Don't Read A Book By It's Cover
Part V
DISCLAIMER: 'The Bill' characters depicted in this story is copyrighted to Thames Television/Pearson Corp
She remained at her sleepy state next to Neil, his arm still lay across her shoulders. She believed that this very moment could be remembered for a lifetime, the night before was so fairy-tale-like that she sometimes she found herself pinching her arms to see that she wasn't dreaming. Nothing could remove her from Neil, no-one. There was a ring at her door, possibly the postman, she had ordered a Johnny Depp calendar a week ago, and sadly rushed to the door every time Postman Pat rang at her door… Lying next to Neil was no exception. Anyway he was asleep what good can he be? Fumbling around on the floor for something to wear the first thing that came to sight was his dark blue shirt. Quickly she grabbed it and proceeded towards the waiting postman. His eyes enlarged when Andrea hastily opened her front door. Postmen usually get people in their underwear at this time in the morning, but never in such opened shirts… Andrea wondered why Pat's eyes were wondering. Looking down she realised that she had forgotten to button-up the shirt, luckily her arms were crossed and that stopped the sightseeing tour reaching lower than she wanted it too. But being topless was just as bad. Pulling the shirt together as one she smiled at the postman. "Anything for me?" The Postman stopped from his dreamy shock and gave Andrea a large brown thick and hard envelope - The size of a calendar Andrea thought. They smiled quickly at each other again, then she closed the door. Sighing of relief she carefully ripped off the top of the sealed envelope. And yes it was what she wanted… Johnny. Gently dreaming of Mr. Depp as Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean as she walked to the kitchen, buttoned up her shirt and made her and Neil a coffee. She didn't know what he liked in coffee so she guessed it was the same as tea, Milk and one sugar. Andrea stood in the bedroom doorway holding a mug in each arm and closely guarding the calendar under her arm. Neil was still asleep she placed the cup of coffee on the bedside table near him, sitting next to him she nudged him whispering in his ear, "Neil, Neil." He groaned he wasn't a morning person. Especially when he had been up all night. He opened his eyes to discover Andrea in his deep-sea blue shirt - only in his deep-sea blue shirt. " It's seven, I didn't know when you wanted to wake up" Andrea said while smiling. Scratching his head he slowly picked himself off the very soft pillow he had been sleeping on seconds before. "Thanks… You're wearing my shirt" Neil nodded towards Andrea's one and only piece of clothing. "Yeah, the postman knocked the door, and I needed to find something quick. Hope you don't mind?" Neil smiled while taking a shy sip of his morning coffee.
"No. It looks better on you than it does on me" Looking up he witnessed Andrea smiling the way she did the previous night. He loved that smile. She gave a powerfully amorous kiss on his lips, it was so perfect it gave him Goosebumps.
"That's impossible Neil" They smiled at each other, Andrea picked up his mug and placed it back on the wooden bed-side table, she looked at him. Held his face and they kissed deeply, he pulled her back on the bed and together they fell into their passionate state and made love once again.
"Is here OK?" Neil pulled up a street away from the station, Andrea picked up her bag that was laying on the seat behind her.
"Yeah it's fine, I'll see you later around the station then?" Neil smiled and gave her a kiss. They broke the kiss when they heard the familiar sound of the siren. Andrea ducked under the dashboard as Neil looked on. As it passed Neil tapped Andrea on her head to let her know. "Woo, that was a close one!" Andrea laughed as she popped back up from her quickly decided hiding place. Neil laugh when he observed her hair. It had been thrown back at the speed her of ducking. Her moved his hand closer to her face and gently pulled it behind her ear.
"I'll see you later" Andrea whispered in his ear. She opened the door, gave him one last smile before she closed it and walked off towards the station. Seconds later Neil drove passed.
"Good morning! You're looking very chuffed today, woke up on the right side of the bed today?" Honey chirped. Andrea walked into the WPC's locker room, being welcomed by the usual crowd, "Or maybe just the right bed eh Andrea?" Kerry asked. Yvonne laughed,
"Yeah you did leave the party a little early. And a wee drunk if we remember,so were we. We sent you home with a man but no of us can remember who, i'll ask the CID boys." Andrea suddenly felt a rush of ice cold wind being blown across her body. What if they saw who she was with? Neil would be in a lot of trouble with his family and his bosses. Her stomach felt like it was on a tumble spin, she tried to be calm.
