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.
‘Ladies and gentlemen… the next song will be the last waltz. We hope you’ve all enjoyed your evening, and we wish you a safe journey home.’
Jane sat, smoking, and wondered if they had arranged a car or taxi to take her home. She stubbed out the cigarette and suddenly sat bolt upright as she felt a tingle down the back of her neck. Dexter leant down towards her, running his finger down her nape.
‘Can I have the last waltz?’
Jane nodded. He drew out her chair and took her hand. She felt herself blushing as Dexter guided her forwards and then slipped his arms around her.
‘You look lovely! Is your dress fixed? We don’t want to fall arse over…’
‘Yes, the cloakroom attendant sewed it up for me.’
He held her tighter, his face close to her hair. Stanley and Alison danced next to them. Alison seemed to have forgotten her anger and had her arms around her husband’s neck, resting her head on his shoulder. She was quite a few inches taller than him.
‘She’s going to need you tonight, Dexter… she’s got twenty-five buttons at the back of her dress, and there’s no way she can undo them herself,’ Stanley said.
‘How do you know?’ Dexter asked, grinning.
‘I got her into it!’
Alison looked up from Stanley’s shoulder and shook her head. ‘Honestly, you say the rudest things! What if she doesn’t want him to go home with her? Mind you, if it was me I’d jump at the chance.’
‘ALISON!’ Stanley said, whisking her away as she laughed and said she was only joking.
Dexter tilted Jane’s chin up and at the same time ran his hand down the back of her dress.
‘Do you need me to help get you out of this?’
‘Yes, I do…’
They didn’t wait for the waltz to end. In the car park, the blue Triumph Herald was being loaded onto a flat-bottom truck under Lawrence’s supervision. Seeing Jane, he waved her goodnight.
Dexter kept his arm around her shoulder as they headed into the road and hailed a taxi to take them to her flat.
‘Well, that was certainly some event,’ he said, casually.
‘Yes, I won’t forget it for a long time… I still can’t believe it all happened.’
‘Without you, Jane Tennison, it wouldn’t have been nearly as exciting, never mind conclusive.’
‘It was exactly as you told me… you know, remembering him from Covent Garden. When I did recognise him, I just froze.’
Dexter stared out of the window and said quietly that he didn’t want to talk about it. He sat slightly apart from her as she tried to think of something to say to him.
‘That was so nice of you to give Stanley your raffle prize.’
‘It was all down to Crowley fixing it for me to win… He’s an odd man… doesn’t know how to look you in the face and show you his appreciation, but basically he’s an all right old so-and-so.’
‘He told me tonight that he would look after me… He wants to see me in his office tomorrow.’
‘You should get a commendation for what you’ve brought to the table, never mind what you were subjected to by that two-faced bitch. She’ll be under tough interrogation… But when she finds out her bomber pal is mincemeat she might crack and give details about their cell, and name other IRA members.’
‘You don’t think it will go against me that I was so taken in by her?’
Dexter shrugged, not wanting to say that it very well could be an issue. Instead he pulled his wallet out of his jacket and took out some money to pay for the taxi. They drew up outside her flat and Jane unlocked the main front door, hitching up her long skirt to walk up the stairs as Dexter followed behind her.
On entering her flat she switched on the hall lights and tossed her evening bag onto the breakfast bar in her kitchen.
‘Would you like a coffee or anything?’
‘No thanks, nothing… unless you have any brandy?’
‘I’m afraid not…’
‘That’s OK… Let’s get you out of that dress.’
They went into her bedroom, which was still untidy from the search for her necklace. Jane quickly replaced the cushions on the bed and rearranged the valance where Stanley had lifted it and found the detonator underneath.
‘Stanley had to hide in the wardrobe in Pearl’s old room. Natalie really sent shock waves when she rang the doorbell.’
‘I’d say our pal Stanley has probably done a lot of nipping into wardrobes when taken by surprise!’ He laughed.
Dexter took Jane by her shoulders and slowly turned her around so that her back was facing him. He began undoing the tiny buttons, and as he did so he bent his head and kissed her bare back, loosening one button after another.
‘My God, these are fiddly! Some of the buttonholes are really tight.’
By the time he had undone them, the top of her dress had slipped down, revealing her black strapless bra. She caught it in her hands, embarrassed.
‘Well, that was a job well done!’
‘Thank you…’
Dexter sat on the edge of her bed as she stood in front of him wanting, more than anything, for him to take her in his arms.
‘I need to be straight with you, Jane… I think you’re sweet, and sexy, and I would like to stay here with you all night. I think that’s what you want as well. I could be wrong, and maybe that’s my ego talking, but, like I just said, I want to be straight with you. I really like you, but if I sleep with you tonight it will be harder for you to understand that that is all it would be. I don’t want a relationship.’
‘I understand,’ Jane said, close to tears.
Dexter stood up and cradled her in his arms. ‘No… don’t say that… don’t make it any harder. I’m going to go, Jane.’
Dexter held her at arm’s length and looked at her through what suddenly seemed like cruel blue eyes.
‘You don’t understand Jane… I need to get fucked tonight… fucked rigid… because it’s the only way I’m going to release all the pent-up shit inside me. And I’m not going to use you for that, because you are worth far more.’
Dexter walked out of her bedroom, and Jane slumped down on her bed as she heard the front door close behind him. She felt as if her heart was breaking as she reached for his faded James Dean T-shirt and held it to her face.