A week later
AC-12 Headquarters
Newly promoted DS Kate Fleming sat at her desk as she gave the appearance of listening to her new partner DC Ian Bland talk about his weekend. Bland was certainly a good description of him. All she'd done was ask him how his weekend was and he had started prattling on and on about some new video game he had played with his friends. She had absolutely nothing in common with her new partner she realised as he droned on and on about the game. Kate had never played it and had no intention of ever playing it.
The gaffer had employed someone who was the complete opposite to Steve Arnott for Kate's next partner. A Sci-fi and video game geek who didn't really attract the attention of females. Kate guessed he hadn't attracted the attention of any female and was fairly sure he was still a virgin.
Looking towards the gaffer's office she saw he was deep in conversation with a unfamiliar female and she briefly wondered what it was about. Her relationship with her boss had taken a slight turn for the worse after his treatment of Steve. She had been angry and shocked when she had returned to the office one day to find he had been let go. Especially when she hadn't been there to say goodbye.
She was even madder at him for acting so hastily when they worked out that Steve had been right in his dislike of Dot Cotton. It turned out that AC-12 had had The Caddy working for them for a number of months which was slightly embarrassing to say the least.
Kate wasn't proud of how she had acted towards Steve during his last days at AC-12 and once the full truth had been found out had desperately wanted to apologise for her behaviour, but locating him proved impossible. She'd gone to his flat to find out he no longer lived there. Sam told her she had dumped him and she had no idea where he lived now.
Once her fractured ribs that she had sustained when the OCG SUV had run her over had healed enough to travel, Kate had caught a train down to Steve's parents to see if they could give her Steve's new address. But that had been fruitless as well. His mum had looked very sadly at Kate as she informed her that Steve had told her not to give out his new address to her or anyone in AC-12.
He'd just vanished. Somewhere out there working for AC-3.
"Kate?" she heard her name spoken by the gaffer and looked in his direction. "A word,".
Kate got up and made her way in to his office, shutting the door behind her.
"I'd like you to meet Sergeant Lisa Littmann," Ted introduced the two women. "She's come to us asking for help,".
Kate sat down intrigued.
"My sister Lizzie committed suicide a week ago," Lisa said cutting straight to the chase.
"I'm sorry," Kate said.
"She was a PC in the response unit at Edgeburrow station and seemed to love her job until recently," Lisa explained as she grew teary. "She grew distant and I didn't know why until the other day...Lizzie left a note," Lisa continued before pausing. "She was being blackmailed and could no longer meet the demands being asked of her,".
"What was she being blackmailed about?" Kate asked.
"Apparently there was a video of her having sex with a male colleague distributed amongst Edgeburrow. No one knew Lizzie was in it as her face had been blacked out, but the blackmailer said that would change if she didn't pay him money. She couldn't take the shame of people knowing it was her,"Lisa continued. Kate didn't know what to say. "Lizzie was a devout Christian and saving herself for marriage. That her one mistake was going to be made so public was too much,".
"Who was blackmailing her?" Kate asked.
"We don't know. It appears to have been someone at the station. I know a PC lost his job over the whole affair but he claimed not to have been the guilty party. I was wondering if you could look in to it? I owe my sister to find out who was making her life so miserable that she felt this was the only way out. Whoever they are needs to be held accountable,".
"Doesn't Edgeburrow station fall into AC-3's area?" Kate asked the gaffer who indicated she was correct in her assumption.
"But I work in this area," Lisa retorted. "I know this unit. I read how you managed to catch The Caddy. You're good. I want you looking in to my sister's suicide instead of a bunch of strangers,".
"There's a gap in the response unit at the station," Ted said. All three in the room knew it was Lizzie's vacant spot but didn't say anything. "How do you fancy an undercover?".
Kate thought about Ted's suggestion. It would get her away from AC-12 and her new partner which was very tempting. There was also the remote possibility she might run in to Steve. "I think I'd like that," Kate said.
"Can I have everyone's attention before you leave for the day?" Inspector Greenwich hollered to his response unit. "We've got a new recruit that will be starting with us tomorrow," he continued. "I'd like to introduce you all to DS Kate Forster,".
Kate shook hands with each member of the team as the Inspector introduced her individually before a late entrant joined the ad hoc meeting at the back of the room.
"Nice of you to join us DS Abbott," Inspector Greenwich said to the late comer. "I'd like to introduce you to your new partner DS Kate Forster," he said.
Kate saw the crowd part and her new temporary partner came in to view. He had grown facial hair but was instantly recognisable as Steve.
Oh fuck! thought Kate. This undercover could be over before it's even started.