‘It was by mutual agreement,’ said Wendy. ‘I did nothing wrong. I was doing what I was supposed to be doing but sometimes when there’s a change at the top of the food chain, it’s those lower down who pay the price.’

‘Mum, please stop talking in riddles all the time. Just be straight with me,’ pleaded Steph.

Wendy sighed deeply. ‘The new guv’nor didn’t like the way CID was operating. I had been doing things the way I’d always done everything. The guv’nor didn’t like it. He thought I was stuck in my ways and not keeping up with a modern-day police force. He didn’t think I would fit into his vision for the department.’

‘What were you doing that was so wrong?’

Wendy tapped one foot against the other in agitation before speaking. ‘He didn’t appreciate the work I put in behind the scenes fostering good working relationships with the local communities. He wanted results. Crime rates cleared up. He wasn’t interested in making connections that might one day pay off. We reached an impasse and the only way for me was out. He put me on a disciplinary for not completing my paperwork on time.’ She was clearly still angry about this. ‘He wanted every minute of my shift accounted for on a timesheet. It was embarrassing and humiliating. I was doing nothing wrong. I was merely spending time with the local community.’

‘He sounds like the old-fashioned one,’ said Steph.

‘Well, whatever, we didn’t get on and when he suggested I leave I didn’t exactly put up a fight. I wanted to protect my pension and my reputation.’

‘You didn’t think you could go to the union?’ asked Steph. She was surprised by her mother’s response to a man like that. It wasn’t like her at all. Wendy was renowned for standing her ground, standing up to people. Steph found it hard to imagine her mum doing anything less, certainly not kowtowing to a bully. It seemed so out of character. Certainly not the Wendy Lynch she knew.

‘I did think about the union, but that would have taken ages to go through and it would have meant my whole career being picked over and analysed. I didn’t want the entire station to know that my policing methods were under scrutiny. I didn’t want to be talked about in hushed tones whenever I came into a room. I didn’t want people to talk about me behind my back and essentially become judge and jury. I also didn’t want to have to call upon any of my colleagues to stand up for me. It could make things difficult for them too. I didn’t want to put them in that position.’

‘Had this man just singled you out or had he targeted other officers?’