‘I don’t have anything against you as a person, Tennison, and from what I was told you are a very competent divisional detective, but the truth is your appointment to the Flying Squad is nothing more than an experiment, which I personally disagreed with, but to no avail.’

He leant back in his chair to let her digest what he’d said.

She was surprised. ‘What do you mean, I’m an experiment?’

‘Have you heard of Commander Kenneth Drury?’

‘Yes, he was a former head of the Flying Squad, who was found guilty of corruption a few years ago.’

She wondered what on earth that had to do with her.

‘Several other officers were also arrested and convicted for taking bribes – a couple were from the Flying Squad, but the majority were from Obscene Publications and the Porn Squad. Have you heard of Operation Countryman?’

Jane nodded. ‘Yes, it’s an investigation by two county forces into police corruption in London. They recently arrested and interviewed some Flying Squad officers—’

He looked annoyed. ‘None of them were on my squad, and not one of the officers arrested has been charged with any offences. The fact is the whole Countryman investigation is a bloody farce, based on the uncorroborated word of a career criminal who has it in for the Flying Squad because he was caught committing armed robbery. The two county forces investigating are on a fucking crusade to find some dirt on the squad – and it’s pissing me off.’

He paused to light a cigarette.

Jane could understand Murphy not being happy about Countryman, but he seemed to be protesting a bit too much. It made her wonder if he knew, or suspected, Countryman were investigating members of his team.

‘I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t see what Operation Countryman has to do with me being an experiment.’

He inhaled deeply and blew the smoke out in Jane’s direction.

‘Some idiot in the Commissioner’s inner circle persuaded him having a woman on the squad might be a calming influence and make the men think twice before giving a suspect a slap, fitting them up or taking a bribe. The Commissioner decided a sergeant would be better as they have the authority of rank as well. Out of the sixteen WDS’s in the Met, you were the only one who applied to join the squad when my DS got a promotion.’

Jane tried to hide her shock. For a moment she wondered if he was making it up just to belittle her, but from the way he spoke it sounded true. She presumed Murphy had goaded her into demanding the truth, so she’d know the ‘experiment’ was not his idea.

‘Have you told me this in the hope that I’ll resign from the squad?’