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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

He hadn’t told her he was going to be a witness for the prosecution in Gus’s trial, whose arrest had shocked everyone. It was another reason he couldn’t stay at Rushbrooke: Mrs Pullman might be magnanimous about his involvement, but he didn’t imagine any parents would be once he took the stand and explained in detail exactly how Gus had schemed to defile the grounds where their precious kids were taught and how he had been involved.

‘Who will I get to replace you? I’ve already got to find a new deputy head and several more teachers,’ she said.

The innocuous way in which she stated Mr Lincoln’s old position needed to be filled made Alan suspect she didn’t yet know her deputy head had been a client of Gus’s enterprise. The last Alan heard, Lincoln was moving with his family to Wales.

‘I know someone who can cover for me until you find a permanent replacement. He used to be the site manager at Loxley Green Primary and has just come to the end of a temporary contract to look after the grounds at Twitchmoor Manor. He’s available to shadow me while I work out my notice during the holidays.’

‘You have it all planned out,’ said Mrs Pullman with a sigh.

‘I do. I need to be closer to my kids.’

‘Of course you do. And they need their father.’

Alan couldn’t meet her eyes, fearing that if he did she’d see how choked he was. He didn’t deserve her kindness. He’d allowed her school to be exploited and abused by the greed of others. He had let her down.

‘I should get back to work now,’ he said. ‘I need to get the lunch tables out.’

‘I shall bid you a good weekend then,’ she replied, getting to her feet. ‘I shan’t be here this afternoon as I’ve decided to go to the funeral of the police officer who died on Hawley Ridge. I want to represent Rushbrooke and pay our respects. It feels like the least I can do.’

92

‘I can’t go in,’ said Maggie tearfully. ‘I can’t do this.’

Umpire slipped his hand into hers. They were inside his car, in the crematorium car park. Climbing out of vehicles around them were dozens of officers from across their force, pinch-faced but purposeful as they readied themselves to say goodbye to their colleague.

Maggie still couldn’t believe Renshaw was dead.