2nd chapter uploaded this weekend...apparently I couldn't leave D&M buried much longer.
Chapter 13
"THEY'RE HERE! WE'VE GOT THEM GUV!" It was Ray shouting triumphantly from the top of the pallet tower as the last barrel was hoisted away. He could see Dempsey and Makepeace through the slits in the pallets.
"They're not movin'" blustered Leroy as he too peered through the cracks. "Brother they're not movin'" he said quietly to Ray.
"Best get 'em out quick as." Ray with new found energy started grabbling at the pallets, tossing them down to Chas.
"Are they still alive?" yelled a worried Chas.
"We can't see." Leroy shouted back, he then hollered down into the hole. "Dempsey? Can ya hear me Bro? Dempsey buddy?" No reply came.
"Get this lot shifted! Chop, chop!" Gene encouraged with fervour. He then climbed up the stacked wood to see for himself. "Dempsey? Harry? Can ye hear us?" They were worryingly quiet. "Christ," Gene covered his nose with his sleeve as the fumes hit his nostrils and throat. "They don't look injured." He commented "So I guess the fumes have got to 'em."
Gene frantically sprang into action to help Ray and Leroy with the last remaining pallets blocking them. Once they had moved enough, Leroy quickly jumped into the hole. "Dempsey, come on wake up." Leroy shook him to try and stir him "Harry?" he did the same to her, but still no response from either of them.
"Can we get both of 'em out?" Gene called down to Leroy.
Leroy assessed the situation and replied "We can get Dempsey, but Harry's legs are trapped." Leroy scanned the tight space trying to decide on the best course of action, as he did so he noticed that Dempsey and Harry were curled up together like two lovers who were peacefully asleep. He smiled as he realised that they were lying with their arms around each other, "Don't worry yoos two lovebirds, we're gonna get ya out." He whispered. "Dempsey first!" he shouted up to Gene and Ray.
"Hunt! What's happening?" Spikings , who had been at the other end of the line helping Shaz , was now stood at the foot of heap looking very anxious and agitated.
"Sir, we're getting Dempsey out first...Harry's trapped. Get the ambulance crew to stand by; he's going to need oxygen."
Leroy gently untangled Dempsey from Harry, careful not cause any more injuries "Sorry honey, I need to take him, then I'll come back for you...come on brother time to get ya outta here. Ready?" he shouted up to Gene and Ray."
Gene and Ray crouched down and reached into the hole. With effort, in the confined space, Leroy managed to pitch Dempsey up under his arms and drag him to a semi-standing position. Gene and Ray then grabbed hold of him and with one enormous effort they hoisted his dead weight to the makeshift pallet platform.
Leroy started to climb out of the hole, Gene was quick to stop him "Where are you going? Stay with her." He ordered.
"Oh no Chief, I'm going with him." He challenged. He felt it was his duty to go with his NYPD colleague.
"Oh no ye not, you're staying put with Harry. I'm taking 'im, least I can do, he saved my bacon I'm returning the favour." Gene was defiant; he felt he owed it to Dempsey to make sure he made to hospital as soon as possible. "You'll be doing him a favour by making sure she's alright."
Gene with Ray's help, pitched Dempsey onto his back fireman lift style "Christ, you're a heavy bastard." He grimaced as he staggered away from the rubble, once clear he dropped him to the ground less than elegantly. Dempsey hit the ground with thud; the force of the action was enough to get some much needed fresh air into Dempsey's lungs. He suddenly sprang back into life with a rasping, choking coughing fit.
He couldn't speak through the force of the wheezing, he was soon on all fours hacking away.
"Welcome back my Yanky friend." Gene greeted him with a wide relieved smile, "Ye do get yerself into some scrapes don't ye?
Dempsey, still coughing on his hands and knees, managed a sort of wave at Gene, the Guv couldn't tell if he was agreeing with him or telling him to piss off! Either way, Gene was relieved to see him alive.
"Harry?" Dempsey forced the words out through gasps "Gotta *wheeze* get *splutter* Harry...out!"
