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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

‘If he had his way, she would come for tea every day. He adores her.’

‘Are you aware of them ever falling out?’

Imogen grew teary. ‘Please, I don’t want to talk about her any more. I can’t. It’s too hard.’

‘Of course,’ said Maggie gently. ‘It can wait.’

‘I don’t want anyone going around saying she adores him though. Because she can’t do, not after this.’

‘What do you mean?’

Imogen looked at her squarely.

‘If she did, Poppy wouldn’t have done this . . . you don’t kill someone who’s meant to be your best friend.’

9

The atmosphere in the head’s office thrummed with tension. Ewan had finally arrived after switching on his phone once his meeting wrapped up to a bombardment of messages from Julia and he was now sitting one side of Poppy while she was on the other. DS Renshaw and another detective introduced to them as DC Nathan Thomas sat opposite, while Mrs Pullman stayed behind her desk, watching the proceedings solemnly and without interruption. The head was there at Julia’s request, a familiar face to dilute the uneasy sense that it was now her family versus the police.

‘Poppy, can you tell me why you were at school so early this morning?’ asked Renshaw.

The woman had patience in spades, thought Julia. It must’ve been the twentieth time she’d asked Poppy that question and once again her daughter stonewalled her. Well, she wasn’t refusing to answer as such – she simply wasn’t saying anything, not a word. Her hands remained limp in her lap and her head bowed low so her face was hidden.

Julia took her daughter’s right hand in hers and squeezed it, a gesture of reassurance that wasn’t returned.

‘Darling, you must say what happened,’ she said, unable to mask the panic she was feeling. If Poppy didn’t open up soon, they’d think she was hiding something.

‘This is ridiculous,’ said Ewan, not bothering to hide his exasperation. ‘My daughter needs a break, we all do.’

To Julia’s surprise Renshaw agreed and rose to her feet.

‘I need to talk to my colleague outside for a moment. Please excuse us.’

Julia flinched as the door shut behind them.

‘Why don’t I fetch some more tea? There might be some biscuits in the staffroom, too,’ said Mrs Pullman, coming out from behind her desk. Whatever the head was thinking she hid behind a smile. Julia returned it weakly. Mrs Pullman gathered up the tray of empty cups on the table and left.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the room. Julia caught Ewan’s eye for reassurance but his brow furrowed and he mouthed at her to ‘say something’. Julia swallowed the flash of annoyance that rose inside her. He always left it to her to sort the kids out; why couldn’t he step up for a change?