When Alec saw Tess sneaking off before finishing time, he got even more suspicious as to her claim at being at her sister's house last night. He was interrupted by Rose knocking on the door and letting herself in.

"Sir, about the car," she reminded him. "Have you thought about it?"

"Sit down Tyler," Alec replied, knowing he had to confide in someone and it might as well be her, since she was new and hadn't taken sides yet. "If I let you drive me to and from the station every day, well my wife will object and you two do not seem to get on."

Rose thought the woman hadn't even given her a chance.

"Sir, I don't wanna cause any trouble," she told him.

"It would have made no difference who was assigned to me," Alec admitted. "She would still have found fault. I apologise if she has made you feel unwelcome."

What had come over him, apologising like that? He'd even given up apologising to Tess, he wasn't going to take much more from her, he was sure of that.

"It was just an idea," Rose was stuck for something to say. "I'll leave it for now then?"

"It would be best," Alec agreed. "Are you having problems getting here?"

"No but I had to leave early to get here on time and a good thing too, the bus was early," Rose grinned.

"I see then? I will think further about it, I don't expect it will make Tess any worse anyway," Alec replied. "Take my advice Tyler and just ignore her."

"That's what the chief told me," Rose told him as she got up.

"We both agree on that," Alec gave her half a smile. "You answer to me, not her anyway, if she gives you any trouble, come and tell me. Night then Tyler."

"Night Sir. I'll try and keep away from her. Actually, I made a few friends earlier and they all refer to her as Tess, I'm still tryin' to get used to my new rank."

"It happens," Alec told her. "Officially you are entitled to use first names but she may object. As for more senior officers, tread carefully Tyler."

Rose thought she detected another half smile from him but left it. She would have to see if she had any occasion to address DS Hardy but if Tess was being talked about in the canteen would join in next time. As she left, the women she'd talked to earlier were just leaving.

"Hey Rose, not in trouble with the boss are you?" she was asked.

"Nah, been tryin' to see if I can get use of the car I drive him around in," she admitted.

"You'll be lucky," they all laughed. "Tess probably uses it just to spite him. You know they worked together, against the chief's better judgement?" Jo asked her.

"He told me. Ya never know, he might go for it," Rose replied. "Night then."

By the end of the week, Rose was no nearer talking Alec into letting her use the car and they'd only been out a few times. Friday lunchtime, Rose's new friends were telling each other their plans for the weekend.

"What about you Rose?" she was asked.

Rose had been taking no notice, she was watching Tess with interest as she was ignoring poor Alec in favour of sitting with some other senior officers.

"What? Oh, just shopping and finding my way around," Rose grinned.

"By bus?" Kate laughed.

The other two just laughed.

"Don't remind me," Rose replied. "If I do get the car, I won't get much personal use out of it I expect?"

"Better than Tess having it," Trish laughed. "I think she used to take it home on Friday night, lord knows where she parked it since they both have their own cars."

Rose went back to finishing her lunch then saw Tess cross over to where Alec was trying to read his phone screen. She really did feel sorry for her new boss and she wasn't helping things but it was up to him to do something about it.

"What are we doing over the weekend Alec?" Tess asked him as she stood by the table.

"Why ask now?" Alec wanted to know, putting his phone down.

"I expect we'll do the weekly shopping in the morning?" Tess replied. "Are you on call? I expect you are, you and your new partner."

"Stop it Tess. No, I am not on call. What can you possibly have against Tyler? You really put out the welcome mat," Alec replied.

"She'll survive," Tess told him, patting her hair.

"Not if you keep staring at her every time we go out and come back in again," Alec disagreed. "I'm considering letting her take my work car."

"What for?" Tess wanted to know.

"She can drive me to and from work, she may as well. You always go off without me," he complained.

"Only to take Daisy to school. You could offer to take her Alec," Tess argued.

"I am expected to be here on time, before everyone else," he reminded her.

"I'm surprised you don't have your new DC bring you coffee when she arrives," Tess told him sarcastically.

Alec shook his head and picking up his phone, pushed the chair back and walked off. Rose saw him and wondered what had happened and would he be in a bad mood the rest of the day? There went any chance of getting the car then.

Alec got a call once he was back in his office, it was the transport officer.

"So is DC Tyler getting use of the car then Sir?" Alec was asked.

"She already asked you?" Alec replied.

"A few days ago. She said she was going to ask."

"I've not decided yet but have it ready," Alec told the man.

That would really get Tess going, Alec thought. He wondered what Tess would do if he were to be collected on Monday morning? Why was he starting to enjoy getting Tess annoyed? Was it since Tyler arrived? Tyler had certainly brought the good side of Tess out.

He'd heard a few more rumours about her and Dave Harris during the week but had tried to ignore them and she'd been all mysterious at home. Well let her, things couldn't get much worse. Tyler wasn't helping but it would still have happened had anyone else been assigned to him.

