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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

‘Why not ask the caretaker?’ said Burton, cocking an eyebrow. ‘It’s his job to keep check on the entire school.’

‘He’s right,’ said Maggie, her mind whirring. ‘He’ll have unfettered access.’

‘I’ll be speaking to Donnelly this morning, don’t worry . . .’ Renshaw caught Maggie’s pensive expression. ‘What’s on your mind?’

Maggie took her time answering, ruminating on her theory as she said it aloud.

‘If you knew something bad was going on but you didn’t want anyone to know, you’d do anything to stop people finding out. And by people I mean us, the police,’ she said. ‘Donnelly’s changed his story to say Benji’s death was an accident, right? What if he did that not because it was true, but because he wanted to wrong-foot us?’

Renshaw’s eyes narrowed.

‘You mean Donnelly thinks that if we chalk Benji’s death up as an accident we’ll pack up and go home?’

‘Exactly. Only we’re not going anywhere, especially now Forensics are saying there’s unidentified blood at the scene.’

Burton sat up excitedly. ‘So he burns down the building in the middle of the night as another distraction.’

‘Yes,’ said Maggie. ‘Another incident in another part of the school is bound to turn our heads.’

‘So you think Donnelly might have something to do with this other blood that’s been found?’ said Byford sceptically.

‘Unfettered access,’ Maggie reminded him.

But Renshaw shook her head.

‘For everywhere except the building site,’ she said. ‘Mrs Pullman’s already confirmed Donnelly was supposed to check the hoardings were locked up at night but he wasn’t the key-holder. The project manager is, a bloke called Neil Simpson. If there was any problem relating to the site, the school called Simpson to sort it out.’

‘So Neil Simpson is a person of interest?’ asked Byford.

‘Let’s see what the dogs find first,’ said Renshaw.

Maggie tried to hide her disappointment as her theory unravelled in front of her. She had been certain she was on to something.

‘I agree with you that Donnelly’s lying about Benji,’ Renshaw acknowledged. ‘I just don’t see the rest stacking up.’

‘Honestly, you should’ve seen his face when he changed his statement,’ Nathan chipped in. ‘Smug as anything because he thought he’d convinced us. My cat’s a better liar than he is.’

Laughter rippled around the room.

‘We do need to find out why he’s spinning us a load of crap,’ Renshaw added.

Byford lazily raised his hand. Renshaw stared at him.

‘Yes?’

‘I think you’re being too quick to condemn the man,’ he said. ‘It’s like you’re determined to prove he’s hiding something because if Benji’s death was an accident it’s not our problem any more and you don’t get to be SIO. Sorry, but I think you’re putting your personal agenda before the truth.’