I do not own Rookie Blue or any of the characters…

Thanks for all the reviews and for reading and favoriting and following. All of it encourages me to keep going with this. Whether there will be another 42 chapters, as one guest suggested, I'm not sure - here at least is the beginning of a new investigation.

Debby, I'm glad you and others enjoyed that little nod to Elusive. Is it a clue though? And as many of you pointed out, Gail would never have left Holly to die alone.

Hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Holly's fingers felt incredible. The very small part of Gail's brain still capable of coherent thought knew this was an understatement. However, in her current state, overtaken as she was by arousal and desire, Gail couldn't find a better word to describe what Holly's fingers were doing to her. Incredible would just have to do.

Each thrust of Holly's hand sent another wave through Gail's body, starting at her centre, making it feel somehow large and small at the same time, as if every ounce of energy in her body, every nerve and every fibre was concentrated here and becoming increasingly and deliciously taut. Then it all became too much – the various sensations building and then combining with an intensity that was impossible to contain, finally spreading out to the very tips of Gail's fingers and toes – and Gail was calling out Holly's name and pulling her down to hold her tight and kiss her breathlessly. Holly laughed like she always did after sex; that happy, delighted, satiated laugh which infused Gail with joy. Gail smiled up at her.

'Sex in the afternoon,' she quirked an eyebrow. Gail had already made Holly come twice and may have kept going but Holly had insisted it was Gail's turn and really Gail hadn't needed a lot of persuading.

Holly laughed again. 'Afternoon delight.'

'Afternoon delight,' Gail scrunched up her face, 'wasn't that a cheesy 70's song.'

'True, but the phrase comes from two Ancient Egyptian words,' Holly moved so she was lying on her side, next to Gail. 'Aftaron meaning before night and delita meaning sex. Apparently couples would meet on the banks of the Nile to eat lunch and spend the afternoon having sex. If you ask me, a very civilised approach to life.'

'Nerd. Trust you to know that. Is that what they taught you in anthropology class?'

'Gail, I read it on a beer coaster when I was in college,' Holly smiled crookedly, 'it may not even be true.'

As Holly was speaking, Gail sat up and made a show of sweeping the perimeter of the bed with her eyes.

'What are you doing?' Holly asked, looking genuinely perplexed but laughing nonetheless at Gail's antics.

'Looking for bulrushes,' Gail deadpanned.

'Bulrushes,' Holly turned her head to one side and stared at Gail questioningly.

'Well, it seems our bed has become the bank of the Nile.'

'You complaining?'

'About sex with you. Never,' Gail smiled impishly and leant down to kiss Holly.

They were playing hooky. It was Holly's idea. She'd messaged Gail to say come home for lunch. Gail had barely made it through the front door before Holly was tugging her upstairs to bed. They weren't being entirely irresponsible. Things were quiet for both them at work. 'Too cold for murder,' Gail had quipped, 'we'll start getting bodies once the weather warms up.' Holly laughed indulgently but conceded there was something in what Gail said. Still, Gail would need to text Frankie. Say she was taking the afternoon. Frankie would tease her, of course. Gail had had a few unexplained absences lately.

It had been like this ever since Gail had saved Holly from the lake. Sex had always been something they did often, well actually quite a lot Gail had to admit. Particularly when they first got back together. How many times had Gail turned up for work bleary eyed and yawning because she and Holly had stayed up most of the night fucking. Now though, it was like every time an opportunity presented itself, and even sometimes when she had to create that opportunity, Holly wanted to have sex. Not that Gail minded. Not one bit, but she was beginning to wonder if something else was up with Holly.

'You know we should start taking your temperature in the morning. Track your ovulation,' Holly broke into Gail's thoughts.

'You trying to knock me up Stewart,' Gail quipped, 'is that what this is all about.'

'Oh sure,' Holly said, putting her head to one side and smirking.

'But honey we keep trying and trying and it's not working,' Gail said in her best imitation of a 1950s housewife.

Holly laughed then ran her hand down from Gail's breasts and across her ribs to her abdomen, gently stroking the flat of her stomach and then resting her hand at the very base of it. Gail shivered just a little, anticipating Holly's hand would go lower still, and already feeling the wetness between her legs at this thought. But Holly's hand remained motionless, curved slightly so she was cupping Gail's stomach almost reverentially.

'I could imagine you pregnant,' Holly said with a touch of whimsy.

'You're serious about this, aren't you,' Gail said.

'Well, you want kids, don't you?'

'Yeah but not right away. We've barely been back together a year.'

'Gail, it's not like we can go out and get a baby from the supermarket. It takes nine months. Well, technically it's more like ten months if you go by weeks. And you're not getting any younger,' Holly paused as Gail made a face.

'Great, thanks for reminding me Holly. You sure know how to sweet talk a girl.'

'It just might take you longer to get pregnant. That's all I meant. The older you are, the harder it is to conceive. Chances of it working first time are slim. I mean, it can happen so we can't rule it out either. So we should be prepared just in case. And of course we need to find a donor first. We haven't even discussed how much involvement he'll have or if we even want our kid to know who he is. Then there is the whole question of what it will mean for our jobs and- '

Gail leaned in and kissed Holly, pushing her back on the bed and shifting so she was lying on top of her. Holly didn't resist. In fact, Gail could tell by her expression that Holly was anticipating what would come next so she dipped her head down for a much longer kiss.

'I'm rambling,' Holly said after Gail pulled back, 'aren't I?'

Gail nodded but she was smiling. 'What's brought this on? I didn't think you were entirely onboard with the kid idea. Not in the immediate future anyway.'

'Oh you know,' Holly said airily.

'Is your biological clock ticking or something? Maybe if it's such a powerful urge, you should have the baby'.'

'No it's not that,' Holly started to say but just then Gail's cell rang. She rolled off Holly and reached for the phone, half sitting up as she did so.

'Peck,' she said, 'oh hey Frankie. I was about to message you.'

'Yeah, got one of your mysterious headaches? You know the ones that only come on in the afternoon,' Frankie said.

'No,' Gail tried to sound indignant. 'Did you call to check on my welfare or is there another reason.'

