Double update today since it wouldn't let me add thirteen yesterday! Bear with me after this weekend, I'm back to work so updates might be slower and more erratic but there's plenty more of this fic left yet! Thanks for all the fab reviews everyone who's taken the time to submit one, hope you keep enjoying the tale.
Sam breezed back into CID, calmer than she had felt in days.
"DI's looking for you." Phil muttered to her as she rounded her desk. "I told him you were dealing with Jo, that she didn't take the news too well that she was being left high and dry."
"Thanks Phil. Jo actually expected it, she barely reacted at all."
"Is she taking this thing seriously, Sam? I mean, she's a good cop – a brilliant detective – but she seems a bit blasé about the whole acting as bait thing, as though she doesn't really care if he gets her." Phil voiced his concerns, having noticed Jo's indifference to her own well-being on a few occasions over the last few days.
"I don't know, she says she is but I get the impression that deep down, she's trying to convince herself as much as us that she can handle all this. She's coming over tomorrow night so I'll try and talk to her, get her to see what could happen if she takes her eye off the ball." Sam felt her colour rise under Phil scrutiny at the mention of Jo's visit.
"Becoming quite a regular at your house, isn't she? Careful she doesn't get too attached, Sam. You're an attractive woman, she's just split up from her girlfriend, it's the kind of situation that can lead to misunderstandings that end good friendships." Phil's jealousy spurred him on. "If she sleeps over, I'd keep one eye open, if I were you."
"Phillip, are you trying to insult my intelligence or merely insulting Jo by suggesting that she might take advantage of my friendship with her? And who is to say what 'too attached' is?" Phil's reply was cut off by DI Tanner's interruption.
"DS Nixon, so nice of you to finally join us for the rest of your shift. A word in my office. Now." Sam wheeled around to follow her despicable superior into his office, wondering what on earth she could have done already to warrant another ticking off.
"Guv, something I can help you with?" Still reeling from Phil's insinuation that Jo would act so cheaply, Sam failed to check her tone when addressing the DI.
"DS Nixon, I'll thank to you to respect my authority. Care to tell me what that little display was all about? Something going on between yourself and DC Masters that I should know about? DS Hunter seems to think so. And you disappeared quickly enough to tell her the surveillance was being curtailed. Anyone would think you were looking for an excuse to phone her. Hot date with Butch Masters tonight have we?" Tanner deliberately tried to bait Sam.
"DC Masters and I are friends, what happens between us outside of this station is no one else's business – not Phil Hunters and not yours…sir." Sam spat out the final word, letting her contempt fill it.
"When it begins to encroach on your work life, it most definitely is my business. There are unwritten rules about officers fraternising, for very good reason. There are enough tensions abound in this job without personal clashes muddying the waters. I need to be able to rely on all members of my team looking out for one another – if you and DC Masters have a lovers tiff, how can you honestly say that won't translate into tensions at work? Besides, I would have thought it a little soon to be starting another relationship, the sheets are not yet cold from her last girlfriend. Or was this going on before they split up?" If Sam were not so furious at the implication that either Jo or herself would be so callous and unprofessional, she would have laughed at Tanner's assumption they were a couple.
"DI Tanner, I can assure you that two women are perfectly capable of being just friends, even when one of those women is a lesbian. And I resent the insinuation that either of us would allow personal issues to cloud our professional judgement."
"Well let this be a warning to you, one which you can pass on to DC Masters; if I find that you are conducting an affair and it is affecting the smooth running of this team, I will personally see to it that you are both transferred to stations as far from one another as is possible." Sam had heard enough, the safety valve in her brain failing her and pressure rising beyond recommended levels.
"The only person jeopardising the smooth running of this team is you, with your thinly veiled bigotry and determination to make your mark on a team, which is only, at best, on loan to you. I never thought I would see the day when I was prepared to beg Neil Manson to come back but my God that day is here. Even if I had to get down on my knees and plead with him, I would take him over you any day. Whichever idiotic pen pusher thought it wise to send you here needs to realise that it is high time they were collecting their pension. Man management is not your forte. I've yet to see what it is that you're actually good at since you haven't lifted a finger to do any police work since you arrived and everyone else is doing the paperwork for you. What's up, afraid it might eat into your tee time?" Sam was on a roll, her voice rising allowing the whole CID to overhear. "I don't care who you have in your pocket to allow you to get away with the way you've treated people but I can assure you, it stops here and it stops now or you won't have a team to manage and then you'll be shown up for the utter pillock you are." Without waiting to be dismissed, Sam stormed from the office, greeted by a chorus of cheers and applause. Tanner appeared in the doorway, face red with rage.
