The Case of the Defenseless Prosecutor
Chapter 03
Robert Ironside drove down the road, taking directions from Barbara Jones. "This apartment is a bit far from my office," Ironside observed. "I would prefer you were closer. I do not want to have to worry about you when you leave my place at night."
"Oh Bob, it is only twenty five minutes. Beside, when you see it, I think you will think it is worth the drive. There is the street, turn right at the corner."
Ironside turned right. He slowed the van when Barbara pointed at the apartment building. He noticed right away the ramp that ran across the front of the building to the front door. "I hope you did not choose this place just because it has the ramp."
Barbara laughed. "No, that was just the icing on the cake. They have two apartments. Both are equally as nice but there isn't any elevator and one of them is on the second floor. You have to use the stairs to get to the second and third floors." Barbara got out of the van and waited for Ironside to lower his chair on the lift.
He wheeled his chair toward the brick apartment building. Barbara stepped in behind his chair and pushed as he continued to wheel toward the ramp. When they reached the door, Barbara held the door open allowing Ironside to entered first. They were met by a woman in her sixties.
"You must be Chief Ironside, my name is Martha Jenkins. The apartment is the third one on the right."
Ironside wheeled down to the apartment. Mrs. Jenkins unlocked the door, pushed it open and stood back so that Ironside could enter. The living room was very spacious with a fireplace on the right side. It would give him plenty of room to maneuver his chair. The kitchen was off to the left and behind the living room. It also was very spacious. He was sure she had chosen this apartment with him in mind.
Barbara took him down the hall to show him the three bedrooms. Each of the girls would have their own rooms. They had obviously both been decorated for girls. Barbara proudly showed him the master bedroom, which was huge by most standards. "I thought this would be very cozy. I am sure there will be nights when you will not feel like returning to your office."
Ironside wheeled his chair to the open door on the right. He looked into the bathroom. Again, the room was huge. The apartment was not as big as his office/residence but it certainly was plenty large enough to make adequately allow him to wheel his chair easily in each and every room.
"So what do you think?" She asked him.
"I think it is perfect," he said with a smile. It is large enough for both you and the girls."
"You didn't say anything about the bedroom, Bob."
He grinned. "It will suite both of us just fine on those nights I don't feel like returning home." Ironside took her by the hand and kissed her palm. "I think you should take it."
Barbara smiled. "I am glad you like it. I looked at so many yesterday. I thought this was perfect for the girls and it would make it easy for you to get around as well. Since you approve, I will have the furniture taken out of storage and delivered as soon as I can clean the place."
"I'll tell you what, let's celebrate. I will take you to breakfast before you get started," Ironside offered.
"I accept," she laughed as Ironside pulled her toward him. When she reached his level he drew her into his arms and kissed her.
xxxxx
Eve stared at the file in front of her. She had been through the entire first two file drawers and had not seen any cases where the individual arrested could possibly be Connor Wolff. She got up and put the files back in the cabinet. She grabbed more files from the next drawer.
Mark sat at another table with a stack of files. Before Ironside left to pick up Barbara he told Mark to give Ed and Eve a hand. Mark did not understand why the chief was pursuing this. It was not as if this office did not have enough to do. In fact the caseload was always heavy. What did the chief have in mind? Mark decided not to try to figure it out. It would not be the first time Chief Ironside decided to investigate a case that had not been assigned to him. Due to the nature of this office Ironside could just about choose any case he wanted to. Usually those cases were here in San Francisco. This seemed to be an investigation of a Los Angeles case.
"Eve, have you run across anything yet?" Ed asked.
"Nothing yet." She said as she continued to read.
Mark got up and went into the kitchen. He took the newly perked coffee pot and poured coffee for Ed, Eve and himself. He sat back down. After taking a sip of coffee he picked up the next file and opened it. The further he read the more intrigued he became with the case. "Hey, look at this one. The guy arrested doesn't look a thing like Connor Wolff but the facts in this case are interesting to say the least."
Ed and Eve joined Mark. "The cat's name is Daniel Moorey. He worked for the Fox Tech Company. The CEO had him arrested for selling information to the Harris Corporation in San Diego," Mark said. "The chief made the arrest. Carl was the officer that was with him at the time. However the CEO, a guy by the name of Brit Bradford dropped the charges."
"What happened to Daniel Moorey?" Eve asked.
"He was fired from the company but other than that, there is no other information on him," Mark Answered.
"Leave that file out for the chief to take a look at," Ed said. "Maybe it will mean ring a bell. In the meantime let's keep looking."
xxxxx
Perry & Della arrived at the office at nine o'clock. After greeting Gertie, they headed into Perry's office and closed the door. Della put on a pot of coffee as Perry sat down at his desk. He opened the file Lt. Tragg had given him.
Della return with a cup of coffee and placed it in front of Perry. "Here you are chief," she said.
