Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks.

How Dare She!

Gerry took a deep breath and followed his friend into the corridor outside the UCOS office. He hated the idea that someone was trying to end UCOS as much as Sandra did. He was just having an easier time keeping his temper compared to his boss.

"Sandra."

"Sally was a mate Gerry." Sandra marched on ahead.

"Look if she was in this with Lincoln and McCarthy then I don't see how she was much of a mate." He answered as Sandra turned round to face him.

"You know something Gerry?" She turned to face him as he looked at her blankly. "I was the only woman in CID in those days. I joined the force straight out of school and I worked bloody hard despite the fact I was only one of three women to join that year. My mother had tried to put me off the idea since I was 14. I had a point to prove to her maybe, I dunno. I put my heart and soul into this job from the day I got my A Level results and no one is going to cheapen that!" She watched as Gerry stepped towards her. He looked as angry as she felt.

"I know that. I know you and this Sally bird joined CID back in the days when women coppers took more than their fair share of stick. And I was one of the ones that gave out the crap. I know that. It was a different world then. If my Emily had to put up with the stuff you 'ad to I would tell her to leave the force."

"You wouldn't"

"I bloody well would. And I'd put my youngest off joining. But you know Jess. But you showed her then and we will show 'er now. You go after er all guns blazing with no bleedin evidence and she'll get what she wants." He watched as Sandra nodded slightly. She knew Gerry was right, but it didn't make her feel any better.

"Gerry." She shook her head.

"Look she works 'ere yeah?" Gerry watched as she nodded.

"So all we have to do is find out when she is supposed to be on duty. Look Sandra if Jack is right then we just 'ave to sit tight on this." Gerry stepped towards her as she closed her eyes.

"You're right. But if she thinks she is getting rid of UCOS she has another think coming. I mean it Gerry." Sandra did her best not to raise her voice. Gerry smiled and nodded as he stepped towards her.

"Good." He smiled slightly. "Plenty of people have tried to get us shut down. I aint seen noone manage it yet. You want to get something to eat. Because I am starving." Sandra rolled her eyes as Gerry smiled at her.

"You are always starving." She laughed as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah. I know." I'm growing. He smiled as she rolled her eyes.

"Ok. Canteen then. You're paying."

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Jack sat at his desk as Brian looked around the deserted UCOS office. He didn't like the idea of investigation another police officer. He knew he should have referred it to Internal Affairs. He stared at the paperwork on the desk in front of him as he wondered if he had just opened the biggest can of worms in his career.

"Jack?" Brian asked as he looked up. The small dog in the corner continued to snooze as the men talked.

"What is it Brian?"

"This Sally Morris. She worked for your team yeah?" Brian pushed his glasses up on to his nose.

"Yeah. I said that."

"And she visited Eleanor Lincoln in prison. We don't know why. 'Ow about I get Pushkar to come with me and we ask Lincoln since when she was so pally with a copper?" Brian asked as Jack smiled.

"Yeah. Yeah, he's on lates. She's going to be questioned about her part in Sandra's abduction. I'll get Emily to come with me to talk to Mad Dog." Jack smiled. "I have a feeling if we let Sandra and Gerry after them we'll be asking for more trouble." Jack pushed his chair away from the desk as the small dog opened his eyes.

"And you Scampi can stay in your basket." Brian smiled as the small dog yawned loudly before resting his head down. UCOS was his second home as much as it was Brian's. Jack shook his head.

"Does Sandra know he's here?" Jack watched as Brian shrugged.

"Thought it best not to mention him. You know 'ow she gets." He shrugged his shoulders in return as he followed his friend out of the office, leaving the dog to sleep.

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Sandra walked towards the police station canteen dreading to think what delights the small canteen had for those working nights at the station. Gerry shook his head, he knew he could eat anything but what he could eat and what he wanted to eat were two different things.

"I might just settle for coffee." Sandra sighed as she pushed the door open.

"Might be safer." Gerry nodded as he picked up a bag of crisps from the stand. Both stopped in their tracks as Strickland could be spotted nursing a cup of tea. The DAC looked decidely dishevelled as he bent over a newspaper as he sat drinking his tea.

"Sir?" Sandra walked towards him. She was worried for a moment until he looked up.

"Sandra. Gerry."

"Are you alright?" She asked as Gerry sat opposite him, uninvited.

"Fine. Shouldn't I be asking you that? After all it's you two that spent the evening in A&E."

"Ah I was only there because of 'er left 'ook." Gerry rubbed his cheek as Sandra rolled her eyes.

"Fine Sir, thank you. Look some information has come to light regarding my abduction." Sandra watched as his eyes narrowed.

"You cannot investigate that." He watched as she nodded.

"I know but the information relates back to a case from the 1980s. That I can investigate." Sandra watched as he nodded.

"Ok. Look, if this is about Sally Morris and the original investigation by CID in 1986 then yes I know about it and yes you can investigate it. I have already cleared it with IA. One foot wrong." He looked at Gerry who sulkily stared at his bag of crips. "And it will mean I pull you off the case. I have to. I also know Emily and Pushkar are interviewing Lincoln and McCarthy as I speak. With Jack and Brian so nothing happens until we read the transcript of the interview. Oh and when Sally is interviewed I intend to be there."

"I will interview her. But not yet. I want to find some evidence first, all we have at the moment is confirmation that she visited them in prison and that she worked with me. Not enough to do anything with." Sandra rested her head on her palm as Gerry nodded.

"Jack thinks she wants to shut UCOS down or at least get Sandra out of it." Gerry stated as Strickland nodded.

"Yes, when you were missing she came to me, asking if she could help out." Strickland watched as Sandra visibly paled. "I told her we had more than enough officers aswell as the rest of UCOS working on the team. She argued that we needed an actual police officer to run UCOS in your absence. I reminded her what my job was. I may not walk the beat these days but I am still an actual police officer as she put it." He shook his head.

"She wants me out. She wants my team." Sandra spoke quietly.

"So it would seem. But professional jealousy is not a crime."

"No Sir. No it isn't." Sandra glared "But I want to find out what the hell she thinks she is playing at. I mean how dare she? How dare she think she can walk in and take over? After everything UCOS have been through? After everything we have done? Jack, Brian, Gerry and me we are a team." She glared as Strickland got up.

"Calm down Sandra, I never had any intention of letting anyone else run UCOS if I didn't have to."

"Thank you Sir." Sandra watched as he walked away. It was then Gerry rested a hand on hers.

"None of us would have worked with her. You know that Sandra, UCOS only has one Guv and all three of us are very picky about who we work for." He watched as she smiled slightly.

"Ok then, let's see what tweedle dum and tweedle dee have found."

A/N More soon.