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Back False Witness
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

Maggie stayed parked for another ten minutes, until she was sure Jude wasn’t going to text back again. Then she got out of the car, her joy at him getting in touch again overshadowed by heart-clawing worry for him and his brother and sister, and for their mum as well. Lou’s taste in men had never been stellar, but none of her past boyfriends or her ex-husband had ever been aggressive towards her or the kids, assuming that’s what Jude meant by him being nasty.

What on earth was going on at home that Jude was desperate to leave?

66

Julia checked through the bags one last time to satisfy herself both children had everything they needed for the following day. For Dylan that meant his PE kit, for Poppy her library book to be exchanged. With shaking fingers she fastened the bags and moved them from the kitchen table to by the front door, so they could pick them up on their way out in the morning.

If she had her way she’d have kept them off school for longer, but Ewan agreed with Mrs Pullman that they shouldn’t miss any more lessons and should return tomorrow. Poppy would be going back to Rushbrooke but Dylan’s class was going to be taught at a primary school fifteen minutes by car. Julia was grateful she had the week off to take Poppy, while her dad was going to drive Dylan.

Mrs Pullman had reassured them during her phone call that Poppy would be supported on her return. She seemed to think that because the police hadn’t taken any action against her that was the end of the matter.

‘We have pastoral-care measures in place to ensure her welfare, including the opportunity to talk to a counsellor. I think it will be good for Poppy to return to her normal routine,’ she’d said.

Julia knew she should’ve been grateful that the head was being so accommodating but she wasn’t sure they shared the same idea of normal. To Mrs Pullman that meant reintegrating Poppy into the classroom as if nothing had happened, but Julia knew that her daughter’s return to school would still be frowned upon by some parents who thought she was to blame for another child dying. She’d read the comments online, the slurs against her family, the insinuations and falsehoods about Poppy, about her as a parent. The temptation to reply to each one was overwhelming until she forced herself to shut down her tablet and silence the sniping.

Poppy was upstairs in her room, reading. Julia asked if they could have a chat.

‘How are you feeling about going back to school tomorrow?’

‘Mum, that’s the hundredth time you’ve asked me. I told you – I’d rather be at school than here. I want to see my friends.’