He got up and called Rose into his office.

"You already asked about using the car?" he asked when he'd indicated for Rose to sit.

"Was that wrong?" Rose was worried she should have asked him first.

"Just the opposite Tyler," Alec replied. "It shows you have initiative. See the transport officer on Monday morning."

He would have let her take it that evening but there would be paperwork involved, of him authorising her to use it and the chief approving, though that was a mere formality, it was up to himself really.

"Really?" Rose sounded surprised. "Yes Sir, I'll do that, thanks. I have somewhere to park it, thankfully."

"Good, don't get it stolen or damaged then," Alec told her. "If my wife says anything about it on Monday, tell her to see me about it."

Rose thought she'd enjoy doing that, Tess hadn't exactly made her feel welcome since her arrival. What was wrong with the woman? Was she jealous that she no longer worked directly with her husband? Her boss hadn't seemed too bothered about it.

As she left, she couldn't help but smile that he'd given in and her friends noticed. Since they all sat together, they nudged each other.

"Wonder why Rose looks so pleased?'" Jo whispered.

"Hardy must have given in about the car," Trish suggested.

"That'll annoy Tess then," Kate grinned. "They'll be sparks flying when she finds out."

"Great, that's all we need," Jo complained. "Looks like war's been declared between the Hardys?"

"Bet he doesn't tell Tess over the weekend," Trish wondered.

"No, he'll wait," Jo agreed. "Don't you think Kate?" she asked her friend.

"What?" Kate had got distracted by Tess watching Rose leaving Alec's office. "Oh, he won't tell her, you can be sure of that," she agreed.

"Can't wait until Monday morning then," Jo laughed at the thought.

Tess was trying to think why Alec kept making up excuses to get Rose into his office. She finally had enough and got up to ask him.

"I hope Tyler's visit was work related Alec?" she confronted him.

"What is it with you Tess?" Alec wanted to know. "Of course it was. Do I ask you what you talk to your friends about on your breaks? Get over it Tess, if you can't deal with Tyler working with me, ask the chief for a transfer then."

"Charming," Tess replied. "That would just suit you, wouldn't it?"

"Well Dave Harris wanted to move here, maybe you can exchange places with him?"

Tess made a noise then left in a temper.

"You can be really infuriating Alec," she huffed as she opened the door, making everyone including Rose look up.

Alec watched her leaving, sitting back in his chair with his arms behind his head. That had struck a chord, he thought as he noticed Rose had stopped what she was doing to watch Tess leaving in a huff. Tess was getting worse and he knew it, the question was, what was he going to do about it?

Why was she so against his new DC? If the chief had partnered Tyler with Tess, would it have made any difference to their home life? He had to think about this, carefully but he had to work with Tyler, whether Tess liked it or not. The few times he'd been out, they had come back into the office together, maybe he should let Tyler go in first, then follow a few minutes later?

No, that would make Tess even worse, he decided. She would know he was doing it on purpose. There was no easy answer apart from asking the chief to either transfer Tess or Tyler so there wasn't much choice.

Rose went back to the files she was going through, wondering what had happened to make Tess storm out of Alec's office. She saw her new friends talking amongst themselves and thought she would catch up with them later to see what they made of it.

When it was nearly time to leave, Rose got up to see about collecting the car, calling by their desks.

"You're off early Rose," Kate remarked.

"Yeah, gotta go see about a car," Rose grinned. "Not sure why the boss changed his mind though."

"So that was why Tess stormed out of his office then?" Trish tried to be serious.

"Maybe not?" Jo wondered. "She would have confronted Rose."

"Geez, do ya think so?" Rose was worried.

"Sorry Rose but it'll only cause more trouble," Kate told her. "You'd best get going, before Tess notices."

Rose got to the garage, the paperwork for the car ready for her in the office to her surprise.

"It's all been taken car of," she was assured as she was pointed to where to sign. "Keep a record of personal mileage and keep all the fuel receipts. It's got a full tank already."

"Thanks, at least I don't have to call and get any on the way home," Rose laughed.

"So, what have you got planned now you've got the use of the car?" she was asked as she was handed the keys.

"Just shopping I suppose?" Rose was a bit surprised, not knowing where this was going.

She had seen the badge on the traffic officer's police sweater, Sergeant D Peters but didn't know his first name.

"I'm Dean by the way," he replied," Rose thinking if she didn't get out soon, Tess would be around.

Then Hardy would probably ask why she was still there. She hoped the man blocking the doorway would come to the point.

"Still finding your way around town?" she was then asked.

"I'm managing, thanks," Rose replied as he didn't move.

"Well, if you're still having trouble, maybe I can show you around?"

Rose thought he was kind of handsome, maybe around her boss's age but she had no interest in older men, well not that much older.

