Memorandum of agreement

Charon Stichting, Singel 893 Bis, Amsterdam (the agent)

Chen, Dr Wei-Ling of San Shia Campus: 151 University Rd, San Shia District, New Taipei City, 23741 Taiwan. (The client)

1. This agreement concerns an arrangement made under the auspices of Dutch and European law to govern a private and confidential contract between the client and the agent.
2. The agent agrees to fulfil the client’s requirements as set out in the addendum (‘The service’). The agent will locate, brief and introduce the supplier of the service. The agent will check that the supplier is qualified, prepared and able to provide the said service in a timescale compatible with the client’s requirements.
3. The client agrees to pay in advance by banker’s draft the full and final fee for the service without deduction, and agrees to indemnify without limit the agent, for any additional costs incurred in transferring the said amount. This fee will then be held in escrow pending confirmation that the service has been provided.
4. The agent will retain thirty-five per cent of the fee, plus any applicable taxes.
5. The agent agrees to oversee the execution of the post-provision codicil, including without limitation the return/and or disposal as stipulated of the client’s corporea, possessions and effects by international courier.

The document went on and on. Hoskins’ eyes glazed over, and he moved on to something less dull. The cogs must’ve been grinding slowly because he suddenly realised there was something significant in point five: client possessions and effects. Was this an international removals agreement?

‘Rainy, take a look at this would you? I’m no good on legalese, but this looks to me like a physical transference, maybe a removal job.’

The Glaswegian detective looked over his shoulder and scanned the wording.

‘Do you think he was going to live in Holland?’ Hoskins asked.

‘Sweet Jesus,’ Rainy breathed. ‘There’s one word there that does not belong at all. I did enough Latin in my medical training to know what we’re talking about here.’

‘Which word? I don’t know what half of them mean.’

‘Corporea, Carl. It means bodily remains. This contract appears to be about the movement of a dead body.’

‘Time to get the boss back in,’ Hoskins said.

Gillard had just returned from a meeting with the chief constable and DI Graham Morgan when DC Macintosh called him over.

‘What is it, Rainy?’

She showed him the screen and pointed out the fifth clause. ‘I agree it looks strange,’ he said. ‘Where’s the nearest lawyer? There’s bound to be a duty solicitor somewhere in Mount Browne who can explain this contract.’