"I have no idea what you are on about." Andrea said quickly, Honey pulled a face at Yvonne,
"Well OK but we will get the dirt on him… and you soon enough" Honey opened the door wide enough for her and walked out, Kerry followed. Yvonne stayed, she didn't take her eyes off Andrea. "Why did you go pale when I said that you went off with the man? Is it someone from work?…" Yvonne walked slowly over to Andrea who was sat on the bench taking her trainers off, "Would that man be Mr. Mystery Lover by any chance?" Yvonne could clearly see that Andrea was uneasy about the subject. She instantly knew she was on the right track. Are you going to tell me the third clue by any chance?" Yvonne asked, she was only too aware that she had not yet discovered Andrea's man, and now that she had spent the night with him, only made Yvonne more than committed to get the gossip. Andrea looked up at Yvonne, she took a deep breath, "He praises me more often than not." Again Yvonne knew that the clue wasn't much help to her, Andrea's a good copper an nearly every man in the station complements her work, but Andrea hadn't finished. "… and he doesn't praise women often, and sometimes not even at all" "Right, so he likes you too then?" Yvonne sat down on the bench, and looked up at Andrea, who was now putting her trainers into her locker and taking out her uniform.
"Right then Andy… Let's rap this up. He's cool and calm in situations others are not, he like tea with milk and one sugar made by other people and he praises you a lot… hmm I don't know about you, but for safe keeping I better be on duty with you today. I'll tell Sergeant Smith that you are having personal problems and you feel comfortable being my partner for today" Andrea who was buttoning up her shirt turned around to her thinking friend, "Why?" Andrea turned around facing the locker once more, missing Yvonne's shifty smile.
"Because if this man does all this around you and not others, then I'm gunna' miss it being with someone else, but if I'm with you then I can see for myself who is likely and who isn't." Suddenly the WPC locker room door hastily opened and Inspector Gold threw her head around the door,
"Come on ladies, chit-chat over. Briefing room now!" Andrea and Yvonne sighed and made their way.
In the briefing room there was a mixture of CID and Uniform. Including Andrea and Neil, who covertly exchanged glances now and then. Yvonne sadly hadn't registered this. Superintendent Okaro was giving the briefing.
"As you all know, there has been a resent space of car thefts among the area of Sunhill. CID and Uniform have combined forces and produced a likely pattern, the cars are stolen to order and with the help of a few contacts we can now say that today's shopping list is Ford Mondeos…" Yvonne, sat next to Andrea leaned in nearer her, "You know why he's putting so much resources on this don't you?" Andrea nodded, "Because the Borough Commander had had her car stolen, and if it isn't found the Super's head is on a plate!" Andrea raised her eyes brows to Yvonne's remark, as Okaro continued, "… Four of them red, blue, silver and a white one. We have pin-pointed the cars matching that description on the map and we will be sending officers to check the cars every thirty minutes, there will also be several obbo's with clear views to the main area's where the cars are clustered there. Now before I go off and let Inspector Gold and DI Manson to say who's where and when. Are there any questions?" A number of officers nodded, Okaro took the answer as a "no" and left Neil and Gina to their job.
