The Good Liar by Nicholas Searle
Author:Nicholas Searle
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2015-05-05T12:02:10+00:00
Chapter Eleven
Money Matters
1
Vincent arrives with his solicitous expression, all furrowed brow
and concern. His M&S suit exudes neither opulence nor poverty.
‘I won’t insult your intelligence, Mrs McLeish,’ he says, after the preliminaries and by way of introduction to his script.
‘Betty.’
He looks at her for a moment, perplexed.
‘Thank you, Betty. I see you were an academic. You’d be sur-
prised how much my job consists of spelling things out to clients in words of one syllable that would seem to be self- evident to you and me. Clients like Mr Courtnay excepted, of course. So I don’t intend to insult your intelligence. Please stop me and ask if you have any questions, though. And you too, sir.’
Vincent looks shyly across the table at them.
‘Stephen,’ says Betty. ‘First names, please. That way we’ll all feel far more comfortable. And perhaps you would be better off treating
me like the most unintelligent client you’ve ever come across. I’m a total ignoramus in financial matters.’ She simpers cheerfully.
‘Well then. This is the point at which in my normal consultations I read you a description of my role as an independent financial adviser and tell you my responsibilities under the law to the Financial Services Authority. Then I give you a form and ask you to sign it. But I understand from Mr Courtnay that you would prefer to forgo all of that.’
Roy has been studiously looking at his hands. He looks up now
but says nothing.
‘That’s right. Roy said he trusts you. I don’t see the bureaucratic mumbo- jumbo adds any value.’
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‘OK. But if you’d like to go through the due process now is the
moment to say.’ He pauses and no one speaks. ‘In one sense this is
good timing.’
‘Why?’ asks Stephen.
‘Because certain of the investment options I’ve recommended
are . . . unconventional. They fall outside the scope of the normal UK regulations, which have yet to catch up with market develop-ments. And they’re beyond the jurisdiction of the FSA.’
‘Because they’re illegal?’
‘No, sir – sorry, Stephen. Absolutely not. I wouldn’t deal in unethical or unlawful products. The position is this: I have access to
unorthodox international streams of investment and financial
instruments that are, if you like, leading edge. The industry has yet to catch up. That’s why the prospective returns are higher than you might normally expect.’
‘What kinds of returns?’
‘It’s difficult to be precise, Betty. Obviously the value of investments can fluctuate. But with the spread of investments I’m
proposing, tied up for a five- year minimum period, I’d estimate an annual return of 15 per cent at the most pessimistic prediction,
which would see your capital over the five- year period appreciating by around 100 per cent. Much more likely is a return of 25 to 30 per cent per annum, and your investment in those circumstances would
appreciate almost fourfold.’
‘But there is risk?’ asks Betty.
‘There’s risk in everything,’ says Roy. ‘Even in crossing the road.’
Vincent looks at him for a moment. ‘There is risk, yes, within cer-
tain tolerances. Clearly I can’t look into a crystal ball, but I can assure you these investments are at the risk- averse end of the scale.
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