Josie’s Swim

Josie gazed upwards as she lay floating languidly, the water felt pleasantly cool against her skin and she had never seen the sky look so vividly blue, not a cloud in sight. The water lapped gently as she curled her fingers through it. It had been so hot up in the hotel courtyard and the ocean looked so inviting that she had decided to take a swim while she waited for her friend Peter to arrive. Turning slowly onto her stomach, Josie swam slowly back to the beach, it seemed almost effortless, the gentle lapping of the waves carrying her forward.

She walked up the beach and sat a while on the shingle, it was quite warm from the sun, and as she looked down at the wet pebbles she noticed a large piece of amber. When she had been a small child, she had spent her first holiday here with her parents and one of the local fishermen had taught her how to search for amber and agate, how to recognise them, and he had also shown her how to cut and polish the amber. Over the years she had gathered quite a collection and had cut, polished and turned it into jewellery for herself, her mother and her friends. Even her dad had a tie tack and cufflinks that she had made for him. Josie picked up the amber and got to her feet, looking at her watch she realised it was nearly 3.15pm, she had not meant to stay so long. Peter was due at 4.00pm, in time for an early tea, and she wanted to be dressed and looking her best when he arrived.

Josie started up the steep path to the beach top hotel, she felt so relaxed and peaceful, even the climb didn’t bother her, for even at her young age it usually winded her. Reaching the top of the cliff she turned and looked back at the ocean, it sparkled and shimmered in the sunlight. She noticed a small group of people down on the beach and wondered where they had come from, they hadn’t been there when she set off up the pathway. One of them turned and looked up in her direction, she recognised him as one of the young men from the village and waved to him. He turned away without returning her greeting and started to walk away down the beach towards the little fishing village.

Turning back to the path along the cliff she started walking towards the hotel, looking up towards her own room she saw a figure on the balcony, waving to her, Josie felt her heart leap and waved back excitedly, quickening her pace. She had almost reached the courtyard when she saw Connie walking towards her. Connie was the new receptionist and she had only started working at the hotel just yesterday. Connie stopped her and said ‘hello, I have been looking for you, I have a message for you, from Peter, he is delayed but should be here by 5.30pm.’ Then she asked what the water was like. ‘Lovely’ Josie replied.

‘I didn’t really want to leave but I have to have a shower and get ready for Peter, and my mother is waiting for me.’ She looked up at her balcony again and waved at the waiting figure. Connie turned and looked, then said ‘I would love to have a short swim before tea, it is so hot, but I am working until 6pm, see you later, bye.’

o o o o o

Inspector Griffiths approached reception and asked if a Miss Josie Lewis was a guest. ‘Why yes’ Connie replied, ‘in fact, I was just calling her room to let her know that her friend Peter has arrived, but she is not answering, she may be taking a shower.’

‘Where is this friend Peter?’ The inspector asked.

‘Right here, who are you?’

‘My name is Inspector Griffith, with the local constabulary, I am afraid I have some bad news, you had better sit down sir.’

‘What is it.’ Peter sounded alarmed.

‘The body of a young woman was found washed up on the beach by a group of young people from the village who had gone for a walk along the beach. We believe it is Josie sir.’

‘But, that’s not possible, it can’t be Josie, I saw her when she came back up to the hotel. She told me she wanted to have a shower and get ready for Peter, and that she had to meet her mother, she waved to her and I saw her waiting on the balcony.’ ‘I gave Josie the message from her friend here.’

‘What time was that miss?’

‘It was about 3.40pm and she was just fine.’

‘Her watch had stopped at 3.15pm, about the time we believe she drowned miss, the glass was broken, and she was clutching a piece of amber in her hand, probably from trying to pull herself out of the water onto the shingle. The beach shelves steeply just a few yards out and there is a treacherous undercurrent just off the beach here. I am so sorry sir.’

Peter had sat down, looking white and shaken. He looked up at the Inspector and Connie and said ‘Josie’s mother died seven years ago in a road accident, when Josie was just 15 years old.’

Connie clung to the desk, trembling, and whispered ‘But …. I saw her, I saw them both ………..’