The next day at bang on one o'clock the start of their allotted lunch hour Gerry decided today that he was actually going to go on time.
"Right, see you in an hour" he said pulling on his coat.
"Gerry, where are you going" Sandra asked.
"Err, lunch" he said.
"Gerry you never go to lunch by yourself" once again Detective Superintendent Pullman was suspicious.
"Yeah well I need to see a man about a dog"
"Fine, but be back here for two, sharp"
"Yes Guv" he looked at Brain as he left signalling to him to book a fancy restaurant while he was gone.
Sandra and Jack had already started eating their lunch at the table in the office when they thought Brian was coming to join them.
"Er Jack could I please borrow your mobile, I need to make a call"
Sandra and Jack gave each other glances to confirm that they both thought Brian and Gerry were up to something.
"Yeah sure, here" Jack said throwing him the mobile phone.
"Ta Jack" he smiled taking his call outside.
"What do think' is going on then "Jack said wiping the corner of his mouth.
"I don't know but I think it has something to do with this stupid competition" she relplied with a mouth full of potato salad.
"What competition" Jack asked his boss.
This time she waited until her mouth was empty before speaking "Oh this baking thing for a magazine, he is desperate to win the cash prize but he says he only can win if he has a 'trophy wife'".
"Oh like that is it and your telling me he's not asked you to be Mrs Standing for the day, I am surprised"
"Oh he did ask me alright, but I said no"
"Oh the idea of going in a magazine that no one reads as Gerry's wife not do it for you"
"Not really no"
"Oh, you do realise that he is having money problems again"
"Gerry's always having money issues it's his addiction to gambling that's caused it-"
"And his ex-wives and daughters" Jack cut her off.
"Yeah well it's his mess he should sort it out, not me"
"In all fairness he has tried almost everything" Jack attempted to reason.
"Has he put you up to this?"
"No, no, it's the first I have heard of it"
"Oh well good"
Outside the Metropolitan Police station Brain had successfully booked a table for two under the name Standing for 6 O'clock tomorrow night using a mobile phone. On the way back inside he bumped into Gerry.
"You got the table booked" he asked.
"Yeah It's all sorted, you manage to pick up the tickets okay"
"Yeah fine" he said handing Brian the tickets as proof.
"Oh Gerry I said tickets to the opera not Phantom of the Opera" he exclaimed.
"Yeah well I'm not sitting through some lame opera that I can't understand and besides have you seen how much them tickets cost, I would need to win the competition twice for it to economically benefit me"
"What happened to being a gentleman?"
"I can still do that, come on I better ask her now, I mean I am screwed if this doesn't work"
"No time like the present, come along Casanova"
By now Sandra and Jack had finished their lunch and Sandra had just put the phone down to Strickland who was away in Crete for a week with his new girlfriend, checking up on how the case was going.
"Go on Gerry, she's on her own, ask her now" Brian pestered in a whisper.
Gerry knocked on her door.
"Gerry what do you want" she said with a false smile thinking to herself that he was going to try and ask her about being his wife for the day again.
"Umm Guv I've got tickets for a show in the west end and was wondering if you would like to accompany me"
"Gerry you're still not trying to woo me for this competition are you" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Nah, nah that's all sorted now, I was just wondering if you fancied it as you never really get a break from work" thanks for the line Brian he thought.
"So gambling finally paid off then"
"Er, yeah I suppose so, well what do ya say Guv" by now Gerry looked desperate.
"Oh go on then if you're that desperate for a date" she smiled.
"Oh it's not a date Guv I can assure you"
"Good, I'll get the taxi to pick you up at yours for around half five then" he smiled happy he was on the way to getting what he wanted.
"Half five Gerry are you insane I can't get home and get changed in half an hour"
"Yeah well with Strickland being away you could always knock off early, just for one"
"Yeah go on then, you're on Gerry" she said watching him leave her office still a bit suspicious of what he really wanted.
Hope this is still okay, let me know what you think of it so far! Love Gee xx