‘Now you’ve come and hey, here you’re gone.’

She fell asleep with a smile on her face.

Jimmy was watching the best-ever episode of The Office. He didn’t fully understand it but now he was a working guy, he felt a kinship with it. He laughed out loud without fully understanding the humour but in the morning, when the guys mentioned bits, he’d be able to laugh all over again. Jimmy wasn’t happy that it was only a temporary position, but maybe after, when they’d got the money, Ray might allow him to do a few days a week.

He’d really stayed up to watch a lezzie drama that was getting lots of publicity. Called Tipping the Velvet, it starred Diana Rigg’s daughter. This would have impressed him more if he knew who Diana Rigg was. A big deal was being made of the fact that BBC 2 was showing it.

Ray said:

‘It’s porn. Just because that BBC crowd made it, doesn’t change the fact that they’re peddling porn. Oh, be sure to tape it, yeah?’

Jimmy was disappointed. It was tame and he had to wade through loads of waffle for what action there was. He opened a bottle of Tequila and drank from the neck. It hit him like thunder, he was pissed before he knew it and decided to rewind the tape — maybe the show needed booze. The women looked better already.

12

Falls and Andrews were investigating a pub breakin on the Balham High Road. The owner was a thick fuck who shouted at them the second they walked in through the door:

‘Who’s going to pay for the damage?’

Andrews looked to Falls who asked:

‘What is the extent of the damage?’

He stared at her, as if he couldn’t believe his ears? Answered:

‘A smashed window, broken bottles, and my dog.’

Andrews went:

‘Dog?’

Now he turned to her, sneered:

‘What are you, an echo? How long have you been on the job, two days?’