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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

Ed and Grace were doing their best to comfort her but her tears had had a ripple effect and now the three of them were in pieces. Maggie glanced at Byford to gauge his reaction and saw that, thankfully, he wasn’t discomfited by their distress. A good FLO needed to soak up grief like a sponge and not let it show when it got to them. Maybe he wouldn’t be so bad after all.

A round of tea later, the Tylers had calmed down sufficiently for Maggie to explain that they would like to have a look through Benji’s bedroom, to see if there was anything that might be relevant to the case.

‘Such as?’ asked Grace.

‘Any indication of what his friendship with Poppy was really like. Did he keep a diary?’ Maggie asked Imogen.

‘Not that I’m aware.’

‘Did he have access to a computer?’ asked Byford.

‘He uses my laptop but under supervision. I’m very strict about screen time.’

Maggie noted that Imogen was still using the present tense.

‘Can we take a look at it?’ she asked.

‘Sure. It’s in my room, I’ll go and get it.’

When Imogen left the room, Grace rounded on them.

‘My daughter was too accepting of that girl. She’s a horrid, horrid child.’

Maggie was caught off guard by the venom that dripped from Grace’s every word.

‘I take it you aren’t a fan?’

‘No, I’m not, and neither was my grandson. She was rude to him, and bossy. I don’t know what possessed Imogen to encourage the friendship.’

‘Did you and Benji ever talk about it?’

Grace nodded. ‘He told me once he was unhappy being paired with Poppy in class. He told me she rode roughshod over his ideas and always wanted her way. Liked being the centre of attention. But I didn’t say anything because I knew Imogen liked them being friends.’

‘Any idea why?’ asked Byford.

Grace shared an uneasy glance with Ed, who quickly looked away.

‘I don’t know,’ said Grace.

Maggie’s instincts told her Grace knew exactly why but wasn’t saying.

‘Did Benji mention a recent incident at school where Poppy hurt him?’ she asked.

‘Do you mean the fight that Imogen was messaged about?’ Grace shook her head. ‘No, he never said anything to me about it. But I’ll tell you something, if my grandson could’ve stayed out of that girl’s way he would’ve.’

21

There was an awkward moment when Imogen came back downstairs with the laptop, and Byford airily announced he was off to ‘poke around’ Benji’s room while Maggie asked them some more questions. Maggie shot into the hallway after him and a heated, furiously whispered argument kicked off.

‘You need to be more sensitive,’ she snapped. ‘You should’ve asked them first if it was okay to go upstairs.’