Episode 4 of Criminal Record kicks off with a poignant scene where June Lenker's mother, Maureen, watches the press conference intently, flanked by her daughter, Leo, and their son. She beams with pride for June but can't quite mask the simmering resentment towards the police, stemming from the racism they exhibited towards her husband.
Hegarty sits down for an interview with Jason Reeve, the man arrested on suspicion of shooting the young boy, Isaac. He probes Jason, asking if he was indeed the shooter or if someone else had planted the firearm in his possession. To everyone's surprise, Jason confesses, revealing that Isaac wasn't the intended target and it was all part of a feud between rival gangs. Hegarty is adamant about prosecuting him and tries to sway Lenker's opinion in front of the entire office, but Lenker remains skeptical, not fully convinced that Jason was the actual shooter.
Later, Lenker and Sonya meet a woman who recognizes the face in the flyer. She reveals that the caller is someone named Carla, but she's clueless about Carla's whereabouts. Suddenly, a call comes in to the police helpline, claiming to be a witness to Isaac's shooting. The caller insists that it was a white man who pulled the trigger. Hegarty interviews Jason again, and this time, he drops a bombshell, revealing that the actual shooter was Turkish.
Meanwhile, Lenker is on the streets, handing out flyers, desperately appealing for information about the shooter. Back at the office, Hegarty is locked in a heated argument with Cardwell, who's worried about Lenker's fixation on the Errol Mathis case. Hegarty brushes him off, telling him to stop spoiling his mood.
Lenker's investigation takes an intriguing turn when she speaks with a man named Hasad, appealing for any information he might have about the shooting. She takes down his number, noticing that he's spelled his name correctly, unlike others who often get it wrong. This minor detail triggers a flashback in Lenker's mind, reminding her of the alibi witness in the Errol Mathis case, Mustafa. She starts to wonder if the police might have questioned a different person than the one Errol actually met, due to a simple spelling error in his name. Excited by this revelation, Lenker brings this crucial issue to Sonya's attention.
Patrick, Errol's son, receives a bouquet of flowers and carries them solemnly to his mother's gravesite. To his surprise, he finds his grandmother there, engaged in the same tender ritual. It turns out that it was her birthday, and she apologizes to Patrick for the circumstances that have led them to this mournful place. However, she offers a ray of hope, revealing that new information in the case could potentially lead to Errol's freedom.
Meanwhile, Lenker scours the internet in search of the right Mustafa. She pores over countless options, narrowing down the choices until she finally stumbles upon a profile that fits the description.
Patrick, bruised and battered from a violent altercation, seeks solace with Hegarty. He confides in him about the mysterious woman with the new information. Hegarty guides Patrick through the case once again, revisiting the car accident and the turmoil at home. He explains that Errol's alibi witness had fabricated their story, and the evidence against him was damning. Of course, Errol had confessed.
Lenker manages to track down Mustafa to his current workplace and meets him face-to-face. Mustafa confesses everything, admitting that when Adelaide was murdered, the police had shown him a lineup of photos of black men. He insists that he's not racist but all the black men looked alike to him, and he made a crucial mistake by identifying the wrong person. He confesses that he's felt guilty about it every day since and asks Lenker to convey his apologies to Errol.
After the meeting, Lenker is on standby to receive a call from Sonya. She shares the information about Mustafa with her, but the moment is interrupted by the discovery of her car, engulfed in flames. Lenker returns home to Leo and their son, now under round-the-clock protection following the arson attack. She finds the constant vigilance a ridiculous waste of resources. However, Hegarty arrives at her doorstep with grim news. He informs her that she must step down from the investigation due to its entanglement with gang-related matters.
Lenker sat before her computer screen, watching a video that chilled her to the bone. A group of men, their faces hidden in the shadows, claimed responsibility for torching her car, a bold gesture against the police. As she watched, she felt a surge of anger and confusion.
In the hospital, Hegarty sat beside a bedridden Jason, pleading with him to reveal the truth. He wanted a name, a face to blame for the attack that had left him weakened and vulnerable. Lenker, on the other hand, received an unexpected visit from internal affairs. A new complaint had been lodged against her, accusing her of workplace bullying.
Lenker couldn't shake the feeling that Hegarty was somehow involved in all of this. She suspected him of orchestrating the torching of her car, framing innocent black men for the attack, and even orchestrating the bullying complaint. DCI Chambers tried to reassure her, insisting that Hegarty was not the culprit, but Lenker's mind was made up.
Then, Chambers dropped a bombshell. He revealed that Hegarty had somehow managed to extract the name of the real shooter from Jason. He warned Lenker to steer clear of Hegarty, warning of his powerful connections within the department.
Meanwhile, Patrick visited Hegarty with leftovers from his work, only to be scolded for his frequent visits. Little did he know that Hegarty's daughter, Lisa, was the same girl he had been dating in secret. They both played dumb in front of Hegarty, trying to keep their relationship a secret.
Chloe confessed to making the bullying complaint against Lenker. She was jealous of Lenker's role in the press conference and resented the department's portrayal of itself as inclusive. She also revealed that she had been harassed for spilling the details of the path report.
Later, Lenker received a disturbing call from a shelter. A male officer had been inquiring about Carla, and Lenker immediately felt a sense of unease. She called Sonya to share the news, and together they began to piece together who could have leaked information about their search.
Their suspicions fell on Latisha, a member of their search group. Lenker confronted her, revealing that she had a deal with Detective Tony Gilfoyle. He had arrested her for shoplifting but agreed to drop the charges in exchange for information she had been providing for years. Lenker demanded the truth and ordered Latisha to call Doris and confess everything.
As the tension mounted, Hegarty called Lenker, his voice dripping with menace. He warned her to be careful, with Gilfoyle and Cardwell listening in on the loudspeaker. Lenker felt a chill down her spine, but she refused to be intimidated.
She sought comfort and advice from Leo, who encouraged her to pursue the truth and make a formal complaint. Lenker agreed, feeling more determined than ever to expose the truth. She admitted that she had rattled Hegarty, noting his nastiness over the phone and his apparent worry.
The episode came to a climax with Lenker and Sonya meeting to discuss Gilfoyle's connection to Errol's case. Suddenly, their phones rang. It was Carla, and her voice was urgent and panicked. She begged them to stop searching for her, warning that someone was protecting the mastermind behind the convictions and that she feared for her safety.
Lenker and Sonya exchanged a look of determination. They knew they were on the right track, and they were not going to stop until they found the truth.
