Harry's Guardian Angel

Slowly Dempsey and Makepeace made their way back to the cars. Dempsey looked at her questioningly. “So, you still gonna leave?”
Makepeace nodded. “Yes, I’ve made a decision.
Dempsey nodded to himself and walked alongside her in silence. As they approached the cars Makepeace looked over at him. He was frowning, rubbing his head.
“You hurt your head or something?”
“What? No, no. I was...thinking.” He was still frowning.
“Well, I must be off.” Makepeace reached her car and paused. Dempsey stood beside her and turned to lean on the car. “Well, I’ve made a decision too,” he stated.
“Yeah?” “I’m resigning also.”
Makepeace looked confused. “Whatever for?”
“What, you think I like working in this dump without...” he stopped, embarrassed.
“Without what?”
Dempsey took a deep breath. What the hell, he thought. “Without you,” he finished.
Makepeace smiled. She was about to reply when Chas’s voice came through on the RT.
“Control to Charlie 5.” Neither of them moved.
“Bound to be for you,” Makepeace stated.
There was no response, Dempsey merely shrugged. Chas tried again. “This is Control to Charlie 5, come in Charlie 5.” Makepeace tried again. “Aren’t you going to answer it?” Dempsey shrugged again and shook his head. “You don’t work here, I don’t work here. Screw it.”
He looked in the opposite direction, refusing to meet her eye. Makepeace watched him for a moment. He looked agitated and Joyce’s words came back to her. “
You are crazy to throw away your career over a man. With you, he stands the best chance of staying alive.”
She stared at the radio inside the car, then reached in and took out the receiver. With a deep sigh she spoke.
“This is Charlie 5 to control, come in please.”
She looked at Dempsey and he looked at her. He was smiling broadly.
“Spikings wants you back at the factory, yesterday,” Chas’s voice came from the receiver. “Between you and me though, I’d go somewhere else, fast. He isn’t happy,” he continued more quietly.
“On our way,” called out Dempsey. “Your car or mine?” he asked Makepeace.
She smiled sweetly back at him. “You take yours, I’ll take mine.” She got into her car and was gone before he could protest
.
Dempsey watched the white Escort disappear round the corner and walked slowly after it, back to the pub where he had parked. He had a headache and his thoughts were jumbled.
So what had he achieved? Harry was back on the team. Great. Now what?
He remembered what Spikings had said to him the night before about Harry caring for him. Did she? She was certainly hiding it well if she did and yet... He shook his head, trying to sort his thoughts out.

As she negotiated the roundabout from hell at the Elephant and Castle, Makepeace’s thoughts were no clearer. She felt as if she had given in. She had made a decision and now she had gone back on it. It felt like all she had achieved was to make Dempsey wonder what the hell was the matter with her.
He said he didn’t want to work for SI10 without her. What did that mean? She didn’t particularly want to work at SI10 without Chas, or Spikings but that didn’t mean she was in love with them.
Without really knowing how she had got there, the car pulled up outside the factory and she parked, badly. In the rear view she saw Dempsey pull up behind her and she got out of the car.
“You took your time,” she stated.
“Yeah well, suddenly the thought of a bollocking from the Chief seems to have lost its appeal. We shoulda listened to Chas.”
He smiled at her. “You ok?”
Makepeace nodded. “Yes.” “Come on then Angel. Let’s go face the music.”
He took her arm and led her into the building.

Chas was true to his word, Spikings wasn’t happy. He was pacing the floor of his office when the door opened and two sheepish looking SI10 officers entered.
“What the bloody hell is going on???” he barked.
“What do you mean, Sir?” asked Makepeace in as sugary a voice as she could muster.
“What do I mean? I’ll tell you what I mean. For starters I notice, Sergeant, that you seem to be back on the payroll.” He placed heavy emphasis on the word Sergeant.
Makepeace nodded. “Yes Sir.” “Is this permanent or can I expect another resignation letter in another few days?”
“It’s permanent Sir, sorry Sir.”
Spikings nodded. “Right. Well I’ll see if we still have a job for you here. In the meantime, perhaps one of you could explain why George Daish has taken up residence at the bottom of the river?” Dempsey sat himself down and began to explain.
With every sentence Spikings’ expression grew ever darker. “Do you think, Lieutenant that, just once you could bring me back a villain alive? It would be nice, for a change. I’d so enjoy actually seeing them in court, instead of on a slab...”
He stopped, shaking his head in despair. “Go on, out,” he barked and waved him off. “And don’t forget your report.”
Makepeace went to move also but Spikings laid a hand on her shoulder. “Not you. I want a chat with you.”
Makepeace threw a swift appeal for help over Spikings’ shoulder at Dempsey but he just shrugged and shut the door behind him. There was nothing he could do to save her.
“Well Sergeant? Can I assume that you have resolved the issues that prompted your resignation in the first place?”
Harry paused for a moment, trying to think. She wasn’t sure how much Spikings had guessed but he wasn’t stupid.
“Not really Sir. I just decided that they were more likely to be sorted out here than anywhere.”
“Hmm, you might try talking to Dempsey you know.” Spikings was now looking at her with something akin to fatherly concern. Harry was unnerved.
“Has he said something?”
Spikings shook his head. “You know Dempsey, he’s not the world’s greatest communicator. But I think you might find him a bit more responsive in this case.”
He gestured to her to leave. Harry stood up to leave. “Oh, and Harry, take yourself and Wyatt Earp off for the rest of the day. No point starting anything now. Be here crack of dawn tomorrow.”
“Right Sir.” “And I expect everyone to be happy and harmonious....”
Harry nodded and left the room.

