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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

‘You could’ve told me. I’d have understood.’

Alan didn’t believe her. ‘You didn’t understand last time.’

‘That’s because you lied to me and went behind my back and it cost us almost every penny we had. This isn’t the same – this is someone in authority blackmailing you and exploiting you and putting you in a position where you couldn’t say no to them. I know you’re not a bad man, Alan. Stupid, definitely, but not bad.’

He managed a smile at that.

‘I never did anything with the girls at the Pavilion. There’s not been anyone since you. I need you to know that.’

‘That’s not a conversation for now. Go on, you need to go and tell the kids.’

He was halfway down the stairs when the doorbell went. Opening it to find DC Thomas, an odd feeling of calm settled over him.

‘I need you to come with me, Mr Donnelly,’ said the detective.

‘I know. It’s time I told you the truth.’

87

It took a few minutes for Julia to answer the door and when she did it was immediately obvious why.

‘Who did that to you, Mrs Hepworth?’ asked Belmar gently.

Julia slowly raised her hand to the side of her face, as though she was only noticing for the first time that she was in pain. Her fingertips gingerly traced the vivid red welt joining her temple to her cheekbone.

Maggie stepped forward.

‘Is Ewan at home?’

Julia jolted at the mention of her husband and her hand flew to her throat, an involuntary gesture of protection.

‘Is he here?’ asked Belmar, when she didn’t answer.

‘No, he’s not. I don’t know where he is.’

‘What about Poppy? Has she shown up here?’

‘Poppy? She’s at school.’

Maggie exchanged a worried glance with Belmar.

‘Has no one from the school been in touch?’ he asked.

Now Julia looked worried too.

‘No, why? What’s going on?’

‘Poppy didn’t go into class after you dropped her off this morning. The school doesn’t know where she is.’

Julia’s knees gave way and Maggie sprang forward to catch her.

‘Let’s get you inside.’

They helped her into the kitchen and sat her down at the table.

‘I – I haven’t had my phone switched on,’ she said. ‘It’s over there charging.’ She pointed to the counter next to the cooker where Maggie saw a mobile plugged into a USB socket. Going over, she could see the notification light was flashing.

‘You’ve had missed calls from the school by the looks of it.’

Julia clasped her hands anxiously. ‘Oh God, how can they not know where she is?’

‘Could she be with her dad?’ asked Maggie.

Julia looked stricken. ‘I don’t know.’

‘Where is he?’

‘I told you, he’s not here.’