The Puppet Show (Washington Poe)

It was becoming clearer. Perhaps Flynn was right, perhaps Bradshaw wasn’t the right person for the job. He was about to tell Mrs Bradshaw not to worry, that her daughter would be home for tea, when Bradshaw walked through the door. She was still looking scared but there was something else. She was exuding a nervous excitement. Now she knew she was going, it looked like she couldn’t wait to get started. She walked over to her desk and began packing equipment.

‘I’ll take care of her, Mrs Bradshaw, you have my word,’ Poe said before hanging up.

Poe walked over and was about to help her, when the man who’d laughed earlier decided to entertain the assembled staff. He didn’t realise Poe was standing behind him. He stood up and said, ‘Look everyone, Little Miss Retard’s going on a road trip.’

A couple of people tittered. Most had seen Poe and recognised a shit sandwich when they saw one.

The excitement in Bradshaw’s eyes fizzled out. Her cheeks coloured and her eyes dropped to the floor. Poe glanced back at her featureless workspace and everything clicked into place.

She was being bullied.

Before anyone could react, he’d taken three strides and dragged Laughing Man from his chair. Grabbing him by the back of his jacket, Poe ran him across the office and slammed his head into the wall.

‘Name!’ Poe shouted.

Silence.

‘NAME!’

‘Jon-Jon-Jonathan,’ the man stuttered, his face a mask of terror.

‘Ashley Barrett! DI Flynn! Out here, please!’

Flynn rushed out. She was followed by the HR manager.

‘Please repeat what you’ve just said for DI Flynn’s benefit.’

Jonathan’s eyes were spinning like a slot machine as he searched for a way out. Poe’s grip on his throat was vice-like. Without releasing him, Poe turned and addressed the room. ‘Most of you haven’t met me yet. I’m Detective Sergeant Washington Poe and you all need to know that I absolutely won’t tolerate bullies.’

It was true. He wouldn’t. Having a strange name, no mother and a total weirdo for a father had been the toxic trio that made him a bully magnet at school. It hadn’t taken long to work out that the only way he would survive was if there were consequences for anyone who picked on him. The bullies learned that Poe fought back, that he didn’t back down and he wouldn’t stop fighting. Start a fight with Poe and you had to be prepared to continue until someone was unconscious. It wasn’t long before he was given a wide berth.

‘So, take a good look at your friend Jonathan here,’ he continued, ‘because this is the last time he steps foot in this office.’

The whole office stared, open-mouthed.

‘Does anyone think I’m being unfair?’

No one seemed to. Or if they did, they were bright enough not to say.

‘Did everyone hear what Jonathan called one of his colleagues?’

Everyone had, it seemed.

Poe pointed at one. ‘You, what’s your name?’

‘Jen.’

‘What did Jonathan say, Jen?’

‘He called Tilly a retard, sir.’

‘I work for a living, Jen. Don’t call me “sir”.’ Poe turned to Flynn and Barrett. ‘Good enough?’

Flynn turned to Barrett and said, ‘It is for me. Ash?’

Barrett paused. ‘I could have done without DS Poe assaulting—’

‘He was holding a pen,’ Poe interrupted. ‘I thought he was going to use it as a weapon.’