Jamie Brodie 01 - Cited to Death

with 30 to 45 minutes of lecture, then the students would have an in-class research activity to complete based on the lecture. Then we’d spend the last 45 minutes or so talking about what they’d found. Tonight’s topic was California history, and the resources available for researching it. The students were on task, and we finished class about 20 minutes early. I answered a few questions about the final project that was due in two weeks, then headed home.
    Even though it was dark, there were a lot of people around – night classes all let out at the same time. I’d never felt unsafe walking on campus after dark. Being 6’2” and 185 pounds had its advantages: not the most attractive target for a mugger. But tonight, I had a weird feeling that someone was following me. I looked back a couple of times and even stopped once to re-tie my shoes so that I could get a good look behind me, but I never did see anyone suspicious. I decided that I was letting the events of the day color my imagination. Why would anyone be following me?
    When I got home, I found a note from Kevin. “At the movies.” They’d be home before long. I changed into sweats and sat down on the sofa with Oliver’s article and a medical dictionary I’d checked out of the library earlier today. An hour later, my eyes were crossing with exhaustion, and I’d managed to read through about a page and a half. This area of research might be a big deal, but it was dry reading for a non-medical person. I was starting to catch on to the terminology a bit, but I was too tired to continue.
    Kevin and Abby came in as I was getting my computer bag ready for the following day. I said hello and chatted for a few minutes, then collapsed into bed. I’d tell Kevin about my visit from Dr. Oliver in the morning.

Thursday May 31
    But I didn’t get a chance to tell Kevin anything. When I got up at 5:30, he was already dressed and out the door, on the way to a crime scene.
    The day dawned hot, hazy and humid, with an air quality alert. That was especially bad news on this day. People with asthma were supposed to stay indoors on days like this. Instead, I’d be heading towards the Valley, and the worst of the smog, to stand outside for at least 30 minutes. I usually went for a run on Thursdays, but because of the alert, I went to the pool instead.
    I’d had asthma as a kid, but it got worse when I moved to LA. The air in LA was a lot better than it used to be, but still not as good as in Oceanside, north of San Diego, where I’d grown up. Or Berkeley, where I’d gone to college. Or Oxford, England, where I’d gotten my doctorate. I had to use a preventive inhaler every day and carry a rescue inhaler with me wherever I went. I was sensitive to just about everything. Dust, smog, pollen, and cats were all no-nos. But the worst was perfume and cologne. Some brands just made me cough, but some made me start wheezing even before I could get my inhaler out of my pocket. Everyone knew not to wear scent around me. I even had a sign posted on my office door banning those wearing perfume, cologne, and other scents from entering.
    As I left the house, I patted my pocket to make sure my inhaler was there.
    When I got to the office, I had a voice mail waiting for me from Dr. Loomis. “Jamie – please come see me.” Oh shit . What did I do? I hustled upstairs and knocked at her door, and she beckoned me in. “Please come in and look at this.”
    Dr. Loomis’s email was open, and it was full of messages from me. Most of them seemed to be offering Dr. Loomis the opportunity to invest in metals. I was appalled. “Holy sh- um – crap! How many of those are there?”
    “At least 100. George and Lesley in Technical Services inform me that the same phenomenon has occurred in their email. I expect there will be others. Can I assume that you know nothing about this?”
    “No, ma’am. I mean, yes, ma’am, you can assume that. I have no idea what’s going on. My computer crashed yesterday, but I thought IT fixed it.”
    “Have you turned on your computer yet this morning?”
    “No, I came straight here.”
    “Perhaps you should go check your own email. I have called IT to come look at mine; I’ll send them to you when they are finished here.”
    “Okay. Thank you. I’m really sorry about this.” I headed back downstairs. What was going on? First my computer crashed yesterday, and now this. It flashed through my mind to wonder if it had anything to do with Dan’s