'Yeah. There is this thing we do called work. You know that money you get in your bank account every fortnight, it has something to do with that. Is it becoming clearer now?' Frankie paused. When Gail didn't respond, she continued in a more serious tone, 'some guys excavating a building site came across bones. Human. Apparently look like they've been there some time.'

Gail sat up properly now, her full attention with Frankie. 'Where?'

'Out by the old dairy. At the end of Weston Road. I'm headed over there now. Trouble is I looked around for my partner and there's no sign of her. Went to lunch and never came back. I'm considering putting an APB out on her.'

'Okay. Okay, very funny. I can be there in fifteen. Do you need Holly?'

'She with you?' Frankie feigned surprise.

Holly's phone rang then.

'Don't worry,' Gail said, 'I think we got our answer.'

Gail pulled into a lot next to what appeared to be a disused clubhouse. Its windows were boarded and graffiti was scrawled across the exterior walls. The lot was nearly full. Gail recognised Frankie's car parked next to the morgue van. Weeds were growing through cracks in the asphalt where it hadn't buckled. A large hoarding bordered one side of the lot. 'The Archer' it said in big, bold, gold letters. Then '1, 2 and 3 bedroom boutique apartments. Now selling.' It listed VisCom as the developer.

A small group of construction workers, some still with hard hats on, others with watch caps pulled low over their ears to keep out the cold, were huddled around a little fire behind the clubhouse. No doubt when the body was discovered, they were told to stand down. Beyond the clubhouse was a large plot of land, which looked like it had been cleared and levelled in readiness for construction to begin. Directly opposite the clubhouse, and at the very edge of the cleared plot, an excavator stood idle. A group of people, including Frankie and Andy, were gathered around the machine.

Gail nodded in the direction of the construction workers, none of who asked why she was there. Given she'd clipped her badge to the pocket of her jeans, it was fairly obvious what her business was. Still, one man good-naturedly asked Holly if she'd like help carrying her kit.

'Thanks but I'm used to it,' Holly smiled.

'Forensic pathologist,' the guy asked and Holly nodded.

Gail quirked an eyebrow. 'How did you know that?'

'Forensic kit,' he said pointing eagerly like he was about to be awarded a merit badge for his efforts, 'I've watched enough crime shows to recognise one.'

'Yeah,' Gail said more sourly than she meant to, 'you sure it doesn't look like an oversized lunchbox?'

'Nope. Anyway you're here because of the bones. Chances are it's a forensic kit.'

'You're quite the detective,' Gail said dryly.

'Don't get him started,' said one of the other workers, a woman who looked no more than twenty. 'Costa's obsessed with mysteries. He'll probably come up with a theory about those bones.' She jerked her thumb in the direction of the excavator.

'Yeah,' Gail tried not to sound skeptical. Amateur sleuths. Her favourite thing. In her experience they were more hinderance than help. 'Well, don't go anywhere,' she inclined her head to indicate the group around the fire, 'we may need to get statements from all of you.'

'Officer McNally already asked us to wait,' the young woman said.

Andy must have responded to the call out, Gail thought as she and Holly set off across the field.

'So even the average person in the street recognises this is a forensic kit,' Holly teased once they were away from the construction workers.

'I'm not sure Costa is what you would call average,' Gail said, 'I'm pretty sure he's a member of the nerd squad. And offering to carry your bag. Really. What is he, teacher's pet.'

'I think he was trying to be gallant,' Holly smiled.

'Really, you should show him your abs and your biceps. Actually, on second thoughts don't do that.'

Andy was standing with two rookies. They'd set up a series of cones around which the crime scene tape was loosely strung. Gail tried to remember the names of the rookies. She hadn't taken much notice when they were introduced at parade. Officer and Schneider. That's right. Gail had been amused by the thought of someone called Officer Officer. Part of a new batch Andy had the dubious responsibility of wangling.

Natasha LaPaige and Wilson Wilson werewaiting by a pile of rubble to the side of the excavator. Behind them was a pit about five feet deep and six feet wide, clearly freshly dug. Frankie was to the left of the excavator, speaking to two men. One was obviously the foreman - he was dressed like a construction worker but his clothes were unmarked, suggesting he didn't get his hands dirty but rather supervised the operation. The other guy must be the operator of the excavator, Gail surmised, if the amount of dust on his overalls was anything to go by. The excavator, its arm bent and bucket curled under, dwarfed the group like some sort of malevolent alien. It was an odd looking tableaux, made even stranger by the grey clouds hanging heavily behind them. Holly wouldn't be impressed if it started raining, Gail thought. Nothing worse than taking samples and moving a body, even if it was just bones, in a downpour.

As Gail and Holly approached, Frankie broke off from talking to the men and moved forward. 'You came together,' Frankie smirked as she reached them, her tone as well as her expression making clear the double entendre was deliberate. They were out of earshot of the others assembled behind them, which was a small blessing, Gail thought,

Gail raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, and then said in a sickly sweet voice, 'Frankie, do you ever find it sad that you're the only one amused by your school boy humor?'

'Seems appropriate when you two are acting like hormone crazed teenage boys,' Frankie said, 'especially when it's quite clear what you two –'

'Can I take a look at the body,' Holly interrupted

'Yeah, right this way Doctor Stewart,' Frankie gestured to the pit, suddenly all business.

Now it was Gail's turn to smirk. Without fail, at work Frankie was completely professional with Holly. Except maybe that one time she told Holly she was dating the wrong detective. Holly had just returned to Toronto and Gail was AWOL after getting the call Steve was in the hospital. Gail didn't blame Frankie for trying it on – it was Holly after all and she was gorgeous and hot and smart and no doubt had been quite pleasant to Frankie because, unlike Gail, Holly was consistently nice to people. Then, of course, Frankie being Frankie couldn't stop herself flirting, even though she knew she didn't stand a chance. More importantly, Gail knew Frankie didn't have a hope.

Gail was struck anew by that sense of security she had with Holly. It was something she had never experienced in previous relationships, not fully anyway. Not even with Olivia who had been sweet and willing to love Gail with everything she had. It was a security that came as much from being so sure of her feelings for Holly as it did from her certainty about Holly's love for her.

