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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

Maggie was annoyed. That wasn’t the script they’d agreed. Byford was making it sound as though they were there to interview Poppy again, which was bound to inflame her father.

It did.

‘I’ve told you, if you want to question my daughter again you’ll have to do it in the presence of our solicitor. You can’t just turn up here demanding answers,’ Ewan hissed.

Maggie went to placate him but her phone rang. It was Renshaw.

‘I’d better get this. Excuse me for a moment.’

She walked down the path until she was back on the street and out of earshot. Byford and Ewan continued to have words.

‘Maggie, are you at the Hepworths’?’

‘Yep, here now. The welcoming committee isn’t exactly rolling the bunting out, if you catch my drift.’

‘Don’t worry about that now. I need you to bring Poppy up to the school instead.’

‘Why?’

‘The dogs have found some items of clothing and I need Poppy to tell us whether she recognizes them.’

‘What kind of clothes?’

‘A fuchsia dress that looks like it was made for Funtime Barbie and a G-string that’s about as substantial as a piece of tissue paper. I don’t think we’re looking for another kid, let’s put it that way. They were buried beneath some rubble close to the spot where Benji died and I want to know if they were visible when he and Poppy were on that wall.’

‘Can’t I just ask her?’

‘No, I want her to see the items in situ, before Forensics take them. I want to gauge her reaction, to see if she tells us the truth. Maggie, they’re covered in blood.’

‘Shit.’

‘Yes, shit. We’re going to start excavating the building site. The way the dogs have reacted it’s very likely there’s another body here.’

45

When the door opened Julia reacted with surprise, as though she hadn’t thought it would be a consequence of her ringing the doorbell.

‘Oh, you’re in,’ she said.

‘I’m working from home again,’ said Siobhan.

‘Can I come in?’

Her friend looked awkward. ‘Now’s really not a good time.’

‘Please, I need to talk to someone before I go mad,’ Julia implored.

Looking far from happy about it, Siobhan moved aside to let Julia across the threshold.

‘Where are your shoes?’ she asked.

Julia looked down at her bare feet, smudged with dirt. Only then did she notice her soles were hurting from walking along warm pavements.

‘I left them at home,’ she said.

‘Let’s go in here,’ said Siobhan, opening the door to the lounge. ‘Callum and Evie are playing out the back.’