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She stared at him.

Eventually Poe said, ‘Wait here.’

He walked into Flynn’s office. She was talking to Barrett. ‘That was quick,’ she said.

Poe could have sworn she was suppressing a smile.

‘Can you pop into my office and tell Miss Bradshaw that she is also to do what I tell her?’

‘Of course.’ She followed him into his office.

‘Tilly, this is Washington Poe and he’s our new sergeant.’

‘He wants to be called Poe,’ she replied.

Flynn glanced at Poe, who shrugged in a what-you-gonna-do kind of way.

‘Well whatever, you’re to do what he says as well now. OK?’

Bradshaw nodded.

‘But no one else, Tilly,’ Flynn added before leaving them alone.

‘Now we’ve got that sorted, Tilly, I’d like you to go home, pack a suitcase and meet me and DI Flynn back here in an hour,’ Poe said. ‘We’re going on a road trip for a few days.’

‘I can’t,’ she said immediately.

Poe sighed. ‘Wait here.’

A minute later he was back with a NCA standard contract of employment. He slid it across the desk.

‘Show me where it says that, because all I can see is the paragraph that says, “There may be occasions where you are required to work unsocial hours and away from your office base.”’

Bradshaw didn’t look at it.

Poe continued, ‘I certainly can’t see anything that says Tilly Bradshaw is exempt.’

Bradshaw closed her eyes and said, ‘Section three, paragraph two, subsection seven states that discretionary benefits – in my case not working away from the office – can be considered a binding term of an employment contract if well-established over a period of time. The legal definition is “customs and practices”.’ She reopened her eyes and looked at him.

Poe was vaguely aware of the HR rule that said if someone had been doing something for a long time it could be considered part of their job, even if it was in direct contradiction to their contract of employment. As stupid as it sounded, people had been awarded money in employment tribunals on that rule.

He stared at her open-mouthed. ‘You memorised the employment manual?’

Bradshaw frowned. ‘I read it when I signed it.’

‘When was that?’

‘Eleven months, fourteen days ago.’

Poe stood up again. ‘Wait here, please.’

He walked round to Flynn’s office.

‘Jonathan Pierce will be happy to get out of the office for a few days,’ she said.

He wasn’t giving up so easily. ‘Is she all there?’

‘She’s fine,’ she replied. ‘She’s had a sheltered upbringing and can sometimes be taken advantage of. She’s very literal and tends to believe everything she’s told. As much as I can, I keep a close eye on her. When you learn how to handle her she’s the most important asset you’ll have.’