BooksBarbecue
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

Monday morning the station car park was almost at capacity as Maggie eased her old Toyota into a space. A blast of chilly air swirled around her as she climbed out and her exposed arms showed their indignation by covering themselves in goosebumps.

‘Looks like the heatwave’s over,’ said a voice behind her. It was Burton, wearing his usual jeans-and-T-shirt combo, but with a lightweight navy bomber jacket over the top. A shivering Maggie, again in a short-sleeved shirt and thin cotton trousers, mentally berated herself for not checking the weather report before getting dressed that morning.

‘Have you spoken to Anna since Saturday?’ he asked as they fell into step.

‘Only briefly on the phone. After your call she left mine to go home. Her parents have convinced her to go and stay with them in Newcastle for a bit.’

‘I didn’t know she was a Geordie. She doesn’t have an accent.’

‘Not even a hint of one.’

‘So how is she?’

‘Awful. It’s bad enough her finding out that her boyfriend has been sleeping with prostitutes, but she’s also got to contend with everyone at work knowing. She’s heartbroken and humiliated. He’s moved out.’

They were almost at the outer door. The rear of the station was its modern half, a sleek, secretive facade of smoked-glass windows and reinforced-steel doors. What it presented to the world on the street side was its welcoming face: red-brick, preserved from history, it preened at passers-by like an ageing beauty queen. Maggie punched in the access code to get through the outer door, then swiped her pass to enter the foyer where the lift was.

‘Any word on who’s coming in as SIO?’ she asked.

Burton chuckled. ‘Yeah, nice one.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean? I’m asking if you know who it is.’

‘You’re joking, right?’

‘I’m not. No one’s told me anything. I don’t even know who’s replacing Byford as my new liaison partner. I’ve been trying to get hold of DI Gant to find out but he’s not answering.’

‘You know it was Bailey who suggested Byford as a FLO?’ Burton continued. ‘They’re good mates; they play for the same five-a-side football team at the weekend and socialize afterwards. I still can’t believe he put his neck on the line for the ACC. He must be seriously regretting it now he’s been suspended as well.’

‘He didn’t seem very remorseful on Friday night,’ said Maggie.