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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

‘How did you get her number?’

‘She’s down as your next of kin.’

Gus must’ve got hold of his personnel file. There was no level the man wouldn’t stoop to.

‘Please don’t involve my kids,’ Alan begged. ‘You’re a dad – how would you feel if I told yours?’

‘Don’t you even dare speak of my children,’ said Gus icily. ‘My family stays out of this.’

Alan had often wondered about Gus’s wife and whether she had any inkling of his business interests. He’d met her once, fleetingly, and was struck by what a looker she was. Gorgeous blonde – Gus was punching way above with her. It made Alan think that Gus couldn’t possibly sleep with the escorts he employed – with a wife like that waiting at home, why would he need to?

‘Why can’t mine be left alone too?’ he asked.

‘Alan, you’re in no position to barter. You never have been.’

Crushingly, he knew it was true. By the time it had dawned on him exactly what Gus had in mind for the Pavilion, it was too late to deny him access to it. He’d already banked the sizeable ‘arrangement fee’, as Gus called it. After that, his cooperation was secured not with cash but with the threat of losing his job, which he could ill afford to do. Whichever way he looked at it, Gus had him cornered.

A thought crossed his mind. ‘If you know a copper, why not get him to make the rest of them finish up at the school?’

‘Too many questions would be asked. He’s important, you see. A VIP in the ranks.’

Alan felt even worse hearing that.

‘Gus, you’ve got to do something,’ he said desperately. ‘I’ve told the police the boy’s death was an accident. There’s nothing else I can do now.’

‘Was it?’

‘Was it what?’

‘An accident.’

‘Well, not exactly –’

Gus made an ‘uh-uh’ sound like a game-show buzzer going off.

‘Wrong answer! If you’re going to lie, Alan, at least be consistent. Look, mate,’ he said, suddenly conciliatory, ‘you’ve done the right thing and I’m grateful. Keep sticking to your story and before you know it we’ll have the Pavilion up and running again and things will be back to normal.’

‘No, no way,’ Alan exclaimed. ‘Find somewhere else, Gus. It’s too risky now.’

‘Why? The Pavilion is perfect.’

‘It’s inside a school. Can’t you see how fucked up that is?’

‘Of course I can. But that’s why I’m chairman of the governors and you’re not – because I recognize a perk of the job when I see one.’

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