I'm going for a bumper-length final part. Enjoy =) Ooh, I've suddenly decided whodunnit. Hehe I usually plan these things much more rigidly but this time I didn't xD

I've also now decided, due to how long it is taking to finish this chapter, that this is going to have five parts.

--:--

"I still don't see why we couldn't have borrowed a necklace like we did with the ring," Harry complained, frowning at Dempsey as he drove them to the casino.

"I told you, Spikings'd never let us have another one, not after you lost that ring."

"I didn't lose it!" Harry protested. "It was stolen."

"To-may-to, to-mah-to; as far as he's concerned, you lost it." Dempsey accelerated to get through an amber light before it turned red.

"I do wish you'd learn to drive properly," Harry said mildly.

"Hey, I can drive; just because I don't crawl around all the time don't mean I can't drive."

"It does mean you don't pay attention to the speed limit." Harry pointed at the speedometer, which showed 46 mph. "It's 40 down here."

Dempsey didn't reply. He didn't slow down, either. No doubt he thought one flash of his badge and they'd let him off. Unless it was a rare female cop, in which case he'd flash a smile.

Soon enough, they reached their destination. Erica Smith, the woman they'd met on their first night, was outside the front door smoking. She waved as they approached arm-in-arm, and greeted them in her high, nasal tone.

"You back again?" she asked.

"Yeah, we just can't stay away," Dempsey replied cheerfully.

"Do you happen to have seen a diamond ring anywhere? I've misplaced my wedding ring and I think it was here I lost it," Harry put in.

Erica looked between them. "No. That's a shame that you lost it. Maybe ask at the front desk?" she suggested.

"Thank you," Harry replied, and glanced at Dempsey to see that he was watching Erica with narrowed eyes. She pulled him away. "We'll see you inside, alright?"

"She was real rattled when you asked her that," Dempsey observed the moment they were out of earshot.

"Yes, she knows something. Maybe it was her that stole the ring; it was in the woman's bathroom, after all. Wait ten minutes then go out for a smoke and ask Chas to check up on her," Harry suggested, following Dempsey as he sat at a blackjack table. "We might find out something important," she added more quietly.

Dempsey placed a bet. "Let's hope so, 'cause God knows we got nothin' else to go on." He looked at Harry sympathetically as she yawned. "You need a break."

"Mmm, probably," she agreed.

Dempsey continued to watch her as she yawned again, covering her mouth with her hand. He smiled at the fact she could even make an action like yawning seem ladylike. He watched her watching the other people at the table gambling. Her earrings swung as she moved her head, and her eyes caught the light from the lamp above their heads. He wanted to kiss her lipstick-red lips, her smooth cheeks…

"You're staring at me, James," Harry observed for the third time that week, still watching the others.

There was silence for about five seconds. Harry glanced at him, wondering if he'd even heard, and found that his eyes were still fixed on her. "Yeah," he admitted quietly. Harry felt caught in his eyes. Dempsey opened his mouth to speak, closed it again, and coughed awkwardly. "I'll, eh, I'll go and speak to Chas," he said, getting up and leaving the room with the air of someone escaping a tiger.

Harry watched him leave, trying to process what had just happened. She'd never expected him to respond seriously, and it had caught her off-guard. He'd flirted before, but that had been light-hearted jests and teases - this felt different.

"Are you going to bet, madam?" asked the dealer, interrupting her thoughts.

"No…" she responded absent-mindedly, and left the table to stand close to one of the walls, out of the way. Had he meant anything by it? Probably not. She guessed it was just embarrassment at having been caught not paying attention. A small voice in her head whispered that he'd been embarrassed to be caught looking at her - but in any case, it was probably an accident. She knew how easy it was to stare at someone when you didn't realise what you were looking at, too engrossed in your own thoughts to pay attention to anything around you.

Proving her point, she was startled from her ruminations by Dempsey's voice. "You are not gonna believe who Erica Smith is," he announced.

"Who?"

"She is the daughter of one of the partners of this casino! Her mom and dad, that's Grace and Oliver Smith, split up when she was in her late twenties, about five years ago, and about a year after her dad set up this place."

"Hmm…That could be significant," Harry mused, the new information distracting her from her deliberations.

"Oh, it is," Dempsey assured her, his eyes wide. "Her mom got a new boyfriend a year ago, one Tommy Stone."

