Hi all, thanks for the reviews. Sorry it's been a while since I've posted, too busy as always. This is the first chapter written on new computer.

Chapter 24

Dempsey and Makepeace marched at speed down the corridors of Fenchurch East virtually running. Alex's call, although professional and to the point, was delivered with and undercurrent of urgency verging on the panicked. Robert had snatched Matthew from Dora's house and he had sped off in the car leaving Dora distressed and terrified for Matthew's safety.

The SI10 officers, although technically still signed off sick, had wasted no time leaping into Dempsey's car to race across London.

As they dramatically swung open the double doors to the CID office they were greeted with a chaotic scene. Every officer in the place seemed on be on the phones talking animatedly, cigarettes clamped firmly in fingers, tea gulped down in between rapid fire sentences.

Ray and Chris sat at their desks calling number after number while Leroy paced around his desk, phone set in one hand the receiver in the other clamped to his ear, the telephone cord trailing after him. "Wha ya mean you can't seal the city off? Sheesh, this is just Mickey mouse."

Amidst the chaos sat a trembling Pipa surrounded by Alex, Shas and Maddy. Alex tried desperately to comfort the distraught Pipa placing an arm around her shoulder. Maddy perched on the desk in front of her; Shaz knelt giving her reassuring words.

Gene was holed up in his office barking orders down the phone to poor unsuspecting uniform officers. His face was skewed and twisted into a picture of concern and anger. "Bloody well just do it, this is not the time to go all supertwat on us. So get your arses into gear and find the nonce before he decides to take the scenic route to frogland! Pronto! Well I don't ruddy know that's where 'es heading for definite…..I'll just get my crystal ball shall I?"

Dempsey stuck his head around Gene's door and fired quickly "You think he could making a run to France?"

Gene whipped round and on seeing Dempsey he yelled down the phone "Look forget it, the cavalry has just arrived, we will do it on our own." He slammed down the phone "Bloody useless tossers the lot of 'em. Couldn't catch a cold if it was labelled Flu and was wearing concrete boots chained to the Titanic."

"This is what I've been saying all along…..you Brits….." reasoned Dempsey shaking his head.

"Not this Brit." Puffed Gene, standing tall. "I will nail his ball sack to the wall."

"Why France?" quizzed Dempsey "What's so special about France?"

Gene brushed his hand through his blonde locks "Good bloody question, the birds seem to like it. Apparently the bastard toff has a house there. Pipa thinks he fancies an 'oliday. Nice eh?" Gene made no attempt to hide his disgust.

"Airports been locked down?" A very obvious thing to do in Dempsey's eyes.

"Christ Dempsey? How long 'ave you been living in 'ere now?" rounded Gene "People don't fly to France they get the ferry so they can load up on cheap booze the other side and get all hokey cokey on French plonk – I tell ye, if he's heading to froggy soil he'll go via Dover."

"I dunno!" defended Dempsey throwing his hands in the air "I ain't European."

"Funny, I kind of guessed that due to the endless stream of yanky mumbo jumbo that comes out of ye mouth…you and that holiday souvenir's out there." Gene waved a paw in the direction of Leroy. "Still trying to teach him English, sometimes I feel like I need a translator."

"I heard that brother." Yelled Leroy from the outer office "The feelings mutual, I need one for all the Manchunian crap you spew."

"At least it's my sodding country!" Gene bellowed back.

"Guys, guys!" said Dempsey trying to drag the conversation back to the task at hand "Can we get on with this, we ain't got much time if he's leaving the country?"

Harry joined Dempsey appearing at his side and said to him a little sarcastically "She says she's sorry for all the problems she's caused."

Dempsey blinked disbelievingly at her "Makepeace, now is not the time to have a grudge match."

Harry frowned deeply "Who's having a grudge match lieutenant?"

"You is." Dempsey shot back a tad harshly. The tension in the office had already affected him and he found his nerves beginning to fray around the edges and the last thing they all needed was the two women trying to score points of each other. "Harry, just forget about this thing with Pipa, we gotta find that boy."

Harry was about to open her mouth to reply when Ray dashed over "Guv, traffic plod have been on. A man and boy matching Makepeace's and Matthew's description have been spotted having a Wimpy burger at Clacket Lane Services.

