Langton showed them the plans of the barn. 'This was recently converted from an old maize barn: it's massive in size and there was a large cellar beneath that. According to the council that gave permission for the renovation, it was converted into a gym with a whirlpool bath, hot tub and swimming pool. We have to check out they didn't leave an area for our suspect to use as some kind of torture chamber. It could also have been used to dismember our first victim, Louise Pennel. Our suspect has to have had somewhere to cut and drain her body and I think it is possibly somewhere in this estate.'
Langton continued until he was satisfied that everyone knew their jobs. He checked his watch; it was by now three-fifteen a.m. Operation Red Dahlia was ready to roll.
They travelled in convoy, led by Langton in an unmarked patrol car, accompanied by Lewis and Barolli. Anna followed with three other members of the team in the car behind, then came the vans and people carriers, plus special vehicles to provide lighting for the officers. It was still dark and there was little traffic on the roads. They made the journey to Wickenham's village in three-quarters of an hour. By the time they hit the small winding lane, it was a little lighter, but the sky was still overcast and slate grey. They moved slowly over the cattle grids until the lead car stopped and moved into a layby so that one of the big double-fronted trucks could move ahead. Langton did not want any signal to be given that they were there, so he was not wasting time ringing doorbells. He ordered the truck to smash straight through the gates.
By four-thirty, they were moving down the winding pathway with the overhanging trees towards the main horseshoe drive of the house. The vehicles peeled off to the cottage and round to the barn and stables. Everyone had their duty lists. The raid was worked out with such precision that no one needed to ask what was coming once they were inside.
Langton went up to the main front door of the Hall. He used the old iron knocker to rap so hard, it echoed. Lined up behind him were Anna and Barolli and ten SOCO officers, plus the Territorial Support Group ready to secure the area.
At almost exactly the same time, Lewis and five SOCO officers knocked on the door of the thatched cottage.
Three more officers moved to the barn area, and the dogs and handlers were heading to the stables.
Virtually in unison, the officers showed their warrants. First to be read his rights was a shaken Charles Wickenham. Langton told him that he was being arrested under suspicion of the murders of Louise Pennel and Sharon Bilkin. Second was Edward Wickenham and then, screaming with fright, Gail Harrington: both were arrested on suspicion of their involvement in the murders of Louise Pennel and Sharon Bilkin.
The officers waited for the suspects to dress; two females remained with the hysterical Gail Harrington as she changed out of her nightdress. Another officer waited with Edward as he dressed. He kept on saying he wanted to speak to his father, but no one replied; he became so angry that at one point he was warned that, if he did not come quietly, he would be handcuffed. He then changed his tune, demanding a solicitor. He was told he would be allowed to make a call from the station.
Both Edward and his fianc?e were driven from the estate fifteen minutes later. Charles Wickenham was refusing to get dressed; he said that, by law, he was to be allowed to remain at his property to oversee any items that were to be removed. Langton conceded, on the understanding that there would be a uniformed officer with him at all times. Now dressed, Wickenham was taken into the drawing room; he even had the audacity to ask if he could be given some breakfast. If anything, he seemed amused by the activity. At some point, he was given a cup of tea but he had only a moment to drink it before he was handcuffed, the two manacles linked by a solid bar. His hands were cuffed in front of his body and he was warned that if he created any kind of trouble, he would be cuffed behind his back.
'I won't be any trouble. I can finish my tea, even with these hideous things attached,' he smirked, as he sat reading
The search began. The officers allocated the cottage went from room to room. They stripped back carpets and emptied cupboards and wardrobes. They went up into the loft and, by torchlight, did an inch-by-inch search of masses of old furniture. They climbed into the old chimney above the open fireplace. They checked walls for recesses and any hidden rooms. They found a stack of family albums, pornographic magazines and videos but, after three and a half hours, they were otherwise coming up empty-handed.
The housekeeper, Mrs Hedges, was frightened and confused. Anna asked that she remain in her room until further notice. The forensic officers began their search of the main house on the ground floor and worked upwards, combing the place for bloodstains or any other incriminating evidence.
By twelve o'clock, the search was still very much in progress. Langton moved from the main house over to the cottage, disappointed that they had had no results so far; however, when he looked into Gail Harrington's bedroom and saw the jewellery boxes, he called Anna to get her over. Sharon Bilkin had sold a diamond-and- emerald brooch to the antique dealer; here were the earrings and necklace to match, which were listed and bagged to be taken in; it was something: not a lot, but something.
The barn was split into two levels. The games room on the upper floor had a full-sized snooker table, and another vast area with a wide, open brick fireplace and two massive cushioned sofas with a long pine coffee table between them. The walls were dominated by racing pictures and photos from horse shows. There were a few knickknacks, a lot of large floral arrangements and a cabinet full of crystal glasses and rows of bottles containing every conceivable brand of liquor. There was also a white wine fridge and a rack stocked with good-quality reds. This entire area was easier to search, as it was reasonably sparse. The lower section had a gym, a sauna and whirlpool bath, plus a hot tub and swimming pool. Cabinets contained creams and oils, and fresh white towels were stacked on wooden shelf units. They examined a large laundry basket, but the towels inside didn't even look used. There was further storage space under the barn roof that had an access ladder by the sauna. The officers searched up there, but found only yet more furniture that was not in use. Two officers also spent a considerable amount of time tapping on the walls to see if there were any hidden compartments, but found none.
They had asked the stable lads to take out all the horses and these were being walked up and down as each stall was checked, but came up clean. They also searched the stable boys' quarters, but found nothing remarkable but the stench of sweaty socks.
A drug-trained spaniel sniffed and trotted about. The trainer took it for walks every half hour so it would be refreshed, but so far it had found nothing in the barn and stable area; the second dog, trained to find weapons, was sleeping beside his handler while they waited to enter the main house.
They broke for lunch at one-thirty. Langton, Lewis and Anna pored over the drawings of the house. Justine had described a cellar, a room her father used; however, the only cellar they had on the drawings would have been where the sauna and whirlpool were now located. They were becoming anxious but tried not to show it.
Throughout, Charles Wickenham had remained in the lounge. He had rested on the sofa after finishing the newspaper and actually had a snooze, he was that relaxed.
Anna knocked on Mrs Hedges's door. She was sitting in an old rocking chair, reading a magazine.
'I've brought you some lunch.'
'That's very kind of you, I appreciate it. Is Mr Wickenham still here?'
'Yes, he's still here.'
Anna watched as Mrs Hedges sipped her tea and carefully unwrapped her sandwich. 'Where's the cellar located, Mrs Hedges?'
'There was a very big one, running the whole length of the barn. We'd keep all the furniture that needed to be repaired in there, but when they converted it, I think they dug down to make space for a gym and pool.'
'Surely this house has to have one?'
'Yes it does, but I've not been down there for years: the stairs are very steep.'
'Where is it?'
'Behind the laundry room.'
Anna thanked her, and went back to Langton. 'There's a cellar here; its access is in the laundry room.'
Langton frowned. 'It's not on the survey.'
'Well, Mrs Hedges has just said it is there; she said it had very steep stairs.'
Langton wiped his mouth with a paper napkin. 'Let's take a look.'
They stood in the small, windowless laundry room. One wall was taken up with all the security boxes for the gates and estate; another had two washing machines and tumbledryers, a very high-powered-looking pressing machine and an ironing board stacked against it; the third had rows and rows of shelves, with sheets and towels in
