CHAPTER 14

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Alex flung her door open expecting to see Luigi with a bottle of house rubbish, as Gene so dubbed it, and a freshly cooked meal. Instead she was greeted by the sight of Gene holding the bottle of wine and the meal, apparently poor Luigi had been accosted by Gene on route and sent back to the bar. She promptly went to slam it shut in his face but found this impossible as Gene had wedged his foot in the way.

"You gonna invite me in or do I 'ave to shove this under your door?" Gene grumbled through the gap in the door. Alex sighed, her hands still resting firmly against the smooth wood.

"I don't have much choice do I?"

"Not really."

Pulling the door wide open once again, Alex stepped aside and glared at Gene's back as he headed into the kitchen. She would have been able to get rid of him had it not been for the fact he was holding her food hostage.

"What do you want Gene?" Alex plucked the container from his grasp and emptied its contents into a bowl. Luigi had kindly fulfilled her request for a pasta dish she could save what she didn't eat tonight to have tomorrow; he had sent up a pasta and pesto mix with sausage and vegetable mixed in. Alex knew that there was no point in telling Gene he could go back downstairs and get his own bloody bottle of wine as he had already poured two glasses and was now settled on the sofa beside her. His coat and jacket discarded back in the kitchen, his tie loosened.

They sat in silence for a few minutes as Alex ate some of her food reluctant to bring up the topic of the money, underwear and flask. Oh she knew he had to be innocent… her heart told her so… but her head screamed at her to think like a police officer and consider the evidence before her. Yes Gene had a past tainted with backhanders and criminal dealings but he had changed… drastically so. The money in the car door was too obvious to her, a plant but she had to find a way to prove it but the flask. Now that was something she couldn't explain without doubt creeping up to cloud her thoughts.

Gene had been so irritable with her lately and then finding those bodies and the hipflask all seemed… to point to one of two things. Either Gene was a villain and needed to be taken down… or he was an innocent party in this dragged into it unwittingly.

Gods she hoped that he was innocent. She needed him to be innocent. How else could Alex live with herself if he wasn't innocent.

"I've taken meself off the case." Gene spoke, his tone low and rumbling; he took a mouthful of the wine before topping up his glass.

"You've done what?" Her tone was calm but firm. Alex placed the bowl of pasta on the coffee table and turned to give him her undivided attention. "Gene?"

"I told the Super 'bout the money 'n the hipflask, 'anded it over as evidence."

Alex's heart pounded in her chest. Was Gene admitting his guilt and why hadn't he had the decency to talk to her first before he made rash decisions.

"What did the Super say?" She was barely containing her anger now.

"That he agreed it were fer the best… that he took me word that I was innocent. Unlike some others."

His snide comment dug at Alex, making her angry not just at Gene but at herself for being such an untrusting cow. Alex stood up grabbing her bowl and taking it into the kitchen. She opened the fridge, placed the bowl in there and then slammed the fridge door shut.

"It's not my fault the evidence points at you Gene! Perhaps if you'd kept your dick in your trousers you might not have ended up in this situation!" She stormed back into the living room, hands on her hips.

"Are you accusin' Ali?" Gene stood up to match her, his chest puffed out, his bottom lip pouting firmly in its rightful place. His steel grey/blue eyes flashed with anger and annoyance but Alex also could see a glimmer of hurt before the walls went back up.

"Oh Ali is it?! Well what do you expect from a two bit floozy who opens her legs for any man who looks her way?!" Alex prodded Gene in the chest. "She probably planted the stash herself whilst you were busy pulling up your trousers."

"I'd watch what you say DI Drake." His tone changed from yelling to calm and serious. She knew immediately that he was trying to threaten her with his usually tricks but it didn't work on Alex.

"Don't you DARE pull rank on me Gene! I could have quite happily dropped your arse into it after we found the money but I didn't!"

"Didn't stop yer at the bloody river tho did it!"

"I didn't know what to believe Gene! The evidence was beginning to add up… against you!"

"Well thanks Alex! Glad to know who yer real friends are!" He yelled, his temper having reached boiling point.

Alex went respond but she was interrupted by the phone ringing. She shoved past Gene and grabbed the handset out of its cradle on the wall nearly taking the whole thing down in the process. She was angry and could have quite happily used the phone as a weapon against Gene's thick skull… not that he'd probably notice.

"Hello!?" Her tone was sharp and short.

"DI Drake it's Ray… there's a robbery takin' place currently, we 'ad the call in literally moments ago. We reckon it's the same bastards as last time!"

"Fine! Good get uniformed on scene immediately and get a team ready from CID to head along as soon as I am there. Warn everyone that these men could be armed and dangerous… there is not telling what they could do this time Ray."

"'n err… what about the guv?" Ray hesitated asking but the team were desperate to know where he was and what on earth was going on. Especially after the rumours that were flying about the office that Gene had been taking backhanders and involved in the robberies.

"I will deal with him Ray. I'm trusting you to ensure that people get there in one piece Ray… please I need to know I can rely on you."

"Of course."

"Good. I'll meet you at the station in five minutes." She hung up and went to side step Gene who was now blocking her path. He grabbed her arm gently but firmly impeding her movement.

"You gonna tell me what is goin' on?!"

"Why should I Gene! You didn't bother to tell me about your little decisions so why the hell should I keep you out of the dark. You took yourself of the case!" She pulled her arm free of his grasp.

"That is MY bloody team about to put themselves in the firin' line 'n you wanna take the brunt of it when the shit 'its the fan be my bloody guest Drake! But I intend to be there with my team! Whether I'm on the case or not I am still your bloody DCI!"

"Fine and don't I know it! If you want to tag along for the car ride be my guest Mr Hunt!"