Gina was the first to go, "Right me and Neil have decided to mix CID with Uniform to prevent any mishaps, one team is mainly sitting back and observing…" Gina looked at Neil indicating that CID don't do much work, "…And that uniform, well we run round after morons all day long, so there'll be one part of the team running after them. Sergeants Hunter and Nixon will be given two officers each. And DC'S Drummond, Thatcher and Carver will be given one uniformed officer, bearing in mind that the sergeants will be at the obbo's, and the Constables will be positioned in café's or posing as couples, friends. Whatever, walking around the given area. No-one leaves their area unless given permission by either myself or DI Manson. And if for ever reason that we are not able to get hold of, the sergeants will be your next call. Now has everyone understood what I have just said?" No-one answered, "I'll take that as a yes then, listen up to DI Manson as he will send you in your groups to your positions" Gina nodded to Neil as she passed him to sit down, Neil walked in front of the map,
"The red pins show where the Obbo's are, DS Hunter will be at the corner of the High Street…" Neil pointed to the small red pin, he looked at Phil to see if he understood, he then quickly glanced at Andrea, she smiled at him and he slightly went off track, but managed to pick himself up, "…and DS Nixon will be at the balcony facing the shopping centre carpark, where to our knowledge most of the cars are present, so it can be an easy target. Paired with DS Hunter are: Gary, Honey and Gabriel. DS Nixon will be with: Reg, Kerry and Yvonne." Andrea and Yvonne exchanged glances, Andrea couldn't help smiling, now Yvonne can't bother her about Neil. Manson carried on. " Ken will be with Steve, and Rob will be with Lance and Jim will be with Cameron. Inspector Gold and I will be here, at the green dot. It's a flat on Ellcot Street, overlooking most of the carparks. The blue pins are where Rob, Jim and Ken are going to be stationed, and every thirty minutes you will switch to these café's and pubs along the away, passing the streets with the cars in as you go along. Any movement, you radio it in OK?" Rob, Jim and Ken nodded. Andrea thought where she was, she was called to the briefing but so far she hasn't got a placement. Neil looked around the room, well I think that covers everything. "The unformed officers, I don't think I need to say that you have to be in plain clothes do I?" Andrea put her hand up for a small moment to attract attention, "Sir where am I, You haven't given me a place yet" Neil looked over at Gina, "Well you see PC Dunbar you are with me and Neil. correct me if I'm wrong but before you left yesterday you said that you could see all the carparks from your living room window? If you don't have any objections me and DI Manson will be stationed at your flat, You being the owner of that flat have to be in there with us. Also I believe that you make nice cuppas' now any more questions before we go?" The room went silent again. "Well then, lets get out there and find these maggots!" The room slowly emptied, Neil managed to grab Andrea's arm, and signalled that he wanted to talk to her in his office. "you could have told me about renting my flat out to the MET!" Neil smiled and sat in his office chair. "Andrea I wasn't my decision, the Super and Gina already made their mind up, so that's not my fault… And you did say that…" Andrea pointed at Neil, and playfully said.
" Don't you take their side, I'm the one who showed you a bloody good night in that flat!" They met each others eyes, Neil felt an overwhelming wave of heat and lust, Andrea made him that way. He stood from his chair and pushed her up against his filling cupboard away from the window. And slowly, passionately and deeply. They kissed. After what seemed like eternity they broke the kiss together, Andrea and Neil locked eyes, "Andrea - there's something I have to tell you…" Neil whispered while holding her closely. Andrea held the back of his neck… "What's wrong Neil?" He continued to gaze into her eyes, but when he realised what he must say he couldn't look at her - he needed to tell her, but worried of the reaction she might give. When she came to SunHill instantly he was attracted; who wouldn't be? But somehow she had made him into something he could never dream of being…Alive. He had eyes only for Phillipa and she was what he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He thought that she would satisfy all his needs throughout, and when she had his son he new that she was the one. But now Andrea showed up on the scene - he wasn't so sure. He looked at anything in his office as a desperate attempt to hide the truth, to hide who he really wanted. Andrea. He dropped his head and tried to focus on his feet, hiding his facial expressions from the now worried PC. "Neil what's wrong? You look pale… Tell me and I might be able to help. Is it to do with you wife?" Neil nodded. Andrea sighed as was about to carry on asking questions until he spoke.
"I…I…I think I'm falling for you." Andrea gasped silently. Neil looked up - measuring her shock and hoping she felt the same way. He resumed. "I woke up this morning with you and it seemed normal, like it wasn't…" "Cheating?" "Yeah. Andrea I've never felt like this before. I mean that I care about my wife, and that I care about her strongly - when I around her I feel like it can't get better. But when I'm around you I feel complete." He looked up, held her hands and kissed them.