"Leroy's on the case, don't ye worry, need to get you to hospital, God knows what crap you've inhaled, surprised you're not as high as a tart's skirt in lift. Would it 'elp if I thumped ye on ye back?" Gene offered as he watched Dempsey continue to cough like a good 'un.
"Just get Harry out." He gasped, the coughing starting to recede "will ya chief?"
Gene could see the fear in his eyes, Dempsey was scared for her. Gene gently patted him on the shoulder for reassurance, "I promise, mate, we'll get her out in one piece. We can't have Dempsey without Makepeace can we?"
"You have no idea how true that is."
"I think I can guess." Gene smiled warmly at him.
At that moment the ambulance crew appeared with oxygen and quickly went to Dempsey's aid. Gene left them to it and set his sights on getting Harry to safety.
Alex raced out when she heard a cheer and a ripple of applause. She emerged from the showroom to see Leroy carrying Harry in his arms. She charged over to him "Is she alright?" she asked breathlessly.
"She's breathing...not great, but she's breathing."
"Harry, can you talk?" Alex was distraught to see her friend limp and lifeless, her skin pallid, her lips blue , she grasped Harry's hand and squeezed. She hurried with Leroy over to the ambulance, "Tell Gene and Spikings I'm going with her...er is Dempsey okay? She'll want to know when she comes round."
"Yeah, he's fine...well, he will be when he stops choking his guts up. They've breathed in some real nasty crap."
As he handed Harry over to the Ambulance crew, Alex noticed a bright red wound on Leroy's hand "What's that? looks nasty."
"It's nuthin'."
"Leroy? Is it a burn?"
"Maybe."
Alex grabbed hold of his arm "Let me look at that." Leroy begrudgingly let her take his arm "It is a burn!" she exclaimed "Right, you're going to hospital too." She ordered.
"Nahhh! It'll be fine in the mornin'"
"Leroy!" she warned "That's a chemical burn, it needs to be looked at. "Can't have you going sceptic on us." Alex climbed into the ambulance and called after him "Get it sorted!"
"Yess Mam!" Leroy gave her a mock salute with a cheeky grin.
"Daddy, is that you?" Maddy heard the key in the front door and the door slam shut.
"Only me." Dr Max Andrews replied dumping his brief case in the hallway and shrugging off his jacket , "Sorry I'm late sweetheart, seems half the roads in London are closed off, had to go the scenic route to get home." He wandered into the lounge to be greeted by his daughter, "God alone knows what's happened...sirens everywhere...anyway how was your day?"
"Oh, y'know much the same, flapping students because they've forgotten their pencil cases, flapping because they've forgotten everything I've taught them the past two years...all the usual exam drama."
"Have you left me any dinner?" Dr Andrews held his rumbling stomach.
"Of course, pork chops and mash...it's in the oven."
Dr Andrews drifted into the kitchen in search of his meal, Maddy called after him "It was on the news, the incident, chemical leak, they had to evacuate five streets apparently...oh I've opened a bottle as well...on the side."
Dr Andrews emerged from the kitchen, plate in one hand, glass of wine in the other. "Chemical leak eh? In a residential area?"
"Stored at a local car dealership." replied Maddy.
"Whatever next? Nuclear weapons stashed in an old dear's cellar in Stepney?...the mind boggles." He sat down in his favourite armchair and tucked into his dinner.
Maddy watched her father devour his meal hungrily "Didn't you have time to eat again?" she tutted "You really must find the time."
"My lunch hour was taken up for me, I had that blithering idiot on the phone again."
"Who Robert?" Maddy grinned.
"No, the other one...Lyons, prattling on about who Harriet's boyfriend is and how I should look into it as it may have a bearing on the inquest...as if that makes one hapeth of a difference. Honestly, as if the public cares, the crown certainly doesn't." He took a sip of wine. "Rather good that."
Maddy smiled thinking back to her and Leroy's conversation "Ha, so there may be some truth in it, good on Harry, she deserves to have some happiness."
Dr Andrews cocked his head and asked with conspiracy "Do you know something I don't?"