Committing herself to Holly felt easy and natural. For once there was no need to question if it was right, to wonder if she were happy or if the other person found her wanting, as they invariably did, and was looking for something better or, at the very least, a way out. There was no compulsion to test or even sabotage, to poke at the relationship like you might a bear with a stick. No, Gail did not want to do any of these things because quite simply Holly loved her and she loved her back and that was enough. Still, Frankie was right. Gail and Holly had been acting like hormone-crazed teenagers. Then this talk of babies. That had come out of left field. Something was definitely up with Holly.

'Lucky for us the excavator operator spotted the bones straight away and stopped digging,' Frankie was saying.

'He the guy standing with the foreman?' Gail asked.

'Yeah,' Frankie nodded.

'What is the pit for?'

'It the very start of the underground car park.'

Gail moved forward and peered into pit to get a better look at the skeleton. Only the layers of earth directly above it had been removed, leaving the remains largely undisturbed. Had the excavator gone even an inch deeper, the bones would have been scattered. Roughly half of the skeleton was still buried, but Gail could make out the skull, part of the rib cage, an arm, and a leg twisted at a weird angle.

'Any chance you can give us a rough idea of when the victim was killed?' Frankie asked Holly.

'A while ago,' Holly said dryly. She was doing her own survey of the pit. Gail guessed she'd already be deciding on the best way to excavate the bones and noting anything unusual. First impressions of crime scenes could sometimes provide valuable clues Holly had once explained.

'You can't rush the science, Anderson. You should know that,' Gail grinned.

'I have a feeling this is going to be drawn out,' Frankie scowled.

'When it comes to skeletal remains, everything takes longer,' Holly said, 'unless our victim was buried with a driver's licence we'll need to go through a fairly complicated process of identification. It may be days or even weeks before we get answers. We better get a start. It looks like we're in for rain.'

By this stage Natasha and Wilson and the crime scene tech, a guy called Ray, had joined them.

Without saying a word, Holly and the other three started suiting up in protective clothing and booties. Such was their synchronisation, it was almost as if it were choreographed. Geez, did they have a special nerd signal she missed, Gail wondered.

'Did anyone touch the bones or get into the pit?' Holly turned back to Frankie.

'No,' the foreman answered, 'Costa, one of the guys who works here took a closer look to make sure they were human, but he didn't go too close. We didn't want to call you guys for no reason.'

'Costa?' Gail asked, 'why Costa?' The skeleton was largely intact. Even a five year old would have recognised the bones as human

'I dunno, he just knows things. Reads a lot. Watches documentaries. Some of the others call him the Professor. When he confirmed the bones were human, he told us to keep clear. Said it was a crime scene.'

'Sensible,' Holly said. 'What was in this spot before you levelled it?'

'Mainly scrub. It was on the edge of the field. Brambles, some stunted trees. We removed it from the site yesterday.'

Holly nodded. She passed the forensic kit to Natasha, who was already in the pit, and then followed.

'So you've just started construction? 'Gail asked the foreman, whose name was Dave. Frankie had stepped in to do a quick round of introductions.

'Yeah. This is only our third day on the site. The project is already behind because of a delay in approvals. I guess this will hold us up even more,' Dave sighed.

'Afraid so,' Gail nodded, 'what was here before?'

'A club of some sort. You would have seen the clubhouse on the way in. It. Hasn't been used for ten years or so.'

'What sort of club?' Frankie asked.

'Not sure,' Dave shrugged.

'Have you been in the clubhouse?'

Nah. It's slated for demolition. I've been told it's a mess inside.'

'So VisCom is the developer,' Gail said, 'I saw the sign out front.'

'Yeah.'

'How long have VisCom owed this land?'

'Two years maybe, head office could tell you.'

'And before that?'

'The club I guess, but it's been vacant for years. There were some issues over rezoning it as residential. When the club folded, people in the neighbourhood wanted it kept as recreational space but you can't stop progress,' Dave shrugged again.

'And urban infill is all the rage these days,' Gail said wryly.

'I guess,' Dave said noncommittally. He didn't strike Gail as someone who would bother to think too deeply about anything.

Byron the excavator operator didn't have much to add. He shut off the machine as soon as he saw the bones and radioed Dave who was by the clubhouse. The foreman and several of the construction crew, including Costa, came to take a look. Once Costa identified the bones as human, Dave called the police.

Frankie and Gail took Andy with them to interview the rest of the crew, leaving Holly and her team to get to work. While Ray set about photographing the scene, Holly took detailed notes, documenting the topography and geology and making a rough sketch of the grave and its position in relation to the clubhouse and other markers in the immediate vicinity. She also made a passable drawing of the skeleton being especially careful to record the arrangement of the limbs.

The levelling of the entire site had removed any vegetation on or near the grave that a forensic biologist could use to determine the post-mortem interval. The time it took for the plants to grow to their current size could give a fair idea of when the body was buried. It was likely VisCom's surveyor took photos of the site prior to the development application. She made a note to ask the foreman. Depending on how long VisCom took to get approval to build, the photos may be dated but still it was better than nothing.

Holly hadn't been exaggerating when she told Frankie that when it came to skeletal remains everything took longer. Extracting the other half of the skeleton would be a painstakingly slow process. Using brushes and dental picks, they would have to gently remove the soil from around the bones. Then each bone would be identified, labelled and securely packed for transportation back to the morgue. They'd need to take soil samples too. Every step would be photographed and documented. From experience, Holly knew it would take hours.

In fact, they were unlikely to get away before nightfall. She sighed. It was definitely not how she envisaged ending her afternoon. It was certainly a marked contrast to how it began. Holly allowed herself a little smile as just for the briefest of moments she recalled Gail stretched out before her on the bed, with her perfect creamy white skin and those red pouty lips so kissable, and the desire in her eyes unmistakable. Holly shook her head to clear it. Now was definitely not the time to be thinking of Gail naked. And she absolutely had to banish the thought that a little over an hour ago she was straddling Gail, riding her fingers, while Gail's other hand cupped her ass. Nor should she picture the way Gail bit her lip so seductively the more worked up Holly became.