"Tommy Stone! The man we were tipped off about! You said Oliver Smith set this up a year before they were divorced?"

"So maybe Grace didn't get all the money she wanted from it," Dempsey said, carrying on her train of thought.

"And maybe Stone wants a piece of the fortune now he knows what his girlfriend's ex-husband has," Harry agreed.

"Spikings is sending backup. They'll be here in about half an hour," Dempsey informed her. "We should have a look at his records." Dempsey put his arm around her shoulders and they left the room together to go in search of Oliver Smith's office, which turned out to be a small room just off the corridor that led away from the main gambling room.

"You go and look in there, I'll keep watch," Dempsey murmured. Harry went inside and starting searching the room, rifling through drawers and the papers on the desk. She found a thick orange paper folder labelled 'Finance' and opened it to find a selection of different-coloured paper files, one for each month. She scanned through the figures quickly.

"Harry," Dempsey hissed from the door, making Harry jump. "You found anythin'?"

"There seems to be less profit reaching his partner than there should be," she whispered back. Replacing the folder where she had found it, Harry went on to look at the other bits of paper on his desk. There was a page of scruffy handwriting lying underneath a pile of other sheets. Harry picked it up out of curiosity.

'Feb 5000, 5000

Mar 5000, 5000

Apr 10000, 10000

May 20000, 18500

Jun 50000, 35690

I can't afford any more.'

Harry gathered her courage to call her partner by his first name again. She loved the implied closeness but it was new enough to still make her uncomfortable. "James, look at this!" she called quietly.

Dempsey came into the room and took the paper from her. He read it silently. "So he's been skimming his own profits," he deduced.

"Well, his partner's," Harry pointed out, rifling through the papers again. "I wonder why…Hold on, what's this.." She had uncovered a sheet of paper on which was written simply:

'July, 50000 or you know what happens. TS.'

Harry looked sideways at Dempsey who was leaning over to read it. "TS, Tommy Stone. Blackmail," he observed.

"Thank you, James, I didn't spot that," she replied dryly. "It seems to me that Stone has been demanding money that Oliver Smith can't or won't pay, and he's lost his patience and decided to raid the place. Come on, let's go. We'd better take this with us."

Harry and Dempsey crept out of the office and returned to the main room. They were making their way to the bar to keep an eye out for Stone when Dempsey stopped dead, holding out a hand to stop Harry as well. "Why would he leave his office unlocked?"

"He's careless?"

"Harry, he owns a casino, he can't afford to be careless. Which means somebody has broken in. Which means -"

"Tommy Stone is already here."

Dempsey swore under his breath and Harry saw his hand drift unconsciously to check his gun. Both of them looked around the bustling room carefully.

"What does he look like?" Dempsey asked.

"I told you to read that description more carefully. Medium build, about 5'5", blond hair, green eyes." She spotted a man exactly fitting the description she had just stated at a dice game, his eyes moving restlessly around the room. She pointed him out surreptitiously to Dempsey. "There. How long until that backup gets here?"

"10 minutes, minimum. We're on our own with this one."

"The question is, do we get him for blackmail or do we wait and add robbery?" Harry mused.

"I never thought I'd say this, but there's a lotta innocent people here and they could get hurt if we wait. I say we get him outside and arrest him for blackmail. We might get 'em for attempted robbery too."

Harry took one last glance at Stone before deciding. "Agreed. But how are we going to do that?"

"I think Harry Walker should go and charm him outside," Dempsey suggested.

"Why me?!"

Dempsey raised his eyebrows at her. "I don't think I'm his type."

"Oh, right," she replied, feeling foolish. "You think he'll go for it?"

"There's a chance. It won't be long before they hit, though; it's quieter than it has been and there's be plenty of cash around."

Harry huffed irritably. "Fine. But first let's have a bit of an argument, then you can storm out to surprise him and I've got an excuse to go over there."

"Good idea. That's just stupid!" he added in a loud voice.

"Just like you! You think you've hidden it so well but I know what you get up to!"

"What I get up to? What about you? You stand there right in front of me flirting with all those men, you're such a whore! I can't help it if I feel a bit unwanted sometimes!" A group of people close by paused their conversation to listen.

"I've never slept with any of them though, have I? Who was the latest one, eh? Some young secretary from your office? Is that why you've been working so late?"

"I told you, I've been busy with work!"

