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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

Julia smiled at her. ‘I think it’s allowed today.’

‘I wouldn’t say no to a tea either,’ said Ayse. ‘I take mine the same.’

Maggie and Belmar left the ABE suite and as they went Julia felt the tension begin to seep from her limbs. Poppy uncurled herself and yawned.

‘You tired, honey?’

The girl nodded and it alarmed Julia how awful she looked, her face puffy and red from all the crying.

‘Hopefully we’ll be able to get out of here soon and go home.’

Poppy’s eyes widened with fear and she shook her head. ‘Do we have to?’

‘Go home? Of course we do. Where else would we go?’

‘Can’t we go and stay with Grandpa in Spain?’

‘Poppy, that’s a crazy idea. For one thing the police have asked us not to go too far from Mansell. I don’t think they’ll be happy with us going on holiday.’

‘Not a holiday. For good.’

Julia was baffled. ‘Poppy, what’s all this about?’

‘I don’t want to stay here any more. This place is horrible. I hate it.’

Julia caught Ayse’s eye and blushed.

‘Sweetheart, we can’t just move away from Mansell. Our jobs are here, our friends are here –’ She stopped herself, fearing Ayse might think it was inappropriate for her to say that because one of Poppy’s friends was now dead. ‘What I mean is, moving away is not an option right now.’

Poppy slumped back in the chair and closed her eyes. Julia was at a loss what to say and was grateful when the door opened and Belmar and Maggie came in bearing their drinks.

‘I need the toilet,’ Poppy suddenly announced.

‘So do I,’ said Ayse. ‘I know where the nearest one is, if you want to come with me?’

Poppy eyed her warily. ‘I guess.’

‘Mrs Hepworth, can I ask you something?’ asked Maggie, as the door shut behind them. ‘It’s a bit of a personal question but it does relate to Poppy.’

Julia was midway through swallowing a mouthful of tea and began to cough as it went down the wrong way. Maggie waited until her spluttering had eased, then raised an eyebrow expectantly at her.

‘Yes, ask me,’ she said.

‘Does Poppy know about what happened on the viaduct?’

This time it was her breath that caught in her throat. Even though she’d known there was a good chance the police would find out and want to question her about it, hearing Maggie mention her past still rocked her to her core.

‘Mrs Hepworth?’

‘You can call me Julia,’ she said, desperately scrabbling for the answer Maggie was waiting for.

‘Okay, Julia. Does Poppy know what happened?’

‘Yes, she does. My husband, he, um . . . well, he thought she should know.’