Gene snatched up his magnum and stuffed it into his holster.

"You're not planning on shooting him, are you?" cried Harry aghast.

"I will shoot 'im if need be." Gruffed Gene as he strode out into the main office. "Clacket Lane services!" he announced.

"We're on it." Confirmed Dempse charging out of the door quickly followed by Harry.

On hearing Gene, Alex, Pipa, Shaz and Maddy jumped to their feet to get ready to leave.

Gene was quick to stop them "And where does the WI think they are going? And especially you bolls?"

"Gene, you will need my negotiating skills. He could be drunk, high on drugs, unstable or all three. This could get messy." Replied Alex

"Oh no you don't, you're pregnant, I don't want my kid being dropped on 'is head before he's even left ye belly." He pouted.

Alex narrowed her eyes at him "Yes Gene, pregnant, not disabled. It is quite safe for me to talk."

"That's a matter of opinion." Grumbled Gene

"I'm coming too." Declared Pipa "My son, maybe I can talk some sense into Robert."

"Only a cricket bat could talk sense into that twat!" said Gene

"Me too!" exclaimed Maddy "He's my cousin."

Gene looked across the line of defiant women stood before him "What a fun journey this is going to be, a Quattro full of nagging females. Can't ruddy wait…well come on then." Snapped Gene heading for the door. Without looking back he yelled "B team, mush I need back up!"

Ray, Chris and Leroy didn't need telling, they were already on their feet. Chris hurried to catch Gene up "You think you're going to need all of us Guv?"

"I need you, Christopher, to back me up against these women!"

"You don't know where you're going, do you?" said Harry flatly.

"Sure I do, Clacket Lane services." Replied Dempsey looking a little lost. Since he'd arrived in England he'd barely been out of London, but that wasn't going to stop him pretending he knew where the motorway services was.

"So why aren't you heading for the M25? We're going in the opposite direction." She stated tonelessly. She couldn't understand why she felt so irritable, she just didn't feel like her usual self.

"Oh, er, I am, this is the alternative route." He lied, shuffling a little in his seat hoping she couldn't see through his bluff….of course she did.

"Alternative route my eye…..you need to go right here." She pointed to a huge sign on the dual carriageway "So you need right hand lane."

"I can see that, that sign says M25." He gritted his teeth. "I am not blind."

"I'm just saying, you need to change lanes now." She hissed back "And head anti clockwise."

"I KNOW! Will ya quit with the back seat driving test. What's eating you anyways? You've been snippy since you got up."

"I'm not being 'snippy'" she sharply retorted. "You just don't know where we are supposed to be going…..left hand lane this time….and mind the motorbike, thinks he's Evel Knievel ."

Dempsey tried to bite his tongue, he had put up with Harry's mood for too long and it was starting to grate.

"Do ya wanna walk?" he offered sarcastically.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're pissed at Pipa, so why am I getting it?"

"Getting what?" she glared at him, her eyes beginning to shine.

"This." Dempsey gesticulated with his hand, trying to emphasize his frustration.

"Would you care to elaborate?" scowled Harry.

"This, this odd mood of yours, it's starting to get on my nerves."

"Oh sorry lieutenant!" she exploded "Sorry if my situation is getting on your nerves, but you may have noticed we are going through a living hell! So excuse me for being on the 'snippy' side. You are my partner and my…er….erm lover if you like, so it is to be expected."

"Being your lover means I have to sit here and take everything you got to throw at me?" he raised an eyebrow at her but she refused to look t him.

"Yes! It does! Nothing much has changed Dempsey, except we now share a bed. I have always taken it out on you and always will. You're my sounding board." She didn't really mean it, she knew she was in a foul mood and knew Dempsey would take her sniping…..he was used to it.

"Your own personal 'whipping boy' ?" he frowned, he wasn't too sure what she was exactly trying to tell him, but he had an idea. It was all too easy to take her frustrations out on him, hell he could do with finding something to punch himself.

"Yes, my whipping boy…figuratively speaking, naturally."

He felt her visibly soften next to him. "Y' know that comment can be taken two ways."

