Hi all, thanks once again for your reviews, bit of a bumper chapter this one

Chapter 20

Leroy was wearing the most enormous grin as he towed Maddy into CID. They had giggled all the way up the stairs hand in hand like two teenagers. Leroy didn't care what the guys would think; he had had the greatest night for a long time. He and Maddy had spent a blissful night together in his flat and Leroy had found himself feeling safe, warm and wanted. Maddy too was on a loved up high. She would never have believed she could have found a soul mate in a tough New York policeman. The poet in her had come to the fore and she found herself thinking that they were two lost souls which had been searching for each other all their lives.

They bounced into the office beaming widely and shouting their good mornings.

"Hey up, someone had a goodnight then." commented Ray with a jealous scowl. It had seemed everyone was partnered/ loved up except for him. Gene had Alex, Chris had Shaz, Dempsey had Makepeace and now Leroy was having Maddy. Who did he have? Not that he would admit he was lonely...and jealous.

Shaz too was not overly impressed; Leroy was supposed to be her partner working with her, not bringing his girlfriend to work. "What's she doing here?" She hissed to Ray "She's only a teacher, hardly qualified to be working a case."

"Shaz, If I didn't know you were 'ead over heels with that dozy twonk over there.." he jabbed a thumb in Chris's direction, "I would have said you were jealous."

"Rubbish!" she protested slightly blushing. "It's not right, she's not a police officer, she's not supposed to be here and the Guv doesn't seem to give a monkeys."

Gene had given the couple a slight unconcerned glance before returning to his paper. Ray looked over to Gene "Yer right, 'es not bothered so why are you? Besides, it's not really a case is it?"

Shaz huffed in annoyance "Exactly! She shouldn't be here; we've got far more important things to be doing then sorting out Harry's divorce."

Ray looked at Shaz perplexed, it was most unlike her to be this anti, and she was normally the compassionate one. "This has really riled you...ent it? I thought you'd be 'appy to help our SI10 mates?"

Shaz quickly back-tracked "Er, I am, don't get me wrong...it's just I don't think Leroy should be spending his working time with her."

"Something the matter Shaz?" Alex interrupted handing Ray a folder.

"No Ma'am."

Alex wasn't convinced, she had caught snippets of her conversation with Ray "I think you and me need to have a little chat...shall we get a coffee?"

Shaz looked sheepishly at the floor, she couldn't hide anything form Alex. She followed Alex into the kitchen.

Alex flicked on the kettle and placed two mugs on the counter "Now, what was all that about? It's unlike you to be so down on your fellow officers...is there a problem between you and Leroy?"

"No ma'am...I was just saying he shouldn't be bringing Maddy into CID."

"And why not? She is helping us with our inquiries." Alex was direct with her tone, but kept her demeanour sympathetic.

Shaz sighed "I just thought that since we were partners, we should be working together on this, instead I feel like Leroy is ignoring me."

"Shaz, Leroy is a man clearly in love...we cannot fault him for being lovesick...he's had a rough ride in his life and we should be happy for him. We all need someone to trust and confide in and Maddy is that person...I can understand how her presence here looks a little odd, and believe me if it wasn't for the fact she had inside information on Robert Makepeace, I wouldn't want her here either. However, if she is helping Leroy to find happiness and helping us help Harry, we can't complain, can we? I would have thought you of all people would understand that?"

"I do Ma'am...I do want to help...it's just that..." she paused mid sentence.

"Go on.."

"It just seems I've gone back to making the tea, answering the phone and filing paper while Leroy and Maddy do the detective work. I want to be going undercover and doing detective things."

Alex gave her a smile "Shaz, this is CID, we don't really do undercover work, you know that...and you are a detective."

"But, how am I going to get to the stage of doing undercover cases if I don't get enough experience of doing basic detective work and gaining skills?"

A light bulb went off in Alex's head "Ahhhh, I see now..." she smiled warmly "This is what it's all about...you want to be a Harry Makepeace."

Shaz blushed "It just fascinates me...you have to pretend to be someone else to solve the case."

"It's not glamorous you know, Harry and Dempsey just make it look that way, it's actually very dangerous."

"I know." smiled Shaz "That's the exciting bit."

