The team were all gathered for a briefing; Langton had received yet another contact from their suspect. It read, LP derserved to die, another victimm will pay the same price
Partly in cut-out newspaper letters and partly handwritten in ink, it was signed The Dahlia Killer. The forensic experts felt this latest note was from the same person, deliberate spelling mistakes and all.
The press office was becoming agitated, wanting an update on what they could or could not release. Langton, with no suspect, was at his wits' end. It seemed, as the killer said, that the police could not catch him; despite the audacity of actually sending the notes to the Incident Room, the postmarks were from so many different locations that tracing the sender was impossible. The cheap lined notepaper and manila envelopes were both sold in bulk. Whoever had sent them had not licked the envelope, leaving no DNA, nor even a single fingerprint.
Langton maintained a calm front but he was looking worn out. Even with the latest information from the nightclub, they still were no closer to identifying the tall, dark-haired man. The sketch had been in the papers over three consecutive days; he could not believe that no one had come forward. The Commander and her team were putting the pressure on and considering bringing in backup; to Langton, this meant he could be removed from the case.
Anna had assumed that after Professor Marshe had tripped up with the newspaper editor, she would not be called on again. Anna was wrong. Professor Marshe, looking her usual sophisticated self, arrived as the briefing ended and went straight into Langton's office.
While everyone waited for them to emerge, Anna yet again called Sharon Bilkin. There was still no reply; this time, her answerphone did not click on but made a whirring sound. Anna called Mrs Jenkins, the landlady, also without success. She felt as disillusioned as the other members of the team. They talked quietly to each other, mulling over statements and the nonstop phone calls coming in to the station. To date, they had had three 'confessors': three men of various ages appearing at the station to admit to the murder. It was a known hazard of any murder enquiry; some were even known to the police because they were persistent 'I done it' time-wasters. The three were all questioned and released.
Langton returned to the Incident Room at almost five forty-five, accompanied by Professor Marshe. He did not seem in any way attentive to her; if anything, he was cold and aloof, gesturing for her to sit. She produced notes and files and laid them out, then sat, straight-backed, in the chair.
'I have been studying the original case history of the Elizabeth Short murder, obviously, as you have all been doing, matching the notes and threats alongside your Red Dahlia.' She held up the two women's photographs. 'If we are to believe our killer has an obsession with the Los Angeles murder, and is now making a sickening mirror of it, then we have to take very seriously the threat to kill again.'
Anna gave a sidelong glance to Lewis to see him rolling his eyes at Barolli.
The Professor continued, laying out details of the LA victims, all purported to have been murdered by the same man. The first had been killed before Elizabeth Short: she had been an heiress, and had been found brutally killed in the bathtub of her own apartment. 'If this was his first kill, although it was messy and brutal, it did not have the same hallmarks as the murder of Elizabeth Short; the third victim, however…'
She held up a photograph of a woman called Jeanne Axford French. 'She had been kicked and stomped, which was similar to victim one, but this girl also had almost the identical slash wounds to her mouth as the Black Dahlia. The killer used the victim's own lipstick to write obscenities on her naked body: he printed "fuck you" on her chest. As with your victim, Louise Pennel, and as with the Black Dahlia, her underwear and clothes were missing. The killer struck four weeks after he killed Elizabeth Short, and possibly again another month later. No one was ever charged with these murders and it was surmised the killer either left LA or became dormant.'
Langton coughed and she turned towards him.
'I don't mean to sound impatient, Professor Marshe, but this has been in the papers! We are all privy to these cases, we've not exactly got the T-shirt but we've read the case history, the books, etcetera.'
'I'm aware of that,' she said, tetchily 'I'm sorry if this is something you are aware of already, but I think it is necessary for me to explain the reasons for my grave concerns. You have a very dangerous killer on the loose, and one I believe has killed again. You must not think that the letters written are just threats, a ploy to get into the press. As well as enjoying himself playing games, he has to make sure that you are aware of the pattern of murders in the Black Dahlia case.'
Langton interrupted. 'Professor Marshe, we have taken every contact made very seriously. If he does intend to kill again, what we need is a profile that will help us catch him; so far we have the one suspect.'
'That you have been unable to trace,' she said brusquely.
'Not for want of trying,' Langton said tight-lipped.
'If he is intending to kill again, then it has to be someone that would have known Louise Pennel; his last note said that she deserved to die, that she betrayed him, isn't that correct?'
'Yes,' Langton said quietly.
'Then it is imperative you understand that his intention is to prove himself cleverer than you.'
'Me?' Langton said; it was as if he was mocking her.
'Yes, you. This game, although directed at the police as a whole, is a personal cat-and-mouse with the person heading the hunt for him, which is you, right? His notes have been addressed to you personally, correct?'
'Yes.'
'In the Black Dahlia case, the killer wrote copious notes to the press. When they actually made an arrest, he became enraged, saying that they were a forgery and that he would kill whoever sent them. What I am trying to make clear to you is that right now, your killer is out of control. His rage will manifest itself in another kill and it will be someone either that he knows, or that we know.'
Lewis had raised his hand to speak, but she chose to ignore him.
'It will be someone close to this enquiry, someone who will have information as to who he is.'
'We have not interviewed anyone that even knew him, let alone could give us any clue to his identity.'
'Go back and check. I truly believe his threat is very real and someone who knew Louise holds a clue.'
As Anna watched Langton interact with Professor Marshe her mind ranged over anything that she might have missed. If what Marshe was saying was true, then none of them would get home tonight.
Professor Marshe held court for another half hour, discussing each note in detail, but gave them nothing new to grasp, other than the concern that they might have overlooked some clue.
Anna went over to Lewis's desk; he was chatting to Barolli.
'I think she's a bullshitter. I mean, she started off telling us what we all knew and continued rabbiting on.'
Anna tapped his shoulder. 'Listen, if she is right, and it is someone we have interviewed, what about Sharon Bilkin?'
'What about her?' Lewis said, looking at his watch.
'Well, we got some more details today from the nightclub: it looks like Sharon lied about what exactly happened at the club between her and Louise, so maybe she's lied about other things.'
Barolli yawned. 'So we talk to her again?'
'I've been trying to contact her, but I've had no reply. Now her answermachine sounds like it's full. I've also tried to contact her landlady, but no answer.'