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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

‘That’s it. We’re out of here,’ said Ewan, getting to his feet and pulling Poppy to hers. ‘If you want to talk to my daughter again you’ll have to do it in the presence of our solicitor.’

‘If that’s what you’d prefer,’ said Renshaw, rising out of her seat. ‘Oh, one last question before we go. Mrs Hepworth, are you aware Poppy was having regular play dates at Benji’s house?’

It was like the floor suddenly shifted beneath Julia’s feet. ‘What?’

‘Your husband hasn’t mentioned it? He arranged them with Benji’s mum.’

Bewildered, Julia looked to Ewan for reassurance. ‘But you wouldn’t do that. Not with her.’

‘Oh, for God’s sake,’ Ewan snarled at Renshaw. ‘I can see what you’re trying to do but it won’t work. Come on, Julia, let’s go.’

Reluctantly she followed him but her mind was in overdrive. Ewan was in touch with Imogen? Poppy had been going to her house? No, no way, the police must be making it up. Ewan wouldn’t dream of being friends with Imogen, not knowing how upset it would make her. She stalled for a second, desperate to stay and have it out with Renshaw, but then Ewan barked at her from the doorway to get a move on and she knew that if she didn’t he’d blow his top.

But as she reached the open doorway she saw her husband and daughter were already halfway down the corridor, backs to her, so she paused and turned back.

‘Really?’ she whispered to Renshaw.

‘Yes, really.’

28

Maggie left the room where she’d been following the interview on a monitor and joined Renshaw and Burton in the ABE suite.

‘That was some grenade you lobbed in at the end,’ she said as she sat down. ‘I think it’s safe to say Julia had no idea what’s been going on behind her back.’

‘Did you see the dad’s face?’ remarked Burton. ‘I thought he was going to lose it.’

‘He’s definitely volatile, that one,’ said Renshaw pensively. ‘I’m thinking there might be some truth in that Facebook comment about Poppy being exposed to violence at home. Karl, get on to social services to see if they’ve ever had a file on the family, then check the PNC for any previous. Him and his wife.’

‘What about speaking to the person who left the comment?’ Maggie suggested.

‘Already thought of that, but the account’s been deactivated.’

‘So the comment’s gone?’

‘Yep, and Facebook’s removed all mentions of Poppy too. I did screen-grab it but it’s going to be hard to track the poster down.’

‘Why?’ asked Burton.

‘Their user name was Lady Jane.’

‘That’s the title of a Rolling Stones track,’ he mused.