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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

Unlike Julia and Ewan, Siobhan and her husband had invested in their home and aluminium trifold doors now separated the newly landscaped garden from the newly refitted kitchen. If they went in there to talk and the doors were open, the children might overhear them.

Once inside the front room – all stark white walls, immaculately ordered alcove shelving and a feature fireplace – Julia was at a loss for what to say. She hadn’t planned on coming to Siobhan’s and now she was there she felt a bit silly. Fortunately Siobhan broke the silence herself.

‘How are you?’

‘I’ve had better weeks.’

Siobhan pulled a face. ‘I imagine Imogen’s saying the same thing.’

‘I didn’t mean it like it’s a competition,’ said Julia wearily.

‘How did you mean it, then?’

Julia fished for the right words, unnerved by the animosity that was coming off Siobhan in waves. They’d always got on well because their sons were best friends and this was a side of her Julia hadn’t experienced before.

‘It’s been very hard, that’s all. The police are coming round again.’

‘They can’t be satisfied with what Poppy’s told them so far.’

Julia sank down onto the sofa, exhausted. She had no fight left in her.

‘She didn’t hurt him,’ she said quietly.

Siobhan sat down opposite, on a leather upholstered armchair.

‘Are you certain of that?’ she asked in a tone that matched Julia’s in volume.

Julia stared at her through a glaze of tears.

‘How can you ask me that? You know Poppy. You know she isn’t capable of hurting anyone.’

‘She is known for picking on other kids though.’

‘Once, that’s all. The teacher spoke to us about it and we told her off.’

‘That was the one time she got caught.’

‘I doubt she’s any worse than the rest of the class,’ Julia said weakly.

‘You would say that because you’re her mum. But ask any of the other parents and they’ll tell you it’s always Poppy who’s the ringleader. The school does nothing to stop it because she always blames it on someone else and the teachers believe her. You know Archie in their class? He was put into alternate lunch for a week because of something Poppy did.’

‘If she’s such a nightmare, why haven’t any of you ever said anything to me or Ewan?’

Siobhan looked apprehensive for a moment.

‘You’re not the most approachable of people.’

‘Us? That’s ridiculous.’