Dempsey filled in his expenses and then read over his report on the arms deal he'd just shut down. He opened an envelope that confirmed his transfer to SI10, the terms of his compensation from the NYPD which were generous and the statement more would be forthcoming on the conviction of Coltrane and the other bent cops.

Another letter confirmed his status as a D.I. which was only right since he'd been a Lieutenant for some time which was a higher rank than the Sergeants' here which officially made him Chief Inspector Spikings number two. He smiled with satisfaction at that, they'd all have to call him sir and since Spikings was a bit of a stickler for rank being observed he imagined he'd get some value out of that.

Later in the day Spikings called a team meeting and explained plans that had been formalized to expand SI10 due to their excellent track record and announced that they would be getting two more D.I.'s as well as Dempsey and there would be effectively three teams. Dempsey he named currently as his number two.

Joyce caught up with Harry in the Ladies locker room and she could see her partner and friend was somewhat rattled. 'I assume you're going to apply for one of the two positions Harry, the idea of working for D.I. Dempsey is going to take a bit of getting used to.'

'He usually took charge of the operational work anyway whether it was desired or not,' Makepeace observed wryly. 'I had to work hard to ensure my voice was heard.'

'Spikings thinks well of you Sergeant, you should apply… Joyce studied her friend and hoped that Jim Dempsey wasn't going screw up Harry's career again. For a sensible woman Makepeace seemed to react very oddly when it came to the now Detective Inspector.

'Or, I could transfer and work with one of the other teams in the Met,' Makepeace offered in a defensive tone. 'There are a number of roles I could apply for.' She didn't want to leave SI10 but the situation she'd found herself in with James was untenable and it had made her consider her options. And after the events of last night escaping his overbearing presence seemed desirable.

Joyce's eyes narrowed. 'I see.' She studied the younger woman's demeanour. 'Perhaps you should; our erstwhile Lieutenant and now D.I. seems to unsettle you. Did you try for a rapprochement? You don't need to answer that I can see that you did. And I'm assuming it didn't go well,' Hargreaves sat down and watched her friend's stormy expression disappear as she pulled on her cool Lady Harriet manner.

'I tried but D.I. Dempsey wasn't to be moved from his current position of being the most disagreeable man on the planet. In other words, it was a waste of breath.' She went over to the sink and splashed water in her face and felt thoroughly miserable at the current state of affairs.

Hargreaves kept her thoughts to herself on that as she hadn't got Harry's rose tinted views about Jim Dempsey and his response to Harry's approach wasn't a total surprise. She continued her former subject of conversation. 'Jarvis will probably go for it too; he's been a Sergeant for a while. You'll have to apply Harry as we need more females in senior positions even the inherent chauvinism in the force can't fail to acknowledge that.'

'I'll think about it,' Harry responded in an even tone not wanting to discuss the situation any further. An afternoon with the company accounts they were investigating seemed to be more pleasurable than fielding off questions about the state of her relationship with James or the prospect of promotion.

Meanwhile her bête noir was feeling like a complete louse. After coming down from his bad tempered outburst with Harry he'd began to realise that he'd been a total jerk. He could see he'd upset her because she was head down in whatever document she was looking at and trying to avoid any social interaction with the team.

His dark gaze travelled over her blonde hair, the curve of cheek and the angle of her jaw, he'd kissed every inch of the territory. She'd tasted great and her response had been totally mind blowing. Who knew that Sergeant Makepeace could go up in flames like that and on top of that she'd made the effort to try to work things out with him. What the hell was wrong with him? She'd taken him to meet her friends, her father and never seemed to be anything but happy to be in his company she certainly didn't preclude him from events and he'd accused her of regretting him which wasn't exactly fair. He guessed it was cos he was pissed because she'd agreed to them having a break and he'd hated that.

Chas was already applying for the D.I. role and Harry should do it too; she deserved it. He hadn't seen her take one of the application forms and was worried that she wouldn't because of him. I mean she'd already resigned once what if she did it again? He'd hated it when he didn't see her every day, even now with the current situation she was still here and there was always the possibility of reaching some kind of understanding.

He was watching her she could feel it. She had no intention of looking up and meeting his gaze she didn't want another altercation with James. A form appeared on her desk and she couldn't very well ignore him it as it was put on top of the file she was perusing.

'Thank you,' she removed it from obscuring her view of the accounts she was analysing and carried on. Harry hoped he'd leave it at that but had no great belief in that outcome. Please go, she said to herself mentally willing the result.

Dempsey sat on the side of her desk and prepared to make nice. 'I guess I deserve the freezing temperature in here,' he returned in a low tone to avoid those who were obviously monitoring their conversation. 'I apologise; I was out of order.' His gaze took in her body language and he could tell she wasn't ready for a thaw to set in.

'I'm not quite sure why you're suggesting I apply for promotion as you obviously feel I'm an operational encumbrance being a female as it were. And you also have a very low opinion of my personal behaviour,' her blue eyes were combative as they met his, 'in fact you've questioned my integrity, so it's something of a shock to find that you think I should be on the promotion ladder.'

'Yeah, so I was a jerk. You knew that anyway, I should have behaved differently last night I get that,' he glowered at her. What did she want he'd already said he was sorry? It was always the same with dames once you admit you're in the wrong they won't leave it at that.

'Please leave me alone James, I need some time to myself without your overpowering presence, I'll get around to the form if I feel it's the right move.' Harry was very out of sorts and not up to dealing with James after the encounter the previous evening. She'd been all over him last night and she was still squirming with embarrassment over her lack of self-control.

Makepeace putting on the ice always got up his nose and he reacted in typical fashion, 'Harry, you either come with me right now and go someplace where we can yell at each other or the rest of the team are gonna see me lift you out of that chair and throw you over my manly shoulder and take you there.'

'No, I absolutely refuse to go anywhere with you; is that clear enough for you,' Makepeace responded in an arctic tone and her chin rose in a belligerent fashion.

Harry rose out of her seat as Dempsey moved towards her and they glared at each other neither willing to give in.

'Dempsey,' Spikings bawled from his office stopping the American officer in his tracks, 'a word; in my office,' the older man was bristling with bad temper. He didn't know what the hell was going on between his crack team but he wasn't having a confrontation in his office.

Harry swallowed hard as she could see her ex-partner's indecision but he seemed to realise that cave man tactics in the office were a bad idea and headed off to Spiking's lair scowling with ill temper.

'Oh dear,' Joyce murmured sotto voce to Chas, 'I suppose they'll come to some sort of understanding sooner or later.'

'They haven't been the same since the Giardino collar,' Jarvis responded dourly his gaze taking in Harry's bent head and the stormy conversation going on in Spikings office. 'Somethings got to give because it's like sitting on a powder keg in here.'

'Agreed,' Hargreaves murmured. She went off to the kitchen to make Harry a cup of tea and provide a sympathetic ear if required. At the moment SI10 didn't seem to be big enough for the two ex-partners and that was a point of grave concern.

-oOo—