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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 said you told the police it was an accident.’

‘That’s what it looked like,’ said Alan uncomfortably. He didn’t want to discuss it, certainly not in the pub.

‘He said it was nasty, the way the kid fell.’

Alan wondered if Doug knew about Gus’s set-up in the Pavilion. It wasn’t a long shot to assume he did: the landlord was no fool and his vantage point behind the bar made it easy for him to notice huddled conversations and money passing hands. He was unlikely to be a customer though: Doug was gay and Gus had only female escorts on his books.

‘Sorry, I shouldn’t pry,’ said Doug. ‘I can see you’re upset.’

Alan gulped down another mouthful of beer. ‘Yeah, can we talk about something else?’

They spent the next few minutes discussing football and whether United or City would win the Manchester derby that weekend. Then, just as Alan had begun to relax and savour his pint, Doug leaned over the bar and beckoned him closer.

‘I want to give you a word of advice,’ he said in a hushed voice. ‘If the police find out what’s been going on at the school, Gus will throw you under the bus, no question about it. So you get yourself some insurance, Alan. Something you can use against him.’

So Doug did know. Alan stared at him, suddenly afraid.

‘Insurance?’

‘Something that proves the Pavilion wasn’t your idea.’

‘I didn’t know,’ said Alan desperately. ‘By the time I realized what he was up to, it was too late to back out.’ He dropped his voice to a whisper. ‘He’s chairman of the fucking governors.’

‘I know he is, that’s what’s so sickening. I’d tip off the police myself if it wasn’t for the fact that Gus would see to it I’d lose all my custom and I can’t afford the risk. I also don’t want to drop you in it, Alan. You’re a good bloke. So do yourself a favour and get that insurance sorted, because I can bet you Gus has his get-out-of-jail-free card all nice and ready.’

Alan felt sick, because he knew Doug was right. But what could he do? He’d wiped the incriminating CCTV footage from ‘Corridor 8’ and, besides, Gus could easily explain away any of his appearances on it, what with him being the school’s leading governor.

Then it dawned on him. If he couldn’t force Gus and the girls from the Pavilion, he’d have to take the Pavilion from them.

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