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The one Harrison had mentioned but refused to fully disclose until Robyn’s case officially reopened. But Jake knew enough. Andy had kept things. About Robyn. Which meant he knew things too.
Andy dipped his head then. Almost formal. A strange little acknowledgement across the noise of the building site as Levenson wandered off towards the scaffold delivery without noticing the tension.
Jake lasted three more seconds before snapping.
He unclipped his harness again and strode across the site. “Oi.”
Andy had one foot up inside the forklift cab. “We have a court-ordered distance for a reason.”
“Aye, we do.” Jake stopped well short of him. Far enough to stay legal. Not to end up back inside a cell over this fucking bloke. “What’re you doing here?”
“Dropping supplies.”
Jake glanced at the stacked steel trims and reinforcement brackets. “Aye? First time?”
“No.”
That made his gut twist unpleasantly. “Was it you?”
Andy frowned. “Was what me?”
“Levenson said someone local recommended me for this job.” Jake jerked his chin at the warehouse looming overhead. “Said it were from someone bringing deliveries through.”
Andy said nothing.
Jake felt his pulse kick harder. “Was it you?”
Andy shrugged.
“Why?” Jake flapped a hand at him. “Why the fuck would you vouch for me?”
Andy adjusted the hard hat sitting crooked on his head. “Thought you’d want to be here.”
Before Jake could press further, Levenson bellowed across the site. “Oi, Whitton! You planning on working for us today?”
Jake dragged a hand across his face. “Aye.”
“Then get up that scaffold!” Levenson pointed at the roof. “You want wages in your pocket by end of play, I suggest you start acting like it.”
Jake swore under his breath and when he looked back, Andy had climbed into the forklift. The engine rattled into life, beeping into reverse before rolling through the gates, disappearing back through the maze of the industrial estate.
Jake forced himself to move.
Whatever the fuck Andy Mitchell had meant by any of it, bills still needed paying. Teddy still needed feeding. His mum’s cupboards needed stocking before Teddy came back for the weekend. And if Jake wanted enough left over to keep himself afloat for another week while pretending his life wasn’t becoming a complete car crash, he needed to get back on that roof.
So he did.
He was fitting fresh ply around one of the drainage channels when Roman appeared beside him and crouched to check the measurements.
“Where’d you disappear to?”
“Had to sort summat.”
“At the salvage yard?”
Jake glanced at him. “You keeping tabs on me now?”
“Saw your van over there.” Roman shrugged and ran his tape measure along the board. “Saw your detective turn up an’ all.”