Outside in the main office, Dempsey was waiting. “What was that about?”
“Oh, he was just bending my ear about messing him about.” She picked up her bag. “Come on. He’s ordered us to get lost. We’ve got an unexpected afternoon off.”
Dempsey’s face broke into a wide grin. “Hey, just what I need, some time away from this madhouse.”
He picked his jacket from the back of his chair and headed for the door. “So long,” he called out as he disappeared through the doorway.
Makepeace stared after him, not knowing quite why she felt angry with him but she did and she too started to put on her jacket.
“Are you still here?” the door to Spikings office had opened and he was glaring at her.
“No...bye,” Makepeace hurried off.
Spikings walked over to the coffee machine and shook his head at Chas. “Those two seem on edge,” Chas remarked.
Spikings nodded sagely. “It won’t be long now, Chas my old mate. It won’t be long now.”

Later that afternoon, Makepeace was embarking on a very long, very hot bath before starting some work. Having walked out on the museum, she felt she owed it to them to at least tie up some loose ends so they weren’t completely abandoned.
What she actually wanted to do was to speak to Dempsey, to try to sort out the chaos that was going on inside her head. Spikings had said that he wanted everything resolved.
She laughed to herself. It would need more than one evening to resolve the issues between her and Dempsey. Sighing, she selected a bath cube at random and dropped it into the tub watching it fizz merrily. Just enough time to crack open a bottle, she thought and she headed downstairs to the kitchen.
Down in the hallway she stopped. It was freezing cold. She felt the radiators. They were scalding so...
“Dammit, Dempsey...” she said to herself and turned into the drawing room, tightening her robe as she went. Sure enough, Dempsey was standing by the fireplace.
“Dempsey. Here you are again. Oh, and if you are going to break into my house, could you make it quick and not hang around letting cold air into my house. I have the heating on for a reason.”
Dempsey nodded. “Sorry.” He looked her up and down. “Am I disturbing you?”
“I was just about to have a bath.” “Sorry,” Dempsey apologised again.
Makepeace studied him. “What no suggestive comment? No leering smile? This isn’t the Dempsey I know and despise,” she quipped.
Dempsey looked up at her but didn’t speak. “Stay there,” Makepeace ordered him and she ran upstairs. In a matter of seconds she had changed into jeans and a shirt and came back into the drawing room carrying two mugs of coffee.
“Here,” she handed one to him. She sat down beside him and sipped her coffee. “So what’s this about?”
“You know what it’s about. We can’t go on like this.” Dempsey looked her straight in the eye. “It’s driving me crazy, Harry and I can’t take it any more.”
“Take what?” Dempsey scowled. She wasn’t making this easy for him. He took a deep breath.
“OK, the way I see it, we got two choices. We carry on as we are, neither of us knowing what the other is feeling...or we bite the bullet and give it a shot. What do you think?”
Harry considered this for a moment. He was right; this had to come to a head and now was as good a time as any. She shook her head.
“Honestly? I don’t know what to think.” She took another sip. “You can be so kind...funny, considerate, sensitive. Then I think I know how I feel, how you feel. Other times you act as if you hate me, like you don’t feel anything for me. I don’t know what I should do.”
Dempsey was taking all of this in. “But you do feel something for me?”
She nodded. “I think so.”
“Is that why you drank yourself stupid that night?” Dempsey remembered back a couple of months. Harry had gone on a bender and tried to seduce him. He, being the gentleman that he was, had refused her advances and resolved to try again when she was sober.
Makepeace nodded. “I wanted to force your hand. Didn’t work, did it?”
Dempsey took the mug from her and took her hand. “You’re wrong, so wrong. What do you think I’ve been doing for the last 2 years? Do you think I’ve stayed in this God forsaken country for love of Spikings? I love you, you stupid broad, you just can’t see it.”
Harry stared at him in amazement and suddenly she laughed out loud.
“Dempsey, that is the least romantic thing anyone has ever said to me!” She continued to laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. Dempsey found himself joining in. The ice had been broken. “OK, I’m sorry, that coulda been put better but it’s the truth...” He paused, not sure what to say next. Then it came to him. “Look, we’re doing this all wrong.”
In a flash, he went outside and shut the front door behind him. Makepeace frowned. What was he playing at? She was about to follow him out when her phone rang. Cursing under her breath she picked it up.
“Hey Harry,” Dempsey’s voice rang out from the receiver. “It’s James. I was just wondering, would you have dinner with me tonight?”
Makepeace smiled. “Yes, alright.” “Great, I’ll pick you up at 8. See you then,” and he was gone.
Slowly Makepeace replaced the receiver and smiled to herself. She had a date...