"Just something Leroy said last night."
"Leroy? Who's Leroy?"
Maddy gave a slight blush at the mere mention of his name "Lt Leroy Banks of the New York Police Department, currently on secondment to Fenchurch East CID."
"Oh yes" he teased "Wining and dining American policeman now are we and on first name terms? My, you have been a busy bee."
"Daddy," her cheeks flushed even redder "He's just helping me with my inquiries."
"Shouldn't that be the other way round? You the teacher, he the detective? What did detective Leroy say then?"
"Well, everyone seems to think, not think er assume, that maybe Dempsey is Harry's boyfriend."
"Really!" Dr Andrews exclaimed in surprise "So that's what the conversation was about, if true it would be an absolute gift to Robert."
"Gosh, he wouldn't would he...use it against them?"
"He can, and he will. He will state at the inquest that their relationship would have impaired their ability to do their jobs...he could also invent some cock and bull story that Harry killed Monica out of jealousy...or something to that effect. You see? Robert must be laughing his socks off..." Dr Andrews thought for a couple of seconds "Although idiot boy Lyons didn't sound like he was laughing on the phone."
"Don't think I'd be laughing if I worked for Robert...in fact I would have probably slit my own throat by now if I was Thomas."
"So, come on tell me, what did you find out, other than the fact Dempsey has good taste in women?"
Maddy narrowed her eyes playfully at her father "You always did have a soft spot for Harry."
"The first time I saw her was at your Aunt's garden party, she was so demure, sweet and innocent. So sad she ended up with that louse. Anyway, your date with your Yanky detective?"
"It was not a date!" Maddy protested.
"Really? Then why have you gone red?" he accused.
"I..I haven't...it's the wine!" she blurted.
"Mmm, I fear the lady doth protest too much...the lady has had her hair done!"
"I didn't think you would notice."
"My dear, I may be an ageing fool of a man, but even I can tell that your hair was dead straight this morning and now it is curly." He smirked warmly at her.
"Darn, busted." She clicked her fingers "nothing get's past you Daddy. Seriously, Leroy and I have started to trawl through the old papers; he's keen to stop Robert just as we are. He is convinced that Robert has a few skeletons in the cupboard...he thinks it's all motivated by greed."
"He's right on all counts; I could have told you that."
"But we need evidence Daddy, we can't just accuse him without evidence...and then there's your little hiccup, we have to find a way of sorting Robert without you being put in the frame as well."
"Did you tell Leroy about my 'hiccup' as you call it?" He looked concerned.
"No, course not, he doesn't know you're my father."
"Can you trust him?"
"I think so...I have to trust someone."
Dr Andrews nodded sagely "I trust your judgement, but go careful, won't you? When are you meeting him next?"
"I was supposed to see him tonight, hence the hairdo." She blushed coyly again "but, he called to say he had to go out to an incident...at a car lot." Maddy suddenly realised what she had just said and became anxious "Oh lord...Daddy...do you think he's okay?"
"All done?" Alex asked Leroy brightly as she waited in a side room at the hospital.
"Yeah, it's not so bad; they cleaned it up put a dressing on it and gave me a tetanus shot up the backside." He held his bandaged hand up for Alex to see. "It's cool; it's not my trigger hand."
"Oh praise be to God almighty, Lt Banks can still fire his gun...his trigger finger still works!" Gene sarcastically threw his hands in the air like a preacher.
Leroy leaned into Alex and whispered "Is he okay? He's acting kinda weird."
Alex smiled and whispered back "Yes, the Guv is in a weird mood, don't worry about it."
"Is it something I said?"
"No, nothing to do with you...it's my fault. Why don't you get yourself off home and get some rest?"
Leroy nodded in agreement; he was absolutely shattered "Hey Alex, is it too late to phone a girl?"
"Leroy, I said get some rest, A night entertaining the ladies is the last thing you need..."
"Nah, nah it's not that. I was supposed to meet her tonight, but had to take a rain check, y'know she maybe worried about me."
