Voices start just as he turns into the corridor.

"I like 'is 'air."

Since Polly Page hasn't changed her hairstyle since about 1980, her preferences don't really count for much.

He pushes his wayward fringe back for the umpteenth time today, leans against the wall outside the women's locker room and listens.

"D'you think he's got a girlfriend?"

"Well you never actually see him with anyone." The second voice is as familiar as the first, June Ackland. Typical uniform, always gossiping. Though with these two it sounds more like a mother/daughter chat. Still gossip is always good currency in the canteen. He stays a little longer, sipping at the already half-cold tea he's brought with him.

"Aww, per'aps, he's shy."

"Shy! I've never met a man so…" June's next words are lost in a slamming of locker doors.

//Boyden? Couldn't really be anyone else. The subject of locker room gossip on both side of the gender divide. Rumour is he'd shag anything that moves, given half the chance, and he's arrogant enough to get away with it. Innocent little Polly has just missed it, probably thinks of him as some cuddly uncle type. //

"I think he's cute, I like it when he pouts."

//Pol thinks every bloke in Sunhill nick is cute. She doesn't get out enough. Not Boyden then. He wouldn't know how to pout - not by any stretch of the imagination …and he's really stretched his imagination when it comes to Matt Boyden.

June's snort of laughter would be a real kick in the balls if the bloke was listening. "He's one of those that could have gone either way. A bit bent." June continues with an obvious smirk in her voice.

Polly laughs out loud. She's got a cackle like John Lydon when she really gets going, just like that bit at the beginning of 'Anarchy in the UK'.

No, I mean could have as easily been a villain as a copper." June's trying to justify herself now, but not enough that he can't still hear the smile.

//Should have figured it out before, John Boulton. Well, he is a Scouser after all, arrogant, nice line in sulky aggression - at least from where he's looking.

"Nah, I fink you were right the first time?" There's a slight pause, Polly's obviously still grinning. "Know what? I reckon he spends his spare time slumming it in biker bars."

"Biker bars?" June sounds distracted, like she's found a knot in her tights or something.

"You know, all that leather and butch blokes with tattoos. Suit him down to the ground that would."

"You think he's gay then?"

"Dunno. Yeah, 'as to be. You've seen 'ow he looks at ..." It's quiet, as if she's mouthing the name rather than saying it out loud. There's a long pause. "Pity really."

It's only later, as he's squeezing into a pair of black Levi's, that show off his best assets, Rod realises Polly might just have been talking about him.