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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

‘Don’t worry, we’ve been told to take you straight to her,’ said the tall officer.

Inside the playground it was much busier. The sight of all the police and vehicles made her insides churn. The only person she recognized was the caretaker, Mr Donnelly, who was sitting on a bench at the edge of the playground. She could see he was using his asthma inhaler, his upper body rearing up as he sucked the vapour in. Their eyes met as she went past but he looked away before she did.

Julia followed the officers into the main building, the only part of the original red-brick structure built in 1910 that remained. Designed as a school for boys, half the school was bulldozed in the sixties and replaced with two bland concrete annexes to accommodate girls and an expanding catchment. Now, it was one of the best-performing primaries in Mansell, an Ofsted shining example, but its success was pushing it to bursting point: when Julia attended Rushbrooke in the early eighties there had been only one form per year; now there were three, with bulge classes being added to the lower years in September.

‘Your daughter is in the head’s office,’ said the tall officer once they were inside.

Julia’s head swam with confusion. Why had Poppy sneaked out to go to school early? Leaving the house without permission was a rule she knew never to break and there was no reason for her to be at school at such an early hour – no morning clubs for her to attend and no class trip scheduled that would require her being there ahead of the usual time. Her being there made no sense.

The corridor they were walking along was achingly familiar to Julia. Year 6 lockers on the left – Poppy’s was number 23 and a quick glance confirmed it was unopened – then past the girls’ toilets, the Welfare Room – in her day it had been Matron’s – and the alcove where the head’s PA sat until they reached a door with a sign proclaiming it as Mrs Pullman’s office and a warning to knock before entering. The tall officer rapped softly on the door and it opened to reveal a woman with long auburn hair, dressed in a sober skirt suit. She slipped through the gap and closed the door softly behind her, thanked both officers and said she’d take it from here. They left without another glance at Julia, their pace brisk as they headed back along the corridor.

‘I’m Detective Sergeant Anna Renshaw and I’m the officer in charge,’ said the woman, shaking Julia’s hand. ‘Before I take you in to see Poppy I need to quickly explain why we want to question her, with you present as her appropriate adult.’

‘Question her?’ gasped Julia. ‘About what?’

‘Poppy was involved in a serious incident this morning. Another child fell off a wall inside the school grounds and was fatally injured.’