The run-through of the distillery guests’ witness statements had been depressingly repetitive. Like the Groths and their children, they all agreed it had been a great party. Sure, people had got drunk, but it was New Year’s Eve and the Groths had spared no expense. Gabriel Stuub was the only one who had made trouble. Luckily, Jens Groth and Bergvall had handled him. Two people claimed to have seen Gabriel shuffle off in the direction of the hotel and assumed he was planning to hit the hay. Then everyone had turned around to watch the fireworks and they all agreed it had been a spectacular display. The Groths really had gone all out. And no, no one had seen Gabriel Stuub after he left the party.

Ingemar Bergvall had admitted to being pretty rough when he dragged Gabriel away from the fireworks. Yes, he had pushed him into the snow near the warehouse and told him to go fuck himself. But then he’d had gone straight back to join to the others, a claim that was backed up by at least two people.

A single guest, the wife of one of the warehouse workers, said she’d seen Gabriel after the firework display started. Lyanna Drage, a nurse, had turned around a few times to look for Gabriel. Because although he’d been on his feet, if noticeably unsteady, she hadn’t felt confident he’d make it all the way to the hotel by himself. If nothing else, he might slip and fall in the snow. That was why Lyanna Drage had been somewhat reassured to see him turn off toward the warehouse just as the first fireworks exploded overhead. Better that he stay nearby, she’d reasoned, drunk and troublesome though he was. Then she had turned back to the fireworks and she hadn’t seen him again.

‘So the question is: where did he go after the altercation and who did he meet there? Because he did meet someone, that much we know. Which means at least one of these people is lying,’ Karen had summed up, noticing Röse’s lips twitching out of the corner of her eye.

‘Sure, unless the killer wasn’t one of the guests,’ he’d countered. ‘How do you know it wasn’t someone else entirely? Anyone could have got in to Groth’s without anyone there noticing.’

‘That’s true, of course,’ Karen had replied, forcing herself to stay calm. ‘But before we bring everyone on the island in for questioning, I suggest we focus on the ones we know were at the crime scene. Pretty much everyone had an opportunity; the question is, who had a motive?’

*