‘When he left her that money he might as well have pushed a red button telling the IRS there was an American cash cow in the next field. She wasn’t filing US tax returns and she wasn’t reporting her offshore accounts, so she was breaking multiple US laws.’

‘But she was a social worker. She wasn’t a sex trafficker or a terrorist hiding money.’

‘She didn’t even know she was a US citizen until the IRS got in touch. Had no idea she needed to obey our tax laws. But boy did they ever go after her. It took me by surprise.’

It doesn’t take me by surprise at all. I am betting Jane would never have been on the IRS’s radar if the Maxines of this world hadn’t put her there. The US taxes were merely a weapon they used against her, because of her missing brother and his Snowden-esque secrets.

‘Incidentally. Jane put two million in a joint savings account with Zac that she failed to report to the US Treasury, so the tax compliance problems affected him too.’

I remember Milly’s astonishment that Zac never pressurised me into making our accounts joint. She couldn’t fathom why he would bypass such a sure way of getting even more control over me. Now I understand.

‘I’ve seen this stuff break up marriages,’ Albert says. ‘You won’t be surprised if I tell you Zac was pretty enraged. They were on vacation in Ireland. Apparently his temper got the better of him. He was violent. Jane ran away, along with most of her funds.’

‘Do you think Zac knew where the money went?’

‘No way. Plus, Jane left the joint account alone – I had Zac make it over to the IRS. He also undertook to pay the capital gains tax on his house in Yorkshire, once he sells it – did I mention that he put Jane’s name on the deed, so Uncle Sam gets a piece of that too?’

‘No.’ I see now why Jane had to flee and go into hiding, but Zac didn’t. There was no clear evidence of their involvement with Frederick, but there was irrefutable evidence of tax crime against Jane that they could use as a convenient excuse to pursue and pressurise her.

Albert sighs. ‘It’s all so sad. I ought to let Zac know you got in touch, but I won’t, given the circumstances. I don’t want to do anything to put you at risk.’

I want Zac to know I’m not sitting passively by. And I have said nothing to Albert that would betray a knowledge beyond what Zac would expect of me. ‘No, Albert.’ My head snaps up. ‘I appreciate the thought. But please do tell Zac we spoke.’

Then
The Spin Out

One year and eleven months earlier

Cornwall, 13 May 2017