Assistant Commissioner Wyman was busily arranging her office. She was well organised and had every box labelled clearly. She was methodical in her professional life and applied the same systematic approach in her personal life which led to countless failed attempts at romance. She did not understand love and its ability to completely consume a person's mind, body and soul and overcompensated professionally to fulfil the void in her heart. Wyman based all her decisions on logic and was unable to process emotion or articulate it for that matter. She continued to unpack her boxes and came across her clock. She gazed around her office trying to find the perfect spot to hang it. As a child, Wyman became fixated with time. The obsession remained with her throughout adulthood and provided her solace when she was unable to control a situation. It was imperative to her that the clock was positioned in the perfect spot. She finally decided where to hang it when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in"
"AC Wyman, I'm Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley. May I speak with you?"
"I know who you are, sit down"
"I wanted to discuss your intentions with reviewing team dynamics. What exactly are you trying to achieve?"
"DI Lynley, I did not become who I am today by just accepting the norm. I like to challenge my team to get the best results possible. Former AC Hillier had his views of how a department would function best and I have mine. I need to evaluate what works well and what needs to change immediately"
"I understand you need to be comfortable with partnerships and the team but I fear you will dismiss the level of charisma and emotional connection that is required to make a partnership work".
Tommy's implication that Wyman was unable to process emotional value of a partnership infuriated her. How dare he think I am incapable of evaluating emotions? She was a proud woman who worked her way up the ranks and was afraid of what she did not understand. She feared emotions but was certain that her secret was well kept. Am I that obvious? Can he really see right through me?
"DI Lynley, I suggest that you worry about your job and let me worry about mine. It sounds like you're uncomfortable with my process so to put you out of suspense, I'm going to start off with reviewing your partnership with Detective Sergeant Havers. Now if that will be all I have to finish unpacking"
Tommy left Wyman's office in a fuming rage. The woman was impossible to reason with. Her fierce nature was undeniably sexy but nonetheless, she irritated him immensely. He quickly rushed back to his office and slammed the door shut.
Barbara watched Tommy as he walked passed her and decided to wait a few minutes to calm down before she spoke with him. Twenty minutes went by and Barbara made her way to Tommy's office.
"Sir, is everything alright?'
"Havers that woman is unbelievably difficult. She is reviewing all partnerships across the Met including ours"
Barbara's heart began to pound. Her greatest fear in life was about to become a reality. The thought of losing Tommy as a partner frightened her. Her body went numb and she found she was unable to say anything. She slowly made her way back to her desk and sunk in her chair. Barbara held her head down and breathed out heavily.
The door to AC Wyman's office opened.
"Detective Sergeant Havers, please come into my office"
Barbara dreaded the walk to Wyman's office. It felt like her heart was ripped out of her chest and stepped on. She finally made her to Wyman's office and knocked gently on the door.
"Come in"
"Good afternoon Assistant Commissioner Wyman"
"Ms Havers, please take a seat"
Barbara sat opposite Wyman and scanned the room. She noticed Wyman's collection of clocks. There was one hanging on the wall, two on her desk, one centred on the filing cabinet and offcourse Wyman's watch. The obsession with time created a level of unease with Barbara. Wyman glanced over to her watch, cleared her throat and forced a smile towards Barbara.
"DS Havers, as I mentioned earlier today, I will be reviewing team dynamics and operational functionality. I will be starting off with your partnership with DI Lynley. I have read your files and I understand you two have been partners for several years. I see that you're a an above capable detective sergeant which begs me to question why you have not been promoted to Detective Inspector"
"I like working with DI Lynley. We work well together and get the job done"
"Ms Havers, I understand you enjoy working together but you are an employee of this department and I believe we will get better value if you were promoted to DI and paired up with someone else. You see better results come from challenging ourselves and I believe your professional relationship with DI Lynley has run its course. Effective next week, you will be promoted to DI and paired with DC Williams".
