Steve got out his car and stared at the building in front of him. His new workplace. AC-3. Turfed here by Hastings a couple of months ago.
"I'm sorry," Steve recalled the old man saying to him that fateful day he was called in to the gaffers office, "but I have no option," he'd continued in his Northern Irish accent. "Your reckless behaviour has not only compromised this investigation, it also compromises the integrity of AC-12. I cannot let it continue,".
Steve had looked out in to the main office area and seen Gill Bigelow surreptitiously hanging around, one eye on Ted's office. He knew instantly who had put the gaffer up to this. "And your integrity hasn't been compromised at all, sir?" he spat as he lashed out at the unfair accusation. He hadn't slept with Lindsey Denton but no one believed him. And as for this gun business, that was just Dot being petty and it had been blown way out of proportion.
"What in the hell are you implying, son?" Ted had asked sharply.
"Nothing," Steve had retreated immediately. It was futile arguing. He knew his fate had already been decided. He was never going to say he had a sneaky suspicion that the gaffer was being led by dick on this decision.
"You are to report to AC-3 from tomorrow morning. You can clear your desk and leave," Ted had instructed, sadly.
"Right,".
"Sort yourself out, Steve. Your colleagues are concerned about you. I think they have every right to be," had been Ted's parting words.
"Kate said that?".
"Dot," Ted had revealed.
That fucking name again. He really had it in for Steve. Muscling in on his partner and now his place in AC-12. Nobody realised what he was up to but every time Steve mentioned it, his words fell on deaf ears. Let them find out themselves, Steve decided resignedly. With his head held high he'd walked out of Ted's office, cleared his desk and left. Kate had been out with Dot working on their investigation so he hadn't been able to say goodbye to her. It was probably best, Steve had thought. He didn't quite know what he would have said to her.
Pushing off his car, Steve jogged up the steps to the main entrance of AC-3 and entered the building. That had been four months ago. It felt longer than that. He hadn't really settled in AC-3. Kept himself apart from his colleagues. Was a bit of a loner. Not his usual MO at work but after AC-12 totally breaking him, it was more for self preservation really. No chance to be hurt by anyone if he kept himself to himself.
Heading to his boss's office, Steve tapped on the door and waited for the summons to enter. He found his boss talking to a young man dressed in civilian clothing.
"Hi Steve," his new boss greeted cheerily. Far too cheerily for the time of morning if Steve was honest. His name was Jim Matthews and spoke with a strong Geordie accent. "Thanks for agreeing to come in early,".
"No problem," Steve lied. He could have done with the extra half hour in bed to help his headache.
"Take a seat," his boss indicated and Steve gratefully took the weight off his feet. "I'd like to introduce you to Jacob,".
"Jake," the young man interjected.
"My apologies," the senior officer said. "Jake," he corrected. "He's come to me with an interesting tale. Would you like to tell my officer here or are you happy for me to fill him in?".
"I'll do it, sir," Jake said before turning to Steve. "I've recently been the victim of a blackmailer. Forced to pay thousands of pounds to someone. I've lost everything. My flat. My girlfriend. My job,".
"What were you being blackmailed about?" Steve asked.
"A sex tape that wasn't with my girlfriend," Jake replied very embarrassed. Steve felt sympathy for the young man. Apart from the financial aspect, his story was similar to Steve's recent past. "I got drunk one night at a work do and ended up sleeping with a colleague. Somebody filmed it but I was too drunk to notice. I thought nothing of it until I started finding notes in my locker at work demanding money,".
Jim handed Steve the letters that Jake had brought in. They were now in evidence bags before forensics could examine them. Steve read them. They were typed so anyone could have written them. All contained similar messages threatening to upload the footage of Jake's tryst to every member of the police station unless the extortionist received money. The money demanded increasing in value each time.
"I eventually ran out of money," Jake said, "and they carried out their threat," he explained as he produced a USB. "I've put a copy on here in case its needed," he said as he put the device on Jim's desk.
"Were you able to trace where the footage was uploaded from?" Steve asked.
"One of the computers in Edgeburrow police station," Jake replied. "My log in had been used, but anyone could have done it,".
"Jake was given a red notice and discharged from the force for distributing explicit material," Tim said.
"It shouldn't have happened. I didn't do what I was accused of," Jake protested.
Join the club, thought Steve, thinking of Lindsey Denton.
"Do you have any idea who did do it? Your girlfriend? A work colleague that you didn't get on with?".
Jake shook his head. "It has to be someone in the response unit at Edgeburrow Station," Jake surmised. "Someone at that work do must have filmed me," he continued sadly. "I thought we were all friends,".
"What about the woman in the video?".
"Is she important?".
"Could she have uploaded the video?" Steve asked. "Revenge?".
Jake shook his head. "No!" he said confidently. "I'm not going to divulge her name. Her face has been blacked out in the video and you can't tell who it is. I'd like to keep it that way," Jake said.
Steve nodded. Jake clearly liked this woman. He hoped Jake was protecting an innocent woman.
"You've got your advanced driving license haven't you Steve?" Jim asked. Steve nodded. "And you've done undercover work before I gather,".
Steve looked at his new boss. Was he taking the piss? Had Hastings mentioned his unofficial undercover case at AC-12 and how unsuccessful it hd been? "Yes, sir," Steve eventually acknowledged when he realised his senior officer was genuine.
"Well I was thinking of sending you to the response unit at Edgeburrow to investigate. See if you can find out who this blackmailer is,".