Acts of Violet(11)
In case your brain is too crammed with card techniques and patter, these are the horror movies you need to watch as soon as you get home: Phantasm, Halloween, Sleepaway Camp, April Fool’s Day, and since you like The Lost Boys so much, another great vampire movie to check out is Fright Night. If you like any of these, I’ll give you more.
All my friends are away, and I’m bored as hell, so you better write back!
—Gabe
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Date: January 13, 2018, at 5:21 PM
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Re: Attn: Sasha Dwyer-PLEASE READ
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Sasha,
You’re absolutely right: I need you more than you need me. And I am jumping on the true crime bandwagon, hoping it’ll be lucrative. If that’s not honest enough, I’ll lay it all out for you.
Prior to blogging and podcasting, I worked as a reporter for the Finchley Free Press. Two years ago, the paper was shuttered, and despite my best efforts, I wasn’t able to find another full-time job in journalism. I freelanced when I could, but not enough to earn a livable income. That was the first domino that set off a Rube Goldberg machine of my life going to shit. It was followed by my wife also getting laid off, which led to our house being foreclosed on, which led to our divorce (that was right around the time my friend died, too).
Up until a couple of months ago, I was working as a cashier at Target for the health insurance and to cover basic living expenses. Considering how much time I spend in a job that brings me zero joy and fulfillment, the last thing I want to do is fill my free time with more things I don’t enjoy. Podcasting has always been a labor of love for me.
As I was developing a new show based on your sister’s life and disappearance, I got a lucky break when Sidecar hired me to do the same thing full-time, under the umbrella of their podcast network.
Is Strange Exits a cash grab? Maybe for my bosses, but for me, it’s a chance to rebuild my life. Pay off my crippling credit card debt, move out of my grandma’s condo and get my own place, that sort of thing. It’s a chance to prove myself, and a chance to learn the truth about what happened to your sister.
The fact is, I don’t know if I can do this without you.
I’m not looking to exploit Violet or to stalk you at your salon. Please know I have zero ill will toward you or your family.
Best,
Cameron
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Date: January 15, 2018, at 1:27 AM
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Attn: Sasha Dwyer-PLEASE READ
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Cameron,
Look, I’m sorry life has been kicking you in the nuts. And I appreciate your persistence …
Who am I kidding? I find your persistence annoying as hell, I’m just trying to be polite. Yeah, I know you worked as a reporter for the FFP. Remember that sentence you wrote?
“Could she know more than she’s letting on?”
I’m not saying that one little sentence in your article made the town and the precious Wolf Pack suspicious of me, or that it put my business in jeopardy, but it didn’t help. Shortly after that piece came out, somebody thought it would be cute to throw a Molotov cocktail through my salon’s front window and spray paint “U R NOT MAGIC, U R A CUNT” on the awning above it.
Whatever you’re looking to prove, you’ll be doing it without me.
I will say this much: when it comes to Violet, “truth” is a word that should be used in quotes.
Sasha
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Date: January 26, 2018, at 1:05 AM
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Attn: Sasha Dwyer-PLEASE READ
* * *
Cameron,
Seriously? You’re gonna give up that easily? No wonder you couldn’t hack it as a journalist. Unless that sob story was a ploy to get my sympathy …
Either way, I’m a little disappointed in your lack of tenacity.
What happened to needing me? Not being able to do this without me?
Tell you what, I’ll give you another chance. Come by the salon on Sunday at 4:00 PM. I can’t promise I’ll share every personal detail I know about Violet, but I’m sure you’ll be able to coax some good info out of me.
Don’t bother responding, just show up on Sunday. You may be in for the scoop of the decade.
Sasha
Sasha
January 28, 2018
“We’re getting extra security, and the township is closing off the streets bordering Cordova Park as a precaution. Nobody knows for sure, but some are estimating there could be as many as a hundred thousand attendees this year. Can you imagine? And how marvelous to get Quinn as a speaker! You must be so proud of her.”
It’s Sunday, Eleanor Toback is here for her monthly haircut, and she hasn’t stopped chattering about the candlelight vigil since she sat down.
“I’m proud of Quinn for many reasons.” This one being pretty low on the list.
“She’s a delightful young woman, I’m sure she’ll dazzle the crowd.”
Before I can formulate a snarky reply I won’t say out loud, Mrs. Toback emits a surprised coo. “I don’t think I’ve seen this one before. May I?” She leans away from the trajectory of my spray bottle to get a closer look at a framed photo beside the mirror. In it, my sister and I are posed on a beach with a pier behind us.