THE VISITING POLICEMAN

The elevator opened onto the fourth floor of the Superior Court building. Vigorously Robert Ironside pushed himself out of the car into the bustling reception area. Immediately he was greeted by Mark Sanger's secretary.

"Chief Ironside, good morning! You're looking well; retirement certainly agrees with you."

Gertie Lade was a tall woman with dark mocha skin and steel gray hair. Her voice was rich, slow, and deep, with a strong Southern accent. Rumor had it that not only could she complete Sanger's sentences for him, but she knew what he needed before he knew what he needed. Her attitude of command amidst the flurry of activity made him understand immediately that she made it possible for Mark Sanger to focus on the law, something she'd done since he first worked for the District Attorney's office. Gertie had followed her boss up the ladder since, and the San Francisco legal community knew there was no way they would see her boss unless she gave the green light.

"Always a pleasure to see you, Gertie, and yes, retirement agrees quite well with me."

"The Judge is expecting you so that y'all can go right on in. Give my best to Katherine, will you?" She smiled with genuine warmth. "Bryan! Give Chief Ironside a hand with the Judge's door, will you?." Her request fell like a command. Just before Bryan's unseen hands grabbed the chair's arms, she spoke softly into his ear.

"The Judge has been here since five this morning. He's been on the phone with Sacramento and Washington already. I'm glad you're here. He needs a sounding board." She gave a curt wave, and Bryan pushed him briskly down the hallway toward Mark Sanger's office.

Mark Sanger's door swung wide. "Chief! C'mon in". He held the door open for his old boss. His voice was bright and a bit too jovial. Motioning to his secretary, he asked for coffee and a table at Shaw's Seafood at 1:30.

Gertie brought the asked for coffee on a tray, sitting it on a table next to Sanger's desk. She confirmed that there would be a one forty-five table for them at Shaw's. "Eugene wanted to make sure the Chief got his favorite table." She motioned to the coffee. "It's drinkable. I don't let him near the coffee maker." The door clicked softly behind her.

Mark laughed. "My barista history is too well known in this city."

He picked up the carafe, poured it, and they drank coffee for a time, catching up with each other, talking about their wives, Mark's daughters, their husbands and families, Mark's school partnership program, and wine. Having exhausted the social niceties, Mark's face became serious.

"I'm glad you came, Chief."

"It sounded important."

"It is, and rather than me explaining it here." Mark slid a Manila folder across the table. "This," he sighed, "is the latest we have so far, including a phone conversation made last night that has me worried. Very worried."

"How did you become involved in all of this, Mark?"

"Before he left, Governor Brown asked me to head a commission on crime syndicates. Governor Newsom asked that I continue in that role. I authorized the taps a month ago based on information from the AG's office."

"I have the authority to look at these from whom?"

Mark nodded. "You were authorized this morning by me and the AG to serve as an investigator in my office. That's your copy. You have your own office down the hall if you want it, but it's fine if you want to work in my office. You do have permission to work from home. I told Becerra you had a very good safe to put things in. He understands this is not your day job."

"Ironside looked up into Mark's face. "But he wants me to find answers for him as soon as possible. If Xavier Becerra approved that without calling me to ask if I wanted to…" His voice faded. He slipped on reading glasses, opened the folder, and began to read, occasionally jotting on the page. After a few minutes, he looked over at his former assistant.

"I know." Mark hit a speaker button.

"Yes, Judge?"

"Would you please?"

"Already done. Eugene is heartbroken but understands. Bryan is bringing lunch from the Deli Board for you. Does the Chief still like the pastrami and brisket with swiss on rye?"

"Make it two, please, coleslaw on the side with fries."

"Your wife has made it very clear to me, Judge, about your cholesterol. I ordered you the turkey and roast beef with mustard: coleslaw and no fries.

"Thank you, Gertie."

Ironside looked up from his papers. "That woman's a treasure, you know."

"I'd be totally lost without her."

The Chief continued reading while Sanger busied himself behind his desk with a stack of papers needing his attention. They were like that for what seemed an eternity.

"I need more coffee," Mark said, getting up from his chair. The Chief raised his mug without looking up. Mark filled it and placed it by his mentor's elbow. He sat down opposite him. Ironside sipped, swallowed, then put the mug down.

"Mark, what do we know about Pepe Alvarado? Other than what is here."

"He's young, very ambitious, from LA. He spent time in Vacaville. Came out of La Eme."

"The Mexican Mafia."

The majority of the gang bangers in the prison system are members. Murder, money laundering, sex trafficking, racketeering, extortion. Name the crime, and if it turns a buck, and they can make a profit; they're interested in it."

"And Alvarado wants what?"

"Not what, Chief, who. He wants Eddie Rogers."

"Eddie Rogers? I thought he was retired?"

"Nope. He talks about it and doesn't do as much as he did in the old days when I was a youngster, but he's still in the business. Our boy Pepe, Chief, wants to take over Eddie's rackets here in town. Pepe Alvarado is an ambitious man. He understands LA is too crowded, but perhaps San Francisco could be the right place for him. I skimmed the papers last night, got up early to read them, and saw some familiar names. I called Xavi because I knew you would insist on becoming part of this investigation."

"I don't pay attention to crime in San Francisco anymore. I'm retired, remember."

"You're as retired as much as I'm Denzel Washington. You have your ear to everything. It's not just San Francisco, Chief; it's all of Northern California for Pepe, but you knew that before I told you. You are, after all, Robert T. Ironside, the Legendary Chief of Detectives, and right now, I need your help to save Ed Brown's life."

"Have you talked to him at all?"

"No, I don't know how he fits into this yet, why Alvarado has ordered the hit on him. I was going to tell Ed when I came out to the ranch for dinner on Wednesday. I wanted you to look over this first, and then I will offer you a trip to Denver for the Western States Jurist Conference.

"During which time you want me to find out who this Fixer is."

"And hopefully"

"He'll lead us to the Mechanic."

"Before he gets Ed."

A knock on the door brought lunch. The two men paused to eat, then after disposing of their trash, Mark spread a large sheet of white paper on the table and brought over a handful of markers.

"We'll need to look at the old files and see if there's any connection other than our case with Eddie Rogers. What d'you know about Pepe Alvarado? Other than what you've already told me."

Mark broke the paper into columns and scribbled notes in one of them. The paper quickly filled with notes and arrows linking things together.

"That's about it."

"You have someone who can research him?"

"I've got an entire department of legal researchers, remember?"

"Get a couple of them, your best ones. I want everything on Pepe Alvarado and Eddie Rogers, how they like their coffee, what they eat, what they do for fun, who they socialize with, who they talk to on the phone, and whomever and whatever they have connections to, especially in Denver."

"Come," Mark said in response to an urgent knock on the door. It opened to reveal a worried-looking Gertie Lade.

"What is it, Gert?"

"Judge, we just got a report from CID's watcher on Eddie Rogers. Eddie was informed twenty minutes ago that his daughter was killed in a house fire three days ago. Her husband too. Both deaths have been confirmed through dental. Their child, Eddie's granddaughter, is missing. He's on his way to the airport right now."

"Do we know where he's going?"

"Yessir, Denver."

"Mark and the Chief looked at each other.

"Your tickets are waiting at the United counter. Annie is bringing the car out front. She'll drive you to the airport. I trust you have your bag for the conference in the trunk?"

Ironside handed Gertie his keys. "My suitcase is in the red jeep, parked on Level 3, nearest the door." She nodded and left.

He turned to his former aide, "Mark, you better call…."

The voice of Gertie's assistant crackled through the speaker. "Judge Sanger, I have Chief Brown on the line for you."