Lynda La Plante
Dark Rooms
For Noel Fitzpatrick and his wonderful team at Fitzpatrick
Referrals, who helped save Hugo, you have mine and
Hugo’s sincere thanks and gratitude.
Chapter One
‘Detective Inspector Jane Tennison.’ Jane had repeated it out loud four times, looking at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t help admiring her reflection, enjoying the reality of her new promotion. It hadn’t been easy to get to where she was.
She hadn’t shared the news with her family yet, deciding that she would go and see them, taking a bottle of celebratory champagne. Her parents had been somewhat confused by the fact that Jane had had to spend almost a year in uniform as part of the promotion process. Although she had tried to explain the reasons, her mother seemed to think she had been demoted, so Jane felt that the less said about it the better.
Due to her work schedule, she had spent very little time at her new home recently. Moving into the two-bedroom terraced house had been a major step up for her on the property ladder, but the responsibility attached to owning a much larger property was only just beginning to dawn on her. There were a lot of repairs that needed doing, including a persistent electrical fault in the kitchen. She decided that she would make a list of what needed doing. Until she was given the location of the station that she would be working from, she could spend more time focusing on redecorating and organising her new home. She had already made two purchases for the kitchen, a new fridge freezer and a washing machine. After passing the exams, she had been back on shift work and busy running a uniform team. Now, with her promotion and on a higher wage, she was determined to get all the home improvements necessary.
Jane glanced in the bathroom mirror again before leaving for her parents’. ‘Good evening, I am Detective Inspector Jane Tennison.’ She was secretly bursting with pride and was eager to impart the news.
Although Jane had a front door key to her parents’ flat in Maida Vale, she rarely used it as she didn’t like to invade their privacy. Before tonight, she’d always called her mother to arrange a visit and had never just turned up. She rang the doorbell and her father pulled open the front door, looking at his daughter with delight.
‘This is a surprise!’ He ushered Jane into the hall.
Through the sitting-room door, Jane could see her parents’ neighbours sitting on the sofa. On the coffee table in front of them was a tray of sherry glasses and neatly cut sandwiches, while the radio had the volume turned up loud.
‘Guess who’s here?’ her father called out.
Rather embarrassed, Jane held up the bottle of Moët & Chandon. Her mother clapped her hands.
‘This is wonderful, darling! You know Mr and Mrs Murphy, from the flat above? And the Silvermans from the basement flat are going to be joining us any minute. Why didn’t you call and tell me you were coming over? It’s going to be the most fantastic evening.’
Jane was feeling distinctly nonplussed. She hadn’t expected her mother to be hosting a gathering. It was clearly neither the time nor the place to announce her promotion.
‘Good God!’ her father said as he took the bottle out of Jane’s hand. ‘This is very expensive. I’ll put it in the fridge.’
‘Actually, Dad, it’s really for a celebration...’
‘I quite agree. I’ve never known your mother so enthusiastic about hosting, but she seems to be enjoying herself. Pam and Tony are coming along with the grandchildren as well. Come into the kitchen.’
As her mother returned to her guests, Jane followed her father into the kitchen as he put her champagne bottle into the fridge.
‘Is everything all right, Jane?’ he asked.
‘Yes, everything’s fine. I was just stopping by for a few minutes to tell you the good news. I’ve been promoted. I’m now Detective Inspector. I wanted to tell you both personally...’ She hesitated, then lied. ‘But I was actually just on my way to meet a friend for dinner.’
‘Well, that is good news,’ he said, rather unconvincingly.
‘I’m waiting to find out which station I’ll be working from. I just wanted you and Mum to know. But I won’t take up any more of your time.’
‘Are you sure? You know we have the Silvermans coming up soon? They have a lovely daughter, although I believe their son is in a bit of trouble. Why don’t you just stay for a glass of sherry?’
‘No, Dad, I’ll just slip off. I don’t want to intrude any further.’
He gave a resigned smile. ‘I understand. I think your mother is getting her second wind in life! How is everything at the new house?’
‘Fine, thanks. There are a few electrical problems, and I’m having some new kitchen appliances fitted, but I’m just going to take it one step at a time.’
He nodded. ‘That’s sensible. Just make sure you get a proper professional to do the electrics. Don’t just go for the cheapest. We’ve had a problem with a light switch in the hall for six months. When one of the light bulbs pops, it trips all the lights in the hall. We’ve had two “more than my job’s worth” electricians in organised by the caretaker but neither of them could fix it.’
‘I’ll take your good advice, Dad,’ Jane replied, eager to leave.
By the time she reached her car, she felt a bit foolish for not staying. But the truth was her parents’ friends interrogating her about her work had always made her feel uncomfortable. At least her parents hadn’t asked if she was seeing anyone, as they usually did. The fact was that she had been focusing all her attention on getting promoted and hadn’t had time for a relationship. She was now looking forward to finding out which station she would be attached to and what she’d be working on. As a detective inspector, she was really hoping that she might be assigned to an important case.
Mrs Tennison couldn’t believe that Jane had left without saying goodbye. Even her husband telling her that she’d only popped round to tell them that she had been promoted didn’t satisfy her.
‘I mean, how long has it been since we had one evening with her? I know she’s been very busy, and all this going back into uniform doesn’t really seem to make sense if she’s supposed to have been promoted now.’
‘I think she was on her way out to a celebration dinner. She just wanted us to be the first to know her good news,’ Mr Tennison said, trying to appease her.
He was saved from any further discussion by the doorbell, heralding the arrival of the Silvermans.
When Jane returned home, she felt depressed. It was a Saturday night, and there were no friends eager to go for a celebratory drink with her. She had been so intent on her work, she had not kept up the friendship with her next-door neighbours, Gerry and Vi, even though to begin with Gerry had been very helpful, offering to do any small jobs she needed. Actually, she had felt he was a bit too nosy. She knew his dog (who had liked to use her gate post to urinate on) had died a few months ago, and she was a bit relieved that this meant his day and evening walks past her house were no longer so frequent. As for the young couple in the house on the other side, she hadn’t met them yet as they appeared to leave very early in the morning and return before she had got home.
She walked into her kitchen where the new fridge freezer was still in its wrapping, next to the washing machine. She had purchased it so that she would no longer have to go to the launderette, but had no notion of how to plumb it in.
She put the kettle on the hob and, feeling peckish, decided she’d make some cheese on toast. But the bread was mouldy, and the sliced cheese looked unappetising. She would have to go to Bickley’s Best, the small local corner shop a five-minute walk away.