Once again, many thanks for your kind reviews and for sticking with this story. :-)

Chapter 11

"Search again Chas." Spikings instructed his DS. Chaz dutifully tapped in 'Jeremy Chapman' as they, Ray and Chris huddled around a SI10 computer. The CID officers had never been to the SI10 head quarters and the sheer amount of resources that they had access to amazed Ray and Chris. It was quite clear that a large sum of money had been spent on technology in the fairly new department. It had left Ray wondering why money hadn't been spent on the offices themselves. To him, the home of SI10 was no grander than a warehouse.

"If your hunch is right Carling, we may have stumbled on another huge can of worms." Spikings stared at the monitor in anticipation. Sure enough a large file appeared on screen.

"Did I say can of worms?" said Spikings smugly as he read down the page.

"Up until three years ago, he worked as a barrister for Ridley & Co." added Chas sipping from a mug of coffee. "Got struck off for malpractice. Apparently he used dodgy tactics to get his clients off charges."

"Don't they all?" huffed Ray

"Find out who he represented, Chas." Chas tapped in another search bringing up a list of Ridley & Co cases. All four officers scanned down the list "Well I'll be blowed, Liam Daly!" exclaimed the Guv " And Roisin ,there's the connection. I think he's working for Daly."

"I think so too Guv." agreed Ray "With Smith out of the way, that's one less person to give evidence against him. I reckon Smith would 'ave squealed just to save his own skin...I know I would 'ave."

"I agree Carling. Smith would have the where-with-all and the bottle to give chapter and verse on Daly." Spikings rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Definitely Daly had a lot to gain by shutting Smith up."

Chris read further down the screen "Oh look! There's a barrister called Robert Makepeace on the list...any relation to Harry?" Chris meant it as a flippant remark, but was rewarded with glares from the other three. Chas hurriedly tapped in another instruction.

"Robert Makepeace worked in the same firm. Seem to remember Harry's ex husband is a barrister." Chas added.

"Awwwww Christ!" exclaimed Spikings rubbing his hair back to front. "Harry is not going to like this...not one bit. Chas see if you can dig up a photograph of this Chapman character. We will need to pull him for questioning. While, I need to have a little chat with Sergeant Makepeace." Spikings strode away from the computer towards his office, huffing as he went.

"Ms Makepeace! Phone call for you, from London." Shouted the hotel receptionist as Harry entered the lobby.

"Thank you. Hello?"

"Harry we've hit a snag." said Spikings

"Hello Sir, what sort of snag?"

"Do you know a Jeremy Chapman?"

"Oooh ermm, name rings a bell." Harry struggled "Why?"

"Ian Smith was found hanged in his cell...murdered. A Jeremy Chapman visited Smith's mate, Curnock, before the incident. Chapman was a barrister, but was struck off three years ago, so couldn't be visiting for legal reasons."

"Ah I see, I think. Why would I know Chapman?" Harry knitted her brow in confusion.

"Because, girl, he worked with your husband."

"Robert!" Harry squeaked with surprise "What's he got to do with it?" She couldn't believe that Robert's name had cropped up twice in one day, via two completely different sources. What a coincidence...or was it? Harry's memory sparked into life as she started to mentally join the dots up.

"Probably nothing, but we need to find Chapman, so any info you have would be useful, Sergeant."

"Ermmm, Yes, I seem to remember him representing an ex girlfriend of Robert's... She took great delight in rubbing my nose in it, woman scorned and all that...but that was years ago! Strange thing though, Sir..." Harry knitted her brow tighter in concentration "That said girlfriend is here in Alicante. Made a point of speaking to me...bumped into Dempsey last night, apparently they had dinner." Harry knew perhaps she shouldn't have mentioned the dinner, but Dempsey had annoyed her, so she viewed it as a small payback.

"HE DID WHAT? Where is our oversexed Yank? I want to speak to him." Spikings had all of a sudden turned a puce colour.

Harry cringed as she held the phone away from her ear for fear of being deafened.

"He's asleep, I was just on my way to wake him ..."

