The Red Dahlia

He turned and headed back to the door and had it half open when he turned to face her. 'If what you want is some kind of long-term commitment, then I can't give you that.'

'I know, but I can't just be a casual lay, because I really care about you. In fact, I think I might be in love with you, so you see this is far from easy.'

'In love with me?'

'Yes.'

'Well that kind of changes things, doesn't it? See you in the morning, Travis.'

She sat in the chair and wanted to cry. If he had touched her, kissed her, she would not have been able to say no. She could think of nothing that she wanted more than to have his body next to hers, flannelette sheets or not.

DAY THIRTY-THREE

Langton wolfed down his breakfast without so much as glancing at her. She wondered if he had been more drunk than she thought and he'd even forgotten coming to her room.

The local police had made contact, saying there had been no movement in or out of the Hall's main gates. They had positioned a car at the rear, and had done a drive round at intervals during the night. One car was still in position some distance down the lane; when the surveillance team arrived, they would take over.

'If, as Travis suspects, Wickenham was holed up at the Hall and then had time to get the hell out, this is just a waste of time. If, on the other hand, we grill all three of them — that's Emily, Justine and the old housekeeper — and put some pressure on them to cough up exactly what might or might not have happened, we might get a result. So far, there has still been no sighting of Wickenham. Barolli and the team have questioned everyone associated with him. No one's admitting to having seen him or having any contact with him and, let me tell you, we really put the pressure on them with those photographs. The whole bunch were shitting themselves that their part in his perverted parties would be released to the press.'

He spoke between mouthfuls of egg and bacon, buttering his toast and gulping down one cup of coffee after the next.

Lewis said nothing. He wasn't eating, but consuming a lot of coffee and paracetamol tablets.

Langton wiped his plate clean and then pushed it aside. 'I've also asked Barolli to comb through back issues of any newspapers that might give us more details about the family who previously owned the place. But it was a long time ago, so we may not get a result.' He checked his watch and phoned to see if their driver had returned to take them back to the Hall. 'Okay, he'll be out front in ten minutes, so I'll go and settle the bill and see you out there.' He pushed back his chair, wiped his face with his napkin and strode out.

'I don't bloody know how he does it,' said Lewis, disgruntled. 'He had a right skinful last night but you'd never know it this morning. He's been pacing up and down, making one call after another.'

Anna spread some marmalade over her toast; she had hardly touched her eggs and bacon. 'He's got me all nervous. I mean, it was just a thought.'

'Yeah, my thoughts exactly, but let's face it, we might as well have a go. I mean, we've bugger all else on tracing the son of a bitch.'

Langton reappeared. 'Car's here, let's go!'

Anna took a last sip of her coffee and picked up her toast.

They drove in silence towards Mayerling Hall. Midway down the lane, they saw a local squad car and stopped. Langton got out and had a conversation with the driver.

'Still no movement, nobody has been near the place or left it!'

They drew up outside the house. Langton checked his watch.

'Okay, this is how we work it: we each take one of them. Separated, we might get something. Let's go!'

They were about to head towards the front door when Langton gestured that they should go via the back way, and enter through the kitchen. They made as little noise as possible as they headed down the gravel path through the gate into the back kitchen garden.

Langton paused outside the door. They could hear someone singing; it sounded like Justine. Langton rapped sharply on the door and tried the handle: it opened.

Justine was carrying a packet of cornflakes to the table; Emily had a bottle of milk in her hand; Mrs Hedges was pouring boiling water into a teapot: they all turned in surprise. Emily dropped the milk bottle in shock. It smashed on the tiled floor.

'Morning, sorry if we surprised you.'

Justine banged down the packet of cornflakes and went to get a cloth from the sink. Emily looked at her fearfully.

'It's okay, don't worry; we've got another pint. Just pick up the bottle, will you? Mind you don't cut yourself. Put it on the draining board.'

Emily did so, and then Justine tossed down a wet cloth onto the floor.

'We would like to interview you.'

'What about now?' Justine said, rinsing out the milk-soaked cloth.

'Could you please accompany Detective Inspector Lewis, Mrs Hedges?'

'Me?'

'Yes, this shouldn't take long; if Emily would like to go with Detective Travis, I'll stay here and talk to you, Justine.'

Justine threw the cloth into the sink. 'No way. You want to talk to any of us, then we want a solicitor present. You can't just barge in here.'

"Fraid we can, Miss Wickenham, we still have the valid search warrants: so, we can do this quickly and be gone, up to you, or we can take you into the station and do it there. Mrs Hedges, would you mind?'

'Stay where you are! They are just trying it on. I know the law. I have to go and see to the horses.'

'You will have to wait.'

'No I won't.' Justine faced them, hands on her hips.

'Yes you will. Now, if you want to call someone out to be with you, then go ahead, we can wait.' Langton knew they had only search warrants for one visit, so he was bluffing. It paid off.

'What do you want to know?' Justine said.

'We just need to ask some questions; it shouldn't take long.'

'Questions about what? We've been interviewed over and over again, and there is nothing else we can tell you. We don't know where he is: he has not made contact with any of us. Is that what it's about?'

'Why don't you call your solicitor, if that is what you want?' Langton said and pulled out a chair to sit down.

'It's only bloody nine o'clock!' Justine said furiously.

Langton turned to Anna and Lewis and shrugged. 'We'll just sit here and wait.'

Justine glared at them and sat down. 'We are not going anywhere. Go ahead: ask what you want to know and then leave us in peace.'

'Who contacted you before you came into the police station to get your brother to sign?'

'Mrs Hedges: she called to say that there was a ruddy army traipsing all over the house looking for Dad.'

'So you called Justine, Mrs Hedges, to say what?'

'Just what Justine said. I thought she should know about what was happening.'

'And that was enough for you to arrange to bring Emily home?'

Justine took over again. 'Yes, Mrs Hedges said Father was under arrest, and that Edward had been taken into custody. I mean, is this necessary? You met me there. You were with me when I spoke to Edward. We've been over all this!'

'Yes I know that, but why did you think that it would be safe to bring Emily back home?'

'It's bloody obvious, isn't it? You had arrested Daddy!'

'But what if we had not found enough evidence to charge him?'

'It was fucking obvious that you had!'

'Please don't swear, Miss Wickenham. If you knew there was evidence here that would warrant the arrest of your father, your pleading ignorance of what happened here was a lie.'

'I did not fucking lie!'

'But you have just stated that you knew your father would be arrested, so you had to have known he was guilty. So you are guilty of perverting the course of justice, which could implicate you as a party to murder.'

'That is not true; this is bloody ridiculous!'