The Failure to Look Beyond the Obvious
Chapter 10
10.1
Medical personnel swarmed around Hamilton Burger. The emergency doctor zapped him with the paddles. His heart restarted. After twenty minutes of working on him they had him stabilized.
The emergency doctor turned to the head nurse on duty. "I want him monitored around the clock. That means I want someone sitting with him. Once we know he is out of danger we can monitor him like everyone else. Remember this guy is a VIP. I don't want anything happening to him. Is that clear?"
The nursed nodded in acknowledgement. "A VIP?" she asked. "Who is he?"
"He's the Los Angeles district attorney. I recognized him the minute he arrived. He's the guy that goes up against Perry Mason in court all the time." The doctor started walking away.
The nursed mumbled, "Seems to me Perry Mason would be the VIP if he were in here. Burger is the guy that loses to him all the time."
The emergency doctor turned back. "That is true but Mason is an exceptional attorney. If you discount those cases Burger would be just about undefeated in court. Believe me, he is actually a good DA." He turned and left.
10.2
Sgt. Randy Kempt was following his partner Damon Richards at a distance. Richards had driven out to a warehouse just outside the San Francisco city limits. He unlocked the door and went in. He was unaware that Kempt was not far behind him.
Richards walked past hundreds of three-foot containers towards the office. "Hello, Bronson," he called out to the man on duty.
"Hey, Damon, what are you doing here tonight?" Bronson asked Richards.
"We have had so many warehouses raided lately I want to make sure we are moving this stuff out on time. The powers to be are getting edgy. Ironside and that meddling lawyer are becoming a major problem." Richards pulled out the manifest and started studying it.
"I heard Ironside pulled Means off the case. That's too bad. If he had been heading it your brother could have been completely informed as to what was going on. Then we would have known," Bronson said.
"My brother has no idea what is going on with these warehouses. All he wants to do is beat that fancy lawyer and Ironside. My brother must never know. I could not guarantee how he would react. He is protecting me. He thinks I was at the scene of the murder and he would rather keep it quiet. He does not want a scandal. He does not believe I had anything to do with killing Webb."
"You did." Gerard Bronson grinned. "And it sounds more like he is trying to protect himself than you."
"Yes. But he does not know I did it. It is in our best interest to keep him in the dark," Richards said.
"It's in his best interest if you want to keep him alive. The boss does not put up with problems. He eliminates them," Bronson laughed.
Richards stopped talking when he heard a noise out in the warehouse. "Did you hear something?"
Bronson drew his gun. "I sure as hell did." He headed out into the warehouse quietly. Richards followed him with his gun drawn. They moved further into the dark warehouse. The advantage was theirs as both knew every foot of the large warehouse and where every container of heroin was.
As they turned past the third set of containers they spotted someone who was using a knife to cut open one of the containers. He pulled out a cell phone and began taking pictures of the containers and the drugs they contained.
Bronson and Richards came up behind him and shined a flashlight at his back. Shock registered on Richards' face as he turned and looked at his partner. "What are you doing here?" he asked as he continued to point his gun at Kempt.
"I could ask you the same question. You are involved in this drug ring, aren't you? I can't believe it. Ironside will send you away for a very long time. Damon, I suggest you give yourself up and turn state's evidence. It is the only way you are going to avoid a long prison term." Kempt was looking for some way to distract the two men. It was his only chance to draw his weapon. It was doubtful they were going to let him out of here alive.
Damon put his head back and laughed. "Ironside isn't going to do anything. It won't be long before he and his big mouth lawyer friend will be dead. I have no intentions of turning myself in. You on the other hand should not have followed me here."
Sgt. Randy Kempt began slowly backing away. "That's far enough, partner," Richards said. "I want to know if Ironside put you up to this."
Kempt just stared at Richards. He had no intentions of telling Richards anything.
"Come now, partner. You have nothing to lose. So why don't you just answer me? What does Ironside know?" Richards demanded.
"I have no intentions of telling you anything," Kempt said.
"Ok, suit yourself." Richards pointed his service revolver directly at Kempt's head and pulled the trigger. Kempt fell to the floor. "Get rid of the body," Richards told Bronson.
