change to come out here to live?’
‘Ain’t that what I’ve been saying?’
‘You were lucky he could give up his job and not have to worry about getting another?’
‘Lucky? With him around?’
‘I am very sorry. I meant, he must have been left a lot of money.’
‘His relatives were all like him. Earn a quid and spend two. There’s not one of ‘em left anything but debts.’
‘But it must have cost a lot to buy this house?’
‘That’s no lie.’
‘Then did he win money in England?’
‘He followed the horses, but if he backed one it either retired or came in after the beginning of the next race.’
‘Then where did all the money come from, señora?’
‘What the hell business of yours is that?’
‘I’m sorry, but this is an official investigation and I need to know.’
‘Oh, Christ!’ She stood. ‘I need a drink.’
After she’d left, he visually examined the room again. Together, the furniture and furnishings became garish because they’d been chosen with so little taste, but individually they were of good quality and must have been expensive. The three-piece suite was large and covered in a rich leather, as were the additional matching armchairs: there was an elaborately inlaid desk: the occasional tables were of olive with beautiful graining, such as one seldom saw these days: the bow-fronted display cabinet was filled with intricately carved objects in, probably, ivory: the two large oval carpets were Chinese. The large colour television and video were in a custom-built stand which also housed a large number of tapes. On the other side of the room was a music centre and although he knew little about them, this had the air of being a very good one. A brief and probably very conservative estimate suggested that to buy and furnish this house must have cost around forty million pesetas. Yet before they’d left England, Allen and his wife had lived in a small house and his job could not have been a particularly well paid one.
She returned with two glasses, and without asking him what he wanted, handed him one. She returned to her chair.
‘Señora, I regret that I must ask you some more questions.’
She drank. ‘Why?’ she demanded suddenly and stridently. ‘He’s dead, isn’t he? What’s there to question about that?’
‘Was he happy living here?’
‘He was. Didn’t matter to him that I wasn’t.’
‘Do you know why he decided to live here?’
‘Liked it so much when he came out on holiday before we were married. Said the diving was so wonderful because the water was clear. Diving! There’s more to life than bloody diving.’
‘What kind of diving?’
‘With air tanks and a mask. Couldn’t stop talking about all the fish he saw. Maybe he thought he was taking over from Jacques Cousteau.’
‘I was told he was a very strong swimmer?’
‘He had to be good at something apart from drinking, didn’t he?’
‘Had he been drinking before he went swimming on Monday morning?’
‘Give it a break. He was out of the house by half past six. He was a boozer, but he hadn’t got round yet to starting that early.’
‘And you’re quite certain he hadn’t complained of feeling ill?’
‘He was never ill. Couldn’t understand it when I felt like death warmed up.’ She finished her drink and stood. ‘Let’s have your glass for the other half.’
‘I haven’t finished, thank you.’
‘Not like him, are you? Five seconds after you gave him a glass it was empty.’
She left, walking with sufficient care to confirm that this wasn’t her first drink of the day. He stared through the nearest picture window. Sad to realize, he thought, that she had had so much and yet enjoyed so little.
She returned.
‘Señora, when will you be returning to England?’
Just as soon as I’ve sold this place.’
‘Is there very much business to decide before you go?’
‘I don’t know what you’re on about?’
‘There must be a great deal to arrange with
‘Ain’t that what I’ve been saying?’
‘You were lucky he could give up his job and not have to worry about getting another?’
‘Lucky? With him around?’
‘I am very sorry. I meant, he must have been left a lot of money.’
‘His relatives were all like him. Earn a quid and spend two. There’s not one of ‘em left anything but debts.’
‘But it must have cost a lot to buy this house?’
‘That’s no lie.’
‘Then did he win money in England?’
‘He followed the horses, but if he backed one it either retired or came in after the beginning of the next race.’
‘Then where did all the money come from, señora?’
‘What the hell business of yours is that?’
‘I’m sorry, but this is an official investigation and I need to know.’
‘Oh, Christ!’ She stood. ‘I need a drink.’
After she’d left, he visually examined the room again. Together, the furniture and furnishings became garish because they’d been chosen with so little taste, but individually they were of good quality and must have been expensive. The three-piece suite was large and covered in a rich leather, as were the additional matching armchairs: there was an elaborately inlaid desk: the occasional tables were of olive with beautiful graining, such as one seldom saw these days: the bow-fronted display cabinet was filled with intricately carved objects in, probably, ivory: the two large oval carpets were Chinese. The large colour television and video were in a custom-built stand which also housed a large number of tapes. On the other side of the room was a music centre and although he knew little about them, this had the air of being a very good one. A brief and probably very conservative estimate suggested that to buy and furnish this house must have cost around forty million pesetas. Yet before they’d left England, Allen and his wife had lived in a small house and his job could not have been a particularly well paid one.
She returned with two glasses, and without asking him what he wanted, handed him one. She returned to her chair.
‘Señora, I regret that I must ask you some more questions.’
She drank. ‘Why?’ she demanded suddenly and stridently. ‘He’s dead, isn’t he? What’s there to question about that?’
‘Was he happy living here?’
‘He was. Didn’t matter to him that I wasn’t.’
‘Do you know why he decided to live here?’
‘Liked it so much when he came out on holiday before we were married. Said the diving was so wonderful because the water was clear. Diving! There’s more to life than bloody diving.’
‘What kind of diving?’
‘With air tanks and a mask. Couldn’t stop talking about all the fish he saw. Maybe he thought he was taking over from Jacques Cousteau.’
‘I was told he was a very strong swimmer?’
‘He had to be good at something apart from drinking, didn’t he?’
‘Had he been drinking before he went swimming on Monday morning?’
‘Give it a break. He was out of the house by half past six. He was a boozer, but he hadn’t got round yet to starting that early.’
‘And you’re quite certain he hadn’t complained of feeling ill?’
‘He was never ill. Couldn’t understand it when I felt like death warmed up.’ She finished her drink and stood. ‘Let’s have your glass for the other half.’
‘I haven’t finished, thank you.’
‘Not like him, are you? Five seconds after you gave him a glass it was empty.’
She left, walking with sufficient care to confirm that this wasn’t her first drink of the day. He stared through the nearest picture window. Sad to realize, he thought, that she had had so much and yet enjoyed so little.
She returned.
‘Señora, when will you be returning to England?’
Just as soon as I’ve sold this place.’
‘Is there very much business to decide before you go?’
‘I don’t know what you’re on about?’
‘There must be a great deal to arrange with
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