Story Comments
A Wake

Although Lars and Anna are twins, there's enough of a chemistry between them to suggest an almost incestuous relationship on first reading, but this passes as the story develops. Augustus's address to the Trust heads at the wake is mostly based on lies, to further the schemes that began in New Tricks, implicating Graves and uniting the houses around himself. No full reason is given for the animosity between the Rome boys, but maternal favouritism towards Remi is evident, even in small things like veal cutlets. The headlights of the car in the Rome's garage reveal the first of many sevens seen in this arc, heralding the arrival of the seventh Minuteman. Remi's fear at being caught with a woman by his mother seems odd once his history is revealed. The civil wars referred to by Medici and Lono appear to be Trust versus Trust, the one avoided, to be replaced by Trust versus Minutemen. Lono asking Medici which side he should be on, or more implicitly, seen to be on, should raise some doubt about his motivation as the story unfolds. Bobby Irillo meeting with Remi adds fuel to the fire of the meat thefts, but the real reason is more seedy. Anna's comment to Lars about over tipping the waiter seemingly implies some homosexual advance in an overly close relationship scene. When the waitress is seen, it becomes more obvious. Remi's present to his Ma is insulting considering he broke her hair dryer in the first place, so it's no surprise Ronnie looks pissed off. The knife throw is a clue to which of these two is the seventh Minuteman. Ronnie fumbles badly, nothing like Cole catching the baseball in The Right Ear, Left in the Cold. How the restaurant set up between Anna and Lars works is unexplained, but Lono must have had a tip that Vasco and Vermeer were meeting Lars, which he used to his own ends, turning the siblings against each other. Bobby's 'boys magazine collection' is a little worrying, but the fact that neither Rome sees the word on the car is explained by the presence of the gun, which holds the full attention of both. Lono's "she's fucking royalty, not you" comment sets up the Lady Die moniker he gives Anna, which would make no impression on her when spoken, as the 'e' is silent. Vic's reply to Loop's "what's going down" can be read as a simple sexual innuendo, but as it comes from Vic, it's more likely that he sees the imminent demise of both the Nagel siblings. The ambiguity of the hidden Minuteman remains through the Rome's car journey, Ronnie is distracted, but has a lot to deal with, and Remi's sweating could just be down to the coke he took earlier. The brief exchange between Vic and Graves says much with few words. Dog walking and baby sitting refer to Lono and Loop respectively. The ambiguity lies in the "watch your back" part. Cole is behind Graves at that point, but who is Vic warning Graves about? The wild card reference becomes clear when you see that Graves gave the attaché to the 'wrong' brother, rather than the sleeping Minuteman. Considering Lars was leaving the restaurant as Lono and company arrived, it takes Lars along time to get home, long enough for Lono to smoke an entire cigar. Lars' reference to Axel's heart giving out echoes Neil Walker's death in Sleep, Walker. Were the same pills responsible?

More