BooksBarbecue
Back False Witness
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

The high street felt claustrophobically muggy after the cool confines of the police station. Wednesday was market day and the stalls lining the pavement brought with them the bustle of shoppers browsing their wares.

Ewan led the way through the throng with Poppy clinging to his hand and Julia bringing up the rear. She was surprised the police had agreed to his suggestion they take Poppy outside to get some lunch: she thought they would be obliged to stay put until she’d answered all their questions. But after her earlier outburst Poppy had reverted to one-word answers and, with the process becoming painstakingly slow again, the detectives needed a break as much as they did.

Julia had wanted them to go for a walk in the town park, next to the stretch of water known colloquially as The Puddle. The fresh air and sunshine would do them all good and there was a Tesco Express on the way where they could buy sandwiches. But Ewan said they should let Poppy decide and she’d promptly asked to go to McDonald’s, knowing Julia would never let her eat there under normal circumstances. Ewan had pretended not to notice his wife’s look of disapproval.

As they joined one of the queues snaking back from the counter, Julia tried to engage her husband in speculation about what else the police might ask Poppy next – in her mind they had covered a lot of ground already; what else could they possibly want to know?

‘Can you please give it a rest,’ he said tightly. ‘Let’s just get our food.’

She tried to lighten the mood. ‘Does McDonald’s even count as real food?’

The young woman in front of them shot Julia a filthy look over her shoulder.

‘Stop it,’ said Ewan in an angry whisper. ‘You’re embarrassing Poppy and yourself.’

‘But I was joking –’ Julia protested.

Poppy pressed herself closer into her dad’s side, a hostile barrier between husband and wife. Julia shrank away from them.

A couple of minutes later it was their turn to order.

‘What do you want, darling?’ Ewan asked Poppy.

‘Um, cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate milkshake, please.’

Poppy looked warily at Julia as if waiting for a rebuke and the sight of her big blue eyes filled with apprehension brought a lump to Julia’s throat.

‘Have what you want, darling.’

‘Thanks, Mum,’ said Poppy delightedly. ‘Can I have a McFlurry too?’