He grabbed his jacket and coat, shoving them on as he followed Alex out of her flat.

"We're takin' my bloody car 'n I'm drivin'."

Gene stopped PC Kimble on his way to the squad car, pulling off on of the masked men's balaclavas. Gene laughed.

"Oh dear, I didn't think I'd be seein' yer any time soon Steve. Not gonna go down well with the parole board this is it?"

Steve Dill struggled against the young PC holding him, dying to get at Hunt as Alex watched. Giving up on his attempt to break free, Steve contented himself with a well aimed globule of saliva, hitting Gene between the eyes. Gene wiped his face and laughed again before lifting Steve from the ground by his jumper.

"It's over Dill. Yer gonna rot behind bars this time, yer mark my words."

Dropping Dill, Gene aimed a punch at his gut before nodding the PC off. Gene heard Alex outraged sigh as she strolled by him towards another of the apprehended males. Gene heard the radio crack into life behind him and legged it to the Quattro.

"Yeah, I'm 'ere, what is it Viv?"

"We've been done Guv. Robbery in Fulham, I've sent over what officers we've got spare but most everyone's with you."

"Bollocks! Alright Skip, on our way. Alex!"

Gene slammed his hands on the top of the Quattro glaring at the road ahead of him. Was that Ali's car?

"What?"

Gene closed his eyes and wished the world would go away.

Alex glanced at the card in her hand, then the sign over the door. This was the place alright. Alex jumped out of the car and headed inside. She spotted her right away.

Oh yeah, she was pretty. Sexy even with that oil all over her, it was no wonder that Gene's head had been turned. Alex couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at the sight of her. She cleared her throat and Alisa turned around.

"Are you Alisa Sevier?"

"Who's asking?"

Oh, Alex hated her already. The way she managed to raise her eyebrows and scowl all at the same time. This woman had an attitude problem.

"D.I Alex Drake."

Alisa nodded slowly, her teeth finding her lip as her eyes flicked over Alex.

"So you're D.I Drake. Yes, I'm Alisa. What can I do for you Alex?

Alex inwardly cringed, hating the way Alisa said her name.

"I understand you've done some work on an Audi Quattro belonging to Gene Hunt recently. We found a small amount of recently stolen money inside one of the inner panels, can you tell me how it got there Miss Sevier?"

Alisa frowned.

"Are you suggesting that I put it there?"

Alex smiled.

"The fact is the car was being worked on recently, and who better than a mechanic to plant it inside the car?"

"Perhaps the person who stole it in the first place."

"So you are denying all knowledge of the money?"

"Yes. Several people worked on the Quattro. I take accusations against my staff very personally Inspector."

"Well I'm going to have to speak to everyone who worked on the car."

Alisa nodded, turning away and walking over to the desk.

"Very well, come by a later and I will have the names of all those who worked on the car ready for you."

Alex walked away, a smile on her face. Once Alisa heard her car drive away she picked up the phone.

"Hey, it's Ali. We may have a problem."

Gene sighed as he pulled up outside 'Le Ruote di Acciaio'. As he approached the door her heard Alisa's soft laugh and felt himself twitch. All feeling left his body when he looked round the door.

Alisa leaned on her Porshe smiling that smile at a young blond stranger. Her tongue tracing her bottom lip slowly as the man flirted with her. Gene felt his blood boil, it was time.

Gene stalked over to the pair, catching the slight look of fear that flickered over Alisa's features as she spotted him.

"Gene, what are you doing here?"

"I need a word. Now."

Gene strolled outside, lighting a cigarette and taking a few quick puffs before Alisa could catch up with him. She tried to take hold of his arm but he moved away.

"Gene? What ever's the matter?

Gene sniffed, unable to meet her eye.

"It's gotta stop Al, this, us. Can't go on."

"What? Why?"

Gene looked at her briefly, his gaze retreating when her caught the tears behind her eyes.

"Yer a suspect now. Can't be done. I'm in enough shit as it is, without shagging the suspects."

"But it'll all turn out okay in the end, when I'm cleared-"

"No. I'm sorry Alisa. Now go on, back inside with yer, Blondie's waitin'"

Gene threw down what was left of his cigarette and strode off towards the Quattro, swallowing constantly to try and rid the taste of despair from the back of his throat.

Twenty minutes later, he sat in Luigi's. He wasn't in here so early most days, but with being away from work this was the only way he would find out what was going on, the others would join him in half an hour or so.

Gene sighed into his pint. He sighed far too much these days. Everything had been falling down around his ears for years. His wife, Sam, his career. Things seemed to pick up a little on his arrival in London, he felt refreshed and useful again. But it was happening all over, and he needed some sort of relief.

A young busty woman slipped over the bar to stand beside him. He eyed her bust, the way she slimmed to her stomach before moving onto a lovely pair of hips. Cracking legs too. The pretty girl smiled his way, and Gene felt his hopes rise a little.

"What yer drinking love? I'll get it."

Her shy smile widened into a grin.

"Vodka and Orange, thanks."

Gene bought her the drink and watched her walk away, hips swinging tantalizingly. She smiled at him again once she sat down. When the others arrived, Gene still couldn't help noticing the way she kept gazing at him. She might be just the relief he needed. But was it really what he needed right now? His choice of women hadn't exactly been great recently had it?

He decided his decision had been made for him when the lady and her friend stood and put there coats on, but he was surprised when she walked right over to him and smiled, handing him a folded piece of paper.

"See you around."

Gene inwardly grinned as he watched her walk away, oh he still had it in him alright. He unfolded the paper and read it while no one was looking.

You should call me, we both know you want to. Marisol x