‘The call to the bank came from this hotel, right?’ he said.

‘So?’

‘So,’ Graham answered, ‘we’re in the hotel already. Let’s see if any of the staff remember seeing David.’

They spent the next several hours interviewing the staff. Most were not even on duty on that fateful day in June; others did not recognize the man in the photograph.

‘Now what?’ Laura asked.

Graham thought a moment. ‘Let’s go to the bar on the second floor.’

‘You think the bartender might have seen him?’

‘Very doubtful,’ the sheriff replied. ‘I was thinking more along the lines of having a drink. Man is not a camel, you know.’

She followed him up the stairs. They sat on stools and waited for the barmaid to serve them. Laura looked at the woman behind the bar. She was young, not more than twenty-three or twenty-four. Very attractive in an Ivory Soap girl sort of way. Outdoorsy-looking. Well-toned body and long, auburn hair. The color of her hair reminded Laura of her aunt Judy.

‘What can I get ya?’ she asked Graham.

‘A couple of Four Xs.’

‘Coming right up.’

Laura nudged Graham. ‘Four X?’

‘It’s a local beer. You like beer, don’t you?’

She nodded. ‘What do we do next, Graham?’

‘Not sure yet. If no one recognizes him then it could be your banker Corsel was right. Someone disguised David’s voice and called from here. The question is, who?’

The pretty bartender came back with two huge mugs filled with Four X beer, the foam spilling over the sides. ‘Here you go.’

‘Thanks, luv.’ Graham took a sip. ‘Mind if I ask you a question?’

‘Not at all,’ the bartender said. ‘What can I do for you?’

Graham tossed the photograph toward her. ‘Have you ever seen this man? He may have been in the hotel sometime in June.’

‘June, you say? No, can’t say I recognize him. Has he done something wrong? He’s awful handsome for a criminal.’

Graham took back the picture. ‘No, nothing wrong. We just need to know if he was in the hotel.’

‘Handsome man,’ she repeated. ‘What’s his name?’

‘David Baskin.’

‘The basketball player who drowned up the coast?’

Graham nodded. ‘This is his widow, Laura.’

‘I’m so sorry, ma’am. Really I am.’

‘Thank you,’ Laura said.

‘But if you have any questions about him being here you oughta ask my Billy.’

‘Who is Billy?’ Graham asked.

‘My beau. He’s a big fan of American basketball. He watches it on the telly every week and once he starts watching, a crocodile gnawing at his leg can’t get his attention.’

‘And he saw Mr Baskin?’

‘That’s what he said,’ the bartender continued. ‘I didn’t believe him at first. I mean, what would a basketball star be doing here? I said, “Billy, you’re just making it up.” So he says, “Oh, yeah,” and hands me an autograph he got. Then I believed him.’

‘Where is Billy now?’

The bartender checked the clock behind her. ‘Should be arriving any minute now. He’s a bellboy. You should be able to find him in the front lobby. Tall, skinny guy.’

Laura had already tossed money on the bar and was walking out of the bar when Graham thanked the girl and joined her.

‘Billy?’

The tall, gangly youngster spun toward Graham’s voice. He was as skinny as a poster child and Laura wondered where he found the strength to lug suitcases. He was an average-looking boy, red-faced from the sun and covered with the last remnants of what must have been bad acne. ‘Yes?’

‘Billy, my name is Sheriff Rowe. I’d like to ask you a few questions.’

The boy’s eyes darted about the lobby. ‘Have I done something wrong, Sheriff?’

‘No, son. I just need to ask you a few questions about David Baskin.’

‘David Baskin? What can I…? Wait a minute. You’re Laura Ayars, aren’t you?’

‘Yes, I am.’

‘You’re even prettier in person than on the telly. I know all about you. I was your husband’s biggest fan – well, his biggest fan in Australia anyway.’

‘Billy,’ Graham said, ‘did you see Mr Baskin in this hotel?’

‘Sure did.’

‘When?’

‘On the day he died. He came right through these doors.’

‘You’re sure?’

Billy nodded. ‘I got his autograph to prove it. He was a very nice fellow. I saw him come in and head straight for the elevator. I couldn’t believe it. I mean, the David Baskin right here in this hotel. I play a little basketball myself but there was no one like White Lightning. Nobody. He was the greatest. So I sprinted over to the reception desk and grabbed a pen and piece of paper and asked him for his autograph. He said, “Sure, kid. What’s your name?” I told him and then he signed it for me. He even scribbled the date.’

Laura’s heart sank deep into her stomach. Whenever David had the time, he liked to put the date with his autograph because he read somewhere that it made it worth more to true collectors.

‘Then what happened?’ Graham asked.

‘Like I said, he got in the elevator and went up. Didn’t say a word to anybody else. He was nice and everything, but I could tell he was distracted.’

‘What makes you say that?’

‘I don’t know. He just looked like he was in a trance or something.’

‘Did you see him leave?’

‘Not exactly.’

‘What do you mean?’

Behind Billy, a group of tourists charged in noisily after a full day boat trip to Green Island. ‘While Mr Baskin was upstairs, I was working up the courage to talk to him when he came back down. I wanted to tell him that I thought he was the greatest basketball player in the world and that I loved watching him play. When he came down about an hour later, I was all psyched up to talk to him – until I saw his face.’

‘What was wrong with his face?’ Graham asked.

Billy shrugged. ‘Can’t say exactly. He was awful pale. That distracted face I was telling you about now looked pained – like somebody had danced on his guts with spiked heels. Or like he had just been told he has two months to live or something. I never seen such a change. He could barely walk when he got out of the elevator. I have to tell you, Sheriff, it was kind of scary.’

Laura felt her pulse quicken. What had happened to David when he went upstairs? Had the bastards drugged him or beaten him or threatened him or… or what? What could they have done to make her David react like this?

‘Then what happened?’

‘Well, I walked up to him and I said, “Are you okay, Mr Baskin?” but he didn’t answer me. He just kept walking in a daze like a two-by-four had connected with the side of his head or something. I figured it was none of my business and I didn’t want to get in trouble for bothering him so I just left him alone.’

‘Did he leave the hotel?’

Billy scratched his head. ‘That’s the odd part. He wandered out and stumbled around the block a few times. He walked that way down the Esplanade. I watched him until he disappeared past that office building.’

Laura swallowed. ‘What office building?’

‘The one on the next block.’

‘The Peterson building?’

‘Yeah, that’s the one,’ Billy confirmed. ‘Anyway, a while later – I don’t know, maybe a half-hour – he came staggering back into the hotel.’

‘Did he go back up the elevator?’ Graham asked.

Billy shook his head. ‘He just wandered around some more. Then he asked me where the nearest phone was. I showed him.’

‘A pay phone?’

‘No. He said he needed to call the States. I brought him to one of the hotel operators to place the call.’

‘Who was the operator?’

‘Old Maggie. She died last month. She must have been two hundred years old.’

‘What time was it by now?’

‘Let’s see. It must have been close to ten at night, I guess.’

‘Then what?’

Billy took a deep breath. ‘He finished his calls – ’

‘Calls?’ Laura interrupted.

‘Yeah, well, I wasn’t listening in but I know he made at least two calls. I don’t know if both connected or not. Anyway, he finished his calls and then he started doing his zombie bit in the lobby again. I was beginning to think this was all a little strange by now, but like I said, it was none of my business. He took off around ten thirty.’