Dead Clever Read Free

plane flew from this island and disappeared into the sea.’
    ‘Then I’ll set the scene. I’m what’s called a loss adjuster, which means I’m called in when a claim is made against an insurance company and they have their doubts about the genuineness of the claim; it’s my job to find out if their doubts are justified. Almost certainly, you have the same kind of set-up here?’
    ‘Indeed, but not for very long since it is only recently that the ordinary person has owned anything worth insuring.’ Alvarez chuckled. ‘And now when we wish to describe someone who is really simple, we say that he is a man who forgets to check that his insurance is up to date before he sets fire to his house.’
    The waiter brought their first course—sopas Mallorquinas for Alvarez and grilled gambas for Ware.
    ‘I’ve been dreaming of these,’ said Ware, as he picked up the first of the six very large prawns. He pulled the head away, stripped off the legs and shell, popped the meat into his mouth. ‘As delicious as I’ve been imagining, so don’t ever tell me that dreams don’t come true. I daren’t tell Heather I’ve had these or she’ll divorce me for cruelty . . . To return to essentials. The twin-engined Fleche which flew from this island and crashed into the sea was piloted by a man called Timothy Green who had a life policy with the Crown and Life Insurance Company; it’s they who’ve called me in.
    ‘The policy was first taken out just about three years ago and Green declared, as bound to do, that he held a pilot’s licence and from time to time flew himself about the world. Obviously, the premium charged took account of this additional risk and the policy contained the standard clause that it would only be valid if, in the event of any accident while piloting an aircraft, he held a current licence.’
    Ware was silent as he ate a couple more prawns. Noticing that Alvarez’s glass was almost empty, he refilled it, and his own, from the bottle of Bach. ‘At the end of the first year, Green asked that the capital sum assured be increased by roughly the rate at which inflation was running. Since this was no more than prudent financial management on his part, the increase was granted without any further questions. The same thing happened at the end of the second year. Then, just over a fortnight ago—which is a few weeks short of when, if the sequence had been observed, Green would have been making another application to raise the sum assured by the rate of inflation—he telephoned to say that he wanted to double the amount. Naturally, a rise of this magnitude—and we’re now talking about half a million —wasn’t automatically granted and he was referred to a senior employee who tactfully explained that when so large an increase was sought, it was company practice to ask the policy holder to come to the office for a chat and possibly to undergo a fresh medical check—in other words, the company wanted to judge whether everything was still in order. Green claimed this was impossible because of his business commitments which included an imminent trip abroad, but that he had to have the increased insurance because he was soon marrying again and he wanted to be certain that his wife would be financially secure if anything unfortunate happened to him. The manager was sympathetic but inflexible; until Green came to the office and talked things over, nothing more could be done. Green began to argue and, according to the manager, became obnoxiously abusive.’
    Ware refilled their glasses. ‘Drink up so that we can kill this bottle and have another.’ He smiled. ‘Ordering a second bottle of wine without nervously consulting my wallet always convinces me I really am in Spain!’
    They finished their first course. As the waiter cleared the plates, Ware turned to Alvarez. ‘D’you object to smoking between courses?’
    ‘On the contrary.’
    ‘A man after my own heart!’ He brought a pack of cigarettes from his