Page 34 of Diamond in the Rough

“Because Maddox folded.” Carl flung his head back and glared at the ceiling. “I should have been paying more goddamn attention.”

“Let’s hope Tom recognises him.”

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Carl peeked at his phone throughout the day, and his frown intensified. Jake itched to ask him what was happening, but Carl hushed him, then told him to wait till later.

Jake thought back to the man on the phone, tried to recall what he was saying, but nothing surfaced. He hadn’t felt like he was being threatened. The guy had completely blanked him.

“So did you find anything on the CCTV?” Sam asked.

Jake scratched the back of his head. “Guy with his gym bag, he shoved his water bottle inside. Carl thought he might’ve been pinching a pencil case.”

“A pencil case?”

“Yeah, you know…the ones that look like bottles and cans of drink.”

Sam wrapped his hand around Jake’s shoulder and led him into the storeroom. “I need your help with something,”

“Okay.”

Sam closed the door, then spun around to face Jake. He pressed his forefinger to Jake’s chest. “Don’t take me for an idiot. What’s he dragged you into?”

“Dragged me into?”

“Carl…first the police sniffing around, then him obsessing over CCTV. Has he stolen from me?”

“No—”

“There’s still a box of Stanley knives unaccounted for.”

“They went missing long before Carl started working here.”

Sam narrowed his eyes, but before he could question him, Jake flung his hands up in the air.

“I promise, Carl’s not in any trouble, and neither am I.”

“The way he looked at me earlier…”

“What about it?”

“Like he was seconds away from grabbing me by my shirt and throwing me out of my own shop. I dunno, always so friendly, and for a second, the mask slipped.”

“The guy from Monday’s been playing on his mind, that’s all.”

Sam bobbed his head but didn’t look convinced. “I’ll take your word for it, but if he talks to me like he did earlier, he’s out of here.”

When Jake left the storeroom, Carl shot both him and Sam a smile. Jake returned it, then subtly gestured to Sam behind him.

“I’m sorry about earlier, Sam.”

Sam glared at Carl until his eye twitched. “Really?”

“Yes, really. I was rude, and that’s not okay.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Come on, Sam,” Jake said, patting his shoulder, “I’ve got away with far worse.”

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