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Love Undercover	By : gallygaskins Category: M through R > Robin Hood Views: 1581 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Robin Hood and I do not earn money from this fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Chapter 5

Tears had threatened to fall the whole of Jo's journey home and as soon as she crossed the main road that left her within minutes of her front door, the floodgate opened. She propped herself against the fire exit of the local convenience store, put her head in her hands and sobbed.

From across the street, a lone figure watched from the bar entrance of the Plume of Feathers pub. His expression was all kindness and sympathy, he just wanted to be able to enfold her in his arms and tell her that everything would be alright but he wasn't sure that that would be welcomed. He'd been waiting for her to come home, in truth; spending the last few weeks summoning up the courage to tell her how he felt about her but every time he had decided to speak to her something else had got in the way. Even now didn't look like a good time. She looked so distraught, what on earth had happened?

Straightening himself up, he fixed his route and made his way across the road. He stopped short of the retching figure in front of him, cleared his throat and spoke. "Are you ok, Jo?"

Slowly her crying faltered; she wiped her eyes and stood up straight. He stepped towards her, tenderly brushing her now damp tresses away from her eyes. "Jim? What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you, actually. Is everything ok?"

"Does it look like it?" She bit out.

"Well, no, not exactly." His hands wrestled with one another in front of his chest. "What happened?"

"Nothing, I'm fine. I just want to get home."

"This isn't nothing." He stammered, taking her elbow and walking with her up the street to her flat. "Please tell me, maybe I can help?"

"Why would you want to?" She asked sullenly.

They had reached her front door; Jo already had the key in the lock and the door open by the time he answered. "I don't know, maybe it has something to do with the fact that I have been waiting for you all day."

"Why?" She asked, leaning herself against the doorjamb.

"Because ... "

"Well?"

" ... Because, I like you, Jo."

"What?" She almost screamed.

"I ... I like you ... very much."

"Oh my god!"

"Sorry, Jo?" He asked, confusion clouding his persona.

"Oh my god, I don't believe it. You lot are like buses. For months not one bloke has even looked my way. And today, two come along at once."

"Have you seen Allan then, today?"

"Allan?"

"Yes, I know he's got a thing for you too."

"A thing for me? Make that three then." Her anger was steadily building. Looking back at where Jim was stood, Jo sighed. "Go home, Much. I'm really not in the mood."

"But I wanted to talk to you ..."

"Bye Much."

"To tell you ..."

With one swift push the door was closed in his face. With her back against the now firmly closed door, she buckled sliding to the floor in a heap sobbing once again, unable to move. She stayed bunched up for what seemed like forever only moving out of obligation, it had become dark and cold in the hallway.

Settling herself into her favourite chair, she picked up the receiver of her phone. She dialled the familiar number and within seconds it was answered. "Hello Lucy? It's Jo."

"Oh, hi Jo. Can't wait to see you perform on Friday." The young croupier remarked.

"Hmm, well, is Guy around?"

"No, he'll be on his mobile. Had some hot date by all accounts, so don't expect him to answer straight away."

Jo closed her eyes to the immediate hurt that punched through her core. Were the staff always so quick to jump to conclusions about Guy and his dates? 'But then again,' she thought, 'perhaps he has every right to, in his eyes I don't want him. "I won't disturb him. I'll leave a message, if that's ok? Just tell him that I'm sorry but I can't take the job after all." Slowly she replaced the receiver.

Being on her own was a bad idea, so after stripping herself of her finery and black streaked make up, she showered and dressed in her sweats. Deciding to go for a jog at 2 in the morning was probably not the best idea Jo had ever had but she didn't care. If it was a way in which she could clear her head and start to forget about Guy Matthews then she would do it.

She aimlessly threaded her way through the streets of London finally ending up in front of the imposing warehouse that housed Vasey's casino. It looked deserted but that was probably due to the fact it was well after 3 and probably closed for the night. She noticed the door open and some of the croupiers filed out onto the steps that led down to the street. Edging around the side of a bin she was able to hide herself as the rabble traipsed past on their way home.

Just as she was about to escape her burrow the door opened again. She waited, holding her breath in case she should be caught. Two men stepped out into the street. Her heart skipped a beat as she noticed the first, Guy Matthews and the other, her senses told her, was Vasey. She crouched down, edging backward into the cavern intently listening to the conversation.

