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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 made no effort to hide her contempt. Jennifer was Chief Reporter for the local paper, the Mansell Echo, and had demonstrated on previous cases an appalling lack of sensitivity for someone sent out to speak to grieving relatives. She’d also provoked Maggie’s ire when she covered a fire at Lou’s house and had written a horribly speculative piece about why an investigation was being carried out, flagging up Maggie’s status as a police officer. That story was published on the front page but when the inquiry cleared Lou of any fault, the follow-up was buried on page 21 and only a paragraph long, pissing Maggie off no end because hardly anyone would see it.

‘I don’t think that’s how the families see it,’ she said. ‘Keep your voice down or I’ll force you off the property.’

Jennifer had the sense not to push her luck and walked down the path away from the house, gesturing for Maggie to follow her.

‘I came to see if Benji’s mum was in,’ she said, once they were out of earshot. ‘I was hoping she might give me a few quotes for the obit.’

‘How did you get his name? We haven’t released it yet.’

‘Oh, you know, sources,’ Jennifer smirked. ‘So, is she in? I only need a few minutes. It’ll be a lovely way for her to pay tribute to her son.’

‘I would respect you so much more if you didn’t come out with such bollocks,’ said Maggie scathingly. ‘Why don’t you be honest and say why you’re really here? You don’t want to write a nice tribute, you want all the juicy details and you don’t give a toss about how that will make his mum feel.’

Jennifer was visibly taken aback. ‘That’s a bit harsh. I’m only doing my job.’

‘Well, you’re not doing it here, not today.’

‘Can you give her my number then?’ said Jennifer, proffering a business card. ‘If today’s too soon she might feel differently tomorrow.’

Maggie snatched the card from her hand.

‘All requests go through the press office as you well know and they won’t agree to any interviews that might prejudice the case.’

‘I don’t see how me getting a few quotes about Benji being a lovely boy is a problem when no arrests have been made or charges brought or even a warrant issued. Proceedings aren’t active yet.’ Jennifer wagged her finger at Maggie. ‘Don’t tell me you don’t know contempt law, DC Neville.’