The Red Dahlia Read Online Free PDF Page A

identified was not good, not good at all, but then old Morgan was never what I’d call a fast thinker.’
    Before Anna could reply, they pulled into the station car park. Langton was out and heading directly into the station ahead of her as if she didn’t exist. She hurried after him and almost caught a clip from the door as he banged through. It was a repeat performance of the last time they had worked together.
    ‘I’m right behind you,’ she said curtly, but he just ran up the stairs two at a time before slamming into the Incident Room.
     
    Langton stood in front of the team looking at his watch, impatiently waiting for silence. It was just after six-thirty. He held up the two photo albums brought from Sharon’s flat.
    ‘I want these gone over with a fine-tooth comb: the boyfriends, the friends, anyone that can give us more clues to our victim’s lifestyle. Also, importantly, hit the clubs she used. Talk to anyone that knew her or might have seen her on the last night her flatmate saw her alive. We know she was missing for three days before her body was found. Where did she go? Who with? What we do know is that she was sexually permissive and took cocaine and ecstasy; that we found no trace of drugs is down to the fact her body had been drained of blood. Big clue, because any young lad screwing her isn’t likely to be able to not only drain her blood, but also chop her in two. The toxicology results might give us more details, but they’re going to need at least three to four weeks. The initial autopsy report gave us a lot of unpleasant details and I suspect there are more to come. Whoever carved this young girl up has to have a house or apartment that could facilitate such carnage. The suspect also has to have a car, as he transported the body to the murder site.’
    Lewis interjected. ‘Maybe the killer could have borrowed a vehicle, even hired one.’
    Langton suggested that he immediately check out hire cars for the relevant time and location.
    Lewis grimaced; it would be a very long and boring job, and he muttered to Barolli that he should have kept his mouth shut.
    ‘We have found no clothes or other personal items belonging to the victim, so I am sorry if I am going over old ground, but we need to check out skips, bins, the local tip, household waste collections, and someone will have to ascertain when the bins in that area were emptied.’
    He turned to the board and pointed. ‘Take a look: the saw used to dissect her body did a very professional job, so it was more than likely used by someone who has medical or surgical experience. This narrows the suspects down, so eliminate eliminate until we get some perspective on the killer. We need to track down a tall dark-haired man, driving a…’ He gestured in exasperation. ‘Black car, expensive looking. This man was known to be dating our victim. This man was very secretive; this man used drugs, this man also encouraged Louise into perverted sexual games. Our suspect is possibly married. To start with, concentrate in this area. Any doctor or surgeon struck off for medical malpractice, any doctor or surgeon with a police record. When we have exhausted that area, we widen the net, but I want this man traced!’
    Langton dug his hands into his pockets. ‘I want a very closed shop on this one: keep your mouths shut about what was done to her. The press get hold of this horror and we’ll have a Fred West scenario which we do not want. As it is, I will have the big boys breathing down my neck for a result, never mind some of the heavy-duty females skiing up the ranks.’
    Anna felt this jibe was directed at her own promotion, but if it was, Langton never even glanced in her direction.
    ‘I have asked for more officers to be drafted in to help us out.’
    Langton continued his briefing for over an hour. Hardly anyone interrupted, even when he said some very derogatory things about the way they had been handling the case to date. He was determined that no