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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
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  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
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  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
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  38. 35
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  40. 37
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  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
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  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
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  55. 52
  56. 53
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  60. 57
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  70. 67
  71. 68
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  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
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  80. 77
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  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

‘There was this one girl in particular who wouldn’t leave me alone and was always picking on me,’ Renshaw went on. ‘Then I saw her in a pub in town a couple of years ago and she acted like I was her long-lost best friend. It was so bizarre. Although she soon scarpered when I mentioned I was in CID.’

They all laughed at that.

‘But in all seriousness I don’t think the history between the mums relates to Benji’s death,’ said Renshaw. ‘Because if it did, we’re basically saying we think Julia put her daughter up to pushing Benji off that wall and I can’t see any parent manipulating their child like that for their own ends. People talk about confronting their school bully, but who really does that? I was as bloody nice as pie to mine in the pub.’

‘I agree,’ said Maggie. ‘Yesterday was the first time Julia and Imogen had seen each other in years. They’re grown women now.’

‘Okay, so Julia didn’t put Poppy up to it, but there’s no harm in asking Poppy if her mum ever mentioned being bullied,’ said Burton. ‘Maybe she was doing the same to Benji out of misplaced loyalty and it got out of hand.’ He tipped the remains of the crisp packet into his palm and sucked up the salty crumbs.

‘It would give us a motive,’ Renshaw conceded. ‘Maggie, I want you to watch the interview on a monitor and gauge Julia’s response when I ask Poppy. Imogen reckons she’s wiped her from memory – let’s see if Julia’s done the same with her.’

27

Julia was still shaking from the confrontation in the high street as they returned to their seats in the ABE suite. There had been no time to discuss it properly with Ewan between them calming Poppy down and arriving back at the station, and her mind began to spin as they waited in silence for the detectives to join them.

What on earth had possessed him to threaten that mum? Julia knew she would tell everyone at school and people would turn against them even more for it. The worst thing was, they didn’t know Ewan the way she did and would just think badly of him. Yes, he could be fearsome when he was riled and blurt out cruel comments to spite people, but he was also loving and generous. She’d learned long ago, even before they were married, to let his outbursts wash over her. He was a good husband and dad and it troubled her that people might get the wrong end of the stick.