Perry - Avenged to Death

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the authors imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or individuals - living or dead - is entirely coincidental.

2015 Meg Perry. All rights reserved .

The Jamie Brodie Mysteries

Cited to Death

Hoarded to Death

Burdened to Death

Researched to Death

Encountered to Death

Psyched to Death

Stacked to Death

High Desert (bonus short story included with Stacked to Death)

Stoned to Death

Low Country (bonus short story included with Stoned to Death)

Talked to Death

Hearts (bonus short story included with Talked to Death)

Best Men (short story available at http://megperrybooks.wordpress.com/ )

Avenged to Death

Part 1

The best way to avenge thyself is not to become like the enemy. - Marcus Aurelius

November 19, 1980

DEL MAR - A fatal crash on I-5 late last night took the lives of two women and seriously injured three others.

Tracy Jemison, 34, of Camp Pendleton, and Julie Brodie, 30, of Oceanside, were killed instantly when Jemisons Toyota Corolla was struck head on at high speed by a Ford Mustang traveling south in the northbound lane.

Two passengers in the back seat of the Corolla, Belinda Marcus, 33, and Marie Crabtree, 34, both of Camp Pendleton, were airlifted to UCSD Medical Center after being cut out of the vehicle. Both are in critical condition.

The driver of the Mustang was identified as Gavin Barkley, 20, of La Jolla.

He and his passenger, Kate Bianchi, 19, of Chula Vista, were also transported to UCSD Medical Center.

Barkley sustained a chest injury and is in fair condition. Bianchi was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown through the windshield of the Mustang on impact.

She sustained severe head injuries and is in grave condition.

A California Highway Patrol officer at the scene said that the headlights on Barkleys car were not on.

The investigation is ongoing, but preliminary findings indicate that Barkley drove the wrong way up the off-ramp at the Del Mar Heights Rd. exit and struck Jemisons vehicle in the right lane.

Barkleys blood alcohol content at the time of the crash was 0.28%, nearly three times the legal limit.

The 5 northbound is still closed between the SR56 and Del Mar Heights Rd. exits and is expected to reopen by 10:00 am today.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Dr. Brodie? I have a registered letter for you.

I looked up from my desk. Rick, our mailroom guy, was standing in my office doorway with an envelope.

No kidding. This was a first. I signed Ricks clipboard and took the envelope from him. It was heavy stock, thick with pages, creamy white in color. What the heck is it?

Dunno. Rick took his clipboard back. Have a good day.

I leaned against the door frame as I studied the envelope.

Jeremy D. Brodie, D.Phil.

Charles E. Young Research Library

University of California, Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 90095

I recognized the return address as downtown San Diego. The sender sounded like a law firm: Smith, Hendrickson, Delio and Franklin, LLC.

I went next door to Liz Nguyens office and waved the envelope at her. I got a registered letter.

Who from?

It looks like a law firm.

It looks like? Open it, ya goof. She handed me her letter opener.

I slit the envelope and removed the pages inside. Its a will.

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

OF

RANDALL CHESTERSON BARKLEY

I, Randall Chesterson Barkley, now residing in the County of San Diego, State of California, and being of sound mind and memory and not acting under fraud, menace, duress or the undue influence of any person whomsoever, do hereby make, publish and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, and hereby expressly revoke any and all former wills and codicils to wills heretofore made by me

A lot of legalese followed. I flipped through the pages. Who the hell is Randall Chesterson Barkley?

Liz stood and looked over my shoulder. You dont know?

Never heard of him.

The lawyers are in San Diego - is it someone you knew as a kid?

Not that I remember. And even if it was, why have they sent me his will?

Liz went back to her computer and opened UCLAs database page. Maybe his obituary was in the San Diego paper.

Maybe. I went to look over her shoulder.

It didnt take her long to find it.

Randall Chesterson Barkley, 85, passed away February 16, 2014, after a long illness. Mr. Barkley was a native of San Diego, a graduate of Stanford University, and the founder of Zaltu Inc. He was predeceased by his wife of forty-two years, Jeanette Cordelia Graham Barkley. There are no other survivors. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Hospice.

I said, He died over a year ago.

Liz said, His name doesnt ring any bells? He wasnt your Little League coach or anything?

Nope.

Maybe your dad knows. Liz gathered some papers. Ive got to lead a research session. Let me know.

I will. I went back to my office to get my phone and found a text from my brother Kevin. You free? Call me.

I called. Whats up?

I got something odd in the mail today, delivered to the station.

A copy of the will of Randall Chesterson Barkley, whoever the hell that is?

Yeah. You dont recognize that name?

No. Do you?

Nope.

Liz suggested that Dad might know.

Good idea. Do you have time to call him? Jon and I are about to head out to a scene.

Yeah, Ill call.

Text me.

I will.

I closed my office door and called my dad. When he answered, it sounded like he was outside. Hey, Dad. Whatcha doin?

Im at the beach with Colin. Were taking pictures of plants.

Ah. My nephew Colin was being homeschooled through middle school by his parents, my brother Jeff and sister-in-law Valerie. My dad, retired from the Marine Corps, helped out frequently with the field work. I just have a quick question.

Whats up?

I explained. Does the name Randall Chesterson Barkley mean anything to you?

Dead silence. I began to think my phone had dropped the call. Dad?

He said softly, Randall Barkley was the father of the man who killed your mom.

I sucked in my breath. What??

Another moment of silence. I could hear Colins voice in the background, telling my dad something. Dad said, Ill call you tonight. You going to be home?

Yeah.

Okay. Talk to you then.

Holy fucking shit . The man whose son had caused the fatal car crash that killed my mom - and Kevin and I had a copy of his will? I flipped through the pages again, and something caught my eye.

My own name.

I hereby give, or devise and bequeath all of my property and estate, both real and personal, and wheresoever or howsoever situated, or to which I may be entitled at the time of my death, to be divided into equal shares, among the following:

Jeffrey David Brodie

Kevin Cole Brodie

Jeremy Douglas Brodie

Alexandra Colleen Crabtree

Asher Finn Crabtree

Drew Harris Jemison

Jennifer Louisa Jemison McCune

Joshua William Marcus

Karen Elizabeth Marcus Fornari

Jennelle Renae Shifflett

Who were these other people? I knew my mom had been with some of her friends the night she was killed. I looked at the other names - Crabtree, Jemison, Marcus, Shifflett - but didnt recognize them.

Were they the children of my moms friends?

I flipped through the rest of the will, but there was no mention of anyone else. Randall Barkleys wife had died before him; there were no other survivors, according to the obituary.

What happened to his son?

I had never heard of Zaltu, Inc. I looked it up online - and nearly fell out of my chair.

Randall Barkley had founded Zaltu, Inc., a software company that wrote code for military satellites, in 1973. The company had done well during the Cold War, stagnated in the 1990s, then took off again after 9/11. In 2003 Barkley sold the company to Lockheed Martin for $600 million.