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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

‘I actually didn’t mean you, I meant Ewan. He’s – how can I put this – unbending, yes, that’s the right word, he’s unbending when it comes to listening to anyone else. It’s like he can’t be challenged and that you guys have this perfect life where your kids are perfect and well behaved and the rest of us can’t compete.’ Siobhan was warming to her part now, her tone resolute. ‘It gets on people’s nerves.’

Julia was floored. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

‘The thing is,’ Siobhan went on, ‘Poppy’s the same as him. She swans around the school like she owns it.’

Julia clasped her hands over her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks.

‘I didn’t mean to upset you, I just think you should know what people say about her.’ Siobhan cocked her head to one side as though a thought had suddenly occurred to her. ‘I hear you’ve told the police Imogen bullied you years ago.’

Julia prised her hands from her mouth.

‘She did. She was awful to me.’

Siobhan sat back, arms crossed, clearly unconvinced.

‘It didn’t sound like that the way she described it.’ Julia was appalled. ‘You’ve talked to her about it?’

‘We’ve messaged a couple of times on WhatsApp, after I texted my condolences. She has no idea what you’re talking about and she doesn’t even remember you from school. Spinning stuff to take the attention away from Poppy isn’t very nice, Julia.’

‘You believe her? I’m the one telling the truth, not her. She was horrendous to me, a complete bitch.’

Siobhan was unimpressed.

‘Will you listen to yourself? You sound worse than the kids. This isn’t about what did or didn’t happen to you at school, Julia – this is about Benji dying and the police finding out who is responsible.’

Julia had heard enough. She stood up.

‘You and everyone else can believe whatever you want, but my daughter did not cause that boy’s death. She didn’t do anything wrong and I’ll expect a grovelling apology from you and everyone else when it’s proved.’

46

Mrs Pullman didn’t bother to hide the fact that she’d been crying when Alan entered her office after knocking.

‘It’s all too much,’ she said, reaching across her desk to pluck a tissue from the box sitting on it. ‘It’s devastating enough that we’ve lost one of our pupils without the stress of the police being here again.’

‘That’s why I’ve come to see you. I wondered if there’s anything I could be doing to help them?’ Alan hoped that by offering his assistance he might find out why they’d returned. ‘What’s brought them back? Is it to do with the fire last night?’