Линда Ла Плант - Good Friday

‘Alison… are you all right?’

‘No, I’m not. First, I am collected to be brought here, then I have had to sit throughout dinner with his empty chair next to me. Then in he comes with his shirt filthy, having lost his bow tie and a gold cufflink, and starts asking for dinner. I’m getting a taxi home!’

‘Don’t go, please… I don’t know how much I can tell you about tonight, but if it wasn’t for your husband I could have been killed. He’s incredibly brave, and hopefully eventually he can tell you about it himself…’

Alison bit her lip.

‘Besides, there’s still the raffle, and—’

‘That’s been going on for ages.’

‘Well, then there’s the band… All I can say is that your husband really is a very special and very brave man…’

Alison hesitated, then turned and headed out of the cloakroom. Jane went into the powder room. There were large mirrors hanging on the walls and Jane gasped at her reflection. There was a nasty red welt around her neck. She washed her hands, then opened her small evening bag and took out her powder and lipstick. She dampened some tissue paper and wiped her face, then dabbed powder around her neck to try and hide the mark, but it was still red raw.

As she went out she found the cloakroom attendant had returned with a needle and black cotton thread. Kneeling beside Jane she began to attempt to stitch the frill back in place.

‘I’m just going to do big hem stitches for now, but you need to get a professional seamstress. It’s delicate silk and some of the lace is torn.’

‘I’m so grateful… if you could please just do what you can so I don’t trip up again…’

In the dining room, standing on the small raised platform, two rather drunk officers were digging into a box of raffle tickets and shouting out the numbers using a microphone. There were cheers as the lucky ticket holders jumped up from their tables to claim their prizes. They were mostly bottles of gin, whisky and brandy, with a few more feminine prizes for the female guests; bottles of perfume and bath salts. As they were reaching the end of the raffle, Stanley was tucking into a large plate of cheese, biscuits and grapes, accompanied by a glass of red wine.

Alison sat down beside him as the last but one ticket was pulled out of the box.

The prize was dinner for two at the Savoy Hotel, and there was a loud bellow as Blondie Dunston stood up waving his winning ticket stub. He received a slow handclap as he went to collect the gold envelope. As the band began to set up, the last major prize was drawn: the crate of Moët & Chandon champagne.

‘Ticket number 409, ladies and gentleman… number 409. Donated by Minstral’s Wine, a crate of vintage champagne hand-delivered to your door…’

Dexter rose to his feet and waved his ticket stub as the room erupted into yells of ‘FIXED… FIXED!’ but he danced his way up to the platform. Crowley was up on his feet clapping and cheering and the insults turned into a stamp and handclap of applause as the flushed and smiling Dexter took the microphone.

‘I would like to hand over my winning ticket to a man who has proved himself above and beyond the call of duty tonight… my friend, DS Stanley. And now — let’s dance!’

There were a few loud and abusive remarks as Stanley stood up at his table. His face was like a young boy’s as he held his arms above his head and cheered. The band struck up and the small dance floor was cleared as guests started to move from their tables to dance.

Jane had arrived in the dining room in time to see Dexter pass his prize ticket to Stanley. Alison was smiling proudly as he guided her onto to the dance floor. They immediately collided with Edith, who was being whirled around by Maynard, his bow tie undone and his shirt tails hanging out of his trousers. Edith was wearing a black velvet sequinned gown with long strands of pearls that she continually swung around her neck. Together they looked like an overgrown schoolboy dancing with the inebriated school matron.

Jane was at a loss as to where she should sit, but just then DCI Church left his table with Crowley and Maynard, and their guests.

‘Come on, we’ve got some food at the table for you.’

She followed him to a large round table. It was full of used napkins and empty wine glasses but there were two fresh bottles of white and red wine. Jane sat down as Church pulled out a chair for her in front of a setting of salad, cheese and biscuits.

Church poured her a glass of red wine. Crowley was sitting beside her, next to a large woman in a sequinned jacket who was obviously rather tipsy. Opposite them were two forensic scientists she knew by sight from the explosives lab who were also clearly enjoying themselves, as were most of the other rowdy guests. Couples were dancing and throwing themselves around as the band struck up ‘Rock Around the Clock’. Suddenly the net above the dance floor was released and red and white balloons cascaded down from the ceiling, along with streamers and confetti.

Jane sipped her wine and cut a small slice of cheese as Crowley leant towards her.

‘I’m proud of you, of what you have done. You are a brave young woman. Believe me, it won’t go unnoticed.’

Jane nodded gratefully as he topped up her wine, then he gestured towards the woman in the sequin dress, who was knocking back her drink.

‘That’s my wife, Margaret… and you know those two rogues from the forensic science lab.’

He then almost turned his back completely to Jane as he suggested to his wife that they should be leaving. Church bent his head towards Jane and whispered.

‘She’s three sheets to the wind, and the forensic guys are plastered as well. You can relax, Tennison… everything is safe now, thanks to Dexter…’

‘Am I all right, sir?’

Church tilted his head to one side. ‘This is not the time or the place, Tennison.’

‘I know I have been a bit of a liability…’

‘That is putting it mildly, Tennison. Come in and see me tomorrow at midday, and we can talk everything over. Now, would you like to dance?’

‘Could I just have a few minutes, if you don’t mind? I’m really quite hungry.’

‘It’s a lucky escape, to be honest… I’ve got two left feet!’

Jane scoured the dance floor and the surrounding tables for Dexter. She eventually caught sight of him on the far side of the room, sitting at a table full of men. He was rocking back and forth in his chair, laughing.

She jumped as there was a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see DS Lawrence standing behind her, looking very smart in an elegant dinner jacket and a frilled shirt.

‘Hello, Jane. I just got here — missed all the action by the sound of things. You look lovely… which is more than I can say for Edith. I think a couple of guys had to help her out, after she attempted to rock and roll with Maynard!’

Jane laughed softly as Lawrence pointed across the room to the dance floor.

‘You seen Timex? He looks like an emperor penguin in that gear.’

Shepherd, known as Timex because he was always checking his watch, was the only man wearing a white tuxedo jacket with black trousers.

‘That’s his wife with him. Absolutely stunning, isn’t she? No wonder he always wants to clock off at five sharp and get home ASAP,’ Lawrence remarked. He leaned over to speak with Crowley, giving him an update on his work. The Triumph Herald had been double-checked before the car was towed away and it was all clear. Lawrence moved away from the table as Jane ate another slice of cheese.

DCI Church was now busy talking to Crowley and had left his packet of cigarettes on the table. Jane took one and picked up a box of matches that had been left next to the overflowing ashtray. She inhaled deeply as the band started playing ‘Blue Moon’ and the lights were lowered.