Sorry for the delay for getting this chapter up - my beta reader was having computer problems

Disclaimer: I do not own Ashes to Ashes

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Chapter 5


Molly awoke with her cheeks tearstained. She looked at the time, 7AM. Mum will be up now.

Molly got through her morning routine before picking up the phone.

Ring. Ring. "Hey?" Molly instantly recognised her younger self that had answered the phone.

"Can I speak to DI Drake please?"

"Yeah, I'll just go and get her."

"Thank-you."

There was a long pause before Alex came to the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi." Molly said as she smiled at the sound of her mother's voice. "I was wondering if you could help me."

"What do you need help with?"

"I know that you're busy, but I need you to help interview a suspect."

"Sorry, I can't."

"Please, you are the best person to do it, and we need the best."

"OK, I'll come in and do a profile, I can be there for 11. What time is the interview?"

"Interview is 3PM, you're welcome to come in at anytime to get everything ready."

"I'll be there at 11, I'll meet you at Front Desk."

"Thank you, thank you so much."

"it's OK, Got to go, bye." Alex hung up.

"Bye mum." Molly added when she put the phone down.

Molly had gathered CID around her, giving them all an update on what happened the day before.

"Yesterday I got a tip off that Donald Quinn was involved in this." Molly pointed to a photo of Quinn. "He's a banker, owns a very nice flat over looking Regents Park. He'd been taken from his home, and his fiancée Danielle was found in a wardrobe, she was left with broken ribs and facial injuries. She told us that Michael Haines had been involved, and was the man who assaulted her. We went to question Haines, he's in the cells now. I've got a Police Physiologist to come in and help Gene and I interview him."

"What did Haines say when you went to question him?"

Gene took the question. "'E said that they were bankers and computer chips were involved. This is all we know."

Molly looked up at the clock; nearly 11. "Guv, I'm going to get the psychologist."

"Right-o." Molly left. "I need one of you to go to the hospital and 'ave a chat with Miss Hardgraves. Rest of you go to special branch and give them the latest."

Gene went into the kitchen, pulled three cups from the cupboard and put the kettle on.

Molly could see that Alex was already there. "Morning."

"Morning, what's the case then?"

"Best get into CID first."

By the time they got into the office; it was empty. Gene was sat at his desk drinking his tea with five sugars. In front of the desk were two chairs and two cups of tea in front of each. He didn't move when they both entered through the double doors, Molly leading, Gene couldn't see past her.

They both entered his office; making him stand.

"So you're the physiatrist then?"

"Psychologist, actually."

"DCI Gene Hunt."

"Oh, hi, I'm DI Alex Drake." Gene just stared at her. "Sorry, do I know you?"

She wouldn't know me, she's Molly's construct and Molly doesn't know anything about me. "No, sorry, I made you some tea, both of you." They all sat in their seats.

Gene looked at Alex in complete amazement; it hurt him for her not even knowing him.

"Thanks for the tea, Gene." Alex said. "How did you know not to put milk in?"

Molly was intrigued too, "I just didn't think you had it, must be psychic."

"What's the case then?"

Gene coughed into his hand. "We, we've been following events for a few weeks no and nothing. Every scum bag out there has sewn their lips together about what's going on. Then yesterday we, well, I was sent fingers from an officer who we had undercover. Then Molly got a name and we investigated it, Donald's missing and fiancée is in hospital. Then man who put Danielle Hardgraves in hospital was arrested by us last night."

"Why did you call me then? I mean, if you've obviously got many organisations involved, why choose me?"

"As DI Grant has probably already said, you are the absolute best."

"Thank-you DCI Hunt."

"Gene, call me Gene."

Alex gave a small tut. "I think DCI Hunt is more professional. Don't you?"

"Suit your self." Gene said under his breath.

Alex gave him a shot of disbelief. "I'll need to see all of the evidence and previous personality reports."

"I'll go and get them for you mum." Alex looked up, "Ma'am, sorry."

"We are both DIs, call me Alex."

"OK, thanks Alex." Molly left Gene's office to get the files, leaving Alex and Gene alone.

"Never 'eard of me before then?"

"No, can't say I have. Sorry." Gene stood and picked his cup up.

"Want another brew?"

"That would be great thanks."

Gene came back with a fresh cup of tea for Alex and himself, he sat back down and continued to look at Alex. He was just how he remembered her, she would flick her hair back in subtle ways. It was much longer, and straight, not like the wild perm he'd first seen her wearing. There were no painted on jeans or off the shoulder tops, they'd been replaced with a suit.

"The way you look at me, it's like you know me already and you haven't seen me in a very long time. Do I remind you of someone?"

"Yeah, you look and act just like someone I used to know."

"You must have driven her nuts."

"Why's that?"

"Sarcastic comments for starters and then there is the whole physiatrist thing."

"Who said she was a psychologist in the first place?"

"I think you just did." Alex gave a comforting smile, Gene frowned and pouted.

"Yeah, well, she's not 'ere anymore."

"How long has it been since you last saw her? How long have you held on to her memory?"

"A long time, too long."

