The next morning Alex sat in the Sergeants office, working hard on gathering evidence against Max Green. She hadn't seen Smithy yet. It didn't matter how hard she tried to concentrate on Max Green, she couldn't get her mind off Smithy. Why was she feeling like this?
At that moment Gina walked into the room. Alex busied herself and pretended she hadn't seen her.
"Good morning. How are we today?" Gina asked.
Alex knew that Gina had seen the way she had been with Smithy last night.
"Come on; say it because I know you're dying to." Alex said as she sat back in the seat.
"Say what? I haven't a clue as to what you're talking about." Gina said innocently.
"Well if it helps I haven't got a clue either." Alex said feeling frustrated.
Gina saw that her friend needed advice so she sat on the desk next to her and asked her what was wrong.
Alex thought for a moment. She didn't really know what was wrong.
"I… I think I may be getting feelings for Smithy. I don't really know what to do. It's only a few months since Paul died, and Smithy only lost Louise at the start of the year. Yet we both keep having these moments where we both feel really uncomfortable with each other." Alex sighed.
"Well, have you tried speaking to him?" Gina asked.
"No I haven't, nor do I intend to. What if it's just me? I really don't want to make a pratt of myself. Smithy and I are really close friends. We've been through so much together as well as separately; I've got three girls to think about and I don't know if he feels the same. What do I do?" Alex asked. She really relied on Gina.
"Talk to him. I don't know if you've noticed, but he's avoiding you as well. How do you know how he feels until you ask him?" Gina said.
"Do you know something Gina? I hate it when you're right." Alex smiled.
Gina just smiled and gave a slight shrug of her shoulder.
"Anyway, how are you getting on with Max Green?" Gina asked. Her tone changed slightly. She now sounded a little more official.
"Well, we know Max Green is supposed to have had a shipment of drugs brought into the country. I think the money from the bookies was just a bit extra on the side, as well as a decoy operation. That seems to be his usual MO. Yesterday Sam and Phil made quite a break through, so I just need to speak to them. Neither are in yet, apparently." Alex looked at Gina and smirked.
"Right well I'll leave you to it. Keep me up to speed with what happens. And I don't necessarily mean the case." Gina said.
"I know what you meant. Anyway, are you going to sign my cast? Everyone else has." Alex asked as she handed Gina a marker pen.
Gina looked down at the cast on Alexs' leg. There were a lot of messages from various members of staff, friends and family. Gina wrote her message whilst reading some of the others.
"Has Smithy not written one?" Gina said raising an eyebrow.
Alex just glared at her and Gina smiled. They both left the office and Alex headed for CID to speak to Sam and Phil.
Alex finally caught up with Sam in her office. Neil was out so Sam was alone doing some paperwork. Alex knocked on the door and Sam looked up.
"Hi Sam. How are you this morning?" Alex asked.
"Morning Alex. I'm great thank you. How are you?" Sam replied. She was in a really good mood.
"I'm very well thank you. You took my advice then?" Alex asked.
"Yes I did. Please don't say anything to anyone else. Phil and I have talked and we've agreed to keep it quiet, for now. So, how are we getting on with the Max Green case?" Sam asked.
"Well, Phil found some evidence that suggests that the robbery from the bookies was a decoy for a delivery of drugs. It's also a possibility that the money was used to pay off some of his debts to his drugs supplier. I don't know who his supplier is, but I do know he's from Spain. He's been his supplier for about three years. He gets a supply of drugs regularly but never to the same place. However, there is CCTV footage of Green with this supplier. I think it is footage of him setting up another drugs deal; all we have to do is get a lip reader in and let them tell us what they say." Alex explained.
"That's great Alex. Can you arrange that? Also I would prefer it if we knew who this other man is. If you could find out, it would be very helpful."
"Right Gov' I'll get onto it right away." Alex said as she left the room.
Alex walked down to the office. Smithy was sat at his desk working hard on his computer. Alex walked over to her desk opposite his. For a couple of seconds Alex just looked at him. When he looked up she quickly looked away, pretending to look for something. Suddenly, she realized that the file on Max Green that had been sitting on her desk was gone.
"Smithy, have you seen the file that was on my desk?" Alex asked.
"Yeah, I put it into the filing cabinet." Smithy said.
Alex walked over to the cabinet and started to look for the file. She started to panic a little when she couldn't find it.
"Smithy, are you sure it's in here? I can't find it." Alex said as she fumbled in the cabinet.
Smithy got up out of his seat and walked over to where Alex was stood. He stood behind her and reached into the cabinet in front. After a couple of seconds he pulled out the file and handed it to Alex. She turned round to face him. He had each arm at the side of Alex, and was leant against the cabinet.
"I'm not going to let you go until you say thank you and admit that you need my help." Smithy joked.
Alex glared at him. They looked each other in the eye and the atmosphere between them changed. Smithy leant forward and kissed Alex. She let him kiss her until she realized what she was doing.
"I really don't think that is a good idea, do you? I need to get this file to CID. If you will excuse me." She said as she pushed past him and headed out of the office.
Outside the office Alex leant against the wall and closed her eyes.
I can't believe I just did that. You stupid, stupid idiot. She thought. She sighed and walked up to CID with the file.
Smithy sat back down in his seat. He couldn't believe that he had just kissed Alex. He knew things had been a little awkward between them. He didn't know why he did it; he didn't have any reasoning for it. He couldn't help feel that no matter what happened now, his friendship with Alex wouldn't be the same.