At 7.30 Dempsey turned the key in the ignition of his Mercedes. His palms were sweaty and he frowned at his reflection in the rear view.
“What the hell’s the matter with you?” he asked himself.
He had spent most of the two hours since the phone call inspecting the shirts in his wardrobe, having changed twice and left the rest in a crumpled heap on the bed. Never before in his life had he put so much effort into getting ready for one night out. He had never needed to. Women just fell into his lap like ripe apples but this was definitely different. This was Harry.

At 7.30 Harry surveyed her reflection critically in the bedroom mirror. A variety of outfits ranging from indecent to downright matronly were lying in a heap on the chair. Ten minutes ago she had settled on a classic silver-grey dress and was now trying to find jewellery to match. She remembered her mother’s advice when she was a teenager. No matter what you wear, always remember to accessorise. The problem was, she wasn’t sure what kind of message she wanted to give out. Correction, she wasn’t sure that she had the bottle to give out the sort of message that she wanted to. This wasn’t just any man, this was Dempsey.

At 8 o’clock on the dot Dempsey rang the doorbell. He had, in fact been sitting out in his car for 10 minutes, not wanting to arrive too early. He had willed himself to stay still but he sat staring at the clock on the dash and urging it to move. 7.56, 7.57, 7.58.... At 7.59 he would move. 7.59. He leapt out of the car and up the stairs to Harry’s door and pressed the bell.

On the other side of the door, Harry rose from the stairs where she had been sitting for 10 minutes, waiting for him to arrive. Calming herself, she opened the door and saw Dempsey trying his best to be cool. However, she could see instantly that he was just as nervous as she was and curiously that made her feel more relaxed.
Dempsey, on the other hand was gobsmacked. This wasn’t Makepeace, this was Harry of the red dress. Not so blatant but definitely not the woman that he worked with day in and day out. He smiled and handed her the flowers that he had been clutching.
“You look amazing,” he finally said.
Harry smiled. “So do you.”
Dempsey was dressed in one of her favourite outfits; grey shirt and black jacket, no tie. Casual yet extremely attractive.
“Shall we go?” Makepeace put the flowers on the hall table and took the hand that he held out to her.

They passed the time in the car chatting idly, having independently decided that Joyce Hargreaves’ condition in hospital was the safest topic to stick to and, in seemingly no time, they had pulled up outside Harry’s favourite restaurant. “The Connaught?” she looked at him questioningly. “You don’t have to do this... remember last time?”
Dempsey smiled. “I got clearance from my bank manager this time.” He got out of the car and went round to the passenger side to open the door.
Harry smiled to herself, mentally placing a bet on how long the new improved Dempsey would last.
“Hang on,” Harry had spotted a flaw in the plan. “They won’t let you in.”
Dempsey looked crestfallen, then grinned and pulled a tie from his pocket. “Good job I brought this then,” and he helped her out of the car.

Dempsey looked back on that evening as one of the best he had ever spent. He had promised himself that, no matter how much he struggled for small talk, he would not mention work. But he hadn’t had to.
Talking to Harry had felt natural and easy. He had realised that, despite 2 years of working together, they knew very little about their lives and backgrounds. He told her all about life in New York, his childhood and how he ended up as a cop.
Harry, in turn, told him about boarding school life, losing her mother and her rise in SI10. For the first time, each of them realised that they had a lot more in common than they had expected.
Dempsey had grown up in a large, boisterous family, lots of love but not much else. In his neighbourhood there had been a lot of temptations.
Harry had been right when she had once said that, had he not been a cop, Dempsey would have taken the opposite route and ended up in jail. But he hadn’t. He had set his sights on the police and had managed against the odds to make something out of his life.
Harry, on the other hand, had had everything that money could buy, but as an only child sent to boarding school at an early age, she had missed out on most of family life. It was only as she grew older that she had begun to forge a relationship with her father. Lord Winfield was a busy man, somewhat older than her friends’ parents and after the death of his wife he had seemed unsure what to do with his young daughter. Now that Harry was independent, he seemed much more able to relate to her and they were now very close, but it had taken time and it hadn’t been easy.
Dempsey and Harry left the restaurant late and feeling that they understood each other a lot better.

