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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

‘Right. Well, I guess it depended on whether it was too late to do something about it.’

‘No, it can still be put right.’

‘Then of course, you should do whatever needs doing.’

To his mortification he began to weep. He couldn’t stop himself.

‘I wish I could take back what I did to you and the kids.’

‘Please don’t cry,’ she said, her voice softening. ‘I know you’re having a rough time, but things will calm down soon. Look, I have to go now, my supervisor’s calling me back inside. I’m working at that cash-and-carry on the Stockdale Road. Remember it?’

‘That’s where we stocked up for the New Year’s Eve party after Kyra was born.’

‘When my mum started doing shots with your mate Clive and fell into the bath when she was meant to be going to the loo because she couldn’t see straight.’

They both laughed at the memory, but Alan’s insides were gripped by misery. He wanted his old life back, with Gayle and the kids, back in Newark.

‘Gayle, I feel like I’m drowning.’

‘You should talk to someone. The school should arrange it,’ she said. ‘They have a duty of care.’

‘But I want to talk to you. We used to talk about everything.’

He heard the awkwardness in her voice and it hurt so much to.

‘That was a long time ago, Alan. We’ve both moved on.’

‘I haven’t. I’m stuck here in this town where I don’t know anyone and I’m in trouble up to my neck and I can’t see a way out.’

‘What do you mean, you’re in trouble? What’s going on, Alan? What have you done?’

‘I just want it all to end.’

‘What does that mean?’ she asked worriedly.

The bell sounded to signal assembly.

‘I’ve got to go,’ he said. ‘Tell the kids I love them and I’m sorry for hurting them.’

He hung up before she could reply. When she called back a second later, he let it ring.

80

Maggie and Carmichael took the seats Imogen offered them as Grace began to talk. Her voice was faltering at first but growing firmer as her account progressed.

‘My husband, Ray, was one of those men who didn’t know how attractive he was. He was a bit dim when it came to things like that. I used to say the only reason he married me was because I literally had to make him fall for me – he’d be in the Legion when I went with my dad on a Friday night but he never noticed me. So one evening when he walked past I stuck my foot out to trip him up: we got talking and that was that.’

Imogen smiled but Grace remained stony-faced.