I can understand that they didn't want to attract more attention than necessary, but what light were they actually trying to work from that night before someone eventually found a flashlight / torch?
How long had Eddie been in work mode by that time? Grime looks quite exhausted by then as well.
Something did seem to be of interest to Eddie, but his single barks seem in contrast to other occasions of multiple barks in quick succession.
Was the interest in the balcony a smell coming up from garden level that he couldn't quite pinpoint? If so, he showed interest at ground level, but again only isolated single barks.
Could he have been too tired at that point?
Were he and Keela taken back the next day?
If there had been any sign of digging in that small garden bed, wouldn't it have been noticeable?
If someone had dug up a mature climbing plant to bury something, wouldn't the bush have shown signs of ill health?
Was a crawl space or some kind of drain ever excluded?
If patio windows had been opened on occasion (almost certainly during summer lets), could whatever was in the garden bed have wafted up and accumulated in the flat?
Was a ground soil analysis ever done?
Lots of questions... few answers.
Risible that they filmed in the dark without proper lighting.
Agreed that Martin Grime looked Exhausted.
The garden was searched and not I imagine for the first time that night as it was the logical place to check for a child who might have wakened and wandered ...
**Snip
One hour into the search by holiday makers of the hotel and surrounding areas, about 23.00 hrs, Mr McKenzie approached the McCann's apartment from the bushes at the rear of the apartment.
He was searching the gardens. He did not know it was the McCann's apartment.
He saw Mr Gerry McCann standing alone in the doorway at the rear of the apartment talking on his mobile telephone.
Mr McCann was looking our over the swimming pool and did not see Mr McKenzie.
Mr McCann was absolutely distraught ...
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/GRAHAM-MCKENZIE.htmAs far as the construction of the flats is concerned I imagine being built on such a slope there would be a necessity for it to be well anchored.
All I could find about the foundation of such buildings was as follows ... and whether applicable to Praia da Luz I have no idea.
**snip
Construction of flats in Quinta de São Mateus Dafundo, Lisbon, Portugal
It was necessary to provide a gallery within the basements of flats to ensure access for restressing of the anchors in the future. Twenty-five load cells were also installed to monitor the actual load of the DYWIDAG Strand Anchors.
https://www.dywidag-systems.at/en/projects/project-details/article/quinta-de-saeo-mateus-dafundo-lisbon-portugal.htmlI would imagine that there would also be access for the maintenance of other services.