Paperwork done by lunch was never going to happen. I stared at the mountain of reports, folders and sanctions I had to sign off, read or fix. I'd been at it for an hour already, and that was after I'd spent two fixing Stafford's mess, on the phone with all sorts of people making promises, apologies and then telling Stafford how to finish it up and wrap it with a neat little bow.

If I was lucky it would only take the rest of the day to sort everything in front of me. And that was only if no one pulled me in to help with any other new cases.

I sighed, reaching for the next folder and trying not to worry about working through lunch yet again when the phone rang. The number on the display wasn't one I recognised, but I picked it up quickly anyway. Whatever it was, it had to be better than the work in front of me.

"Good morning, this is Inspector Jennifer Knights," I said before I looked at the clock and checked it was still morning. Just.

"Oh, perfect, Inspector, I'm sorry to bother you, but I must admit I'm relieved you are a police officer," an elderly sounding woman on the other end of the phone replied. I closed my eyes and tried to calm my already racing heart. No one said something like that if they had good news.

"What's the problem?" I asked, the response so ingrained in me, I uttered it whether I truly wanted to know or not.

"Well... There's a man here. At the library... he's caused quite a stir."

"Let me guess, he said he was King Arthur and thinks he's here to save us all." I felt bad for saying it as if he was obviously crazy, but I couldn't bring myself to defend him when this woman clearly needed me to reassure her. "He's harmless, honestly."

"Are you confident? He's... asked for some very bizarre books and the combination is nothing to be ignored." The woman wasn't giving up and I felt my heart sink. I was already getting the impression that this wasn't going to be a phone call I could ignore. "I asked him for some ID and he seemed offended by this. And when I asked security to escort him out of my reading room, they..."

She trailed off and I sat forward, not liking the sound of security.

"You set security on him? Is he okay, did they kick him out?" The words tumbled out as I displayed more concern than even I had expected. It took the receptionist by surprise as well because she ummed and ahhed for a moment and then gathered herself.

"He's still here at the moment. I can't find security. They seem to be... gone. I've left him in reading room three, but... This isn't a psychiatric ward and..." She trailed off again and I got the message. She was way out of her depth and hoping that I could fix this for her. In some ways I felt sorry for her. Arthur was a lot to handle, and if security had gone missing after being set on him, then there was clearly more that had happened.

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Just leave him be and give him any other books he asks for while I get there. He won't harm anyone, I promise and he won't want to damage the books. We'll figure everything else out once I am there to assist."

"Oh, thank you. I'll make sure no one bothers him and wait for you to get here. I'm Doris, on reception."

Stolen story; please report.

I hung up and grabbed my jacket and ID, pretty sure that both were going to come in handy with this one. It didn't sound as if Arthur had done any major harm yet, but he wasn't exactly keeping a low profile either. As I walked out of the office, a bunch of heads turned my way, including the boss.

There was no way I was going to get his paperwork done now, and I winced as I tried to think of an explanation I could give. Rob motioned his head toward his office, breaking off the conversation he was in and I followed him inside. Neither of us sat down.

"Going somewhere?" he asked.

"Yes. Sorry, sir, but there's a family emergency. I know it's a lot to ask after yesterday. It seems these things often come in threes."

"You don't have any family left. We both know that."

I sighed, not sure what else to say. The words had come tumbling out and I wasn't very good at lying, but this felt like one of those family things I had to respond to. I had to go be there for Arthur. I had to go get him out of trouble.

"They're a friend. A good friend. So close they feel like family, and I don't really have that with anyone else. I feel like I need to be there for them, Sir. I don't know how else to put it." It was enough the truth this time that Rob relaxed, but he didn't look away, still studying me. I waited, willing him to understand enough to let me go.

"All right, Jennifer. It's not normal for you to take time for anything, so I'll allow it. But I want to see you on Monday morning with your shit together and some kind of explanation?"

"Got it. You'll have one by then, I promise." I exhaled and waited for him to acknowledge my words. I didn't know what I would say to him, but it gave me an entire weekend to think of it and that would have to do.

Rob opened the door for me himself, allowing me to hurry from the building. After Rob had let me go, and at the speed I was walking, no one else dared to stop me from heading out. Somehow I had to figure all of this out. What was I doing?

Before I could get out the front door and to my car Brenda appeared again. "Off again so soon?" she asked.

I tried not to be irritated at her, but it was the exact wrong timing. "Duty calls," I replied, hoping she'd let me go with no further questions.

"Duty, or that handsome fella from yesterday?"

I could have sworn, but I tried to look impassive. #How was she so insightful?# "He's long gone, Brenda."

The words sounded hollow even to me, but she chuckled as I breezed past anyway. I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of seeing that she'd got to me at all. If she wanted to try and figure out what I was up to, I was going to have to let her. I had too much to do, to be slowed down by it today.

As I got in the car, I paused and took a few breaths, trying to get my body to calm before I had to drive through London traffic. It only ever felt as if it was getting worse and it wasn't a short distance to the library. I considered using my sirens to get there faster, but I knew that I couldn't. I was already pushing the rules and boundaries as it was.

It was only going to get me in trouble if I flouted my position as well.