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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
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  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
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  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

‘Don’t you dare apologize,’ shrieked Grace, spittle flying from her tongue as she thrust her face into her daughter’s. ‘This is about getting justice for my grandson. That girl needs to pay for what she’s done. We will not let that family win, not this time.’

Imogen’s eyes widened and she shook her head at Grace, who caught herself and stopped. She sat down next to her daughter, breathing heavily from her outburst.

Maggie stared at them both, riveted.

‘What do you mean by that?’ she asked Grace.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘If there is some other history between your families that might have had a bearing on what’s happened we need to know about it,’ said Carmichael.

‘It’s none of your business.’

Maggie decided the only way to get through to Grace was to be as forthright as she was.

‘I would hate to have to arrest you for obstructing the course of justice,’ she said, ‘but I will if that’s what you’re doing.’

Imogen gasped. ‘Mum, please tell them. I don’t want you to get into trouble.’

Grace was beside herself with anger.

‘I do not have to explain myself to you.’

Maggie went to speak but Carmichael put a hand on her arm to stop her.

‘Grace, if this is something that might help us with our investigation, it makes no sense for you not to tell us. It goes against everything you’ve been saying about wanting to help us solve Benji’s death,’ said the FLO.

Carmichael’s words were wise and delivered calmly and with kindness – the way Maggie knew she should’ve spoken to Grace. With a start she realized she didn’t want to be a DS if it meant she lost that part of herself.

Imogen squeezed her mum’s hand.

‘I’ve told you, there’s nothing for you to be embarrassed about.’ She raised her eyes to meet Maggie’s. ‘Something else did happen involving our families. Mum wanted to tell you but I said no, because I’d already lied to you about remembering Julia.’ Imogen faltered. ‘I remember exactly who she is and what she accused me of doing in the past is sort of true.’

‘You did bully her at school?’

‘I’ll admit I gave her a hard time.’

‘Why lie about it?’

‘I didn’t want you to feel sorry for her and not feel sorry for Benji.’ Imogen flared up suddenly. ‘It’s pathetic she’s playing the victim card after all this time. All this “woe is me” when I’m the one suffering. She should grow up.’

Evidently Imogen’s feelings towards her old classmate were still as brittle as Julia’s were towards her. Maggie wasn’t interested in discussing that though.