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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

Then she looked at Poppy’s bowed head and berated herself for being selfish.

‘Sweetheart, you know we love you no matter what,’ she said, squeezing Poppy’s hand again. ‘We’re not cross, we just want to know what happened.’

Poppy gave the tiniest of nods.

‘Take your time.’ Julia kept her voice low, so the police outside couldn’t hear. ‘It’s just me and Daddy here.’

A whimper, then, ‘I can’t.’

‘Come on now,’ said Ewan, his tone and volume rising above his wife’s. ‘What Mummy’s trying to say, rather badly, is that if you tell us we can help you.’

Julia smarted at the dig.

‘You can’t,’ said Poppy. ‘It’s all my fault.’

Julia looked across at her husband, bewildered.

‘But it was an accident, wasn’t it?’ said Ewan.

The pause between Ewan’s question and Poppy answering ‘yes’ shook Julia and she suddenly became aware of how hot the room was. Just one of the windows was open, and only by a crack. Her vision swam as though she was about to faint.

‘I can’t – I’m sorry. I can’t breathe.’

She got to her feet and rushed to the door.

‘Where the hell are you going?’ Ewan shouted.

‘I need air.’ She flung open the door and stumbled into the corridor. The two detectives were right outside.

‘Are you okay, Mrs Hepworth?’ asked Renshaw.

Julia clawed at her throat as she tried to catch her breath.

‘Can’t . . . breathe . . . too hot.’

‘I think she’s having a panic attack,’ said Renshaw to her colleague.

They took her to the Welfare Room and, after rooting around the First Aid cupboard, found a paper sick-bag for her to breathe into. When Julia had calmed down, her heartbeat no longer thundering in her chest, DC Thomas pressed a small plastic cup of ice-cold water into her hand. She gratefully took a gulp.

‘Better?’ asked Renshaw.

Julia nodded.

‘Good.’ Renshaw folded her arms. ‘I’ve decided it’s best if you take Poppy home now, as we’re not getting anywhere. But you’ll have to bring her down to the police station first thing tomorrow so we can continue questioning her.’

‘She told us it was an accident, just now, after you left the room,’ said Julia eagerly. ‘It wasn’t her fault.’

‘Really? Let’s go back in and see if she’ll repeat that for us.’

But Poppy clammed up again the minute Renshaw spoke to her. The detective escorted Julia back outside with DC Thomas while Ewan stayed with their daughter.

‘I cannot stress enough how important it is Poppy tells us what happened this morning,’ said Renshaw. ‘She needs to understand how serious this is.’

‘I know. I promise we’ll talk to her, make her understand. But can you not come to our house?’ Julia implored. ‘The police station will be scary for her.’