Chapter 7
"Move a little closer, Scarlet." Liam Daly instructed Makepeace.
She obeyed putting on her best acting performance. She smiled sweetly at Daly locking her blues eyes with his piercing, stone cold ones. She shuddered feeling his intense gaze. His hair once again scraped back in to a tight, curly pony tail which served to make his sharp features more prominent.
"That's better. I want to see you up close." He said with slight menace.
She could smell his smoky after shave and could sense a peculiar aura of power radiating from him.
This was her best shot at getting some much needed information, but she didn't know where to start. Daly was firmly in control. He broke the eye contact and ran his gaze down her legs, drinking in her perfectly formed legs. Makepeace felt exposed under his scrutiny and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
Daly chuckled and moved his eyes back to her face. "Madame said you were finding it difficult. Not had much experience have you?" All Makepeace could do was nod totally under his spell.
"Most of the girls find it tough to begin with, but they soon find their... stride." He pulled out his cigarettes and lit one still watching her closely. He offered her one she shook her head.
"No thank you, I don't" she managed
"What do you do, Scarlet?" he cocked his head suggestively
Makepeace tried to push down the fear that was starting to rise from her stomach.
"Do I scare you...Scarlet?" he grinned
"No...no you don't." Makepeace whispered "I'm just not sure what you expect of me Mr Daly."
"Liam, please call me Liam. I have feeling you and I are going to become good friends." There was that hint menace in his voice again, thinly disguised in his Dublin lilt.
"I have a little something for you which will help with your nerves." He reached into his pocket pulled his hand out and grabbed Makepeace's hand, sending shivers down her spine as she felt a small paper wrap placed in her palm.
"I don't do that either..." she stammered trying to hand it back to him.
"Keep it. You will." He said firmly unsmiling
Sensing this was an order; Makepeace curled her fingers round the drug and slipped it into her clutch bag. It was evidence at least.
"That's a good girl, now let's have a drink."
"How do you know about SuperMac?" demanded Gene sipping his Scotch
"I'm a detective." Grinned Dempsey annoyingly. Noting Gene and Alex's less-than-impressed look, he dropped the act.
"I read your file. Both of yous."
Gene and Alex glared at him
"Look, me and Makepeace... we had to know who we are dealing with. Don't tell me you haven't done the same?"
Gene and Alex looked sheepish.
"You're not on file." Alex stated
"According to records you and Makepeace don't exist." Added Gene
"We don't. None of us in SI10 do. Not officially. A bit like spooks only policemen." He explained with another grin. "Seriously, we don't have many friends and there are quite a few upstairs trying to bring us down. Sound familiar?"
Gene nodded in recognition "Bin trying to bring me down for years, haven't succeeded though."
"Not yet." Said Alex pointedly
"So, you wanted to know if you could trust us?" questioned Gene
Dempsey nodded "I had to check you out. Needed to know if you were trying to scupper our investigation or were just looking after your patch, or as you say in London your manor."
"And?" pressed Gene
"You guys are straight down the line...some interesting methods, but you get results."
"You could say Gene's methods are urm interesting, some would say thuggish, but effective." Smiled Alex
"Thank you Bolls you'll make me blush with your compliments." Gene smiled back
"Don't mention it."
"I won't"
Dempsey looked bemused at the two CID officers "Hey have you two got something going on? If I'm playing gooseberry I'll come back tomorrow."
Alex snorted "In his dreams...what a ridiculous thought."
"You got to be kidding. Me and this posh mouthy tart...never." blustered Gene
"I don't go for misogynist dinosaurs."
"No only Thatcherite wankers with braces to ping." Countered Gene huffily
"Well you left me there."
"I told you to go to bed Miss piss head. On yer own."
Dempsey's head moved from left to right as if watching a game of flirting tennis.
"Me a piss head!" exclaimed Alex "You were the one that got me drunk...trying to get me into bed."
