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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

‘Hawley Ridge.’

‘Oh my God,’ breathed Maggie, ‘that’s it.’

‘The viaduct?’ queried Umpire. ‘Why would he take her there?’

‘Julia had PND that lasted for ages after Poppy was born and she was experiencing suicidal thoughts. One day she flipped and took Poppy up to Hawley Ridge with the intention of jumping. Ewan might’ve taken Poppy there because he’ll be desperate too by now.’

‘Get up there now,’ said Umpire. ‘I’ll meet you there and I’ll put a call out for backup.’

‘We’re on our way,’ said Maggie, then she hung up. ‘Put your foot down,’ she said to Belmar.

He didn’t need to be told twice.

89

Julia was putting her shoes on in the hallway when Malcolm let himself in. He took one look at the welt on her face and demanded an explanation.

‘I caught it on a door,’ she lied, knowing if she told him the truth he’d never look at Ewan in the same way again. ‘Listen, Dad, I can’t stop, Poppy ran out of school this morning and the police are looking for her and –’ she couldn’t bring herself to say they were looking for Ewan too – ‘I can’t get hold of Ewan to let him know. I’m heading out to see if I can find them.’

Malcolm was ashen. ‘Why did she run away?’

‘She probably wants to escape all the stress. I know I do.’

‘Have you tried calling her?’

‘I did just now but her phone is switched off.’

‘I’ll come with you.’

‘I’d rather you stay here in case she comes home. I don’t want her to find the house empty.’

Malcolm nodded solemnly, then stared at the side of her head again.

‘Are you sure that was just a door?’

She stopped. ‘Of course it was.’

He appeared unconvinced but to her relief he let it pass.

‘Call me when you hear anything,’ he said, hugging her.

‘I will.’

She went straight round to Cath’s. She wasn’t expecting Poppy to be there, but Ewan must’ve taken their car as it wasn’t parked outside the house and she needed her friend to give her a lift.

Unlike Malcolm, Cath didn’t beat about the bush when she saw Julia’s face.

‘So Ewan’s graduated from name calling to using his fists now,’ she said matter-of-factly.

‘It was an accident. He caught me with his hand as he was reaching to get something out of a cupboard,’ said Julia unconvincingly.

‘Oh, Julia, I don’t know what’s worse – you covering up for him or you telling yourself that he didn’t mean it when he hit you.’

‘It wasn’t like that.’

‘There’s a name for what Ewan does – it’s called gaslighting,’ said Cath. ‘It’s when the dominant person in a relationship manipulates their partner into thinking everything is their fault. It’s a form of abuse.’