10.3
Perry and Della were sitting with the Chief next to his favorite window. "We had a very close call today, Bob," Perry said to his brother.
"I know. It was my fault. I should have had officers placed at both the front and back doors." Ironside rested his elbow on the arm of his wheelchair and his chin on his thumb. "Ed paid the price for my oversight."
Della looked into familiar blue eyes. "Don't blame yourself, Robert. The man was a pro. He probably would have shot the officers to get past them."
"One thing we know is they will not hesitate to kill anyone who gets in the way. And we have gotten in the way. Anyone that is with us until we solve this case is a potential target for these killers," Perry warned.
"I have to warn you it is very hard to protect a person from a professional. I was surprised the man today decided to come in after us. I would have thought he would have fired at us from a distance," Ironside said. "Tomorrow we will get Dennis back on the mug files for the man Webb sold the drugs to near the Golden Gate Bridge. We got a break with Lt. Means' picture of the Richards brothers. There has to be something that ties the three cities together under one boss. We have to find that tie."
"Bob, we have to find out what Damon Richards is up to. I am beginning to think he is the key to this," Perry offered.
"Carl and John will check him out thoroughly," Ironside insisted.
Della turned her attention away from the window. "Robert, can Lt. Means be trusted?"
"I read people well, Della," Ironside told her. "Yes, I believe he was sincere. He could have buried that photo. Instead he turned it over to me. He has always skirted the law but possibly that is because he wanted to get ahead. At any rate Carl will keep an eye on him."
"It's getting late. I think I will try and get some sleep. Bob, can I help you get ready for bed?" Perry asked Ironside.
"Thanks, Perry, but Mark will be back shortly. In fact I am surprised he is not back from night school by now. He probably went out with some friends afterwards. He knows I usually stay up late and I can get into bed by myself if I have to. I think I will stay up and think awhile. I find this is the best time of the day for figuring things out. You two go ahead." Ironside looked out the window.
Perry and Della left the chief to think things out.
10.4
The next morning Damon Richards stood by the duty desk waiting for a partner he knew would never arrive. It was more than an hour past time for Kempt to arrive.
Carl Reese noticed Richards standing by the desk. "Hey, Richards, why are you still here this morning? I thought you were working on the Willings murder."
"We are but Randy has not shown up for work and has not called in either. We tried his house and his cell phone but he is not answering either," Richards told him.
Carl did not like the sound of that. "Come with me. We better let the chief know," Carl instructed him.
"I don't answer to Ironside," Richards growled at Reese.
"Everyone answers to Ironside. The sooner you get that through your thick skull the better off you will be," Reese growled back. "Now come on."
Richards decided arguing with Reese was pointless at this time. He might as well go with Reese and see if he could learn anything from Ironside...maybe find out what he was up to.
10.5
Lt. John Means stopped in the Narcotics Unit to pick up a report he had ordered from the San Diego police. He stood there long enough to read it. He smiled. The chief was going to be pleased with this report. This would go a long way to proving to the chief he was serious about helping with this case. He would call the San Diego police department and confirm his suspicions first. Yes, he would show Ironside that even though his methods might have been wrong at times he was a good cop who wanted justice.
He headed for the jail. When he got there he told the officer on duty, "I am here to pick up Commissioner Randall. Ironside wants him upstairs."
The duty officer got the keys and disappeared into the jail. He returned with Randall. As he reached into he desk drawer for cuffs Means said, "Those are not necessary, officer."
Looking confused the officer said, "But regulations say..."
"I know the regulations. I will take responsibility." Means took the commissioner's elbow and lead him away.
10.6
Officer Eve Whitfield knocked on the door at the home of Mary Galloway. Eve had been checking the police computer when she ran across a woman whose name was Mary Galloway. Since it was similar to Gallows she decided to investigate Mary Galloway. In the process she had found Mary Galloway had used the alias Mary Gallows on more than one occasions. She found an address for Galloway which led to the doorstep she now stood at. She knocked on the door again. Finally an elderly woman opened the door.
"May I help you?" she croaked out in a raspy voice.
