Anna tapped on Mike Lewis’s office door and went straight in before he could answer. “I think I’ve got something,” she said.
“Dear God, not another tattoo or blue blanket?” he joked tiredly.
“No, it’s a connection between Swell Blinds and the possibility that Margaret Potts might have met John Smiley.”
Mike leaned back in his chair, waiting.
“Emerald Turk was rehoused in Hackney by the Strathmore Housing Association. They had Swell Blinds under contract — this would have been shortly before they lost that contract and moved to Manchester. On their receipts, they don’t have John Smiley as the man fitting the blinds, but I want to go and talk to them anyway.”
Mike leaned forward, saying, “I don’t quite see the connection.”
“Margaret Potts stayed on occasion with Emerald Turk, even left her suitcase. She could have been in the flat when John Smiley fitted the blinds.”
“Christ, it’s a bloody long shot, Anna.”
“But it is one, and I would also like to get another search warrant for Emerald Turk’s flat.”
“Leave it with me, but please get some kind of verification first that it was Swell Blinds.”
Anna drove over to the Strathmore Housing Association in Hackney. As she was asking about a contract from at least five years ago, they were doubtful they would still have the information. Anna mentioned Emerald Turk’s name, and that got a reaction. Half an hour later, Anna had learned that when Emerald Turk was given the flat, the housing association was still using Swell Blinds. Anna could sense there was some kind of a problem because the woman being interviewed explained how they had, from what she recalled, some trouble with the blinds; in some cases, there were complaints about them falling apart almost immediately.
“So we used another company, and we have been very satisfied.”
“Did the housing association fit the vertical blinds in these properties, or did the company put them up?”
“Oh, we would have used their fitters. You have to understand that we are preparing properties for tenants all year round and can have anything up to a hundred or more that would require redecoration, furnishing, renewing the electrical appliances, replacing bathrooms. Some of our tenants are not only short of money but have lived in squalor or on the streets, and damage to our properties is not unknown.”
“Would you have the name of the person who fitted the vertical blinds in Emerald Turk’s flat?”
“No, we wouldn’t retain that, as it was totally up to the company doing the work. All the flats in Miss Turk’s building would have had the same refurbishing, same kitchen and bathroom fittings. We have major contracts out to tenure every year.”
“But you didn’t renew the Swell Blinds contract five years ago, is that correct?”
“I don’t have the exact details in front of me, but we have been satisfied with our present contractors. It’s always down to costs. We have to keep them at a bare minimum.”
“Would you have any kind of record if Miss Turk had had any problem with these vertical blinds?”
“I don’t understand.”
“If they were not satisfactory, who would handle the complaint?”
“If she did have any problems, we would, of course — but you are asking about a situation from five years ago, so I doubt we would retain any record of it.”
“Could you please check for me?”
It turned out that Emerald had made various complaints — about her hot-water system and central heating — but they had no note of any problem with the blinds. Anna then asked if the blinds would be in place and all refurbishments completed before the tenant took residence, and she was informed frostily that every attempt was made by the association to ensure that the tenants moved into a totally refurbished flat, but on occasion, due to the workload, there might be minor faults that required attention.
Anna could see the look of expectation on the team’s faces when she returned. She put her hands up.
“It’s possible. Right time frame. Swell Blinds did fit vertical blinds in Emerald Turk’s flat, so this means there is a possibility they were fitted by John Smiley. It is also a possibility that Margaret Potts was there, as she often stayed with Emerald.”
Barbara said that of all the vertical blinds they had been able to check that morning, none had been fitted by anyone employed by Swell Blinds. So far they had no record of John Smiley doing work at schools or factories or on large orders.
“But he might have been sent to measure?” Anna asked.
Barbara shook her head. “Not according to Arnold Rodgers. He used the two men we interviewed via Wendy Dunn. These blinds are apparently easy to erect, not like the wooden ones, so he didn’t use John Smiley because he’s too experienced.”
When Anna nodded, Barbara continued, “You see, with the wooden slatted blinds, you’ve got to also fit a top frame — you know, like a pelmet. You need to have precise measurements.”
“Thank you, Barbara.”
“I’m only just repeating what Mr. Rodgers said.”
Anna glanced at Barolli. “Search warrant set up, is it?” He nodded, and Anna checked the time; it was now after six. She said to Barolli, “We go first thing in the morning. She has to get her kids off to school, so we call at nine. Pick you up outside Tower Hill tube station at eight, all right?”
“Why not go there now?”
“She works nights, Paul. We go tomorrow morning.” And with that, Anna picked up her briefcase and walked out.
Barbara whispered to Joan, “I think she’s met someone. She’s Miss Confident all of a sudden. Anybody know who it is?”
Overhearing, Barolli laughed. “We know Cameron Welsh can’t get out of his cell, but she did go up to see him on her own after swearing that wild dogs wouldn’t get her to visit him again.”
“You are kidding me?” Barbara said, and Barolli rolled his eyes.
“Yes, Barbara, I’m joking.”
He turned to the incident board and moved closer to read the reports of the interviews with Cameron Welsh. “You know something? That bastard might have been right all along. He’s said from day one that Margaret Potts holds the key, and here we are, how many bloody weeks later, finding out that maybe she does.”
Chapter Twelve
As soon as Emerald opened her front door on Tuesday morning and saw Anna and Barolli, she shrieked, “I don’t fucking believe this! You have got to be joking.”
Anna showed the search warrant, but Emerald had already swung the door open wide.
“Bloody harassment, this is. Come in, make yourselves at home, why don’t you? Do what the hell you fucking like!”
“Can we go into the kitchen, please, and with you present.”
Emerald threw her arms up in exasperation, leading them into the kitchen.
Anna gestured at the vertical blinds. “I need to ask you a few questions about your blinds.”
Emerald’s jaw dropped. She looked at Anna and back at the blinds. “Eh? What you on about?”
“Can we sit down?”
“You can do tango dancin’ for all I care. What do you want to know about the blinds for? They don’t work. The kids pulled the cord and they’ve fallen down a few times, and the rod’s come away from the wall. Is this about damage or somethin?”