"Why can't you visit? Is it too far? Do you even know where she is?"

"What is with your questions? Will you be poking reeds up my fingers next or shoving red hot pokers up my arse?"

"Sorry?" Alex laughed absurdly. "No, sorry, really I am. I get interested in the way people look sometimes and the way you look is fascinating."

'I do want to tell you though, because it is you' "I know where she is, but I can't just visit her. Not yet anyway. I'm not fascinating, I'm Gene Hunt."

"Well then, Gene Hunt is fascinating."

"Got those files for you Alex." Molly came back into Gene's office and handed them to Alex.

"Thank-you Molly."

The interview commenced at 3pm, just as planned. Gene sat between Alex and Molly. Gene was having flashbacks to one night in Luigi's when he stood between Alex and Shaz; he felt like a stuffing in a feminist sarnie once again.

A PC brought Michael Haines into the interview room.

"Right-o, its 3pm, interview with Michael Haines, officers present DCI Gene Hunt, DI Alex Drake and DI Molly Grant. So, Haines tell us where you were yesterday afternoon?"

"At home, alone."

"Can anyone verify that?" Molly asked. Haines avoided the question.

"If you don't talk to us, we can't help you."

'I don't want to help him Bolly. I want him locked up.' "See, Haines we have a witness that can confirm that they heard your name being called."

"No comment."

"Mr Haines, I've been looking into your past and I found that your first ever conviction was when you were eleven. Do you remember?" Haines stared Alex. "Let me remind you. What made you hit your brother so hard that he never really came back? He's in permanent residence in the psyche ward isn't he? Do you know what this says to me? It tells me that your up bringing was not the best, probably alcoholic parents, regular beatings on you. Did your father just beat you? Thought that your brother deserved something?" Haines averted his eyes and looked at the floor. "This is all about power isn't it? You want to be the most powerful person around, to be in charge. You maybe powerful with your fists and be able to intimidate, but you're not running this, no one is going to back you up this time. You are expendable, no one is coming for you. If you want to get back at them, tell us, what's going on?"

"We know it involved bankers and computer chips."

"I think we should give Michael Haines a moment to think."

"Do you know, that is a cracking idea DI Grant. Interview suspended at 15.35."

At 4PM, Gene, Alex and Molly went back into the interview room.

"So Michael, are you ready to squeal?" Gene pressed the record button, "interview continued at 16.00."

"So Michael, now that you've had time to think, are you going to tell us?"

"What's in it for me? If I say, then you need to help me."

"You want police protection?" Molly asked.

"Just make sure that no-one can get to me."

"Don't worry, we'll be sure to lock away the key."

"Quinn, he's a banker aint he? He's their way in."

"Way into where?"

"The bank!"

"The bank?" The three of them said in unison.

"You're kiddin' me? You didn't even get that? The high flyers are the ones planning it, the economy has gone to the shitter, now everyone wants to get their hands on hard cash."

"They're lining their own pockets off the back of the UK economy, smarmy gits."

"How are they doing it?"

"Everyone involved are the people you would not suspect, they have money to pay off others to do the dirty work. They plan to break into the central bank on July 20th. Each partner was given a chip, the more chips the higher the stakeholder, the more money they get."

"What happened to Quinn?"

"They took him to one of the old warehouses down by the river front."

"Do you know anything about Oscar Bolton?"

"I've met him, but nah, don't know anything."

"You sure about that?"

"Sure."

"You were good in there Alex."

"Yeah, well, it helps when people secretly want to talk. He wanted to stop it because, even though he's a shit, he knew that it was too big for him. He's not sharpest tool in the box is he?"

"No. No, he's not."

"Well, I guess my work here is done. Good luck with everything. If you need me again, just call."

"Thanks Bols" Gene immediately said, "Sorry, Alex."

"Bols? Short for Bollinger right? I've been called worse. See you again sometime."

"I'll call, or I'll get Molly to call you if we need help with anything."

"I'd be glad too."

Molly went into CID, everyone was doing their best to match everything up; some were on the phone to special branch or another organisation, others were chasing up leads.

"Hey? I know that you're all working super hard, but we've just got some information out of Haines."

Those that were in the office, stopped and gathered around Molly. "Haines has said that it's a bank robbery, the chips will be used to overwrite the security. Everything has been planed impeccably, they have everyone the need to carry it out. Personally, I would not be surprised if special branch or someone else has known about this, and they've tried to cover up their own tracks. From now on, we do this our way, we don't let on that we know that it's a bank." Molly waited for a chorus of yeses in her direction before continuing. "We've also been given information that Donald Quinn is in a warehouse at the dockyard, I think that it will need all of you to go and find which one. Call either me, or The Guv when you find which one."

"We'd better be calling you then Molly, Guv never has his phone on does he?"

"That is true, call me when you have a location."

Molly watched as they left through the CID doors. "It's going to be a long night." Molly said out loud before turning the lights out and leaving to find Gene.


to be continued...

I have the next chapter, but I need to re read and add in some little bits, I'll upload by the end of the weekend!

Thanks for reading :)