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Chapter Four
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Stir fried advice.
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Alex was slightly disconcerted to find that Gene already at the house she shared with Evan when she pulled into the drive. She had given him her postcode to put in his satnav but even so she expected the shortcuts she knew of to get her home with a few minutes to spare.
'Found it ok then?' she said, suddenly wondering if this was such a great idea after all.
Gene stubbed out the cigarette he was smoking and got out of his sleek black TT Quattro.
'Mid life crisis car?' she teased, peering inside, 'Not a lot of room.'
'Depends what you're planning on doing in it.' Gene replied.
She was furious to find she was blushing yet again, and juggled her briefcase and laptop, along with a large Italian leather handbag. Gene took the briefcase from her before everything ended up in a heap on the drive.
She scurried indoors and led him through to the kitchen.
'Bloody hell, you could fit my entire flat in here.' Gene said, looking around.
'It's Evan's house.' Alex said hurriedly.
'Evan?' Gene asked.
'My guardian, I was orphaned. He brought me up' Alex mumbled, 'But then you probably already know that.'
'I only checked you out professionally.' Gene assured her, 'Your private life is none of my business.'
'Make yourself comfortable.' Alex said, waving at the sofa and the kitchen table, Wherever-' she grabbed a bottle of wine and held it up.
'Thanks' he nodded, sitting at the table.
She poured him a glass, 'I'll just go and …'
'Slip into something more comfortable?' Gene grinned.
'Er, yeah.' she fled.
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Gene felt pleasantly relaxed as he watched her moving around the kitchen preparing the food, but slightly jolted by the way the hard arsed career woman suddenly looked ten years younger and ten times more beautiful now she was dressed in tatty jeans and a faded sweatshirt.
He had removed his jacket and loosened his tie. He watched her bum jiggle as she chopped and peeled. He could get used to this. Every so often she stopped what she was doing and came over to read something he was talking about, squinting into his laptop.
'I know the groundwork on this has to be ruddy spot on' Gene told her grimly, 'he's the slipperiest bugger I've ever come across….' he stopped talking as Evan entered the kitchen.
'Good evening.' he said, slightly stiffly, looking from Gene to Alex.
'This is DI Hunt….er Gene Hunt' Alex gabbled, 'I invited him to supper. This is Evan.' she told Gene.
Evan held out his hand but didn't look impressed.
The two men shook hands briefly.
'I'm out this evening- chess at Jonty's.' Evan said to Alex, 'He's having Sushi delivered.'
'Why have I chopped this mountain of vegetables for stir fry?' Alex muttered, 'I hope you're hungry.' she said to Gene, cutting thin slices of beef into strips.
'Starving.' he said.
'I doubt Molly will eat.' she grumbled, 'That girl….'
Molly suddenly appeared from nowhere, 'Talking about me again?' she asked, 'Oh hello Gene, I thought you were Logan. What a brilliant surprise to find out you're not.'
'Are you eating?' Alex asked her.
'Of course I'm eating.' Molly said, drinking orange juice from the carton. 'Do you want me to waste away entirely?'
Gene shut his laptop.
'Yesterday you said you were horrendously fat.' Alex reminded her, 'Morbidly obese, I think you said.'
Alex went into the walk in larder, Evan followed her.
'What's he doing here?' he asked.
'It's work.' Alex said.
'It might be for you but I very much doubt by the way he was gazing at you when I walked in that it is for him.' Evan hissed.
'Of course it's work!' Alex replied crossly, holding a pineapple in a mildly threatening manner, 'He's new to London, I just thought inviting him to supper would make him feel welcome.'
'You're making him feel that all right.' Evan tutted, 'Remember the rules, never the twain..'
'It's work Evan.' Alex said stubbornly, 'Shouldn't you be getting ready for chess?'
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'Do you think you'll like London?' Molly quizzed Gene.
'Dunno' Gene said, not looking at Alex, 'It has its attractions.'
