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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 moved closer to the group.

‘Anna, can I have a quick word?’

Renshaw stared resolutely ahead as if she hadn’t heard her.

‘I’ve got some intel I need to share with you about Poppy.’

That got her attention – and also Poppy’s. The girl pulled away from her dad’s grasp and turned towards Maggie. She looked frightened, but unscathed.

‘What is it?’ asked Renshaw, moving towards Maggie but keeping her gaze trained on Ewan and Poppy. The second she was within reach, Maggie grabbed her by the upper arm and yanked her towards where Belmar was waiting. Renshaw protested, but Maggie wouldn’t relinquish her grip and Renshaw’s flip-flops couldn’t get purchase on the grass to stop her being pulled along.

‘You shouldn’t be here. Go home,’ said Maggie as they reached Belmar.

‘She can’t get away with it,’ said Renshaw, agitated.

‘That’s not your call,’ said Belmar.

Renshaw looked wild-eyed as she shook her head. ‘I’ve lost my home, my future, the love of my life. I can’t have my case taken off me as well.’

‘Anna, we’re so sorry for what’s happened, but you being here isn’t helping,’ said Maggie, keeping one eye on Ewan and Poppy. She could see the child was trying to wriggle out of her dad’s embrace but he wasn’t happy about it. In the distance was the faint sound of police sirens approaching.

‘Please, Maggie, I need to do this. My job’s the only thing I’ve got. I want to put this case to bed.’

‘How did you even know they were here?’ asked Belmar.

‘I went to the school this morning. I wanted to talk to Poppy, to get the truth out of her. I was still parked up there when I saw her run out so I followed her. She was almost home when her dad came roaring up in his car and made her get in. Then they came up here.’

‘Did she willingly get in the car with him?’ asked Maggie.

‘No. He had to force her.’

‘Right, you can stay here with Belmar. If I see you move an inch I’ll have him arrest you,’ she warned. ‘Do not get in the way.’

Knowing she was beaten, Renshaw nodded grudgingly and Maggie moved slowly back across the path towards father and daughter, who were still tussling.

‘You have to stay with me,’ Ewan was saying. ‘I’m not letting you go.’

‘Please, Daddy, you’re hurting me. I want to go home.’

‘But that’s the problem, honey, you won’t be going home. The police are going to take you away because of what you did to Benji. You’ll never see me, Mummy or Dylan again. That’s why we must stay together now.’