"Andrea, last night didn't just feel great; but it felt right. Like there was nothing wrong with our relationship. I don't feel guilty about having an affair because it seems right, I have had feelings for you since I met you. When Debbie had that fight with one of the DC's. That's when I felt sick…Love sick. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" Andrea, shocked gulped. "Neil, are you telling me that you think you maybe able to love me more than your wife? That with love at first sight you wanted to be with me? Neil…" Andrea squeezed his hands "Neil…" But before she could say anything back the door knocked and a stricken DS pushed herself into the room Andrea let go of his hands as if they were hot coals and quickly opened his office door.
"Guv'…" Debbie halted when noticing Andrea in the room." Neil gathered the confusion and attempted to make to situation platonic.
"Andrea had a hunch for the car thefts case, and she was just explaining it to me" Debbie sighed and told Neil that most of the teams needed for the operation were in place. "Right thanks Debbie, Andrea you better get yourself in plain clothes and get yourself home." Andrea and Debbie left the room together, but Andrea spared a moment for a quick glance at the DI. He stood there numb. But managed to smile back.
Andrea opened her flat door and let the CID team in, it was only DI Manson, Inspetor Gold and Yvonne but still when you only had on sofa and your favourite television programme was on tonight, it was a lot of company. Gina Gold hadn't noticed Yvonne's presence and seemed startled about it.
"PC Hemmingway why are you here?" Yvonne took her coat off and answered her Inspector sharply but politely. "Inspector Gold, Andrea asked me to have a look at a playstation game for her a while back, and this was the only time when I could help her" Gina raised an eyebrow.
"A playstation game? Well alright if you don't bother me or DI Manson with the obbo." Gina looked around the room, "Where is DI Manson?" Just then at that moment he walked in from what looked like the kitchen, Yvonne noticed that he was smiling and that Andrea was wiping her lips. Him? She thought.
After what seemed like years the obbo was finally underway. Inspectors Manson and Gold were sat by the window watching the cars, and once every few minutes they would do a radio check on everyone. Yvonne and Andrea was playing in the playstation, it was a action-adventure game that Andrea was stuck on and Yvonne had watched her brother complete it. Gina took her eyes off the window and directed them at Andrea, "PC Dunbar, do me a favour and make me a cuppa, I'm parched. Neil do you want one?" Neil moved the binoculars away from his eyes and nodded at Andrea, "tea please, milk and one sugar thanks" Yvonne's ears pricked up. She had heard that before. Andrea smiled at her senior officers and made her way to the kitchen. Gina yawned as a call came in from DS Phil Hunter, "Guv' we got bad news they got a few cars from a nearby hotel instead, the owners were only parked there for a visit." Neil sighed and exchanged glances with Gina, "Thanks Phil, so it was spur of the moment thing then, gather the rest of the team and we'll meet up for a de-briefing back at the station." Andrea returned from the kitchen, Gina stood up and took her cup from Andrea. "PC Dunbar, the thiefs took cars from else where and not by your reckoning of the carparks. If you had checked your information then…" Neil interrupted the conversation.
"Well it's not Andrea's flat entirely, the cars were taken from the hotel near some lock-ups, maybe they thought that these were closer, so took them instead. Well go though the data at the de-briefing and go from there." He took his coffee and had a sip, "If anything we could have a possible location for the lock-ups, and we wouldn't get this far without Andrea's help, so well done." Their eyes met for a second and Neil smiled secretly at her, he turned around and saw the clutter. "Could you two give me and Inspector Gold a hand getting this lot packed up and put back in the car?" Yvonne put the controller down and grabbed a box along with Andrea, the box was full of camera attachments and a radio unit. While they were outside and out of ear shot form the Inspectors Yvonne spoke. "He was rather cool about that! Also I didn't know he liked tea with milk and two sugars made by his colleges. Andrea looked out of the corner of her eye, she was thinking that maybe Yvonne knew. They put the box in the back of the car and walked over to the flat.
"And he praised you. Well I think I've found him…" Yvonne giggled to herself "DI Manson woo, you go girl!" Andrea span around so fast to Yvonne she had a mild headache. "Don't tell anyone please!" Yvonne laughed again.
"I won't, but Andrea tell me one thing… What do you see in him, he's cold, bossy and he's boring and most importantly he's married!" Andrea smiled at Yvonne and put her arm around her.
"Don't read a book by it's cover!" she removed her arm, and walked off on those words.
