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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

‘You need to calm down before they get here,’ said Malcolm, following her into the lounge. Dylan looked up from the Lego he was assembling in the middle of the carpet.

‘I’m too bloody angry to be calm! Christ, Dad, you’re not helping.’

Still needing an outlet for her anger, she started picking up cushions from the sofa and throwing them back down.

‘Mummy, what are you doing?’ asked Dylan, clearly alarmed.

‘Dylan, go upstairs and see what Daddy and Poppy are up to. Mummy’s a bit upset right now.’

Malcolm’s pious tone was the last straw.

‘I can’t stand another minute in this house. I’m going out.’

‘Where are you going?’ Malcolm called after her. ‘What about Poppy?’

‘Let Ewan sort it out,’ she yelled back as she yanked open the front door and shot up the path into the street. Her feet were bare and she had no money or phone with her but she didn’t care. She didn’t think about where she was going, only that she needed to get as quickly away as she could.

44

The elderly man who opened the door looked disappointed to see Maggie and Byford standing there.

‘I thought you might be someone else,’ he said forlornly.

Maggie gave him their names and apologized for not calling ahead.

‘It’s only a quick visit while we were passing,’ she said.

‘Oh, it’s not that, we knew you were coming. I thought you might be my daughter, Julia. She’s gone out without her keys.’

Maggie was puzzled. ‘How did you know we were coming?’

‘Does it matter?’ said Byford in an aside. He smiled kindly at the man. ‘Is everything okay, Mr . . . um?’

‘Cox. Malcolm Cox. No, it’s not. My daughter is under tremendous stress and I’m worried about her. When are you going to put an end to this nonsense with Poppy?’ he asked them angrily.

‘We’re doing everything we can to make sure the investigation progresses as quickly as possible,’ said Maggie. ‘We do understand how difficult this is for everyone involved. Can we come in for a quick chat?’

‘I think I should check with my son-in-law first. Wait here.’

He shut the door on them. Maggie turned to Byford.

‘How could they have known we were on our way?’

‘The DS must’ve let them know.’

‘No, the whole point was she didn’t want them forewarned.’

‘She probably changed her mind. She does tend to flip-flop on decisions.’

Maggie was about to deliver another rebuke when the door opened again and Ewan Hepworth stood before them. His face pinched with anger as his gaze settled first on Maggie, then on Byford.

‘What is it?’

‘Our SIO asked us to pop round to see if Poppy has any new information for us,’ said Byford, eyeing him squarely back.