Jane buttoned up her raincoat, secured her locker, and then after giving her hair a brush went out into the corridor where she saw Kath come running down the stairs.
‘Gibbs has just gone in for his test. You’d better not hang about or he’ll think it was you.’
It was only a few minutes later when Gibbs, who had been irritated by being made to go through the mouth-to-mouth refresher training, stomped down the stairs. He went to the incident room to see if DS Lawrence and Bradfield had discovered anything of value from Julie Ann’s rucksack.
‘Anything of interest?’ he asked.
Bradfield glanced up as Gibbs moved closer.
‘Who’ve you been slobbering with?’ Lawrence asked.
‘He’ll be wearing a matching blouse and earrings next,’ Bradfield added with a grin.
‘What are you two talking about? I’ve been doing mouth-to-mouth on Resusci Anne and I passed, thank you very much for asking.’
Bradfield laughed. ‘I believe you, Spence, but the rest of the team won’t.’
‘I dunno what you’re talking about… I’m going to the canteen.’
‘Bring me and Paul a coffee, sweetheart,’ Bradfield said nonchalantly to the confused Gibbs as he walked out. He was totally unaware that he had bright red lipstick smudged around his lips. He found out soon enough as there were guffaws from officers in the canteen and Gladys the canteen lady told him she had the same colour lipstick.
Jane’s mother was in tears, her father close to it as they stood outside their Maida Vale flat waiting for the taxi to arrive.
‘I’m perfectly happy to get public transport and it won’t be busy this early in the morning, Dad.’
‘No, you won’t let us drive you there so I’ll pay for the taxi. I’ll not have you lugging that large case across London, especially Hackney.’
Mrs Tennison sobbed and wiped her nose on a hanky she kept tucked in her sleeve. ‘I can’t believe you are leaving Daddy and me all alone, Jane.’
Jane felt quite emotional herself and knew her mother was in some sort of denial, but she was not going to be made to feel guilty about moving out.
‘For goodness’ sake, Mum, the section house is only half an hour away in the car. Besides, you weren’t like this when Pam moved out.’
‘But that was different, Jane: she’d met someone, fallen in love and got married.’
‘I’ll visit on my days off and come home for Sunday roast, so… ’
Her mother wafted her hanky as she became more upset. ‘You only get one Sunday off a month… it’s deplorable and you must ask for more.’
‘I don’t make the rules, Mum, I just do as I’m told. I get days off in the week like today, and one of your roasts will taste just as good Monday to Friday. I’ll even stay the night if possible.’
Her mother looked slightly calmer. ‘You bring that nice detective that came to see you after the wedding.’
‘He’s a senior officer and my boss while I’m assisting the CID… to him I’m just a minion.’
‘Well, he seemed very nice, very polite.’
‘If it makes you happy I’ll ask,’ Jane said, though she didn’t intend to do so.
‘That’s the taxi coming,’ her dad said.
To Jane’s surprise he suddenly stepped forward and embraced her with a loving hug.
‘Like I said you always get your own way,’ he whispered in her ear. He squeezed tighter and kissed her on the cheek.
She whispered back, ‘Thanks for telling her about me moving – you made it easier for me and I will miss you both.’
‘I know, she just worries about you. We both do because we love you so much.’
Jane felt herself welling up and thinking of the loss of her brother Michael. For the first time she wondered if she was doing the right thing by moving out when it came to the effect on her mother.
As her dad put the suitcase in the back of the cab Jane embraced and squeezed her mother tightly before telling her she’d ring later that day to let them know she’d settled in.
Arriving at the section house reception Jane introduced herself to the duty warden, an elderly, grey-haired civilian man who sat behind a small desk drinking his morning cup of tea and enjoying a cigarette. He asked to see her warrant card and then asked her to sign in on the residents’ register.
‘Do you know your room number, luv?’
‘Not yet, but I was told my room would be on the third floor.’
‘Oh, slight problem there. The WPCs’ floor is all full up so the only room available is on the men’s floor.’
Jane was shocked and upset. ‘But I was told that-’
‘Got yer there, didn’t I? I do it to all the new residents, even the blokes. Funny thing is none of them ever object to a room on the women’s floor. You’ve been allocated room 308. There’s a black disc on the key ring and you need to hang that on the board number whenever you’re going out the building.’
Jane thanked him and he explained that if she was out and no black disc had been hung up she’d receive a 10p fine. The warden pointed to a row of six wooden cubby holes behind him stating that the residents’ mail was placed in them and it was her responsibility to check for herself, likewise the message book.
