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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

She couldn’t sit still, though, so had cleared out the food cupboard instead, a chore she’d been putting off for weeks. Systematically checking the ‘use by’ dates on tins did distract her for a bit, but then her thoughts resumed their torture: what if the police decided it wasn’t an accident and charged Poppy? What if she went to court and was found guilty even though she wasn’t? What if the court took her away from them?

It wasn’t until the children were in bed that she was able to corner Ewan, when he came into the kitchen to get a drink.

‘Not that again,’ he’d grumbled.

‘But something happened. You came out of that office looking as white as a sheet.’

He’d made her wait before he answered, deliberately taking his time as he poured himself a glass of water and gulped it down.

‘Why does it bother you so much that me and Poppy are close?’ he’d said, setting the glass down on the side.

Her stomach had clenched. It was a subject he’d raised before and she’d come out of the conversation looking rather pathetic.

‘That’s not what I’m talking about,’ she’d said quickly.

‘But it is, Julia,’ he’d sighed. ‘I wish you weren’t so jealous. It’s not an attractive trait.’

‘I’m not jealous; I’m concerned. Please tell me what happened. What did she say to you?’

Ewan had rolled his eyes. ‘All that happened was that I hugged Poppy and told her everything will be fine, like a good parent should. That’s what she needs to hear right now, not hysteria like this.’

That had stopped Julia in her tracks. Was she being hysterical? She didn’t think she was.

‘You’re being a bit selfish, darling,’ Ewan had added, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her. She’d wanted to protest that she wasn’t, that her only concern was for Poppy, but let it go and relaxed into his embrace. Ewan could argue his way out of a paper bag and after the day they’d had she was too exhausted to take him on again.

Downstairs was in darkness. Julia tiptoed through the kitchen without bothering to switch on the lights. The room was stuffy, the warmth of the day still lingering, so she threw open the back door to let the cooler night-time air flood in.

It was a clear night, the sky an inky expanse peppered with stars. At the bottom of the garden loomed the kids’ trampoline and the sight of it prompted an unexpected wave of sorrow that sent her sinking to the doorstep.