“Coffee?” Harry handed Dempsey a cup and sat down on the sofa next to him.
“Thank you for this evening, James. It was lovely.”
“Hey,” he grinned. “You called me James.”
“Dempsey doesn’t sound right, not here. Just don’t expect me to call you Jim.”
“Well you’ve joined an exclusive club there, Harry. Only my mother calls me James...”
He put his coffee cup down and moved a little closer. Harry took a deep breath. The last, and only time they had ever kissed she had been paralytic and, to her secret regret had only the vaguest memories. Tonight, they had been careful with the alcohol and were stone cold sober.
“I meant it, what I said earlier, I love you. Believe it or not, I don’t say that very often.” James looked embarrassed.
Harry looked into his eyes, she could see that he meant it and she could also see that he was waiting for a response but something was making her hold back.
“I’m not going to be another notch on your bedpost, James. I’m not asking for lifelong commitment but I want to make that much clear.”
He nodded. “Harry, you’d be amazed if you knew how few notches there were on my bedpost since I met you. But you’re not going to be one of them, I promise you that.”
After a brief pause, Harry put her hand up to his face and gently ran her hand down the line of his cheek. Gently, she pulled him towards her and began to kiss him, softly at first but becoming more passionate as he responded.
After many minutes they pulled apart. James looked at her questioningly. “It’s too soon, isn’t it?”
Harry nodded. “I just need a little time.”
“Of course.” He pulled to him and kissed her again. Then he stood up. “I’d better be making tracks if we’re to make that early start that the Chief wants.”
“Right.” Harry followed him to the door and watched him put on his jacket. He turned to her and kissed her softly.
“Goodnight Harry.”
“Goodnight James.”

Next morning, Spikings’ mood had not improved. He had been in the office since 5. He had not been able to sleep, having been troubled by a call the day before which he had been half expecting for weeks, but was going to be a difficult one to deal with.
It also meant another chat with two of his best officers and he was 100% sure that they weren’t going to like it, particularly if the last few days were anything to go by.
“Chas!” he barked.
Chas stuck his head round the door warily. He had heard various verbal explosions coming from the boss’s office and that always spelled trouble for someone. He just hoped it wasn’t him. “Boss?”
“When Cagney and Lacey get in, send them in here.”
“Yes boss.” Chas grinned to himself and winked at Fry. This place was providing better entertainment than the telly these days and it looked like another episode was about to begin.
“I feel fine, so fi-ine!” Dempsey’s dulcet tones could be heard coming up the stairs long before he appeared in the doorway. Chas winced. Dempsey singing his favourite song at this time of the morning was the last thing he needed as he contemplated the mound of paperwork that sat on his desk.
“Boss wants you, asap,’ he told Dempsey as he appeared round the corner.
Dempsey shrugged. “What can I say? He can’t live without me.” He walked over to the coffee machine and poured two mugs. He placed one on Makepeace’s desk, slumped into his chair and started to leaf through his mail, in no hurry to see Spikings.
He had just opened the first letter when the door opened again and Makepeace entered. “Yo, Makepeace,” Dempsey gave her his brightest smile. Makepeace gestured to his feet, which were resting on her desk and gave him an old fashioned look.
“Would you mind removing those?” she asked sweetly.
Dempsey grinned. “No problem. Coffee there.” He gestured to the mug on her desk. “You’re gonna need it. The Big Chief wants to see us.”
Makepeace looked around but everyone else was busy. She sat down and leaned in towards him. “So what do we say if he asks?” Dempsey looked thoughtful. “I don’t care what he knows, it’s none of his damn business. Might ease the pressure a bit if we don’t tell him anything just now though.”
Makepeace nodded. “That’s what I thought. OK, if he says anything we’ll plead ignorance.”
Dempsey took a big gulp of coffee and stood up. “C’mon Tiger. Let’s beard the beast in his den.”

