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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

Imogen’s voice wavered. ‘Can I see him before they do it? I don’t want to see him after he’s been . . .’ She stifled a sob.

‘I’m sure that can be arranged. I’ll talk to the pathologist right away.’

Maggie knew the pathologist would agree to push it back an hour or two to accommodate Imogen’s request. He wouldn’t want to make the viewing any worse than it already would be.

She hesitated for a moment; what she was about to say might distress Imogen and she needed to frame it right.

‘When someone dies from a serious head injury the pathologist usually makes sure that part of them is covered up before their family sees them. So Benji might be shrouded when you see him,’ she said carefully. ‘I want you to be prepared for seeing him like that, so it doesn’t come as a shock.’

‘I don’t care – I still want to see him. I never got to kiss him before he went to school yesterday and I hate myself for it,’ said Imogen, openly crying now. ‘I need to see him to say I’m sorry.’

17

Returning home, Alan managed a couple of hours’ fitful sleep on the sofa before being woken by the phone ringing. It was Mrs Pullman, telling him that he needn’t bother coming into work.

‘Take the day off,’ she said. ‘The police will be back again and I’ll be on site all day to assist them if needs be, so you get some rest.’

Most people would’ve relished an unexpected day’s leave but not Alan. He wanted to be at the school so he could keep an eye on what the police were up to, and try to make sure they went nowhere near the Pavilion.

‘I’m fine,’ he said, panic scratching at his insides. ‘I’d rather come in and keep busy.’

‘Nonsense. What happened yesterday has taken its toll on us all, but you’ve suffered more than most, watching it happen. Stay at home and put your feet up,’ Mrs Pullman ordered. ‘I’ll call you later with an update on when we might reopen. I’m hoping it will be tomorrow or Friday if the police allow it. We need to get back to normal.’

Alan spent the rest of the morning moving twitchily from room to room, unable to relax. He did contemplate going back to bed but his room was like a furnace with no breeze to temper the heat and no fan to artificially produce one.