Peg's

There is my friend Peg's wonderful novel, "Spinning Will."

Claudia Ricci: How One Book Changed My Life Claudia Ricci 2011

There is my friend Peg's wonderful novel, "Spinning Will."

Claudia Ricci: How One Book Changed My Life Claudia Ricci 2011

The second weird coincidence happened a few days after Peg's visit, when (read Chapter Three of Sister Mysteries) I was having lunch with my friend Nina, the woman who originally inspired me to write the Sister Renata tale (Nina suffered from a severe case of breast cancer in 1994, and shortly afterward, I got this nutty idea that I would write a story to help distract her from the misery of chemotherapy.)

Claudia Ricci: Coincidences and Clairvoyance: The Mysteries of This Book Continue Unexplained Claudia Ricci 2010

The FBI got involved in Peg's case because the amount of money involved was so large and because the handymen carried her checks across state lines to cash them.

Handymen did job on elderly D.C. woman 2010

The second weird coincidence happened a few days after Peg's visit, when (read Chapter Three of Sister Mysteries) I was having lunch with my friend Nina, the woman who originally inspired me to write the Sister Renata tale (Nina suffered from a severe case of breast cancer in 1994, and shortly afterward, I got this nutty idea that I would write a story to help distract her from the misery of chemotherapy.)

Claudia Ricci: Coincidences and Clairvoyance: The Mysteries of This Book Continue Unexplained Claudia Ricci 2010

Later, they joked among themselves that Peg's house would now "corner" like a race car.

Handymen did job on elderly D.C. woman 2010

But licenses are required for major contracting work, such as the roof repairs and other big jobs that the Winchester group claimed to be doing at Peg's house.

Handymen did job on elderly D.C. woman 2010

In Peg's case, the FBI and U.S. attorney's office turned the handymen against one another as part of plea bargains, securing promises of cooperation and, if necessary, testimony.

Handymen did job on elderly D.C. woman 2010

In most such fraud cases involving the elderly, including Peg's case, the victims cannot recall clearly what happened, authorities said.

Handymen did job on elderly D.C. woman 2010

When the owner of a popular grocery store in Winchester got suspicious and stopped cashing Peg's checks, the group's leaders turned to friends who had something they did not: bank accounts.

Handymen did job on elderly D.C. woman 2010