Spikings moved to the bar and ordered a double whisky; he'd had enough of poncey drinks – this was going to be a long night.

Watson elbowed Tony who jerked "don't make it quite so obvious" he said

"What?" asked Tony

"Can't you stare a bit more subtly?" he hissed

"There's only those two bits of material…"

"I think we all know that" Dave growled

Fry leaned across "And the slit"

"What slit?" asked Tony

"Her legs" Fry mouthed

"I was too busy watching her…"

Dempsey felt gloriously happy; he was escort to the hottest property in the room. A waiter passed by with half a tray of canapés "Woah" Dempsey splayed out his hand to stop him. He picked up a napkin and placed a dozen items in his hand and as he started to eat them one after the other he turned to Chas responding to his question about their late arrival.

Makepeace suppressed a groan and decided that there was just time to catch up with some women officers she had done her original training with. She left Dempsey to his gorging and made her way across the room. Spikings, who was still stood at the bar, became acutely aware that the eyes of the room were now following Makepeace; he looked to his staff and noted that they too were watching her every movement - all that was apart from the damn Commissioner who was still watching him with the same distain.

Dempsey, like Spikings, was acutely aware of the multiplicity of gazes addressed in Makepeace's direction. As he finished eating one of his smoked salmon vol-au-vents Dempsey half raised his hand in her direction and commented "Now that's one hot looking babe" unusually there was no leer, just pride as he watched her join the table of women.

"Hey Harry, we've been hearing all about your partner"

"It's probably true" she smiled

"Have you actually fired your gun?"

"More times than I can count"

"Do you feel safe with him?"

"Isn't it dangerous working with him?" the questions flowed thick and fast.

"More dangerous working without him" Harry knew that from experience

"Doesn't he break the rules?"

"Only the ones that should be broken" she was actually enjoying this grilling

"He's quite a hunk"

"What about his reputation with women?"

Harry smiled "You watch him"

"Well we noted the change in your dress style" Barbara ventured

"It was a crazy moment of madness"

"You carry it well"

"I think the Chief is mad at me" Harry admitted but she still didn't regret wearing it.

"Your chief?"

"Boss" Makepeace corrected

"Why chief?"

"It comes from working with a yank all day"

"And all night?" Nita giggled and elbowed her neighbour

"Not unless it's a stake out"

"Well at least you can cuddle up to that to keep warm" Denise elbowed back

"I can't"

"Can't or won't DS?" asked Kate

"I'm not ruining my career by getting involved with my partner" Harry declared

"Well you won't mind if we form an orderly queue"

"Not at all"

Nita laughed "Who said anything about an orderly queue Denise? – I'm pushing right to the front".

Makepeace glanced back over to Dempsey for the fourth time and the girls nudged each other and Denise winked at them as she asked "So what do you do on a stake out with Dempsey?"

"The usual" Makepeace sighed as she realised the route the questioning would go.

"So you take it in turns to sleep and resort to reading the small print on the back of the licence disc holder?" Kate surmised

"We talk" Makepeace offered without much hope if it being an acceptable explanation

"Talk?"

"And argue – quite a lot of arguing" she admitted with a smile creeping out of the corner of her mouth as she thought about her and Dempsey arguing

"About?"

"This and that" Makepeace realised too late she had opened up another trap all by herself

"For instance" Kate prodded

"I've no idea – it's never important"

"So the last stake out?" Denise prompted

"Oh – he tried his chat up lines on me"

"And it worked" Nita observed

Harry blushed but denied it instantly then added "I agreed to come with him for a bit of fun; look around - theses events are usually dead"

"Don't worry Harry we'll pretend to believe you"

Harry breathed out a little

"Seven" said Hilary

"Seven?" asked Makepeace

"The number of times you've looked back over to him" Hilary explained

Sensing the impossibility of the situation Harry looked further around the room and with relief pointed out that 'it seemed as if dinner was finally coming'. She made her excuses to leave.

Dempsey was still describing the Securicor van raid he'd witnessed to Chas whilst Dave and Tony were still sniggering over Makepeace when Spikings arrived back.

Harry had sat in the only available space left, grateful it was next to Tom

"You're looking exquisite tonight Harry Makepeace" Tom leaned across and whispered in her ear

"Thank you" she acknowledged

"I don't think I've ever seen you in a dress quite like that one"

"I haven't got another dress remotely like this one"

"Very risqué don't you think"

"Maybe – but Tom you and I have been to these occasions before – they can be frightfully boring"

"It all depends on the company" he reminded her

She glanced around the room then around the table and looked back at Tom – "Exactly" then realising her words she added "I mean there's you, Tom, and Dempsey and that's about it"

"I've done so much undercover what with that mineral job and now this new job I've not had the chance to work with Dempsey much; is it working out for you? I mean I know you said you hated it at the beginning but you seem comfortable enough now"

"Well it's very different to working with you, but it's alright – in fact I'm quite enjoying it"

Billy had been half listening to Dempsey's raconteur but was still half mesmerized by Harry's dress and amazing daydreams were forming in his mind. He transposed himself into Dempsey's shoes and imagined the moment of arrival again. Suddenly he spoke out loud, addressing Makepeace "You know what Harry? You could have shared my taxi"

Harry smiled "I probably should have Billy but Dempsey and I had an agreement"

Billy looked questioningly

"A bargain really" Harry explained "the result of spending the night together"

An imaged flashed up in Billy's head and he blushed.

The moment Harry mentioned Dempsey's name his attention had been drawn to her conversation; he joined in "A night without sleep Billy". Dempsey winked and that flustered Billy as he realised what Dempsey was trying to imply and how that had matched his own flights of imagination. He wasn't the only one: Tom looked at Harry and watched a flush rise across her chest up her neck and onto her cheeks.

"Well Harry Makepeace what have you been up to?" he asked almost inaudibly

"Absolutely nothing" she declared "Tom – you and I spent many a night together!" she pointed out in her own defence

"Yes but that never really carried the same implications did it?" Tom quietly reminded her

Someone at the top table was announcing the programme for the evening but it was the soft growl emanating from Spikings that finally shut Dempsey up.