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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 really are in a state,’ said Cath, more amused than cross. ‘I’ll put some coffee on.’ As she reached the back door a phone inside began to ring. ‘I’ll be back in a sec once I’ve got this.’

Cath went inside and Julia marvelled at how sober she seemed. The woman had the constitution of an ox.

A second later she reappeared at the back door.

‘It’s Ewan wanting to talk to you.’

Julia groaned again. ‘Tell him I’m on the loo or something.’

Cath stood in the open doorway, shoulder and hip resting against the frame.

‘Sorry, Ewan, she’s popped to the toilet. Can I pass a message on?’

The colour drained from her face as she listened to Ewan’s reply. Julia dragged the back of her hand across her mouth to wipe it clean and tried to stand upright.

‘What is it?’ she hissed.

Cath held a hand up to quiet her.

‘Really? But why do they need Poppy to see it?’

Julia’s brain swam with confusion. See what?

‘Yes, I’ll get Julia to meet you there. The thing is, we’ve both had a drink so we’ll have to get a cab . . . No, really, I can’t risk it . . . Well, just a couple . . . Look, do you want to speak to her?’ Julia went to take the phone, but Cath shifted awkwardly so it remained out of reach. ‘Fine, I’ll tell her.’ She hung up.

‘You’re never going to believe this, but the police have found some clothing covered in blood near to where Benji fell and now they think there’s another body buried on the building site. The police have taken Poppy up to the school so she can tell them if she remembers seeing the clothes when she and Benji were on the wall. Ewan wants you to meet them there.’

Julia snapped out of her post-sick slouch.

‘I’ll walk. I need to sober up.’

‘A cab will be quicker. I’ll come with you.’

‘I’ll be fine walking.’ Julia made a move towards the back door but stumbled.

‘You can’t go on your own. Come on.’

Julia went to take Cath’s outstretched hand but stopped.

‘Sorry, was I hearing you right? Did you really say a dead body?’

‘I did. The police think there might be one buried where the classrooms are being built.’

This time Julia didn’t even make the tub.

48

It was a phrase he’d heard before, might’ve even used himself once or twice, but it was only now that Alan understood what ‘shocked to the core’ really meant. It was as though his insides were paralysed. He couldn’t swallow; there was no movement in his throat to enable the action, nothing he could do to trigger it.