"Matthews," said Vasey, "I don't think I have ever seen you so miserable."

"Maybe having you call me in on my day off, yet again, has turned me into a miserable bastard."

"I don't think so. You see, I saw the way you simpered over that Jo ... oh, what's her name?"

"Harding," Guy bit out. "Jo Harding."

"Yes, that's the girl. Took her out today didn't you? Did it not go as planned?"

"Not exactly."

"Did she reject your advances, hmm? Or did she tease you and leave you hanging?"

"Vasey, I'll warn you once, don't disrespect her. Jo is not that kind of girl."

"Isn't she? In my experience, they all are. At some point they all fuck with your head and screw you for every penny that you have."

"Not Jo. I really thought ..."

"What? That she was the one?" Vasey laughed raucously causing both Guy and Jo to shiver. "Oh, whatever you lovesick puppy but mark my words, she's trouble with a capital T."

"To be honest, I doubt I'll see her again." Jo could barely hear Guy speak, but he sounded like a broken man, his voice cracking. Tears threatened once more as she realised the extent of what she had done earlier on. But what else could she have done. A friendship was one thing, being lovers was quite another. Especially when Guy worked for a man like Vasey and Jo was an undercover policewoman on his case.

"Why?" Vasey asked disinterestedly.

"She called in, said she wouldn't be taking the job after all."

"Oh well, back to the drawing board on that one then, eh?" Vasey looked Guy over. "Go home, Matthews and have a pull on your todger." Guy sighed, shaking his head at Vasey's statement. Jo forced her hand over her mouth, afraid that she'd be sick if she didn't. "Believe me it always helps me get over a woman. Or take one of the girls from the club home and bang her all night if that's a healthier option for you."

"No thanks. I'll be fine." Guy looked like he'd swallowed a bee.

"Well, your choice, but make sure you come back here tomorrow in a better mood. I have a job for you."

Jo watched Guy descend the steps and walk over to his car. Vasey finished locking up before he too descended the steps and got into his own vehicle. Within minutes they had both driven away allowing Jo the opportunity to come out of hiding.

She stretched the kinks out of her body and headed to work. She knew she would find friendly chatter there as an aid of distraction, something she sorely needed in order to keep her mind from going over the events of the day. After another quick shower and a change of clothes that she always kept in her locker, Jo found her way to the canteen to see if there was anyone there.

Her old partner, PS Peter Green, a beat cop through and through was sat at the far end enjoying a steaming hot cup of tea and his newspaper. He looked up as she came nearer to his position, pulled out the chair next to him and patted the seat to signal that she was welcome to join him. "Morning."

"Hi, Peter." She sighed.

"Oh dear. Sounds like you need a chat. Cup of tea?" Without the need for her to affirm she wanted one, he passed his over to her and quickly got himself another. "So, you going tell me everything straightaway or am I going to have to prise it out of you like I normally do?"

She smiled at his observation. "Why do some people find love easily whilst others struggle?"

"Oh god, it's the struggle."

Jo laughed before becoming sensible again. "Peter, I mean it. When you met Sue it seemed to be like a dream for you, but every relationship I get involved in seems to have so many complications."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with either Much or Dale, would it?"

"Not entirely, why what have you heard?" She took a sip of her tea.

"There were some rumours abound that they were both going to make a play for you, some of uniform started a book on which one would get there first. My money's on Dale."

"What are the odds for neither of them?"

"Even money."

"That doesn't say a lot for me, does it?"

"It speaks volumes, Jo. It means you're not looking to jeopardise your career by carrying on with someone inside the station; which is good news for you and bad for those two."

"What about someone with a shady past?"

"Who?"

"There's this bloke ..."

"Someone you're investigating?"

She nodded her head, "we went out today."

"Jo?"

"Nothing happened, I swear to you. But there's just something niggling away at me."

"Like what?"

"I know he's bad, I've had people I don't even know tell me, but he ..."

"Is a charmer?"

Jo turned in her chair to look at Peter directly. Leaning in toward him she whispered, "no, it's almost like he's there out of necessity, like he's doing it as a means to an end. I've dealt with some pretty sinister bastards in my time, bastards like Vasey, but he's not like that."