Molly giggled and winked at Alex.
'The London Eye, the Tate Modern, Soho.' Gene went on, forking up stir fry. 'your mother's cooking.'
'I think you'll fit in very well.' Molly said. 'I think Mum and I should take you under our wing-wings.'
Alex shook her head, 'I'm sure the last thing Gene wants is to be tucked under any wings Molly- he's his own man.'
'Man being the operative word.' Molly said, 'Most so called men these days are so metrosexual you can barely find the Y chromosome.'
'Who made you an authority on the opposite sex.?' Alex muttered.
'I'm not' Molly sucked in an egg noodle and wiped sauce from her chin, 'But come on , you've got to admit that the other men in your department are divs.'
'I must apologise for my daughter and her inappropriate personal remarks.' Alex looked from under her eyelashes at Gene.
'I don't know, I quite like the fact that she appreciates a real man when she sees one.' he said.
He was pokerfaced but Alex knew he was being ironic, somehow it made him even more desirable.
Molly looked from Gene to Alex, 'Did you know you're mirroring each other's body language?' she remarked wickedly. 'Classic signs of mutual attraction.'
'There is absolutely no way you are going to live to see your sixteenth birthday.' Alex, her face the colour of a raspberry, said.
'I'm just trying to move things along a tad.' Molly said brightly.
'With all the subtlety of a ten ton truck.' Alex huffed, 'Anyway there's nothing to move along, Gene and I are work colleagues. I wish you'd show the same enthusiasm for Logan, who, by the way, I am romantically attached to.'
'Yes, and a very lucky sod he is too.' Gene said, putting down his fork, 'No doubt by this time next year you'll be barefoot and pregnant in the wilds of Surrey- feeding hens and shaving sheep.'
'You shear sheep, you don't shave them.' Alex pouted.
'Ah, that's where I've been going wrong.' Gene said.
Molly giggled and Alex found herself tittering too, despite herself, and as she caught his eye her stomach almost disappeared .
'I'll let you two get down to it.' Molly said, shoving her plate in the dishwasher, 'I'll be in my room , and I absolutely promise not to disturb you.'
'There'll be nothing to disturb ' Alex said lightly, 'We're just talking about a case.' she busied herself with clearing the table, 'If you want to smoke you can go on the terrace, while I clear this away.'
'I'm alright here.' Gene said, he stood up and helped her clear the crocks. 'Right, where were we?' he asked as they replenished their wine glasses and sat down.
'I'm sorry about Molly.' Alex said, 'She can be a little facetious. She's never had a proper father figure apart from Evan, and he's more like a grandfather figure, she can come across as a little desperate.'
Gene shrugged, 'Don't apologise for her, she's a credit to you.' he turned his neck slightly and pointed out a scar just over an inch long, 'I got this from a girl about Molly's age, 'I'm pretty sure she was going for my jugular.'
'Oh my goodness!' Alex said.
'The scary thing is she's still out there somewhere and I've a feeling her next victim isn't going to be a hulking great bloke like me.' Gene said.
'Don't tell me…' Alex said.
'Technicality.' Gene said, 'It's so frustrating, you work your guts out trying to bring a conviction and along comes the old technicality and the bastards walk off scot-free.'
'Do you have any kids?' Alex asked.
'A daughter- Frances- she's 22.' Gene looked uncomfortable, 'I don't see her much, her mother makes sure of that.'
'Sorry.' Alex poured more wine.
'I'll be getting a cab home at this rate.' Gene said, but he took the wine anyway.
As they discussed the case Alex moved around the table and sat beside him so she could see the screen of his laptop. She tried to concentrate as he talked but found it difficult.
'This is why being out on the street is so important.' Gene said, 'I think we really need to get someone into the club undercover.' he turned slightly so her could look at her face to gauge her reaction.
'Not you?' she whispered, very aware how close they were.
