Thank you all for reading, and those of you who have added me as a favorite, i have it on good authority you have a guarenteed spot on Father Christmas' "NICE" list... so that's good to know!!
You're reviews are so supportive. This chapter is a little longer but then new cases often are. Oh look at me, I feel like Jessica Fletcher!!
Kisses to each of you!xx

Chapter 10

The set up was simple.

Chris and Shaz, who had begged and pleaded to be allowed to come along, were to go to the club and work surveillance posing as bar staff while Ray was to pose as a bouncer, a very natural position for him, Alex had thought.

Alex and James would go together posing as clubbers, so that he could make an ID the minute they got eyeball on the suspected dealer. And Gene, well Gene would be doing what Gene did best. Propping up the bar under the pretence of over seeing the whole thing.

James had been nervous about coming with them and Gene wasn't helping. He made his feelings towards the new comer quite clear, and never let Burton get Alex on her own. Not convinced that he wasn't more of a hindrance than a help, Gene couldn't wait for the evening to be over so they could be shot of him.
Alex had called James' Super and asked if they might use him, owing to his knowledge of the club, thinking it prudent not to mention Burton's involvement as witness. They had all gone home to get ready, agreeing to rendezvous at the club just after opening.

Gene sat on the bed, arms folded, legs stuck out in front of him, with the sure signs of a strop creeping across his face.

"He's a witness Gene, it will be so much easier to make an ID on this guy if we have someone who has actually seen him before, surely you must see that?" Alex had her head in the wardrobe, her voice muffled by the rack of clothes, every now and then flinging an item on to the pile on the bed.

"I just don't see why you have to make it look like you are together. Why can't he go wi' Chris and Granger?" Alex turned to examine the items she had pulled out and looked up into Gene's pouting face.
God, he's such a child! She thought, recognising the expression on his face as one Molly perfected during her terrible twos. They were quite alike in a lot of ways.

Alex found her minding drifting as she moved round the room, barley listening to Gene's griping. She wished Molly had got a chance to meet Gene, having said that she realised that if they ever decided to gang up on her she would have no chance! God imagine the squabble for the last bit of bacon on a Sunday, she smiled to herself.

Jesus, Alex what are you thinking? It is a completely impossible dream. Not that Molly wouldn't like Gene, but the twenty odd years separating them certainly caused a problem.

Realising she was supposed to be responding to Gene's grumpy mutterings Alex shook herself out of her thoughts.
"Well, if you prefer Genie, you can come as my date..." she moved round the room, fishing around her dressing table as she moved on to the bed, crawling towards him on her hands and knees.

"But you have to look the part, make up and everything" she lunged at him, wrenching the lid off the eyeliner she had picked up as she did.

Gene shouted in indignation as she came at him with the pencil, trying to grab her arms as she fought to run the greasy kohl smudge across his disapproving face. Forcing her arms behind her back, he extracted the pencil from between her fingers and threw it away from her as his lips surged up to meet her, flipping her over onto her back as she squealed and laughed, sending the pile of clothes slithering from the bed to the floor.

Xxxx

The music in The Blitz was almost deafeningly loud, but Alex was focused and excited. Getting ready that evening she had tried to fit in and was pleased with the over all effect.

A short tight black dress cut straight and high at the front but plungingly backless, she wore her large gold earrings and big chunky bangles all up her arms. Gene had watched approvingly as she had pulled her stockings up and turned to sweep her hair up, piling it high on the left side of her head, leaving the creamy column of her neck exposed.

He pressed a kiss to her collar bone as he stood behind her, running the back of his hand across the exposed area of her back, down to her pert bottom, before giving it a firm squeeze.

"Right, and no one else does that again tonight until I get you home. I mean it Drakey, that twat Burton lays one finger on my bird and I'll hand you 'is bollocks as earrings, you hear me!" Alex turned and handed Gene his coat, holding onto his lapels once he had shrugged it on.
"Yes sir, no one feels up the staff but you. Understood!" She stood on her tip toes and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips before pushing him out the door.

"See you down there, Gov. And try not to get too drunk before we get there please!"

As she walked into the club Alex spotted Shaz serving drinks at the bar, Chris at her side pouring out dubious coloured drinks into cocktail glasses for a row of punters.

Shaz looked amazing, her hair spiked in all directions showing a large pair of glittery earrings and making her already large brown eyes really pop. Alex never realised how pretty the younger girl was when they were in the office. But then poor Shaz had seemed to make being invisible in the squad room into an art. However, here on her own turf, Shaz Granger was one hundred percent knock out.

