BooksBarbecue
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

‘The Pavilion would never have happened without you,’ he said ominously. ‘You’re up to your neck in this as much as the rest of us. Figure it out but do it quick. We’re all counting on you, mate.’

The line went dead.

Half an hour later, when Alan was sitting in the witness interview suite watching an irritated DS Renshaw and her colleague fiddle with the recording equipment to get it to start, the answer hit him. It was so blindingly obvious he couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it sooner.

He exhaled heavily. Could he really do this? It could get him in serious trouble . . . but then the alternative didn’t bear thinking about either. Another image of the boy popped into his head but he forced it away. If he let himself dwell on it . . . And he had to do this . . . The Pavilion had to stay a secret.

Recording equipment running, Renshaw asked Alan to describe what he’d seen take place on the wall.

‘We want as much detail as you can remember,’ she said.

He swallowed hard.

‘There’s not much to tell. I could see kids mucking around and I told them to get down. At first they wouldn’t, so I moved the ladder nearer to them. They were about to climb down when the boy lost his footing and fell.’

The two officers exchanged glances.

‘You’re sure about that?’ said DS Renshaw sternly. ‘He just slipped?’

‘Yes, I’m sure.’

‘Mr Donnelly, that’s not what you told PC Talbot, one of the officers first to arrive at the scene. He said you told him you saw Poppy push Benji off the wall and that it wasn’t an accident.’

Alan shook his head vehemently.

‘I never said that.’

‘PC Talbot is certain you did.’

‘Well, I’m telling you I didn’t.’

‘You must’ve been extremely distressed by what happened. Maybe that’s confusing your recollection,’ said Renshaw pointedly.

‘Of course I was upset: it’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen. I mean, the way he landed –’ Alan suddenly pictured the boy lying on the ground, blood everywhere, and felt genuine anguish. He took another deep breath to steady himself. ‘But he definitely wasn’t pushed.’

Renshaw leaned forward on her elbows and stared at him.

‘Mr Donnelly, are you absolutely certain you didn’t see Poppy Hepworth push Benji Tyler off that wall to his death?’

Alan hid his trembling hands beneath the table. He never was a good liar.

‘I am. She didn’t lay a finger on him.’

11