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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

Ewan swore, then threw his phone onto the table with a loud clatter, making them all jump. Immediately she apologized.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap,’ she said. ‘I didn’t get much sleep.’

‘Neither did I but you don’t see me using you as a verbal punchbag,’ said Ewan. ‘Nor am I complaining that I’ve got a ton of work to do and should be seeing a client to sign off the deal I’ve been working on for six months, but because you can’t cope I’m staying at home.’

‘I’m really grateful you are,’ said Julia, wishing desperately she’d kept her mouth shut.

Ewan shot her a look and returned to checking his emails.

The kitchen door swung open and Julia’s father, Malcolm, walked in.

‘Surprise!’ he shouted.

‘Grandpa!’ shrieked Poppy, shooting out of her chair and racing across the kitchen with Dylan in hot pursuit. Julia smiled as she watched them fling their arms around him.

‘Good morning, Malcolm,’ chuckled Ewan. ‘Did you sleep well?’

‘Like a king,’ said his father-in-law, slapping him on the shoulder.

‘Tea or coffee?’ Julia asked him.

‘A decent cuppa would be great. That’s the one downside of living in Spain – dismal tea.’

The children retook their seats and resumed their breakfast.

‘Everything all right?’ said Malcolm, glancing between his daughter and son-in-law.

‘We’re fine, Dad,’ said Julia, worried he’d picked up on the tension between them.

Malcolm didn’t look convinced.

‘I was thinking, why don’t we go down to The Puddle today and hire one of the boats? My treat. Then Ewan can get on with a bit of work while we’re out.’

Ewan looked pleased, but Julia shook her head. She didn’t think another outing was appropriate. What if the police wanted to talk to Poppy and they weren’t at home when they called?

‘I think we should stay here today,’ she said.

‘Well, that’s a selfish attitude,’ said Ewan. ‘I need to work, your dad wants to spend time with you and the children, and they love boating. Blimey, isn’t Mummy being a right selfish so-and-so today?’

As the children chimed in to agree with him, Julia could feel her resentment building. Why did she always have to be the bad guy in every scenario?

‘Fine, we’ll go,’ she snapped.

As the children cheered and Dylan began excitedly discussing with Malcolm whether they should hire a boat shaped like a swan or a dragon, Julia glared at her husband, but he was already too absorbed in his phone to notice.