The Red Dahlia

'Yes I know that, we suspected it from the moment he walked in. What I am saying is, the article on the old Black Dahlia case was in actual fact a ruse, made up by the journalist to try and flush out the real killer.'

Lewis sighed, even more impatient. 'Anna, I know: we've all read the book; the time waster we just released had also read the book! You're not telling me anything we haven't discussed this morning. Unless I am hearing you wrong and you are trying to tell me that you gave all the information to this prick at the Sun because you were trying to flush out the real killer?'

'No, I am not saying that.'

'Then what exactly are you trying to tell me?'

She hesitated. It was obvious she never intended for it all to happen, but what if it did do some good? 'Listen: what if such a big article, and in all the Sundays, might be enough to dent the real killer's ego? He'll want to make sure we know we are holding the wrong man.'

'The Gov's already reasoned that might happen, so he's been in touch with your boyfriend, seeing if he can repair some of the damage.'

Anna was taken aback. Langton never ceased to surprise her.

'You should thank him, because if he does go down that route, it'll get you off the hook. He'll be saying that the whole nasty episode was a ruse to flush the bastard out. It depends on whether or not we get a result.'

'If you do, does that mean I'm still on the case?'

'Don't ask me, I didn't know you were off it. I suspected you'd be in deep trouble, but you know the Gov — he always protects his team.'

Lewis went back into the Incident Room leaving Anna in the corridor, a lump in her throat.

Chapter Ten

DAY TWENTY-ONE

Anna was watching the early-morning news when the phone rang. It was Barolli; he had been instructed to tell her they needed her to help man the phones. She was out of the flat and in the Incident Room in ten minutes. Langton wasn't there; he had been called in for a big pow-wow with the top brass. No one said anything to her; it was just accepted that she was back.

The daily newspapers had all run articles based on the coverage in yesterday's papers, unaware that the suspected Red Dahlia killer was no longer in custody, but correctly saying that the police had received many notes, apparently from the killer, and that each one had been authenticated as being written by the same person. Calls were coming in thick and fast, but by midday, there had been no contact from their killer. Barolli and Lewis were out, trying to trace the bank notes found at Sharon Bilkin's flat; it was the only new development, apart from her tragic murder. Anna worked the phones alongside uniformed and clerical staff. It was Bridget who took the call, and she immediately came over to Anna.

'What is it?'

'It's a woman, and she's very nervous. She's called twice and hung up. I recognised her voice; this is the third time. She says she has information and needs to speak to someone on the enquiry.'

'Put her through to me.'

By the time Bridget returned to her desk, the caller had hung up. They had hundreds of hang-ups along with time wasters, so Anna continued contending with the incoming calls. At three-fifteen, Bridget signalled to Anna. 'It's her again.'

Anna nodded, and Bridget said told the caller she was transferring her to a senior officer.

'Good afternoon, this is DI Anna Travis speaking. Who is this?'

'Are you on the murder?' The woman's voice was very faint. 'The Red Dahlia murder investigation?'

'Yes I am. Who is this?'

Silence. Anna waited a moment. 'Can you give me your name? All calls are treated as highly confidential.'

There was another pause. She could hear the woman breathing.

'Hello? Are you still there?'

'Yes, but I have to be anonymous.'

'But you are calling about Louise Pennel?'

'The Red Dahlia. She is the Red Dahlia, isn't she?'

'That is what the press call her.'

Anna sighed, impatient; she had had so many calls like this. 'Could you please give me your name and address?'

'No, no I can't, but I think I know who he is. She stayed at his house.'

'I'm sorry, but could you repeat that?'

Anna signalled that she wanted a trace put on her call. The tracer team were set up in the Incident Room, ready and waiting, in case the killer himself made contact.

'Oh God, this is terrible.'

'I am sure it must be, but if you do have something that you think could be connected, it would really be appreciated. Could you give me your name?'

'No, no I can't.'

'That's all right, just tell me what information you have. Hello?'

Anna looked over to see if the call was being traced. They signalled for her to keep the caller on the line. Anna kept her voice low, trying to encourage the caller to give more details.

'It is often very distressing, especially if you have suspicions regarding someone you know. Do you know this person?'

'Yes.' Her voice was hardly audible.

'And you say that the girl, Louise Pennel, was…'

'The Red Dahlia,' the woman interjected. There was another pause, then an intake of breath, like a gasp. 'I think she was at his house.'

'Could you tell me his name?' Anna looked over again; the officer gestured for her to keep talking: they had not had enough time to trace it. 'You know, anything you tell me will be in the strictest confidence.'

'Oh God, this is awful, and I might be wrong, I don't know what to do.'

Anna again glanced over but the officer still shook his head.

'I think it might really help you if you did tell me what you know.'

Anna listened as the woman gave a dry sob.

'You sound as if this is really distressing you. You said you may be wrong; if so, we could check it out for you and put your mind at rest.'

The line went dead. Anna closed her eyes in frustration. They were only able to determine that the call was from a mobile phone; as yet they could not pinpoint the location.

Bridget joined Anna. 'What do you think?'

'Well, she sounded distressed enough that it could be real; on the other hand, how many of these have we had?'

'A lot. But no one else keeps calling back.'

Anna shrugged; they would just have to wait to see if she called again.

The mail to the Incident Room was being checked over for further anonymous notes. They had been sent several. By mid-afternoon, three had been singled out by their expert as written by the same hand as the ones previously sent to DCI Langton. Again, an attempt had been made to alter the writing, and some words were crudely misspelled.

IF HE CONFESSES, YOU WON'T NEED ME

THE PERSON SENDING THOSE OTER NOTES OUGHT TO BE ARESTED FOR FORGERY HA HA!

ASK THE NEWSPAPER JOURNALIST FOR A CLUE, WHY NOT LET THAT NUT GO, YOU HAVE THE WRONG MAN.

Anna stood in front of the board with the rest of the team.

'They are almost identical to the notes received in the Black Dahlia murder,' Anna said to Bridget. As she spoke, copies were being pinned up alongside the other contacts by the killer. 'Maybe the article has pushed him into sending them, but he's still left no fingerprints and we can't trace the paper. Anything on the postmarks?'

'No, from all over London: Kilburn, Hampstead and Richmond. They were all sent on the same day as well. We've got people out there, hoping someone saw whoever posted them, but it's a long shot.' Bridget gave an open-handed gesture. 'It's crazy, isn't it?'

Justin Collins was not expecting the two officers who turned up to speak to him at the Chelsea antique market. He was very nervous when Lewis and Barolli showed him their ID. He was a tall, thin-faced man with a flamboyant necktie and tweed jacket with leather elbow patches. Mr Collins specialised in Art Deco figures, paintings and crockery. He thought at first that they had come about the handling of hot items, but when told it was about money, he looked confused. He admitted he had withdrawn a thousand pounds in fifty-pound notes from Coutts in the Strand. He opened his ledger to check when he had paid out the money. He had bought numerous items, but none for a round sum of a thousand. Lewis asked if he could check out any items costing more. He was sweating as he looked from page to page, saying that he often bought on an ad hoc basis from dealers and customers who walked into the shop with goods for sale. He also went to many antique fairs up and down the country.