Focus, Holly told herself sternly. It was enough to switch her into work mode. She'd always had the ability to compartmentalise when needed. It was one of the things that made her able to work with the dead. Although, Holly had to admit she wasn't doing so well lately when it came to compartmentalising Gail and her job as a detective. The dangers Gail had or might yet encounter seemed to always hover, casting a shadow over everything Holly did. Even when Holly believed herself to be immersed in an activity or was simply waiting at the traffic lights, all of a sudden she'd become aware of the leaden feeling in her stomach. The thing she couldn't banish. The dead weight of fear that all this, the life she'd made with Gail, the love they shared and the future they imagined, could be snatched away. On an intellectual level, Holly knew worrying did no good but still she couldn't help herself. It made her want to keep Gail close. Not that she wanted to smother Gail. Just be with her. They'd been having a lot of sex, which Holly was aware was mainly her doing. Sex had always been something they were good at. Increasingly it was the one place where thoughts of the risks inherent in Gail's job didn't invade Holly's consciousness.

Holly sent Wilson to get the van. Easier to have it nearby to transfer the skeletal remains. Then she and Natasha set to work digging up the area around the still buried bones to create a level excavation site. They'd only be at it for about ten minutes when Holly overheard the two rookies, who'd been left to guard the scene, talking. Holly hadn't taken much notice of them, except to register they were standing near the pile of rubble. It was the mention of Gail's name, or rather Peck, that made Holly tune into their conversation.

'Have you worked with Detective Peck before?' one of the rookies asked. He was slouching with thumbs hooked in his belt, looking like an over-sized child playing dress-ups. His cheeks still had a hint of pre-pubescent baby fat, like he hadn't quite grown into being an adult.

'Nuh,' said the other rookie, 'she's been on leave or something.'

Yep, Gail was on leave all right, Holly thought, because she'd almost died saving Holly from drowning when two maniacs forced their car off the road. Maniacs who weren't content to quit when the car went under – no, they were waiting on the shore with a sword, intent on making sure the job was done. The Police Department had insisted Gail take the time off. It had resulted in two mandatory visits to the psychologist. One a department shrink, the other Gail's own doctor and, in that instance, Gail went of her own volition. She got the all clear, of course. Gail was resilient. Holly knew that. It hadn't stopped the nightmares though. It made sense. A new trauma made Gail relive the old ones. She had quite a cast of demons now, Holly thought ruefully.

Sharing a bed with Gail made it impossible not to notice. Gail would wake crying out in terror or even frustration, other times her body was hot and her t-shirt sweat damp. Each time, Holly would soothe Gail, stroking her back gently or holding her close. Occasionally, Gail would tell her about the nightmares. It became Perick ramming the car into the lake or Francine standing on the shore with the sword, and sometimes in the dream they morphed from one demon into another, and Gail wasn't sure if this made the nightmare more frightening or simply ridiculous.

'Yeah, maybe she needed a break from being such a hardass,' the baby-faced rookie laughed at his own joke. From where she was, Holly could make out the nametag on his jacket. Officer. Officer Officer. It might be funny, if he wasn't such a dick.

'I haven't had a lot to do with her,' the other officer shrugged, clearly reluctant to be drawn any further into the conversation.

'I've heard she's called the Ice Queen.'

'Yeah? Maybe it's because she's hot'

'What d'ya mean?'

'Sometimes people just make that assumption, you know, that if you're hot you'll be stuck-up.'

'Pretty safe assumption here. Hot but a bitch. Word is her father and brother were kicked off the force for corruption. I wouldn't be surprised if she was on the take,' Officer Officer tapped his nose.

From her position crouched by the bones, Holly felt herself bristle. She had started to straighten up when Natasha put a hand on her arm and said, 'I got this.'

Holly looked at her gratefully. It would hardly do to have the deputy chief of forensics tearing strips off a rookie, and she knew if she confronted Officer she wouldn't be able to stop herself from doing just that and possibly worse. In fact, she really didn't have the authority to reprimand a police officer except if they compromised a crime scene or tampered with or were careless with evidence. Even then it would be done through someone like Oliver. Official channels rather than letting fly.

Hauling herself out of the pit, Natasha strode over to the rookies. 'I imagine you boys would have signed a code of conduct when you joined the force,' she said evenly.

'Yeah, what's the problem?' Officer said, with an edge of belligerence.

'Well, it's not exactly professional to gossip about a superior officer, particularly a highly decorated one, and in earshot of your colleagues from forensics.'

'Just shootin' the breeze,' Officer crossed his arms over his chest and regarded Natasha stonily, 'shop talk. No harm meant.'

'Yeah,' Natasha said, not allowing Officer's expression or manner to deter her, 'a word of advice, stick to safer topics like the weather or sport. Detective Peck is well regarded by the forensics department. You might want to think on that because one day you're bound to have a case that requires our help and in forensics we have long memories '

'You're blowing this out of proportion,' Officer said, 'we were just, you know, kidding around.'

'Accusing a fellow officer of corruption doesn't sound like kidding to me. As a police officer, you must be aware you need be certain of the facts before making allegations.'

'Look it wasn't serious,' Officer held up his hands in a placatory gesture, 'from here on we'll only say nice things about Detective Ice Qu- I mean Peck.'

'Hey listen, we're sorry,' the other rookie said hurriedly. He, at least, had the decency to look contrite. 'It was a stupid thing to say. It won't happen again.'

Natasha nodded but, as she turned to go, Holly could swear Officer mumbled something about Peck having a special relationship with forensics, although he couldn't imagine anyone wanting a piece of the Ice Queen no matter how hot she was. Then the other rookie hissed 'shut up, man.'

'Thanks,' Holly said quietly when Natasha returned to the pit, 'I don't think I could have remained as composed as you.'

'That guy might be baby-faced but he's a meathead. Will you tell Gail, um Detective Peck?' Natasha asked.

