Acts of Violet(50)
In less happy news, Sasha was crushed when she got your RSVP. You know your sister’s not the type who’s gonna guilt trip you over it. But come on, V. You can’t miss our wedding.
Nobody wants to stand in the way of your stardom, and it’s amazing that you’re doing this big tour, but there has to be a way you can move some things around to be here when we get married.
It’s not gonna be a big thing—you saw the invite, a city hall ceremony and an early dinner reception after. Sasha even picked Angelica’s because they had the best veggie options for you. It’ll be thirty people max, though your absence would be noticed even if we had three hundred coming.
Between you and me, Sasha kinda wonders if you’re doing this to get back at her for missing your Jackson Cleo taping in Chicago. I keep telling her that’s ridiculous, that you’d never be that vindictive. You know we had the plane tickets booked and would’ve been there if it wasn’t for Regina’s relapse. Whether or not Sasha should’ve told you about that before your taping is something I won’t get in the middle of. I could see why you’d be pissed at her plumbing emergency excuse, but Sasha didn’t want to mess up your big break.
Look, I know nothing is easy when it comes to you and Sasha. Bottom line: you love the shit out of each other. You can’t miss seeing her get married. Do us a solid and come to our wedding, before you become such a big superstar that we hardly get to see you at all.
—G
October 2, 1995
Dear Violet,
I can’t believe you came.
It doesn’t matter that the food got cold or that Gabriel’s dad and Uncle Slava got too drunk or that I muddied the hem of the wedding dress Dad made me. What really matters is that you were there.
Thank you for coming to my wedding.
222,
Sasha
* * *
Date: February 17, 2018, at 5:45 AM
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: soon
* * *
Dear Mr. Frank,
My deepest apologies for the delayed response. I have been on the move, but I have not forgotten you.
I have asked a trusted friend to send you a package. It will be a small black box with a white rook chess piece printed on it. When you receive it, DO NOT OPEN IT. Instead, notify me via this email address, and I will provide next steps.
Please confirm your receipt and acknowledgment of these instructions.
Sincerely yours,
?
* * *
Date: February 17, 2018, at 8:06 AM
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: soon
* * *
Confirming receipt but not without reservations. How can I be sure this package will not contain something harmful to me?
Cameron
P.S. If you’re the rook, does that make me the pawn?
* * *
Date: February 18, 2018, at 8:17 AM
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Re: soon
* * *
Dear Mr. Frank,
Trust me or don’t trust me. All I can tell you is that my personal safety is at much greater risk than yours.
If you will adhere to my terms, respond with “ONWARD” within the next twenty-four hours. If you do not wish to move forward, send any other response or no response at all.
You are nobody’s pawn; you may move across the board as you wish.
Sincerely yours,
?
* * *
Date: February 18, 2018, at 8:20 AM
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: soon
* * *
ONWARD
Strange Exits
Episode 5: “Vanishing 101”
CAMERON FRANK [STUDIO]: When looking at the disappearance of Violet Volk, we are left with two options: Violet went missing either involuntarily or voluntarily.
Let’s look at that first hypothesis. What are the ways she could have gone missing involuntarily? Again, there seem to be only two options: misadventure or foul play.
An accident is unlikely. She was performing in a theater, in front of thousands of people, not hiking solo in a treacherous forest. If she suffered a fall or some other calamity in the middle of an illusion, somebody would’ve seen or heard something. If nothing else, she would’ve certainly been found somewhere in the building shortly thereafter.
What about foul play? We cannot one hundred percent rule out the possibility of kidnapping, right? Of course, the timing seems unusual. This was Violet’s big return to stage magic. That night, she was arguably the most visible she’d been in years. Consider the sheer number of potential witnesses, the security presence, the crowds gathered outside the theater who hadn’t been able to get tickets but hoped to catch a glimpse of Violet … I don’t know about you, but those don’t seem like ideal kidnapping conditions. It makes about as much sense as trying to kidnap Janis Joplin in the middle of her set at Woodstock. Or, for the younger listeners, trying to kidnap Beyoncé in the middle of her Super Bowl halftime show. It’s beyond ludicrous.