THE END
DISCLAIMER: 'The Bill' characters depicted in this story is copyrighted to Thames Television/Pearson Corp
She remained at her sleepy state next to Neil, his arm still lay across her shoulders. She believed that this very moment could be remembered for a lifetime, the night before was so fairy-tale-like that she sometimes she found herself pinching her arms to see that she wasn't dreaming. Nothing could remove her from Neil, no-one. There was a ring at her door, possibly the postman, she had ordered a Johnny Depp calendar a week ago, and sadly rushed to the door every time Postman Pat rang at her door… Lying next to Neil was no exception. Anyway he was asleep what good can he be? Fumbling around on the floor for something to wear the first thing that came to sight was his dark blue shirt. Quickly she grabbed it and proceeded towards the waiting postman. His eyes enlarged when Andrea hastily opened her front door. Postmen usually get people in their underwear at this time in the morning, but never in such opened shirts… Andrea wondered why Pat's eyes were wondering. Looking down she realised that she had forgotten to button-up the shirt, luckily her arms were crossed and that stopped the sightseeing tour reaching lower than she wanted it too. But being topless was just as bad. Pulling the shirt together as one she smiled at the postman. "Anything for me?" The Postman stopped from his dreamy shock and gave Andrea a large brown thick and hard envelope - The size of a calendar Andrea thought. They smiled quickly at each other again, then she closed the door. Sighing of relief she carefully ripped off the top of the sealed envelope. And yes it was what she wanted… Johnny. Gently dreaming of Mr. Depp as Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean as she walked to the kitchen, buttoned up her shirt and made her and Neil a coffee. She didn't know what he liked in coffee so she guessed it was the same as tea, Milk and one sugar. Andrea stood in the bedroom doorway holding a mug in each arm and closely guarding the calendar under her arm. Neil was still asleep she placed the cup of coffee on the bedside table near him, sitting next to him she nudged him whispering in his ear, "Neil, Neil." He groaned he wasn't a morning person. Especially when he had been up all night. He opened his eyes to discover Andrea in his deep-sea blue shirt - only in his deep-sea blue shirt. " It's seven, I didn't know when you wanted to wake up" Andrea said while smiling. Scratching his head he slowly picked himself off the very soft pillow he had been sleeping on seconds before. "Thanks… You're wearing my shirt" Neil nodded towards Andrea's one and only piece of clothing. "Yeah, the postman knocked the door, and I needed to find something quick. Hope you don't mind?" Neil smiled while taking a shy sip of his morning coffee.
"No. It looks better on you than it does on me" Looking up he witnessed Andrea smiling the way she did the previous night. He loved that smile. She gave a powerfully amorous kiss on his lips, it was so perfect it gave him Goosebumps.
"That's impossible Neil" They smiled at each other, Andrea picked up his mug and placed it back on the wooden bed-side table, she looked at him. Held his face and they kissed deeply, he pulled her back on the bed and together they fell into their passionate state and made love once again.
"Is here OK?" Neil pulled up a street away from the station, Andrea picked up her bag that was laying on the seat behind her.
"Yeah it's fine, I'll see you later around the station then?" Neil smiled and gave her a kiss. They broke the kiss when they heard the familiar sound of the siren. Andrea ducked under the dashboard as Neil looked on. As it passed Neil tapped Andrea on her head to let her know. "Woo, that was a close one!" Andrea laughed as she popped back up from her quickly decided hiding place. Neil laugh when he observed her hair. It had been thrown back at the speed her of ducking. Her moved his hand closer to her face and gently pulled it behind her ear.
"I'll see you later" Andrea whispered in his ear. She opened the door, gave him one last smile before she closed it and walked off towards the station. Seconds later Neil drove passed.
"Good morning! You're looking very chuffed today, woke up on the right side of the bed today?" Honey chirped. Andrea walked into the WPC's locker room, being welcomed by the usual crowd, "Or maybe just the right bed eh Andrea?" Kerry asked. Yvonne laughed,
"Yeah you did leave the party a little early. And a wee drunk if we remember,so were we. We sent you home with a man but no of us can remember who, i'll ask the CID boys." Andrea suddenly felt a rush of ice cold wind being blown across her body. What if they saw who she was with? Neil would be in a lot of trouble with his family and his bosses. Her stomach felt like it was on a tumble spin, she tried to be calm.
