Murder in Malibu

By Tony Precopio

Gary Hawkins is walking with his dogs in a Malibu park when he happens upon an abandoned pickup truck. Stuffed inside a rug in the back of the truck is the body of a local resident. After calling the police, Gary returns home without any idea that finding a murder victim is only a precursor of what is about to come as his past collides with his present in a strange twist of events.

Several weeks later, Gary learns his high school friend has been killed in a drive-by shooting, a Malibu buddy has allegedly committed suicide, and another friend from his past has been killed in a car accident outside of Las Vegas. Distrusting of the abilities of local authorities, Gary begins his own investigation that soon leads him to suspect that the young wife of his friend who died in the car accident is somehow connected to the tragedies. When he uncovers a link between the deaths and a fateful night from his own past, Gary discovers the killer is harboring a shocking secret that will rock his world and explain everything.

In this gripping story, a Malibu real estate agent turned amateur detective embarks on a dangerous journey to solve the mystery behind the deaths of three of his friends.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jul 31, 2015
• ISBN: 9781491772591

Tony Precopio

Tony Precopio earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) in Folklore and Mythology from Harvard University. He is the author of Mr. Ody: Eternal Traveler, a time-travel fantasy and Murder in Malibu, a murder mystery. Originally from Boston, he has spent much of his life living in the Malibu area. He has two grown children and currently calls the San Fernando Valley home.

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Copyright © 2015 Tony Precopio.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-7084-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-7259-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015911126

iUniverse rev. date: 07/28/2015

CONTENTS

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Epilogue

Dedicated to my most generous and outstanding brother, John Precopio,

and my exceptional children, Cassandra Precopio and Blake Vollandt,

All who literally saved my life,

and my inspiration, Greg Hodal

Chapter I

Gary Hawkins loaded his three dogs, Nina, Pal and Lulu, into his Ford Explorer and headed out for a Sunday afternoon walk in nearby Tapia Park, off Malibu Canyon Road. It was their normal activity on a Sunday: an expedition through the local state park. With all three loaded into the vehicle, they headed down Piuma to the park. They spent their usual one hour meandering throughout the park with its creeks and meadows. Later, as they were heading back to the Explorer, Gary glanced into a nearby pickup truck that had been parked at the very end of the parking lot. He noticed something rather strange in the back of the truck and decided to take a closer look, his continual curiosity now piqued.

Gary had an inclination to notice items and details that others might ignore or overlook and his keen eye has been his trademark over the years. He carried a camera at all times so that he could capture whatever unusual or obscure visions caught his attention in a swift, concise photograph. His camera was always ready for action. He found unusual sights in his daily travels throughout the Malibu area and in the San Fernando Valley in the Los Angeles Basin. His friends were routinely exposed to bizarre photos of ridiculous signs along the roadway or other once-sighted apparitions that no one else would discover.

As he approached closer to the truck, he spotted a rug rolled up very tightly in a formation that was almost perfect. His dogs were barking very loudly and did not stop for a moment. One of the dogs jumped up into the back of the pickup truck and started sniffing the rug, all the while continuing to bark. The other two canines followed the same technique and soon all three dogs were jumping and barking around all sides of the rug. The dog’s actions aroused Gary’s curiosity even further. All three started to sniff around every side of the rug and continued to bark and move around with great energy. The melee had reached a point of superb intensity.

Gary approached even closer. Now, he noticed something sticking out from the bottom of the carpet and he leaned in for a better look. It was the toe of a shoe! He moved even closer, but then decided not to go too far in his investigation. However, it was obvious, as he moved closer and closer, that this was the body of a person. There was no doubt in his mind about this fact. He grabbed a hold of the top of the rug and then opened the rug very quickly. The immediate horror that was revealed confirmed his suspicions.

He closed up the rug very quickly and turned away, heading in a different direction. His own body automatically bolted back in repulsion from the ghastly sight. He continued to back away from the truck, as did his dogs, which were now also in a state of hysteria, barking and bouncing around like jack rabbits scurrying through the desert. All continued to react violently to the sight of the rug and to the odor of a dead body.

