‘But if that’s what happened then why were her glasses so far away from there?’ Abbott asked.

Coppell nodded. ‘That’s a good point. One possible explanation is that she suffered a blow to the face or head before she hit the post. If so, the question is how did she get from this end of the jetty to the other? Was it under her own steam or was she dragged there and pushed onto the post before being shoved into the water?’

James felt the blood stir inside him, a hot flush through his veins. The more he learned about this case the more unsettling it became. And that was before they’d even drawn up a list of potential suspects.

‘If our victim is in the water then she might well have sunk to the bottom by now,’ Coppell said. ‘But the lake is quite shallow at this point so it shouldn’t take the divers long to locate her. However, I expect she would have floated for a while and could have drifted out or some way along the shoreline. The sooner a proper search can get under way the better.’

‘Well, keep me posted on any further developments,’ James told him. ‘I need to go and talk to the sister and parents and try to get to the bottom of why she came down here during the reception and who might have been with her.’

As Coppell stepped back over the police tape onto the jetty, James asked Abbott to check on the progress of the search and rescue team and to find out if more officers could be sent to the hotel.

‘I expect Control will tell you that resources are already being stretched to breaking point,’ he added. ‘It is New Year’s Eve, after all, and we’re not far off midnight.’

Abbott took out her phone and started tapping at the screen as she followed James back to where the hotel manager was waiting.

By the time they re-entered the hotel, James had learned from Abbott that two additional patrols had already arrived and the search and rescue team were only minutes away. She was still waiting to hear if more officers could be made available.

It was less busy now in the reception area and one of the uniforms explained to them that most of the guests were gathered in the Garden Room where Greg Murphy was speaking to them.

‘You go and let them know that I’ll come and talk to them as soon as I’ve spoken to the family,’ he told Abbott. ‘I want to make it clear to them that we will need to speak to everyone individually and that as yet we’re not sure what we’re dealing with. They should be prepared to stay in the hotel until they’ve been granted permission to leave.’

He turned to Miss Cornwall. ‘After you’ve shown me to the bridal suite, I’d like you to print off the details of all the guests and every member of staff. Did the wedding photographer come as part of the package?’