"I have no idea what you are on about." Andrea said quickly, Honey pulled a face at Yvonne,
"Well OK but we will get the dirt on him… and you soon enough" Honey opened the door wide enough for her and walked out, Kerry followed. Yvonne stayed, she didn't take her eyes off Andrea. "Why did you go pale when I said that you went off with the man? Is it someone from work?…" Yvonne walked slowly over to Andrea who was sat on the bench taking her trainers off, "Would that man be Mr. Mystery Lover by any chance?" Yvonne could clearly see that Andrea was uneasy about the subject. She instantly knew she was on the right track. Are you going to tell me the third clue by any chance?" Yvonne asked, she was only too aware that she had not yet discovered Andrea's man, and now that she had spent the night with him, only made Yvonne more than committed to get the gossip. Andrea looked up at Yvonne, she took a deep breath, "He praises me more often than not." Again Yvonne knew that the clue wasn't much help to her, Andrea's a good copper an nearly every man in the station complements her work, but Andrea hadn't finished. "… and he doesn't praise women often, and sometimes not even at all" "Right, so he likes you too then?" Yvonne sat down on the bench, and looked up at Andrea, who was now putting her trainers into her locker and taking out her uniform.
"Right then Andy… Let's rap this up. He's cool and calm in situations others are not, he like tea with milk and one sugar made by other people and he praises you a lot… hmm I don't know about you, but for safe keeping I better be on duty with you today. I'll tell Sergeant Smith that you are having personal problems and you feel comfortable being my partner for today" Andrea who was buttoning up her shirt turned around to her thinking friend, "Why?" Andrea turned around facing the locker once more, missing Yvonne's shifty smile.
"Because if this man does all this around you and not others, then I'm gunna' miss it being with someone else, but if I'm with you then I can see for myself who is likely and who isn't." Suddenly the WPC locker room door hastily opened and Inspector Gold threw her head around the door,
"Come on ladies, chit-chat over. Briefing room now!" Andrea and Yvonne sighed and made their way.
In the briefing room there was a mixture of CID and Uniform. Including Andrea and Neil, who covertly exchanged glances now and then. Yvonne sadly hadn't registered this. Superintendent Okaro was giving the briefing.
"As you all know, there has been a resent space of car thefts among the area of Sunhill. CID and Uniform have combined forces and produced a likely pattern, the cars are stolen to order and with the help of a few contacts we can now say that today's shopping list is Ford Mondeos…" Yvonne, sat next to Andrea leaned in nearer her, "You know why he's putting so much resources on this don't you?" Andrea nodded, "Because the Borough Commander had had her car stolen, and if it isn't found the Super's head is on a plate!" Andrea raised her eyes brows to Yvonne's remark, as Okaro continued, "… Four of them red, blue, silver and a white one. We have pin-pointed the cars matching that description on the map and we will be sending officers to check the cars every thirty minutes, there will also be several obbo's with clear views to the main area's where the cars are clustered there. Now before I go off and let Inspector Gold and DI Manson to say who's where and when. Are there any questions?" A number of officers nodded, Okaro took the answer as a "no" and left Neil and Gina to their job.
