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importance. She had a feeling, if she was correct and Emerald did still have the suitcase, that it would be thrown out as soon as she left. There was nothing for it but to return to the car and set off back to the station.
    The moment she’d checked that the policewoman’s car had gone, Emerald was on her hands and knees beside her wardrobe, dragging out boots and shoes as she reached for the suitcase. It was a cheap make, and the zipper had already been broken when she had used a pair of pliers to unlock the small padlock holding it shut. Margaret’s name was printed on a travel label attached to the handle.
    Opening it up on her bed, Emerald started to remove the few items she’d left inside. Tossing them out of the way, she felt along the lining, digging inside the side pocket, and took out a small red notebook. She didn’t even look at it, but put it into her tracksuit pocket. Next, she stuffed the suitcase into a black plastic binliner, tying it at the top. To begin with, Margaret’s suitcase had also contained two thousand pounds in ten- and twenty-pound notes, and a red velvet jewel case. Inside this there had been two small diamond rings, a gold moonstone pendant, looped gold earrings, and a thick gold bangle. Emerald had kept the gold bangle but got five hundred and ten pounds for the jewelry from a guy she knew in Berwick Street Market. She’d put the money to good use, buying the fridge-freezer, the kitchen stools, and the steam iron. She had intended getting the zipper on the suitcase fixed, but now she just wanted rid of it.
    An hour or so later, Emerald carried the bag out of the flat. She had not far to walk before she saw a half-filled skip near a building site and threw the bag into it with some relief. She then hurried off to the local Tesco to pick up some groceries for the kids’ tea. By the time she’d fed and bathed her two children, it was time for her to get changed and ready for work. Her babysitter arrived, and Emerald went off to the massage parlor, where she could forget all about the events of the afternoon.
    The notebook was left in the pocket of the tracksuit. Emerald didn’t want any repercussions. Even though Anna had explained the importance of the contents to their investigation, she could think only of the trouble she might get into for having sold the jewelry. She certainly didn’t want anyone showing up claiming the money. It had all been spent anyway.

Chapter Two
    D ays later and the team had still not been able to identify their latest victim. It was immensely frustrating. Even with the extensive press coverage and television broadcasts, no one had come forward. Interpol had also been unable to assist, and neither had Mispers. It was beginning to look as if, along with their brunette victim, the police had another Jane Doe.
    Mike held a briefing, but it was disappointing news: officers at the service station and viewing CCTV had so far come up with nothing. It seemed no one had seen the girl, and even though they were still making inquiries, it was looking as if they had reached a dead end. They also gained nothing from the clothing of either of the young women except for a few seat-cover fibers, but they were of a common variety used in a number of vehicles. The disturbing element was the consensus that all three victims had been killed by the same person, due to the MOs being virtually identical.
    Mike concluded the briefing by saying that they had distributed appeals for information and warning leaflets at the service stations.
    Anna wrote up the report of her visit to Emerald, detailing the fact that Margaret Potts had kept a notebook of the license plates of men who picked her up. But as Emerald had said she no longer had the suitcase or knew where the notebook could be, it was not much use.
    Barolli went over to Anna’s desk. “The bitch is lying,” he said. “She never told me she had Potts’s suitcase.”
    “I think she was scared it might get her into trouble.