‘I do mean it, Amelia. But this has to be our secret. I will find a way to look after you until the baby is born but you mustn’t tell a single person, not a living soul. Because, if anyone finds out about this, we would both be in trouble, deep trouble.’

She had no idea how it was going to work, but she’d find a way. Tina smiled. She would be a mother after all.

Chapter Sixteen

Ged rolled a spliff and passed it over to Frankie. Now that Nancy was out of the picture things were back on track.

‘I need you to get on the seven o’clock train to Blackpool tonight, mate. This is the biggest load you’ve taken so you need to be extra cautious. Just get up there, drop it off and bring the money straight back.’

Ged nodded. He took a deep breath before he spoke. ‘This is the last run I’m doing, Frankie. My old man is out of the nick this week and I want to keep him on the straight and narrow and how can I do that if I’m dabbling in the world he’s trying to leave behind?’

But Frankie was having none of it. ‘Nah, you can’t just stop. You’re quids in and you are earning. You’d be a fool to give that up, wouldn’t you?’

Ged sucked hard on the spliff and exhaled before he answered. ‘It’s just the way it is. I need to think about my old man, don’t I?’

Frankie wasn’t impressed. You could see the cogs whirring. ‘Do whatever then, mate. Just get your arse up there tonight and sort it out.’

Ged looked relieved. He’d been dreading telling Frankie that he was stopping. It had gone better than he’d feared. He looked at his watch and closed his eyes. One last job and this would be over for good and he could go back to his normal life without all the stress and worry hanging on his head. He’d saved a few hundred quid now, so that should help him out for a while. Well, until his dad got back into work and back on his feet. Frankie stood up and scouted the area. He seemed agitated, like he had something on his mind. ‘Pick the gear up from the usual place and let me know when you’re on the way back and I’ll meet you. Like I said, don’t fuck this up. It’s a good wage for you to finish on.’

Ged pulled his jacket down. ‘Oh yeah, Frankie, before you shoot off, I want to thank you for all you’ve done for me. You hooked me up and sorted me out. Cheers for that.’

Frankie didn’t seem to be arsed with his mate’s thanks. He was already walking off, never turned back once or said a word.