'No, can't be me.' Gene looked disappointed, 'I was always popping up on the local Manchester news. He might recognise me. How about Danvers? Has he been under before?'
'No' Alex said.
'Bugger- don't call me sexist but I'm not entirely happy about sending Shaz in.' he rubbed a long finger around the top of his wine glass fretfully.
'No- I mean yes- see what you mean. You're very driven aren't you?' Alex said breathily, 'Not exactly how I expected you to be.'
'You're not exactly how I expected you to be either.' he admitted.
She shrieked a giggle, 'What did you expect?'
'A dried up old prune- thought the photo had been airbrushed at least.' he gave a tiny smile.
His mouth was very close to hers, she could smell the red wine and feel the warmth of his breath. She knew that they could kiss now and it would feel like the most natural thing on earth.
'Airbrushed?' she murmured, her eyes locked onto his.
'Er yeah.' he drew back slightly and sat up straight, 'So…Sharon Granger or Mike Danvers? Who do I brief tomorrow?'
Alex stiffened and pulled away too, feeling slightly foolish, had she misread the signals? 'I'll need to think that one over.' she said.
Gene drained his glass, and made a big show of yawning and rubbing his face, 'I think I'd better make a move. Can we do a breakfast meeting? Say half past eight?'
Alex stood up and wrapped her arms around herself, putting up a barrier, 'Yes, yes fine- I'll think it through tonight.' she said hurriedly.
He looked up at her, 'Bolly…'
'Alex!' it came out much more snappily then she'd intended. 'Would you like me to call you a cab?' she asked.
'No, I'll call one outside, I need to grab some stuff from the car.' he stood up too, 'Well, thanks for the meal.'
'You're welcome.' she nodded.
At the front door he turned and looked down at her, 'Shorty' he said quietly, touching a boot to her bare foot.
'Yes well' she blustered, 'My heels damage Evan's expensive flooring.'
'I'm behaving myself with you.' Gene whispered in her ear, 'You make that almost fucking impossible but hard as it is I'm doing it. If you could get inside my head and read my mind you'd suspend me immediately. Ma'am.'
Alex found she couldn't do anything but gulp and almost pushed him out of the door. She went upstairs and watched out of the window until a cab chugged up to take him home. Then she showered, crazily trying to scrub all her insistent yearnings away.
Molly zipped out of her room as Alex was about to get into bed.
'Did he make a move?' she asked excitedly..
'Give it a rest Molly.' she replied. 'We're professionals.'
'Yeah professionals who have the hots for each other.' Molly laughed, 'You and I both know it's only a matter of time.'
'Am I right in thinking that you are embarrassing Gene and I, and yourself to a degree, simply because you don't want to go and live in Surrey?' Alex asked. 'Because I'm seriously thinking about accepting Logan's offer.'
'Well you go and bury yourself in Surrey, I'll stay here with Evan.' Molly said, 'That's right mum, revert to type, run away so you won't have to feel anything.'
'I'm too tired for this.' Alex said, 'If you want to practice calling some one step-daddy, practice it with Logan in mind, not bloody Gene Hunt.'
Molly plonked herself on the bed, 'He's left his car here -people will talk. They'll all think you're having fun and you aren't. Evan will arrive home and be shitting himself thinking you're being knobbed by a bit of rough, and here you are, all chaste and lonely in your bed- as usual.'
'Just go to your own bed.' Alex begged.
'If I were you….' Molly began.
'You're not me.' Alex replied.
Molly ploughed on, 'I would give him a test drive. Live dangerously for once. That way you'll know.'
'Do you really think it's suitable for a child like you to be advising her mother to have a one night stand?' Alex asked.
'You don't love Logan' Molly said, 'There's nothing wrong with him a personality transplant wouldn't cure, but they're not available as yet, and even if they were there's no guarantee of chemistry.' she surveyed her mother with something that looked very much like pity, 'Mum ,if I thought Logan could make you happy than I'd move to Surrey and we could all play happy families for ever and ever, but there's fuck all chance, I just know it and you know it too- deep down- if you could be an outsider and see the difference between you and Gene together and you and Logan together you'd know what I'm talking about.'