Harry took the opportunity to slap him, trying to make it look realistic while not actually hurting him too much. Nevertheless, the crack resounded through the room. Most people were silent by now.

Dempsey took a step towards her, pushing his face close to hers with a cruel look on his face. "I'm gonna make you pay for that when we get home," he hissed, loud enough for most of the room to hear, and then stormed out with murderous intent scorched across his skin. Those in his path quickly moved away.

Eyes returned to Harry. She offered a weak smile, trying to look close to tears, and starting walking in the general direction of Stone. People began to lose interest and turn away, and by the time she stopped walking the serious business of losing money had recommenced. "Hello," she greeted Stone softly. "I'm Harry Walker."

Tommy Stone raked his eyes down and up her body, from her long earrings, past the royal blue dress which was lower than most of the ones she owned, down to rest briefly on her bare calves. Harry resisted the very strong urge to kick him in an extremely painful place.

"Tommy Stone," he replied, holding out his hand. Harry took it but instead of shaking it he kissed her fingers.

"Looks like I'm on my own now," she said, glancing towards the door out of which Dempsey had exited. "Do you think I could talk to you for a little while? I'm scared to go home until he calms down."

"Sure," he replied with a lecherous smile. "You just stay here for a bit." His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer towards him. Harry began to feel very uncomfortable and wished Dempsey had not gone outside.

Thinking quickly, she began to cry. "He scares me so much sometimes. I think he's going to really hurt me again!"

Stone regarded her with a look of distaste. "Stop crying," he commanded.

"I think I just need some fresh air, it's so stuffy in here. Would you come outside with me for a moment?" She looked at him with pleading eyes.

He glanced at his watch. "Alright, fine." Clearly he still thought he was going to get lucky. How, Harry had no idea, since he was going to steal from a large casino that night.

She walked out of the main door ahead of him. Behind her, she heard Dempsey say calmly, "Armed police officer; Tommy Stone I am arresting you for the blackmail of Oliver Smith. You are not required to say anything but anything you do say will be taken down and may be used in evidence against you."

Stone turned around slowly. He was grinning. "Oh yeah?"

Harry and Dempsey instinctively shifted closer together as they heard two safety catches clicking off. They were outnumbered, but only just. They looked between the two new arrivals, sizing them up. Dempsey twisted to grab Stone's gun by the barrel, forcing it downwards as he pulled the trigger; the shot slammed into the ground; Harry dodged as the other two moved forward, kicking one of them in the shins and relieving him of his gun as he gasped in pain.

Dempsey was still struggling with Stone and she suddenly realised that the third man was pointing his gun at Dempsey; she leapt forward and pushed him into the ground face first and grabbed his gun. Dempsey managed to grab Stone's gun and pushed him to the ground as well. The man still hopping around from his kick to the shin surrendered, holding up his hands with wide eyes.

"Get down on the floor," Dempsey ordered, and the man complied. Harry and Dempsey shared a grin, both panting.

--

"Dempsey, are you ready to go?" Harry asked when Spikings had finished talking to her. Their colleagues had arrived minutes after they'd made their arrest, and took them to reside in a police cell to be questioned in the morning. Harry and Dempsey had stayed on the scene to give their statements and check for any other evidence that would be useful in court.

"Sure," he replied, approaching her.

Harry thought for a moment. She had really wanted to talk to Sam that night. "What time is it?"

"Uh, eleven-thirty."

"Is that too late to go and see Jack?" she wondered aloud.

Dempsey's face darkened slightly. "I thought you were just helping his daughter?" he said in a carefully calm voice.

"Well, yes. I wanted to go and talk to Sam again and see if she can shed any light on the matter."

Dempsey watched her silently for a moment longer, an undeterminable expression on his face. "I guess it's not too late."

"That's good…Could you drop me off at the office, then, so I can get my car?" she asked as they began walking towards Dempsey's car.

"No," he replied flatly.

"Oh…" Harry replied, wondering how she was going to get to Jack's. "Why?"

"I'll take you. It'll be much quicker and that way I can pick you up tomorrow morning." He grinned at her as they got into his car.

"Is that necessary?" she asked.

"No. But it's much more fun."

Harry rolled her eyes at him and he drove off with a grin. Secretly, she thought it was rather sweet of him.

--:--

Here ends part 4 =) Part 5, the final part, will be uploaded as soon as I've written it :P