An Enigmatic Disappearance by Roderic Jeffries

looked different, in slight, subtle ways. But a trained observer knew to concentrate on those features which could not be altered by mere style, and he had noted, with no specific reason for doing so at the time, the way in which Sabrina’s ears were set higher than normal and possessed what was called a Darwinian tubercle, a slight bump on the outside at the top. Belinda’s ears were similarly positioned and shaped. ‘I think the two women are the same.’
    â€˜Then we can fill in some of the details. Belinda went to Paris and, to the prearranged plan, sent him the letter. Later, she moved to Spain and arranged for a false death certificate. Ogden claimed on her insurance policy and once the money was paid, left England, no doubt saying the country held too many bitter memories for him. They met up again and moved to this island. He’d carefully told none of his friends where they were living, but as there had to be the hundred to one chance that they’d eventually run into someone they knew, she changed her appearance as far as that was reasonably possible so that she could just shrug her shoulders and say that everyone has a lookalike somewhere.
    â€˜Once settled here, she continued to demand a life of expensive luxury. Ogden realized that if things continued as they were going, it wouldn’t be all that long before money once more became a real problem, yet even then he couldn’t bring himself to try to curb her spending and sought another way of solving the problem.
    â€˜He decided to work the insurance scam for a second time. He took out a policy on her life with a different company from the previous one, waited for as long as he reckoned was essential, then arranged her disappearance.
    â€˜By analogy, the future’s predictable. He’ll receive a letter to say she’s with another man, which is a clever move because the new relationship means that he will have no apparent contact with her and no control over her actions. Then, after a month or two, there’ll be a note from Dick, Dave, or Ted, to say she’s died in an accident. A death certificate will still any doubts there might be … Does that sound feasible?’
    â€˜Very much so.’
    â€˜Of course, there is something which on the face of things makes nonsense of everything I’ve said. The Spanish authorities validated Belinda’s death certificate…’ He became silent.
    â€˜You are wondering if there has been corruption?’
    â€˜And as a visitor, that is a very insulting thing to do.’
    â€˜To some extent, your job is like mine – it continually calls on us to insult by suspicion,’ Alvarez said sadly. ‘If Belinda and Sabrina are the same person, then of course the death certificate was obtained by corruption. It has to be the doctor and probably the undertaker as well, since they are directly involved; but probably not the bureaucrats since they merely accept the facts they’re given and then legalize them by recording them.’
    â€˜Sadly, in every profession in every country there is always someone ready to let the side down,’ Maitland said, trying to lessen the sense of resentful shame Alvarez might be feeling. He drank most of what was left in his glass. ‘Ogden’s plan must be to leave the island once the money’s paid and to join her in another part of the world. Possibly, even now he’s thinking about the chance of a third fraud, convinced he’s hit on the perfect way to make a living.’
    â€˜There is perhaps an ironic twist to events this time.’
    â€˜In what way?’
    â€˜Before you told me all this, I judged he was scared she really had gone off with another man.’
    â€˜That could be her undeclared price for taking part in the fraud and he’s had to accept the fact, even while trying to deny it to himself. Maybe there really was a Jim. Maybe there have been lots of Jims because Ogden can