"In what way?"

"Things he said to me earlier on, the way he was with me, what he told me wanted from me. I didn't spend the morning with a man that set out to get me, I spent it with a man that ... well ..." Peter encouraged her to carry on, "... not that I've had much experience with this, but like a man that was in love ... with me."

"What did he say?" Jo looked down at her hands embarrassed by her memories. "Jo, the more you tell me, the better I can make a judgement."

"Firstly, there was this preacher at Speakers Corner talking about how free sex was ruining the family unit."

"He met you at Hyde Park?"

"Yes, why?"

"Well, it's not the kind of place you'd expect to find his sort taking someone to on their first date."

"It wasn't meant to be a date."

"But that's what it turned into."

"No it didn't. I mean, I suppose it could of." She shook her head. "Anyway, we had a debate about it and he was all for the fairytale ending, imparted information to me about his family and work. He trained as an architect."

"Doesn't not make him a criminal."

"No, I realise that. He complimented me on several occasions."

"What did he say?"

"He compared me to a ... what was it ... a Rembrandt beauty, he likes curvy women apparently." Peter nodded. "He also said I looked 'bloody fantastic' eating the forkful of food that he had offered me." Peter smirked, remembering some of the occasions he had said similar things to his wife. "What?"

"Nothing, carry on."

"He couldn't understand how a 'pretty girl' like me hadn't had many boyfriends. Then he said I should put myself out there and be clever, get men to buy me drinks if I'm out."

"Not a bad idea."

"No, but then he said that he wouldn't really want me doing that because he said that since the first time he saw me on my birthday he's wanted me. He said that my singing stirred him inside; that my voice is great and I should be singing professionally. And then, well he didn't finish saying about what my kiss did to him.

"He said that he'd asked me out so that we had the opportunity to get to know one another better, that he couldn't bear not seeing me every day that he didn't want our day together to end. He finally said that he wanted to keep taking me out and see where we were in a couple of weeks. And all the while I just kept thinking about the job and not getting too close to him.

"But there was one thing he said that made it all seem real to me."

Peter stifled a giggle, "because none of the other stuff he said was?"

"Don't tease me."

"I'm sorry. Carry on." Peter said apologetically.

"Let's see if I can remember this correctly." She said wistfully. "He said that he not only wanted me in his life as his friend but as his lover, sharing his bed with him every Sunday, forever."

"Only every Sunday?" He giggled.

"Stop it. It was a reference to something he'd said earlier on. When I'd asked him about his ideal woman he'd said that she'd look after him in her own special way, she'd laugh at his jokes even if they weren't funny and that they would sit in bed on a Sunday reading the paper together before making love all afternoon."

"Sounds like he's smitten to me. Even used some of the lines I did on Sue, especially that Sunday afternoon bit."

It was Jo's turn to tease. "Did you ever manage it?"

"For a while, until the first born arrived anyway."

"So are you thinking as I am and that I should be telling the boss that I can't go through with this anymore?"

"Go through what anymore, Harding?"

Jo turned slowly in her seat. "Guv?"

DCI Hood stood over her, his left eyebrow hitched up, his lips pressed out in a thin line, he wasn't impressed. "I suggest you get yourself another cup of tea and then hot tail it to my office. I think there's something that John, you and I need to discuss. In particular, what you were doing hanging around the casino at stupid o'clock this morning and whatever it is you don't want to go through with anymore. Comprende?"

"Yes, Guv." Jo watched his retreating form until it had turned the corner out of sight. She slowly got up from her chair, ready to get a fresh brew. She stopped suddenly as Peter put his hand over hers and got her to look at him. "What?" She asked wearily.

"If it's any consolation, Jo, this man does sound like he's in love with you. Keep your spirits up, eh? Everything will turn out ok, you'll see."

"Thanks, I hope so." She smiled at her friend before doing what she had been told to. Within minutes she was ensconced, once more, in the foreboding presence of her DCI.

"Right, there are two ways we can play this," Hood started. John looked over to Jo and caught her eye, he flashed her a reassuring smile before he was seen and resumed his stance by the time Hood had said his piece.

