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  Praise for FINAL NOTICE

  “Van Fleisher could join the ranks of James Patterson and Tom Clancy with the quality of writing that I found in Final Notice. More importantly, he took a simple idea and elevated it into a thrilling, fast paced read that never once slackened.” Samantha Coville for Readers’ Favorite

  ***

  “… A fiction novel that is not that far from reality. My attention never wavered while reading this novel. The characters are likable and multidimensional ... the plot was perfectly paced .... (and) I kept on turning the pages because I was impatient to see how each character who received a final notice would react. I have to congratulate the author on the ability to surprise me multiple times throughout the story." Sarah Khan for OnlineBookClub.org.

  ***

  “It is original, with biting humor, and well executed; Final Notice is a great read. Final Notice by Van Fleisher is a thrilling novel that includes strong elements of sci-fi to provide readers with an awesome reading experience. The story is intelligently plotted, featuring a lot of suspense and grim humor, and forces readers to consider what they would do if they knew when they would die. Van Fleisher has a powerful sense of setting and readers will feel as though they are navigating the physical and spiritual landscapes of the novel alongside the characters. Final Notice is a great read.” Romuald Dzemo for Readers’ Favorite.

  ***

  “… A powerful and engrossing set of tales incorporating social and political commentary… . While the underlying premise may come from science fiction, the ultimate impact lies in their social perspectives, which leads readers to think about future desires, the consequences of actions when death is an imminent certainty, and issues ranging from gun rights to senior citizens' quality of life.” D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

  ***

  "Van Fleisher is a master entertainer... . Final Notice by Van Fleisher is an intelligently imagined and expertly crafted novel with an original concept. Combining dark and biting humor, satire, and suspense, Van Fleisher creates a story with characters who are sophisticated and reveal a lot about human nature. There is an unpredictability in the plot that makes it intriguing and exciting, with surprises that readers won't see coming. You can't stop reading this book once you start it." Divine Zape, Readers' Favorite.

  ***

  And from Amazon Readers …

  “Shocking Reality of Gun Ownership in the wrong hands and the Consequences.”

  “Fantastic Present-Day Intriguing Story!”

  “Final Notice is an incredible political thriller that discusses the issue of gun control in America.”

  “This story is imaginative and unique and draws attention to provocative topics that America is in the midst of …”

  “Great political satire!”

  “A ‘must read’ book for right now!”

  “What a thrill ride! From start to finish, this book kept me engaged and entertained with its fascinating concepts.”

  FINAL NOTICE

  A Novel By

  VAN FLEISHER

  FINAL NOTICE,

  A Novel By

  VAN FLEISHER

  “The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any

  similarity to real persons, living or dead, is unfortunate.”

  Copyright © 2017 Van Fleisher Cover design by BookBaby

  All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the Author constitutes unlawful piracy and theft of the Author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained from the Author at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of this.

  Second edition: 2018

  Revised-April 2019

  The Author is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the Author.

  ISBN (Print Edition): 978-1-7320833-0-1

  ISBN (eBook Edition): 978-1-54391-412-2

  CONTENTS

  Praise for FINAL NOTICE

  FOREWARD

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER 1 - IN THE BEGINNING …

  CHAPTER 2 – THE NRA DISCOUNT

  CHAPTER 3 – INTO THE UNKNOWN

  CHAPTER 4 - VITALTECH

  CHAPTER 5 – LOGICAL OUTCOME

  CHAPTER 6 - FBI NOTES: QUENTIN MOORE

  CHAPTER 7 – DINNER & GUNS

  CHAPTER 8 – TWO DECISIONS

  CHAPTER 9 - WRINKLES

  CHAPTER 10 – CONSEQUENCES

  CHAPTER 11 - ZOE BROUET

  CHAPTER 12 – GRETA JOHANSSON

  CHAPTER 13 – VIJAY’S DILEMMA

  CHAPTER 14 – FOR THE BENEFIT OF SCIENCE

  CHAPTER 15 – MILES AND QASIM

  CHAPTER 16 – CLIENT RELATIONSHIP

  CHAPTER 17 – PLANS & A PRESS RELEASE

  CHAPTER 18 – THE GUN SHOW & NEW FRIENDS

  CHAPTER 19 – THE CIRCLE LINE

  CHAPTER 20 – TWO MEETINGS

  CHAPTER 21 – THE GUN

  CHAPTER 22 – TWO TESTS

  CHAPTER 23 – SENATOR JOHN MCADAM

  CHAPTER 24 – THE BAD, THE WORSE & THE UGLY

  CHAPTER 25 – AN APPOINTMENT & A SHOOTING

  CHAPTER 26 – TURNING POINTS

  CHAPTER 27 – BAD NEWS, NEWS & A WALK IN THE DARK

  CHAPTER 28 – IMPROVEMENT FOR THE GOP

  CHAPTER 29 – THE DAYS AFTER

  CHAPTER 30 – MORE CONSEQUENCES

  CHAPTER 31 – THE PLAN

  EPILOGUE

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  FINAL NOTICE QUESTIONS FOR BOOK CLUBS

  FOREWARD

  My initial intent was to call attention to the way that senior citizens are perceived and dealt with in the United States, mixing that with our seemingly insatiable appetite for guns. Driving that appetite is our political process, feeding our fears and hunger for guns; so, I felt compelled to bring that aspect into the story.

