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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

‘I’ll be fine.’

‘How can you be so sure? You still get emotional whenever you talk about Lou and the children, you haven’t slept properly since they moved away and there isn’t a day that goes by that you don’t miss them.’

He was saying nothing that she hadn’t thought herself but his inference irritated her.

‘You think I’m so unprofessional that I’d let it get in the way?’ she snapped back.

‘That’s not what I’m saying. I just think you might not be in the right frame of mind for this particular case because it involves a child dying who was the same age as Scotty, and at the same school. You have a duty to his mother and your colleagues to make sure you are.’

‘Actually, it was because of those things that I’m now the FLO.’

‘Have you told them about your family circumstances then?’

Maggie lost her temper.

‘Instead of lecturing me like an SIO, how about you talk to me like my boyfriend?’ she sniped.

‘That’s what I am doing,’ said Umpire quietly. ‘I’m worried, that’s all.’

‘Don’t be. Look, I have to go, I’m at the station now.’

She wasn’t, she was still five minutes away, but she wanted to end the call.

‘Fine. I’m sorry if you’re upset but you do need to be rational about this.’

‘I am being.’

But as she said the words out loud, she wasn’t sure she believed them any more than Umpire did.

12

CID was on the top floor of Mansell police station and still buzzing with the sound of hard graft despite the late hour. Almost every desk in the open-plan office was occupied as Maggie weaved through it to reach her own. Up ahead she could see Renshaw talking to Detective Superintendent Andreotti. Whatever was being discussed, Renshaw appeared happy with the outcome and she grinned at Maggie as she returned to her own desk across the walkway.

‘I’m staying as SIO on the Rushbrooke case. Boss says he still hasn’t had the go-ahead to bring in anyone more senior.’

Nathan groaned in protest but Maggie knew he didn’t mean it. He and Renshaw were close and worked well together, so it suited him having her in charge. Maggie was mildly surprised to find she was happy about it too – Renshaw must be growing on her more than she realized.

‘Another DC will be on board by tomorrow morning’s briefing, though. Boss says we can have Incident Room Five.’

This time Nathan’s groan was genuine. Incident Room 5 was barely bigger than a horsebox and it was a running joke in the station that it was the place where investigations were sent to die.

‘Let’s make the best of it,’ said Renshaw briskly.