branch where their joint account was held. They
would authorize the transfer of the money to their respective per-
sonal accounts. The appointment had been confirmed. Roy would
book his car service once more for the dash into London, have his
driver wait outside for the five minutes or so it would take. Then it would be in the car and back to Surrey. Dear old London, he would
think. His London, which had sustained him for all those years,
43
1ST_9780241206935_TheGoodLiar.indd 43
05/05/15 5:32 PM
even when he was away, waiting for him like a faithful but still glamorous girl. Even before he first came here. Little had he known that his fate would be determined mainly in this great city with its glis-tering silver artery, the Thames.
In the meantime Vincent would sign the letters that they had
drafted carefully months ago and send them to their post office
boxes, those grenades that would explode on the breakfast tables of Bernie, Dave, Martin and Bryn.
I’m sorry to inform you, they began. Sadly our Russian clients
appear to have been not entirely what they claimed . . . Unfortunate that we failed to discover this earlier . . . Have been confidentially informed of an Interpol investigation into their activities . . . Bank accounts being monitored, according to my sources . . . None of us
would want any involvement with criminality or anything remotely
improper . . . Our bank will remain rock solid in respect of client confidentiality . . . However, I suggest it would be prudent at present to remain well clear of the joint trading account . . . Need to maintain a low profile for a short period while the dust settles . . .
Took the unusual step of writing rather than ringing as thought this was the safest option in the circumstances . . . Probably sensible also not to retain this letter . . . Will call in the next couple of days, however, to confirm receipt . . . Love and kisses, V. Or words to that effect.
Roy and Vincent knew what would happen. Vincent, for form,
would call each of their numbers, his script before him. Each of the mobile telephones would have been cut off, the instruments
dropped as if on fire, as quickly as the post office box accounts
would have been closed. Each would be sitting in his luxury
detached, contemplating proceedings and a potential jail sentence.
The imperative would be to cut losses, not maximize profits or seek revenge. None would give the others a second thought but would
seethe at the loss of his nest egg and his impotence to do anything about it. These were not organized criminals but a bunch of
second- rate chancers with hardly an idea between them and no
resort to investigative or retributive resources. Their collective
44
1ST_9780241206935_TheGoodLiar.indd 44
05/05/15 5:32 PM
competence had resided in Roy alone. They might suspect Roy was
not dead, but even if they did there was little they could do. They had no networks other than their pals at their golf clubs or at the Rotary Club and still less could they approach the authorities.
Chapter over, thought Roy as he climbed into his car. Book
closed.
1ST_9780241206935_TheGoodLiar.indd 45
05/05/15 5:32 PM
Chapter Four
Academic Integrity
1
Stephen says, ‘It’s the proximity I find difficult.’
Gerald purses his lips and steeples his fingers. There is an audible intake of breath as he makes to speak but thinks better of it. He
must, Stephen supposes, be trying to find a softer way of saying it.
Most unlike Gerald, with all his affected asceticism, particularly
when both know, more or less, the thrust of what he will say next.
‘Proximity. What, precisely, do you mean by the word proxim-
ity?’ asks Gerald eventually, with evident difficulty.
Oh well, thinks Stephen, that’s as good as emollience from Ger-
ald: postponement.
‘It’s the getting so close,’ he says.
‘Hmm,’ says Gerald, and Stephen can see his impatience grow.
‘I’m not sure I needed a dictionary definition,
would authorize the transfer of the money to their respective per-
sonal accounts. The appointment had been confirmed. Roy would
book his car service once more for the dash into London, have his
driver wait outside for the five minutes or so it would take. Then it would be in the car and back to Surrey. Dear old London, he would
think. His London, which had sustained him for all those years,
43
1ST_9780241206935_TheGoodLiar.indd 43
05/05/15 5:32 PM
even when he was away, waiting for him like a faithful but still glamorous girl. Even before he first came here. Little had he known that his fate would be determined mainly in this great city with its glis-tering silver artery, the Thames.
In the meantime Vincent would sign the letters that they had
drafted carefully months ago and send them to their post office
boxes, those grenades that would explode on the breakfast tables of Bernie, Dave, Martin and Bryn.
I’m sorry to inform you, they began. Sadly our Russian clients
appear to have been not entirely what they claimed . . . Unfortunate that we failed to discover this earlier . . . Have been confidentially informed of an Interpol investigation into their activities . . . Bank accounts being monitored, according to my sources . . . None of us
would want any involvement with criminality or anything remotely
improper . . . Our bank will remain rock solid in respect of client confidentiality . . . However, I suggest it would be prudent at present to remain well clear of the joint trading account . . . Need to maintain a low profile for a short period while the dust settles . . .
Took the unusual step of writing rather than ringing as thought this was the safest option in the circumstances . . . Probably sensible also not to retain this letter . . . Will call in the next couple of days, however, to confirm receipt . . . Love and kisses, V. Or words to that effect.
Roy and Vincent knew what would happen. Vincent, for form,
would call each of their numbers, his script before him. Each of the mobile telephones would have been cut off, the instruments
dropped as if on fire, as quickly as the post office box accounts
would have been closed. Each would be sitting in his luxury
detached, contemplating proceedings and a potential jail sentence.
The imperative would be to cut losses, not maximize profits or seek revenge. None would give the others a second thought but would
seethe at the loss of his nest egg and his impotence to do anything about it. These were not organized criminals but a bunch of
second- rate chancers with hardly an idea between them and no
resort to investigative or retributive resources. Their collective
44
1ST_9780241206935_TheGoodLiar.indd 44
05/05/15 5:32 PM
competence had resided in Roy alone. They might suspect Roy was
not dead, but even if they did there was little they could do. They had no networks other than their pals at their golf clubs or at the Rotary Club and still less could they approach the authorities.
Chapter over, thought Roy as he climbed into his car. Book
closed.
1ST_9780241206935_TheGoodLiar.indd 45
05/05/15 5:32 PM
Chapter Four
Academic Integrity
1
Stephen says, ‘It’s the proximity I find difficult.’
Gerald purses his lips and steeples his fingers. There is an audible intake of breath as he makes to speak but thinks better of it. He
must, Stephen supposes, be trying to find a softer way of saying it.
Most unlike Gerald, with all his affected asceticism, particularly
when both know, more or less, the thrust of what he will say next.
‘Proximity. What, precisely, do you mean by the word proxim-
ity?’ asks Gerald eventually, with evident difficulty.
Oh well, thinks Stephen, that’s as good as emollience from Ger-
ald: postponement.
‘It’s the getting so close,’ he says.
‘Hmm,’ says Gerald, and Stephen can see his impatience grow.
‘I’m not sure I needed a dictionary definition,
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