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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

It took two phone calls to finally rouse Alan from the sofa, upon which he’d stayed slumped after Gus’s earlier visit.

The first was from his ex-wife, Gayle, incandescent with rage and shouting the odds.

‘If you ever threaten me like that again I’ll report you to the police!’

He didn’t have a clue what she was talking about, and said so.

‘The text you sent me at four this morning, saying you’d kill me if I spoke to any reporters again.’

He had no recollection of sending any texts but when he checked his phone, there it was.

‘Oh God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it. I was pissed when I sent it.’

‘I haven’t even spoken to anyone.’

‘The woman from the Echo said you’d been telling her stuff about me.’

‘It’s rubbish. She did call me but I put the phone down on her. I can’t believe you thought I would sell you out.’

‘She made it sound like you had. I shouldn’t have texted you and I promise, swear on my life, that I’ll never do it again.’

‘You shouldn’t be drinking, Al,’ she said, calming down. ‘It makes you worse.’

‘I’ve got nothing else to do,’ he said piteously.

‘Oh, Alan.’

‘I miss you. I miss the kids. I still love you, Gayle.’

Her voice wavered. ‘You didn’t love me enough, though. If you had, you wouldn’t have squandered every penny we had and run up tens of thousands’ worth of debt behind my back.’

‘How many more times can I say I’m sorry? I wanted to give us a better life.’

‘I didn’t need flash cars and holidays for a better life. I needed a husband who didn’t lie to me about his spending habits and make me and my kids destitute.’

‘Haven’t I been punished enough? I know I did wrong but I lost you, the kids, my job and my home. What more do you want?’

‘I can’t do this. I can’t keep having the same conversation with you, Al. It’s the same thing, over and over. You tell me you’re sorry and I tell you that I understand, but it still doesn’t make things right.’ She stifled a sob, which made his heart splinter. ‘I have to go.’ She hung up.

When the phone rang again twenty minutes later he raced to answer it, hoping it might be her ringing back to smooth things over. But it was Mrs Pullman, informing him that Years 5 and 6 would be returning to school tomorrow but the remaining years and Reception were going to be set up in temporary classrooms at sites across town, including two other primaries and the town hall.