'Ah,' Holly blew out a breath,' I guess I'll have to.' She really didn't want to tell Gail that once again someone was dumping on her for being a Peck, and not just anyone, but a fellow officer from 15, who was supposed to have Gail's back. Gail hated that she was still marked out by the stigma of corruption. Long ago she became resigned to the fact that regardless of what she achieved the whispers followed her. Even now, three years down the track, there remained people on the force who refused to work with her, or at the very least made their reluctance known.

'No matter what I do', Gail told Holly in an unguarded moment, 'I always have to prove myself to someone - my parents, my rookie class and now half the Toronto police force.' Holly wouldn't blame Gail if it made her want to give up, but instead it drove her to work harder and to see her therapist regularly, 'mainly so you can tolerate being in a relationship with me,' Gail had half joked. Holly had given Gail that crooked smile and teased 'bad news for you, Peck, even if you stop seeing Leslie, I'm here to stay.'

Later, when they lay wrapped around each other in bed, the duvet pulled tight against the chill night air, the room so dark she couldn't make out Gail's face, Holly had whispered, 'you don't have to prove anything to me, Gail,' and Gail had hugged her closer and said, 'I know.' Quite simply Holly's belief in Gail was fierce and unshakable, and Holly was quite prepared to take on anyone who would doubt her.

Holly sighed. Yep, she would have to talk to Gail about this, but first she needed to do something about Officer. Should she mention it to Andy? Somehow, despite Andy's loyalty to Gail, Holly doubted she'd be tough enough with the rookie. Oliver. Now that was an idea. Holly could tell Oliver. He was a legend, Gail had informed Holly, and like Holly, he also wasn't really people. Maybe he could have a word to Officer Officer. Yep, that was a good plan. Then she could tell Gail that Oliver was handling it.

The construction crew didn't have anything new to add to Byron and Dave's account. They'd all been working near the clubhouse and only became aware of the find when Byron radioed Dave.

'Mind if we take a look inside the clubhouse?' Frankie asked.

'Sure,' Dave said, 'we're going to demolish it anyway.'

The door was bordered up so Dave used a well-aimed boot to open it.

'Skills like that, you should be on the force,' Gail joked.

'I did consider it,' Dave said, 'but I got in some trouble in my teens. Wasn't sure how that would go down.'

'Yeah, what sort of trouble?' Frankie asked.

'Teenage rebellion. Stupid stuff. Underage drinking. Shoplifting. Me and some friends took a car for a joyride. I think my parents despaired of me ever making good, but when you're that age you think you're invisible.'

The clubhouse was basic. It consisted of a large rectangular room with a kitchenette and bathroom on one end. Kids or squatters had obviously broken in at some point. Where the walls weren't covered in graffiti, holes had been punched into the flimsy board. There were signs t a fire had been lit in the center of the room, leaving the floorboards blackened. In the tiny bathroom, the seat was missing from the toilet and the bowl was crammed with cans and bottles. The sink had been pulled clean off the wall. Rat droppings littered the kitchen benches, which were also streaked with brown stains Gail didn't want to think to hard about.

'It's a mess,' Dave shrugged.

There was nothing to indicate what kind of club it had been. No trophies left behind. No posters on the wall or even a tell-tale piece of sporting equipment.

'So you have no idea what kind of club this was,' Gail said to Dave.

'Nah. Head office would probably know.' Shrugging and punting things off to head office seemed to be Dave's favourite thing.

'It was an archery club,' Costa said from the doorway. He'd appeared so quietly none of them noticed him until he spoke. Now all three turned to regard him.

'Ah, that's why the development is called the Archer,' Gail said.

'Yep, makes sense,' Costa said, coming into the room, even though no one had invited him. There was something proprietorial about the way he moved that annoyed Gail. That and a certain keenness.

'How did you know about the club?' Frankie asked.

'I grew up around here. My parents still live about ten minutes away.'

'Yeah, so ever hear any rumours about the club?' Frankie asked.

'What d'ya mean?' Costa scratched the side of his face, the bristles on cheek making an unpleasant rasping noise.

'Oh, I don't know. Bad blood between club members. Threats of murder. Club members disappearing. That sort of thing,' Gail said perhaps a little too acerbically.

'We're talking archery, not the Hell's Angels,' Costa said.

Gail arched an eyebrow.

'Anyway I wasn't involved in the club,' Costa said like that was an end to the matter.

'Wasn't any neighborhood gossip about goings on at the club?' Gail asked.

'Yeah, sure detective,' Costa said sarcastically, 'everyone used to talk about the body buried here.'

The words 'wise guy' were forming on Gail's lips but, before she could utter them, Frankie spoke up.

'If you do remember anything, Mr,' Frankie paused, her eyebrows raised in question.

'Dukas. Costa Dukas.'

'Mr Dukas, here's my card,' Frankie held it out.

Costa took the card, examining it for a moment before shoving it in his back pocket.

'So you're in charge of this investigation?' He asked Frankie, who nodded in confirmation. 'So I guess you'll need a forensic anthropologist to identify those bones.' He jerked his thumb to indicate the site outside. His overeagerness had returned and Gail didn't like it. What was it about death that was getting him so excited? Costa could just be a nerd, she supposed. One of those guys whose idea of a great Saturday night was to watch a National Geographic documentary on the secrets of the body farm.

'Probably,' Frankie said off handedly.

'Well, how else will you be able to determine the age of the victim? Your ordinary forensic pathologist doesn't have that expertise.'

Well now, Gail thought, that's were you are wrong Mr Costa Dukas. Holly being the nerd that she was hadn't been content with just one doctorate. Oh no, she and her big brain signed up for the double whammy – forensic pathology and anthropology. It had nearly killed her, Holly admitted to Gail. During those years she'd had absolutely no social life, apart from when Lisa and Rachel would stage an intervention and drag her out for a drink. Still Holly had loved every nerdy minute of it. Gail wasn't going to share that with Costa. Nor would she inform him that the forensic department also had a forensic anthropologist on staff, who divided his time between the morgue and the university, and who Holly would no doubt call upon for this case.

