So sorry, I hadn't realised it was sooooo long since I last posted, first ch this year! I've been seriously busy obviously. If anyone is still reading this - thank you... you can slap me later...

Chapter 31

Harry stood motionless as Dempsey's revelation began to sink in. The word 'contract' echoed around her head….so that was why he was in London, his own NYPD boss (Coltrane) had put a contract out on him. To Harry it sounded like a plot line from an American gangster film or 'Serpico' where Al Pacino was the honest New York cop who had uncovered corruption in the force. And here was Dempsey stood before her as the real deal – This just didn't happen in real life. How could he do this to her? How could he keep this secret to himself after all this time, after all they had been through together – he was her partner for heaven's sake! He had been living a lie. Her heart sank as she realised she didn't really know Dempsey at all.

Worriedly Dempsey searched her face for any clue as to how she was feeling, he knew the news would hit her like a jack hammer, but her silence grated on his already agitated nerves, he needed her to reassure him that she'd stand by him. "Harry say somethin'….please." he appealed.

"I….I don't know what to say…" She said truthfully, still processing the information.

Dempsey looked downbeat as he gave her more time to come out with something…anything. He wrung his hands nervously.

After what seemed an eternity Harry finally managed half in disbelief and half accusingly "You kept this from me….and there was me thinking we were a team, partners in more ways than one."

"I know. Harry, you gotta believe me, I would have told ya if I could….."

Harry shook her head despondently "All this time …..all this time and you could have been killed right in front of me at any moment…."

"No different to any other day babe…"

"ANY MOMENT DEMPSEY!" her voice rose with a quiver as she struggled with her emotions. "A well-aimed bullet out of the blue when we weren't expecting it?...or you give chase one day only to find your brake lines cut?..."

"Hey Harry.." He moved closer to her in an attempt to console her, she stiffened "I've been safe here in London – nobody knows where I am.."

"Until now!" she sharply cut in her blue eyes shining.

"Until now." He conceded and backed off.

Harry took a deep breath to bring her emotions back into check. She had to think clearly, like a police officer….not as girlfriend. She composed herself "So! How have they found you?"

"I dunno…that's the million dollar question, but I'm sure as hell gonna find out how.."

"Or die trying.." she replied solemnly.

Dempsey felt that his heart might break in two. He once again moved towards her to offer some sort of comfort, this time she didn't resist and gladly melted into his body, resting her cheek against his chest as he encircled her with one arm and caressed the back of her head with his other hand. "It's a risk I have to take if I'm ever gonna be free from that bastard Coltrane – Harry, I can't keep living my life like this." Dempsey felt her nod slightly in agreement with him.

"What will you do?" she asked quietly., her words creating tiny vibrations against his torso.

"I've already worked it out…I'm going deep undercover…I'm gonna have to disappear like I never existed."

She raised her head to look into his eyes "You'll be all on your own out there.."

"I know, I know….I can't take you with me babe, I need you here peddling the computer and doin' the desk work, that's how you and I roll, you know that."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." She said sadly.

"You're one sick bastard Coltrane." said Leroy down the phone line. He was perched on the end of a single bed in Dan's shabby hotel room, phone precariously balanced on the edge of the grimy grey (once white) duvet, the phone cord stretched across the bed like straightened spaghetti.

The drab frayed curtains barely covered the poky window of the hotel room although not much light could venture into the room. Takeaway cartons and beer cans lay discarded along with a week's worth of newspapers. Dan sure lived like a pig.

Leroy knew he shouldn't be using the room's phone line for security reasons, the phone in the bar being preferable so that no-one could listen in, but he really didn't care. If people were listening (hopefully the police) than all the better as far as Leroy was concerned. That way there was a small chance that Coltrane's actions could be intercepted before they could do any serious harm. It was a long shot, but necessary.

Leroy was tired. He hadn't slept well since the morning he left his flat in Luigi's, but he refused to let lack of sleep cloud his judgement. He was a cop, a damn good one at that, and cops were always working.

"You sent Dan in to do a hit…a boy to do a man's job? How stoopid are ya?" Leroy couldn't help but smile into the receiver. "Good job for Dempsey aint it? He's still living and breathing and ready to kick your ass."

"Leroy? Remember who ya talkin' to.."

"Sure, Ronald MacDonald - Hey Coltrane, you ever thought about seeing a shrink? I think you need ya head testing."

"Listen up wise guy." said Coltrane.

"Seriously brother, you aint right."

"I'M WARNING YOU LEROY." barked Coltrane.

"Or what?" replied a defiant Leroy.

"You end up like Dan."

"Oooh I'm scared…like a give a shit any more."

"One word, Jasmine….or maybe the alluring Madeleine."

The smile was wiped of Leroy's face instantly. "How do you know about Maddy?" he growled.