“Sit down,” demanded Spikings. He tried to judge whether any progress had been made but, on balance he decided he didn’t want to know. It would just make what he had to say that bit more difficult and he had a feeling it was going to be bad enough as it was.
Dempsey and Makepeace gave each other a wary look. Being asked to sit down was serious.
“Yesterday,” Spikings continued, “I had a call from New York. It seems, Lieutenant, that your days here are numbered. With Coltrane out of the way your superiors see no reason for you to be here. They want you back in 48 hours max.”
He stopped and watched the news sink in.
Dempsey stood up. “Forget it.” He turned to leave the office. “C’mon Harry, we got work to do.”
“Lieutenant...” There was an element of warning in Spikings’ voice.
“Sorry Boss, but there’s no way I’m going back. I gotta life here now.”
He looked over at Makepeace who was staring at the floor. “ “Lieutenant,” Spikings tried again. “I’m afraid you don’t have a choice. If the NYPD appeals to the Home Office, they will withdraw your dispensation and you will be deported.”
Dempsey threw him a look of disgust, then headed again for the door. He gave it a hefty kick and walked out, slamming it hard behind him.
Spikings flinched at the noise of the slammed door and the dent that Dempsey’s boot had made in it. He looked over at Makepeace.
“I’m afraid it’s out of my hands.”
She nodded slowly. “Right...” and she also left the room. Spikings poured himself a scotch. That had been about as pleasant as he had expected.
Grudgingly he had admitted to himself that Dempsey was a good officer, one that he didn’t want to lose. Knocking back his drink he walked over to the window and looked out.
Downstairs, Dempsey was leaning against his car, a look of fury on his face. Spikings couldn’t blame him. He wouldn’t have appreciated being put in Dempsey’s position but the question was, what could he do about it?
As he contemplated this, Spikings saw Makepeace come out of the building and head over to Dempsey. He watched as she went over to Dempsey, put her hands on his shoulders and kissed him gently.
“Shit,” he muttered to himself.

“So that’s it,” Harry said matter of factly.
“No, that ain’t it. I’m not goin’ back no way.”
“It doesn’t sound like you’ve got much choice.”
James frowned and shook his head emphatically. “There’s gotta be a choice, they can’t do this to me, not now...”
He looked at her sadly. “So, what do I do Harry?”
Harry shrugged. “Start packing I guess. If Spikings was able to work round it, he would have done. I don’t think he wants you to go either.”
James kicked against the tyre of his car. “Goddamn Coltrane. That bastard has messed up my life just once too often.” He took her hands. “I’m going to have to go, you know that?”
“I know.”
“But I’ll be back. Will you still be here?”
Harry squeezed his hand tightly. “I’m not going anywhere now.” “Promise you won’t get involved with any upper class chinless wonders while I’m gone?” James was joking but needed reassuring.
“Don’t worry. I love you, I’ll be here.” In a flash, James’ expression brightened. “You said you love me?”
“Uh-huh.”
He grinned. “Wow.”

“How many bags, sir?” the check in girl smiled at Dempsey but he didn’t respond.
“Two.”
“What about the rest?” Harry asked.
“I already told you. I’ll be back before you know it. I’m not going to pack up my apartment only to unpack it again for no reason. This is a trip home to see the folks, nothing more.”
Dempsey took his boarding pass and walked off.
Spikings watched as Harry followed him. The drive to the airport, not to mention the last couple of days had been tense to say the least. Spikings himself wasn’t happy. Unorthodox and undisciplined though Dempsey was, he was a good officer and had got good results with SI10.
He had also helped Makepeace develop as a police officer. She had more confidence now and was able to take on more, both mentally and physically. He could see a promotion to Inspector on the cards for her soon.
He allowed himself a small smile. It wasn’t so long ago that he was convinced that pairing her with Dempsey would be the end of her career, that he would bring her down. But Dempsey had worked out well, and he was sorry to see him go.
“Last call for passengers boarding flight AA105 to New York JFK. Please make your way to gate 13.”
Dempsey looked up at the departure board and shrugged. “That’s me.” He grinned at Spikings. “So long Boss. I’ll see ya around.”
They shook hands. “And don’t be in too much of a hurry to fill my seat. I’m planning on coming back.”
Then the smile faded from his face and he looked serious. “Look after Harry for me. Don’t pair her up with some gun toting Yank, I don’t want to have to come back for her funeral.”
Spikings shook his head. “Don’t you worry about Harry. I’ll keep an eye on her.” He looked over at Harry, expecting an indignant look at being discussed in this way but she wasn’t listening. Dempsey walked over to her.
“I gotta go.” He paused, not
sure what to do next and very aware of Spikings watching them. He bent and kissed her very gently on the cheek. Then he stepped back and held her at arms length. “What the hell,” he thought to himself and he pulled her to him, hugging her tightly so that she could hardly breathe.
He could feel her hugging him back and they stood there for a long moment. “Take care of yourself, Partner,” he murmured into her hair.
“You too. Try not to get yourself shot while you’re out there.”
He could tell that Harry was fighting hard to keep it together. Reluctantly, he let her go and, forcing himself not to look back, he walked through the departure gate so that there was no return.
Once through, he allowed himself to look back.
“Hey Harry,” he called, “come to New York!”
On the other side of the gate, Harry nodded. “Promise?” he called.
Harry smiled, “Promise.” Dempsey smiled and blew her a kiss. Then he turned and was gone.
Harry watched as she watched his back shrinking into the distance, then she turned and gave Spikings a watery smile.
He patted her on the shoulder. “Come on Duchess, let’s go home.”