"I think you're trying to run before you can walk, you haven't been a DC very long Shaz, keep doing what you're doing and I'm sure in a year or so you'd be ready to apply to SI10."

"You think so?" Shaz looked up at Alex hopefully.

Alex nodded "I know so; you are a very bright, intelligent young officer."

"Thanks Ma'am."

Harry picked up the post which had landed on her door mat. She flicked through the array of envelopes, most of them bills until one particular envelope caught her eye. She took it into the kitchen, flicked on the kettle and then ripped open the curious letter.

Dempsey appeared in the kitchen shrugging on his jacket.

"You off out already?" Harry questioned.

"Yeah, got stuff to do, places to be."

"Well you'd better read this then.." she handed the letter to him "I'm assuming you've got one waiting on your doormat as well."

Dempsey read down the page, his face creasing into a scowl as he read. "They're kidding...right?"

"Erhum, nope I don't think so...we've been summoned, looks like we're going to have to plead our case after all."

"Know any good lawyers?" he said with pitched sarcasm "I can't believe this; I have to stand up in front of an enquiry board and fight for my life?" Dempsey stared at the paper in disbelief. The date had been set for the inquest hearing and they had both been summoned to give evidence.

Harry gave a long sigh "Doesn't give us very long to sort Robert, does it? I'm taking Pipa into to see Alex to give a statement against Robert...after all he did assault her. Maybe that could delay things."

"Sure, anything we can get against that worm will help." Dempsey, followed by Harry walked back into the hallway and snatched up his keys from the table. "I'll see ya later." He paused briefly to look at her, he couldn't resist and he pecked her goodbye on the cheek.

Harry smiled "See you later." She shut the door behind him and grinned to herself. In the past few days Dempsey had become the model boyfriend. She had to admire the way he was coping with the Pipa/ Robert situation. Most men would have fled to hills at the first sign of domestic trouble. But not Dempsey, he was in it for the long haul, no matter what the outcome would be...Dempsey was not most men.

Dempsey got into his car and thought for a few seconds before starting the engine. The inquest letter had been the final straw. 'No more Mr nice guy'. He could no-longer sit around waiting for the axe to fall; he had to fight for his and Harry's survival.

"Awwwe bloody 'ell, not more women!" joked Gene as Harry and Pipa strode into CID.

"And good morning to you too, Gene." Harry smiled "And how is life treating you...daddy to be?"

"Fine and dandy Harry, just fine and dandy...I just love being kept awake by Bolly wriggling around like and electric eel in the middle of the night and throwing up in the morning. Makes for domestic bliss."

"Morning sickness still bad?"

"I have suggested that she just sits with her head down the bog all day, but that didn't go down to well.

"I can imagine." winced Harry.

"I had awful morning sickness with Matthew, couldn't keep anything down for weeks." Pipa added helpfully "It will soon pass...how far along is she?"

"Er thirteen weeks I think, dunno wasn't really paying attention, that's women's stuff."

Harry and Pipa tutted to each other as if to say 'men!'

"And what can I do fer ya?" Gene noted Pipa's swollen lip, but decided not to comment.

Alex emerged from the kitchen "Hi Harry, oh, and Pipa I see...Hi."

Harry turned to Gene "Gene this is Pipa, Pipa this is DCI Gene Hunt and you've already met Alex."

"Pipa!" Maddy squealed from the other side of the room and raced over "What the bloody hell happened to you?"

"What are you doing here?" Harry said to Maddy slightly accusingly.

"Yes Maddy, what are you doing here." frowned a surprised Pipa.

"That's the question I keep asking." said Shaz sourly as she plonked herself down at her desk. Harry and Alex both raised an eyebrow at the irked Shaz.

"I'm helping Leroy." said Maddy brightly. "Good to see you Pipa, it's been yonks."

"Ruddy 'ell, it's like a WI meeting in 'ere. What are we making today...strawberry jam? Or are we all gonna sit around knitting crappy jumpers?" grumbled Gene feeling decidedly outnumbered.

"Gene, Pipa is here to make a statement against Robert, he hit her." explained Alex ignoring his jibe.

"Never!" gasped Maddy "He did that?"

"Yes Maddy, your lovely cousin decided to wallop me one." Pipa glared at her "and then he chucked me out onto the street."

"Oh God! He's really done it this time." Maddy's eyes were wide.