Gary came to his senses and realized that he should be calling the authorities concerning his new discovery. He was aware that his dogs would not be called upon to be witnesses to the crime scene, but he cherished their presence with him at that time. He looked around the parking lot and viewed no other people. Usually, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, many others would seek the peace and serenity of the Santa Monica Mountains, refugees from the mundane existence in the inner city of Los Angeles. He normally saw many a Hispanic family on a Sunday outing to the Malibu mountains, taking great pleasure in the rustic surroundings and open air of the beautiful meadows and hillsides. His own solitude propelled him all the more to hasten to contact the local sheriff’s station at Lost Hills. He tried to remember the number, with no success. He called Directory Assistance on the payphone in the parking lot and realized that a 911 call might be in order.

After contacting the sheriffs, he waited very patiently for a squad car to arrive. With this additional time, he decided that it would be very wise to corral his group of canines and quickly place them within his vehicle. As he loaded them into the Explorer, a sheriff’s black and white pulled sharply into the parking lot with all lights flashing. Two armed sheriffs jumped out of each side of the vehicle and held Gary at attention with drawn weapons. With his hands waving high in the air, Gary shouted out and explained the entire situation, which immediately brought a halt to the drawn guns.

It was a pair of officers, male and female, who had arrived at the scene. At that point, Gary sat down on the rear gate of the utility vehicle and held back his dogs, who had again taken up with their constant barking. One officer interrogated and the other took notes. Gary very briefly and succinctly recounted his experiences of the last hour in the park. Since there had not been anyone around, Gary had not much to report other than the recent discovery of the body within the rug. After the recounting of the facts by Gary, one of the officers decided to investigate further and took a closer look. Without the others observing, the male officer suddenly unleashed the identity of the deceased person by hurriedly lifting up the top of the rug where the head and top of the body resided.

I know this person. This is Lydia Love, the owner of the nursery up north of Pepperdine.

The female also recognized the deceased. This is horrendous. I just saw her yesterday at Diedrich’s Coffee Shop, having coffee with a friend. We exchanged greetings and I went on my way.

Gary’s face took on a strange and disoriented expression when he learned the identity of the deceased. I know her also, he said. I’ve known Lydia for years. Gary nearly broke down and cried, but held back his tears since he was in the company of the law officers.

All three stood shocked at the distasteful news. They remained very quiet and motionless for many moments. No one knew what to say and all decided to wait for another to make the next move. The silence weighed heavy upon them all. Next, one of the dogs started barking. Another squad car arrived and they all still had no idea where to begin with the next set of words.

The new arrivals at the crime scene bolted from the driver’s seat and saw the head of the woman as one lifted the top of the rug for his viewing. He had the same reaction as the others and stood in shock, without saying anything. Finally, Gary made a move to set the tone for the rest.

I knew Lydia very well, but who the hell would want to hurt her? She was a gorgeous woman with a great smile and always greeted people with great enthusiasm and concern. She was one of the nicest people I knew around here. Why would something like this happen?

There was no response from any of the other people and another long silence followed that broke through the atmosphere like a sharp knife cutting through a block of cheese. The lack of conversation continued for what seemed like an eternity. All were shocked and no one really knew how to react to the situation. The Malibu area almost never had any murders such as this, or any other type of violence. The sheriffs lived a lawful life, free of violent crimes and violations of the law. They spent most of their time handing out citations for lights not working properly or other minor violations that only ended up normally as fix-it tickets or similar minor traffic infractions. No one could remember the last time a murder had occurred in the area and this added to the ugliness and uncomfortable scene at hand.

The homicide officers arrived, and Gary was required to remain awhile to answer a million questions, but he gave few answers. And the answers ultimately became more and more repetitious. Finally, after a thorough investigation of the crime scene, Gary was asked to follow the officers back to the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station.

Is it okay for me to take my dogs home and then meet you at the station? Gary asked. I only live up Piuma, in Monte Nido, and I just need to drop them off. There is no need for them to make the trip to the station, right?

