Disclaimer: I do not own the Ironside characters. They are the creation of Collier Young. All other characters were created in my imagination for the purpose of telling this story.
My Ironside fiction is written in the present day rather than in the time that the series took place.
All fanfiction written by me follows a timeline. However it does not necessarily follow the timeline of the show itself. After all it is called fiction!
My stories are written to stand alone. However, they may refer back to my other stories and/or episodes of the Ironside Series.
Murder at St. Mary's
Chapter 01
1.1
Katherine DeNureve entered St. Mary's hospital. Her high heels clicked against the freshly waxed floor of the hall. The charity event was just around the corner and Katherine was visiting the hospital to work on last-minute details. She turned left at the first corridor. Sitting on the right-hand side was a man in his early fifties in a wheelchair. His entire left side appeared to be in a cast.
Katherine smiled at the man as she passed him. She wasn't sure if she was smiling at him or because she was thinking about another man in a wheelchair. She was meeting with Robert T. Ironside regarding the security of the charity event. She had been mesmerized by the man from the moment she met him on that air flight to Montreal. She had never seen more beautiful piercing blue eyes on any other man in her life. He was a handsome man with an almost melodic voice. He was intelligent and brilliant in his field. When he smiled he displayed cheek-long dimples that Katherine found endearing.
Chief Ironside had solved the bombings that had been happening in San Francisco. The head of the French revolution in Canada, Pierre Fougère, had blamed Robert Ironside for nearly destroying the movement while visiting Montreal. He traveled to San Francisco and was able to obtain a nuclear weapon. Fougère kidnapped Barbara Jones and Robert Duvalier. With one of them strapped to a nuclear bomb and the other to a conventional bomb, Robert's mother made a startling revelation. The child that she had named after the San Francisco detective was in fact his son and not the son of Jacques Duvalier.
Ironside raced against time to stop Fougère and saved the lives of not only his son and the woman he loved but also the entire city of San Francisco. What Katherine did not know was that Barbara Jones left San Francisco and Robert Ironside for good.
Katherine stopped a nurse in the hall. "Can you tell me where I can find the therapy department?"
The nurse smiled. "Absolutely, take the next hall to your right. It is down at the end of the hall. Did you check in at the desk?"
"What? Oh, I am not a patient. I am here to see someone."
The nurse frowned. "Would that be a therapist or a patient?"
"I am here to see Chief Ironside. I believe he is in therapy now."
"I am sorry but you will probably have to wait until he is finished. No one is allowed in therapy except patients," the nurse said apologetically.
"The meeting was arranged by Sister Agatha," Katherine told her.
"In that case, go through the doors on the right. You will find Chief Ironside in there." The nurse smiled at her and then went on her way.
1.2
"What is it you are asking me to do, Mr. Haynes?" asked Billy Carson.
"My insurance company cannot continue to pay the cost of one of your patients. I never saw anybody take so long to die of cancer." Morgan Haynes sat down in a chair beside Carson.
Billy shrugged. "Then maybe your insurance company should not be offering catastrophic insurance."
"Yes, I know that. Isn't hindsight wonderful," snarled Haynes.
"Exactly what is it you want me to do about it?" asked Billy.
"It is my understanding that you have a son with leukemia."
Billy jerked his head toward Morgan Haynes. "How did you know that?"
"It is my business to know that. Let's just say it was brought to my attention. I am guessing you could use some help with medical bills. Am I right?"
"What's it to you?"
"I might be able to help you with that," Haynes replied.
"Yeah, just how are you going to do that, short of paying the bills for me?" Billy said sarcastically.
"There is a way. But you might have to do something you might find distasteful."
"Such as?" Billy asked warily.
"You would have to help us reduce the amount we are paying out in insurance claims."
"You are out of luck there, buddy. I don't work in billing. Why would I alter the billings and take a chance of losing my job even if I did work there? I may be up to my ears in debt but I have to keep a roof over my family's heads."
"My understanding is that it won't be long and you will not even have a roof over their heads. You are going to be foreclosed on soon."
Billy cried angrily, "Just where are you getting your information? None of this is any of your business!"
"Like I said, it is my business to know. Don't get all bent out of shape. I can help you with your problem if you will help me with mine." Morgan Haynes lit up a cigarette.
"You can't smoke in a hospital," Billy said.
"What are you, the smoking police? Lighten up. God, you are wound tight as a drum."
"Listen, I have to get back to work. My break is up." Billy stood up but Haynes put a hand on his shoulder.
"Someone you don't know arranged for me to talk to you. Your shift is being covered for the time being. So just sit there and listen." Haynes took another puff from his cigarette.
"So how can you help me?" Billy asked.
