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Back False Witness
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 blinked back tears. ‘For such a long time me and Anna couldn’t stand the sight of each other, but this past year we got on well. I grew to really like her. I can’t get my head round not ever seeing her again.’

‘Me neither,’ said Belmar. ‘Wait up, she’s here.’

They stood back as the hearse slowly pulled up beside them. Maggie’s stomach gave a lurch. Resting against Renshaw’s coffin was a garland of pink and red flowers spelling out the word ‘Daughter’. She felt Umpire’s hand find hers again and she clung to him as Renshaw’s parents emerged from the car that had followed the hearse, their postures and expressions stiffened by grief. A young man climbed out after them and it shook Maggie to see how similar he was to Renshaw, from the winsome button nose and thick eyelashes right down to the same shade of red hair.

‘I didn’t know she had a brother,’ Belmar whispered in her ear. ‘She never talked about him.’

Nathan, who was standing with them, nodded. ‘His name’s Ben,’ he said in an undertone, as the family walked into the crematorium. ‘He’s only twenty-one and still at uni. I don’t think they were that close.’

Walking past, Ben caught Maggie’s eye – but there was nothing friendly about the way he looked at her. Did he know she’d been in charge that day on Hawley Ridge? Or was it her guilt making her assume the worst? Either way, her instinct was to recoil from his stare.

Then a fourth person suddenly emerged from the back of the car – and to everyone’s surprise it was ACC Marcus Bailey. He hurried inside to catch up with the family, head bowed to ignore the obvious stares.

‘Her parents are a lot more forgiving than I would be,’ remarked Nathan sourly. ‘After the way he cheated on Anna I would’ve banned him from coming.’

‘Renshaw loved him,’ said Maggie, her throat tightening again. ‘I think she would’ve wanted him here.’

The melancholic strains of classical music began to float through the open crematorium doors and the mourners started to file inside. Their group was among the last to go in. Umpire put his arm around Maggie’s shoulder and kissed her tenderly on her cheek, which was wet with tears.

‘It’s time to say goodbye.’

Acknowledgements