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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

Maggie bit back the answer she wanted to give: that had she still been their FLO she might’ve got wind and put a stop to it, because she had a far better idea of what Grace was like than Carmichael did after only twenty-four hours on the job.

‘I can’t even think when she could’ve done the interview,’ she mused.

‘Carmichael says it must’ve been yesterday evening, after she’d clocked off.’

‘I categorically told Imogen and her mum that we should handle the press because we didn’t want it to impede the investigation.’

‘Well, it’s certainly done that. We’re going to be under huge pressure from the media and public now to show that we’re taking Benji’s death seriously. We need a result, Maggie.’

‘What have you decided about the second post-mortem?’

‘You said yesterday that you thought Poppy was close to confessing. I want you to have another crack at her first. If we can avoid the PM, we should. I can only imagine what his mum would say to the press if we forced that on her.’

‘I’ll have to get Poppy from Rushbrooke if she’s gone back today,’ said Maggie.

Umpire paused. ‘While it’s tempting to think that frogmarching her out in front of her classmates might shock her into talking, I think you should speak to her parents first and get them to collect her. Their solicitor’s just been on to complain about the Echo story and also about Renshaw harassing them and I don’t want to rattle his cage again.’

Maggie’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. ‘Anna’s been harassing them? When?’

‘Outside the school just now. I don’t know what the hell she was playing at. She’s not answering her phone.’

‘She hasn’t answered any of the texts I’ve sent to see how she’s doing either,’ said Maggie, concerned.

‘Keep trying. I like Anna, she’s a good officer, but she’s going to land herself in serious trouble if she interferes in the investigation when she’s meant to be on leave. Right, you need to get round to Imogen’s and do some damage limitation before she talks to anyone else. If the Chief Constable sees her popping up on the bloody news we’ll be back in uniform before the lunchtime bulletin.’

76

Alan had planned to spend the morning in his basement cocoon on the pretext of catching up with paperwork, but Mrs Pullen insisted every member of staff currently on site be present for assembly. School attendance might be skeletal with the lower years elsewhere, but those remaining were required to present a united front.