Guilty Not Guilty by Felix Francis

Author:Felix Francis [Francis, Felix]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

22

I found myself back in the same interview room as before, this time questioned under caution on suspicion of engaging in threatening behaviour with a bladed weapon.

‘It’s not true,’ I said. ‘In fact, quite the reverse is the case. He threatened me with a carving knife and, what’s more, he said he’d kill me if I ever went to see his mother again.’

‘So you admit that you’ve been there this morning, then?’ said the DS.

‘Yes, of course. I went to visit Mary Bradbury.’

‘Why was that?’ he asked.

In the cold light of day, it seemed like a very good question. Why, indeed, had I gone there? I could have phoned her for the information about the Wilsons.

‘Why shouldn’t I go and see my mother-in-law?’ I said. ‘The poor woman has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Amelia and I were a huge part of her life for so many years, that was until Joe Bradbury convinced her that I’m the devil incarnate.’

I was getting quite worked up. To coin one of Joe Bradbury’s favourite phrases: How could he? How could he accuse me when it had all been his doing?

I made a conscious effort to relax, as being angry wouldn’t help my current predicament one bit.

‘Have you spoken to Mary Bradbury?’ I asked calmly. ‘I am sure she will corroborate everything I’ve said. I’m in no doubt that it was only her intervention that enabled me to get out of her house alive.’

‘Mr Bradbury claims you verbally abused his mother in a highly aggressive manner and he says that she is too upset by the incident to be interviewed at the present time.’

‘And you believe him?’ I asked incredulously. ‘Have you learned nothing? The man is a pathological liar.’

‘That’s precisely what he says about you.’

‘I will tell you exactly what happened.’

I went through everything, leaving out only the conversation I’d had with Mary about the Wilsons. I felt, right now, that it would simply confuse matters and I wanted to investigate what Nancy Fadeley had said a little more before I made any accusations to the authorities. It certainly wouldn’t help my cause if the police investigated and it turned out to be all a pile of tosh.

‘Get your forensic team over to Mary Bradbury’s house,’ I said. ‘You won’t find my fingerprints on any of her knives. I never touched them.’

He waved a dismissive hand, suggesting that his forensic team had far more important things to be dealing with.

‘So,’ I said. ‘Are you going to charge me or not? I have other things I need to be getting on with, like fixing the lock on my back door.’

‘Wait here,’ he said, and he went out, no doubt to confer with his superiors.

I just couldn’t believe what was happening.

How did Joe Bradbury have the nerve?

He must have worked out that I would go straight to the police and hence he’d decided to get his accusation in first. What I couldn’t understand was why they believed him. It was a clear demonstration of how much they didn’t trust me.

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