Spikings cut in before Harry had a chance to explain further "I s'pose he's too tired to do his bloody job because he was busy entertaining the ladies."

Harry suddenly felt guilty for landing her partner in it "Actually Sir, he's not very well...needed a lie down, he looked like he was going to pass out earlier."

"Hmmph!" grunted the Guv, calming slightly "Well, I suggest you wake him up and get yourselves over to Mallorca...find Hughes and while you're at it , find out what this...this...woman is doing in Alicante." Spikings was now waving his hands around

"Monica...Monica Grey is her name...you may like to do some checking on her. I don't trust the bloody woman as far as I can throw her."

"Well if she's trouble, tell Dempsey to stay well clear of her. Him getting involved with her is the last thing we need."

"Don't worry Sir ...I will!"

"One down. It was sooooo easy. Those bloody stupid guards didn't even think to check that my ID was up to date."

"Don't get too smug, Jeremy, we still have the others to take out." Monica warned down the phone.

"I know, and we're running out of time. Liam got a visit from his Yanky supplier demanding his 40k. If Liam doesn't come up with it soon the Yank is going to rip is balls off. Real mean bastard, a big fish in New York."

"You'll just have to reassure Liam that we are doing our best."

"How's it going with Dempsey? Live up to your expectations did he?" Jeremy said with a smirk.

"Not exactly...he passed out before we got to the fun part, had to get the hotel staff to put him in a bloody taxi. I have never been sooo embarrassed in my life." Monica said sourly

"Hahaha! Hillarious. That should tell you something." He said smugly.

"Like what!" Monica hissed unimpressed.

"Stop going for the same men as Harriet Makepeace."

"HA BLOODY HA! Anyway, I managed to wipe the smile off that sanctimonious bitch's face. She thinks we had a steamy night of passion."

"You've spoken to her!" Jeremy said alarmed.

"I couldn't resist." she defended, "Any points I can score off Makepeace...I will gladly take."

"Monica! This is not an opportunity to settle old scores...we have a brief to stick to, so bloody well stick to it."

"Calm down. They're moving over to Mallorca tonight, that's where Hughes is hiding. Soon Hughes will be dead and hopefully Dempsey and bloody superbitch Makepeace will be as well. It is all in hand, Jeremy dear." She sang.

"Harry hang on!" Dempsey yelled down the steel shaft.

"I can't...I'm...I'm slipping!" she yelled back terrified as she gripped onto the narrow ridge, trying not to look down.

"Take my hand!" Dempsey reached down to her straining every muscle and sinew in his body.

"I can't reach...DEMPSEY!" came Harry's frantic reply, her purchase on the cold metal loosening all the time.

"It's a couple of inches...you can do it Harry...trust me." Now Dempsey was frantic "TRUST ME!"

"DEMPSEY I..I..CAN'T ARGHH!" Harry strained on her tip toes, desperately trying to reach up to Dempsey's out stretched fingers.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Dempsey looked up to see Monica laughing maniacally.

"Don't just stand there, help me." Dempsey barked at her.

Monica shook her head "let her go, Jim, you don't need her."

"I do need her, she's my partner!" Dempsey turned his attentions back to Harry, re-doubling his efforts to grab hold of her hand. They were fingertips away.

"She doesn't want you Jim, she never will. She will stop you from going home. Stay with me." Implored Monica, her arms outstretched.

"I... I can't leave her." Dempsey called back. With one last effort he caught hold of Harry's hand. She clung onto him for dear life. Their eyes locked in fear.

"Hahahahaha."

Breaking contact with Harry's eyes, he looked back at Monica, her lips were moving, but Daly's voice was coming out. "You're a traitor, Dempsey." She raised a gun and pointed it at Dempsey's head, just like Daly had done. She pulled the trigger.

"Nooooooooo!" Dempsey yelled as Harry's fingers slipped through his and she plunged downwards into blackness.

"Dempsey are you awake in there?" Harry called through the door, knocking.

Dempsey woke with a start, sitting bolt upright in his bed. His heart was racing, his breath coming in short rasping pants, sweat poured down his face. He blinked in confusion.

