Free The Red Dahlia by Lynda La Plante

women’s fingernails were bitten down to the quick. I am certain your killer chose Louise Pennel very carefully and I am certain he will have the same overblown ego as Elizabeth Short’s killer. His psychological sickness will mean he wants as much attention given to the Louise Pennel case as to the Black Dahlia. For starters, he has alerted the press to the Elizabeth Short case and encouraged them to give your victim the nickname of the Red Dahlia. I am certain that the two letters received by the journalists were sent by him. Now he will become desperate to hear about the enquiry: he will want to read about his exploits; to hear that you have no leads will fuel his ego and provoke him to make further contact. To date, you have not released the full extent of Louise’s horrific injuries. I suggest you maintain a very low profile to draw him out. The more he is drawn out to make contact, the more likely he is to make a mistake.’
    Anna watched as Professor Marshe closed her file, indicating that the meeting was over. The team began to talk amongst themselves. Langton and Professor Marshe spent some time looking over the board then went into Langton’s office. Barolli wandered over to Anna’s desk.
    ‘What do you think?’ he asked.
    ‘She’s not exactly said anything we haven’t discussed. I mean, we are all certain he’s a freak, and quite possibly the tall dark stranger that Louise was dating, but the reality is we are no closer to discovering who he is. To be honest, I am not sure if we have the time to play his games.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘Trying to draw him out and putting a press embargo on exactly what we release might just be a big time-waster. Someone out there knows who he is; someone saw him with Louise, and without a big press push, we might not get anything until he kills again. Which I agree with her, he is going to do.’
    ‘So you didn’t rate her?’
    ‘I didn’t say that.’
    Barolli smiled. ‘The bit about the suspect being married with grown-up kids will give us more to work on.’
    Anna shrugged. ‘I don’t see how; we’ve not even got a possible suspect yet.’
    ‘But she said that Louise had to have been with this guy. You said it yourself: somebody has to bloody know him.’
    ‘Not if he made sure he was never seen with Louise; from what I gathered from Sharon, he never even went into the flat. He waited outside in the car.’
    ‘Yeah, the shiny black one!’ Barolli sighed, exasperated, and wandered off.
    Anna crossed her legs beneath the desk and swore as she felt her tights snag. She bent down and hitched up her skirt; the ladder was spreading upwards from a large hole on her knee.
    ‘You want to see if this woman in Bognor Regis can give us anything?’
    Anna looked up; Langton was leaning on her desk.
    ‘Sure.’
    He leaned closer, looking down. ‘What are you doing?’
    ‘Oh, nothing; just snagged my tights.’
    ‘Off you go then.’
    ‘Now?’
    ‘Yes, Travis, now; unless you have something else pressing? No need to take anyone with you.’ He paused for a moment. ‘What did you think of her?’
    She knew who he was referring to, of course, but acted as if she didn’t. ‘Think of who?’
    ‘Professor Marshe?’
    ‘Interesting; not as informative as Michael Parks.’
    ‘Well, he didn’t give us much to start off with, if you remember; in fact, I didn’t rate him at all when he first talked to the team, but he came up with the goods on how to handle Alan Daniels. Aisling seems to think we are hunting down another sociopath.’
    Anna busied herself packing her briefcase. ‘Bit obvious; I mean what sane person would commit such a horrific murder? Every time I think about it I feel sick.’
    ‘Let’s hope your outing to Bognor Regis proves to be worthwhile.’
    ‘Will it be okay if I go straight home after, as I’m off at four?’
    ‘Why not?’ he said, walking away; he then turned back, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
    ‘Eager to get off