"It's probably best if I just tell you what happened yesterday, isn't it?" Hood nodded, if that was the way she wanted to do this then he wasn't going to stop her. She explained her morning with Matthews, brushing quickly over the events and leaving out much of the detail. Deciding to be sparing with the truth, she missed out the parts about her quick departure from Hyde Park, her misery when she got home and her reasoning behind going out for a run and ending up at the casino in the middle of the night. She did, however, convey the conversation she had heard between the two men and that she had then come to the station to work out what to do next.

"You talk to uniform quite frequently about our cases then, do you?"

"No, guv. And you know that Peter is a good friend of mine."

"What possible interest could he have in our affairs then?" Hood sat on the edge of his desk, his arms folded over his chest, looking imperiously at Jo.

"I just wanted some advice?"

"About?"

"It was personal?"

"Oh, right. Women's problems? Money? Illicit affairs?" He thought he saw a glimmer in her ever changing demeanour. "You see, what I don't quite understand is, if it was such a normal meeting of minds that you obviously had with Matthews yesterday morning, why were you talking to PS Green about it and why did you then think you should tell me that you didn't want to go through with 'it' any longer. What is 'it'? To my mind 'it' can only mean one thing – finding a way to keep Matthews from going to jail."

"No, no, guv, you've got it all wrong."

"I don't think I have, Detective Inspector. And I think if you want to keep not only your position but also your job then you best listen to me. That man is no good."

Jo panicked. "I know, and that's why I phoned the casino last night and said I couldn't take the job."

"Really? John?" Hood looked over to him, "I don't remember DI Harding mentioning her telephone call to the casino, do you?"

John shook his head, "no, guv."

"No, guv." Hood reiterated. "Ok, here's what's going to happen. You are going to telephone Matthews himself and tell him you were wrong. I don't care how you do it but you get back in there. Get close to him, do anything you have to within reason to get that man to trust you. And then get the information we require to bring the 'House of Vasey' down, and that includes Matthews himself. Got it?" He sat back down in his chair.

In all of Jo's professional life she never thought she could hate someone as much as she felt she hated Hood at that moment.

"Have you got it, Harding?"

"Yes, guv. Loud and clear."

"Good. Messages go through John, other than that you're on your own." He looked over at her from behind his desk. "We'll reconvene at the end of the week; John will let you know what time. Good luck."

"Thanks." She got up from her chair and stormed out, banging the door behind her as she went. Stalking through the office she picked her belongings up from her desk and threaded her way out of the station by the quickest route. She crossed the street, found a vacant bench in the small park and began dialling Guy's mobile number.

"Hello?" The voice sounded sleepy but became angry with the next question, "who is it?"

"Guy? It's Jo. Hi."

"Jo? I never thought ..."

"I know. I think I may have been a little rash."

"The jobs yours, I could never give it to anyone else."

"Guy, it's not just about the job." She was beginning to hate herself for what she was about to do.

"Yes?" He asked expectantly.

"I think I may have been a little rash about what you said to me yesterday too.

"I shouldn't have spoken so hastily, to frighten you like that ..."

"It's me who should be sorry, for running off like that. Hardly the act of a ... friend."

"You have nothing to apologise for, I just can't help myself where you're concerned." She smiled to herself. "I hope you're blushing again."

"Naturally."

He laughed. "Jo, tell me what you want from me and I will give it to you. I will go as fast or as slowly as you want me to, ok?"

"Yes, thank you. Are you normally up by now?"

"No, but the break in my sleep this morning came from a welcome source. Would you like to have lunch with me?"

"Yes, but somewhere a little down market today, eh? Nice though it was yesterday."

"I know the perfect place, the best introduction to down to earth Italian food. Do you know St Bartholomew's chapel, around the corner from the casino?" She indicated that she did, "there's a restaurant in the cloisters run by an Italian family. Meet me there at twelve?"

"Yes, I'd love to meet you."

"It's a date then?"

"It's a date. See you soon."

"Yep, bye."

"Bye." She closed her eyes to the sunshine as she switched off her phone. The prospect of seeing Guy again so soon was filling Jo with emotions and feelings she wasn't sure how to handle. But she knew one thing for sure; damn the force and her job if they thought she was going to sacrifice any chance of happiness she may have with someone, especially if that someone was Guy Matthews.
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Love Undercover