"Dempsey?"

He shook himself fully awake. Rubbing his sleep filled eyes he, called back. "I...I'm awake Harry."

"Everything ok?" she asked concerned

"Yeah. I need to wash up, I'll be there in a moment."

"The ferry leaves at six."

"Ok, ok, I'll meet you in the lobby. Sorry Harry, I'll be down in a sec."

'Damn leg!' he muttered to himself as he massaged his still aching thigh, his other hand rubbed his equally aching head.

Harry raised her eyebrows 'He must be unwell, he said sorry.'

Gene and Alex made their way back to Malone's Hotel carrying a bag of beer, a bottle of wine and a couple of pizzas. After their meeting with Leroy, both of them weren't in the mood to stay out. Instead they had opted to grab a takeaway and go back to their room. During the walk they talked at length about the situation they now found themselves in. They had covered every possibility, going straight back home to London hadn't been an option. If Leroy was telling them the truth, trouble would soon appear at home as well. Little did they know, that in the shape of Coltrane, it already had. No, they had to stay longer and find out what was going on. Wearily they turned the corner, the hotel within sight. Out of the corner of his eye Gene caught sight of a black Sedan turning the around the block also.

Gene took hold of Alex's arm and pulled her closer to whisper "Don't look now Bolls, but I think we're being followed again."

"Where?" she whispered back

"Across the street, right. The black Sedan was outside the pizza place when we left."

Alex subtly glanced over Gene's shoulder. "That car was parked outside the hotel this morning. Do think it's the officers Leroy was telling us about?"

"If it isn't we're in even bigger shit than we first thought. I don't like this Bolly. It's giving me the weirdy creeps."

"Do you think we should tell O'Grady?"

"Na!" Gene shook his head "Not yet anyway. It could just blow over once they realise we have nothing to hide."

"But we do have something to hide. It's called Dempsey." Alex uttered quietly.

"As much as I like the loudmouth pain in the arse, he is O'Grady's and Spikings problem, not ours. He is safe in Spain at the moment...us however are not."

The couple continued up the Hotel steps as Mickey and Dan watched on. Satisfied that Gene and Alex had turned in for the night, Mickey started up the car and drove away to get some much needed sleep.

Gene unlocked the room door and held it for Alex. She didn't get very far as with a loud gasp she stopped abruptly, almost dropping the pizzas.

"Jesus Christ...the bastards!" exclaimed Gene as his jaw hit the floor.

The pair gawped open mouthed at the scene which greeted them. Their clothes had been strewn around the room, draws taken out and upturned, their shopping bags emptied. Even Alex's jewellery box hadn't escaped, her jewellery was scattered all over the bed. The room had been ransacked.

"What in hell were they looking for?" said Alex shakily, her bottom lip starting to quiver.

"I don't think they were looking for anything, Alex, this is a warning...they want to scare us."

"Well, it's worked...I want to go home Gene...please...I've had enough." Alex couldn't help the tears which were forming in her eyes. She was so looking forward a nice relaxing break with Gene and now it had all come crashing down.

Gene saw the distress on Alex's face. He hated seeing her like this, it twisted in his gut. As much as he wanted to go home himself and protect her from the shit that was going on, he nodded sadly "I know, I know. We can't now. We have to find out exactly which bastard is behind this. For our sakes, Leroy's sake and Dempsey's. Come 'ere." Gene pulled her into a hug

"It's so unfair Gene...why us? Why do these things keep happening to us?"

"I dunno luv. It's a crazy screwed up world and it's up to us to try to sort out the bollocks."

"O'Grady?" Alex asked

Gene nodded again "I'll call 'im now."

As Gene went to call Captain O'Grady Alex started to clear up the mess, mentally noting that all their belongings were still there. Unbeknown to her and Gene, one item was missing...the envelope addressed simply 'Simone'.

I hope you are all still enjoying this? If you're like me, you would have experienced very odd dreams when you're ill. Poor Dempsey isn't very well hence having the nasty dream. And...No, he did NOT sleep with Monica LOL

QQxx