'Sometimes in life you can't always have everything as you'd want it to be Molly' Alex explained, 'You'll find that out for yourself as you go along. DI Hunt and I have to work together, we have to maintain a bit of distance, keep things on an even keel. Now, I'm very tired and have to be up early, so please let me go to sleep.'
'Ok' Molly gave in, 'I've said my piece and I think you listened which is good.' she kissed Alex's cheek, 'Sweet dreams.'
Alex had a restless night and the next morning her mood wasn't improved by Evan appearing in the kitchen as she was taking the skin off her tongue with scalding black coffee.
'Who are you looking for?' she asked.
'I thought you had a guest.' Evan said.
'Well, I don't.' she sipped and winced and gave up on the coffee, 'he went home around eleven o'clock. His car's in the drive because he had too much to drink. Does that put your mind at rest?'
'Just be careful Alex' Evan said cautiously, 'I found out a thing or two about your new DI last night. He doesn't manage authority very well, apparently he was demoted after physically assaulting his Superintendent.'
Alex grabbed her head, 'Now where did I put it? Oh here it is! My own mind.' she glared at Evan, 'I'm so sick of people giving me advice. First Molly and now you.' she grabbed her briefcase and laptop, 'Maybe you two can discuss minding your own respective businesses when you drive her to school. I have a meeting with my loose canon, untrustworthy, lust apparently dripping from every pore, DI.'
She slammed out of the house and came across Gene collecting his car in the drive.
'Morning' he said.
'Just throw me over the bonnet and shag me senseless now.' she said crossly, 'Maybe then everyone will shut up. Evan will have a seizure and Molly will go into raptures.'
'Don't tempt me.' he replied, his eyes darkening, 'I suppose the desk in your office is far too private?'
'Well you could film it , but it wouldn't do much for the spontaneity.' Alex giggled.
'You know how to set a man up for the day.' Gene chucked his stuff into the Quattro, 'See you in a bit.'
As she drove to work she realised that for the first time in ages she was actually looking forward to the day, she followed Gene for a while but soon lost him, he drove like a maniac.
At Fenchurch he knocked on her office door dead on half past eight, with two mugs of coffee and a bag of warm apricot croissants.
'So where were we?' she asked brightly.
'Thinking about where we are going to have our first shag.' Gene said.
'Um- the case?' she frowned.
'Sorry- sometimes you get things in your head and they just won't leave.' he replied. 'completely inappropriate- I'll save it for later- Now- I think Shaz….'
'I think Mike' Alex said, ' I'm not comfortable with Sharon going in there.'
'Whoever goes will be bar staff.' Gene said, 'Mike's bloody clumsy. Shaz.'
'What if they try to pressure her into other 'activities' ?' Alex asked.
'Well that could happen with either of them- then we haul them out.' Gene said. 'You've crumbs on your chin.' he reached forward and brushed the crumbs away.
Alex tingled at his touch, 'Thanks.' she said awkwardly. 'I'll be honest with you Gene, I'm scared about sending either of them in. From what I've read they sound ruthless- he sounds ruthless.'
'I can be ruthless too.' Gene replied, 'I'm going to be right outside anyway- they only have to text and I'm in. I'll need to be armed of course.'
'Of course.' Alex said. 'You're going to need more officers on this.'
'Come with me.' Gene said.
'What?' she frowned.
'On the stake-out, come with me.' he said. 'When was the last time you actually got involved from anywhere other than behind that screen?' he gestured at her laptop.
'When I was almost shot.' Alex said, showing him her scar.
'I'll look after you.' Gene said. 'I'll protect you.'
She believed him, she just knew he meant what he said. 'Alright , I will.' she said.
