Page 72 of High Season
“I know,” she says. “Nic texted me.”
“Word gets round fast here,” Marie says. “People won’t be happy. When they realize she’s back.”
Hannah straightens.
“It’s her decision,” she says. “If she wants to make a rod for her own back, so be it.”
“Do you think you’ll go and see her?” Marie asks. “Do you think that you might want to… I don’t know. Talk to her? You girls used to be such good friends.”
Hannah swings a backpack onto her shoulder and turns to look her mother straight in the eye.
“Why would I do that?” she says. “Being friends with Josie Jackson almost ruined my life.”
NEW VIDEO
@TRUECRIMEFANGIRL_2002
POSTED TODAY AT 11:22
Hey, true crime girlies, and welcome back to a week in my mad life. Andwhata week it’s been. I mean, this has honestly probably been one of the craziest few days I’ve ever had. You might have spotted little ol’ me on actual national television yesterday, because yes, the mainstream media are getting on this bandwagon now, and my true crime baby is going big.
But first of all—have you guys noticed anything different? Anything at all? Well, take a look around, because I’m not in my usual spot. In fact, I’m not even in my usual country. That’s right, kiddos, I’m in Europe! Getting all continental up in here. And before you all come for me in the comments, yes, I know Europe isn’t a country, so let me be specific. I’m in the South of France, baby! In fact, I’m standing about a hundred meters away from where Tamara Drayton’s body was discovered. Because, yes, all the rumors are true, and I am out here to film a very exciting project. So watch this space!
But you guys know me, I’m not really about all that glitz and glamor, you know? I’m here for the true crime community, and bringing you guys the details that the media are scared to talk about is what I actually love doing. And I know a lot of you guys frickin’ loved my autopsy series that I did about a year ago—and yes, if you remember “Lacerations and Dead Girl Frustrations” then I know that you’re an OG follower. So I thought I’d throw it back and talk about Tamara Drayton’s autopsy today.
So Tamara Drayton didn’t actually die at the scene. Officially, hertime of death was recorded as 06:38, and she passed away in the hospital. Now, my real true crime junkies will know that things are a little more complicated if there’s been any hospital intervention between the victim being found and their actual death. It gets a little trickier to determine certain things. It can mess with the forensic evidence, and it can mean that some of the bruising and injuries on Tamara’s body could have been from the pretty invasive treatment she would have received as doctors tried to save her—I mean, have you ever seen anyone do CPR before? Because that shit is brutal. Not to mention that it means we have no idea when Tamara’s injuries were inflicted, or how long she was in the water for, because she didn’t die until hours later.
But what we do know is that the police were immediately suspicious. And guess who the first person that they wanted to question was? Yep, you got it. No other than Harrison Andreas, who everyone was pretty quick to point out hated his stepdaughter. We actually know that Harrison was interviewed multiple times by the police, but honestly, there were a lot of suspects’ names that got thrown into the mix at this stage. Pretty much everyone who was at that party had to answer for something.
That, of course, was before the police talked to Nina Drayton.
But here’s where things get really interesting. Tamara Drayton also had a number of injuries to her body. In fact, this was allegedly what made the police immediately want to investigate this as a homicide. In particular, she had what is described in the autopsy as a “catastrophic head injury.” And this lines up with the crime scene—forensics noticed that there was blood in the water and on the side of the pool. They use this to paint a picture of a fight that got out of hand—maybe Josie pushed Tamara into the water, or maybe they were already in the pool, and Josie grabbed her and smashed her head against the side of the pool? Tamara would then be incapacitated, at least momentarily. Potentially long enough for Josie to hold her under the water, and for Tamara to lose consciousness. It’s a pretty grim way to go, for sure, but it lines up with Nina Drayton’s story.
But that’s not all. Something that really grabbed my attention in the autopsy was that Tamara Drayton also had bruises on the left side of her body, and in particular, signs of recent soft tissue damage on her left ankle. Like a sprain, or a similar injury. Now, investigators are pretty quick to say that this fits with their theory. By the time the autopsy report comes back, Josie Jackson has already been arrested, and they say that these injuries could have been sustained from Tamara’s fight with Josie. But it just doesn’t seem to fit, you know? Like, would you really get bruises underwater? Wouldn’t the water actually slow the impact of something hitting you? And whoever heard of someone spraining their ankle in a pool?
Is it possible that the fight could have happened outside of the water—and if so, shouldn’t that totally change the police’s theory on how the crime happened? How do they even know that they’re looking for forensics in the right place?
And if the fight was really that intense then why do we not have any injuries recorded on Josie Jackson? She’s a pretty small girl. Could she really do that much damage in a fight?
Anyway, there’s so much in this autopsy that’s interesting, and I am going to link it. Have a read and let me know what you think. Did Josie Jackson actually beat the shit out of Tamara Drayton? Or is there something more going on here? Let me know in the comments!
Avalonsaccount: No way JJ could have beaten up TD like that. Deffo behind the accidental drowning theory. Maybe T couldn’t swim with a sprained ankle? Or wasn’t she a big druggie? Could have been on something?
JocelynV: ): You guys are seeing what you want to see. Broken ankle and head injury 100% aligns with the Josie Jackson = guilty theory
Crimeaddict82: Hellooo—this definitely points to murder to me, but there’s absolutely nothing to link the injuries to Josie Jackson!?
Leah_Drayton: I would say accident. Like, maybe she slipped, and hit her head on the side and couldn’t get out of the water? Except for that doesn’t explain the OTHER injuries. All of them together just makes me think someone MUST have done this to her. And honestly, Josie Jackson still seems like the best bet to me.
TWENTY-THREE
2024
The morning after the party, Nina goes out onto the terrace just as the sun is beginning to rise.
She has perhaps seen more sunrises this week than she has in the rest of her life put together. She has waited for each day to slide in with a sense of dread and anticipation. But today, she barely notices the mottled pink sky. She barely sees the light begin to warm the silver plains of the sea.
Today, Nina is thinking about her sister.