One of the officers nodded in agreement and Gary headed home with the dogs. After he dropped them off, he wielded his vehicle back down Piuma, taking a right onto Las Virgenes Road on his way to Lost Hills Road. As he drove, many different and strange thoughts rushed to his head. He was trying to remember the last time he saw Lydia, but he could not exactly place when. He saw her often at Ralphs, as was the case with most of the other people he knew, but he also ran into her a great deal at the pet shop. At times, he bumped into her at the Marmalade Café, when he would meet a friend for breakfast or lunch, or he saw her at the Bank of America on other occasions. He now realized that it had been a long time since he had last seen her, and he abandoned his attempt at recalling the last time he had. He continued to be stunned by the event and he was completely puzzled by the murder. He still could not believe what he had just seen and his mind wandered aimlessly as he drove through the Las Virgenes Valley. No one would believe what had happened when he recounted the incident to his friends around Malibu and they probably would have the same reaction as he had.

Gary Hawkins was a tall, slender blonde in his late-forties, good-looking and young-looking for his age. He had grown up in Los Angeles, where he was born on June 29, 1948, and had spent just about his entire life there. He had gone to high school on the Westside of Los Angeles in the sixties and he had become a stuntman in the movie industry during his twenties. He knew guys in the film industry who had helped him with the transition into films, but he moved into real estate, especially after moving to the Malibu area. He made a good living in real estate and made his mark when he moved over the mountains into Malibu Canyon in Monte Nido. He was the primary realtor in the area and owned his own company for most of his life. He settled in the area and enjoyed his continual great income and notoriety in the area. Everyone went to Gary for a home, including many of those from across the canyon who wanted a more secluded lifestyle than the glamorous type with the stars.

At this point in his career, he only worked when he wanted to and the business came to him whenever it was there. One could say that he had reached a pinnacle in his career, where he could do whatever he chose on whatever day of the week. He was free from the mundane chores of a daily job and constant nine-to-five activity. As it was in the 1990’s and the millennium was approaching, Gary could do just about anything he wanted and his real estate business and reputation allowed him whatever freedoms he desired at any time of day or night. He was a true free spirit in every sense of the word.

Gary pulled his Ford Explorer into the sheriff’s station parking lot and disembarked from the vehicle very slowly. He recognized the newly-built status of the station as it had opened in 1991. Prior to this, the sheriffs operated out of the Malibu station on Civic Center Way. He walked in a state of complete oblivion and almost tripped going up the small set of stairs at the entrance. He checked in at the front desk and one of the officers from the crime scene came out to bring him back to one of their offices. Gary’s mouth became very dry as he made as he made his way to the station; he felt a sharp pain in his back, signifying the uneasiness he felt about the predicament he had encountered. He was still trembling from the sighting of that dead woman’s body. He was asked to enter one of the offices and he sat down very quietly and very nervously. A new person entered the scene.

My name is Lieutenant Garcia, and I have been told you are Gary Hawkins, from Monte Nido. Gary responded as the new stranger stretched out a hand with a very strong yet uneventful shake. Gary countered casually; his spirits had started to take on a lower level of energy. He had not yet looked the detective in the eyes, but finally lifted his head to quickly give a brief glance.

Yes, Sir. I am that Gary and I do live in Monte Nido. Gary was not very interested in saying very much under the circumstances. He looked down again.

In the report, it stated that you knew the victim and that perhaps you had a personal relationship with her. Am I correct? finished the detective.

Gary sort of grimaced. It depends on what you consider a relationship. I have known her for years, but not on a personal level. I would see her many times a week at various spots in Malibu, but we never really hung out together in a personal way. We both knew the same people throughout the town, but that was about the extent of the relationship. Gary stopped to catch his breath.

Well, you did know the woman, correct? followed the lieutenant.

I knew Lydia, but only as an acquaintance. I had never been to her home or spent any real personal time with her. Gary was very emphatic again about his relationship.

And you know her husband, Dave, right?

Yes, he was another person I would run into often throughout town.

