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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

‘What would you rather us do, Mrs Hepworth? Arrest her right now? Charge her with a crime? I could do either of those things but I’m not going to because I have to be certain it’s in your daughter’s best interests.’ She stepped forward so she and Julia were practically bumping noses. ‘Let me give you some advice, Mrs Hepworth. Losing your temper like this isn’t helping your daughter one little bit. In fact, it’s making me seriously wonder how bad her home life must be when her mum’s losing her shit all the time. Like, what kind of behaviour she might be picking up. Do you see what I’m getting at?’

Julia was stunned.

‘Now, if you don’t want to be arrested yourself for being drunken and disorderly, I suggest you do what your husband says and take Poppy home,’ said Renshaw. ‘I won’t warn you again.’

51

‘I thought we were supposed to be your priority,’ was Grace’s opening barb, delivered before Maggie had even crossed the threshold into the house.

‘You are, but sometimes I have to do other tasks relating to the investigation. We don’t have finite resources, I’m afraid.’

Imogen appeared at Grace’s shoulder.

‘Mum, let the poor woman come in.’

Maggie followed them into the lounge. Imogen was wearing the orange sundress again but it no longer hugged her figure; it hung from it. The deterioration in her appearance was worrying.

‘I’m sorry I couldn’t get here earlier,’ she said.

‘Was it because of what you’ve found at the school?’ asked Imogen.

Maggie’s brow furrowed. ‘How do you know about that?’

‘All the mums are texting about it. One of them said you’ve found a body,’ said Imogen anxiously. ‘It’s not another child, is it?’

‘So far we’ve only found items of clothing and we’re certain they don’t belong to a child.’

Imogen sagged with relief.

‘We don’t need to get involved in any more nonsense,’ Grace butted in. ‘You –’ she stabbed a finger at Maggie – ‘should be concentrating on my grandson’s death. That’s what your job is, isn’t it? Being our liaison?’

Maggie considered herself pretty robust when it came to standing up to overbearing people, having had plenty of practice with her sister among others, but there was something about Grace’s disapproval that made her less sure of her responses.

‘Yes, that is my job,’ she began warily, ‘and I can assure you mine and the rest of the team’s commitment to the investigation into Benji’s death hasn’t lessened in any way.’

God, she sounded like a poorly written police manual. She could only imagine how intimidating it must’ve been growing up in Grace’s household and felt a surge of pity for Imogen.