"Would somebody answer the bloody phone", Alex urged almost silently under her breath.

She was sat at her desk in the CID department doing her best to tally up statements regarding a recent assault.

But that bloody phone kept ringing in Gene's office.

Nobody reacted.

Gene was nowhere to be seen.

Chris was drawing glasses on peoples faces in today's paper.

Ray was hurling screwed up paper at Chris.

And Shaz had gone to run a message to Viv down on the front desk.

"Alright", Alex surrendered, "I'll get it".

With that, she got to her feet and walked into Gene's office.

"D.C.I Hunt's office", she answered.

At that moment Gene strolled back in, his eyes catching site of Alex in his office.

"Alright to knock off Guv?", Ray said, pointing to his watch, as Gene walked past.

It was 'lunch time' after all.

"Yes Raymondo", Gene responded, "And you can get the first round in".

Ray clasped his hands together and, along with everyone else, the CID department was cleared in seconds leaving only the door swinging shut behind them.

Gene entered his office and gave Alex a quizzical look, pointing at the phone.

"It's for you", Alex said as she offered the telephone to him, "someone you know from the Force in Manchester, just wants to catch up I think".

Gene raised his eyebrows.

"Oh", he said a little surprised as he took the phone from Alex, "Well thank you for your secretarial duties Drake".

With that, Alex left Gene's office and sat back at her desk outside.

She continued with her paperwork as best she could but the door to Gene's office was slightly ajar and his conversation flowed through.

Gene sat down in his chair and placed his booted feet up on his desk as he relaxed.

"Jeff! Blimey, you still alive up there?!", Gene boomed down the telephone.

Gene hardly ever had any contact with Manchester these days and Alex found herself unable to help herself from listening it.

"No that's my new D.I...Posh pain in the arse, Bollinger Knickers we call her"

Alex raised her eyebrows.

She wouldn't ;et him get to her.

She would just try and ignore him and get on with what she was doing.

"Did you?", Gene's conversation continued...

"What did he say to that?"

"Hope you belted him one"

"Oh good"

"Man City against who?"

"Nah, no chance"

Alex sighed.

"I got a new one recently".

Suddenly interested, Alex looked up, was he talking about her again?

"The previous one died".

'Tyler', Alex thought.

"Yeah a real shame to lose that one", Gene continued, "I was gutted for months".

She continued to listen whilst she pretended to read the statements...

"Yeah like I said I got a new one now"

"A bit classier if I do say so myself"

"But you've got to know how to handle her"

"She took some getting used to but I think we now know how to deal with each other".

"But there's one 'ell of a temper in there if you do decide to unleash it and God 'elp anyone who gets in the way".

"Bloody bastard!", Alex whispered quite loudly but Gene never heard.

"And I'll tell you what Jeff", Gene said as his tone changed to a slightly mischievous manor, "she looks absolutely stunning in red, gorgeous!"

Alex's eye's widened.

'Is he talking about the time in the Vault at Edgehampton?', she wondered as she remembered the heat in there which had caused both of them to remove several layers of clothing.

"That's what made me decide I wanted her", Gene continued, "I really had to 'ave 'er!"

Unfortunately, Alex couldn't raise her eyebrows any higher.

There was quiet for a few moments.

Obviously the caller was talking now.

Then Gene spoke again.

"Yeah that's right."

"I think I might take her out this weekend"

"I really need to touch her up in a few areas, I've been meaning to do it for weeks"

"You...bloody...what?", Alex whispered loudly to herself as she put the statements down.

One more, just one more remark and she would march in there regardless of wether he was on the phone or not.

"I really need to fill her up as well", Gene continued, "She's bloody demanding y'know"

"I'll give you bloody demanding", Alex said as she got to her feet.

She was fuming, utterly fuming.

Opening the door, she stepped into Gene's office un-invited.

"Gene!", she snapped.

He held a hand up indicating for her to be quiet for a moment.

"I agree", Gene finished, "It's pricey but I think I'll take her to the Audi dealership. Bloody stone chips! Messin' up my bloody paintwork!".

Alex suddenly felt like she had just been dropped from a great height.

'The bloody car!!', she mentally admonished herself, 'he was talking about the bloody Quattro!'

"Hang on a mo...", Gene paused his conversation and nodded to Alex.

"Coming to Luigi's?", was all Alex's highly trained mind could conjure up.

"Be there in five, maybe ten", Gene nodded and returned to his conversation.

"Okay", Alex nodded and then left, wishing the Earth would open up and swallow her.