The detective continued. And you know he owns a construction company, right?

Yes, I know a lot of people he did work for. Many people.

Did you know of any issues between the husband and wife?

What exactly are you referring to, precisely? retorted Gary, with an inquisitive look on his face.

If there were any marital problems between the couple? There were rumors around town that he liked to spend time with younger women, even though he was married to her.

The detective stopped for a brief moment. Unfortunately, we are aware of the type of guy he was, but we mean more than that. He might have had it in for his own wife. He might have had ideas to get rid of her, concluded the detective, as Gary observed him moving his eyes to a piece of paper on his desk. Like hiring someone to kill his wife.

Gary practically jumped up from his seat and finally looked the detective directly in the eyes. You’ve got to be kidding. What kind of fool would he be? he barked, as he looked away from the detective, wondering what was on the piece of paper.

We have reason to believe that her husband is presently the primary suspect in this case, even at this early period. We have been watching the guy for weeks and wondering when he might make a move on his woman. We had people reporting rumors to us that something like this would happen, but there was never any real evidence until now.

The detective stopped for a moment and then Gary watched him looking up at him.

You see, he has a great deal of money to inherit with her death. With her alive, there were just his bills and his inability to do what he really wanted. We have reason to believe that he wanted out of the marriage. Dave liked his younger women, especially the ladies from Pepperdine, and he did not like keeping to just one woman at a time. There were many.

Gary watched as the detective again halted in his conversation, as Gary appeared to be quite shocked by the new set of facts. Gary had never really known the husband that well and he definitely did not know that the guy was running around with young girls from the university. This was all great news for him, even though he pretty much knew all the scandals and rumors around town. Sometimes, he was himself amazed at the extent of the latest gossip he became aware of, far in advance of any of the others he knew around town. But this latest about Dave Love was a first for him. From his perspective, Lydia was his only real contact with their marriage and she always seemed very content and happy with her status. However, images are sometimes deceiving. There was always another side of the events.

Gary’s attention had been wandering off and Gary saw the detective brought him back to reality. You didn’t know about his affairs with younger women from the area? I can tell by your complete shock at the suggestion. Correct? Gary noticed the detective moving around his desk to get a better view of Gary’s reactions.

No. I was totally unaware. As I stated earlier, I really didn’t get involved in her personal life and she didn’t know much of mine. We were just acquaintances. I always thought she had a great marriage. Gary now realized that his statement had become somewhat foolish.

Well, Mr. Hawkins, he’s definitely the prime suspect, even as early as the last hour or so, when the crime occurred. We’ll get a statement from him as soon as we catch up with him. We’ve been tailing him a bit and he wasn’t even around his wife today. This was quite strange.

Gary followed the detective who seemed to have stopped the conversation, and turned around to lead the way out for his guest.

Sorry for the waste of your time. We just wanted to see if you could help us out with any new information. Gary watched as he stopped and opened the door leading out to the lobby.

If we have any other questions, Mr. Hawkins, we will keep in touch. We have all your information.

Gary walked out the door as felt the detective shaking his hand. He thought he had been called in for a scare or something similar. It was like he was part of a townhouse play and he had no idea of the outcome or the script itself. Gary stormed out the door, down the stairs, and jumped into his vehicle. He tore out of the parking lot and headed back to his neighborhood.

He drove home to his house and the three dogs. His life seemed to center around the canines in his daily existence as an authentic bachelor. What Gary learned, more than anything else, was that he probably was not fit for the institution of matrimony. He had decided that he should remain single for a long time, until he felt he was ready for a partner and met the right person. He kept to his commitment and had remained single for years. It was not that there were not women around in his life, but he had time to enjoy the fruits of sexual encounters along with short bouts of what might be construed as short-term relationships.

He continued to be very content with his solitary life and he took great pleasure in his existence with his dogs. They warmed his heart daily and he took them on many walks through the hiking trails in the neighborhood. These adventures made him very healthy in both spirit and body and the canines took great enjoyment in their own way. All three dogs moved about with shining coats and slender bodies. The spirited exercise also brought about a