I was contacted by the insurance company re the fire at your house. As you know, the insurance was paid out in full to Mr Hagen as the claim was made in his name. They are notifying claimants that the investigator they were dealing with has been charged with fraud and theft. I hasten to add this will not affect the payout for your house. But it has come to light that in several instances of cases dealt with by that particular investigator, the claims were inflated, and/or the circumstances suspicious. It seems he was in collaboration with some owners to defraud the insurance company for a commission.

The matter is being looked into and some owners are being investigated, along with said investigator. I’m not making any assertions, but you may wish to add your name to the list of parties wanting to know more details. Just FYI.

Regards

Howard Jamison

‘Good grief! Mum, listen to this.’ Grace read the email to Tina.

‘Heavens. What are you going to do about it? Is it a class action suit?’ Tina said. ‘Will you tell Lawrence?’

‘I don’t know. I’ll take advice on that. If I add my name, it’s as much as accusing Lawrence.’

‘Maybe the investigator will sing and spill the names of people who paid him off?’

‘I’ll sit tight for the moment. But it’s a case I’ll watch with interest.’

‘Well, you never got a red cent, so you’re not going to get caught up in it unless you choose to, at least,’ said Tina.

Grace worked in silence for a while till Sri brought in bowls of nasi goreng for them all.

‘Tell me more about last night, after I left,’ said Grace, closing the laptop and pushing it aside.

‘It was fun. Andy is good company – he’s an interesting character. He misses his son, and his late wife, of course. Loves it here, has put down roots, but wonders what he might have done with his life if he’d gone back and settled down in Australia, like most of the other fellows did. He said his mates back then all seemed to be drifters, hash-smoking surfers, with no real ambition. Yet they’ve turned into bankers, salesmen, executives. It makes him laugh, but I think he’s kinda lonely. He’s in his sixties but acts like a forty-year-old.’

‘I don’t think Andy is lonely for female company,’ said Grace dryly.

‘Just not those in his own age bracket, eh?’ Tina smiled. ‘Maybe that’s why we had such fun and a lot of laughs. We can speak in shorthand. No games. No big act, just be ourselves. I can’t say the same for Lawrence. Everything seems like an act with him. He monopolised conversation with Johnny all night.’