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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

‘Great, I’ll call Gant after I’ve talked to Poppy. The head has said I can use her office for the interview.’

‘You’re not taking her in?’

‘I thought I’d have a chat with her here before we do the whole formal bit at the station because I’m not ready to start the clock ticking,’ said Renshaw. ‘I want to see what she says, then ask for EIA.’

The police sought Early Investigative Advice from the CPS when they weren’t sure about bringing charges. If the CPS said more evidence was needed first, you listened, and Maggie could see why Renshaw wanted to run this one past them. She was dealing with an eleven-year-old suspect who had potentially murdered another child. There was absolutely no margin for error with this case.

‘What about her family? Are her parents here?’

Renshaw shook her head. ‘I’ve sent uniform round. Considering the rest of the school seems to know what’s happened it’s weird they haven’t turned up yet. Either they haven’t noticed their daughter’s not at home or they don’t care.’

4

Bits of cereal were scattering across the table and onto the floor, a steady stream of rice and barley malt with added fortified vitamins.

‘Dylan, watch what you’re doing!’ Julia Hepworth called across the kitchen to her son. ‘Look at the mess you’re making.’

Dylan dragged his gaze away from the back of the cereal packet, and the special offer for a plastic bowl with a built-in straw to drink up milk dregs, and looked down. Quickly he righted the box.

‘Sorry, wasn’t looking.’

‘I can see that. I’ve already said no to you having that bowl as well. You don’t need one with a straw, just tip the bowl up and drink the milk that way like everyone else does.’

Dylan grinned. Then, without needing to be asked, he set about clearing up the mess.

Smiling, Julia returned to making the sandwiches for their lunchboxes. Dylan was only nine but she never had to bribe him to help out around the house and his sister was the same. Friends would often ask what her secret was – how did she manage to have two such compliant children? She wasn’t entirely sure herself, but she liked to think that it was because while pregnant with Poppy she’d vowed never to be one of those mums who lost their rag over the small stuff, like spilled cereal, pen marks on walls or mislaid PE kits. So she didn’t. Her children’s upbringing was bathed in smiles and calm – although she would never say that aloud, because if it sounded trite to her ears God knows what other people would make of it.

‘I hope those two aren’t for me. They’ve got mould on.’