"By you helping us. As I said, our insurance company cannot sustain the cost it is taking to help keep a dying man alive. The man needs to check out. You know what I mean?"
"Yeah, but that is up to the Almighty," Billy said.
"It doesn't have to be," Haynes disagreed.
"Will you stop beating around the bush and say what you came here to say?" Billy snarled.
Morgan Haynes crushed the cigarette against the desk. "Okay. My company is willing to pay your son's medical costs if you are willing to help us reduce our skyrocketing claims."
"And just how am I supposed to do that?"
"By helping Mr. Holcomb check out before he bankrupts us."
Billy's eyes widened in shock. "You want me to murder him?"
"Murder is an ugly word, Mr. Carson. It is more of a mercy killing. Now tell me. If you had a dog with terminal cancer, what would you do? Would you keep treating him so that he just hung on by a thread or would you do the human thing and put him out of his misery?"
"Carlton Holcomb is not a dog!" Billy cried out.
"No, he is not but don't you think he deserves the same humane treatment? After all, he is just going to die anyway. Why not put him out of his misery? Jack Kevorkian had the right idea. Think of it as assisted suicide."
"Jack Kevorkian went to jail," Billy pointed out.
"Because he was not smart in how he handled it. He practically slapped law enforcement in Michigan in the face. He should have done it quietly, like you and I are going to do."
"I am not killing anyone!" Billy shouted. "Find yourself another assassin."
"Calm down, my friend. You are not going to be an assassin. Besides, doesn't your son need a bone marrow transplant? How are you going to pay for it?" Haynes asked.
"I'll find a way."
"Sure you will. You are about to lose your house. You are barely feeding your family and your car payment is behind three months. We will end that, if you do as we ask. Think about it. I will contact you." Morgan Haynes got up and headed out. "Just remember, all we are asking you to do is put people out of their misery. They will be terminal patients only. No people that are not terminal will be touched. Oh, in case you have any ideas about going to the police, don't. We know where to find your kid." Haynes walked out.
Billy sat down and put his head in his hands and began to cry.
1.3
Katherine opened the door to the therapy wing and entered.
The attendant at the desk immediately asked, "May I help you?"
"I am looking for Chief Ironside."
"I am sorry but Chief Ironside is in the middle of his therapy right now."
Katherine smiled. "I know that. He asked that I meet him here."
"Are you with the police department?"
Katherine shook her head. "No. I am in charge of the charity event. I am meeting Chief Ironside. He is speaking at the event and he is in charge of security."
"If you will have a seat, he will be finished in about an hour."
Katherine took a seat. Five minutes later, Sister Agatha opened the door and walked in. "What are you doing in here? Robert wanted you to come in to the therapy room."
"I am afraid that is my fault," the woman behind the desk said. "I was not aware of that. I had her sit down and wait for him."
"Follow me," Sister Agatha said.
Katherine followed the sister past a number of rooms. She stopped at the last one. "He's in here." She opened the door and gestured for Katherine to enter in front of her.
As soon as she entered, she saw Robert Ironside. He was standing between two parallel bars, balancing his body between them. Katherine had not realized how tall he was. She estimated that he was six feet two inches tall. She had never known him before he was shot by the sniper's bullet. It just occurred to her that this was the first time she had seen him out of his wheelchair, let alone standing.
"No cheating, Robert. You are to walk both ways twenty times," Sister Agatha barked at the detective.
"Twenty! That can't be right. I only did ten last time," grumbled the chief. "Ask Mark."
Sanger, who was sitting at the back of the room, put up both hands. "Don't drag me into this. I am just the driver."
"Thanks a lot, Mark," Ironside complained. His aide simply smiled.
As Ironside turned his body to walk between the bars to the other side, it was then that Katherine noticed the braces on both legs. Obviously, they were to keep his legs from collapsing under him. He dragged both legs forward as he moved the length of the bars. What a shame, she thought, that such a virile man had to be confined to a wheelchair.
He was dressed in a pair of sweat pants with a V-neck t-shirt. Sweat poured down his face and neck to dampen the hair on his chest. Katherine could only imagine how hard it must be to support one's entire weight with your arms and walk back and forth between those bars…no, walk was not the right word. That would be much easier than dragging legs that you had no control over. The courage and determination of this man never ceased to amaze her.
When he turned toward her, he noticed her seated in a chair by the door. Ironside smiled. "Good morning, Katherine. I did not hear you come in."
"I did not want to disturb you," she said, returning the smile.
"I have a couple more of these to do and I will be finished." He continued to drag himself between the bars.
"You have seven more to do and not one less," Agatha called out.
"Don't mind Sergeant Agatha. She has nothing better to do than come in here and harass me. And I have one more to do," he called out over his shoulder.
