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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
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  24. 21
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  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
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  33. 30
  34. 31
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  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
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  60. 57
  61. 58
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  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
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  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
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  78. 75
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  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

‘I think Benji told Poppy what he’d seen her dad getting up to and they were on that wall because he offered to show her exactly where it happened, but she refused to believe him and possibly pushed him to shut him up,’ said Maggie. ‘That’s why she screamed the place down when we said we thought Benji had in fact witnessed Ruby’s murder – Poppy thought he was making the whole thing up and there we were confirming it.’

‘So she killed Benji and her dad murdered Ruby.’

‘Exactly.’

‘Jesus,’ Belmar breathed. ‘That poor kid.’

‘Which one?’

They lapsed into silence for a few seconds and Maggie tried to imagine how Poppy must’ve felt when she found out the friend she’d pushed to his death had been telling the truth all along. Benji had been trying to warn her, not upset her.

‘Do you think Julia has any inkling of what her husband’s done?’

‘The murder, definitely not, and I don’t imagine she’s aware he’s been sleeping with prostitutes either. Renshaw didn’t know about her partner and she’s a detective. I think men like Ewan probably go to great lengths to cover their tracks,’ Maggie mused. ‘Lila definitely recognized his picture when I showed her, though, you could tell by her reaction. Hopefully once we arrest him she’ll ID him properly. Here, take a right at the next junction, it’s a short cut.’ As Belmar slowed down at the traffic lights, he nervously cleared his throat.

‘I know now’s probably not the time, but I’m dying to tell you something and I don’t know when I’ll get another chance today. It’s good news,’ he said quickly.

‘What’s that?’

‘Allie’s pregnant.’

‘Whaaat?’

Maggie screeched so loudly Belmar’s foot slipped off the clutch and the car bunny-hopped forward, almost bouncing them through a red light.

‘Bloody hell, Maggie! I would actually like to live long enough to be a dad if you don’t mind!’

‘You’re having a baby!’ she cried. ‘Oh, mate, that’s brilliant news.’

Belmar’s grin stretched from ear to ear. ‘We can’t believe it ourselves. When the last IVF failed we didn’t know if we could put ourselves through it again so we gave ourselves a break. Then one evening of cocktails later – boom!’ Belmar mimed himself dropping the mic and Maggie laughed.

‘When’s Allie due?’

‘Not for ages. She’s only six weeks gone. We’re not telling everyone, just immediate family and best friends.’

Maggie was flattered to be put in that category. ‘You are going to be such a great dad,’ she said. ‘I cannot wait to see you handle a shitty nappy though.’

‘Nah,’ said Belmar, shaking his head. ‘Compared to all the crap we deal with in this job it’ll be a doddle.’

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