Part 19

Luke leaned back in his chair having spent the last ten minutes listening to Jo explain why Swarek's idea was so perfect for getting something concrete on Peck.

He had his doubts. But he could see Jo was beyond convincing otherwise, she had it in her head now and she wasn't going to be deterred. The only thing that could stop this now would be Best saying no.

Luke sipped his coffee as the blonde detective continued going over the speech she'd prepared to convince Best that they should give this a go. As he watched her he was reminded again why it hadn't worked out with her the first time. She was too cut-throat, too ambitious. What they were planning to do could at best, threaten Holly Stewart's career, at worst, it could cost her her life.

He didn't think Gail had it in her to harm the pathologist. Not if what Sam was hinting at was true. But Gail worked for other people, ruthless people that will see Stewart as a police pawn, one that might need to be removed from the board of play.

He sighed as Jo's endless droning continued. He'd heard her arguments at least four times this morning and parade hadn't even begun.

"What do you think?" Jo asked with an eager look. "Good enough?"

Luke shrugged. "Might be enough, but you know he won't have final say." He told her trying to temper her enthusiasm.

Jo took a deep breath and nodded. She did get that, but if they couldn't get Frank to agree then it wouldn't go any further than that.

She glanced at her watch and glanced out of their room. The front of the station looked pretty empty and parade was due to start soon. "Come on, we'll catch him when he's done giving orders." She said to Luke as she got up and reached to pull on her jacket to cover her holster and firearm.

Luke took his time to get up, pulling his cell phone out and sending a quick text message as he followed behind his partner.

They had to stand near the entrance as the parade room was full with most of the station's officers, it looked like the night shift guys had been asked to stay for this. He crossed his arms across his chest and glanced around at familiar faces but they seemed as puzzled as he was. He offered Jo a shrug when she looked over at him. He had no idea what was going on any more than she did.

"All right people settle down." A suited man said as he made his way into the room and up to stand at the podium, resting his hands on the wood and eyeing the faces in the room in front of him.

"As of right now I will be running 15 Division, Staff Sergeant Best has been reassigned. My name is Inspector Jarvis. Remember it." He paused and stood tall as he let that sink in to everyone there. "Things are going to change around here, starting right now, today. I want things running smoothly from now on and by the book, or consequences will result." He stopped and looked over to see the assignment board had already been filled out for that days shifts. One less thing for him to deal with. He gestured over to it. "Get to work."

There was a shocked stillness in the room before officers started rising and checking their duties before hurrying from the room. Jarvis looked on approvingly as the room cleared.

Jo grinned at Luke. She'd heard of John Jarvis, he was a climber looking to make a name for himself. And that was going to work perfectly for her.

"C'mon, let's go speak to the boss." She said tapping Luke lightly in the gut with the back of her hand.

Luke sighed then started after her. As he walked his wedding band caught his eye and he was once again thankful to have met Katie, and that she wasn't involved in law enforcement.

xxxxxx

Jarvis clasped his hands together and eyed the two detective in what was for now, his office.

"And what makes you think this will work?" He asked the blonde, Detective Rosati.

Jo put her hands up and gave him a half shrug. "It's the best we've got."

John hummed and then leaned on his desk as he glanced over the written proposal in front of him. The two detectives were asking to use a public morgue worker, Dr Holly Stewart, as an undercover placement in an attempt to gather information from Gail Peck on the recent break in and body theft at the morgue where this forensic pathologist worked. There was a grainy security camera shot of Peck getting into Dr Stewart's car. The plate had been blown up and the registration details were there too.

"And how do these two individuals know each other?" He asked, curious as to why Peck would have any dealings with a forensic pathologist. Any legitimate reasons. "How do you know they weren't involved in the body theft?"

Jo let out a breath and cracked her head to the side. "That's why we need to push on this now, we don't know if Dr Stewart has anything to do with the theft but it's suspicious and that will work in our favour. She's more likely to agree to show her innocence." Jo licked her lips and tried to go a little further with the idea as it looked like Jarvis was at least considering it. "Especially if we suggest that her employment may be at risk if she doesn't cooperate."

Jarvis snorted and leaned back in his chair again. "If she doesn't agree we can threaten to arrest her for conspiracy." He fired back at the detective. He liked this. If they could find something to nail Peck with then maybe he could get the people she worked for and that, that would get him a new office and a very big pay bump.

He nodded absently. "Leave this with me, let me make a few calls." He told the pair in front of him as he reached for the phone on the desk and started dialling. "I need Superintendent Peck," He waved his hands at the detectives gesturing them out of the room. "Well get her out of that meeting, she's going to want to hear this." He said with a frown.

Luke got up and held the office door open for Jo.

They said nothing as they made their way through the station and back to their desks.

"He's going for it!" Jo said giving Luke a clenched fist in celebration.

Luke tried to smile back at her as he sat down at his desk. "Looks like it."

Jo rolled her eyes and went over and sat down, logging into the system to send Swarek and email letting him know that their plan seemed to be progressing.

"Cheer up Luke, I know you were fond of the kid but you break the law you pay the price." She told him as she kept her eyes on her screen.

Luke eyed his ex for a long moment. She wasn't even worried about what would happen if this went wrong. He pulled his phone back out of his pocket and noticed the text from an unknown number. He opened it up to find one word, RED.

Now he just had to remember what bar in Toronto that was code for.

xxxxxx

Gail yawned and turned over to lay on her back. She rubbed her hand over her face then glanced to the naked body beside her. It made her grin. She'd slept for almost 6 hours, that was the longest she'd stayed asleep for in weeks if not months, and there hadn't been any nightmares either.

