Page 88 of The High Island

It didn’t work. If he had encountered her before, then he couldn’t match the girl from then with the image of her now.

Emerging from the vehicle, he asked Alan what he thought might have happened.

‘There’s no obvious evidence of an assault. But undoubtedly drink and drugs were involved.’ He nodded in the direction of the club. ‘That’s why they go there. That and the music. She may have wandered here and fallen in. But where were her mates? The lasses usually go about in groups.’

Giving him permission to take the body to the mortuary for examination, Erling now noted theSOCOteam had arrived and were working the area around the harbour. With luck they might spot the girl’s belongings somewhere along the edge or maybe in the water below.

It was first light now and the activity was drawing attention. Erling decided it would be better to get a full report fromDSGowan and Leo back at the station, but before he departed, he was keen to speak to the person who’d made the 999 call.

‘He’s expecting you,’DSGowan told him. ‘He’s back in his room. Didn’t want to be badgered by reporters or anyone else. MrJohnson’s on holiday from America. Didn’t expect to get caught up in a possible murder investigation.’

‘He said that?’ Erling asked.

Gowan shrugged. ‘He said if this happened inLA, it would likely be murder.’

Sending Gowan and the pastor back to the station for the debrief, Erling entered the hotel lobby, where he discovered some of the staff gathered, discussing the goings-on out front.

Explaining that an officer would be posted here to take statements in the adjacent dining room, he asked for Mr Johnson’s room number and headed upstairs.

The room had a fine view of the harbour, although Mr Johnson – Hal, he said to call him – was keeping well away from the window. After introducing himself, Erling asked the elderly American to describe what had happened.

‘I got up from bed to go to the bathroom and took a look out at the harbour. It’s lovely all lit up at night,’ he said, a catch in his throat. ‘I decided to take a photo and went for my phone. I was settling into a shot when the girl suddenly appeared around the corner from Bridge Street.’ He halted for a moment. ‘Her feet were bare, and she wasn’t wearing a coat.’ He hesitated. ‘I was about to take my picture, but I didn’t want her in it.’ He looked embarrassed by that.

‘And?’ Erling encouraged him.

‘It was then I realized there might be something wrong with her. She fell to her knees, then got up again and looked up at the building. That’s when I took the photo. Then she disappeared and I thought she’d likely gone down the walkway to the boats. That worried me because of the state she was in. That’s when I called 999.’

‘Did you go down there?’ Erling asked.

‘I tried, but I’m not good on the stairs and the lift wouldn’t come because someone hadn’t shut the gate properly further up. So I wasslow getting there. By then two men had appeared from Bridge Street – I pointed to where I’d seen the girl and they went down the walkway and pulled her out of the water.’

He sat down on the bed as though his legs wouldn’t support him any longer.

‘May I see the photo, Mr Johnson?’

The man handed over his mobile. ‘It’s a bit out of focus but you can just see the girl in it.’

Erling studied the image, which was undoubtedly that of the girl’s face looking up at the hotel. It was a face he didn’t recognize.

‘Did anyone else appear?’ Erling tried.

‘Not that I saw,’ Hal told him.

‘Was she carrying anything, a bag maybe?’

He looked as though he were trying to recall, then his face crumpled a little. ‘I’m sorry, I never noticed.’

Erling offered his thanks and, handing over his card, asked Mr Johnson if he could send him a copy of the photograph.

‘Of course, Inspector,’ he said willingly. ‘I’ll do that now.’

‘How long are you here for, Mr Johnson?’ Erling said as the photo pinged in.

‘I leave today.’ His expression suggested he was relieved about that.

‘Thank you for calling 999 so promptly,’ Erling said as they shook hands.

‘Your officer got here very quickly, the ambulance too,’ he added.