"I am looking for Mary Galloway. My name is Officer Eve Whitfield." Eve pulled her badge out of her purse and presented it to the woman.
Mrs. Galloway took the badge from Eve and looked at it closely. She gave it back and opened the door. "Come in, officer."
Eve followed the old woman in the house. It was a modestly furnished home. Nothing about the house indicated someone was living beyond their means. "Mrs. Galloway, is Mary home? I would like to ask her a few questions."
"No, she is not here right now. She has a temporary job working at the police station. I am surprised you do not know that. She is working as a replacement secretary there for I thought the commissioner's office." Mrs. Galloway got up. "Would you like a cup of coffee, my dear?"
"No, thank you," Eve told her. "Mrs. Galloway, Mary only worked at the police station one day. She did not report to work today. It is important that we talk to her. Does she have a friend or a young man she might stay with?"
The old lady became very upset. "Why would she lie to me? I don't understand where she would have gone today." She began to cry. "Is she in some kind of trouble?"
"We don't know that. We will know more when we talk to her. Now can you tell me where she might go…friends…a boyfriend?"
The woman wiped away tears from her eyes and said, "She has been seeing a boy named Gerard Bronson. She might be with him. I cannot tell you where he lives though. I have only seen him a couple of times. He is a tall, big man, dark hair, green eyes. He has a scar across his right cheek."
"Would you mind if I took a look at her room?" Eve asked.
"Certainly, I will show you the way." Mrs. Galloway led Eve upstairs to the first bedroom off the hall. "I don't know what you are looking for but I hope it will help you find my granddaughter."
Eve entered Mary Galloway's room and shut the door.
10.7
Perry wheeled Ironside down the hall of the hospital. As they arrived at Sgt. Brown's room the chief reached forward and opened the door. He pulled himself through the archway. Ed was awake and sitting up. Perry was surprised at how quickly Ed had recovered.
"Good morning, Chief. Morning, Perry," Ed called cheerfully. "What's going on with the case? Anything new?"
Ironside brought Ed up to date. "We found out just before we left for here the man who shot you was a hired gun out of Nevada." Ironside pulled a file out of the side of his chair and gave it to Ed.
Ed whistled. "Kirby Jorgenson…we have been trying to get him for years. He should have quit. He was careless. He never should have followed us into that apartment building. I don't understand why he did not try to kill you when we entered."
"The only place he could have been concealed was in those thick bushes and if I recall, Ed, you were walking in between the chief and the bushes. He would not have been able to get a clear shot at him," Perry said.
"Well, he sure did not have any trouble shooting me in the apartment to get to the chief. We are lucky Carl was on his way in when he was," Ed said.
"I don't even want to think about it," Ironside said.
"Chief, when can you spring me from here? I want to get back to the case." Ed pulled himself up toward the head of the bed.
"You just sit there and recover. The doctor said he will be releasing you in a couple days. For as serious as what could have happened you were lucky…we were lucky. I want you back, Ed, but not until the doctor says so. Sit there and heal. We'll be in touch," Ironside turned his chair and headed to the door. "Come on, Perry, let's go."
Perry Mason moved in behind the chief's chair and pushed him out of Ed's room.
10.8
Paul Drake headed for the intensive care unit to check on Hamilton Burger. The nurse at the duty station cleared him to see Burger but only for a few minutes. She explained to him about the close call they had had the night before but that Burger had improved quite a bit throughout the night.
Paul entered Burger's intensive care unit. Burger was awake. He smiled at Paul as he entered. "I hear you tried checking out last night. Glad to see you failed."
"I am not about to check out until I beat Mason in court," Hamilton said in barely a whisper.
Paul laughed. "I will be sure to tell him. He will be happy to know he is the reason you are still alive." Paul changed the subject. "I am going to go out with Lt. Russell and check out that warehouse. I have a plane ticket back to Los Angeles right afterwards. Perry thinks it was you they were attacking. He believes there is something in the Donald Griffin case that you might have been reminded of if you were to check back on it. Perry wants me to check it out."
