"So, where did you get to earlier?" Tess wanted to know.
"Non of your business Tess," Alec replied, getting up to put his jacket on.
"Fine, I'll ask her then?" Tess challenged him.
"You leave Rose alone," Alec warned her as he then tried to straighten his tie, wondering why he was even doing it but it was a distraction from facing Tess.
He seemed to be doing that a lot lately, he mused.
"I know why you're defending her Alec, you can't fool me. You are having an affair with her," Tess told him.
"What?" he almost spluttered, making those who remained turn his way.
"So you're not denying it then?" Tess replied.
"Of course I'm denying it," Alec tried to recover from the direct accusation.
It was one thing to think Tess was trying to infer it but another to actually hear her saying it.
"Want to talk about affairs?" he then did recover.
"What are you on about Alec?" Tess wanted to know.
"What about you and Dave Harris then?" Alec replied.
"Seriously?" Tess almost laughed, wondering why she'd been found out.
Then she realised one too many people had seen her follow Dave back into the canteen through the always open fire exit. She bet anything that Tyler and her mates were trying to catch her out to get back at her.
"Oh, so your trying to cover it up and pin the blame on me?" Tess defended herself.
"Come on, you've been seen Tess," Alec tried to bluff to get her to admit it.
He knew Rose and her friends already suspected as much, what with Rose telling him about seeing Tess and Dave talking in the corridor when she'd first arrived.
"Oh, you want to talk about being seen then Alec? What about you and Rose disappearing from the canteen, then being seen near the lifts? I saw her myself going after you," Tess told him.
"Yes, fine, we were talking," Alec admitted it. "What of it? I was telling her she did good work on that case."
"Well I was told you were looking cosy for just praising her work," Tess replied.
"This is getting us nowhere Tess," Alec had decided he'd had enough and Rose was down in the garage, probably alone and the traffic sergeant would have noticed by now.
He'd had to rescue her before but he was sure Tess was delaying him on purpose, if she'd been talking to the sergeant. Was she laying a trap for Rose, in exchange for getting information from the man? If so, Rose could be in danger of being cornered with no-one to help if everyone had already left.
He got up suddenly, making Tess jump.
"I'm not finished yet," Tess protested.
"Oh yes you are," Alec replied, picking up his mobile and finding Rose's number as he squinted at the screen.
Why was the print so small, he asked himself as he found what he wanted. He started to leave, Tess still standing there shouting after him.
Rose was well aware people were getting in their cars and driving off as she lowered the back of the chair a bit more. The traffic sergeant would have noticed as well, now she was getting a bit worried. If Tess and been getting information from the man, she could have made some kind of deal and that's why she'd not come into the garage yet.
She heard a noise from around the other side and reached for her mobile as she cautiously looked around. She jumped as her phone rang and saw Alec's name.
"Hello?" she almost whispered. "Where are you?"
"Rose, be careful down there," Alec told her as he dashed towards the lift then pressed the down button repeatedly.
He'd been amused that it had made Rose smile every time he did it.
"Ya don't have to tell me that," Rose spoke a little louder. "Most cars have gone, can ya get a move on?" she asked him.
"I'm on my way, lock the car doors, now," he told her, pressing the lift button for the basement when it arrived. "Tess has been delaying me on purpose and if I am right, she made a deal with the traffic sergeant."
Why had he never bothered to find out the name of the man, he asked himself as the lift stopped at the ground floor and him silently cursing as an older woman got in and asked if he was going up.
"No, did the lift indicator not show in which direction it was going?" he snapped as he quickly pressed the basement button again as she tried to reach the second floor button.
"Well you don't have to be rude," the woman replied as she pressed the floor she wanted.
Alec assumed she must be one of the cleaners, didn't she know he had a reputation for being rude? Well maybe not quite as much since the arrival of Rose, he supposed as the lift descended again.
"Geez, I thought as much," Rose replied, pressing the door lock button and being grateful the car had one on the dashboard and waiting for him to reply. "Alec?" she panicked.
She heard another noise and the next thing she knew, the traffic sergeant was standing at the side of the car. She let out a short scream of surprise, panicking Alec and him wishing it was one of those express lifts as it slowly descended.
"Rose, what's happening?" he wanted to know, trying to stay calm but he was angry with Tess for delaying him and for her exchanging information to hand Rose to the sergeant on a plate.
The woman gave him a strange look as the lift arrived in the basement.