“What a stupid time for a flight,” thought Harry, as she entered an almost deserted arrivals lounge.
It was 10pm and the only other people around were the passengers from her flight and a skeleton airport staff.
“So this is America…” She looked around her, decidedly unimpressed. The airport was grey and quiet, no shops, no cafes, no bright neon signs saying welcome to the US of A. She was disappointed.
Much as she hated the brashness of Americans, she was looking forward to a bit of excitement and she had figured that New York would provide that.
She shook her head as reality hit. What was she doing here? She had come halfway round he world on a whim and Harry wasn’t given to acting on whims. She wasn’t even sure that Dempsey wanted to see her. His phone calls had been few and far between in the last three months.
“Yo, Makepeace!” a familiar voice echoed out from behind a newspaper.
Harry grinned. She was beginning to think he had forgotten her. Dempsey put his paper down and ran over to her. In a flash he had taken her in his arms and hugged her tightly. Then he bent his head and kissed her.
“Boy it’s good to see you,” he said finally.
Harry attempted a smile. “So, where the hell is this place?” She felt oddly small. Despite being well travelled, she had never been to America and, arriving at this time of night she felt very deserted and very English. She was pleased to see Dempsey but he seemed more American than ever.
Dempsey grinned at her. “This,” he swept his arms around, “is my town.” Outside, Dempsey led her to his car, a replica of the Mercedes convertible that he had driven in London.
Being back in a car with Dempsey, she felt more at ease and began to relax as they headed off towards the city. She watched as the houses and lights flew by on either side, unaware that Dempsey was watching her as much as the road.
“You have no idea how much I missed you,” he said finally.
“I would never have known it, the amount of phone calls I had from you. I thought you’d forgotten me.” Harry tried to keep the tone light but she couldn’t prevent a slight iciness coming though.
Dempsey nodded. “I know. I wanted to call more…but it was so hard. To hear your voice and not be able to see you or hold you…... It was easier not to call.”
He took her hand. “You were in my mind every minute of every day though.” He squeezed her hand tightly and she could tell that he meant it.
“So how’re the boys at SI10? They missing me?” Dempsey opted for a change of subject.
Harry smiled. “Well, the boys in the armoury are certainly missing you. They have nothing to do but polish their pistols since you left. The gross bullet consumption of SI10 has dropped considerably in the last 3 months.”
He laughed. “What can I say. I like things exciting. How about you? Are you working solo or did you get a new partner?”
“Chas,” stated Harry. “He put in a request to do more field work so Spikings lumbered the poor sod with me. Actually, I think he’d beg to go back to desk work if he wasn’t so relieved to not have to be stirring Spikings’ coffee all day long. Anything is better than that.”
Dempsey nodded, remembering. Chas was a good guy, a good cop. He knew that. But he wasn’t sure how he felt about Chas pairing up with Harry.
The rest of the journey continued in silence. Harry took the opportunity to take in the scenery and her first views of America. Dempsey just savoured the fact that Harry was actually here. Eventually they pulled up outside a large apartment block. Harry looked up at it. It looked dark and uninviting, not what she was used to in London.
“Home sweet home,” he declared as he helped her out of the car.

Upstairs, he led Harry into a bright, spacious apartment. She looked around her, taking it all in. This wasn’t what she had expected from the rather dingy outside.
The flat consisted of one big room, which had a kitchen at one end and sofas and a table at the other. At the far end of the room was a staircase, which led up to an open balcony, which was obviously the bedroom.
Harry hadn’t seen an apartment quite like it before. Dempsey was still watching her.
“This is what they call loft living,” he quipped. He had seen her looking up at the bedroom. “You can have the bedroom, I’ll have the couch….if you want….”
He left the proposition hanging in the air but noted that Harry didn’t contradict him.
“Sorry, take a seat. Here, I’ll take those upstairs,” he took her bags off upstairs and headed back down into the kitchen.
“You look like you need caffeine? You hungry?”
Harry shook her head. “No, coffee would be good though.”
She took a seat on the sofa and watched him in the kitchen. “You seem settled here.”
Dempsey shrugged. “Not by choice. I’m having a bit of trouble sorting things out here. Mad Gordon wasn’t wrong. They really don’t wanna let me stay in England.”
He handed her a mug and sat beside her.
“Is it good to be back?” Harry asked quietly, trying not to let him see how much the answer mattered to her. He shook his head. “Sure, it’s good to be home, good to see old faces again…. but they don’t make up for missing the new ones.”
He reached out a hand and stroked her hair. Harry put her mug down and, in seconds they were in each other’s arms.

