Disclaimer I still don't own Dempsey and Makepeace.

Case in Point?

"So who was this guy?" Dempsey glanced up as Harry pushed his feet off her desk.

"Bad news." Spikings started. "You were in New York when all this happened."

"Yeah, when was this? Eight years ago? And he's out now. Jeez." Dempsey read the handwritten notes in front of him. "How can you do this and be walking the streets again? I will never understand your legal system. "

"Well, we are more advanced than the USA." Harry glared over the paperwork in her hand. "I was with that poor man's widow. She was terrified. Absolutely terrified."

"Her husband was murdered in front of her." Chas ran a hand over his face. "Not something she was going to get over easily."

"Especially not at seven months pregnant." Spikings shook his head, remembering the petite blonde that had cried in front of him. "This man has to be stopped."

"We don't know it is him." Dempsey looked up. "Plenty of sick and depraved people in the world. We see that on a daily basis. You know that."

"If it isn't him." Harry placed the papers on her desk. Spikings shot her a look. "All I am saying if it isn't him then we have another very dangerous man out there."

"I thought you said he was convicted of attempted murder?" Dempsey looked up.

"He was." Chas nodded. "William Jones had a brilliant defence lawyer. Probably paid for by the money he laundered. Anyway, his victim Steven Morris died three years later. He killed himself."

"Because of what that man did." Dempsey stated rather than asked. "Jeez. He had a kid."

"Two actually." Harry sighed. "Carly was two when it happened. Dylan was born just after it happened. At least Carly will remember her father." She sighed, looking back at the paperwork. Dempsey watched her for a moment. He still had no real idea what the argument had been about that morning but he knew something was under her skin. He knew the so called Thriller Killer case had almost finished them, that she was still having nightmares about it, combined with those her ex husband had caused. Harry ignored him and carried on reading her paperwork.

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Spikings slammed the phone down on his desk and swore. His soon to be ex wife was the most annoying and infuriating woman he had ever met. Her lawyer was proving to be a close second. He looked up as Chas walked into the office.

"Sir."

"Any news on William Jones? Has he crawled out from underneath that stone he's hidden under?"

"Not yet." Chas paused. "I spoke to Morris' wife earlier. She doesn't live in London anymore. She took the kids to Cardiff a year after he died."

"Cardiff? Did we see a Welsh connection at the time?"

"SI10 didn't exist then. So no, but she says Carly and Dylan are doing well."

"That's good news at least. Do you remember what he said? The day he was dragged away to the cells? Because I do. And Chas, to be honest if I could have got my hands on him there and then we wouldn't have this to deal with now."

"No Sir." Chas narrowed his eyes. "But then SI10 would never have existed and you would be serving life for murder." Chas watched as Spikings nodded. "He is not worth dirtying your hands with. I said that then, when I was a PC. You know Harry and I jumped at the chance to try out for this unit. You know what SI10 has achieved. Don't throw it all away on a vendetta."

"Marjorie Proops eat your heart out." Spikings smirked as Chas held his gaze. "You're right. Of course." The middle aged welshman glared. "But I remember he said he was going to come back for Julie Morris and he was going to finish what he started."

"Why her? That was what I always wondered. I could understand him saying he would finish her husband but Julie?"

"She was my informant." Spikings crossed the office, closing the door as he went. "Julie knew her husband was involved in something dangerous. She knew I was DI at her local nick, so she came to see me."

"She knew you personally?" Chas frowned. "You were both married. I mean."

"You better watch what you mean." Chas raised his eyebrows as Spikings snapped at him. "Julie Morris and I knew each other because, if you read the notes clearly you'll see she worked in the shop opposite the police station. A small corner shop, owned by Raj Sungupta and his daughter Susharma."

"Ah." Chas knew there was no way his boss was going to admit he was more affected by this case than he ought to be. Chas could see the older man was scared and he had no idea why. Closing his eyes for a moment he wondered if he was the only officer in the department that would be able to remain objective about the case.

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"Anyway." Harry walked alongside Dempsey as they headed towards the shop opposite the now closed police station. "There is nothing to say Raj still owns the shop."

"You were a WPC." Dempsey smirked slightly. "Uniform and everything."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Dempsey." She rolled her eyes. "Yes I had a uniform. No you are never ever going to see me wearing it."

"Don't need to, Princess." He smirked as she glared. "Mental image already there."

"Behave yourself Dempsey." She bit her bottom lip, loving how they were back to innocent flirting again. Although after the night before she wasn't sure there was anything innocent in it anymore. It still got under her skin that he had barely touched her the night before. He had told her he loved her, followed her to her family home when she had been on the verge of a nervous breakdown, kissed her as though his life depended on it but now? Now she had no idea what was going on.

"Don't I always?" He feigned innocence before pushing the shop door open.

"Harry!" An elderly indian man walked around the counter to greet her. "It has been such a long time. You look well. Gita is in the back with Susharma and the children."

"Children?" Harry smiled at him. Dempsey looked on, wondering why the older man was so pleased to see her.

"My grandchildren. Zafar is three, Sunita is eighteen months. A real handful. Like her mother." He ushered them into the back. "Bring your friend with you. I know Sush and Gita will be so pleased to see you. Did I tell you my son is at univeristy?"

"Really?" Dempsey smiled.

"Now I feel old." Harry smiled at him. "How old is Nikil? I am sure he was a baby last I saw him."

"Eighteen." Raj smiled "And you are not here to catch up on old times. Are you?"

"No. Sadly not." Harry glanced at Dempsey as the old man shook his head.

"Is she ok? Julie? She was never the same after Steven died."

"We have been in contact. Her and the children appear to be safe."

"Good." He nodded his head. "But something tells me I am not. If I was, you wouldn't be here, would you? He's out. Isn't he? That man I gave evidence against. That excuse for skin and bone is out." He watched as Harry nodded.

"I."

"Well, thank you for letting me know." Raj ran a hand over his face. "Eight years ago you and your boss. The Welsh man said me and my family would be safe."

"I know." Harry paused. "We had no idea why he was released early. You will be safe. You and your family. But I need to know why Julie came to us in the first place. What did he have over her that made her turn to us?"

"I am afraid." Raj glanced at his wife when she walked into the room. "I am afraid I do not know the details. But Steven did. That was what I believe drove him to his end. It was too much. To love someone and have them betray you in such a way. It killed him."

Harry closed her eyes for a moment, knowing Dempsey was watching her. She had a feeling she had some explaining to do.

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A/N More soon. Please review