"Pipa had to stay with me last night." Harry clarified.

"You must be desperate." said Maddy to Pipa. Harry, Alex and Pipa all stared aghast at Maddy's tactless comment. "I didn't mean it like that...I meant with your history...y'know with Robert... Harry finding you two in bed..." Maddy desperately tried to explain herself. "oh bollocks, I should stop digging...I'll shut up."

"Yes do!" Harry and Pipa snapped together.

"Ah!" Alex rubbed her hands together and said tactfully "Since we're all here, maybe we should get on with this statement?"

"Christ," scoffed Gene "How many of ye does it need to take one statement?"

Chris guffawed "Ha, ha, ha, It sounds like that joke Guv. How many women does it take to change a light bulb?"

Ray laughed "Good one mate! How many women does it..."

"Shut up Ray!" Snapped Alex, Harry and Maddy

"Hormones..." tutted Ray "No sense of humour."

"I think we should decamp to an interview room...away from the testosterone." said Alex "Speaking of which, where is Dempsey?"

"Oh he said he had something to sort out, looked like he was on a mission, had that look about him...you know Dempsey." replied Harry.

Alex stopped mid step "Er did Dempsey stay with you last night?"

"Yes why?" puzzled Harry.

"So he knows what happened to Pipa?"

"He was there when I turned up." added Pipa, unsure as to what Alex intoned.

"And how did he take it...you turning up out of the blue with a split lip?"

Pipa and Harry looked at each other blankly. "Not sure what you're getting at." Said Harry "He was understandingly angry that Robert hit Pipa...he hates that sort of thing..." Harry thought for a few moments "And he wasn't too thrilled that our hearing date came through this morning."

"He wouldn't do anything stupid...would he?" Alex with her psychology training knew there would be only so much a man like Dempsey would take before he would take matters into his own hands.

"If I were Dempsey..." interjected Gene "I would be straight round there kicking the shit out of the little scrote...you don't hit women, especially with a little kiddy in the house. Watched me dad smack seven bells out of me mam when I was a nipper, from what he's told me, he had the same childhood!"

This was news to Harry, she knew Dempsey had grown up in a rough neighbourhood and his father was a heavy drinker like Gene's, but she had never considered for one moment that his home life would have been violent "He's gone to see Robert, hasn't he?" she said quietly.

"Gene, we've got to do something..." blustered Alex "We can't let him get hold of Robert, god knows what he would do...he'll end locked up, even worse deported."

Harry was confused by Alex's comment, why would it be worse for Dempsey to be deported rather than be locked up?

"This is all my fault." Wailed Pipa

"Don't be silly Pipa...It's Robert's." berated Harry.

"Right, you girls stay here, I'll go after 'im...let's just hope I get there in time." With that Gene swung into action and raced after Dempsey.

Dempsey found the reception area deserted. He had kept his cool the previous night although he was seething inside. The more he heard about Robert Makepeace the more he loathed him. He had to meet the bastard. He had to see the cause of his partner's and Pipa's misery for himself. Dempsey wondered how one man could deceive so many and get away with it. He even found himself feeling sorry for the deluded cow Monica, but his prime concern was for Harry and Matthew. Gene had been right, Dempsey had once been that little boy sat on the stairs listening to his parents argue, hearing his drunken father yelling at his mother. Seeing Pipa and hearing her story last night brought it all back, he knew exactly how that little boy would have felt. Robert had to be stopped and the confirmation of the inquest hearing arriving on the doormat had sealed it for Dempsey...they were going to hang him out to dry anyway; he may as well go out in style.

Dempsey scanned the outer office all the while training his ears to the slightest sound. He couldn't hear any signs of life apart from odd shuffling and clicking noises coming from behind Dora's desk. He approached the source of the sound cautiously and peered over the desk. A small blonde head popped up.

"Hiya fellar, you must be Matthew." Sat quietly on a rug was Matthew surrounded by toys and lego. He stared bewildered up at Dempsey.

Dempsey rounded the solid oak desk and crouched down to Matthew's level, all the while trying not to scare him. "How ya doing?"

Matthew trembled as he spoke " You sound funny and Mummy told me not to talk to strangers."

Dempsey pursed his lips into a smile "Quite right, there are some bad people out there, but you're safe here."

