. They reached them just in time as Izzy pulled her hand back for another slap, only to be caught round the wrist by Smithy. He held her back, hands round her waist, as she yelled for him to let go, that it had nothing to do with them and last but not least, that it was deserved.

"Hey I didn't mean it you know!", Eva defended herself.

"You got me the sack! What am I going to do now?", as she became emotional Smithy loosened his grip more and more until she was standing alone again.

"I'll sort it don't worry", Eva took her friend by the hand as the other officers looked on.

"You know?" Kerry asked, giving a concerned look.

"I was never not ok", she retorted before apologising and asking to be left alone. Both Kerry and Smithy nodded, glancing between both women before going to join the others.

"I will sort it", she spoke determinedly, "By the end of this week, you will have a job. I promise you that."

Izzy wiped her eyes and nodded her head, allowing Eva to hug her as she had first intended but all the while Eva cursed inside for digging herself into an even deeper hole.

"I need a word sir", Eva ran down the corridor after her Super. It had been four days since she had last spoken to Izzy and after many failed attempts to get her employed at Barton Street again; she was faced with the final option.

"Yes, Eva?"

'Great I've caught him in a good mood'. They hadn't been on the best of terms since the palaver with DC Henry Debbie, in fact, she had spent most of her time avoiding him so she hoped he would realise what a significant step it was for her to come to him.

"I wanted a word sir", DS McAllister butted in, more to annoy Eva rather than to further any case she may like to discuss.

"Yes, Debbie?", he drew in his breath. McAllister was known for complaining about her colleagues and Okaro was just about reaching the end of his tether with her.

"Well it's a little bit delicate sir, maybe we could step into your office?", it was clear that by 'stepping into his office' they were really 'stepping out of earshot of Eva', undoubtedly she would be the latest victim of Debbie's razor sharp tongue.

"Fine, fine", both women followed him down the corridor where Eva waited patiently outside as Debbie ranted inside.

"She has been doing absolutely no work the past few days! We are supposed to be doing a job here, but she seems more interested in her personal life…one aspect of it especially."

"And that mean's", he fleetingly looked towards the wall clock and groaned inwardly as he realised this was going to take up a lot of his time.

"Well her husband, before she started disappearing she told me that he was having trouble with his employer, he was being worked too hard, that he could never pick up the kids or be there for them getting home and he never did any work around the house…"

"I'm sorry DS McAllister but surely this should be talked about with Jack Meadows, not me?"

"Your right sir it should but DC Sharpe has all her superiors wrapped round her little finger, excepting you of course…I think she ought to be assigned some cases which can give her easier hours, to work out her personal life you know", she smiled flirtatiously but Okaro saw right through the act.

"Ah…now I see", he smiled back, "Let's go speak to DC Sharpe shall we?"

Debbie smirked. She knew she was going to get the case she had been after since it first came about, the one which Eva had gotten charge of. The women stood together and waited for their instructions.

"Eva I'm sorry to hear about your personal problems but you can't allow them to get in the way of your work", Eva was quite surprised by this comment and wondered how he knew about Izzy already, "Now I want you and DS McAllister to start getting along or I may have to separate you on a more permanent basis. I do not want any hair pulling, nail digging, bitchery or tattle tales on my team, understood girls?" Debbie appeared horrified by the way he had addressed like her a child. Eva, however, found the entire thing comical. He really was in a good mood.

"Yes Sir", came the indignant reply.

"Yes sir", the corners of Eva's mouth creased but never formed a full smile, "I still want to speak to you sir if that's ok, even if you do know what it's about."

"Come on into my domain!"

After half an hour of laughing at Debbie, nearly blowing her top when she found out what she had said, telling her real problem and proposing an idea of how to fix it, their meeting was brought to a happy ending.

"Thank you sir, this means a lot to me", Eva shook his hand. She couldn't stop grinning, she really had done it.

"You're the one who's done me the favour, uniform has been one officer down for some time now and if this Isabella is really as good as you've made out then I'm sure she'll be an asset to the station, just remember and tell her not to do any loose canon work."

"Some how, I don't think she will sir!"