‘Look, I’ve asked one of my team to be at her flat to look out for her tonight. He can stay until we know how this is going to play out. It may be a good idea to organise an armed special patrol group unit to sit outside her address and make sure she gets to and from work safely.’
Dexter nodded. ‘SPG’s a good idea.’
‘We’ll also have to check out her family,’ Church added. ‘I’ve got her parents’ address… and she has a sister who’s married, living elsewhere.’
As Jane came out of the gents they both turned to her and smiled. It was obvious that they had been talking about her, and Church departed as soon as they saw her.
‘Let’s go,’ Dexter said, taking her arm.
Crowley was waiting in the anteroom with Commander Gregson, who was now dressed in full uniform. Dexter wished Jane luck, and then walked out.
‘Be prepared, Tennison… there’s a room full of journalists and a lot of cameras, but I’ll be right by your side,’ Commander Gregson said, checking his watch. ‘We don’t want to keep them waiting any longer.’
Jane followed the Commander and Crowley out of the anteroom and through the double doors that lead into the conference room. Despite Gregson’s warning, she was unprepared for the frenzy of camera flashes as they all went off in unison, creating a strobe light effect that made her feel quite dizzy.
The large room was crowded with journalists armed with notebooks and small portable cassette recorders, as well as a television crew. The three officers made their way to a raised platform, upon which stood a long table with three chairs placed behind it. The Commander sat in the middle with Crowley to his left and Jane on his right. She focused on placing her statement on the table in front of her and tried to stop shaking.
The buzz in the room quietened as the Commander slowly rose to his feet and spoke in a loud, clear voice.
‘I’d like to thank you all for attending this press conference. As a result of yesterday’s callous bombing carried out by the IRA at Covent Garden tube station, five people were killed. There are also several people still in hospital on the critical list with life-threatening injuries. Many of the survivors will be scarred both mentally and physically for life. I want to make it clear to the press and public that the IRA have lied: a police officer was in no way responsible for causing the detonation of the bomb at Covent Garden. It was the merciless act of a cowardly IRA bomber, who, fearing arrest by a brave police officer, set the bomb off without warning.’
There was a flurry of questions from the press. How could they could be sure that it wasn’t an accidental detonation caused by a police officer? Didn’t the IRA usually give coded warnings before their attacks? Gregson indicated Tennison with a gesture of his hand.
‘This is WDC Jane Tennison, a fine example of a brave Metropolitan police officer who risked her own life in the line of duty.’
The sudden flash of cameras made her blink. Gregson continued.
‘Like everyone at the tube station, she didn’t expect to suddenly find herself in the middle of such a traumatic incident, one in which her own life was threatened. Even after the explosion, and despite being blown to the ground herself, she kept calm and rendered first aid to the wounded and dying. WDC Tennison has bravely come here today to answer your questions and tell you what happened.’
He nodded to Jane to stand as he sat back down in his chair. The cameras started flashing again as the reporters shouted out a barrage of questions. Gregson raised his hand and said loudly that they were to ask questions one at a time, and he pointed to one of the journalists to speak first.
‘How are you feeling about the terrible event?’
‘I am obviously still very shaken, but I have had a lot of support from my fellow officers. There was someone who was in front of me when the explosion occurred and if I had not been shielded by him, I would have had severe injuries, or could even have lost my life.’
‘What made you suspicious of the bombing suspect?’
Jane carefully answered the question, avoiding making any reference to Daphne. She explained that she heard someone calling out “you’ve left your bag,” and then she had noticed a man moving quickly away from the ticket area.
A sullen-faced journalist interrupted before she could continue. ‘Do you feel you are in any way responsible for the explosion? If, for example, you had not approached the subject and attempted to stop him but had waited for him to leave, then maybe a coded warning would have been sent? Then the area could have been cleared and the bomb diffused?’
There was an audible gasp around the conference room and many looked at the man in disgust. Jane was visibly shocked but stood her ground.
‘No, I am not responsible. I was there, and you weren’t. Everything happened very quickly, and I didn’t have time to consider other options. At first I thought the rucksack might have been left innocently, but when I challenged the suspect and said I was a police officer he pushed me aside and ran off. Both of his hands were empty, and not in his pockets.’
‘If you grabbed him, maybe that was what caused the bomb to go off?’ he persisted.
Gregson rose to his feet and looked over at Jane to sit down.
‘This young woman risked her own life knowing the suspect might be an IRA bomber and armed. The suspect assaulted her, ran off, and seconds later the bomb went off. The forensic lab is working flat out to determine if the bomb was on a timer that went off prematurely or was detonated by a radio-controlled device. WDC Tennison followed the correct procedure under the circumstances and we are all very supportive and proud of her. Due to WDC Tennison’s tenacity and forethought we now have an artist’s impression of the suspect. I would appeal to anyone who recognises this man to contact the bomb squad at Scotland Yard.’
This was the first Jane had heard of any artist’s impression. Her description of the suspect had surely been far too vague.
Crowley gave the signal for a large screen behind the table to be turned on, which showed the projected image of the drawing of the suspect. Jane swivelled around in her chair and quickly realised that it was a sketch of the suspected IRA man hailing the taxi in the surveillance photograph Crowley had shown her. She was shocked that this had been done without her knowledge.
There was a frenzy of flash bulbs again, and some of the photographers were up on their feet, desperate to get a good picture. Gregson continued describing their suspect as being 5’8” or 5’10”, aged between twenty-five and thirty. He pointed out the man’s collar-length hair and said that he was wearing a dark overcoat, perhaps some kind of hooded sweatshirt beneath.
‘I was apprehensive about WDC Tennison being here at the press conference because she saw the suspect’s face and would therefore be able to identify him upon his arrest. I am aware this places her in danger from the members of the IRA ASU who committed this atrocity. However, WDC Tennison was asked if she wished to appear in front of you today to aid our appeal for public assistance, and it is to her credit that she has put the investigation and the public’s safety before her own.’
There were loud murmurs of agreement and a few people clapped as Gregson signalled for her to stand. Crowley also rose to his feet.
‘I thank you all for your time and would respectfully ask you to remain seated until we have left the conference room.’
The same sullen-faced journalist held up the paper Jane had seen that morning, and pointed at the photograph of her on the front page.
‘Why were you getting into the ambulance? Were you injured?’
Gregson raised his hand. ‘Fortunately, as you can see, WDC Tennison was unharmed. She rode in the ambulance to accompany a mother who was badly injured and who, sadly, subsequently died. Thankfully her young child was saved.’