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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

Maggie was surprised by the snotty way Byford addressed Renshaw – underlined by him lounging so far back in his seat he looked like he was about to take a nap – but she wasn’t surprised when Renshaw glowered at him as though she could cheerfully strangle him. The DS might look serene with her immaculate suits and shiny, always brushed hair – something Maggie coveted, seeing as hers could go days without being acquainted with a comb – but beneath that haughty poise lay a temper so blistering it could strip wallpaper.

‘It matters,’ Renshaw seethed, ‘because one, I don’t believe his new account, and two, even if he’s telling the truth I still want proof Poppy Hepworth is capable of hurting another kid. Deliberate or not, I believe she’s culpable for Benji’s death and I intend to build a case against her. Being a kid doesn’t mean she’s off the hook.’

Nathan finished his counting.

‘I’ll be stuck at school all day,’ he moaned.

Renshaw smirked. ‘Best take a packed lunch then.’

19

The room wasn’t at all what Julia had imagined. Her expectations were moulded by the police dramas she’d watched on TV and she assumed Poppy would be interviewed across a table in a small, bleak, windowless room. Instead they were in a suite with a sofa and two armchairs, floor cushions, brightly patterned rugs, and an array of toys occupying one corner, which Poppy ignored.

‘This is our ABE suite,’ said DS Renshaw, inviting them to take a seat. Poppy sat ramrod straight between her parents.

‘What does that stand for?’ asked Ewan.

‘Achieving Best Evidence,’ said Renshaw. ‘We want Poppy to feel as relaxed as possible while we talk and this is much nicer than the rooms we interview grown-ups in.’ She said this to Poppy with a smile but was rewarded with a blank look. ‘We’ll get started as soon as DC Burton joins us.’

The wait, although less than a minute, was interminable. Julia fidgeted in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs and tucking her hair behind her ears. She had left it uncombed after showering and the natural kink she normally blow-dried straight was doing its unruly best to get in her eyes. By contrast Poppy and Ewan sat perfectly still.

The door opened and a young man in T-shirt and jeans came into the room carrying a few bottles of water and a carton of Ribena, which he gave to Poppy.

‘Thought you might like this,’ he said. ‘I’m DC Burton but you can call me Karl.’

Poppy gave him a shy look, then said ‘thank you’. They were the first words she’d spoken all morning and the fact that he’d managed to elicit a response forced Julia to bite back her objection to the Ribena. Now was hardly the time to fuss about tooth decay and sugar intake.