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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

In reality they were two hundred quid each off Gumtree. Both pulled out into beds. The thought of what they were used for made Alan feel sick and he was glad they had been destroyed.

‘I wanted to see whether it could be used like a common room or something,’ he said feebly. He wasn’t sure she was buying any of it.

‘If the Pavilion was to be used for anything it should have been sports related. But I do appreciate you taking the initiative,’ she said, finally smiling.

‘Did the bloke from the fire service say who they thought set it alight?’

‘They believe it was opportunist vandals.’ Mrs Pullman raised her hands in a gesture of surrender. ‘As if we didn’t already have enough on our plate that someone thought we deserved a fire on top of everything else. I desperately want to reopen the school but heaven knows how long it will be before Rushbrooke is back to normal.’

Alan was filled with dread. If the Pavilion’s secret was ever discovered, it never would be.

47

‘I can’t believe you got me drunk. You are such a bad influence.’

The sun lounger creaked ominously as Julia rolled off it and planted her feet unsteadily on the decking.

‘You can’t blame me if you didn’t eat any breakfast,’ said Cath, grin rendered sloppy by smeared lipstick. ‘Besides, you looked like you could do with a drink.’

Julia was still so angry when she arrived home from Siobhan’s that she couldn’t bring herself to go inside and had continued down the road until she reached Cath’s house.

It had been a relief to see a friendly face. Cath had taken one look at her, ushered her into the kitchen and thrust a glass of neat vodka into her hand. Without any breakfast to buffer its effects, the alcohol had gone straight to Julia’s head and then she hadn’t the willpower to turn down the Cava-filled Bucks Fizz her friend had offered as a follow-up.

‘Christ, look at the state of you,’ said Cath with a honk of laughter. ‘Anyone would think you’d never had booze before.’

‘I’m not used to daytime drinking,’ Julia groaned. The garden was spinning now. Even when she stood stock-still it spun.

‘That’s the joy of retirement,’ said Cath, tilting her glass.

‘Besides, I think a drink is allowed under the circumstances.’

‘What’s the time now?’

‘Ten past one. Time for another.’

Julia shook her head vigorously, then immediately regretted it as a fresh wave of nausea hit.

‘No, I need water. Oh God. Ewan’s going to be wondering where I am.’

‘No, he’s not. I sent him a text to say you’re with me.’

‘Did he reply?’

‘Well, no.’

‘See, he’s going to be mad.’

‘Nothing unusual there, then.’

Julia stared down at her, trying to focus. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Nothing.’