"Rose, ya can't do anything about it," Jackie reminded her over a month later. "It was lucky ya couldn't find Wilson and got out the back door before the place went up."
"Yeah, I suppose so?" Rose had to agree with her mother on that. "If I'd stopped to find out what that noise was, I might not have made it?" she shivered at the thought. "Funny thing though, as I was making my way to the exit, I swear those shop dummies started moving."
Jackie remembered her mentioning it before and had laughed at it.
"Rose, it was just the lighting, ya said only some of the lights were on. Ya have to leave it behind sweetheart. If it bothers ya that much, then do something about it," she suggested.
"Such as Mum? I'm in a job I hate, I've no qualifications, what am I supposed to do?" Rose replied, leaning over and flopping over the glass-topped coffee table. "Now I wish I'd taken more notice at school."
"Well you wanted to mess about Madam," Jackie told her. "Look where that ended? Why not enrol in some free evening classes? They run them at the community centre ya know? Ya can do English and maths and maybe have to pay for some of the others but they're not that much, ya get it subsidised."
"Yeah? I supposed I can go and ask about it? I'll call in tomorrow on the way home, I expect they have classes startin' all the time?" Rose agreed.
"Well it's a start," her mother laughed. "Don't let it go to waste, do something with it sweetheart."
So Rose got herself enrolled in classes for maths and English, getting a certificate at the end of it and since she couldn't get the store out of her mind, asked about enrolling at the police academy. The recruitment officer was sympathetic when he asked why Rose wanted to join the police.
"That's very commendable Miss Tyler," Sergeant Baines told her when looking at Rose's application. "So you wanted to know more about the investigation? I remember when it happened, officers were sent from all over London and the building was cordoned off. Still, it was decided it was a gas leak in the end."
"That's just it Sergeant," Rose replied. "Never mind, I don't suppose I can do anything about it now but I'd like to join the police, so the next time something like that happens, I can maybe make a difference."
"I like your enthusiasm Rose," the sergeant smiled. "I think the academy is just what you need."
"So I passed the interview?" Rose sounded surprised. "How long will I have to train for? Do I get an allowance? Only I have to help my mum out."
"Don't worry about that," the sergeant told her. "As to how long you'll be at the academy, well that depends on you. How far do you want to get?"
That got Rose thinking. Did she just want to be in uniform, patrolling the streets of London or did she want to get into the investigation part of policing? She didn't suppose there would be many opportunities unless she studied hard and learned the basics first.
She got herself signed up and waited for the start of the term, being told that her first one was just induction and listening to the tutors giving lectures and taking notes for her first exam to see if she was suitable.
"Well ya have to try," her mother was encouraging her when the time was near for Rose to go off for her first day. "Don't let anything put ya off, stick to it."
So Rose stuck to it, making a few friends and facing comments from the male hopefuls who thought they were better than the female new recruits but the sergeant who had signed her up pulled those responsible up by saying Rose had got a higher pass rate than all of them put together.
He had then encouraged Rose when the time came for her first real assignment.
"I expect to see you back here Rose," he smiled on the last day of the final term. "You've put a lot of hard work into it, don't stop at being just a WPC."
"Thanks Sarge, I'm really looking forward to putting it all into practice," Rose laughed. "Don't worry, I'll be back, I've decided I want to be a detective constable."
"Of course you do," he laughed back. "Well good luck then."
Rose was assigned to a station and partnered with an older officer, whom she got on well with. It only took her a short time to get some experience since they patrolled parts of central London and the pair of them dealt with all kinds of odd occurrences.
Finally, Rose got her promotion to detective constable and she'd been out to celebrate but it had meant she had to move, to a town called Sandbrook. Her mother hadn't wanted to move away, even though Rose had somewhere to live so they had compromised and Jackie said she would visit when she could.
She arrived at her new station and was told to report to detective inspector Alec Hardy, who had been informed he was to have a new DC after the chief had enough of Alec arguing with his wife when they'd come back in from following a lead and had welcomed being told they were getting a new officer. The chief thought he was rather throwing Rose in at the deep end but he'd had little choice, no-one else would work with the grumpy detective.
