Page 120 of Too Close To Home

“So why were you looking for it in the pub?”

Andy’s breathing quickened erratically. “I don’t know! Thought maybe it weren’t smashed. Maybe I dropped it somewhere. I don’t bloody know.”

Calder kept writing.

Harrison remained completely still.

“This isn’t my fault.” Andy flapped his hands. “I didn’t do owt.” He darted his gaze between Harrison and the solicitor like an animal looking for a way out. Then he slapped a hand on the table. “This is cause of him, int it?”

Harrison pooled his expression. “Who?”

Anger replaced Andy’s panic. “Jake bloody Whitton.”

Harrison waited. Then, “Can you explain what you mean by that.”

Andy laughed bitterly. “You ever notice how he’s always involved? Always hanging around when summat happens? He’s been after me for years. Ever since...” He caught himself, then pressed on anyway. “This is him. He’s set me up. Stole my phone, dumped it in the woods, took that girl... all so everyone’d believe him.”

Harrison folded his hands on the table. “So you’re saying Jake Whitton abducted Emily Fisher?”

“Aye.”

“And planted evidence to implicate you?”

“Aye.”

Harrison gave a slow nod, as though simply making sure he’d understood despite the surprise at this turn of events. “What reason would he have for doing that?”

“Because he’s obsessed. Thinks I took his sister. I didn’t. Bloody didn’t. And you lot…” Andy flapped his hand at him, more than likely indicating to the entire Hartswick police force. “You lot never look at him, though, do ya? Never look at his family. I said it then. Said it back then, and no one listened to me then.”

The solicitor leaned in again. “Andy, I strongly advise you to stop speaking.”

Andy sucked in a breath through his teeth, panic turning ugly. Mean. Spiteful. “It’s that family. I warned her. I did.”

“You warned who?” Harrison pressed.

“Robyn.”

“Warned her of what?”

“That everyone would find out.”

“Find out what?”

“About that kid of hers. Teddy.”

“What about him?”

Andy jabbed a finger at the interview table as if the proof sat there among the case files. “That he’s Donald Whitton’s.”

Calder paused his writing and looked up. Harrison kept his gaze trained on Andy. Waiting to see what else would snap. But Andy smiled, triumphantly. As if he knew he’d found the weak spot.

“Tha’s right.” Andy folded his arms. “Jake and Robyn’s dad’s the real father of that kid. Everybody knows it.” He gave a dismissive shrug. “Abused her. Probably him an’ all. That’s why he turned into a filthy fucking poof.”

“Andy.” His solicitor’s voice cut sharply across the room. “Y advice is that you stop answering questions until I’ve spoken to you privately.”

Andy didn’t even look at him.

“Father gets his own daughter pregnant. Happens more than folk think. Family buries it. Then all of a sudden there’s this baby.” He laughed bitterly. “Think we’re all stupid, don’t they?”