Lynda La Plante: The Red Dahlia

She pushed past them into the hall. 'To the right is the kitchen full of officers, to the left the front door, with even more police outside. The cellar's crawling with forensics, so, the only route he could have taken is the stairs. If he makes it to the stairs, he could maybe get to Mrs Hedges's room; it'd take no more than a couple of seconds.'

'But she was in there, and she swears…'

'Whatever she swore could be a lie. What if he did make it there and she was able to hide him?'

Langton sighed. 'Her room was searched minutes later, she was alone. This has all been checked out, Travis.'

'I know, but it's the only route he could have taken.'

'He wasn't in her bedroom: it was searched within seconds.'

'So that leaves this area.'

Anna walked to the narrow servants' stairwell. They all stood looking at the narrow staircase.

'This is also the oldest part of the original house.'

Langton looked at Lewis.

'Have these stair rods been moved?'

'I don't fucking know'

'The carpet looks as if it has been.'

Anna went down on her hands and knees, she crawled up four stairs and then hurled aside a mound of sheets and towels. She sat back on her heels and pulled at the stair rod; it came away in her hand. Bending closer, she could see an opening no more than an inch in width.

'I need some kind of jemmy to pull this open. Can you see the gap?'

'Yeah I can see it, but it's a sixteenth-century bloody staircase! Of course there's gonna be gaps!'

'This isn't just a gap. Get the entire carpet pulled back.'

Lewis and Langton peeled back the old stair carpet. Anna worked her fingers inside the gap, and the stair board opened a fraction.

'Jesus Christ, what is it?'

Anna reeled back as the stench hit her. Langton stepped in to help. The wooden slat slid sideways. She could see downward into a space no bigger than a coffin. 'It's possibly another priest hole that's been covered by the stair carpet.' Anna took out a handkerchief and covered her face.

Langton peered into the dark recess but could see nothing. He slipped his hand into the opening and recoiled. 'Get a torch: there's something wedged down there.'

Anna and Langton sat side by side on the lower stair as Lewis ran out to the car and returned with a torch.

Langton shone it into the recess. The beam of light lit up the face of Charles Wickenham, his mouth drawn back in a silent scream. His body was wedged inside the small space; his hands, still cuffed, had clawed at the stair to try and open it. The space was so small that his body pressed against the sides. Rigor mortis had made his body stiff, his fingers like claws.

Langton sat back in shock. Anna looked at the stack of sheet and towels. 'These covered the air vent.'

In the kitchen, Justine moved away from the door. 'They've found him,' she whispered.

Neither Mrs Hedges nor Emily could say a word. Justine gave a soft laugh. 'Saved us burying him. We didn't know he was there, did we?' She looked pointedly at Mrs Hedges. 'No we didn't! So just carry on as if we don't know what is happening, nobody can prove anything. We just look out for each other.'

'What if they find out what I did?'

'They won't, believe me; you didn't know about it, full stop!'

Mrs Hedges started to cry. 'But I did, I did; I knew.'

Justine gripped her tightly. 'No you did not; you just put the things there because the laundry room couldn't be used, right?'

Mrs Hedges wiped her eyes, and Justine gripped her tightly. 'We're here and nobody can do anything about it, just do as I told you, and you, Em. Emily!'

Emily was pouring milk onto her cornflakes, but the bowl was already full and the milk spilled over, dripping onto the table and onto the floor.

'Emily! Look what you are doing!'

Justine snatched the bottle away from her sister and placed it back in the fridge. 'Get a cloth and clear the mess up! Do it now!'

Emily just sat with her head bowed. 'You said he was gone.'

Justine was finding it hard to contend with the weeping Mrs Hedges and now the anxious Emily She took a deep breath and put her arms around her sister. 'Shush and look at me, Em. He is never coming back, I give you my word. I cross my heart.'

The wailing of an ambulance siren made even Justine physically jump.

Emily sprang up and ran to the door. 'They're coming for me!'

'No, no! Just stay here with Mrs Hedges. For God's sake, Mrs H, pull yourself together and look after Em. Let me go and see what's going on.'

Justine went out of the kitchen and into the hall.

Langton intercepted her. 'Please stay in the kitchen, Miss Wickenham.'

'What's going on?'

'You'll know soon enough; just go back into the kitchen.'

He signalled for Anna to take Justine back into the kitchen. Mrs Hedges was scrambling some eggs, allowing Emily to help her. They both turned as Justine gestured to Anna.

'She's going to sit here with us. Do you want some scrambled eggs? We like them runny with a lot of butter.'

'No thank you, maybe a coffee.'

'I'll get it, black or white?'

'White, no sugar.'

Anna sat at the big table; milk still dripped over one end. Justine busied herself wiping down the table. 'What's going on out there?'

'We're just checking something out.'

'Was that an ambulance we just heard?'

Anna didn't answer; voices were audible in the hallway. Justine banged down a cup of coffee and went to the door. Anna asked that she remain in the kitchen.

'Why?'

'Because I am asking you to.'

'I've got to go and see to the horses; they need feeding and exercise.'

'They can wait. I'll let you know when you can go to them.'

'You don't understand, they don't wait. They get their nosebags on, they have a morning walk, then they go back into the stables; after we've mucked out, we take them out for some exercise.'

'There're still two stable boys working there, aren't there?'

'Yes, but I have to oversee what they are doing.'

'I'm sure they will do whatever is necessary.'

The two paramedics were kneeling down, trying to fathom out how they could lift the body out. Charles Wickenham's head was tilted back, his mouth gaped open. In a few hours the rigor would slacken, which might make it easier to lift the body out. They had ropes to loop beneath his armpits, but the sides of the chamber were too tight.

Langton suggested they grab him by the head and pull him up. He said if the body got in, it had to be able to come out. The stench of decomposition was overpowering. Lewis stood well back. They had tried loosening the steps above and below, but they were made of concrete.

Lewis went into the kitchen to relieve Anna, who was sitting watching Emily and Mrs Hedges finish their eggs. He took Anna aside and they whispered. After a moment, she nodded and went to Justine.

'Can I talk to you a second, in private?'

Justine shrugged. They stepped through the kitchen door and into the garden.

'We think we may possibly have discovered the body of your father.'

'No!'

'Yes, I'm afraid so. Would you be prepared to identify him?'

'Christ, why me?'

'Well, surely it would be better to ask you than your sister.'

'Well, where is he?'

'If you agree?'

'Yes, yes I'll do it, but for Chrissakes, don't let my sister know, or Mrs Hedges; she's taking care of her. She's still not right in the head, you know; she poured milk all over the table this morning.'

Anna suggested that they walk round the house and go back in via the front door to avoid questions from the kitchen.

By the time Anna and Justine entered the hall, the paramedics had managed to draw the body halfway out of the chamber. It had been quite a procedure: they had gripped hold of his hair and eased his head up, then slid a noose beneath his arms. They had managed only to get his body out up to his waist: his legs were stuck firmly. For decency's sake, a sheet had been draped over him. As Justine entered the hall with Anna, she shrieked.