"In your dreams miss lady woman."
"Herhummm!" Dempsey cleared his throat to remind them he was still there watching the exchange.
Gene and Alex were brought back to their senses.
"Moving on." Muttered Gene
"Daly's file." Stated Dempsey trying to get the conversation back on track "We can't find it either. No information at all."
"Same here. I had piece of paper with his date of birth and a mug shot. Same for Ian Smith." Sighed Alex
"Doesn't that strike you as a little odd Inspector?" puzzled Dempsey
"We thought you had it. Made sense at the time." Added Gene
Dempsey shook his head. "Spikings has known this guy a long time and Smith."
"Me too." Agreed Gene
"Has form as long as your arm, but nada, nothing, zilch."
Alex shrugged "Someone has deliberately lost the information so that he can't be got at."
"Bingo." Dempsey clicked his fingers "And I figure it's got to be an inside job. Am I right or am I right?"
"You're right." Said Gene and Alex together
Gene sighed heavily 'here we go again' corruption within the force had reared its ugly head once more. He felt slightly comforted that his was not the only department fighting the rot. At least this time he and Alex had an ally, even if it was a very unusual pairing at that.
"What must you think of us." Began Alex "you come over here from New York to join one of the oldest police forces in world only to find it full of corruption."
"Don't sweat it babe, NYPD is full of bent cops as well, except ours tend to make friends with the Mafia." Dempsey leant closer in to Alex "between you and me that's how I ended up here in the first place."
Alex gave the American a quizzical look.
"You have a contract out on you." Stated Gene
"Got it one Chief, But can I ask you keep it to yourself, not even Makepeace knows why I'm here."
Daly grinned salaciously as his hand grazed Makepeace's knee and began to creep up her thigh. In her mind alarm bells started to ring, but she was struggling to focus. 'I can't have had that much champagne.' She thought hazily.
"I...I'm sorry I don't feel so good." She slurred
Daly ignored her and continued his journey. Makepeace tried to move, but the room started to sway as if she was on a ship, Daly's face becoming a blur. The laughter and chatter in the club sounded muffled to her as she struggled to her feet. She tried in vain to put one foot in front of the other.
"I really don't feel well." She slurred again as her legs buckled beneath her, Daly catching her before she landed in an undignified heap.
"I think you could do with some air sweetheart." Sneered Daly
"Is she alright?" grinned Madam Yvonne knowingly.
"She's fine Yvonne. Just a little too much to drink." He smirked
Makepeace felt hot and clammy as the room became a fog in front of her. Daly with his arm firmly around her waist guided her through the door into the cold night air. The fresh air hit her like a bucket of iced water, but only served to increase the feeling of nausea which was now washing over her. He led her down the alley at the side of the club and manoeuvred her under one of the many fire escapes. Makepeace went to sit at the foot of one of the stairs only for Daly to force her back up to a standing position.
"No you don't bitch." He spat
"I...need too...sit..." her mind was whirring trying to form coherent thought.
With brute force Daly slammed her against the wall pressing his body up against her.
"No...no." she fought against him trying to push him away with all her might.
"Shut up" he snapped as he forced his lips to hers.
Makepeace squeaked and whimpered desperately trying to move away "GET OFF ME!" She managed to scream.
"OI! GET OFF HER!" came a shout from the other end of the alley
Daly's head snapped up as he saw a figure come running towards them. He dropped her like a sack of spuds and legged it in the opposite direction. Makepeace collapsed on the cold ground sobbing gently. Her head throbbed and she was disorientated.
"It's ok. You're ok." comforted the stranger as he knelt beside her. She lashed out still in defence mode.
"Makepeace, it's DI Carling CID, you're safe. We're going to get you out of here. Shhhh." Ray wrapped his arms around her shoulders trying to shield her from the cold. "CHRIS SHE'S HERE." He shouted to his friend and colleague.
"Thank you." Was all she could manage to whisper.