‘What were you expecting, dear? Buck Palace or the Houses of Parliament? Good luck! I hope you last longer than the last recruit I dropped off here.’ The Sergeant laughed as she stepped off the bus.
Jane stood outside Hackney police station, looking up at the imposing four-storey red brick and white stone building, built in 1904. She gave her uniform a quick brush down, adjusted her hat and proceeded up the steps, through the swing doors and to the front counter. There was no one in the front office so she leaned over the desk to see if anyone was about who could let her in. As she did so, she lost her balance and, toppling forward, her legs came off the floor, causing her to end up lying prone and face down on the counter.
‘Most officers use the door as opposed to climbing over the counter,’ a gruff-sounding voice exclaimed.
Jane looked up and saw a uniform Sergeant who was clearly not amused.
‘Sorry, sir. I’m new here and I was looking for… ’
‘God help us if this is what integration brings… And it’s Sergeant Harris, not sir!’
Sergeant Stanley Harris was in his late forties, six feet tall, exceptionally fit-looking, with broad shoulders, a short back and sides haircut, and an imposing air of authority. He had thirty years’ service and was never known to be called by his first name, not even off duty, or by officers senior in rank to him. Jane would soon learn that Sergeant Harris was a formidable and strict taskmaster, who would make her time as a probationary officer at Hackney tougher than her limited experience at Hendon could possibly have prepared her for…
PERMISSIONS
Writer: Justin Hayward
© 1967 & 1973 TYLER MUSIC LTD.
of Suite 2.07, Plaza 535, King’s Road London SW10 0SZ
International Copyright Secured.
All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission
Words and Music By Jerry Ragovoy, Bert Berns
© UNICHAPPELL MUSIC INC. (BMI)
Words and Music by Bert Berns and Jerry Ragovoy
Copyright © 1967 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Reproduced by permission of Sony/ATV Songs LLC, London W1F 9LD
Words and Music by Bert Berns and Jerry Ragovoy
Copyright © 1967 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Unichappell Music
Inc. and Sloopy II Music
Copyright Renewed
All Rights on behalf of Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC Administered by
Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 424 Church Street, Suite 1200,
Nashville, TN 37219
All Rights on behalf of Sloopy II Music Administered by Wren Music Co.,
A Division of MPL Music Publishing, Inc.
International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved
Music by Auyar Hosseini
Lyrics by Norman Gimbel
© 1954 Sheldon Music Limited
All Rights Controlled by EMI UNART CATALOG, INC.
Print Rights Outside of Europe Administered by ALFRED MUSIC
All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission
Words & Music by Norman Gimbel & Auyar Hosseini
© Copyright 1956 Sheldon Music Limited.
EMI United Partnership Limited.
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
Used by permission of Music Sales Limited.
Words and Music by Les Vandyke
© 1959 EMI MILLS MUSIC, INC.
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Words and Music by Marty Robbins
Copyright © 1957 (Renewed 1985) Mariposa Music, Inc.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lynda La Plante is best known for her television series