"I'm fine, thanks all the same," she replied as she indicated she wanted to leave as she saw a few others going to their cars.

If Tess saw her, she would surely ask questions, Rose thought as Dean moved slightly.

"Well if you change your mind, you know where to find me," she was reminded as he put his hand on the door frame and Rose was about to dodge under it until she saw Alec looking in that direction.

"Tyler, thought you had left?" Alec called over to her, making the other man move aside.

"I was about to," Rose aimed the remark at the other officer.

Alec stopped her as she passed him.

"Trouble?" he asked her quietly, nodding to where she had come from.

"No Sir," Rose didn't want any trouble if Tess came along.

"I should hope not then," Alec replied. "Was he bothering you?"

"Not exactly." Rose replied. "I should get going then, Sir. Thanks for arranging the car."

"Night then Tyler and watch out next time," Alec warned her.

"Should I be worried?" Rose wondered as the other officer went back to what he was doing.

"I've had a few complaints," Alec admitted. "He even called me earlier to ask if I had decided to let you take the car or not."

"I take it that's unusual?" Rose also wondered.

"You could say that Tyler. See you on Monday morning, I will make my own way in," he offered.

"I could get you," she reminded him, wondering what Tess would do when she brought him home, let alone collect him in the morning.

"That's not a good idea Tyler," Alec replied. "That would take some explaining," he half smiled at the thought of Tess erupting on the kitchen doorstep.

"So your wife doesn't know you were thinking about letting me use the car?" Rose asked him. "I was told she used it before she stopped working with you?"

"Yes but she uses her own car now, she takes our daughter to school first anyway," Alec admitted, wondering why he was standing in the middle of the police garage having this conversation. "Don't let me keep you Tyler," he then added as he saw Tess was about to enter the garage.

"Alec," Tess called over to him. "Can you go get Daisy since she was in a mood with me this morning?"

"Really?" Alec wasn't that surprised.

Rose thought she had better leave before she was dragged into this.

"Still here DC Tyler?" Tess then asked her.

"I was just leaving," Rose replied.

Alec waited until she had gone before he confronted Tess.

"You don't have to be so rude Tess," he told her.

"Well, what was she doing here?' Tess wanted to know. Then she heard a nearby car starting and turned around. "You let her take the car?"

"Stop it Tess. It is just stuck here, it may as well be used," Alec told her.

"Why, so she can drive you to work and back?" Tess scoffed, seeing the look on his face. "Really Alec."

He knew it hadn't been a good idea.

"Hold on, you were meant to do that but you never did," he reminded her. "As for Daisy, you go get her, then you can go gossip with your mother."

"Huh," Tess replied and went off to her car.

What had he and Tyler been talking about, Tess wondered.

Rose had been glad to make her escape but she felt sorry for her boss, trying to explain things. She had to remember what Alec had said to her, about having trouble with Tess but she didn't think anything would happen until she'd taken him home on Monday night.

Alec had driven off, leaving Tess standing by her car. She was about to get in when Dave appeared.

"Going out tonight Tess?" he asked with a big grin on his face.

"No, Alec refuses to get Daisy so I have to go get her," Tess complained.

"You're going about it all wrong Tess," Dave laughed. "You won't be able to sneak off and meet me at the pub any more then?"

"Don't look too disappointed Dave," Tess replied.

"Oh come on Tess, it's not the end of the world," Dave laughed some more. "We could always sneak off at lunchtime you know? We could go to that pub by the town hall?"

"Then Alec will get suspicious," Tess replied.

"You could say you're meeting a friend," Dave suggested.

"Like he'll fall for that," Tess told him.

"It could be an old friend you met again recently," Dave suggested.

"I'll think about it. Anyway, I suppose Daisy can wait another hour," Tess agreed.

They met where they had been before and Dave was sat waiting in his car. He opened the window when Tess arrived.

"Get in Tess," he insisted. "I know a place we can go."

Tess got in and they drove off, Tess wondering what she was doing going off with her colleague. Was Alec getting even more suspicious? This was bold, she'd never intended that her complaining about Alec to Dave would go so far.

Once out of the town centre, Dave turned down a lane that led to a grassed area and stopped the car.

"Relax Tess, no-one comes here, trust me."

He got out of the car and went around to open the door for her, opening the back door at the same time.

"After you Tess," he grinned as he helped her then got in beside her, trying to take her jacket off and go for her shirt buttons.

Looking flushed a while later, Tess was driven back to her car where they went into the pub for a quick drink.

"Well?" Dave grinned at her. "Exciting?"

Tess was getting her phone out, since Daisy was calling to find out where she was.

"I got held up," Tess insisted. "I'm on my way."

Alec had got home and wondered if he should catch Tess out and turn up at her mother's house. If she wasn't there, then he had something to worry about but if she was, she'd think he was spying on her.