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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 stepped in.

‘Not because she was Ruby Tuesday to your Lady Jane? They’re both titles of Stones’ songs, right?’ She pointed to the wall above Lila’s head and a poster for a long-finished Rolling Stones tour featuring the band’s infamous lips-and-lolling-tongue logo.

A look of fright flitted across Lila’s face but she tried to brazen it out.

‘Don’t know what you mean.’

Maggie handed the second printout to Lila.

‘Did you leave this message on Facebook under the name Lady Jane? We know it’s your nickname: we’re questioning some of Ruby’s clients down the station at the moment and one of them has confirmed it. Apparently he’s familiar with your services as well.’

Lila twitched as she thrust the piece of paper back at Maggie.

‘I ain’t done anything on Facebook.’

Frustrated, Maggie was about to say they could check Lila’s devices but her phone rang. The caller was Umpire, so she excused herself and went into the hallway outside Lila’s flat to answer. The space smelled of rotten food and damp and where there should’ve been carpet there were old sheets of newspaper.

‘Where are you?’

‘With Lila. Did Burton fill you in?’

‘He did and that’s why I’m ringing,’ said Umpire. ‘I need you and Belmar out of there now to assist with a search.’

Maggie frowned. ‘Search for who?’

‘Poppy Hepworth. She’s missing.’

84

Alan locked up his office and went home. He didn’t tell anyone he was leaving – they’d find out the reason soon enough.

He went straight upstairs and into the back bedroom, which was filled with boxes he hadn’t bothered to unpack despite moving in three years ago. They were filled with his parents’ books, paperwork, and the dinner set they were given for their silver anniversary. He didn’t have the heart to throw the contents out but nor did he have the space downstairs to put them anywhere.

It was the same with their old tallboy chest of drawers. Unwieldy and probably riddled with woodworm, it was hardly worth him hanging on to but it was his mum’s favourite piece of furniture and so for sentimental reasons he didn’t want to part with it. He pulled open the top drawer and rooted around for the writing pad his mum always kept in there, and a pen.

Alan returned downstairs and sat on the sofa, resting the sheaf of paper on an old magazine. Then he began to write.

It wasn’t so much a confession as a truthful account of what really happened on the wall and everything that had happened since. He left nothing out – Gus, Ruby, the Pavilion, and Poppy’s confession to him that morning. Every detail filling up eight pieces of paper and by the time he’d finished his hand hurt.