O n a cool September evening in , a year-old artist named Alden Marin took a stroll down to the majestic beach at Point Dume to take in the sunset. The beach itself is public property, but the easiest ways to access the best parts are through private land owned by the residents of this upscale stretch of Malibu. In practice, its miles of picturesque cliffs and pristine coves are among the most exclusive preserves in California.
You belong. On this particular evening, Alden would later tell his sister, he encountered a quirky, energetic middle-aged woman. She had shoulder-length frizzy brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and a British accent, and she introduced herself as Ellie Mae McNulty, an actor and screenwriter.
Alden, who had graduated from Stanford and attended the Sorbonne before running a successful wine business, had been battling stage IV melanoma for the past three years or so.
The diagnosis and subsequent chemotherapy had left him struggling with major depression and distress, so their conversation was a welcome respite from the isolation of the pandemic. They became friendly, and McNulty suggested they attend an art exhibition together.
Then, according to Alden, about a month after their first encounter on the beach, McNulty mentioned that she was looking for a place to stay for a few days while waiting for her next residence to be finished.
