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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 was grateful she hadn’t told him about her confrontation with Siobhan: he wouldn’t have been half as receptive to her apology had he known about it.

‘Right, let’s get inside,’ said Ewan.

Siobhan was puzzled. ‘Aren’t you waiting in the line?’

‘The head thinks we shouldn’t.’

‘That’s ridiculous,’ said Siobhan. ‘Poppy, isn’t that your friend Samira over there? Why don’t you go and wait with her?’

Julia glanced warily at Ewan, who didn’t seem happy at being undermined but wasn’t about to cause another row.

‘I guess there’s no harm,’ he said.

Poppy skipped off to join her friends, who greeted her as normal with giggles and smiles.

Julia didn’t fully relax until the bell went and the children were indoors, but she had to admit it hadn’t been half as bad as she’d feared.

Her happiness lasted until they got back to their car – and found a sullen-faced DS Renshaw leaning against its bonnet, her arms folded. Julia’s pulse spiked.

Now what?

‘How did drop-off go?’ the detective asked, no trace of warmth in her voice.

‘Fine,’ said Ewan tersely. ‘Can I ask why you’re here?’

‘Just checking up.’

‘You couldn’t wait until we were home?’ said Julia as a line of parents passed them on the way to their own vehicles.

‘How’s Poppy?’

‘She’ll be doing a lot better when you lot leave her alone. This is harassment. I’m calling our solicitor.’ Ewan went to get his phone, then stopped. ‘Hang on, you’re not even working on the case any more.’

Renshaw’s expression shifted, apprehension replacing the belligerence.

‘When I got to the station yesterday to collect Poppy I asked for you on the front desk and they said you were on indefinite leave and off the case,’ said Ewan. ‘So why the hell are you here now giving us grief?’

‘Poppy needs to answer for what she did,’ said Renshaw falteringly. ‘A violent act has been committed and needs to be investigated.’

‘But not by you,’ sneered Ewan.

Renshaw had no comeback for that and moved out of the way to let them get in the car. As they drove off Julia peered in the wing mirror and saw her watching them, arms still folded, face still fixed in a frown.

75

Maggie was running late. Four cars had rear-ended in the middle of a roundabout junction that even on the calmest days was a nightmare to negotiate and now the traffic was backed up in three directions. She gave it twenty minutes in the hope that the traffic would shift before calling Umpire to let him know she was stuck.