Makepeace looked up slowly but noticed a figure move out of the corner of her eye, on the deck below. She pulled her head back abruptly. "Dempsey, I think we're being watched." Dempsey looked at her bewildered for a moment. Makepeace walked across the deck to glance over the railing to the lower deck. "I saw someone down there watching us." He joined her. "You sure?" He looked at her suspiciously. Makepeace frowned. "I saw someone down there Dempsey!"

"So it was a guest, so what?"

"No this person didn't look like a guest, the way he was dressed and, well he was…lurking."

"He was what?"

"Look Dempsey, believe what you like but he was acting oddly." She strode back towards the exit then and he called after her, "Well he aint here now." She wasn't listening though as she made her way back down the stairs to take a closer look. He caught up with her at the bottom of the stairs but saw with surprise that Lock was approaching them. "There you are, I've found you at last. So sorry to have not been there to greet you, I'm afraid I was busy elsewhere."

"Not to worry, tell me, did you happen to see anybody else here just now?" Lock looked puzzled. "No, just you two. Why, were you looking for someone?"

"No… must have been my imagination." She said to herself. Lock smiled and put his hand on the small of her back, gesturing to the other side of the boat. "Would you like a tour?"

They made their way back and Lock gave them an overview of the boat, explaining the different decks and rooms. Dempsey followed them, watching from behind as Lock touched her back and looked constantly across at her. Their conversation turned back to that of his father again, and how he was sure that they must have met as children. Makepeace smiled and engaged him in the conversation much to Dempsey's annoyance. They discussed the various club meetings he attends and the number of society events he now frequents in place of his father. After some time he led them into a small lounge on a lower deck, where he walked across to the bar in the corner to pour them some more champagne. "Harriet, you must say you will accompany me to the Hunt Ball next week. I'm sure you will know many of the people there." She glanced at Dempsey then and back at Lock. "Oh I don't often go anymore to those things." He gave her a disconcerting look then and she wavered. "However, it would be good to catch up with people. I'll check my calendar." She smiled briefly at him.

Then there was a knock at the door and a man entered, he pulled Lock to one side and spoke to him discretely. Lock turned back to them. "I'm so sorry, I am wanted again. Please feel free to finish your drinks and join us on the upper deck." He followed the man out of the room.

"I hope I didn't interrupt anything there?" Dempsey said heading for the bar to refill his drink. Makepeace looked thoughtful. "You know I think you may be right about this case, something doesn't fit."

"Finally the lady twigs." She looked at him with annoyance then. "Shut up Dempsey, do you actually have any clue as to what exactly doesn't fit?"

"I've some ideas."

"Really. What's wrong with you all of a sudden anyway?"

"Nothin', but if you're plannin' on datin' that guy perhaps you wouldn't mind lettin'

me know at some point."

"Why, what difference does it make?" He put his drink down abruptly and walked towards her. "Well if you're gonna be hangin' on him all the time we could call off the protection and save the country some bucks!"

"Hey, I have no intention of 'hanging on' him, or anyone else for that matter. Now move." She brushed him aside. He walked around her, barring her exit. "Oh, that's about right."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean now?"

"Miss ice maiden strikes again, ever think of throwing caution to the wind once in a while Makepeace?"

"What is it to do with you anyway Lieutenant? And come to think of it, what makes you so sure that I don't throw caution to the wind in my personal time?"

"Oh come on Harry, I've known you long enough, who was the last guy you were with?"

"Not that it's any of your business Dempsey, but I'm actually seeing someone at the moment."

"Sure but I'm not talking about datin' now Harry." He moved towards her in an intimidating way, she shouted at him in frustration. "Would you like me to sleep with Lock, would that satisfy you Lieutenant?" His eyes widened in anger. "No, not especially Sergeant but don't let me stand in your way!" He moved to allow her access to the door. She looked at him with a confused expression on her face and then stormed out.

In the darkness of the corridor she looked about her, trying to remember the way back to the party, then she heard a noise behind her. She turned abruptly then but was pulled roughly backwards, and before she could register what was happening a hand clamped over her mouth. In a sudden jabbing motion, she brought her elbow back into contact with the person behind her. She heard a gasping sound and was released abruptly, but found herself hurled forward as the boat jolted. A sudden sharp pain tore through her head then and all went black.

"Harry! Harry, get up." The words cut through her consciousness but she was unable to move. Her whole body felt cold and she could feel the floor in contact with her head, shoulder and hip. With immense effort she turned her head and took in a huge gasp of air, only to gag in shock as she felt herself choking. She lifted her head then, scrambling to pull herself upwards as she spluttered and fought to get breath into her lungs. Panic rose in her, as she was unable to breathe in enough air to cough up the water in her throat. She held on to a nearby chair, gasping for air and trying desperately to calm herself enough to bring her breathing back to normality.

Slowly she was able to make sense of her surroundings. "Get up Harry, c'mon, we gotta get outta here." She was in the small lounge again and Dempsey was stood at the far end. She clambered onto the chair and realized that she was completely soaked, the entire floor was flooded and water was rolling and slopping against the furniture and walls as the boat rocked. She jumped up then and clambered towards Dempsey. "What happened?"