"Six! And not one less," Agatha said without looking up from what she was doing.
Katherine laughed at the banter between Sister Agatha and Robert. Despite the arguing, Katherine knew how fond of each other they really were. This time she knew who had won as Robert turned and headed back down to the other end. When he had completed the turns, he stopped. "Are you satisfied, Sergeant Agatha?"
She walked over to him and said, "You better take a shower. You cannot hold a conversation with Katherine smelling like that. She will not be able to talk to you while holding her breath."
Katherine and Mark laughed at Ironside's expense. He did not get a chance for a comeback as Agatha left the room.
"Mark, get me into the shower but take these braces off first."
"You really did not think I would leave them on you, did you?" Mark asked. "You would rust like the tin man." Mark helped his boss out of the braces and back into his chair. He wheeled Ironside out of the room.
Katherine waited patiently while Ironside showered and changed back into his customary suit. She was surprised how little time it took him. Mark wheeled him back into the room within twenty minutes.
"I did not expect you back so fast," she said as he re-entered. "How often do you come here for therapy?"
"He is supposed to come once a week," Mark interrupted, "but it is more like once a month by the time I can drag him in here... kicking and screaming."
"Once a month of this torture is enough," Ironside grumbled. "And I can't kick in case you haven't noticed."
"It would not be torture if you would come in when you are supposed to. Your strength would be built up. And, you do scream. You would kick too if you could."
Katherine laughed at the banter between Mark and Ironside. "If you think you can get into my car, I thought we could discuss the charity event security over lunch... my treat."
Ironside looked up at Mark. "I'll see you back at the office." Mark took that as the dismissal it was intended. He said goodbye to Katherine and left.
"He is very found of you, you know. I can tell."
Ironside grinned. "It goes both ways but if you tell him that, I will deny it." He watched as she laughed at him. She really was a very beautiful woman, he thought, but then another beautiful woman crept into his thoughts and he felt guilty.
"Is there something the matter, Robert?" she asked him.
Ironside smiled at her. "No, nothing. Now, I will take you up on lunch on one condition… my treat."
"I really wanted to take you for all the help you have given me."
"Nonsense, I have not done much of anything. It is my treat. Besides, I will turn the bill over to Agatha. It will be my revenge for the way she tortures me when I come in here."
They both laughed together and left the hospital.
1.4
"What did Carson have to say?" the man asked Morgan Haynes.
"He said he would not kill anyone," answered Haynes. "But I would not take that to be final. He is in debt up to his ears and his kid needs a bone marrow transplant. Despite working in a hospital, he really has lousy insurance. Oh, it covers him all right but it is limited on what it covers for the kid."
"When will you know if he will help us?"
"He doesn't know it yet but the insurance company is only going to pay one third of that bill. He can't afford to pay the bill he has already run up on the boy. When he is hit with that news, he will agree to take money from us."
"You will make sure that we have something on him so that we can force him to continue?"
Haynes shook his head. "Will you relax? Everything is going to be just fine. Once we have him. We will be in business. We will get rid of the ones that are dragging us down. There is one matter that concerns me."
"And what is that?"
"How are we going to make sure the terminal patients are admitted to St. Mary's?" Haynes asked.
"You leave that to me. You just make sure that kid is on board and you have control of him."
"You let me worry about Billy Carson. You just make sure the patients check into St. Mary's."
"What exactly did you tell him we would be doing?"
"I told him they would only be terminal patients and that is what we will do until we have him hooked. Then we will take care of the others," Haynes said.
"What about that nosy nurse, Sister… what is her name?"
"Sister Agatha. She will not be a problem as long as Billy Carson makes the deaths look like natural causes."
"You better make sure he does. You know who that sister would call if she suspects anything at all, don't you?" he asked.
"Sure I do," Haynes replied, "Robert T. Ironside."
"I don't want to tangle with Ironside. You make sure we don't have to. I have five insurance companies that will be seeking our services. All of them are a little nervous that Ironside will get wind of it. I have assured them that it will not happen. See to it that it doesn't. Keep under Ironside's radar. Is that clear, Morgan?"
"It's clear. Stop worrying. Ironside will not know a thing about it."
"He better not. It is important that you have Billy Carson aboard and under control. He will be the key to the entire operation."
"I will. I'll call you when we are ready to start." Morgan Haynes got up and left the room. As he slid into the driver's seat of his Mercedes, his mind wandered back to Ironside. The only way Ironside would find out about the operation would be through Sister Agatha. She would have to be watched closely. Her suspicions could not be raised. If she suspected anything the least bit out of the ordinary, she would run to her crippled cop friend. That could not be allowed to happen even if it meant eliminating the nosy nun.
