grateful if the señora would confirm that she has never met anyone of that name.â
After a moment, she said, in a low voice: âNo, I havenât.â
âHave you ever met a man called Albert Sheard?â
âNo.â
It had been a much stronger denial.
âWho is Sheard?â Clough asked. âWas he also aboard the boat and has disappeared, to be presumed drowned?â
âLast night he was riding a Vespa when he was knocked down by a car and died from his injuries.â
âVery soon, youâll have my wife inconsolable!â
âItâs all so terrible,â she said.
Her words had lacked emotion; it was as if they had been spoken to her husbandâs cue. âSeñor, did you know Albert Sheard?â
âNo. Have you the slightest reason for thinking either of us might have done?â
âHe and Señor Lewis were friends.â
âHardly of consequence in the present context.â
âSeñor Sheardâs crash occurred on the road between Port Llueso and Torret.â
âSo?â
âIt is one of the two routes one would take to reach here.â
âYou are trying to say he may have been coming here?â
âIt seems a possibility.â
âOnly by stretching the laws of possibilities to breaking point. Tell me, do you pursue your logic to its logical conclusion? Is every person who was on that road, and on the alternative one, to be considered a potential visitor to Son Preda?â
âOnly if that person had a reason for meeting you.â
âI am intrigued. What are you now going to suggest was Sheardâs reason for meeting me, a complete stranger?â
âIâm not certain. But it may have had a connection with the money you withdrew.â
âAh, yes! Your concern just before my wife came in.â Clough turned to Vera. âThe inspector has been showing considerable interest in our financial affairs, to the extent of persuading the bank to divulge details of our account. It seems my withdrawal of a million pesetas a fortnight ago troubles him. From his inability to judge a wifeâs capacity to spend, itâs my guess heâs not married.â He turned back. âAre you, in fact, married?â
âNo, señor.â
âYour incomprehension becomes comprehensible. I will explain. Some little time ago, we were invited to stay in the near future with friends for whom form is all-important. My wife normally dresses without fuss or frills, but there are occasions when she has to accept the necessity of doing otherwise and this will be one such. So that is why I have had to rediscover the fact that a couple of dresses can cost as much as a manâs entire wardrobe.â
Alvarez asked her: âYou have bought some dresses on the island, señora?â
She looked to her husband.
He said: âWhenever my wife needs something special to wear, she has it made by a dressmaker in England.â
âAre you saying that the million pesetas was needed to pay this dressmaker?â
âIndeed.â
âEven though she works in England and one would expect her to be paid in pounds?â
âCorrect again.â
âWould you be kind enough to show me her receipt.â Alvarez did not miss the sudden look of consternation on Veraâs face.
Clough showed no such concern. âYour justification for the request?â
âThe receipt would confirm what youâve just told me.â
âYou need confirmation?â
âRegretfully, in my job I have to seek confirmation of everything I am told.â
âSeek but, presumably, do not always find?â
âMay I see the receipt?â
âI have to disappoint you.â
âWhy?â
âBasically, because the dressmaker is a talented woman of much common sense â the two, of course, do not always go together.â
âI donât understand.â
âShe is employed by one of