As soon as they had gone Makepeace turned on Dempsey. "What the hell do you think you were doing Dempsey, you could have blown the whole case!" He grinned at her. "Well you were quick to come up with something, and you were very good with the details."

"This isn't a game lieutenant, don't push me or I'll leave, and the only reason we are here right now is because of me!"

"Hey now wait a minute if it weren't for me lady, Campbell would have you wasted on pills right now and eatin' outta his hand, think about that sergeant!"

"Would you like to say that a bit louder lieutenant so everybody in the next room can hear?" Dempsey glared at her then, grunted and turned his back to her. "And furthermore, since we are now on our own do you not think it would be an idea to actually do some investigating, that is our job after all!" She added.

In a tense silence they entered the corridor and peered into one or two of the other row of rooms at the back of the stage. "Pst…Makepeace come here." Dempsey beckoned her to one of the rooms. It had been converted into some kind of makeshift office and Dempsey wasted no time riffling through the desk drawers. Makepeace joined him and found an array of papers and files, which she quickly scanned. One paper in particular interested her so she folded it, placing it in her shoulder bag and filing away the other stray papers again. Suddenly she became aware that Dempsey had stopped searching and was stood motionless. "D'ya hear that?"

"What?" The sound of voices outside then became apparent. "That." He said and grabbed her arm pulling her across the room.

He propelled her to the side of the room where there was some kind of store cupboard with a sliding door. He backed into it, pulling her with him to stand facing the door. His back was pressed against a row of shelves and there was very little space but they managed to close the sliding door before the men from outside entered the room. "I have some stashed in here somewhere, just for personal use, but you can try it and see if you want to buy more. I'm having a large group here tomorrow morning, come along." It was Campbell and another man who Makepeace didn't recognise. Campbell went to his desk then and opened one of the drawers. Both Dempsey and Makepeace tensed, waiting to see if anyone would realise that something was amiss. Nothing was said and the two men sat, speaking in hushed voices. Moments passed but the men showed no signs of moving. 'Well we certainly have enough evidence now,' thought Makepeace, 'this is the confirmation that Spikings was looking for, Campbell is definitely dealing drugs and it looks like we have the time of a major drugs deal too.'

She relaxed a little then but gradually became aware of Dempsey standing behind her. His hands were placed loosely on her upper arms but after a while they began moving downwards. They ran along the length of her bare arms to rest lightly on her hips as he pulled her gently back towards him, closing the slight gap between them. She looked back at him with a frown but he placed a finger over his lips to indicate for her to stay silent. She felt suddenly uncomfortable by his nearness and the lack of space in which they were standing, but she was helpless to put any space between them until the two men had left the room. Then suddenly, to her horror she felt Dempsey brush his lips gently against the base of her neck, by her collarbone. He continued by running a row of tiny kisses all the way up her neck, from her shoulder to her jaw. Her breathing started to become shallow and quicker and she was helpless to stop her body from reacting. She stood, willing herself to remain still and praying for the men to leave the room soon. Then she felt her whole body flood with heat as his tongue found the skin of her neck. With a will of its own, her head shifted slightly, allowing him better access and her back arched against him in pleasure. He missed none of her reactions and his body filled with a heat to match her own at the realisation. She was enjoying this, he knew it, in fact she must have been enjoying it a hell of a lot or she would have abated any reaction to him by now if she possibly could. She closed her eyes trying desperately to gain control as she felt his tongue moving on her skin. Then in the back of her head she suddenly registered that there was no more noise in the room outside and she peered through the crack in the door to see two empty chairs. She slid the door open quickly and stepped out of the store cupboard and away from Dempsey.

Turning on him she said with barely controlled anger. "I told you not to play games with me lieutenant."

"Just getting into the role Jenny."

"Go to hell Dempsey!" She spat at him." I'm this close to leaving, right now!" She indicated how close with her index finger and thumb.

Her rejection fuelled an anger in him also. "No you won't, you're not jeopardising the case at this stage just 'cause you can't control your urges."

"You what! Can't control my urges eh, well I've got a very strong urge at this minute to commit GBH!"

"Oh come on Harry, why can't you just damn well admit that you enjoyed it?"

