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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

Phone call to the coroner done, she sneaked in a quick call to Umpire.

He sounded so pleased to hear her voice when he picked up that for a moment she felt bad about sulking.

‘I missed you last night,’ he said. ‘I’m going to leave at a decent time tomorrow night so I can come to yours and be there on your birthday morning. You might need helping out of bed now you’re getting on a bit,’ he teased.

‘If turning thirty makes me old then you are officially ancient,’ she laughed.

They chatted a bit about work, then Umpire said he needed to go.

‘Before I do, I have some good news,’ he said.

‘What’s that?’

‘I felt bad about us having to cancel going away so I had a long chat with Sarah last night and she’s agreed it’s time you met the kids.’

‘Oh. Right.’

‘I thought you’d be pleased,’ he said, sounding confused. ‘It means we can see each other when the kids are here.’

‘I am pleased,’ she said, trying to sound convincing. ‘I’m just surprised by the sudden change of heart.’

‘Sarah admitted that she’s been worried about the kids getting attached to you and then being upset when we broke up.’

Maggie bristled. ‘What makes her think we’ll break up?’

‘She thought you might not see it as a serious relationship, because you’re younger and haven’t had kids of your own. In a way I can see what she means – it is a big thing, taking on someone else’s children.’

‘I think you’re forgetting I had a pretty big hand in raising my niece and nephews,’ she said, outraged by the suggestion that she was clueless when it came to parenting. ‘I did everything for them a mum would do.’

‘I know, that’s what I told Sarah and that’s what changed her mind. So, you do think we’re serious?’

‘Why, don’t you?’

‘Absolutely.’ His voice dropped to a whisper. ‘These last few months with you are the happiest I’ve been in years.’

Despite her anger at his ex’s comment, Maggie found herself smiling.

‘Me too.’

‘So you’ll meet Jack and Flora?’

‘Yes, of course.’

‘Amazing. They’re great kids, I know you’ll like them.’

Maggie was gripped with apprehension. Yes, but would they like her?

30

Ewan had always been adept at dodging discussions he didn’t want to have, but since storming out of the police station he’d excelled himself. He knew Julia was dying to ask him about Poppy’s visits to Imogen’s house but he was making certain she had no opportunity to get him on his own.