Janie shook her head, biting her lip as she handed him an espresso, which he downed in one gulp. To Harry, brushing over the fact that Mike could be a little bit odd, and in some ways completely out of order, was easier than having to have a conversation with the guy who’d been working with him for the last five years.

‘I don’t know what to do about it,’ he admitted as he dropped his cup into the sink. ‘I have the feeling Mia Anderson isn’t going to let up.’

‘Why don’t you know what to do about it?’ Janie asked. ‘Surely you need to address whatever the woman is saying.’

‘That’s the point, really,’ he said. ‘She doesn’t seem to be too—’ He broke off. ‘I called her into my office to talk and she just clammed up.’

‘Probably because she’s scared,’ Janie said. ‘Imagine what it must be like, being pulled into the Chief Exec’s office, regardless of what it’s about. Add on top of that, it’s something personal – you’re asking her about someone she probably thinks you’re mates with.’

‘I’m not mates with Mike.’ He looked up at her. ‘Mike’s a fool; you know what I think of him.’

Yes, she did. Mike Lewis would never be one of Harry’s boys. ‘I know that, but she’s not going to.’

‘You think that’s what it is – she’s scared?’

‘I’m sure of it.’

‘God.’ He rubbed his hands over his eyes. ‘This could turn into a right mess. Mia mentioned a “bullying culture”,’ he went on, forming his fingers into quotation marks. ‘I mean, seriously, I’ve never had anything like this; there’s no bullying culture in the company.’ He spat out the words almost sarcastically.

Janie stiffened. She didn’t like where this was going. She had seen it time and time again. It’s what had brought people to her to defend them, when ultimately things had gone too far.

During her career Janie had defended men in court who had been accused of harassment or worse. There were often blurred lines – one person’s word against another, little evidence. Sometimes it made her job easy. She could get them off on a technicality, when there was no hard evidence. But bullying cultures? When more than one person was on the attack? That could destroy Harry.

‘Janie, I need your help, love – you need to tell me what to do.’

Oh no, she thought. No, no, no. She had done her fair share of standing up for the big boys, helping them get away with whatever they’d been accused of. Ultimately it meant someone who’d been hurt hadn’t seen justice.

She could give Harry plenty of advice, but if there were an issue in his company he couldn’t ignore it, could he?