"Dempsey this is Nita, Nita Dempsey; Nita works in north London around the Tottenham area along with Kate and Denise" Harry said welcoming each of her friends in turn

"Up the Spurs?" asked Dempsey

"I'm more of a Chelsea girl" Kate smoothed

"Well Kate thank you for that spot of bidding" Dempsey kissed her cheek

Denise kept her promise about no orderly queue and slipping her arm through Dempsey's she whispered "I think its time to dance again."

Harry looked at the two of them walking away "I'm going to mingle" she announced then with an afterthought asked if anyone had seen Joyce Hargraves. Nita shrugged unsure of whom she was but Kate informed her that Joyce hadn't been able to make the night and then sheepishly asked Harry if she forgave her for doing the bidding for Dempsey. Harry considered what she thought; up until then she hadn't really thought at all "No problem" she smiled "we can book ourselves in anytime for a girly weekend"

"Well you can come with us to Les Misérables" offered Nita "the box isn't full yet"

"Thanks" Harry smiled "that'll be good"

"Yes you can bring your hunk" Kate enthused

"He's not mine – I told you that"

"Well then he'll be ours" Nita giggled

Harry sighed; Annabel, Angela, Louise… they were always asking after Dempsey and all over him when he was around and it looked like the few friendships she had kept up since her cadet days were equally infatuated with him.

Harry didn't get the opportunity to mingle, the guys from drug squad approached and Bennett, encouraged by the welcoming smile of Harry, invited her to return to the dance floor. Nita and Kate weren't without offers and they all joined the now packed dance floor.

As the songs merged from one to another Makepeace, her friends from North London, Dempsey and a few guys from drugs were joined by a couple of guys Dempsey knew from C15 and a few acquaintances of Nita and Denise egging each other on to try and get picked up by the sexy American.

They formed a small mass – dancing, turning, facing, chatting to anyone as the songs were sung until someone asked "what's song's this one?"

"UB40" suggested Kate

"Isn't it The Beat?"

"I don't think so"

"Listen – something about you, the way you are so right"

"I think it's Level 42" Dempsey said

"Nah"

"Yes – I remember because when I heard it play I noted the band because in a weird way Level 42 reminded me of 42nd street. It's not many times people over here use numbers for names so when it played on the radio I remembered it"

"42 – the answer to life the universe and everything" Bennett piped up

"What!" echoed half a dozen voices turning towards him.

"You know: Marvin the paranoid android and the restaurant at the end of the universe…"

The others gave up on him noting that Dempsey was halfway across the floor towards the band but the song finished before he arrived and the singer announced the song he'd just finished as Level 42 and the next song as Careless Whisper.

Dempsey dived back

"I was right he announced"

"You always have to be right" Harry challenged him, sweeping strands of her hair back off her face and standing so tall that as she made her body erect her chest thrust forward slightly

"I'm always right sweetheart" he smoothed staring at her breast

"Except for when you are wrong, and don't call me sweetheart" with her index finger under his chin she tipped his face up

"You wore the dress!" he mooted staring straight into her eyes

"You chose the dress" she charged

Kate and Denise exchanged glances; the guys from C15 were suitably impressed and observed with interest

"I'm never wrong" Dempsey said now looking Harry straight in they eye

"No, you just never admit to being wrong" they held each other's gaze

"And you do?" Dempsey demanded

"Why would I want to do that?" asked Makepeace in disbelief

"Exactly"

"Ooh look – hissy hissy" one of the drugs guys interrupted

"Jim" Nita nudged him tipping him off balance and he broke gaze with Harry "Spill the beans on Harry at work"

He looked across to the top table "she'll be commissioner one day"

"Oooh… very good! What about Jim Harry?"

"One day he'll be back in New York where he can fire his gun in gay abandon without annoying anyone over here"

"Are you saying I shoot too often?" Dempsey demanded "or that I'm gay?"

"You fire your gun all the time" Harry ignored the subsidiary question, she did wonder why he was so paranoid about the gay thing, given that he so patently attracted women by the bus load.

"Only because of the scum lowlife that inhabit this island of yours"

"Come off it Dempsey you even shot a car clamp off"

"In order to pursue said lowlife! And as I believe I said at the time it's criminal to use those things"

"Didn't you hit the tyre?" asked Denise

"I ain't a bad shot" Dempsey defended "I only shoot tyres for good reason"

"Humph" Makepeace protested

"Like when?" asked Nita

"Say when you loose the keys and…."

"Don't go there Lieutenant" Makepeace warned and for once he actually thought better of it,

"Oh I love this song" Kate interrupted, all be it true her main aim was to cut the argument, she knew Harry of old. "You can really move to this" she declared grabbing Dempsey deliberately with both her hands on his waist. He responded and rocked her in time to the music. The floor that had thinned filled again. Bennett tapped Harry on the shoulder and holding one hand and her waist he started to jive. The vocals came over I'm gonna try for an uptown girl" he looked purposefully into her eyes trying to convey his intentions. Harry was more concerned where and with whom Dempsey was embroiled. Dempsey was spending all his time turning so that he could keep Harry in view. The sight of Dempsey and Makepeace constantly aware of each other amused Kate.

"You're not really downtown are you?" she asked aware that he was dancing with her but eyeing up Harry.

"I grew up in the Bronx, in downtown Brooklyn, New York – yeh it was rough"

"Were there gangs?"

"Sure and when I was a young kid I was part of them"

"Young?"

"Nine"

"But you became a cop?"

"There's a fine line…."

"So downtown guy tell me if you are after the uptown girl?" Kate looked with him at Harry.

Dempsey smiled in appreciation "After her? Nah – I just work with her!"

"So you have no problem with that guy she's dancing with?"

"What from drugs? Should I?"

"He's been after her all night; I think he thinks he's in there"

"Well he's wrong there…. Me and Harry have a deal – We came together; I brought her and I'm taking her home"

The song drew to a close and new words just beat it; beat it echoed out

Dempsey watched Bennett speak into Harry's ear and point towards the bar, he also noticed Harry look directly at him and mouth 'rescue me'

Dempsey smiled, the Michael Jackson words of just beat it; beat it were perfect. He caught Harry's waist with his hand and looked at Bennett and simply waited for the chorus to kick in again then looking Bennett in the eye deliberately sung just beat it; beat it.

"I've heard of your reputation" Bennett scowled

"It's all true, trust me" Dempsey growled and keeping hold of her waist Dempsey turned Harry towards him, laced the fingers of his other hand with hers and said "Let's dance"