James, if....
.... you deny his request•••
A small favor. A request. What you already knew at the time when James came to you and had not even spoken a word. You were to do something for him that you didn't want Gareth Mallory or the new M to know about. No one should know about, it hit much harder.
"No," you beat James to it, liking your job, causing the man to falter, clearly not expecting it, "Last time, Mallory was pretty pissed and it lasted for two weeks."
"One name," you heard James say as you passed him, "Max Denbigh."
"I'm not sifting through the past of the head of the Joint Intelligence Service," you counter, done puffing, "Is there something specific or do you just not like him James?"
It's a feeling. Best guess.