Alex gave him a smile "I'm sure she won't mind you ringing just to say you're okay...is she a girlfriend?" she fished.
Leroy looked a bit sheepish "No, just a friend...I'm helping her with summthin'"
"Go on, phone her."
"Thanks." With that he said his goodnights and left.
Alex watched him leave, as soon as he was out of earshot she turned her attention on Gene "What was that all about?" she frowned.
"What?" grumped Gene.
"You know what. No need to take it out Leroy." She snapped.
"Oh !are we playing guessing games again? Anymore little secrets you want to share with me today...eh Alex?"
"I'm sorry Gene, I was going to tell you tonight..I've already told you that." She pleaded.
"And there was me thinking you were ill, like you had some sort of disease...had me worried sick."
"'I'm sorry, I didn't think..." she whined.
"No you didn't!" he gruffed "Then...then" he waved a hand around "You chose to announce it while our friends and colleagues are buried under ten tones of shit!"
"I had no choice; you wanted me to move dangerous chemicals around. Please Gene..."
Gene shook his head in disbelief, how someone with a head full brains could be so thoughtless was beyond him. He plonked himself down on one of the plastic chairs and let out a long sigh "You're the limit Alex, you know that?...you should have told me as soon as you knew..Then It might have been less of a shock...nearly gave me a nervous breakdown."
Alex had to admit "Yes, I supposed it was a bit of a shock...it was a shock to me, it's not every day you get told you're going to become a mummy and daddy." She gave him a sideways glance hoping that the idea was registering in his brain, "You're going to be a daddy." She tried again, but Gene stared straight ahead at the opposite wall. She could see the cogs whirring around his mind, he was thinking hard.
"Daddy!" he rolled the word around in his head "Daddy!" he repeated.
Alex thought she was beginning to get through to him, "Gene?"
Gene pouted, slapped his hands down on his knees and got to his feet "Right then, Daddy it is, I can do that." He held his head high as he spoke.
Alex dared to offer him a smile "You're okay with the idea then?" she ventured.
Gene turned to her, his expression was completely unreadable "Not a lot we can do about it now."
Alex's demeanour sank, he didn't seem overjoyed. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, he was teasing her "I spose you want to go shopping tomorrow and chose some airy fairy paint for the box room?" The small smile grew into a big cheesy grin.
Alex beamed back and threw herself into his arms, Gene lifted her up and they both laughed.
"Glad someone's happy." Spikings had appeared in the doorway, "Have I missed something?"
"I'm having a baby." cooed Alex.
Gene let Alex slide back onto her feet "Bolls is preggers, I'm going to be a Daddy." He stated proudly.
"Congratulations, I hope it's not right now this minute, don't think we can take any more drama today." Spikings said flatly, he looked worn and tired.
"How are they?" Alex was concerned again.
"I am pleased to report both are happily in the land of nod...like I should be at this time of night." He glanced at his watch. "Doctors say they shouldn't have any lasting effects once the toxins leave the body. They will be back behind their desks in no time...where they should be."
Alex frowned "You're not going to make them go straight back to work are you?"
Spikings balked at her comment "Who do you think I am? A slave driver?"
Gene and Alex raised their eyebrows, Spikings added "I will give them a couple of day's recuperation, it's only fair. ...erm I just wanted to thank you for your help today, we couldn't have done it without your team."
Gene look humbled "S'alright, you would have done the same for us."
Spikings nodded "I appreciate it. If you don't mind, I'm going to go home and get some shut-eye." The welsh Guv made to leave "By the way, you can visit them tomorrow...I think they would like that...night."
"Night!" they said together.
Alex yawned loudly "I'm bushed too, I hear my bed calling."
"Come on then BollyKecks, we should get as much sleep as possible before the ankle biter arrives...when is that?" Gene led Alex out of the room.
"Not sure exactly, about six and half months...plenty of time for you to practice changing nappies."
"Bugger that! That's your job...I'll play with the stickle bricks."
"Big child."
"Yup!"
Awwwww, pink and fluffy :-)) Please keep the reviews coming.