Sixteen, Sixty-One
Page 28
vi EXTRAORDINARY! Can’t maintain the facade of civility ? not v. Precise!
vii Adopts tone of disappointed parent ? massively SUPERIOR!
No rent was ever discussed that summer _ would this hold in court?
viii Already claiming kindness again!
What a martyr!
ix Reiterates martyrdom
x Always “the teacher”, even now!
xi dismissive of:
– USA?
– Education?
– Women?
xii Can’t argue with that!
xiii surely a bluff
xiv seems a dig at perceived class/social status of ‘driver’
SNOBBISH.
Can’t retain a ‘dignified tone’ for long.
xv Is this what it’s all about? Jealousy?
xvi Efforts to seem reasonable imply the unreasonableness of the recipient
xvii can’t resist a good metaphor!
Incredibly creepy way to sign off a ‘formal letter’
exactly! Pretty emotive for a lawsuit notification.
xviii meant with sarcasm, or a staggering lack or self-awareness?
xix So, he’s suing her under his real name, even though Rose left the inheritance to Harriet and Albert.
xx Uses:
– short sentences
– formal language
– superior tone
plays on age/gender/experience to strengthen argument.
Everything is done and designed to undermine the recipient.
xxi This money doesn’t exist, right?
Why not claim for loss of wedding presents while you’re at it?!
xxii What furniture?
Are these just being cut down the middle?
xxiii Hardly her fault when she didn’t know about it?
xxiv Gifts?
From: wcarson@worldopen.comi
To: Natalie Lucas
Sent: 9 November 2004, 15.21:38
Subject: Please get in touch
Dear Ms Lucasii
My name is William Carson and I am a freelance private detective, formerly an officer of security with the FBI, first in the Criminal Investigative Division and later in the Cyber Division.iii I am writing to you about a matter that gives me grave cause for concern. I have pleaded with Mr Albert Sumaciv to give me your postal address and let me contact you directly, but he maintains that your privacy is paramount, even in circumstances like these.v
It has come to my attention that you may be the subject of a vicious character attack. An Hispanicvi woman living in Boston, MA, whom I may legally only refer to as Miss P., has attempted to produce a slur on your character. Her attempts have been stopped for now, but she claims to have found illicit photographs of you on various online websitesvii. My sources suggest she is not responsibleviii for distributing these photographs, but that she has tried to advertise your “services”ix, presumably with the intention of accusing you of solicitation at a later date. Miss P. claims her grievance against you is that you have “stolen” her man (it is unclear if she refers to a husbandx or boyfriend) and left her child (a three-year-old son)xi without a father.
It is as Mr Sumac’s employeexii that I have discovered this much and Mr Sumac has forbidden me any further investigations without your approval. As such, I implore you to contact me and divulge any information you may have in regards to the case. I do not wish to alarm you,xiii but the consequences of such a matter if not dealt with delicately can be grave, and I would not like to see you hurt.xiv I’ve been working in this field for years, absolutely years,xv and trust me I know what I’m talking about. So please, it is imperative that you speak to me as soon as possible.
You can reach me on 0208 *** ***xvi
Yours
William Carson
PIxvii
* * *
i Willie Carson is another retired jockey
still on the jockeys? (is she going to wake up with a horse’s head in her bed?)
Same email provider as Matthew ? a popular site?
Simple coincidence?
Willie Carson is another retired jockey
still on the jockeys? (is she going to wake up with a horse’s head in her bed?)
Same email provider as Matthew ? a popular site?
Simple coincidence?
ii Her real name this time.
iii Why did he leave?
– Drink problem?
– Partner stole his wife?
– stole huge drugs score?
(this is a better story)
iv What is the connection?
v really knows how to build suspense!
vi Why relevant? (Institutionalised racism?)
vii guaranteed to provoke a response
viii More mystery!
ix Very coy!
x Presumably not, if she’s Miss P.
xi Confirmed? Provided purely as info or emotional manipulation
xii Why did Sumac hire a PI in the first place?
xiii This seems unlikely.
xiv Too personal for a PI? Isn’t it Sumac who doesn’t want to see her hurt?
xv Weird!
Yeah, odd repetition.
Wait _ first Google hit has: “I’ve been mad for fucking years, absolutely years.” It’s a line from Pink Floyd’s ‘Speak to Me’ _ a confession, d’you think?
xvi In London?
xvii Are ‘PI’ and ‘Private Detective’ interchangeable?
About the Book
Sixteen, Sixty-One is the powerful true story of an illicit intergenerational affair. Names, locations, and some events have been changed to protect me, my family, those for whom I care deeply and others for whom I really don’t.
Copyright
The Friday Project
An imprint of HarperCollins
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www.authonomy.com
First published in 2013 by authonomy
Text Copyright © Natalie Lucas 2013
Natalie Lucas asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
Source ISBN: 9780007523559
Ebook Edition © 2013 ISBN: 9780007515103
Version 1
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