"What's your name?" Matthew looked at Dempsey with a childlike curiosity.

"I'm James, pleased to meet you Matthew, Your mom has told me loads about you." Matthew accepted Dempsey and returned his attention to the lego shapes in his hand. "What you got there? Can I see?" Dempsey held out his hand to take the bricks.

"It's a spaceship." Said Matthew...wasn't it obvious? Silly man.

"A spaceship huh? Wow."

Matthew handed Dempsey the spaceship "It's broke, can't fix it." He sulked.

"Really! Looks good to me." Dempsey turned the toy around his hands.

"The wing has fallen off. Can you fix it?" Matthew looked pleadingly at Dempsey. There was something quite sad about the little boy, Dempsey felt he was lonely. He was clearly very intelligent for his age, but he seemed to be shrouded in sadness.

"Lemme see," Dempsey inspected Matthew's handy work trying to fathom out exactly where he needed to make repairs...He was struggling to remember if he had ever touched lego before, let alone tried to build anything with it. It hadn't escaped Dempsey that he was knocking on forty and he had had virtually no contact with kids of this age group, older ones who had gotten into scrapes with the Police yes, tiddlers no. He was beginning to think he had been missing out somewhere along the line. "Okay champ, you're the boss and I'm the mechanic..."

"Space mechanic..." Matthew corrected.

"Right...space mechanic...you tell me where I need to fix this...cos I'm dumb, I can't see where it's broke, I need the boss to tell me."

"You need this blue one, silly!" exclaimed Mathew in disgust holding up a brick as if Dempsey was daft for not knowing how to build a spaceship. However, Dempsey would be the first to admit he didn't know how to build a spaceship, it was hard enough for him to put together Harry's spare bed.

"Alright, I get it...the blue thingy...put it here?"

"Yes." He nodded with satisfaction at his new playmate.

Click Dempsey snapped the piece into place "And how about we put this one here?" Click Dempsey hunted around in the box for another piece "And I figure it needs this clear blue one, a light like they have on police cars." Click!

Matthew gave him a broad grin "A police spaceship!"

"Yeah," chuckled Dempsey "I guess so, it's a police spaceship chasing down the bad guys in space."

"Wow!" he beamed in delight.

Dempsey was getting into the leggo so much he had almost forgotten why he had come to Robert's office in the first place. He was swiftly reminded as Robert loomed down on the pair "Can I help you?"

Both Dempsey and little Matthew jumped at the sound of Robert's booming voice.

"Er, I'm looking for Robert Makepeace." Said Dempsey although he was pretty certain he had just found him.

"I am he...what are you doing with my son Dempsey?"

Dempsey got to his feet, Matthew looked crestfallen "You've got to finish my spaceship." He cried.

"Sorry Champ, I've got to speak to your father, another time maybe."

"Promise?" his bottom lip wobbled.

"Promise." smiled Dempsey.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep Yank. Children take you at your word you know." hissed Robert.

"Don't think you should be lecturing me on the subject of keeping promises. Didn't you once say 'To love, honour and obey, till death do us part'?" Dempsey could feel the anger rising as he stepped towards him.

"What do you want Yank? You are not getting your filthy gutter paws on my wife or her estate. I am not prepared to have that conversation with you. There's the door."

It was at that moment Dora, the secretary, made her return.

"Where the hell have you been?" Robert barked at her.

"Sorry Mr Makepeace, I got held up at the post office." She hurriedly took off her coat and got behind her desk.

"You left my son alone with this ape!" he jabbed a finger at Dempsey. "Honestly Dora this isn't good enough."

"Robert may I remind you I am your secretary and not a child minder, the boy should be with his mother." She sneered back.

"She's not wrong," cut in Dempsey "Matthew should be with Pipa."

Robert glared hard at Dempsey "And what business is it of yours? His mother is a useless slapper; I should have got rid of her a long time ago."

Dora baulked at Robert's harsh words "Really Robert, is it necessary to use language like that in front of the boy?"

"Yeah, Robert shouldn't we carryon our little chat in your office?" said Dempsey "I think that little boy has seen too much already." Dempsey strode across the floor and into Robert's office. Robert quickly followed slamming the door behind him.