"Welcome to Sandbrook, DC Tyler," the chief greeted her. "Our senior detective is in need of a new partner, you'll have the use of a car to drive him around and you'll gain some valuable experience, learning how he works. Any questions?"
Rose thought she could have been given a bit more information, there wasn't much to go on. She really wanted to ask why she was being partnered right away with a senior officer, what had happened to the last one? She decided against it and got up.
"Where do I find him, Sir?" Rose asked instead.
"On the next floor, go into the main office and knock on his door but be warned," the chief smiled.
"Geez, what have I let myself in for?" Rose asked herself as she got up.
"Go to the personnel office while you're on this floor, they'll sort you out," he then added. "Oh and watch out for DS Hardy, the DI's wife. I just split them up for arguing all the time. Don't get caught up in it. Any problems, come straight to me."
"Yes Sir but how do I deal with her, if she starts on me?" Rose wanted to know.
"Look Rose," the chief replied, putting a folder on the desk. "They're having marriage problems, which is why I split them up from working together. Just do your job and ignore her, she'll get over it."
Rose hoped the chief was right. She finished in the personnel office and went to the next floor, butterflies in her tummy at the thought of walking into an argument between the two detectives. She entered the outer office and everyone looked up, Rose glancing around and trying to see who DS Hardy was.
Tess looked up from her phone, where she'd been texting Dave Harris, who had been sympathetic towards her lately and had asked her out for a drink. Since Alec was always in a mood, she'd decided to accept the offer and see what happened.
"Who are you then?" Tess acknowledged Rose.
"DC Rose Tyler, Ma'am," Rose stood in front of Tess's desk, trying to get used to her new rank. "I'm looked for DI Hardy, the chief sent me."
"Of course he did," Tess was annoyed after being told Alec was getting a new partner and it had to be a blonde female, a newly promoted one at that.
"Over there," Tess indicated to Alec's office, where he was trying not to take notice of what was going on.
He'd just got off the phone with the chief and he wasn't happy with a number of things.
"I prefer to do the driving," Alec had first complained. "After having Tess drive me around. So, what's this new officer like?"
"Young and blonde," the chief had laughed. "Seriously Alec, think yourself lucky I don't give you someone from another division. This one is serious about her promotion, she's worked hard to get it."
"Haven't they all?" Alec had grumbled back. "I want my objections noted."
"Yes Alec, anything else?" the chief had expected a list from the grumpy DI.
Alec had continued his list of complaints, the chief saying to give his new partner a chance.
"Alec, she's been patrolling in central London, I'm sure she can more than hold her own here," the chief had told him.
"That may be so," Alec had replied. "We'll see then but she had better get used to the way I work."
The chief had to laugh, knowing himself how Alec worked.
"Yes Alec, I know but go easy on her at first. No-one else has volunteered to work with you."
"That's due to Tess," Alec had reminded him. "Goodness knows what she has told her friends."
Alec had suspected she'd made a new friend, one Dave Harris, who was trying to get himself moved from another division. Well let him move, he'd soon see what Tess was like. Now, he'd spied a young blonde officer talking to Tess.
The new female officer looked smart, dressed in a casual dark grey jacket and matching trousers, then when Tess pointed her in his direction, he saw she had a light blue blouse underneath the jacket.
Rose had been glad to get out of uniform when she'd passed her exam and she was now glad she'd opted to wear trousers. She thanked Tess and went to knock on Alec's office door, hoping he wouldn't shout at her if he wasn't happy getting a new partner.
"Enter," Alec called out through the partly open door and taking his glasses off.
"Sir, I'm DC Rose Tyler, I was told to report to you."
"Have you been partnered with a DI before?" Alec wanted to know.
Didn't he know she was newly promoted, Rose wondered.
"No Sir, I worked with a sergeant at my old station," Rose told him.
"Well find your desk and I will call you when I need you or need to go out," Alec replied.