"I don't want that and I have a choice in the matter"
"Ms Havers, if you wish to continue working here then I suggest you get on board and do so very quickly. Now if you will so kindly shut the door on your way out of my office, I would appreciate it"
Barbara sobbed her way to the ladies room to freshen up. She finally calmed down and made her way back to her desk only to see Tommy standing there. He asked her how her conversation with AC Wyman went. Barbara explained Wyman's intention to split them up but failed to mention Wyman's promotional intentions for Barbara. Tommy was infuriated and bolted in to Wyman's office.
"Why are you splitting up Barbara and I?"
"DI Lynley, I expect someone of your calibre to have some level of hierarchical appreciation as opposed to rudely barging into my office. As for your split with Barbara, it is due to a promotion for Barbara. I think you have some emotional hold on her and quite frankly I believe it to be selfish. You are not thinking of what is most beneficial for Barbara in a professional context rather what benefits your emotional needs. If you truly care about Barbara you would appreciate my intentions to make her a DI. She expressed her desire to become a DI but was worried about your reaction"
"AC Wyman, I was unaware of your promotional intentions for Barbara. I'll see myself out"
Tommy thought about what Wyman had said. She was right. He had an emotional dependence on Barbara and failed to think about her career. Barbara was more than qualified to become a DI and Tommy felt he had stood in her way. Everyone in the department had gone home for the day except for Barbara who stopped Tommy on his way back to his office.
"So how did it go Sir? Are we going to continue working alongside each other?"
"Havers I think AC Wyman is right for splitting us up. I have been selfish and have failed to consider your needs. I had no idea of your desire to become DI and I'm sorry for holding you back for so long"
Barbara was infuriated. She clearly articulated to AC Wyman that she had no intentions of becoming a DI. AC Wyman had intentionally misdirected Tommy just so she can have her way.
"Sir, I do not want to become a DI. I made that perfectly clear to AC Wyman. She has manipulated you into thinking I wanted that position".
"I can't believe that woman! I'm about to give her a piece of my mind".
Tommy was enraged by Wyman's intentional misdirection. He stormed back into her office and began shouting
"How dare you manipulate me! You twisted your conversation around with Barbara and led me to believe something that was not true"
Wyman stared at Tommy. His anger and rage excited her. At that moment she wanted Tommy and Wyman always got what she wanted.
"DI Lynley I did what needed to be done. Simple as that. You're obviously a very emotional person and perhaps this change will do you some good"
"You have no right to judge me! You're an emotionless woman and I pity you"
"I am your superior and I would watch what I would say if I were you!"
The shouting match between Wyman and Tommy continued. Wyman could no longer control her desire for Tommy and in the heat of the moment kissed Tommy as passionately as she could. Tommy was unable to fight off Wyman and succumbed to her advances. Neither of them had feelings for one another besides hatred. Tommy felt what he was doing was wrong but he just could not stop. He had meaningless sex in the past and this time was no different. He was unable to think with neither his head nor his heart. Tommy and Wyman stumbled around through her office and made their way to her filing cabinets. Wyman tore off her blouse and unzipped Tommy's pants. He lifted her skirt and pushed himself inside her using her filing cabinets to balance himself. Wyman pulled on Tommy's hair as a way to control the sensation she felt and he pushed further and further inside of her. She tried her best to keep quiet but eventually screamed out in pleasure.
Barbara had just come back to her desk from the ladies room. She had heard the scream that had come from Wyman's office and raced her way there. She pushed open the door only to find Tommy and Wyman together. Barbara gasped in shock and ran out of Wyman's office as quickly as she could.
Tommy immediately stopped, got dressed and ran after Barbara. She had already made her way to her car and had managed to take off. Tommy was instantly filled with regret and self hatred. What have I done? I am such a fool. I may have lost the only thing in my life that matters to me. As he watched Barbara drive off, he whispered "I am so sorry. I love you more than you will ever know"