"Listen Harry, we're in trouble. There was an explosion and by the looks of things the boat is flooding. You gotta find the key to these." He held out his hands and she saw that he had been handcuffed to a pole. "Where is it?"

"The guy dropped it in the struggle, it must be on the floor somewhere." Makepeace looked down under the layer of water, kicking aside the books and other objects that had fallen into it. "I can't see it, where abouts should I be looking?"

"On the floor somewhere." Dempsey raised his voice. "I know that, but where exactly?" Makepeace yelled back. She paced the room, dipping down to feel the floor or push aside the debris. "It's there somewhere." She could feel how quickly the water was rising as it began to chill her stomach and arms. Renewed alarm began to fill her then as she hopelessly went over old ground, wading in the water and searching for the key while the water level rose, gushing in under the door. "Damn it Dempsey, I can't find it, there's too much water." She went back to him.

"Can't you get them off?" She looked at the handcuffs. "How do you propose I do that sergeant?"

"I don't know, loosen them." He tugged violently at the handcuffs and the loud clattering sound reverberated around the room. "I'll find something to help us get them off." Makepeace stood in the centre of the room in the water, scanning it with her eyes for something to help them. With reluctance she realized that she was going to have to leave the room to search for something but the water was rising so quickly that she turned to Dempsey with concern. The water was already up to his chest. "I'm going to go and find something, or get help, Dempsey, will you be okay?" He stared at her then in silence. She shouted, louder this time. "Will you be okay?" He still failed to answer her."Damn it Dempsey, answer me!"

"Go."

"What do you mean?" From the look on his face a sudden terror hit her and her conscious mind refused to acknowledge what she feared he was saying. "You can't come back, there's too much water flooding in here and there aint enough time anyway."

"Don't be so bloody stupid, I'm not leaving you here!"

"You have to Harry, simple as that."

"No I bloody well won't!" She screamed at him. He stopped then, searching her face with a frown. "Okay, go and find something to get these off." Her mind was in utter turmoil, if she left him now would she be able to get back to him? Deep in her sub consciousness she suspected that if she left it would be the last time that she ever saw him, and her mind could not cope with that. If she stayed, she may be able to keep his head above water in the vague hope that help would soon arrive. "No, like you said there's too much water, you'll drown by the time I get back."

"Well get the hell outta here then!" He bellowed at her. "We'll wait for help together." His eyes widened. "Are you outta your mind! Help aint comin' here in time!" She grabbed for the handcuffs then, shaking them and trying to pull his hands out. "It won't work Harry."

"Shut up Dempsey! Shut up!" She continued pulling at both his hands and the chain. "Damn!" The boat gave a jolt then and she was thrown backwards into the water. She scrambled back to him. "Go now Harry!"

Tears began to stream down her face then. "No, I'm not going, we're getting you out of here." She held onto the cuffs to stop herself from being flung back again by the movement of the boat. Dempsey took hold of her arm firmly and forced her to look up at him. "For God sake Harry, get outta here will you!" A look of devastation spread across her face as she sobbed in earnest. "But we're partners, we stick together no matter what Dempsey." The terror rose in him then to match her own and he growled, pulling away from her in frustration. "I want you to go, I don't want no woman in here fussin' over me and makin' things worse." She frowned at him, a hurt look on her face. "Damn it Harry, I never wanted you as a partner, you were a liability. I've put up with you because I've been forced to." She stared at him in shock and horror. "You're lying to me, don't say that, not now."

"I'm not lyin', do somethin' right for once and get outta here."

"Dempsey stop it! Please don't say that. Don't do this to me Dempsey, I can't leave you like this!" She put shaking hands on his shoulders, trying to pull herself closer to him through the water.

He put his head down then, making a sound deep in his throat. When he looked up she could see the emotional toll on his face. "Come here." He said lifting his cuffed hands up and she ducked under them, into the circle of his arms. He looked deep into her eyes then. "Listen Harry, you're a real special lady and you know I think we coulda had somethin' real good, if I'da had time to get through that stubborn streak of yours." He said with a wry smile, then continued. "Don't hide behind the job all your life sweetheart, you're way too special for that." He said brushing wet strands of hair from her face. She closed her eyes. "It sounds as though you're saying goodbye to me." Then she was staring up at him with a look of appeal on her face, trying desperately to sound positive. "Come on, we can think of a way to get you out of here, you and I, we can come up with a way."

"No Harry there is no way." Panic began to set in again. "Don't give up James, you never give up so why now?"

"Because you'll end up dead with me!" He said with bitterness. "Hey, life is hard and then you die." He continued adamantly. "But you ain't dyin' with me Harry!" She put her head on his chest. "Don't leave me, please, I don't want you to die." She looked up at him but knew she was fighting a loosing battle. "Hey, I'll be okay, I'll be remembering that dance of ours." She put a trembling hand up to his face and ran her fingers over his wet eyes and cheeks. "I don't know how to say goodbye to you James." He pulled her closer then and put his forehead against hers, their eyes locked. "I care for you Harry, I really care." Then in a sudden movement he lifted his arms and before she knew what was happening he had disappeared under the water.