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Back False Witness
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

Arranging for Imogen to view Benji’s body had been the easy part; it was getting her there that was proving impossible.

‘Why can’t I see my grandson?’ Grace asked for what felt like the twentieth time.

‘I’ve told you, I want to see Benji on my own,’ Imogen replied in a tight, clipped tone that suggested she was about one answer away from blowing her top.

The stand-off was happening in the cramped hallway. Maggie was pinned against the front door, trying to calm the two women down, while Ed hovered on the stairs and Byford stood in the doorway leading back into the lounge. His search of Benji’s room had been fruitless – no diary, notes, or anything else relating to Poppy.

‘It’s not fair,’ Grace retaliated.

‘I want to be on my own with him for a bit. Why can’t you accept that?’

‘Because you’re being selfish.’

‘He’s my son!’ Imogen yelled. ‘Not yours, mine!’

Grace went puce and began to cry. Ed swore loudly.

‘Right, that’s enough,’ he said. ‘Mum, I’m sorry, but you need to let Im do this alone. He’s her son and she needs to say goodbye. I’ll take you to see Benji when he’s moved to the funeral director’s.’

Grace seemed stunned to have been spoken to with such firmness by her son and nodded meekly.

Relieved, Imogen turned to Maggie.

‘You don’t have to come either. Jamie’s offered to take me.’

Imogen didn’t need the two of them to accompany her and Maggie had little desire to see Benji on a mortuary slab, let alone bear witness to Imogen seeing him, but she didn’t appreciate being frozen out by Byford, who at that moment was staring at his feet. He’d overstepped the mark by excluding her without a discussion first but Maggie smoothed over her annoyance with a smile.

‘No problem. I’ll wait here until you get back,’ she said.

‘Don’t stay on my account: I’m driving back to Frome in a bit,’ said Ed. ‘Our youngest is only six weeks old so my wife needs me. But I’ll be back in a few days.’

‘I don’t need to be babysat by a police officer either,’ said Grace witheringly.

‘Fine, I’ll head back to the station, see if there are any updates.’

Suddenly the doorbell chimed. Maggie was closest and squeezed round to open it. When she saw who was on the doorstep she stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind her, telling the others she’d be a minute.

‘Why am I not surprised to find you here, DC Neville?’ said Jennifer Jones. ‘You get all the juicy ones.’