In the UK TV series Bodyguard (2018), David Budd lies about not knowing Andy Apsted.
The truth was simply that Budd knew Apsted from his days in Afghanistan and he was completely surprised to find him on the rooftop.
So, why didn't Budd simply tell the truth? Instead he lied; why? (Clearly, it would only be a matter of time before his Afghanistan connection to Apsted was discovered and his lie uncovered.)
In S01E06, Budd says:
Louise, I know I betrayed your trust.
I lied about Andy Apsted.
But if I'd come clean, I'd have been the fall guy and the people that really killed Julia would have gotten away with it.
I don't understand the explanation given in this last sentence. Why would Budd have been the fall guy if he'd simply told the truth?
Sure, they might have investigated him a little. But they would have found nothing, because there was nothing to find. By lying, wouldn't he be far more of a fall guy when his lie was eventually uncovered?