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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

She climbed out of her car, legs wobbly from sitting still. He didn’t wait for her to come to him, his long stride covering the tarmac between them in seconds. Without a word he wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cried.

‘I miss them so much.’

‘I know you do.’

Umpire knew every detail of her row with Lou and the affair that had precipitated it. It was to him Maggie had turned in the early hours after her sister walked out. He hadn’t judged her, he’d simply listened and comforted her and tried to reassure her that she could make things right again.

He disentangled himself from her and immediately she missed the feel of his body against hers.

‘I understand why you keep coming back here but it’s not healthy. It makes you more upset,’ he said. ‘It’s why I’m concerned about you being on this case.’

‘I’m doing okay, I promise.’ She gave him a potted version of the day’s events.

‘As I was leaving tonight Renshaw got the green light to use the EVR dogs. The search is happening in the morning,’ she said. ‘She’s convinced they’re going to find something.’

‘The blood find warrants it. I’d be bringing them in if I was her.’ His eyes searched hers. ‘You ready to go?’

‘Sure. What do you fancy doing tonight? Pub? Take-away?’

‘I was hoping for an early night. I’m yours for the taking, basically.’

Maggie grinned. Umpire had an innate knack of making her feel better no matter how low her mood was. He was good for her and she hoped the sentiment was reciprocated.

‘I’ll race you back to mine,’ she said, moving to open her driver’s door.

‘Keeping below the speed limit, I hope,’ he pretended to admonish. ‘Yeah, I’ll meet you back there.’ He watched as her gaze strayed back across the road to the newly painted door.

‘I bet she misses you too,’ he said softly. ‘She won’t stay away forever.’

Maggie sighed. ‘Knowing Lou, I wouldn’t be so sure.’

35

Julia went through the motions of her usual night-time routine. She washed her face, applied moisturizer and was just finishing brushing her teeth when Ewan came into the bathroom without knocking.

‘You going to be long? I’m bursting.’

She needed a wee too, but she let him use the toilet first and went to their bedroom to wait, sitting on the edge of the bed and idly flicking through the paperback on her bedside table because she’d lost her place and hadn’t marked where she was up to.