"I suppose it can be, if your mind is in the gutter." She said flippantly, he was doing it again, disarming her and she knew it.

"We're doing it all over again." A small smirk was forming at the corner of his mouth.

"What?" she frowned.

"Turning an argument into kinky talk, why do ya think that is?"

"God alone knows….we're a bad influence on each other?"

"Yeah!" the smirk turned into a broad grin "And you love it, ya can't get enough of me."

She cocked her head and smiled sweetly "I think it is you who can't get enough of me."

Dempsey brought the Merc to a halt at the traffic lights and glanced down at her legs which were bare and smooth under her skirt. He reached over and placed his left hand on her knee and looked directly into her crystal eyes "Damn right."

She pretended to ignore the hand which was gradually working its way up her thigh. "Keep your eyes on the road Lieutenant. The M25 is a nightmare; we wouldn't want to have a bump now, would we?"

"Naaaah, you don't wanna take a hit from behind do ya?" he fixed her with a salacious grin.

"Green!" she stated looking straight ahead stifling a snigger.

"Pardon me?" he replied still transfixed on her.

"Lights have gone green." She smiled.

HONK! HOOOOONNNK! The car behind leant impatiently on their horn.

"Alright, alright, I hear ya."

Dempsey released the handbrake and hit the accelerator; soon they were on the M25 scything their through the holiday traffic.

Robert Makepeace checked his watch; he had an hour before the ferry bound for France left the port of Dover. Pipa's hunch had been right. Robert felt the need to escape; he had dug himself so deep with his dodgy dealings and his relationship he had been left with very little option. He could stay and face the music or he could run.

His head was a ball of confusion. Insomnia, drink and drugs had addled his brain and he was far from thinking rationally. After he had pulled himself together enough that morning to form some sort of plan, he had packed a small overnight bag for him and Matthew. He was not leaving without his son, he was determined; therefore Dora's was going to be his first port of call. Buoyed up with more alcohol and stimulants, he had driven to his secretary's and snatched Matthew back.

He hadn't gotten far, Matthew was too upset and Robert feared that the little boys crying and wailing was going to draw attention to them. He had to calm him down before they got on the ferry otherwise the police would be alerted. This had become a challenge to Robert. Not having had much to do with Matthew on a day to day basis, he was struggling to find the right buttons to press. He couldn't reason with Matthew like he could with an adult, nor could he bully him into silence. A far more tactful approach was needed.

Robert tried everything to placate his son, but all he wanted was his mummy. Then Robert hit on the magic words 'hamburger' and 'Ice-cream. The wailing all of a sudden died down to a sniffling whimper. Mathew studied his father carefully while he played with his stuffed rabbit, wrapping the once fluffy ears around his fingers. It was almost as if Matthew was trying to work out whether he should trust Robert, weighing up if the offer of hamburgers and ice-cream was a trick or a fair bargain.

Matthew's continued silence had confirmed to Robert that a deal had been struck, thus Robert had pulled into the service station to make good his promise.

While they had sat eating their lunch, or at least Matthew was eating, Robert drank coffee to stave off the tiredness; two traffic officers were also on their lunch break. They had heard the APB (All points Bulletin) over the radio that morning and had recognised Robert and Matthew as answering the description. They had immediately radioed in.

Robert completely oblivious that they had been spotted and now with calm, relatively sated Matthew, continued their journey to catch the ferry bound for Calais.

Dempsey and Makepeace and Gene's team were at least twenty minutes behind them.

The RT crackled into life "Control to all units, control to all units. Suspect has left rendezvous point and is proceeding to Dover, I repeat, Suspect has left rendezvous point. Please follow with caution, suspect maybe intoxicated and possibly armed."

"Possibly armed?" Dempsey and Makepeace looked at each other startled. That was news to them.

"He won't be," Harry shook her head disbelieving "Robert wouldn't be armed…..would he?"

I know I promised a big chapter, but couldn't get everything into one chapter...so you got another buildup chapter ...sorry. I hope you all still enjoying this story and I haven't bored you rigid with it.

Now before anyone picks me up on it, I have checked that stretch of the M25 existed in 1984,,,it did, however Clacket Lane services didn't so hope you forgive me some artistic license there ;-)