'And a forensic anthropologist can determine the post morgen interval,' Costa continued exuberantly and in the tone of a know it all, or so it sounded to Gail. 'Of course there are several methods for doing that. You could measure the nitrogen levels in the bones, or use ultraviolet light, and of course measure for radioactive isotopes. Unless the body was put there before the 1950s.'

'Yep,' Frankie said uncertainly, clearly not being all that familiar with how time of death was established when it came to skeletal remains but not wanting to encourage Costa to go into a more detailed explanation. Really, the guy was obnoxious, Gail decided, and he probably had a screw loose.

Gail and Frankie left for the station soon after. Holly and her team were making slow but steady progress. She hoped to have all the bones bagged by nightfall. Putting them back together would have to wait until morning. 'I should have some more for you tomorrow, but no point waiting around detectives,' Holly said.

As she and Frankie turned to go, Gail nodded at the two rookies. 'The glamour of being in uniform,' she said sympathetically. At least she thought it was sympathetic but one of the rookies, the baby-faced one, jerked his head back like she'd smacked him in the face or something. 'You know, they never tell you about all the standing around when you sign up,' she tried again.

'Uh, yeah,' the other rookie, the one without the baby face, forced a laugh.

Gail screwed up her face. This was altogether weird.

'Couldn't pay me anything to get back in uniform,' Frankie said, her tone nowhere near as understanding as Gail's had been.

The rookies didn't respond but looked at Gail and Frankie gormlessly. It made Gail think the force had really scrapped the bottom of the barrel when they'd recruited these two.

...

'So I should probably give you an official warning,' Frankie said once they were in the car, 'as your supervisor.'

'What the hell?' Gail screwed up her face. She thought back through the interviews with the construction workers. Had she said something out of line? Sure, she'd been a little irritable with Costa but he was so over-excited he probably didn't even notice. In fact, such was his enthusiasm Gail had started to wonder if he was related to Chloe.

'The unexplained absences,' Frankie said, clearly uncomfortable at having to bring this up with Gail.

'Oh,' Gail shifted in her seat, suddenly as awkward as Frankie, 'I'm using my overtime.'

'That's not the point. If you want to take time off you need to clear it first. What if, just like today, we get a case.'

'Yeah, yeah. You're right. It won't happen again.' Gail pursed her lips and stared out the passenger window. Without meaning to, she sighed heavily.

'What's going on Gail? I mean I can guess what you and Holly were doing this afternoon but,' Frankie trailed off.

'Oh shit,' Gail groaned, 'that means Holly's interns would have figured it out too.'

'Nah. I don't think anyone else picked up on it, but still what is going on?'

Gail turned her head to face Frankie, sighing again. 'It's just. God, I don't know how to explain. It's kind of a non-problem but maybe it's symptomatic of, you know, a bigger problem. Maybe I need to do something about it. Or maybe it's not even much of a deal.'

'Not following you Peck.'

'Okay, this is going to sound weird.'

'Weirder than this conversation to date,' Frankie said.

Gail rolled her eyes, then jutted out her chin. 'Okay, ever since Holly and I ended up in the lake, she wants to have sex.' Gail broke off, her eyes widening almost comically as she realized what she had just revealed to Frankie.

'And that's a problem?' Frankie arched an eyebrow.

'God no! Not the actual sex. It's just Holly wants to have sex kinda all the time.'

'Okay. What do you mean by all the time? Given you two usually can't keep your hands off each other outside of work, I get the impression you have sex a helluva a lot. So are we talking a lot lot.'

Gail nodded. 'Yep. And this afternoon she mentioned babies.'

'Holly does know she can't knock you up,' Frankie quipped.

'Ha ha, very funny Anderson.'

'Mortality, that's what it is. Your mother once told me sex is a normal reaction to a near death experience.'

'Really, you're quoting Elaine now,' Gail scowled.

'The point is maybe Holly's using sex as a way to confirm you're both still very much alive.' Frankie ignored Gail's comment.

'And the baby talk?'

'We live on through our children or so they say. Not sure my parents would take heart from that. But in Holly's case, maybe it's a reaction to coming face to face with her own and your mortality. Have you spoken to Holly about it?'

'No, I just,' Gail stopped and screwed up her face again.

'You just like getting laid,' Frankie teased.

'No, no! I mean I do but I just thought this current, um, state of things wouldn't last. Anyway what if I've got it all wrong? What if I'm blowing this out of proportion? It's very hard to resist all this hotness, right,' Gail gestured to herself and grinned mischievously, and then rolled her eyes. 'Oh shit. Who am I kidding? I shouldn't even be talking to you about this, Frankie.'

'Why not? We're friends. Isn't this what friends do?' Even as she said it, Frankie looked a little surprised, 'you know, share stuff.'

'Yeah, I guess,' Gail said, not looking entirely convinced, 'is it weird talking about this when we used to have sex?'

'Nope. I don't think about you like that anymore. No offence.'

'None taken,' Gail said, 'I feel the same way about you. In fact, I find it hard to even remember having sex with you.'

'Way to boost a girl's ego.' Even though Frankie curled her lip, she looked untroubled. 'Actually the weird thing for me is being friends with someone I used to sleep with. Now that's a first.'

It was true, Gail realized. Frankie never remained friends with exes or whatever it was she and Gail had been to each other. 'Fuck buddies,' Holly had surmised a little bitterly when she first heard about Gail and Frankie. Yet, it had been more than that. They looked out for each other. Still did. In some ways, the sex had been just that. An extension of that regard, but also convenient and easy, with no messy emotions, no desire for a commitment beyond their loose arrangement. At least that's what Gail thought.

It never would have worked with Frankie. In many ways they were too alike. These days Holly found it amusing that Gail and Frankie had ever had a thing. More than once she'd teased Gail about dating herself, and Gail had responded with mock outrage, 'I'm not nearly as bitter and twisted as Anderson, and anyway we didn't exactly date.' Still, the arrangement had allowed Gail to maintain a kind of holding pattern at a time when moving on from Holly had proved impossible. She'd fallen so hard for Holly - the love of her life - it didn't leave room for anyone else. Gail would always be grateful to Frankie for giving her that space.

