The Good old times

As Gene and Alex return to work. He realises he's falling for Alex but feels he can't admit it to her yet. Their first case is a double murder of two best friends.

Alex was back at work within a few days she was happy to see everyone when she entered the office. Viv gave her hug "great to see you back DI Drake been quiet around here recently". She took her jacket off, sitting down and studied a few pieces of documents.

Gene hadn't arrive for work yet everyone had wondered when he would eventually turn up and how he might react around Alex . She wanted to go through a few documents with him but found he wasn't in his office yet. "Right Roger That" Chris put the phone down "there's been another murder young girl early twenties found in the docks , better let the Guv know when he arrives " he wrote a few important notes down on a notepad after putting the phone down.

Gene was sitting in the Quattro having a smoke as he sat perfectly still in the driver seat, he felt nerves running through his veins and mind. Tapping his hands on the steering wheel looking upwards at the window of the offices. It had been a few weeks since he was suspended. As he got out of the Quattro he was greeted by DCI Richards who was carrying his office items in a box. "You must be DCI Hunt then , you've been missed round here" shaking Gene's left hand.

Gene made his way up the stairs to the back entrance of Fenchurch East. Chris met him by reception "Alright Guv good to have you back, we've had a phone call about a murder in the Docks. Second one this week" .

Gene leant against the reception desk "Right Christopher go and get DI Drake and DS Carling we've got some investigating to do and some criminal bastard to catch" as he pulled his leather gloves tight on his hands." He looked around he still felt that he was getting strange looks from fellow police officers but it didn't bother him anymore he felt he was back to his best.

He saw Alex coming towards him with Ray feeling nervous as she approached him smiling at him, they walk next to each other with Chris and Ray behind them. "How are ya Bolly you ok" , she gave him an amusing look "I'm feeling very good today Gene". She was in a good mood, she had been seeing Simon for a couple of days he had taken her out on a few dates. "How's the boyfriend then" Alex knew Gene was jealous of Simon she just didn't want to tell him to his face.

Getting to the Quattro, Ray pulled a magazine from his pocket reading through it as he got in the back seat. "Come on Chris look she's pretty fit isn't she" Chris turned his head looking out the other side of the car. Ray shook his head chuckling "Bloody ell Chris Shaz's got you wrapped around ya finger".

Gene was the last to get in the Quattro, "Fire up the Quattro then" Alex whispered quietly, he had heard her. Gene turned his head at Alex giving "I'm not amused reaction" pouting his lips. As he pulled the clutch it as the car left the police car park, she turned her head at him again, tilting her head "Boy it feels good to be back in the Quattro" she thought to herself.

The Quattro sped to its destination in the Docklands. It arrived soon afterwards. As they examined the body, Alex noticed that the girl had been strangled with a thin piece of string and had two small puncture wounds in the left side of her neck. She pointed it out to Gene who wasn't so sure. "Don't know Drake could have been stapled in the neck looks like it , poor girl".

"We got a name, Heather Nutkins". Chris had realised that she was the best friend of the first girl that had been murdered earlier in the week he had interviewed her in the interview room . She had been in a couple of days ago to identify her friend's body in the mortuary . "Coincidence maybe" he thought.

Gene knelt down on his knee finding a piece of evidence, a torn piece of clothing. Showing Alex the evidence "probably the murderer's then" it had something written on the back SG "someone's initials maybe". As him and Alex looked for more possible clues.

Ray was asking the person who found the body in the water some questions, the man looked shaken up. "What's your name mate?" He answered "Bobby Schofield". He was a man in his late forties, wearing his tracksuit he had been out running early morning by the river. He told Ray how he had found the body floating the water and then he phoned the police.

"What do you think then Miss Marple" Gene asked Alex as he walked up behind her. "We'll have to find put who this SG is a friend, family member or boyfriend perhaps", they left Ray and Chris at the scene as they were making more enquiries.

The ride back to the police station felt awkward for Gene as they were left on their own. He had wanted to ask her more about this Simon but felt embarrassed as she'd think he'd be jealous which he knew he was.

"Guv Heather's mother's here at reception" Shaz told him as she walked passed them . Take took her to the interview room to ask a few questions about Heather. Him and Alex sat down to talk to her about "if Heather had been in trouble or made any enemies".

Heather's mum was very upset she felt that her daughter was being led astray by her friend when they went out clubbing, sometimes Heather would not come at home some nights her daughter had often thrown tantrums and been very distant from her mum. .

"Was she doing drugs Mrs Nutkins?" Gene lent forward to ask the question. "No she wasn't as far as I know , she never told me anything , ya know that friend of hers was a bad influence" .

Alex asked the next question "Mrs Nutkins I know this a very hard time for you but did she have any reason to fall in with a bad crowd". Mrs Nutkins wiped a tear from her left eye trying to take in Alex's question.

"I had spotted her with this young man once when she came home he followed her in but she must have told him to go way, I asked her who he was and she told me to shut up, kept it to herself".

Ray and Chris arrived back they had got a few names of a couple of suspects. Looking down at the list of names on the piece of paper on the desk "Not him is it, Stephen Gordon wasn't he suspected of carrying out that robbery back in Manchester I mean we've got his address might as well pay him a visit" They made a few more phone calls.

"Gene I'm telling you she must have known the killer" he disagreed "Bolly It must have a random attack the mother wasn't sure herself of who her daughter was getting involved with" He felt himself getting frustrated by Alex's disagreements. "Going to Luigi's to calm down" as his long black overcoat swung from side to side . As he walked away from her down the corridor . Alex couldn't work out what was up with Gene today.

Later on in the evening everyone was sat chatting in Luigi's, Gene had been there for two hours. Luigi felt a bit concerned for him, occasionally looking over at him as he had been sat quiet at the corner table in the restaurant. Alex arrived "Ah Signorina Drake please cheer Mr Hunt up he's been sat there for two hours staring into space not saying a word "

She took her drink over to his table. Sitting down to face him. He looked very down as his eyes were fixed on his drink and plate of chips not looking at her. "Gene what's up with ya today is it because its your first day back. He sighed sadly, looking up at her, the power of his eyes staring at hers.

He wanted to tell her that he was hopelessly in love with her but with her being with Simon he felt he had lost his chance.

Next chapter can Gene pluck the courage to confess his love for Alex? and the murder case takes a dark turn placing one member of the team in danger.