"I know everything; you didn't think I got to be assistant commissioner by winning a golden ticket in chocolate bar wrapper did ya? Now who sounds the dumb one?" he laughed.

"If you lay one finger on her…"

"You'd do what? Run to Hunt, like he's gonna believe anything you say now….or run to Dempsey? That's not a bad idea; I get two for one then."

"You're something else Coltrane, I'll give ya that."

"Alright, let's get down business; we don't have much time cos Dempsey will do a disappearing act if he knows what's good for him."

"What's that gotta do with me?"

"Because, now that Dan's crashed and burned, you're next in line. I want Dempsey and you're the guy who's gonna do it…."

Alex stood in Gene's office arms tightly folded preparing for another classic Alex/ Gene battle of wills whilst Gene lounged in his chair.

"You have to call him Gene." She insisted for the third time, "You have no choice."

"I do and I am not! What am I going say "Oh hi Captain O'Grady, got sum bad news fer ye..soz but I've lost the officer you signed into my care….sorry about that." replied Gene sarcastically. It was a phone call Gene really didn't want to make. He didn't want to lose face with the NYPD and especially O'Grady. He felt Leroy was his responsibility and his alone and he had to find him before the bad guys did.

Alex huffed in frustration. "It is your duty to report Leroy missing, I told you we should have done it sooner…If, and I mean if Leroy has gone back to New York then it is going to look a whole lot worse if he suddenly turns up in O'Grady's office and you haven't told him."

"We don't know he's even gone back, he could be in ruddy Glasgow fer all we know." countered Gene getting more exasperated by the minute.

"Exactly!" punctuated Alex "We have lost him and he could be in danger right now, therefore, it is only right and proper procedure to inform his boss that his officer could be in danger."

"Bugger procedure, my station, my patch, my rules, my call. I will get Ray and Chris right onto it, they can find 'im and find out what the bloody 'ell is going on with 'im."

"Well on your head be it." snapped Alex as she headed for the door.

"Where are you going in a hurry?"

"I am not sitting around here waiting for something to happen." Alex marched out into the office and motioned to Shaz. "Shaz, we're going to do some detective work."

"Fab!" beamed Shaz hurrying to her feet to scurry after Alex.

"Finally I can get some peace and quiet round 'ere." Gene called after them.

As Alex stomped down the corridor she muttered "Stupid, pig headed….ego, ….procedures…..reckless…."

The SI10 office was strangely muted for once. The officers busied themselves with paperwork or computer data bases, or at least gave the impression they were absorbed in their work. Harry couldn't concentrate on anything other than thinking about Dempsey going deep undercover and the possibility that once he left the office she may never see him again. The mere thought filled her with misery. This was life at its cruellest, you find a man you love only for them to be taken away from you…yes, she had found herself in love with him. She berated herself for being so soppy, that wasn't her style, but she couldn't deny it. Dempsey had wheedled his way into her affections like no other man, but Dempsey wasn't like other men.

Dempsey couldn't sit still for two seconds. He hated waiting and endlessly fidgeted.

Spikings had no such luxury of waiting. He was hurrying to make preparations, making phone calls to the appropriate people in the appropriate departments. Signing paperwork for various authorisations. More morbidly, making sure that Dempsey's will and 'next of kin' details were up to date. He had already made the transatlantic phone call to O'Grady to bring the NYPD Captain up to speed with the events in London. O'Grady had been dreading the inevitable day he would receive the phone call from Spikings informing him that Dempsey's cover had been blown; now it was a race against time at the last chance saloon for Dempsey, for Leroy and all concerned.

The peculiar atmosphere was broken by Chas racing into the office. On hearing Chas's entrance, Spikings stirred from his desk and joined the rest of the team.

Chas handed Dempsey an envelope. "Life assurance Dempsey."

Dempsey flicked through the money in the envelope "Not much here." He frowned.

"Deep cover Dempsey." gruffed Spikings "from now on you have to make your own living."

Dempsey nodded in acceptance. It wasn't much money, but it was enough to get him started in the wide world. He'd done deep cover before and knew It could take months or even years. This wasn't lost on Harry either; she knew exactly what lay ahead for Dempsey. He would have to assume a completely different identity, lead a separate life. As soon as he would step out of the SI10 offices, Lt James Dempsey would cease to exist….as far as the public, media and hopefully the criminal fraternity knew, James Dempsey died in a gangland shoot out. He was dead.

Harry desperately wanted to fling her arms around Dempsey knowing it could be their last time, but that wouldn't be the correct thing to do in the middle of the office surrounded by their colleagues.

It was as if Dempsey could read her thoughts, he could feel the pain of not being able to say goodbye properly. He had to go, if he stayed any longer one of them would crack. He shrugged on his jacket and hurried out of the office and the building without saying a word.

As he stepped over the threshold into daylight James Dempsey was dead.