Steph followed her mother into the living room and immediately recognised the visitor as Rob Lacey, her mum’s old work colleague from her days in the force. ‘Hello, Rob, this is a nice surprise. How are you?’

‘I’m good, thanks, Steph. You’re looking very well. I haven’t seen you since your father’s funeral. Your mum has kept me up-to-date with what you’ve been up to though.’

Steph hid her surprise. She had no idea her mum kept up-to-date herself with Steph’s life, let alone shared the information with anyone else.

They spent the next half an hour or so chatting generally about what they had all been up to, especially now Rob had retired too. He told them about his plans to go travelling now he had both the time and the money, and before it was too late, as he put it.

‘I wish Mum would do something now she’s retired,’ said Steph as Wendy took the cups out and washed up. ‘I don’t think early retirement was a good thing for her. From what I can work out, she doesn’t do very much. Hasn’t joined any clubs or anything. I’m sure she could have stayed on in the force for a few more years.’

Rob’s brow furrowed and he leaned across the arm of the chair, pushing the room door closed. ‘Retirement? But your mum never took retirement.’

Steph returned the frown. ‘Yes, she did. Eighteen months ago.’

The crease deepened between his eyes. ‘It wasn’t retirement, not voluntary anyway. She didn’t have any choice in the matter.’

‘What? No. She retired. You must be getting muddled up with someone else.’ She looked at Rob’s apologetic expression and realised he wasn’t joking. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. She obviously didn’t want you to know. She has her reasons, no doubt.’

‘It’s too late now.’ Steph threw a cautionary glance towards the door. ‘Tell me, Rob, if she didn’t take retirement, what happened?’

‘It’s not my place to tell you.’ Rob squeezed his bottom lip between his finger and thumb.

‘OK, I’ll ask her myself,’ said Steph. She’d rather not, but now she’d been given this grain of information she couldn’t just brush it off. Why had her mother been lying?

Rob let out a frustrated sigh. ‘If I tell you, you mustn’t let on that you know.’ He waited while Steph nodded her agreement before continuing. ‘She was asked to tender her resignation. She didn’t have any choice. It was either that or be dismissed, which would mean no pension and a tarnished record.’

‘What the hell did she do?’ It was hard to believe Rob was talking about Wendy; this all sounded so out of character.