Standing in the corridor Jane could hear male voices chatting and laughing on the other side of the door, as well as the click-clack of typewriters and the ding of the bell as the carriage reached the end of the page. She straightened her coat and swept her hands through her hair. She didn’t know why, but for the first time in ages she felt nervous about walking into an office full of male detectives, as Dabs opened the door for her. But her anxiety eased as she recognised the hearty laugh of DS Stanley. Being the first female member of the Flying Squad probably wasn’t going to be a bed of roses, but it felt like it was the beginning of an exciting new chapter in her life. She walked into the room and saw the Colonel and Stanley standing together, with their backs to her, looking at something on the wall. Before she could speak, the Colonel nudged Stanley with his elbow.

‘Get me Tennison’s joining photo out of her job file on KP’s desk – I’ll stick it on the poster under her nickname.’

The Colonel sniggered, still with his back to Jane.

Stanley turned around and took a few steps towards the desk before he saw Jane and grimaced. She glared at him and held her finger to her mouth, making it clear she wanted him to keep quiet. She could see her police file, with her CID photograph clipped to it, on a neat and tidy desk near the door, which had a ‘Katie Powell’ name plaque on it.

The Colonel continued to look at the poster, admiring his handiwork.

‘Get a move on, Stanley, Tennison will be here soon.’

Jane handed Dabs the bag of exhibits, then removed her photo from the file. As she crept up behind the Colonel she could see a 40in. by 30in. film poster for the 1967 movie, The Dirty Dozen. The poster depicted twelve men in army fatigues charging forward in a V formation, with machine guns blazing. Jane knew the film was considered a classic, full of Hollywood stars of the day like Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson. In the top left corner of the poster, in capital letters, were the words DAMN THEM OR PRAISE THEM . . . YOU’LL NEVER FORGET THE DIRTY DOZEN and added on a bit of paper underneath was OR TREACLE TENNISON.

‘There you go,’ Jane said and stuck the photograph under her name. The Colonel was visibly startled.

‘Where’d you come from?’ he asked, red-faced, and some of the detectives couldn’t help laughing at his embarrassment.

‘And there was us thinking you were a rough, tough marine,’ DC Baxter said.

‘You must have shit yourself when the enemy crept up on you.’ Teflon grinned.

The Colonel glared at Teflon as everyone laughed, then turned to Jane with a smirk.

‘It’s just me and the lads having a bit of fun—’