Later, Dempsey was awake and looking at the clock. It was 7am and he was wide awake. He looked down at Harry who was fast asleep and gently he kissed the top of her head, trying not to wake her.
His thoughts were crowding for room in his head. Finally, after over two years it had happened and every minute was worth the wait. He couldn’t ever remember feeling this happy.
“What are you grinning at?” an enquiring but sleepy voice came from Harry’s direction.
Dempsey stroked her hair. “I’m grinning because you’re here, with me and because you finally gave in to my advances.”
He tightened his arms around her. “I’ve been trying for two years. It’s not good for a guy’s ego to be knocked back so many times.”
Harry tilted her face up towards him. “I don’t believe in giving in too easily.” She looked thoughtful. “So what are we going to do?” Dempsey shrugged. “I don’t know Princess, but we’ve got to do something. I’m not giving you up again.”
He propped himself up on the pillows. “It’s pretty straightforward. You come from London, I come from New York. If we wanna be together then one of us has to move.”
He put his hand up to silence her. “Don’t worry, I know you won’t leave England, I wouldn’t ask you to do that. So the obvious and best answer is for me to move permanently to England. Which is fine except for one snag. I can’t be a cop in London.”
Harry nodded slowly. “So we’re no further on.”
“Not exactly. I’ve been thinking about that.” He took a deep breath. “There are other jobs I can do, security guard, prisons maybe…..”
“No way!” Harry sat upright. “You’d hate it! Regular hours, being told what to do, stuck behind a desk probably. You can’t do it. I’d rather move than have that.”
“And you’d hate leaving England. I’m not having that either. It’s the only way, Harry.”
Harry shook her head. “It can’t be. We’ll think of a way.” Dempsey grinned. "That can wait. I've got far more important things for you to be doing right now....."

"Sergeant, there is nothing I can do, you know that," Spikings scratched his head thoughtfully.
"There has to be. How do other people come to work in the UK?" "I know what you're saying but it isn't the same. Those people don't want to hold high powered positions in the British police force."
Harry pause
d. It seemed that she had no choice but to play her trump card. "I think you know how important this is to both of us. If he can't work there then the only alternative is for me to work here. After all, we took him on an exchange programme so I'll go on one back. That should be very easy to arrange...."
She stopped, letting what she had said sink in.
"Anyway, I must be going. Dempsey has arranged to meet some family today. I'll speak to you again soon."
She smiled to herself and slowly replaced the phone on the receiver.
Spikings groaned inwardly and put the phone down. This was exactly what he had been afraid of. He swore under his breath and began to dial a well known number. It was time to call in a favour.

"I appreciate you trying but it's not going to work." Dempsey came up behind Harry as she replaced the phone.
She turned to face him.
"Don't you be so sure about that. Gordon has friends in high places. He just has to use them."
She took a deep breath and looked at her watch. "Isn't it time we were going?"
Dempsey laughed. "You look like you're going to your own hanging."
Harry nodded. "I'm beginning to feel like I am. I can't believe you have conned me into meeting your mother."
"C'mon, she's a pussycat, really. She just wants the best for her son."
He took Harry's hands. "Seriously, it'll be fine. You'll get on great."
"I'm sure. I'm not very used to mothers though, so I hope she is gentle with me."
"She will be. Come on, or the pasta will be stuck to the ceiling..."

If Harry had placed a bet on what Sophia Dempsey would be like, she would be a very rich lady. Mrs Dempsey was small, very round, very talkative and extremely proud of her son.
Mrs Dempsey was also very pleased to meet Harry and it was obvious to Harry that the older lady had heard a lot about her. Within seconds of arriving, they were installed at a large table which was piled high with more types of salad, pasta and bread than Harry had ever seen outside of a restaurant.
"Come on Harriet, eat up. you need feeding, far too thin." Sophia shook her head disapprovingly.
Harry smiled politely, resisting the urge to kick Dempsey under the table as he watched with great amusement.
"Mama, leave her be uh? If you wanna feed someone up concentrate on your poor son who has to live on takeaways since he has no woman to look after him."
Sophia shrugged. "Is it my fault that you are too stupid to ask this girl to marry you? You want I should do that for you?" Dempsey felt the blood rush to his cheeks.
He looked at Harry out of the corner of his eye but she was smiling without a hint of embarrassment, taking it all in her stride but he felt sure that he would pay for that comment later. "So, Harriet, how old are you?"
Harry was ready for that one. Dempsey had warned her on the way over that she would be subjected to the sort of questioning that they normally reserved for hardened criminals.
"I'm 31."
Sophia nodded thoughtfully. "Si si, plenty of time. And your mother. Has she met my son?"
"No, I don't have a mother. She died when I was 13."
"Nonsense. You always have a mother even if she's not around. Look at my son. Thousands of miles away from home for years but I was still his mother....even if he never wrote. You met Simone?"
Harry blinked in surprise at the change of direction. "Er, yes, in London."
Sophia shook her head. "She was no good for my boy. She didn't cook, she didn't clean. She was too busy drinking in the bars. You will be good for my son. You will be very happy and give me lots of grandchildren." S
he sat back in her chair and beamed at them. Dempsey felt himself sink into his chair. He watched Harry and spotted the familiar signs. Her British upper lip was kicking in and he could almost see the mental notes being made in her head, to be filed away and examined at a later date.
"Yes, very good indeed," and Sophia poured the coffee.