'Frankie, if you're right about Holly then it's my fault.'

'Why?'

'My job. I've put Holly through a lot.'

'Yeah, well she's the one with the crazy stalker.'

'True, but luckily Francine seems to have disappeared. Fiona Vincent thinks she's left the country.'

'Good riddance.'

Gail laughed hollowly. 'But, yeah it's been an eventful twelve months. I can see why Holly's affected by it. I've been cut with a knife, drugged, had a gun pointed at my head and that was even before the Gimlets happened along. Holly must think I'm cursed. Plenty of cops get to retirement without ever having a weapon pulled on them.'

'I guess. Look at it this way. Maybe you've had your quota of drama and things will settle down now. Then Holly will realize you're destined to grow old and cranky with her.'

'I can't see Holly being cranky.'

'I wasn't referring to her. At least this case will keep Holly busy so that might give you some, ah,' Frankie paused and smirked, 'relief.'

'Such a comedian,' Gail rolled her eyes once again.

'Unless Holly decides that instead of putting our John or Jane Doe back together she'd rather spend her time in the lab jumping your bones,' Frankie snickered, clearly pleased with her joke. 'Actually, have you ever done the horizontal tango in the morgue?'

'Horizontal tango,' Gail scoffed, 'what kind of lame ass expression is that? Anderson, you've been spending way too much time around Chloe and Dov.'

'Well have you?' Frankie persisted, not the least put off by Gail's derision.

'Have I what?'

'You know, done it at the morgue.'

Damn if Gail didn't begin to redden.

'You so have Peck.'

'No way! Not in the labs where they cut up dead bodies. Eww. Not really conducive, not to mention unhygienic,' Gail protested. 'Anyway, that would be unprofessional,' she added for good measure. She wasn't going to tell Frankie about that one time in Holly's office. No the detective did not need to know about that. Gail was uncomfortably reminded every time she went into that office by the small stain on the couch that no amount of scrubbing would remove.

'So not in a lab,' Frankie mused. If she kept going, she was bound to figure out about the office, so Gail hurriedly interrupted.

'How are you and Alannah doing?'

'Subtle Peck,' Frankie made a face but then said candidly, 'I'm on probation.'

'Yeah,' Gail scoffed, 'you on probation. That I can't believe.'

'What's so funny? Alannah wants to make sure I'm serious. I don't blame her for being cautious. I nearly blew it with her. Plus my fucked up family means I have some, ah, commitment issues,' Frankie gave a self-deprecating shrug.

'Oh,' Gail said, surprised by the rapid change in Frankie's demeanour, which was now quite somber. 'I thought everything was back on track after Valentine's Day. The way you were talking there was plenty of,' Gail paused and raised her fingers to form air quotes, "horizontal tangoing,"' she finished.

'Well, yeah. Of course. You may have forgotten what it was like having sex with me, but let me tell you Peck I give-.'

'Women the best sex of their lives. Yeah. Yeah. I'm surprised there's room for Alannah in your relationship, given the size of your ego.'

'Very amusing, 'Frankie said, then twisted her mouth and blurted out, 'she wants us to go to couples therapy.'

'You agreed?' Gail asked disbelievingly. Frankie hated seeing the department shrink almost as much, actually possibly more than Gail. She only ever went when ordered, and grumblingly.

'Therapy is horseshit. But I think it's a deal breaker for Alannah.'

'So go.'

'Yeah, easier for you to say but I bet you wouldn't do it, Peck.'

'Actually, I've been in therapy for the last two years. Not the department shrink. Someone else.'

'Shit,' Frankie said, clearly not expecting this admission, 'why?'

'Some pretty fucked up things have happened to me,' Gail waved her hand about dismissively, 'not that I'm trying to play the victim or make you feel sorry for me, but it's just shit that messes with my head. Seeing a therapist helps me deal with that shit. It means I function okay. I doubt I could be in a relationship with Holly if I hadn't worked on a few issues.'

'Okay,' Frankie said warily, 'but couples therapy.' The last bit was said incredulously.

'If you love Alannah, if you really want to be with her, then you do what it takes. You may actually find therapy worthwhile.' Despite her protestations to the contrary whenever Holly brought up the similarities between Gail and Frankie, Gail had to admit she did see something of herself in the way Frankie kept people at a distance, never letting them in too close. If she could get over herself to be in a relationship with Holly, Gail reasoned, then Frankie could do the same for Alannah.

'That I very much doubt,' Frankie scoffed, 'but hey, it's good advice. I mean it won't kill me to go to therapy.' Frankie stopped, all of a sudden looking extremely pained. 'Oh shit, what if going to therapy means Alannah discovers how truly fucked up I am and decides it's over. '

'Frankie,' Gail said, the warning note in her voice undercut by genuine fondness, 'you are over thinking this. Agreeing to go to therapy is half the battle won. You know, a sign of good faith. Anyway, I don't think Alannah has any delusions about how fucked up you are.'

'Ha ha. Who's the comedian now Peck,' Frankie said but she looked slightly relieved, making Gail think that maybe she'd said the right things to Frankie. Which was good because she was never quite sure what to say to people, no matter how close she was to them, in these kinds of circumstances.

Chloe and Dov were heading out of 15 as Gail and Frankie came into the building.

'Hey, have you two finished with that investigation Nash had you working on?' Frankie asked.

'Yeah, we made the arrests today,' Dov said, 'that's four less meth labs in the city.'

'Good work. I might need you two on this case Gail and I picked up. Could be homicide.'

'Could be?' Chloe asked.

'All we've got at the moment is a skeleton. Found on a building site. No id. We won't even know if the remains are male or female until Dr Stewart puts them back together tomorrow.'

'Sounds intriguing,' Dov said, 'I'm in if Oliver is okay with that.'

'Good, but I have to warn you it's not intriguing, it's going to be a giant pain in the ass.'

'Way to sell our case,' Gail said sarcastically.

'Count me in too,' Chloe said cheerfully, 'I haven't worked with Detectives Grumpy and Grumpier since the Gimlet case.'