  Although the book presents a number of murders, I have used these crimes solely as a way of highlighting what I believe is a serious and growing national concern. In no way do I condone murder, even when the act may benefit the majority.

  I am pledging at least 10% of my net income from this book to be donated to a variety of organizations working for a better country (see my website at www.finalnoticebook.com for details). Better healthcare for all, better education for all, better job opportunities for all, better government for all, and fewer guns for fewer people. I am not anti-gun, per se, but until we embrace sensible safeguards to regulate who can and cannot have a gun, I believe the Second Amendment is being abused.

  * * *

  PROLOGUE

  WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU KNEW - FOR CERTAIN - THAT YOU HAD ONE WEEK TO LIVE?

  Some would spend the time getting their legal affairs in order, revising wills, and writing out detailed instructions. Others would spend much of that time calling, writing or e-mailing family, friends, lovers and ex-lovers. Some might try to squeeze in something they have always wanted to do or visit or make an exceptional donation. Still others might clean out the refrigerator, dust the furniture, wash the floors and do the laundry. And some … might kill.

  * * *

  CHAPTER 1 - IN THE BEGINNING …

  Pasadena, California. It was an extremely unnerved Vince Fuller who returned to his comfortable home in Pasadena’s historic Highlands. His hands were still shaking as he fumbled with the back-door key. Luckily, Trudi would not hear him, he thought with relief, as he caught the strains of his wife’s guitar and voice coming from the den. She was caught up in one of her new folk songs. But Miles, their little corgi, certainly heard him come in and came runni
ng to greet him. Vince gave him a quick scratch between his oversized ears, and went quickly and quietly to their master suite, where he washed the dirt from his hands and changed out of his soiled clothes. He felt guilty for this act of stealth, although he had done nothing wrong.

  Only then did he knock on the den door, out of courtesy, and Trudi shouted, “Hi, Honey!” as she stopped playing and placed the guitar back in its stand. Folk music was a passion of Trudi’s and she had been doing it for over 50 years, mostly for her own enjoyment, with friends at song circles, and the occasional low-profile, coffee house gig. She had even recorded a couple of CDs, which, despite favorable reviews, managed to gross just over $500 ... total. Folk music, it often seemed, was yesterday’s music and the only people who liked and appreciated it were, literally, a dying breed. Vince liked it though, and always enjoyed hearing her humming and strumming around the house.

  Trudi gave Vince a quick hug and kiss. “I’m sorry, Honey. I didn’t realize what time it was. I think dinner will be a bit late ... and a lot simpler. How was your day? Any luck with finding your ideal coffee maker?”

  Vince was trying to be upbeat and calm. “No. Close but not perfect.” He had been searching for a coffee maker that could make espresso, coffee, and lattes without using pre-packaged products. “I’ll take Miles around the block for a quick walk while you whip up a late and simple supper, as long as simple doesn’t mean without wine!”

  Miles saw the leash in Vince’s hand and responded with a marked increase in the wag speed of his stump of a tail. Walks, head scratches and belly rubs were right up there with food, and that was saying something. Some people know corgis as the Queen’s dogs (as in Queen Elizabeth of England): jaunty little dogs that are “little” only in terms of their legs, which are almost shorter than their pointy ears. But Miles was something of a character – friendly and fearless, with enough speed, swagger and “attitude” to outstrip a dog twice his size. So, not surprisingly, he attracted a lot of attention.

  It was late afternoon and there were a fair number of people out and enjoying the day. In the past, their reactions when they saw Miles always amused Vince, but today his head was in a different place altogether.

  Vince had recently turned 70, and although he was physically fit, carried his 165 pounds well on his six-foot frame, and he didn’t feel 70, the reality was unavoidable and today was proof. Well, so were the reading glasses, thinning hair and stiffness in the morning. He was getting old, if not already there. He knew what he would have done to that hopped-up piece of shit who knocked him down at the Mall today had that happened even 20 years ago. And if it had occurred when he was playing college football … well, the truth is, it wouldn’t have happened. It had happened today only because he was old and that asshole knew he could get away with it. And that’s what really ate at Vince. Being knocked down hadn’t physically hurt him, but his pride and ego had suffered a blow. He still heard that menacing, mocking voice say, “Get the fuck out of my way, old man.” And there was nothing he could do about it.

  After dinner, Vince and Trudi cleaned up the aftermath of the quinoa-kale stir fry and retired to the living room to watch the evening news with a glass of red wine in hand, and Miles at their feet. It had become a ritual of sorts, one that had been adopted and refined after Vince’s retirement from his job as an international management consultant, two years earlier.