"Hurry up," Rose shouted into the phone, trying to ignore the man who was now tapping on the window.
Did he really think she was going to open the door, Rose wondered.
"I'll be there in a tick," Alec told her as the lift door opened and the woman just tutted.
"Well get a move on, he's already here," Rose told him.
She knew it would take him a few moments to reach where the car was parked. So much for trying to catch Tess out then, she thought as the sergeant peered through the window.
"No good hiding in there Rose," the sergeant told her through the tiny opening of the widow that Rose had forgotten about.
She panicked some more as she realised the gap in the window wouldn't be able to be closed, since the engine wasn't switched on.
"Go away, my boss will be here in a minute," Rose shouted back, trying to get the annoying sergeant to leave. "He'll kick your ass back to school crossing patrol if ya don't go away."
"Is that the best you can do?" the sergeant laughed at her as he leaned on the roof of the car.
Then all of a sudden, he tried to prise the window open as he put his fingers through the gap. Rose let out another scream as Alec weaved his way through the remaining cars, cursing Tess again for delaying him. He'd wanted Rose to watch what Tess was up to, to see if she talked to the sergeant and now, he was putting Rose in danger of being caught by the man.
Who knew how quick the man could be, he thought as he caught a glimpse of the car Rose was in and saw the man reach through the larger gap he'd managed to make. Rose was wishing she'd never lowered the back of the seat as she tried to move but the man had grabbed the neck of the sweater she was wearing.
"Hey, get away from the car," Alec shouted loudly as he was almost there, just seeing Rose being grabbed hold of.
The sergeant didn't stop as Rose called Alec's name.
"Go away Hardy," the sergeant shouted. "Why should you get to keep her for yourself?"
The man still held onto poor Rose, who couldn't get away but thankfully, the man hadn't managed to force the window all the way down – yet.
"What are you talking about man?" Alec shouted back, wishing other officers were still around.
Alec was almost at the front of the car, seeing the look on Rose's face as she was being held.
"Let her go – now," Alec demanded.
"Back off," the sergeant warned him as with one hand, he pulled his baton out of the holder and held it up in Alec's direction. "I mean it. Now leave."
"You won't get away with this," Alec told the man. "Just let go of her or things will be worse for you."
The sergeant just laughed, waving the baton at Alec while Rose tried to get out of his grasp but her sweater was still firmly being held. When she saw the weapon, she was just thankful the man hadn't tried to smash the window.
"Stay calm Rose," Alec told her as he held his hands up, looking for a chance to grab the baton and the man at the same time.
Where was everyone when he needed them, Alec wondered. Even Dave Harris would do at present. Rose managed to nod, staying quiet. She had been so glad to see and hear Alec, she could kiss him right now but that would just make things worse with Tess, she thought. Things were bad enough as it was without giving Tess more ammunition to fire at her.
"I mean it, back away," the sergeant reminded Alec as he tightened his grip on poor Rose, who wished now she'd never suggested trying to catch Tess out.
Now, it was backfiring on them, Tess had delayed Alec on purpose, Rose thought as she looked at Alec, who just nodded slightly.
Alec had a plan but how could he tell Rose to try to break free? If he could just get her to startle the other man long enough for him to grab the baton that was holding him off from rescuing Rose. Then with the element of surprise, he could force the baton onto the floor, grab the arm that was holding Rose and then handcuff him. Well that was down to Rose, if she could surprise the man in the first place.
She was looking at him and although Alec thought she was tough, he could see she was scared he'd back away and leave her at the sergeant's mercy. Surely she knew he'd never do that?
"Rose," Alec called to her. "Are you okay?"
"That's up to you Hardy," the sergeant told him. "Now back away, slowly."
Alec put his hands up again, wishing he could signal to Rose that he'd never leave her.
"You know you are finished here," Alec told the man. "Let her go and you will get off lightly."
The man just laughed, waving the baton at Alec again.
"What do I have to lose? I'll tell everyone about you and the blonde here, you're married, your wife already suspects the two of you are having an affair. Why should you care if I let this one go or not?"
"So, you have been talking to my wife?" Alec replied.
"Yes, I told her all about you and this one here, how you take your time getting out of the car. Look, what you get up to, I don't think it's fair you keep her to yourself," the sergeant told Alec.
"Hey, I'm not a possession ya know," Rose spoke up.
"Be quiet," the sergeant warned her.
"Bloomin' cheek," Rose replied as he pulled her up by the neck of her sweater.