Why was it him who had to break in a new officer? Was the chief getting back at him because he and Tess argued every time? This one was going to cause a lot more arguments, judging by the way Tess had been looking over.
Tess had gone back to texting Dave.
'Dave, about that drink? Can we go out tonight? Alec's just got a new young blonde DC' she wrote.
'Lucky him!' Dave had texted back, a few emojis attached.
'Thought you were on my side' Tess replied.
'I was only joking Tess, sheesh' was the reply.
After a few more exchanges, they arranged to meet, since Tess knew her daughter stayed behind to play netball at school that evening then went to a friend's house afterwards. Alec wouldn't care, why would he? It wouldn't take him long to start flirting with his new young DC.
Alec had watched Rose leaving and sat back in his chair. This was not going to solve his problem with Tess, what had the chief been thinking? Breaking in a new junior officer was one thing but he hadn't been prepared for it being a young twenty something blonde female.
Tess was bound to raise objections on that, she'd go complain to the chief, then to whoever else would listen to her and finally, she'd start something once they got home. Daisy would be late home tonight, one of them would have to collect her from her friend's house and that was usually him.
Sure enough, Tess got up but she called in Alec's office first.
"What's going on Alec?" she wanted to know. "You aren't going to work with the new officer are you Alec?"
"I have no choice in the matter Tess," he reminded her. "You saw to it no-one else wanted the job."
"Don't be so sarcastic Alec," Tess huffed back. "We don't have to carry over our home life, what there is of it when we're at work."
"Who's fault is that?" Alec wanted to know. "I'm only working with the new DC Tess, don't make a big deal out of it."
Tess got up, knowing she'd lost so why should she make the effort?
"I'll go pick Daisy up tonight, I was going to visit my sister," Tess replied, thinking it was as good an excuse as any to meet with Dave.
Tess left and went to knock on the chief's door.
"What is it now Tess?" the chief greeted her. "Come to complain about Alec's new partner?"
"Why her?" Tess wanted to know, taking it she was invited to sit.
"Tess, if you can't keep your personal life out of the station, maybe you should consider a move?" the chief suggested, getting tired of her petty complaints.
"I expected a new officer but a young blonde, newly promoted? She'll be doing all kinds of things to try to impress him."
"Such as wearing short skirts and leaving half her blouse buttons unfastened?" the chief laughed. "I doubt it will go that far, her old chief speaks very highly of her. Give her a chance Tess."
Tess went off, deciding to see if Dave was around anywhere to tell him she hoped he wasn't going to mess her around. By the middle of the afternoon, Rose was finding her way around the way the department worked and had jumped when called into Alec's office.
"Come on Tyler, time to go out," Alec told her, getting up and going for his jacket. "We've just been passed a report by the chief that he wants us to handle. It will give you some good experience. Get one thing clear, I drive."
"Sir, I was told I'd be driving you around," Rose replied, moving out of his way.
"Really?" Alec stood putting his raincoat on. "Well, let's see what you can do then? Don't stand there Tyler, get your things."
Rose knew he was going to be nothing but trouble and she swore under her breath as she grabbed her jacket, her work bag and tried to catch up with him, seeing Alec pressing the lift button repeatedly, like the lift would get there faster.
They rode to the ground floor in silence, then she followed him to a door marked 'Garage' and went through after him.
"Sir," the traffic officer saw Alec then Rose behind him.
"This is DC Tyler, she needs authorising to take my car out," Alec told the man.
"Yes Sir. If she'll just sign the vehicle check form," Alec was told.
Rose took the clipboard, wondering if she should bother reading the form or if she was expected to know what was written on it. She'd never had to do that before, take responsibility for someone else's car. She assumed it wasn't his own car, since he was willingly handing it over to her.
"I will give you the directions," Alec told her as Rose started the car, glad it was an automatic or she would be stuck.
There was an onboard sat-nav but it appeared her new boss didn't believe in them. Well, if he did want her driving him around, he'd better get used to her using one or they'd get nowhere fast.