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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

Alan had not once blamed Gayle for throwing him out. It was his actions that had destroyed their marriage, not hers. He also knew it could’ve been a hell of a lot worse: had she reported him to the police for fraudulently remortgaging the house the way her parents wanted her to, he probably would’ve been convicted and imprisoned. Banishment down south was a small price to pay by comparison.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said, darkening the grey marl hem of his T-shirt as he mopped his tears with it. ‘It’s just, hearing your voice after all this time . . . Freddie and the girls – I wish I could see them.’

‘They wish they could see you too. But listen, I have to be quick because I’m on my break. I’m calling because I wanted to check you’re okay. I heard about the boy dying and you being there. Are you okay?’

Alan was confused. ‘How do you know about that?’

The news had broken online but details were sparse and none of the reports mentioned him, the caretaker, being a witness. Not even the boy had been named.

‘I’ve had a call from someone you know, a man called Gus Campbell.’

Alan’s legs almost gave way.

‘You what?’

‘He said he worked—’

‘I know who he is,’ Alan interrupted frantically. ‘What did he say?’

‘He thought I should know, because it was obviously awful for you and you don’t have anyone in Mansell to support you. You and I aren’t exactly family any more, but is there anything I can do to help?’

‘No, no, there isn’t. But thank you. It’s good of you to call.’ He hoped he sounded appreciative but he was so livid he could barely speak. ‘Look, I’m sorry, I have to go. There’s something I have to do. Can I call you back on this number?’

‘Yes, of course.’

He called Gus the second Gayle hung up.

‘What the hell are you doing calling my ex?’ he shouted.

To his fury Gus chuckled.

‘Oh, I was just doing my rounds. Prominent councillor . . . tick. High-ranking police officer . . . tick. Star player for the local football team . . . tick. Half a dozen bosses of the town’s biggest firms . . . tick. Mother of the caretaker’s children who would be most upset if they knew what Daddy was up to . . . tick. It’s called getting my ducks in a row, Alan.’

For the first time Alan realized the enormity of what he’d done by helping Gus, and how widespread his prostitution racket was. Alan had never seen or met any of the punters involved – he’d always stayed out of that side of things – and was shocked at the list Gus had reeled off. These were men who had standing in Mansell, who people looked up to. Men with the power and influence to make his life even more hellish than Gus could.