"Don't bother stopping, DS Nixon, I'm suspending you until further notice with immediate effect." Jack walked into the room just as DI Tanner spoke.
"Actually James, only I have the authority to do that. A word with you both in my office now."
"Sir, if Sam's going to be suspended, you'll have to suspend us all, we all agree with her and will happily go on record to say so." Phil attempted to atone for his part in the fracas which had led to Sam's confrontation with the DI.
"No one is being suspended yet Phil. Let me get the facts straight first. Sam wait outside for a minute please while I have a word with James." Jack ushered Tanner into his office, wondering what he had said to upset Sam this time.
"What the hell was all that about?"
"I trust you're going to back me up; she called me a pillock, accused me of having someone in my pocket to achieve this post and undermined my authority, loudly enough for the entire relief to hear. If you don't suspend her, my position will be untenable and you'll have to find yourself another DI to take on this bunch of inbreds until Manson gets back." Jack sunk into his chair, caught between his gut feeling and procedure.
"Let me have a word with Sam. If she apologises to you, in front of everyone, would you be willing to overlook the matter? I don't suspend officers lightly, especially not ones of her calibre and I have to admit, you haven't exactly made yourself popular with any of the team. I've had more transfer requests in this last week than I've seen the last twelve months. They're a good team, they work well together and they look out for one another. You attack one, you make them all bleed."
"Don't quote office politics to me Jack, I practically wrote the book. They've got used to running the show, being allowed to get away with murder under your nose. All I've seen since I got here is insubordination, sloppiness and a gung-ho attitude more in keeping with a bad American cop show, it's like being with a bunch of over-sexed teenagers, if it's not Suzie and Mickey, it's Terry and Ramani and now Sam and Jo! It's not natural."
"Is that what all this is really about? The fact that you think Sam and Jo are a couple? Sam is as heterosexual as they come, she has a daughter for crying out loud. I told you last time, I won't let your personal views disrupt this team. Take your racism and your homophobia and bury it somewhere, I don't want to see it ever again in these four walls."
"It's liberal minds like you who've ruined this force. You're too soft and too set in your ways to see society is spiralling out of control and unless we set an example, anarchy will soon be upon us." Tanner's eyes narrowed as he regarded Jack with disdain.
"I think you've said enough. I'll be speaking to Superintendent Okaro this afternoon about arranging a more suitable replacement for the role of DI in Neil's absence. I'll let you know tomorrow when you can expect to be relieved of your post. Send Sam in on your way out." Jack dismissed Tanner, knowing that he would have to be seen to rap his DS's knuckles for her insubordination.
"Guv, I'm sorry that the team heard what I said, but I'm not sorry for what I did actually say…" Sam began as soon as the office door was closed.
"I know, Sam. And whilst I admire your convictions, I have to be seen to be firm. So consider yourself warned, if you ever pull a stunt like that again, you will be suspended without delay." Jack paused to let that sink in, seeing Sam frown in confusion but seemingly shrug it off. "Now, we find ourselves in a rather tricky predicament. I can't ask you all to continue working with DI Tanner, it's obvious it wouldn't work but until we can find an alternative arrangement, will you agree to at least be seen to be making an effort? It should only be for the next few days, while I speak to Supt Okaro and organise his transfer to a more suitable posting. When I do speak to Adam, I'd like to suggest you reprise your role as Acting DI until Neil's return, would that suit you?"
"Me Guv? After today?" Sam was perplexed having expected to be given a stern ticking off at the very least and was taken aback at the offer of temporary promotion in the wake of her outburst. When Jack confirmed the offer, she continued, "I'd be happy to take on the role again Guv, on the proviso that I can reinstate Jo to the Somerton case as soon as she's finished working this case with Mickey."
"As long as Adam is happy with that arrangement, you have yourself a deal DS Nixon." Jack stood, indicating that Sam should get back to work. "Oh and Sam, at least look a little contrite when you leave, I have a reputation to think of!" The DCI smiled at the formidable petite blonde.
Grinning back at him, Sam answered, "yes Sir," trying gamely to keep her glee from showing.