They had just started tucking into their dinner when the race started. Everyone stopped; Tom, Billy and Dave were all watching Harry's bet, the first and second seemed clear but the third dog was not the right dog, not until the very last two seconds. Harry threw her hat up into the air as an act of celebration, it slew to the side and Dempsey caught it with a smug look on his face.
"Keep it" she said she gathered her betting slip and asked the tote waiter to bring her her winnings.
"Nice one" Tom sighed as he saw the wedge of notes laid down in front of Makepeace.
The tote waiter invited them all to place their bets for the next race; Harry went for a straight win.
"Trap 4 again" Billy observed
"I came across some good tips when I was at the Foreign Office" Harry admitted
"Trap 4 being one" she smiled.
Billy followed suit with the dog in trap 4 and on principle both Tom and Dave chose independent options. Billy's delight on another win brought a smile to Harry's face. As they finished their meal Harry and Tom fell into a discussion about working long term undercover on the financial scam. Billy listened and felt a strange mixture of excitement that one day this might be him, and horror that indeed one day this would be expected of him.
The next race Billy kept with trap 4 and Harry went with Black Wood. Dempsey, now wearing his hat, leaned across and offered to buy the next round out of his winnings.
"Bragging again Dempsey?" Harry asked scathingly
"No, I was just trying to be sociable" Dempsey was frustrated
"Harry won a real big one" Billy volunteered
"Oh well maybe the sergeant is buying the next round then"
"I wouldn't want to tread on your toes lieutenant"
"Why not; you do frequently"
"Not my fault if you don't move fast enough"
Tom looked at Harry ready to defend her but the war of words was not reflected by what he saw: two teasing smiles somewhat at ease within each other's personal space. No wonder he heard mixed rumours about these two he decided.
Dave was not interested anymore and had wandered off; Billy had felt intimidated and searched out Fry and a few minutes later Tom brought back three whiskies from the bar. "A little warming" he said as he passed each a glass "shall we move outside for a taste of grittier side of racing?"
All three made their way outside – they glanced around the terrace. Tom spotted Chas standing with Alice, Brian and his girlfriend. "You don't mind if I leave you and go and catch up with Chas?" he asked
"No problem Tom" Harry replied "I guess we'll see less of you once this undercover really kicks in – hope all goes well"
"Yeh, and thanks for the drink" Dempsey added as he raised his glass
Dempsey and Makepeace watched him go, Makepeace focused on Chas and Alice "It's so nice to see good old Chas with someone at last" she sighed dreamily
"You don't think he's a bit…. you know… under the thumb, like the other guys said?"
"And you're not because you go out drinking with the guys?"
"And girls" Dempsey added as he chinked his tumbler against Harry's
They watched the hare pass the start line and the greyhounds flee out of their traps. "Boy can they run" Dempsey exhaled
The 450 yard race was over not long after it began. Makepeace looked at her betting slip and the name of the winning dog "hmmm it would seem I've won again" she murmured "you Dempsey?"
In reply he screwed up his ticket but followed her in. "The thing is with these Greyhounds is that the short burst of energy is totally different to the stamina you need for a long run"
"And you would know"
"I have to decide which is best for me"
"The dog that wins the race I'd say"
"I wasn't talking dogs"
"Well your usual rubbish then"
"You know maybe you should go out with my fitness instructor"
Makepeace stopped in her tracks and turned "Why would I want to do that? – I'm no bloody lesbian!" Dempsey furrowed his brow as she continued "I might not want you Dempsey but that doesn't make me a dyke"
"What the hell are you on about Makepeace?"
"Why would I want to see your latest bloody girlfriend" She had restarted her walk and was now in the queue to claim her winnings "Jimmy's waiting with his tongue hanging out after you've used and abused her."
"Laura – are we talking about Laura?" Dempsey demanded
"If that's what her name is" Harry handed the slip over "– I'm glad you remember it after all she's obviously insatiable and satisfies your every manly urge." She picked up her money and pushed her way back out. Dempsey pushed the same people
"And you know this for certain" Dempsey demanded of her
Makepeace carried on pushing through the crowd, Dempsey pursued her. Makepeace called back over her shoulder quoting the words she had failed to stop searing into her:
"your best thing since sliced bread' 'you were going for gold' god help me – I can imagine that Dempsey – what was the coffee shop silver or bronze with your hand cruising her thigh" She continued to march down the steps looking for any SI10 personnel she could divert to. She spotted Jimmy and that launched her again "or to quote you yourself and your overinflated ego: 'last week was just a bit too intense for me' 'I think a couple of days off will actually help my performance'
Dempsey turned towards the bar and left her to march onwards to stand with Jimmy.
"You seem to be doing alright" Jimmy said as he watched her count the notes and put them in her back pocket " mind you I'd watch out for pickpockets round here Harry"
"Don't you worry Jimmy no one gets near me without me knowing"
"Not even Dempsey"
"Especially not Dempsey"
"You know what Harry I'm not so sure" Jimmy ventured cautiously
"Well Jimmy Bartholomew you're not me and believe me - I know"
Jimmy though about things then simply said "That hat"
"What about it?"
"I like it on you best"
Harry put her hand up to her head and felt its absence
Dempsey reappeared this time with a vodka and another two whiskies. "A word in your ear partner" he whispered as he handed her the drink; she looked at the hat and regretted that she no longer owned it.
He took it off and used it to enlarge his hand and guide her away from the crowds. Once he felt they had a modicum of privacy he placed the hat back on her head and arranged the tilt, as he did so he smiled. "I like it on you best" he admitted
"What's this about Dempsey?"
"Laura" he fixed Harry's eyes and held his gaze so that she dare not look away "You know I like a good workout Makepeace" he started
"Well I don't know now do I Dempsey – I only know what you imply"
Dempsey grinned; Makepeace, her deskwork and powers of deduction were amusing him. He wasn't really sure why he found the whole situation so comical, but he did. Probably it was because at work her powers of deduction and leaps of logic were responsible for their high success rate; now her assumptions entertained him. He was tempted to leave her with her presumptions but within them he could spot a trail of jealousy and that told him his outside odds of catching the sergeant were reducing. He liked that idea. He watched her, looking from her eyes to her lips and very much imagining working out with her right now, right there. It was only when Makepeace moved that he was reminded of where he was going before he was so pleasantly distracted "A good gym workout – come on Makepeace you've been with me"
"Once Dempsey – and you could chose a better turn of phrase"
"I rather liked that one – could be misinterpreted"
"Exactly"
"Like 'going for gold', or 'too intense'?"
Makepeace searched his eyes trying to fathom out where he was leading her "You have a gym at home" she ventured
"Yes but – Laura volunteered to be my personal trainer!"
"A personal trainer?"
"Someone who works you hard, pushes you on, never lets you stop" his eyes locked with hers "sounds rather like you"
"But why do you need one?" Makepeace asked deliberately ignoring the last comment "Your equipment is top rate"
"How do you know" Dempsey leered "you've not seen it"
Harry groaned, she'd fallen into that one,
Dempsey leaned across her lifting his hat back as he spoke in his low sexy drawl "You know Makepeace - you can try my equipment any time you like"
"Hey what about the hat"
"You gave it me - remember" he said over his shoulder as he sipped his drank and wandered back to Jimmy.
