From: wcarson@worldopen.comi
To: Natalie Lucas <sexy_chocolate69@sweetmail.com>
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?