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Bradshaw looked up, flashed him an on-off smile and said, ‘OK.’

She went back to her laptop. Poe grinned. Sometimes Bradshaw appeared normal, but it never lasted long.

‘Excuse me, young lady!’ the tall man snapped. His throat rattled cancerously when he breathed in. ‘When I ask you a question, you’ll answer me!’

Bradshaw looked up in astonishment. Poe nipped out from the kitchen area and stood in front of the man. He had a blotchy face and ears like a gremlin. He looked startled by his sudden appearance.

‘Apologise,’ Poe said.

The man’s blotches became more pronounced. ‘She’s touching MoD property; I’ll speak to her any damn way I choose!’

Poe took a step forwards. Put his nose six inches from the man’s. ‘Look into my fucking eyes.’

The man backed off and held up his arms in supplication. He turned to Bradshaw and said, ‘I’m sorry.’

Bradshaw shrugged and went back to the laptop.

‘He didn’t even ask a question,’ she muttered. ‘How was I supposed to answer him?’

‘I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to stop doing that, miss,’ he said. He flipped open a black wallet and showed Poe an ID card.

‘Malcolm Sparkes. Ministry of Defence. Security,’ he said.

‘You’re here for the laptop?’

‘I am. And there’s no point trying to unlock it – it has military-grade security.’

‘How long did it take you, Tilly?’ Poe said.

‘Ninety-seven seconds, Poe.’

‘Nonsense,’ Sparkes said.

Bradshaw turned the laptop around and showed him a clearly unlocked screen.

‘But-but how …?’ he said.

Bradshaw ignored him.

‘What can you tell me about Mrs Pridmore?’ Poe said.

‘Other than she’s in big trouble when she gets back to work, nothing.’

‘Why’s she in trouble?’

‘She’s obviously not using our security.’ Sparkes couldn’t stop staring at the unlocked computer.

‘She was.’

‘She was what?’

‘She was using the laptop security. Tilly is just better than the people who designed it. And she isn’t in trouble because this is a murder investigation.’

‘Murder? I thought it was a missing persons case.’

‘Not any more.’

‘You’re sure?’