Gina was the first to go, "Right me and Neil have decided to mix CID with Uniform to prevent any mishaps, one team is mainly sitting back and observing…" Gina looked at Neil indicating that CID don't do much work, "…And that uniform, well we run round after morons all day long, so there'll be one part of the team running after them. Sergeants Hunter and Nixon will be given two officers each. And DC'S Drummond, Thatcher and Carver will be given one uniformed officer, bearing in mind that the sergeants will be at the obbo's, and the Constables will be positioned in café's or posing as couples, friends. Whatever, walking around the given area. No-one leaves their area unless given permission by either myself or DI Manson. And if for ever reason that we are not able to get hold of, the sergeants will be your next call. Now has everyone understood what I have just said?" No-one answered, "I'll take that as a yes then, listen up to DI Manson as he will send you in your groups to your positions" Gina nodded to Neil as she passed him to sit down, Neil walked in front of the map,
"The red pins show where the Obbo's are, DS Hunter will be at the corner of the High Street…" Neil pointed to the small red pin, he looked at Phil to see if he understood, he then quickly glanced at Andrea, she smiled at him and he slightly went off track, but managed to pick himself up, "…and DS Nixon will be at the balcony facing the shopping centre carpark, where to our knowledge most of the cars are present, so it can be an easy target. Paired with DS Hunter are: Gary, Honey and Gabriel. DS Nixon will be with: Reg, Kerry and Yvonne." Andrea and Yvonne exchanged glances, Andrea couldn't help smiling, now Yvonne can't bother her about Neil. Manson carried on. " Ken will be with Steve, and Rob will be with Lance and Jim will be with Cameron. Inspector Gold and I will be here, at the green dot. It's a flat on Ellcot Street, overlooking most of the carparks. The blue pins are where Rob, Jim and Ken are going to be stationed, and every thirty minutes you will switch to these café's and pubs along the away, passing the streets with the cars in as you go along. Any movement, you radio it in OK?" Rob, Jim and Ken nodded. Andrea thought where she was, she was called to the briefing but so far she hasn't got a placement. Neil looked around the room, well I think that covers everything. "The unformed officers, I don't think I need to say that you have to be in plain clothes do I?" Andrea put her hand up for a small moment to attract attention, "Sir where am I, You haven't given me a place yet" Neil looked over at Gina, "Well you see PC Dunbar you are with me and Neil. correct me if I'm wrong but before you left yesterday you said that you could see all the carparks from your living room window? If you don't have any objections me and DI Manson will be stationed at your flat, You being the owner of that flat have to be in there with us. Also I believe that you make nice cuppas' now any more questions before we go?" The room went silent again. "Well then, lets get out there and find these maggots!" The room slowly emptied, Neil managed to grab Andrea's arm, and signalled that he wanted to talk to her in his office. "you could have told me about renting my flat out to the MET!" Neil smiled and sat in his office chair. "Andrea I wasn't my decision, the Super and Gina already made their mind up, so that's not my fault… And you did say that…" Andrea pointed at Neil, and playfully said.
" Don't you take their side, I'm the one who showed you a bloody good night in that flat!" They met each others eyes, Neil felt an overwhelming wave of heat and lust, Andrea made him that way. He stood from his chair and pushed her up against his filling cupboard away from the window. And slowly, passionately and deeply. They kissed. After what seemed like eternity they broke the kiss together, Andrea and Neil locked eyes, "Andrea - there's something I have to tell you…" Neil whispered while holding her closely. Andrea held the back of his neck… "What's wrong Neil?" He continued to gaze into her eyes, but when he realised what he must say he couldn't look at her - he needed to tell her, but worried of the reaction she might give. When she came to SunHill instantly he was attracted; who wouldn't be? But somehow she had made him into something he could never dream of being…Alive. He had eyes only for Phillipa and she was what he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He thought that she would satisfy all his needs throughout, and when she had his son he new that she was the one. But now Andrea showed up on the scene - he wasn't so sure. He looked at anything in his office as a desperate attempt to hide the truth, to hide who he really wanted. Andrea. He dropped his head and tried to focus on his feet, hiding his facial expressions from the now worried PC. "Neil what's wrong? You look pale… Tell me and I might be able to help. Is it to do with you wife?" Neil nodded. Andrea sighed as was about to carry on asking questions until he spoke.
"I…I…I think I'm falling for you." Andrea gasped silently. Neil looked up - measuring her shock and hoping she felt the same way. He resumed. "I woke up this morning with you and it seemed normal, like it wasn't…" "Cheating?" "Yeah. Andrea I've never felt like this before. I mean that I care about my wife, and that I care about her strongly - when I around her I feel like it can't get better. But when I'm around you I feel complete." He looked up, held her hands and kissed them.
