New Tricks2003

[first lines]

Jack Halford:
Do you take sugar?

Gerry Standing:
Huh. How long have we worked together?

Det. Supt. Sandra Pullman:
Right. Do you want the bad news or the bad news?

Jack Halford:
What?

Det. Supt. Sandra Pullman:
Strickland's just told me that he's brought the deadline for the audit forward.

Jack Halford:
To when?

Det. Supt. Sandra Pullman:
Friday, which means we're going to have to start the paperwork right now.

Gerry Standing:
They can't do that.

Gerry Standing:
Oh, Gerry, I think after last year they can do anything they like.

Jack Halford:
Our paperwork was, um... how did Strickland put it?

Gerry Standing:
'A total shambles.'

Det. Supt. Sandra Pullman:
Yeah, well, it's not going to be like that this time. The new systems we've put in place should make it easy for us to account for every single penny we've spent in the last twelve months.

Gerry Standing:
Well, what about our proper work?

Det. Supt. Sandra Pullman:
No new cases until after the audit, I'm afraid.

Gerry Standing:
Hmph. I didn't know accountancy was part of our job.

Det. Supt. Sandra Pullman:
Anyway I've got to get upstairs to my meeting with Strickland, so, please, get started.

[Sandra leaves]

Jack Halford:
[groans] What new systems?

Gerry Standing:
Buggered if I know.