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Back False Witness Save as PDF
Chapters (100)
  1. Cover
  2. Title page
  3. Dedication page
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. 80
  84. 81
  85. 82
  86. 83
  87. 84
  88. 85
  89. 86
  90. 87
  91. 88
  92. 89
  93. 90
  94. 91
  95. 92
  96. Acknowledgements
  97. DEAD GUILTY
  98. 1
  99. FALSE WITNESS
  100. Also by Michelle Davies

‘I don’t mean to be rude, but I really shouldn’t be talking to you. It’s not my job to give statements to the press. If you want, I can ask Mrs Pullman to call you?’ He ducked beneath the table to retrieve his mug.

Jennifer’s voice rang over his head.

‘You left your last job very abruptly, didn’t you, Mr Donnelly?’

Alan froze, his arm still stretching towards the mug. How did she know that?

‘You were groundsman at a sports facility in –’ he heard the sound of paper being flicked through – ‘Newark.’

He was grateful she couldn’t see his face below the table.

‘It sounds like you’ve been doing your homework,’ he replied with forced joviality as he straightened.

She gazed up at him, a smile playing on her lips.

‘It’s always good to get some background context,’ she said. ‘Your ex-wife was very helpful.’

Alan’s mouth gaped open. ‘You’ve spoken to Gayle? What the hell for?’

Jennifer stood up. She barely reached his shoulder.

‘Look, I think we’re getting off on the wrong foot. I want to write a piece about the hero caretaker who tried to save the boy who fell, but the school turned me down when I requested an interview so I—’

Alan cut her dead. ‘Who told you I tried to save him?’

‘I have my contacts.’

He didn’t like where the conversation was going. He was certainly no hero.

‘I don’t want you to write about me. I don’t want to be in the paper.’

‘I understand. You want your privacy. The thing is, Mr Donnelly, your wife said . . .’

They were both suddenly distracted by the sight of two marked police cars and a van turning into the school entrance. Pulling to a halt, all four doors opened on both cars and a number of people got out. Then the back doors of the van opened to reveal two dogs.

‘Sniffer dogs? I wonder what that’s all about,’ mused Jennifer. ‘I’d better go and find out.’ She gave Alan another teasing smile. ‘You’re off the hook for now, Mr Donnelly. We’ll have to chat another time.’

As she walked away, Alan called after her.

‘What did Gayle say to you?’

Jennifer didn’t bother to turn round, shouting dismissively over her shoulder.

‘Nothing for you to worry about.’

41

Julia didn’t even wait to put her bag down before confessing to Ewan what had happened in the cafe.

‘I know it must sound awful but I didn’t realize I’d grabbed her so hard. She was being rude and walking off and I hadn’t finished talking,’ she explained.

But Ewan was furious.