'Missing me?' Gail raised an eyebrow, 'so sweet. Wait, which one of us is the grumpier one.'

'Not telling,' Chloe smiled sweetly.

'It has to be Anderson, right.'

'I think it depends on the day,' Dov said knowingly, 'or even the hour.'

'No one asked you, Dork King.' Gail sniped, somehow managing to look impertinent and sanctimonious all at once.

'Okay, I'm definitely going to be much more than grumpy if you two don't stop squabbling,' Frankie said, 'I'm going to find Oliver. Set things up for the investigation. Try not to kill one another while I'm gone, children.'

As they watched Frankie make her way up the corridor, Gail said brightly, 'oh she's definitely the grumpier one.'

'You think?' Dov challenged.

'Enough. Both of you,' Chloe held up her hands.

Gail rolled her eyes and Dov looked at her sulkily. It was a game they played. Gail knew if push came to shove Dov would be there for her. Just like she'd always have his back. Well, unless he did something to hurt Chloe. Then she might have to consider inflicting actual violence on him, maybe of the kind that would make it very difficult for him to father children.

'Gail, is it okay if we stop by on the way home to pick up the last of my boxes,' Chloe asked.

'Sure,' Gail nodded, completely dropping the posturing she'd affected for Dov. 'I'll probably be tied up here for awhile but you've still got the key.'

When Chloe moved in with Dov, Gail had insisted she keep a key to the Cabbage Town house. 'Just in case,' she'd said with a shy twist to her mouth. When Chloe didn't respond but looked at her inquiringly, Gail had continued in a rush, 'you know if it doesn't work out or the Dork King becomes insufferable, even if you just need a few days.' Chloe had immediately enveloped her in a hug which had left Gail spluttering and red faced, and protesting 'Jesus, Princess if I'd known that's how you were going to react I never would have told you to keep the key.'

Chloe had moved out a few weeks after the Gimlet case was wrapped up. Gail suspected she'd hung around a little longer than planned to make sure Holly and Gail were okay after the accident and because Francine was still on the loose. For Chloe making sure they were alright consisted of producing hearty meals and cups of tea, and finding happy films for Gail and Holly to watch, and filling any silences with bubbly and incessant chatter, and every night double-checking the house was locked. In some ways, it made Gail happy to see the back of Chloe but a part of her couldn't deny how much of a friend Chloe had become, a staunch ally and defender, and actually someone Gail didn't object to having around. Well, most of the time anyway. When she offered to give Gail a foot massage, Gail knew it was time for Chloe to go.

During that first week after Gail and Holly were released from the hospital, Chloe brought news that Damien Gimlet had surfaced. He'd gone into hiding after John Brierly's death, suspecting his father and stepmother were responsible and fearing he'd be next. 'He didn't think to come to the police?' Gail asked incredulously. Chloe had explained Damien didn't have any proof and he believed his father wouldn't hesitate to frame him. Frank Gimlet was a respected businessman and Damien lived in a tent in Victoria Park. 'Who were the police likely to believe?' Damien asked Chloe. Gail had made a face. 'Never that maniac Gimlet,' she said, placing her hand on Holly's and giving it a reassuring squeeze when Holly shuddered just slightly. When Gail had finally revealed that Gimlet threatened to behead her, Holly had visibly paled and pulled Gail to her quite forcibly and held her tight for some minutes without speaking. 'Damien didn't know about your spidey sense,' Chloe said blithely, failing to notice the effect Frank Gimlet's name had had on Holly.

By the time Gail arrived home, some hours had passed. Oliver had agreed to Frankie's request to put Chloe and Dov on the investigation. He also offered up Anna Robinson and Andy and the two rookies she was supposed to be 'knocking some sense into.' Oliver had sighed as he said that, and then added, 'actually it might do them some good to hang around you two for awhile.' Gail asked, a little tersely, what he meant exactly. 'Your exemplary professionalism, my petulant Peck,' Oliver reassured her hastily, 'and you won't mollycoddle them. I have the very distinct feeling Officer and Walinsky require more than Andy's kid gloves if they are to be moulded into productive officers of the law.'

After that, Frankie had put a call through to VisCom. Tim Avanti, the CEO, was unavailable until morning. In fact, he suggested Frankie and Gail come to the VisCom headquarters for a breakfast meeting at 7am. 'How the other half live,' Gail had snarked, 'let's hope he serves decent coffee.' After that there wasn't much else they could do until morning. Holly had sent a message saying she had finished up at the crime scene, 'and thank god because it has just started to rain,' and should be home in an hour or so.

Gail found the front door unlocked. Uncharacteristically careless of Chloe, she thought as she flicked the switch for the hallway light, and then decided to blame Dov. In the kitchen, she set to work making dinner. She knew Holly would be tired and achey and even a little cranky after excavating the bones. Ten minutes after Holly messaged to say she was on her way home, Gail went upstairs to run a bath for her, putting in some vanilla bath salts she knew Holly liked. She was back downstairs and checking on the dinner when Holly arrived home.

'I've run you a bath and made dinner,' Gail said, smiling sympathetically at the sight of Holly. She looked exhausted, and a little grimy, even though she'd been wearing a protective suit.

'You are the best girlfriend ever,' Holly said, looping her arms around Gail's neck and giving her a soft kiss on the lips, 'has anyone told you that?'

'Only you,' Gail replied to what was now a well-worn routine.

'Yeah, the others were idiots.'

'But you're the only one that matters,' Gail kissed Holly.

'I am so stiff,' Holly said, 'and just-'

'Bone tired,' Gail quipped.

'Ha ha,' Holly gave Gail that crooked half smile. Then she froze and dropped her arms from around Gail's neck.

'What is it?' Gail took a step back.

'The photos,' Holly pointed to the refrigerator. She was in the habit of sticking up photos haphazardly on the refrigerator door. Snapshots of their life. Gail and Holly together, on holiday, out to dinner with Holly's parents, at Christmas, with Rachel and even Lisa and the gang from 15, their bright smiles and that of their friends attesting to a happiness Gail never imagined she'd be allowed. 'Why have all your eyes been cut out?'

….

Okay, tell me what think!