"Listen to me will you Dempsey, my skin was crawling in there to get away from you. Are you taking this in lieutenant?" This filled him with utter fury as he grated back at her. "You want me to prove to both of us just how much you enjoyed it sergeant?!" He advanced towards her threateningly, his eyes locked on her lips and panic suddenly rose in her. With quick thinking she reached into her handbag, pulling out the piece of paper she had hidden in it earlier and holding it up between them. "Well listen Dempsey, I've got enough proof here so you can do whatever you like but I'm leaving." And in three quick strides she was out of the door and down the corridor.

Dempsey found her storming down Pickering Street in the dark. He was in his car so he pulled up alongside her and wound down the window. "C'mon Harry, get in the car."

"I'm not getting in there with you, you're a leech!" Hearing this he couldn't help but chuckle. "I can see you find this all very amusing!"

"C'mon Harry, you're right I am a leech but I promise to behave, now get in the car." She stopped then, turning to him. "You had no right to do that Dempsey, you were bang out of order."

"Okay I'm sorry, now will you please get in the car?" She hesitated. "For your own safety." He added. Then with a growl she yanked the door open and got in. "Don't do anything like that to me again."

"Okay, I promise not to do anything like that." He added, "Unless you want me to." She gave him a steely glare.

The following morning Dempsey entered SI10 twenty minutes late and walked straight into Spikings's office. "Mornin' boss, what's up?" Spikings looked up at him with a scowl. "Morning lieutenant, so nice of you to join us today."

"Where's Makepeace chief, d'she fill you in on the case?"

"Yes Dempsey somebody had to. We have the warrant, we are going in so I suggest you go and get prepared. Makepeace is out there somewhere."

"Sure boss."

He jumped up from the chair and did an about turn, crashing into Makepeace on the way. He grabbed her arms instinctively, then realising he held up his hands. "Not guilty your honour."

"Where have you been? We are leaving soon."

"Got stuck in traffic Mam." Spikings's deep warning voice cut in. "Dempsey, stop larking about will you and get a bloody move on."

They entered the building with the order from Spikings, "All units go!" Officers covered all the exits and flooded into the building, seizing all drugs, making arrests and searching the rooms for hidden stashes. They got Campbell in his office, cuffed him and brought him out into the main theatre where Spikings was overseeing procedures. Makepeace was talking to Spikings and Dempsey was sat on one of the theatre seats with his feet on the top of the chair in front of him and a cigar in his hand. When he saw Campbell being brought in he grinned and shouted in his best John Wayne voice, "Young fella, if you're lookin' for trouble I'll accommodate ya!" Campbell scowled. "Bloody foreigners." He turned to Spikings, "You got them working for you now! She's alright mind," he looked at Makepeace, "Wouldn't mind a piece of that!" Dempsey bolted out of his seat then and flew over the chair in front of him, grabbing Campbell by his shirt. "JUST TRY IT SNAKE!" Makepeace watched him with a mixture of alarm and warmth in her eyes.

After the finalities, Dempsey found Makepeace sitting in the back row of the theatre, leaning on the seat in front of her, with her head resting on her hands. He sat next to her and she said wistfully, "You know it looks like it would have been a lovely theatre, it's a shame."

"Yeah." He said looking around. "It sure has been one hell of a case this one." He said turning to look at her. "Mm." She made a disapproving sound and looked at him dubiously. "Well at least you won't be popping any pills any time soon!"

"Thank you for reminding me of that Dempsey."

"Oh so you do remember then?"

"What is there to remember? You got me home and stayed to make sure I was okay. That's what partners do, right?" She tried to make her nervous voice sound nonchalant. "Right, you don't remember what you said then?" he grinned at her raising a questioning eyebrow. "Well I'm sure I came out with a whole load of mumbo jumbo." She said, shrugging off his comment. "Sure, I figured that you didn't mean most of the insults you gave me."

"Oh, in that case I meant every word I said."

"Every word, hmm, that's interesting and I quote, 'I already do have the hots for you silly.'" Her head swung round, her eyes widening in shock. "So when you inviting me to your place for steak then Harry?" He said with a wink.

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