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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

Umpire, however, had other ideas, as he concluded the briefing with details of a number of arrests the team were to make first thing in the morning.

‘The majority of numbers in Violet Castle’s book have turned out to be for burner phones – those clients were clever enough not to use their registered mobiles to arrange to see her.’

Unlike ACC Bailey, thought Maggie. She wondered why it had never occurred to him to cover his tracks more.

‘So we’ve concentrated on tracing the clients who were that stupid,’ Umpire added, ‘and those are the ones we’ll be picking up. We’re struggling to build a timeline of Violet’s movements before her death and these men might be able to help . . .’

Maggie’s heart sank as he began detailing which officers would be covering the arrests. The operation put paid to them having a night out: Umpire wouldn’t want a late night with the arrests happening as the sun went up. It’d have to be tea, telly, then bed.

But Umpire had other ideas about that too.

Briefing over and the team dispersed, he called her to the front of the room.

‘Well done for today.’

‘I didn’t get Poppy to confess to pushing Benji, though,’ she said. ‘But I think I can: it was obvious to me and Belmar that she knew Benji had seen the body. We just need to keep up the pressure.’ She paused. ‘Unless you think we have enough to go on to convince the CPS to bring charges?’

‘I think the gentle approach is better. Bring her back in tomorrow morning, but make sure this time her solicitor sits in.’

‘I will. What time will you be finished here? I want to pop round to see Imogen on my way home.’

Umpire crossed his arms and Maggie started when she saw he was annoyed.

‘What’s that look for?’ she asked.

‘You’re not Imogen’s FLO so you don’t need to go round to check on her in person. That’s why I brought in Hazel.’

Maggie bristled, her anger of earlier rearing back up. ‘But I want to.’

‘You need to focus on the job I’ve given you,’ he said sternly.

That did it.

‘A job I didn’t want,’ she hissed, lowering her voice so the others couldn’t hear. ‘You know how much I love being a FLO but you’ve forced me to give it up.’

‘It’s one case. You’re overreacting,’ he said, his voice dropping to match her volume.

‘That’s not the point. This is about you deciding what’s best for me and me having no say in it. I don’t like being manipulated. How would you like it if I made decisions that affected your career without consulting you? You didn’t even tell me you were coming in as SIO.’

‘There wasn’t time.’