Rose was looking for any sign from Alec that he was about to rescue her again. She'd had a narrow escape that time but now wasn't looking too good. She didn't want the man to attack Alec with his baton but she also wanted to get away. She thought maybe Alec had a plan but what was it?
Maybe if she distracted the man, Alec would be free to grab hold of him? She had learned a lot from Alec, the least she could do was help him with his rescue attempt. She looked at him again, screwing up her face, trying to tell him she knew what he'd planned.
Alec heard the doors opening in the distance but all the remaining cars were at the other end, no-one would even come down here, would they? He dare not turn around, in case the man fancied his chances. He didn't know it was Tess, who had waited for him coming back to his office after rushing out. She was even more annoyed he'd gone running after the blonde when he'd suddenly called her.
She thought she'd heard voices in the distance but didn't bother over it. Alec and his DC would be long gone by now, Alec had no idea what she'd told the sergeant, she thought as she got in her car. It was just his excuse to get to the blonde, he just wouldn't listen when she'd tried to confront him. Maybe he did suspect something about herself and Dave after all and was getting his revenge.
Alec heard a car starting in the distance and wondered it was Tess. It was all his fault Rose was trapped in the car, if he'd not suggested she tried to catch Tess talking to the sergeant but he had and Rose had agreed. Now, who knew what would happen if he did back away and leave her? He was sure she'd fight back but the other man was bigger than she was.
He saw the man turn to Rose as she slowly tried to get free without the man doing something drastic to pin her down even further. A dozen things were running through her mind, like what if he suddenly opened the car door, still holding Alec off and even worse, force her further back? He could easily release the lock
Would Alec just stand by, she thought as Alec seemed to move slightly towards her. Why hadn't he thought of going around the other side of the car and tried to pull her out of the sergeant's grasp or would the man expect Alec to do that?
Alec had thought about it, the man holding him off couldn't be in two places at once. Should he chance it or would it just make things worse for Rose? He didn't even know if she'd had chance to lock the car doors, maybe the sergeant had just assumed she had and not bothered checking? That would be too easy, he then thought.
Something needed to be done and quickly, he already knew that and the chances of someone coming down where they were standing were pretty slim. Maybe a noise would distract the sergeant?
Rose was staying as still as she could so as not to provoke the man holding her but she had to think of something to aid any attempts by Alec to help her. Normally if a bloke grabbed her, she would knee them where it hurt but she was at a disadvantage. Then she thought maybe she should try talking to the sergeant again.
"Hey, ya won't get away with it ya know," she reminded the man at the side of her. "He was already on his way down here when ya grabbed me and trust me, he wouldn't have come down without telling anybody."
"Shut up," the sergeant told her while still holding Alec back. "You think he came down here just to rescue you?" he then laughed. "He's just like the rest of us, hell, have you seen the way he treats his wife? You should hear her going on about it, she never stops."
Alec could see what Rose was trying to do, exactly what she'd come down here before him for. If she couldn't get anything out of Tess, then Tess would have bound to have complained to someone other than her friends if she thought she could get her revenge.
"She put you up to this then?" Alec asked the sergeant.
"That's an understatement," the sergeant laughed some more. "Do you think I'm bothered she gets herself into trouble from you?"
"Bloomin' cheek," Rose huffed. "She called ya and said I was on my way down here, on my own?"
Alec had wondered why Tess had just watched Rose walk off with her friends before she'd come into his office. What the hell was wrong with her that she'd put Rose in danger? Even if she had a grudge against himself and Rose, was there any need to go that far?
"That explains a few things," Alec then thought out loud.
"You mean you don't already know Hardy?" the sergeant sounded surprised. "Tess had plenty to say about you and your little friend here."
"Hey, I'm not little," Rose complained.
"I said be quiet," she was reminded.
Rose folded her arms in response, willing the man to let go of her for just a second, then she'd show him if she was little or not. Alec wished Rose wouldn't provoke the sergeant and make things worse for her. Surely someone else would be coming down here for their cars? Why hadn't he told any officers to follow him, he then cursed himself for coming down here alone.
Then he wondered if he could call the man's bluff and agree with what Rose had just said, about telling someone? How was the sergeant to know that he hadn't?
"Back away from the car and make it easy on yourself," Alec stood his ground, also folding his arms and looking like he meant business.
"Now ya gettin' it," Rose smiled to herself. "About bloomin' time as well."