Ealing
is discovered murdered in his pool house,
where he often swims late at night to "wind
down," according to his estate manager.
Arriving on scene, LAPD investigators note
that Ealing's murder closely mimics the killing
portrayed in a movie he produced in 1996.
The award-winning film, based on a novel,
was advertised as "The ultimate death
for a narcissist."
Police attempt to keep details of the heinous
murder confidential in vain. Several TV news
outlets broadcast tape of the scene using
helicopter cameras able to shoot through the
skylight glass of the pool house.
Leaks of the disturbing e-mail from Mike's
Gifts ignite the Internet and news wires as
an association between the June 23 message
and Ealing's death.
LAPD Lieutenant Theodore Powell assigns a
computer forensics team to track the sender
of the message through deleted files on the
victim's PC. The police are not familiar with
Mike's Gifts.
High-level industry sources familiar with
Mike's Gifts call it, "The worst kind
of revenge." One executive says that
people in his circle refer to the service
as "The Mind Box."
Web sites fill with rumors of disturbing online
gifts from the strange service, while other
postings express concern that the purveyor
of mental revenge has now escalated to homicide.
Lt. Powell launches a task force based out
of the Hollywood station, as Robbery-Homicide
at Parker Center is consumed with another
high-profile case.
Homicide Detective II Lane Daily, the head
of the new task force, travels to the Temperel
Institute in Goleta, a scientific research
facility known for its work in diseases of
the brain (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's) and restoring
memory function to those with brain damage.
Detective Daily investigates members of the
victim's family who serve on the board of
the Institute and its charitable foundation,
founded by the victim's mother, who died from
complications of Alzheimer's disease.
Members of the Temperel board, including the
victim's father, noted author and conservative
political advocate Dr. Reece Ealing, refuse
to return press calls.