She shook her head in disbelief then inched back over to the warm body and moulded herself against Holly's back again. Smiling as a kiss she dropped to the doctor's shoulder caused a moan of pleasure from the older woman. She chuckled lightly and let her hand map out Holly's body once more, sneaking under the cover to cup a breast then squeeze before drifting lower to tickle at the belly button ring that she had been surprised to find last night.

Good surprise.

"Morning." Holly mumbled sleepily as she shifted onto her back and smiled over at the blonde who was on her side watching her.

Gail closed the short distance for a kiss. "Morning." She replied as she eased back again.

Holly let her eyes close as Gail's hand continued to explore. She sighed and brushed her hand gently over the upper arm of that inquisitive hand. She had no idea what time it was and while she usually got up early she was very content just to stay right where she was.

Gail watched the shift in Holly's features as her hand kept up its touches, enjoying each moan and gasp as she put more purpose into it. She grinned as she tugged at the navel ring and then at the neat patch of curls just below it.

"Gail." Holly breathed out, her hand now going to the blonde's neck to pull her down.

Gail dismissed the idea of resisting. Going with the motion and sharing a heated kiss with her lover as her hand returned to that patch of hair and dipped lower.

Holly sighed into the kiss and spread her legs to give Gail the room she needed. "Yes." She hissed as fingers circled her clit and then teased at her opening.

But that's all they did, tease.

She whimpered in frustration as she lifted her hips hoping that would get her some relief but Gail just chuckled and stroked her folds softly.

Gail grinned at Holly, enjoying the power of the moment, it wouldn't last though, not from what she had learned of the brunette so far. But she'd push the doctor's limits for a little while longer. She let her tongue dance across Holly's mouth before parting her lips and delving inside just as she entered Holly. Her penetration was slow and shallow and she stayed away from her clit.

It earned her a tug at her hair.

"Tease." Holly muttered in defeat as those fingers retreated.

Gail nipped at Holly's lip then pulled back and studied her. Holly was beautiful. Even with the scowl she was sporting right now. "I'm sorry." She replied, though her twinkling eyes and full grin contradicted her words.

Holly snorted. "No you're not."

Gail laughed softly, enjoying this shared moment with the woman below her. It shocked her that she wasn't clambering for space after spending the night with Holly, yet here she was in no rush to see the other woman leave her bed.

Maybe if she teased her long enough she'd get her to stay.

Holly wondered at the look in the blue eyes above her but then it was gone and Gail was kissing her again as fingers slipped back inside her.

She groaned into the kiss and wrapped her arms around Gail to keep her in place as her legs crossed behind the blonde's thighs. There was no way she was letting her escape this time.

xxxxxx

Jarvis looked around at the people that had assembled on short notice, but given the subject matter it was of no surprise to him that they were all here.

Elaine Peck sat at the head of the table looking through the photographs and information provide to her. It was circumstantial but she could see what the detectives and Jarvis were trying to do. The question that remained was would it work.

Steve closed his folder over with a shake of his head. "Gail's too smart for this, she'll see right through it." He told the others as they all sat around a table in his mother's office.

"Holly's already made 'contact' so she won't suspect anything. Put a cop anywhere near her and yeah, I'm sure she'd spot them." Jo refuted. The whole premise of this was that Holly was already close to the blonde and had obviously passed whatever test Gail put new people in her circle through.

"You don't know they're sleeping together." Steve told the blonde detective with a scowl. Gail was still his sister after all.

Jo rolled her eyes. "Whatever, we know the doctor's gay, and even if they aren't she could play that angle and see where it gets her."

"She still has to agree." Jarvis pointed out.

Elaine hummed and looked back at the picture of her daughter. It had been months, possibly even a year since she had last been in the same room as her daughter. But then she saw the picture of her laughing beside Damien Wolf and it strengthened her resolve. She turned her eyes on the Inspector.

"I'll take care of that." She informed him.

He nodded back at her.

Elaine ignored her son who was clearly unhappy with this plan and looked at Detective Rosati and Detective Callaghan. "Give me a full report, lay everything out. Assume Dr Stewarts participation and plan accordingly. I need locations, equipment requests, team numbers, a list of questions that the Doctor has to get Gail to answer. And I need a plan for continuation. If she was involved in the morgue incident what do you plan to do with that information." She told them as she closed her folder over.

"Come back to me with all of that and we can continue this conversation." Elaine said before giving them a smile. She then waited quietly as one by one they realised they had just been dismissed and got up and retreated from the room.

Steve remained in his seat as she knew he would.

"She won't fall for this." Steve to his mother. He tried to get undercover cops to infiltrate Wolf's crew before, three cops and three bodies. He hadn't just been shocked by Gail's involvement at Wolf's clubs he'd been frightened for her. "Even if you can get Holly to agree, the second she starts asking direct questions about the morgue break-in you know she'll figure it out."

"Maybe." Elaine reluctantly agreed. "But she's not the sister you watched out for as a kid anymore, Steven. She's been working with these people for nearly two years now. And if arresting her can bring an end to their crimes then that is the hand we have been dealt. All we can do is play it to the end."

Steve sighed still unhappy. But it didn't look like he was going to be able to change his mother's opinion about this.

Elaine watched as her son stood up. She waited until he was almost to the door before calling to him.

Steve turned with his hand on the door handle.

"Doesn't your Traci know Dr Stewart?" She enquired softly.

Steve froze and paled.

Elaine waved her hand dismissively before he could form a reply. It didn't matter anyway she already knew the answer. "That's okay, I will speak to Detective Nash myself." She told her son.

She smiled then. "Call your father, he hasn't seen you in a while."

Steve swallowed hard and gave his mother a nod before leaving the room.

The idea that his own mother was going to use his girlfriend's friendship with Holly for this made him feel sick.

He had a bad feeling about this.

xxxxxx

AN/

Hey guys!

Things are heating up huh? Excited? :D

Thanks for reading!