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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

‘You’re a great mum,’ said Maggie softly. ‘No one could love them more.’

Now it was Lou’s turn to be flustered. ‘Um . . . thanks. Right, come on, kids.’

‘Mum, can we come and see Auntie Maggie again, please?’ Scotty begged.

‘Aun-tay Maggie!’ said Mae, clapping her hands in delight.

‘Yeah, I wanna see her,’ said Jude, sticking his chin out defiantly.

Maggie could tell Lou was feeling hemmed in but didn’t want to say no in front of the kids. ‘Maybe next time you’re up,’ she fibbed.

‘Actually, yeah, we could sort something,’ said Lou. ‘Just because you and me aren’t – well, there’s no reason the kids can’t see you. I could drop them round.’

‘Can we come and stay for a whole weekend?’ asked Scott excitedly.

Maggie laughed and gave him a cuddle. ‘One visit at a time, eh.’ She gave her sister a searching look. ‘Do you mean it?’

Lou’s eyes met hers and they glistened with unshed tears.

‘Yeah, I do.’

74

Tuesday

Mrs Pullman had offered to let Poppy come into school via a side entrance used exclusively by staff. Julia was concerned that skulking in would make people think they were ashamed or had something to hide, but Ewan felt it showed the school was fully supportive of their daughter – and them – and overruled her. But as they entered the playground Julia’s legs threatened to give way on her and suddenly she was grateful they didn’t need to hang around. The looks being thrown their way as they moved steadily towards the side entrance ranged from curiosity to outright hostility.

In her peripheral vision she spotted Siobhan standing with a group of mums that included Tess, the one who loved to gossip. She’d be having a field day with this.

Poppy suddenly stopped.

‘I don’t want to go inside,’ she said morosely. ‘Why can’t I stay out here until the bell goes and our teacher comes, like I always do?’

‘Mrs Pullman said it was probably best if you went straight inside today,’ said Ewan. ‘Come on, you don’t want to be late.’

Poppy dropped her rucksack on the ground in protest. Julia’s face burned red, acutely aware of the audience they were attracting.

‘Please, darling, don’t be difficult,’ she said in a low voice.

‘I want to stay out here with my friends,’ she whined.

While Julia and Ewan tried to placate and cajole Poppy, they didn’t notice someone approaching them.

‘Hi. It’s good to see you all.’

Julia turned to face Siobhan. To her astonishment the mum stepped forward and hugged her.

‘I’m sorry I was so hard on you the other day,’ she said as she pulled away. ‘I should’ve been more understanding. I can see how tough this has been on you all.’

‘Thanks. It’s nice to see a friendly face,’ said Ewan.