"Now look here Yank," Robert's face was screwed up in disgust "I don't know what Pipa has told you, but it is my family affair and mine only...nothing! Nothing has anything to do with you...you got that?" he leaned menacingly towards Dempsey trying to intimidate him "You are screwing my wife, that should be enough for you..." he looked Dempsey up and down sneeringly " I have no idea what she sees in you."

Dempsey kept his cool, he could tell Robert was itching to get a reaction out of him "Well, lemme see, firstly I don't care about her money I care about her, secondly I won't jump into bed with her friends and thirdly I don't hit women...what's you excuse?"

Robert's face turned to thunder "Don't give me that, I've read about you, you're scum from the gutters of Brooklyn, violence is second nature to you. Didn't you kill your partner Joey?"

Dempsey was taken aback "How do you know about that?"

Robert sniggered "I had Lyons's do some digging...you're dirty Dempsey, the NYPD's dirty little secret, you and Lt Banks."

Dempsey bit his tongue; he was just about to blurt out the real reason why he was in London. That's what Robert wanted, this is what Robert did...he wound people up so much that they ended up giving themselves away by trying to defend themselves. Dempsey refused to be goaded.

"You split her lip, threatened to take Matthew away...what sort of man does that?" said Dempsey through gritted teeth "Huh? What kinda lowlife scum does that to a defenceless woman?"

"She's a cheap tart who deserves nothing..."

"Jeez I've meet some real sleezeballs in my time, but you take top slot. She is the mother of your child and you treat her like this? And what did Harry do to you...hey?" Dempsey felt his fingers curl into fists, he was rapidly losing his temper "Or Monica, Freddy Winfield, Maddy and her father..."

"Pah! It's their own faults for being so bloody stupid. I can't be responsible for people behaving like idiots!" Robert's voice was rising in decibels. "Idiots the bloody lot of them!"

Gene could hear the argument as he raced up the stairs and charged into the office. He was confronted with the sight of Dora desperately trying to console Matthew on her knee, rocking him back and forth, shielding his ears with her hands "What ye doing sitting there woman...get him out here!" barked Gene.

Dora sat welded to her seat terrified of Gene. He flashed his warrant card at her, then she moved "Where should take him?" she blurted.

"Anywhere ye daft cow!" Gene was incredulous "Just get him away from here."

"You're a bloody idiot!" yelled Robert prodding Dempsey hard in the chest "She doesn't love you, I'm the only one she loves...me! And I'm not divorcing her...she's mine. She could never love a violent thug like you...you're going down Yank...I hope they hang out to dry."

Dempsey was now puce with rage "Oh I'm a violent thug now? Can you hear y'self you sound nuts! I've got half a mind to sock you one in mush."

Robert laughed manically "Go on Dempsey, give it your best shot...go on hit me. That will look great on my report for the inquest...do it!"

Dempsey, teeth bared, was about to lamp Robert one when Gene barged in "Don't do it Dempsey."

Robert spun round as he was momentarily taken off guard by Gene.

Dempsey hesitated, fist poised he looked at Gene and then back at Robert.

Robert carried on goading Dempsey "Pipa, the dozy bitch deserved a slap...and so does Harry for leaving me for you, it might make her come to her senses...well come on Dempsey...you can't do it can you, you can't defend Harry's honour because you're scared of losing your career." Robert was laughing like a mad man now "How will you be able to protect little Harry when you're back across the pond in New York? You can't hit me, you can't do anything to me...you can't touch me you stupid Yank."

Dempsey was about to explode when Gene stepped forward and said with glee "He might not be able to, but I can." THWACK! Gene punched Robert square in the mouth. He reeled backwards with the force of Gene's blow and crumpled to the floor with a groan.

Dempsey and Gene watched as Robert eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped pathetically forward, he was out cold.

Dempsey said "Thanks buddy, but I wanted to do that myself."

Gene shaking his right hand and flexing his fingers replied "My pleasure, but the fact you didn't means you have just won that round...which means the round is on you down the pub. C'mon, I think we need to go calm down. Let's leave sleeping beauty to it."

As the two friends stepped over Robert and headed out into the outer office Dempsey said "What about little Matthew?"

"The dragon has got him, he's alright, he took his police spaceship with him...said the funny sounding, silly man built it... Now who would that be I wonder..."

Hurrah! Robert got punched.