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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

Imogen reached for her mobile phone, which was resting on the chair next to her. In her haste to get to the school she’d brought only that and her house keys with her.

Maggie watched as she scrolled through a succession of images until she paused at one and held it aloft.

‘This is Benji.’

‘What a gorgeous picture,’ said Maggie, meaning it. The child filling the frame had short dark hair that stuck out at angles, richly lashed brown eyes and a smile that could power a funfair. As she studied Benji’s face she felt a sudden pang: this was the first year she hadn’t received copies of Scotty and Jude’s school pictures. Just as quickly, she pushed the thought aside.

‘He’s such a smiler, always happy,’ said Imogen. She faltered. ‘Sorry . . . I mean he was.’ Her face suddenly crumpled and she let out a wail. ‘I can’t talk about him like he’s not here any more, I just can’t.’

‘Then don’t,’ said Maggie soothingly. She handed the phone back. ‘Why don’t you tell me a bit more about him? I’d really like to know.’

Imogen gently stroked the screen with her finger as she spoke.

‘He’s never been a boy’s boy, if you know what I mean. He doesn’t like football or any other team sports. He’s a really good swimmer, though, can swim like a fish. That’s probably because of us living in Somerset – I started him on lessons really young because we lived so close to the sea and I was scared he’d drown.’

For the next twenty minutes Maggie listened while Imogen painted a picture of her son as a funny, bright kid who rarely gave her any trouble, for which she was always grateful because life as a single mum was tough. Maggie could see his loss was going to have a profound effect on her, that their connection had been intense. Benji was, in Imogen’s words, her little shadow and it had always been the two of them against the world, inseparable.

As Imogen’s monologue drew to an end, Maggie asked her again if she had any idea why Benji had gone to the school so early that morning.

‘I honestly don’t know. I don’t know why he climbed up on a wall either. But I promise you Benji wouldn’t have done something so stupid unless he was forced to, he’s just not that kid. He’s not a daredevil,’ she stressed. ‘I know in my heart it wasn’t his idea to climb on top of it and anyone who says otherwise is lying.’

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