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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 hated that she was right. Had Poppy, or anyone else for that matter, been arrested already, the media would be bound by a set of reporting restrictions that ruled out an interview with Imogen discussing Benji’s death in case it harmed future court proceedings. Until then, there was nothing to stop her granting the Echo or any other media outlet an interview about him.

‘It happened inside a school so there are other minors involved who can’t be named,’ Maggie pointed out.

‘The Echo isn’t an irresponsible newspaper. We wouldn’t name the girl allegedly involved.’ Jennifer hooked her fingers in the air as she said ‘allegedly’. Maggie glared at her. ‘Fine. In the interests of not upsetting anyone, I’ll go through the press office. But can you at least mention to Benji’s mum that I came round?’

It was a compromise Maggie knew she’d be foolish to reject if it meant Jennifer would stop badgering the Tylers.

‘Okay, I’ll tell her.’

Maggie tapped on the front door to be let in and Grace opened it. The others had gone back into the lounge.

‘Was that a reporter?’ Grace asked.

‘Yes, for the Echo. I told her she has to go through our press office, so don’t worry, she won’t be back.’

Grace caught sight of the card in Maggie’s hand.

‘What’s that?’ she asked.

‘Her business card. I’ll hold on to it for now.’

‘Can I see it?’

Maggie reluctantly passed the card to Benji’s grandmother. Her eyes gleamed as she scanned it.

‘The Chief Reporter? Gosh. Imogen, look at this,’ she trilled, scurrying into the lounge. ‘The Echo sent its top reporter to talk to you.’

Maggie followed her with growing unease. She had a very bad feeling about this.

26

Back at the station Maggie found Renshaw and Burton eating lunch in the incident room and discussing their strategy for when they resumed questioning Poppy.

‘You did a great job getting her to open up over the science stuff,’ Renshaw was saying to Burton as Maggie sat down with them. ‘A bit more of that kind of chat might get her to open up even more.’

‘What’s her version?’ Maggie asked.

‘That it was an accident,’ said Renshaw, balling up the cardboard wrapper from her sandwich and tossing it like a basketball into the bin. ‘She claims she tried to help Benji when he slipped but didn’t get to him in time. No physical contact, in other words. Then she got upset and we had to take a break. Anyway, how come you’re back already?’