"What on EARTH did you say to her?"
Dempsey's ears were starting to ring. To be fair, Harry had waited until they got back to the apartment before she attacked him.
He shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't say anything to her. She's an Italian mother, she doesn't need facts, she just sees what she sees and makes up the rest."
"I've never been so embarrassed..." Harry opened the window and leaned out. Her head was spinning. Three hours with Dempsey's mother and she felt like she had been in the ring with Mike Tyson.
"Was it so bad, what she said? Is it such a terrible thought?" Harry turned away from the window.
Dempsey looked hurt.
"No, of course not. It was just a bit scary, hearing someone put it so bluntly. I'd hate you to feel like I was trying to trap you, trying to rush into something neither of us are ready for."
"Who says we're not ready for it? We know each other better than most couples who have been together for years. We love each other. I don't see a problem."
"There is no problem. Let's just take it as it comes and see what happens? We've got a bigger problem than this at the moment." Harry had put her arms around him and she kissed him softly.
They were interrupted by the sound of the telephone.
As Dempsey was otherwise occupied and made no move to answer it, Harry reached for the receiver and spoke into it, trying to ignore what Dempsey was doing.
"Harry." Spikings clutched the telephone receiver. "Put Starsky on for a moment."
He took a slug of the whiskey that was sitting by his elbow. It had taken hard bargaining to get to this point and it was only by calling in a much valued favour from the Home Secretary himself that he had finally got the result that he, and Harry had wanted. "Yo Boss,"
Spikings made a face, not at all sure that he was doing the right thing. Life had been a lot quieter and less bloody since Dempsey had returned to New York.
"Lieutenant, I want your arse back in England as soon as possible. There are three murders, a drugs ring and a high profile blackmailing to deal with. I can't afford to have officers on holiday."
"Are you kidding?" Spikings could hear the grin on Dempsey's face.
"How long do I get?"
"This is permanent. And bring Makepeace back with you. I want the both of you reporting for duty at 9am Monday morning."
He put the phone down and finished the rest of the whiskey, then he smiled. "What the hell am I letting myself in for....?" he wondered.
Dempsey replaced the received and turned to face Harry. "I'm sorry Angel, it's bad news." He tried to look downcast. "The holiday is over. Spikings wants us back at the shop on Monday." Harry grinned. "Both of us?"
"That's what the man said."

"Now I'm sure that I don't have to tell you this, Lieutenant, but I'm going to say it anyway." Spikings was on the warpath.
"I have pulled a lot of very personal and influential strings to get you back here. My neck is firmly on the line. You bollox this up and I will personally come after you. Do you understand?" Dempsey nodded seriously. "Sir."
Spikings shifted his glance to include Harry also.
"I realise that things have changed between you two. I assume that, having made such a fuss about getting Dempsey back here that the two of you will be able to continue working together and my beautifully orchestrated team can continue as before?" "No problem."
"So what happens when the bullets are flying Lieutenant? I need both of you in there, I don't need you sheltering Makepeace." Dempsey stood up and leaned on the desk.
"So what do you think happened before this? The best person to protect Harry is me. The best person to protect me is Harry. Nothing has changed there. We work well together."
Spikings considered this.
"Harry?"
Harry shrugged. "He's right. We've saved each other's necks enough times to know how it works."
Spikings nodded. This was what he had wanted to hear.
"Right. It might be worth bearing in mind that we have already seen instances of one of you being used to get to the other. It makes sense not to be too public about this when dealing with our criminal friends."
Harry and Dempsey both nodded seriously. They had thought of that.
"And lastly," Spikings' expression grew darker. "I don't give a damn what jiggery-pokery you two get up to in your own time, but I do not want it in my team. Do you understand?"
"Yessir." Harry could feel her cheeks reddening.
Spikings nodded. "Right. Get on with it then."
Dempsey and Makepeace stood up to leave.
"Oh, and Dempsey?" Spikings called him back. "Boss?"
"Just a word of warning. You might think that your relationship with Makepeace has nothing to do with work, but you set one foot wrong on this and you will feel the full force of SI10 on you like a ton of bricks. Do we understand each other?"
Dempsey nodded. "Loud and clear."
He grinned broadly and left the room. Back in the office he sat down on his chair opposite Makepeace and put his feet up on her desk.
"So partner," he winked, "what's first?"
On the other side of the office, Chas watched this exchange and smiled to himself. Life had just got more interesting....