  Trudi was poised on the couch, petite, fit, auburn hair (with some help from her hair dresser), green-framed glasses assisting her 65-year-old green eyes, with one leg curled up beneath her and the other on the magazine-strewn coffee table, while Vince shifted in his overstuffed chair, navigating the thousand channels with practiced expertise. Vince and Trudi bought this house and much of its furniture 40 years ago. The furniture had been recovered and re-upholstered a few times, and they loved the comfort that comes with good quality and age. They had watched their neighborhood change over time as families moved in and out, generally white middle class leaving and ethnic upper-middle-class moving in; but Vince couldn’t figure out how anyone could afford to buy a house at today’s prices.

  Surfing the channels, he stopped at Fox News – an occasional

  practice to “see how the other half thinks.”

  The TV spokesman said, “We’re going to take a short break and when we come back, Fox News will present another real life, true story about a grave threat – no pun intended – (laughing) to senior citizens.”

  Vince cringed and was tempted to switch channels but instead just muted it as a commercial began. Ignoring the muted commercial, Trudi said, “Wow, they really know their audience, don’t they?”

  He tried to smile but this wasn’t helping his mood.

  Perhaps Trudi sensed his low spirits and added, “I spoke with Alma today and she is going to check dates with Ahmed to have us over for dinner.”

  The ploy worked and Vince smiled, genuinely, for the first time. Alma Khan was a great cook and she and her husband, Ahmed, were good friends of theirs. “What’s the occasion?”

  “Nothing. We were just catching up on stuff and realized it had been too long.”

  Vince had met Ahmed Khan almost 20 years ago when he was doing a consulting project at Cal Tech, where Ahmed worked. Vince recognized the unique qualities in Ahmed that enabled him to see the bigger picture instead of being solely focused on the technical issues. They stayed in touch over the years and then the Khans moved to Pasadena, not far from the Fullers, and their connection turned into a friendship.

  Vince’s significant time working in over 30 countries around the world made him more than comfortable with people from different cultures. He also had great admiration for the degree of openness and generosity in most cultures as compared with his own country. He knew that there were good and bad people everywhere, but his experience made him realize that the good in other cultures was every bit as deep, if not deeper, than the good in his own.

  Vince was getting pretty adept at recognizing the end of commercials and was about to unmute when another commercial started. “I hope she’s cooking her lamb recipe. That has to be the best dish I’ve ever had.”

  “Better than my quinoa-kale stir fry?”

  Vince was finally relaxing, and his usual good humor returned as he danced around Trudi’s question until the Fox News host returned.

  “Our guest this evening is Dwayne LaPlant, Executive Vice President of Marketing for the NRA, the National Rifle Association. Good evening, Dwayne, and thank you for joining us.”

  “Thank you, Sean, for having me.”

  “As you know, Dwayne, we’ve been running a series of segments about the random acts of violence that seem to have spread from racial and ethnic attacks to attacks on the elderly and women. What’s your take on this phenomenon?”

  Vince squirmed in his chair.

  “Well, Sean, it’s clearly opportunistic. Older people and women are less able to fight back and defend themselves so naturally they’re more vulnerable to these physical attacks. Same with children. That’s why we advocate being able to protect yourself through responsible gun ownership.”

  “But in the case of the elderly, aren’t you concerned about an increase of accidental shootings? You know, forgetting to use the safety mechanism or not seeing clearly?”

  “We get some of that, even with younger people,” LaPlant replied with a laugh. “Our studies have shown that with adequate training, almost anyone can be a responsible gun owner. That’s why we introduced the NRA Armed Seniors Discount Program. If more old timers packed heat, it might make thugs think twice before bullying them.”

  Vince felt a weight on his chest, as if they were talking directly to and about him. He was overcome with guilt, embarrassment and rage ... but guns?

  Sean agreed. “Good point. How’s that program going, by the way?”

  “Pretty amazing. We’ve sold more guns under that program than Obama sold health policies. (He laughed again.) In fact, we’re planning a big event to cele
brate our millionth sale.”

  “A million guns? Just to seniors?” “Yep.”

  “And have there been any repercussions?” “Nothing unusual. A few isolated incidents.”

  “It seems that we’ve been hearing about more than just a few. Do you have any statistics?”

  “No. We don’t track that, but it stands to reason that if the normal accident rate is applied to a million more guns and users, there could be an increase. But seniors are not exactly an aggressive group, so it is probably even less than normal.

  We just think that if we armed all seniors, people would think

  twice about taking advantage of them.”

  “Like having armed guards in all schools?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Do you have any advice for seniors about how to avoid problems?”

  “Good question, Sean. There are over 40 million seniors over

  65 in the United States. So, even a million new gun users won’t make that much of an impact. So, first of all, we plan to continue the discount so that more responsible seniors can protect themselves and enjoy the lives they’ve worked so hard for. We are also planning a series of training videos that will be promoted on our website that will help seniors avoid problems.”