Alex watched as Shaz threw her head back in a laugh as Chris muttered something in her ear. Clearly she had been at him with her make up bag, and Chris didn't look altogether comfortable with the fact he was dressed up like what Ray would affectionately term as 'a poofy bastard' in full view of the team.

Gene had clearly got himself comfortable at the darkest end of the bar, catching Alex's eye as she moved to get a drink, he raised his pint in a silent toast before turning away and watching the dancers on the dance floor.

As Alex reached the bar, she saw James fighting his way through the crowd towards her, having checked their coats. He certainly looked every inch the part in his Adam Ant get up. Alex felt her heart flutter as she took in all 6ft of him, dressed up like her childhood idle.
A delicate flush spread across her cheek as he leant over to tentatively kiss her cheek, somewhere in the dark behind her Alex was sure she could hear a large boom of northern indignation and a pint glass being slammed down.

"What can I get you M'am… I mean love" Chris swore under his breath at the gaff as he turned to get a couple of glass of wine and set them down in front of his fellow officers. "No sign as yet. I've checked in with the Gov, he 'int seen anything either." he whispered in hushed tones as James turned away.

"Oh and M'am, the Gov said something about a pair of earrings?" Chris looked confused as Alex chuckled and shot a look at the end of the bar.

"Just don't let him drink too much Chris" Alex smiled and winked at Shaz as she followed James onto the dance floor. He looked around nervously, waving a small acknowledgement to a girl across the dance floor. "I haven't seen 'Toad' yet, but then I guess it's still early" as he caught Alex's eye "Oh she is just someone I met a while ago. It's not serious or anything"

Alex smiled encouragingly "She's pretty, you should go and speak to her. Maybe not right now though, I'm not sure how happy the Gov would be about you going on the pull on CIDs time!"

Not that it's ever stopped him, she smiled to herself as they started to dance.

Xxxx

It was one in the morning and they had nothing. Alex had sore feet from dancing and James was beginning to flop. Making their way to the bar, Alex swung herself into a bar stool and leaned over to talk to Shaz.

"Still no sign? Anything? What about when you picked up the empties?" Alex held her head in one hand and ran her forefinger round the lip of her glass.

"Nothing, I'm sorry." Shaz wiped the sticky remnants of a Flaming Lamborghini from under Alex's elbows.

"Who was that guy you were chatting to, Shaz? He was a bit dishy!" Shaz blushed and shot a look at Chris who had moved away to serve some punters at the other end of the bar.

"He is really sweet. Wanted to buy me a drink but I said no…well, maybe later!" Shaz jerked her head towards a glass of champagne on the back of the bar. "He bought the bottle and insisted I take a glass. Don't tell Chris!" The women both laughed and moved apart as James took Alex's elbow firmly.

"Jenny, that girl I told you about. I have just spoken to her. Apparently The Toad is here, in the back. She only mentioned it 'cos he approached her. He is definitely selling something."

Alex swung into action, and it wasn't long before she noticed Ray and Gene were moving in the same direction. Looking her straight in the eye, Ray moved to Alex's side. "That him, M'am?" Getting an affirmative nod from James, Alex sent Ray in as Gene joined him from the other direction.

The small man struggled wildly as the two larger men bodily shook him, Ray sinking a large fist into his stomach when he resisted arrest. Dragging him upstairs to the waiting cars Ray called over for Burton to follow them out and make a formal ID.

Alex and Gene returned to the bar, leaning over to inform Shaz that they had nicked the dealer.

"Does that mean we can go home M'am? I'm bushed!" Alex smiled and nodded as Shaz called over her shoulder that she was going to nip to the loo before they went home.

Alex leant her head sleepily on Gene's shoulder and sighed deeply. His hand regained its familiar position on her arse as he finished his pint and spoke to the bar manager who had come to thank them for making the smallest disruption to the business as possible.

"This bar lark is 'arder than it looks. I haven't had a drink all night!" Chris wiped his hands on a damp cloth, trying to get the tacky sensation off his skin.

"Shaz is so tired she'll never notice if I finish this, happier with a cup o' tea is my girl!" Chris winked at Alex and threw back the glass of champagne from the side before Alex could finish her protest.

As he heavily replaced the now empty glass on bar Chris hailed Gene, excitedly shouting to finish his pint as his speech began to slur.

Shaz Granger came back down the stairs carrying a large pile of coats just in time to see her boyfriend begin to convulse and collapse unseen behind the bar.

xx I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! My flat mate made me do it! xx