Codex (Kinsella)

Barry Simmonds is a partner in a small-time law firm in Belize, a small not very rich Central American country squeezed between Guatemala and Mexico. His principal business is setting up and servicing offshore companies and bank accounts for British, Russians and whoever else wanted to hide their money or assets. Concealing the ownership of businesses and property behind opaque locally incorporated firms, for the purpose of tax avoidance, evasion and money laundering, was his stock-in-trade. Those who used such services were not necessarily dishonest, but most had very good financial reasons for wanting to occult their interests, amongst them were public figures, including royals, politicians, show business personalities, the rich, and of course grafters of all shades. Barry, had been looking forward to an early retirement, but ran into difficulties after carelessly drifting into business with a group of unscrupulous investors attracted by the benefits of laundering and investing their ill-gotten gains in real estate, but when their business is hit by the economic fallout of the Covid crisis they reveal their true colours. As executor of a recently deceased client's estate Barry makes a discovery he hopes will solve the problems that are threatening to submerge him...