#tbf Louise isn't too far from being Jac Naylor - only slightly less Ice Queen

[forensicated]

Smiffina Episodes - Episode 324

Smithy is called to a multistorey carpark to meet a victim of a car jacking. The victim turns out to be the wife of massive gangster, Pete Larsen though at first she tells him she's Louise Roberts. Louise makes it clear she didn't call the police, Smithy telling her it was the carpark attendant who did. She's not overly bothered and doesn't want to persue it and she and Smithy continue to gently rub each other up the wrong way as he starts to make it official. The parking attendant tells Leela that one of the gang pulled a knife on her, a fact that Louise left out. Smithy admits to Leela it's very obvious that Louise doesn't want them there. Before Louise can leave a second carjacking is reported and Smithy orders her - repeatedly before she gives in - to get in the car so they can find them before they kill someone.

They bicker as they drive, Smithy telling her that the smallest details often hold the key. "So what do the smallest details say about you, Sgt Smith? For a start you're not married." "Well that's not exactly difficult, is it?" he drawls, showing his left hand that is obviously ring-less. "But you don't live with anyone either, do you?" "How do you know that?" "Because you're wearing slightly too much aftershave. Too much for the inside of a small car anyway. A woman would be sensitive to that. When she kissed you goodbye in the morning she'd tell you. Am I right?" "Possibly." "That means yes. So what else do we know? You're late 20's* doing well to be a sergeant by now. Local boy from the accent. I expect you've got a smart bare little flat somewhere not too far away from here. Big widescreen telly and not much else. No clutter, white walls, bare floors which you did yourself because you could not afford that nice laminate stuff." "What is this? Changing Rooms?" "And no partner." "You don't know that." "You're dedicated to your job. That's why you made Sergeant because you've got nothing else to worry about. Apart from going to the gym. Maybe a couple of times a week from the look of you." "Oh thanks." "You've had relationships, but lets face it, work just gets in the way. " "Do you fancy a job in CID?" "You couldn't afford me."

* He couldn't be late 20's given his career so far - he's relatively always been aged around Alex's actual age given his 6 years in the army (which they then made 5 once he was applying for SO19 for some reason having made it 6 in every other ep it was brought up in!) He was about 26 if not 27 then, 2 years away to return in episode 117 makes him 28/29 - He'd now be 30/31 in 2005 (Alex being 31). It's at this point I realise I might be a little too overinvested in Smithy...

Smithy then tries the working out of Louise once they'd stopped - and she'd got herself but not him a coffee. "I bet you're married to a very wealthy man." He murmurs, after saying it doesn't surprise him that she's not bothered about her car "[people] with money." "I mean, take those boots, they're at least £300. " "They were in the sale and I paid for them with my own money." "I bet you've never even done the housework, or the washing up come to that." "Look at your nails. Then there's your hair. That's at least once a week, which means you've got some leisure time, which means you don't work, which means it's paid for by a wealthy bloke."

Louise ID's her attackers before they can continue and they strike again before assistance can get to Smithy. He leaps back into the car and tells Louise to put her seatbelt on. "It's creasing my coat!" "It'll do more than that if you go through the windscreen." "Nice of you to care." "I don't, I just don't need the paperwork." he retorts, Louise hiding an amused smirk. He catches one of the carjackers, with help from Louise who backs the police car up quickly to stop him escaping past it! After he goes to try find the other. "Do you want me to drive?" Louise smirks. Smithy stares at her for a second. "Just get in the car!" Reg smirks as he watches them. "Bit of alright, ain't she?" he says to Smithy. "Not when you're stuck in a car with her. Trust me!"

Sheelagh is stopped by June who asks her about Gabriel. Sheelagh assures her she knows what she's doing and that it's just a bit of fun.

Smithy and Louise continue bantering at the station where he gets her to read through the statement she's made. She gets a call and he leaves the room, watching Louise leave afterwards with a thoughtful expression. He insists to Leela that Louise isn't his type... and then not-so-subtly asks her if his aftershave is a bit too strong.

At the end of the shift, Neil returns Louise's statement to Smithy and tells him she hasn't signed it. Smithy tells him he'll get it sorted and calls in on Louise on the way home. They banter and argue and it turns into a heated kiss.