Chapter 4

Tommy Lynley was sitting in his office trying to figure out if the talk he had with his boss Hillier just a few minutes ago made him angry, annoyed or just left him amused.

They had talked about the up-coming event next week and how important a good impression and an unobstructed course of the event would be, meaning for Hillier that DC N´Kata should behave like an adult and DS Havers needed reminding about dress codes…..He didn´t had any comments for Dr. Lafferty. Tommy somehow guessed that Hillier the old snob thought that someone who had studied didn´t need any instructions for this kind of event.

He had convinced his boss that DC N´Kata was aware about the importance and also that DS Havers knew how to dress. Thinking about it he remembered the first time and he had to confess also the only time he had seen his sergeant wearing a dress.

It had been his engagement party with Helen and Barbara had looked lovely although a bit uncomfortable in her simple black dress. Tommy now remembered that it had had been the first time that he had noticed that his sergeant was actually female too.

She had a beautiful figure which she normally hid under her normal street wear and he remembered the guilt he felt about his thoughts that shot in his head about Barbara and that on the day of his engagement party with Helen.

But to reassure Hillier he had said he would talk with his colleagues again. Seeing that there was no way out of it he thought he would take it the fun way and invited Winston and Stuart to a pint after work.

Not really wanting to go without Barbara he sent her a text message:

"Hello Sergeant, I know you have the afternoon off but if you like and have the time we (Stuart, Winston and myself) would be delighted if you join us at "The Anchor" after work. T"

He debated if he should put the "T" behind the message or if that would be too personal for Barbara. She never used his first name no matter how often he asked her to do so. But then it would be a start to show her she meant so much to him, he would start with little things to convince her.

With a smile he hit the send-button.

Two hours later he was more than delighted to see her already at their usual table when he entered the pub with Winston and Lafferty.

"Hi Barb, could you not live without us for more than one afternoon?" Winston greeted her smiling.

"No, but the DI asked me to come so I guess he wants to talk about something," was her answer and Tommy was again amazed how well Barbara could read him also in just a simple he had thought meaningless text message.

"She is right as always," he said smiling, "Okay the usual to drink for anyone?" And off he was to the bar.

Barbara had been a bit surprised when she had received the text. It had been after spending most of the afternoon with his Lordships mother buying a she had to confess perfect and stunning dress. It had actually been fun shopping with Dorothy. Lady Asherton had insisted that she called her by her first name and it had been easier than Barbara had thought. Now thinking about it she was trying to figure out why she wasn´t able to call her boss Tommy in real life. She did it in her head and dreams but never in real life. She had to confess to herself that this was her last defence she needed to hold up to not show her real feelings for him.

"Hey, where are you?" Stuart asked her noticing that she wasn´t listen to Winston and him at all.

This was the moment when Tommy came back with their drinks and after a bit of small talk and teasing all around, he steered the talk to the event next week and Hillier´s concerns. Luckily he managed to put it in a funny way so that Winston and Barbara didn´t get annoyed or angry at all.

Knowing that she didn´t had to worry about the dress anymore Barbara smiled at Tommy: "You don´t have to worry, although I prefer comfortable clothes I know what I have to wear on an occasion like that."

"That is exactly what I told Hillier. As I told him that you can behave too, N´kata!" Tommy answered.

Having that out of his system Tommy relaxed and they enjoyed their drinks.

Then they parted in front of the pub to go home. Tommy thought about giving Barbara a lift but then he didn´t want to push her and his luck any further today. He really had thought she would explode about Hillier´s comment but her calm reaction had been unexpected in a way but it showed that his sergeant grew out of her angry phases a bit too which was really a pleasant change.

They said "good night" and all four went home for a relaxing evening hoping that no complicated case would come up the next days.

A/N: Again only a short chapter but we will get to the real event soon. Thanks for the reviews and pms so far, they really help to go on.