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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

‘If we pursue this line we’re saying we think Poppy meant to kill him.’

‘I’ll go along with whatever you think is right,’ said Belmar.

She exhaled slowly. ‘Let’s go back in.’

70

Alan barely had the energy to turn the key in the lock, let alone push the front door open. He stumbled into the hallway, then collapsed on the bottom step of the staircase, too fatigued to move any further.

The enormity of his situation bore down on him like a ten-tonne weight. Whoever Gus had called to secure his quick release from police custody had to be someone high up, with clout. And now Alan was indebted to them as well as Gus.

It was seriously beginning to look as though running away might be his only option. He’d already done it once when he moved to Mansell and this time it’d be even less of a wrench because he wasn’t leaving behind anyone he loved. He could start again in a new town, maybe somewhere coastal this time, get some fresh air in his tired, aching lungs. God knows they needed it.

Eventually he dragged himself off the bottom step and into the kitchen. He was starving, his last meal now hours ago. But on opening the fridge he remembered he still didn’t have any food in the house. Could he be bothered to go out again? The gnawing hunger in his stomach convinced him he had to, so he trudged back down the hallway. But as he pulled open the front door to leave, he was jolted to find someone on the doorstep, knuckles poised to knock.

‘I hope you don’t mind me coming round unannounced,’ said Mr Lincoln, the school’s deputy head and not a person Alan ever expected to see on his doorstep, let alone in a social context. ‘I heard that the police questioned you again today and I wanted to see how you were.’

‘Did Mrs Pullman send you?’

‘No, she doesn’t know I’m here.’

Alan couldn’t understand why Lincoln had taken it upon himself to come round. Unless –

‘Did Gus Reynolds tell you?’ he asked sharply.

Lincoln’s expression instantly gave him away. Alan was stunned. He was one of them. He knew about the Pavilion.

The teacher tried to brazen it out.

‘I happened to bump into him on my way home,’ he said, ‘so I thought I’d pop round to check you were okay.’

‘You can see that I am, so, bye.’

Alan went to close the door, but Lincoln put his hand out to stop him.

‘Mrs Pullman thinks really highly of you,’ he said. ‘I would hate to see her faith in you destroyed.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

A look of utter desperation seized Lincoln’s features.

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t come round here to threaten you. I’m at my wits’ end. I only did it the once.’