Page 123 of Murder in the Family

—the Eric Fulton who died in the bus bomb was not the Eric Fulton from North Birmingham, but someone else entirely.

MITCHELL CLARKE

You think we have the wrong Eric Fulton? Well, I suppose it’s not that unusual a name—

BILL SERAFINI

(shaking his head)

No – I’ve checked and double-checked. This is the right guy. Or rather, this is the rightpassport.

There’s a silence; they’re all processing.

JJ NORTON

Shit, are you saying—?

BILL SERAFINI

(nodding)

That the guy who married Caroline Howard wasn’t ‘Eric Fulton’ any more than he was ‘Luke Ryder’?

That’s exactly what I’m saying.

We’re dealing with a serial imposter.

ALAN CANNING

Hold on, hold on, one step at a time. The real Eric Fulton, from Alabama – the one you were just talking to those people about – he moved to New York when?

BILL SERAFINI

1982. He was 17.

ALAN CANNING

So he starts a brand-new life out and proud in the Big Apple, until at some point, years later, the future ‘Luke Ryder’ steals his passport?

BILL SERAFINI

No, I don’t reckon it happened quite that way. Remember what Frank just said about Eric being a homebody? No, I don’t reckon it was Eric’s passport that was stolen, for the simple reasonthat I doubt he ever had one. Just like ninety-six per cent of my fellow Americans.

ALAN CANNING

So you’re saying our man used Eric’s name and details to get a passport issued in that name? Without the real Eric knowing?

BILL SERAFINI

Right.

ALAN CANNING

(sits back and folds his arms)

Bit risky, wasn’t it? What if the real Eric had suddenly decided to take a holiday to Torremolinos?

BILL SERAFINI

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