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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

‘Um, it was the Tuesday before last.’

Exactly two weeks before his death, Maggie noted.

‘What time did he get home?’

‘It was late, gone nine,’ Imogen admitted. ‘His curfew was usually seven.’

‘He was two hours late?’

‘Yes, but we were talking on the phone the whole time, so it wasn’t like I didn’t know where he was. He begged me to let him stay out a bit longer and because I was so happy he was being adventurous I stupidly agreed. I did make him text me every fifteen minutes to let me know he was okay but I feel terrible about it now. What kind of mum lets her eleven-year-old son roam around the streets that late?’

‘I think you’re being a bit hard on yourself. When we were kids we played out until it was dark.’

‘Those were different times,’ said Imogen. ‘It’s not as safe now.’

‘Sometimes I think it’s the perceived threat of danger rather than the actual threat that makes us worry it’s not as safe,’ said Maggie in an attempt to placate her. ‘I mean, increased traffic is definitely an issue – there are way more cars on the roads than when we were kids – but it’s hard to tell if the other dangers exist in greater numbers because comparing statistics from then and now is too simplistic. The numbers aren’t always reliable. I don’t think it was necessarily a bad thing you let Benji stay out and nor should you.’

‘But it was bad, because now he’s dead!’

‘Do you think him coming home upset the week before might have had something to do with what happened to him?’ Maggie checked her notes. ‘You said you knew where he was because he kept texting you. Where was he?’

Imogen grew tearful again. ‘He was cycling round that new housing estate at the back of Rushbrooke, the one that’s half built. But I don’t know if it’s related, because I was too angry about the mud to bother listening to what he was trying to tell me. My poor baby came home crying his eyes out and I never asked him why.’

34

Byford turned up not long after two, so Maggie took advantage of his presence to return to the station to update her FL log and catch up on emails. She also did some digging on the housing development behind Rushbrooke and discovered that the same construction company putting up the new classrooms was behind it. What had happened to Benji while he was there to make him so upset? She made a note to raise it at the next briefing.

Maggie was alone in the incident room when Omana, one of the admin assistants, popped her head round the door.

‘Is DC Byford around?’

‘No, he’s with Benji’s mum. Can I help?’