"Paul, call Lt. Tragg. Don't do any of this alone. Whoever is behind this will kill anyone they deem a threat. Please be careful. Call me and keep me up to date after they move me into a private room." Hamilton raised his hand to Paul.
Paul took Hamilton's hand. "I feel bad about leaving you here alone."
"Don't worry about me," Hamilton whispered. "Just be careful."
Paul glanced back as he left the intensive care unit. He waved at Burger as he left.
10.9
Mason and Ironside arrived back at the office. Della Street greeted them both and handed Perry a paper. "The commissioner is going to be arraigned tomorrow."
Perry read the paper and said, "Richards is not wasting any time, is he?"
"How's Ed?" Della asked.
"Remarkably well actually. He was trying to get Bob to get him released," Perry chuckled.
Dennis Randall was sitting at the table going through mug shots. "Good morning, gentlemen."
"Morning, Commissioner," both men responded.
"Any luck, Dennis?" Ironside asked.
"Not yet, Bob," Randall said.
The phone rang. Ironside wheeled over to the table and punched the speaker. "Ironside," the chief barked into the phone.
"Chief, it's Eve. I found out who Mary Gallows is. Gallows is an alias. She is really Mary Galloway. She has been arrested a couple times for possession of heroin. Both times she has gotten a suspended sentence on the recommendation of some prominent person. It was left out of the record but we can find out who as Judge Thatcher was the judge that allowed his name to stay out of the record."
"Are you bringing her in?" Perry asked.
"I have not found her yet. She was not at home. Her grandmother did not know where she was. I am running down the boyfriend now. His name is Gerard Bronson. I have the address from her address book I found in her bedroom. Can you run a check on him?"
"Bob, there is no way she should be doing this alone," Perry said to his brother.
"I agree. Eve, forget checking on Bronson. Get back to this office now," Ironside ordered his policewoman.
"But Chief, I am almost there. I might be able to pick her up," Eve protested.
"That is an order, Officer Whitfield," Ironside barked into the phone and hung up. He picked it back up and dialed. "Send me up an officer that can assist me for the day." He hung up the phone.
"Perry, when Eve gets back here you and I are going over to Bronson's place and see if we can locate either Bronson or Galloway."
A moment later a young policewoman walked into the room. "Chief Ironside, my name is Fran Belding. I was told to report to you. What would you like me to do, sir?"
Ironside handed her a paper with Bronson's name and address on it. "Find out everything you can about this man. Call me on my cell phone with a report."
Officer Belding started heading out the door. "Right, Chief. I'll call when I have something."
"Officer Belding!" Ironside shouted.
A startled Belding turned, "Yes, Chief?"
"Aren't you the daughter of Dave Belding?" Ironside asked.
"Yes, Chief. My dad's on the force. You used to work with him." Belding smiled.
"Why, the last time I saw you, you were about this high." Ironside put his hand out indicating the height of a child.
Fran laughed. "It hasn't been that long. I call you as soon as I can." She turned on her heels and left the office.
The phone rang again. Ironside picked it up. "Ironside."
"Chief, it's Carl."
"Carl, where in the hell are you? And where is John?" Ironside growled into the phone.
"John is checking on a hunch. He just called and is headed to your office. He has some information. I did not have time to talk to him. I am over at the bay," Carl said.
"What in the hell are you doing over there?" Ironside asked impatiently.
"Chief, I got a call. A body was found in the bay. It's Randy Kempt. He was shot in the head," Carl broke the bad news.
Ironside got a sick feeling in his stomach. Anger started to rise. "Damn it," he shouted. "How many more people are going to die before we find this maniac?"
At that moment shots were fired through the window that Ironside sat at late at night. Everyone started scrambling. Dennis Randall grabbed Della Street and forced her to the floor. Mark and Perry raced to move Ironside out of the line of fire. Shots continued to riddle the office. Randall covered Della with his body as Mark covered the chief with his.
Police personnel started pouring into the office. "Get someone over to the building across the street NOW. Cut off all exits. Detain everyone that is in that building right now," Ironside was bellowing over the shots that were still being fired.
Finally the shooting stopped. Police could be spotted in the building across the street. Everyone got up off the floor…except one.