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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

She nodded, too upset to speak.

‘I never told you this but I approached Anna a few years back to see if she had what it took to be a FLO. Fair play to her, she turned me down saying she wasn’t nice enough to be one.’

Maggie managed a smile at that. They could never accuse Renshaw of not being honest.

‘She was a great DS, though,’ she replied. ‘I keep thinking, if she’d been in charge still, if I hadn’t been Acting DS . . .’

Gant stared at her beadily.

‘Maggie, you can’t blame yourself for her death.’

‘But if I had handled the situation better and got Poppy away from her dad sooner –’

‘Ifs and buts don’t do anyone any good. I know it sounds harsh, but you need to stop with the self-recrimination and move on from this. Talking of which –’ he lowered his voice – ‘our conversation the other day about you joining the Met . . . well, I made some calls. There’s a position going with the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, at one of their units based in north London. They’re after a DC who’s a fully trained and experienced FLO. I told my contact all about you and he wants you to apply.’

Despite the solemnity of the occasion, Maggie couldn’t suppress the surge of excitement she felt. After everything that had happened, the prospect of leaving Mansell was suddenly an appealing one. Everywhere and everything reminded her of Renshaw and she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was responsible for her death due to being in charge that day. A clean start with a new force in a new city might help exorcize some ghosts.

‘Are you interested?’ Gant pressed.

Maggie glanced round to see where Umpire was and saw him deep in conversation with someone. Would he be supportive of her moving to London? Deep down she knew he wouldn’t stand in her way, but what would it mean for their relationship? Umpire caught her looking at him and flashed her a smile. She turned back to Gant.

‘Yes, I am. But please keep it quiet. I don’t want anyone else to find out. It might not come to anything,’ she said.

‘I’ll let my contact know you’re keen. Call me in the morning and I’ll give you his details for applying.’

Gant clammed up as Belmar and his wife, Allie, arrived. It was the first time Maggie had seen Allie since Belmar had shared the news of her pregnancy and the sight of her prompted another stab of grief: Renshaw had spoken often about wanting to have children and now she would never have the chance.

‘How are you doing?’ Allie asked, after they’d hugged.