Page 41 of The High Island

The gnawing hunger he’d managed to ignore until now was asserting itself, and Erling vowed to seek out a fish supper after he’d – hopefully – spoken with Rachael.

He parked on Victoria Street and made his way to the hotel, inwardly planning what he might say to her, while aware that his sergeant would have had the right words. He tried to imagine what those words might be as he climbed the steep front steps and entered.

The young woman on reception recognized him immediately.

‘Is Ms Everett in?’ he asked.

‘I believe she’s been here all day,’ she said in a concerned tone. ‘Have you come about the body in Lyrawa Bay?’ she asked outright.

Ignoring the question, Erling said, ‘I’ll go on up, then.’

He chose the stairs, not wanting to be trapped in the elevator with anyone else keen to establish why he was here.

His knock at the door brought a sound of movement inside. When this didn’t result in the door being opened, he announced who he was and that he’d like to talk to her. Even as he said the words, he knew they would strike terror in Rachael and that she would have to open the door to find out if her worst nightmare had been realized.

He heard footsteps approach and, a few moments later, the door was opened.

The image of the figure before him brought a surge of pity. Rachael had been upset on their previous visit, but now true despair had taken over. This young woman was broken in more ways than he could imagine.

‘May I come in?’ Erling said quietly.

She stood back, wordless, and let him into the room. After which she shut the door.

‘It’s Kris, isn’t it?’ she said, her voice trembling.

‘Can we sit down and I’ll explain everything,’ Erling suggested.

She slid into a seat and Erling took his place at the other side of the table.

‘I believe Detective Sergeant Green left you a message,’ he said.

‘I didn’t listen to it. I couldn’t,’ she said, shaking her head.

‘What she wanted to tell you, and what I want to tell you now, is that we recovered a body from the beach at Lyrawa Bay today. That’s the bay below—’

She cut him off before he could finish.

‘Below the Mowat croft. I looked down on it when I visited the grave of Betty Corrigall.’ Her eyes seemed faraway as she added, ‘It was so beautiful, the blue water and golden sand. I thought I’d remember that moment for ever.’ She looked back at him. ‘I will now.’

Erling gathered himself. ‘The body has been taken to Balfour hospital. I’ve just come from there. The remains are those of a young man, the approximate age and build of Kris. However, there are serious burns on the upper body that prevent identification.’

‘You mean it might not be Kris?’ Her eyes were now alight with a small flicker of hope. A feeling Erling wasn’t sure he shared.

‘What about the tattoo I toldDSGreen about?’ Rachael demanded.

‘I couldn’t confirm its existence on the body,’ Erling told her.

Hope apparently still continuing to build, she said, ‘Kris was circumcised.’

‘So are many young men.’

‘And the bracelet and ring I told your sergeant about?’

Aware she was becoming increasingly convinced that it might not be Kris, Erling decided not to mention the remains of the leather bracelet, so he just shook his head.

Contemplating all of this, she seemed to suddenly register his mention of burn injuries.

‘Why was he burnt? You said he had serious burns on his head and shoulders. Why? Did he get caught up in the hill fire?’