"Andrea, last night didn't just feel great; but it felt right. Like there was nothing wrong with our relationship. I don't feel guilty about having an affair because it seems right, I have had feelings for you since I met you. When Debbie had that fight with one of the DC's. That's when I felt sick…Love sick. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" Andrea, shocked gulped. "Neil, are you telling me that you think you maybe able to love me more than your wife? That with love at first sight you wanted to be with me? Neil…" Andrea squeezed his hands "Neil…" But before she could say anything back the door knocked and a stricken DS pushed herself into the room Andrea let go of his hands as if they were hot coals and quickly opened his office door.
"Guv'…" Debbie halted when noticing Andrea in the room." Neil gathered the confusion and attempted to make to situation platonic.
"Andrea had a hunch for the car thefts case, and she was just explaining it to me" Debbie sighed and told Neil that most of the teams needed for the operation were in place. "Right thanks Debbie, Andrea you better get yourself in plain clothes and get yourself home." Andrea and Debbie left the room together, but Andrea spared a moment for a quick glance at the DI. He stood there numb. But managed to smile back.
Andrea opened her flat door and let the CID team in, it was only DI Manson, Inspetor Gold and Yvonne but still when you only had on sofa and your favourite television programme was on tonight, it was a lot of company. Gina Gold hadn't noticed Yvonne's presence and seemed startled about it.
"PC Hemmingway why are you here?" Yvonne took her coat off and answered her Inspector sharply but politely. "Inspector Gold, Andrea asked me to have a look at a playstation game for her a while back, and this was the only time when I could help her" Gina raised an eyebrow.
"A playstation game? Well alright if you don't bother me or DI Manson with the obbo." Gina looked around the room, "Where is DI Manson?" Just then at that moment he walked in from what looked like the kitchen, Yvonne noticed that he was smiling and that Andrea was wiping her lips. Him? She thought.
After what seemed like years the obbo was finally underway. Inspectors Manson and Gold were sat by the window watching the cars, and once every few minutes they would do a radio check on everyone. Yvonne and Andrea was playing in the playstation, it was a action-adventure game that Andrea was stuck on and Yvonne had watched her brother complete it. Gina took her eyes off the window and directed them at Andrea, "PC Dunbar, do me a favour and make me a cuppa, I'm parched. Neil do you want one?" Neil moved the binoculars away from his eyes and nodded at Andrea, "tea please, milk and one sugar thanks" Yvonne's ears pricked up. She had heard that before. Andrea smiled at her senior officers and made her way to the kitchen. Gina yawned as a call came in from DS Phil Hunter, "Guv' we got bad news they got a few cars from a nearby hotel instead, the owners were only parked there for a visit." Neil sighed and exchanged glances with Gina, "Thanks Phil, so it was spur of the moment thing then, gather the rest of the team and we'll meet up for a de-briefing back at the station." Andrea returned from the kitchen, Gina stood up and took her cup from Andrea. "PC Dunbar, the thiefs took cars from else where and not by your reckoning of the carparks. If you had checked your information then…" Neil interrupted the conversation.
"Well it's not Andrea's flat entirely, the cars were taken from the hotel near some lock-ups, maybe they thought that these were closer, so took them instead. Well go though the data at the de-briefing and go from there." He took his coffee and had a sip, "If anything we could have a possible location for the lock-ups, and we wouldn't get this far without Andrea's help, so well done." Their eyes met for a second and Neil smiled secretly at her, he turned around and saw the clutter. "Could you two give me and Inspector Gold a hand getting this lot packed up and put back in the car?" Yvonne put the controller down and grabbed a box along with Andrea, the box was full of camera attachments and a radio unit. While they were outside and out of ear shot form the Inspectors Yvonne spoke. "He was rather cool about that! Also I didn't know he liked tea with milk and two sugars made by his colleges. Andrea looked out of the corner of her eye, she was thinking that maybe Yvonne knew. They put the box in the back of the car and walked over to the flat.
"And he praised you. Well I think I've found him…" Yvonne giggled to herself "DI Manson woo, you go girl!" Andrea span around so fast to Yvonne she had a mild headache. "Don't tell anyone please!" Yvonne laughed again.
"I won't, but Andrea tell me one thing… What do you see in him, he's cold, bossy and he's boring and most importantly he's married!" Andrea smiled at Yvonne and put her arm around her.
"Don't read a book by it's cover!" she removed her arm, and walked off on those words.
THE END