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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

He must’ve known how pissed off she was because as he checked his notes she saw high spots of colour on his cheeks, which only ever appeared at times of extreme stress. She felt a bit better for seeing them.

‘Right, it’s been almost three days since Poppy Hepworth was last questioned,’ said Umpire. ‘That’s far too long. We should be keeping up the pressure on her. Maggie, I want you to bring her in this morning and put the 999 transcript to her. If she thinks we believe it she might buckle. Belmar will do the interview with you.’

Oh, so we’re back on first-name terms, are we, thought Maggie resentfully. Like that’s going to get you off the hook. Belmar looked over his shoulder at her and winked. She tried to glower at him but ended up smiling. That was the thing about Belmar – he was the kind of guy who could charm Eskimos into buying ice cubes. She must remember to thank him for the birthday flowers.

She was seriously worried how Imogen would react to her stepping aside at such short notice. With Byford gone too, who could blame her for feeling even more unsettled and deserted by the police? She’d need reassurance she was in good hands with Carmichael, which was tricky when Maggie didn’t know the first thing about the woman. She’d have to call Gant, although he wasn’t in her good books either because he must’ve known she was being moved off and that’s why he’d been dodging her calls all morning.

‘In the meantime, the rest of us need to track down and question every person involved in the construction of the new classrooms. I want to know exactly who had access, from delivery men to labourers.’

‘We should bring Donnelly in again,’ said Burton.

‘You read my mind,’ said Umpire, consulting the evidence board behind him. ‘School caretaker, unfettered access to the grounds, saw all the comings and goings. He has to be top of our list to be questioned about Violet Castle.’

‘He’s still not off the hook for altering his statement,’ said Nathan grimly. ‘I’ve been thinking about it, and what if he changed his story so we’d think Benji’s death was an accident and we closed the case?’

Maggie tensed. It was the theory she’d put forward to Renshaw, the one Byford had rubbished and made her doubt. Would Umpire give weight to it?

‘I think you may well be right, DC Thomas,’ said Umpire, his eyes gleaming. ‘And for suggesting it you get the enjoyable task of ruining Mr Donnelly’s Monday morning. Bring him in.’

60

Julia was sitting up in bed swaddled in her dressing gown with her tablet on her lap. The curtains were still drawn, even though it was gone eleven.