My dear friends,

I know a number of you have been curious about my unexplained absence, and I can finally now explain my apparent rudeness in not replying to your messages. A few of you may be aware that I have an untreatable liver cancer. Three months ago I was given six months to live. Rather than just let my life slip away painfully at the pace dictated by my affliction I decided to seize control of my destiny. Therefore I arranged to end my life in the manner of my choosing, enjoyably rather than painfully. I was already scheduled to go to a conference in Oxford in the UK, and I anticipate that I will rejoin my ancestors at the end of June. I apologise for not sharing my plans before, I realise some of you will be hurt, but I dared not risk being dissuaded from the path I had chosen. After the return of my body, I have arranged for my funeral to take place here in Taipei on 7 July.

My love to you all

Chen Wei-Ling

Gillard and Rainy Macintosh looked at each other. ‘Whatever he thought he was getting, I’m sure he didn’t sign up to be asphyxiated and dumped in the Thames,’ Gillard said. ‘Apart from everything else he’s been defrauded. His body was presumably to be returned to Taiwan. The contract says so, as does this letter. Right, I’m phoning Charon. They have some explaining to do.’

Two hours after his email enquiry, Gillard was speaking by telephone to Dr Ernst Molenaar, the chief ethicist of Charon.

‘Our charity is, as you will have seen, based in Amsterdam and merely acts as a global facilitator for those who want to end their life. Like Facebook, we do not take responsibility for the interactions over the network. It’s really no more difficult to understand than contacting a plumber online.’

‘These people are generally terminally ill, yes?’

‘Often but not necessarily. The obvious choice for those who are suffering pain or have terminal illnesses is a Swiss organisation called Dignitas, which for about £10,000 will get you brought to Switzerland where your life will be ended painlessly and, as you can tell by the name, in a dignified fashion. We go above and beyond that in our offering.’

‘So some of your clients are healthy? Do you not check their motivation?’

‘Of course not. Everybody has a reason. My reason may not persuade you and your reason may not persuade me. We’ve had clients who are so depressed about our inability to face up to climate change that they want their lives to be ended now in a calm and organised manner rather than face the chaos of civilisation’s collapse. It’s not my job to question it.’

‘I’m calling about one of your clients, as I mentioned in the email.’