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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

‘You can’t blame Imogen for not wanting her son to have a traditional PM,’ said Maggie reasonably. ‘It’s a common reaction from parents, one I’ve seen before. It’s traumatic enough to lose your child without having to consider his or her body being flayed open on a gurney and their insides plopped onto a side table.’

Burton recoiled at Maggie’s vivid description, while Renshaw sighed.

‘I know you’re right and I’m not angry with her. I’m pissed off with the person who suggested it, because they should’ve thought about the consequences for our investigation and the delay it might cause.’

‘Whose idea was it?’ asked Maggie.

Renshaw shot her a look.

‘Your new partner’s.’

29

Maggie spent the next hour dealing with the fallout from Imogen’s decision to request a digital autopsy. Renshaw was furious with Byford for planting the idea in her mind but Maggie stood up for him and pointed out he wasn’t actually at fault. FLOs were meant to offer practical advice to families about the coroner process and if Imogen was distraught at the thought of her son being cut open, a digital autopsy was an acceptable alternative. But Renshaw wasn’t swayed and insisted Byford had acted unprofessionally by not consulting her first, so she’d tasked Maggie and not him with talking to the coroner about the logistics.

Yet far from being troubled by Benji’s body being dispatched to the Midlands for examination, the coroner, an amiable chap called Tim who was also a prominent and long-serving solicitor in Mansell, told Maggie he welcomed the advancement of non-scalpel post-mortems.

‘There were lots of families who objected to a post-mortem on religious grounds and telling them that we didn’t need their permission to carry one out was distressing for everyone involved,’ he said. ‘It felt like we were riding roughshod over their wishes, so I think it’s marvellous these scans are now available.’

‘But are they as thorough?’ asked Maggie. She found it difficult to believe they would be.

‘Yes, they are. Some police forces now request them as the first option in forensic cases because a digital autopsy enables the body to be secured in its natural state. I would say that in the majority of cases a DA is rigorous enough to establish cause of death. However, if for some reason it doesn’t, a traditional post-mortem can still be carried out.’

‘So you think it’s fine in this case?’

‘I do. The cause of death should be straightforward given the head injury the child sustained in the fall, so if it brings the mother comfort to know her son’s body remains intact I’m all for it. But I also believe it is prudent to warn her that if the results are inconclusive we shall have to insist on a surgical post-mortem. Prepare her for every eventuality.’

Maggie didn’t relish that conversation.