He took a sip of coffee and set the coffee cup down. "I am going to have to drink several of these to stay awake today. I had trouble going back to sleep after Bob called last night."
"I didn't," Della smiled.
"I know. I watched you sleep most of the night," He replied. Perry handed the file to Della. "Read this. While you are doing that, I am going to call Tragg and see what I can find out for Bob."
Della took the file, walked over to the couch and sat down. She kicked off her shoes, drew her feet up, and started reading.
Perry dialed the telephone and waited for an answer.
"Lt. Tragg."
"Lieutenant, it's Perry. Do you have a minute?"
"Good morning, counselor. What can I do for you?" Tragg asked.
"Bob Ironside called me last night…." He began.
"I am just curious, Perry. What time did the chief call you?" Tragg wondered.
"I don't know. It was somewhere around two, two thirty. Why."
"Oh no real reason, I am just wondering if there is any truth to the man never sleeping," Tragg mused.
Perry laughed. "I asked him that very question when he woke me up."
"So what can I do for you Perry?" Tragg inquired.
"Bob wants to know what background information you might have on Connor Wolff. He seems to think he has run into the man in the past. He checked his own files but there was nothing there under Wolff's name. Yet he is positive he has seen the man somewhere. And you know in your line of work that usually means he has arrested him or ….."
"Or he was unable to gather enough evidence for an arrest," Tragg finished for Mason. "I have been there. Wolff has been accused several times for stealing information from the companies he works for but charges have been dropped every time. Tell Chief Ironside, I will fax over what information I have on him. Perry, I do not know why he is checking on him but ask him to share anything that might be useful. I would like to put Wolff behind bars where he belongs," Tragg said.
"Alright, Lieutenant. Thanks for your help," Perry said and hung up and dialed his brother.
"Chief Ironside's office," Eve Whitfield answered.
"Eve, this is Perry Mason. Is Bob in?"
"No, Perry. He went to look at an apartment with Barbara. He is due back here anytime though. Can I leave him a message for you?"
"Yes, tell him I talked to Lt. Tragg. He is going to fax over the information he has on Connor Wolff. Tragg would like Bob to share anything with him that would help the LAPD build a case against him," Perry finished.
"I'll tell him. Anything else?" Eve asked.
"Yes, put some sleeping pills in his bourbon tonight so I can get some sleep," Perry said and hung up the phone.
Della looked up from the case file and smiled. "What exactly is Robert trying to find out?"
"I don't know Della but he is convinced he has had a run-in with Wolff. You would think he has enough cases in his office that he would not have time to concern himself with something that is going on here," Perry said.
"You know Robert. If something is bothering him, he will not quit looking until he figures it out."
"Have you finished that case file?"
"Yes," Della said. "Perry, I don't understand how Hamilton could have lost that case. The man was obviously guilty. Laurie told two employees she was going to blow the whistle on him. She told Charles Patrick that Connor Wolf stole the plans for the new computer chip. She and her fellow employees, all former Harris Corp. employee, were going to do the same. There was a public fight between her and Wolff in which an employee heard him threaten to kill her if she went ahead. Now, I know the employee did not know what went ahead meant but if you put it all together it adds up to murder. Then there is the matter of the gun. It was registered to Wolff and had his prints on it and it was found at the scene. It turned out to be the murder weapon."
"Wolff reported the gun stolen two weeks before the murder," Perry pointed out.
"Just a little convenient, don't you think chief," Della asked.
"Of course it is. But it could have been the reasonable doubt the jury needed," Perry said.
"What about the fact that he did not have an alibi for the time of the murder and was seen four blocks from the scene of the murder in a bar?"
"The bartender testified he thought he was in the bar at the time of the murder," Perry said.
"But he was not sure," Della said.
"I know Della, but I am trying to look at it from a jurist point of view. Anyone of them could have seen that as a reasonable doubt," Perry pointed out.
"So what are you going to do?" Della said.
"I am going to have a chat with Hamilton. I will give him a call tonight. In the meantime, let's get some work done. We have several court briefs to prepare," Perry answered.
Della reached into the top left drawer in Perry's desk where she kept pens and note pads. She pulled out one of each. Sitting back down on the couch she waited for her boss to start.
xxxxx
Ironside wheeled into his office, slowing his chair as it traveled down the ramp. "How's the search coming?" He asked his staff.
"Chief, Mark found one case that might be useful," Eve said.
"Let's see it Mark," Ironside said. Mark picked up the file and set it down in front of Chief Ironside. He read the file through.
Eve and Ed sat quietly waiting for their boss to finish reading the case file. Mark went into the kitchen and took a coffee mug out of the cupboard. When he arrived back at the table, he poured Ironside a cup of coffee.
After Ironside finished the case file, he sipped his coffee. Making a face, he groused, "What did you do to the coffee?"
"How do you know I was the one that made it," Mark countered.
"Because Eve would never make a pot of coffee that taste this bad," he said in a raised voice."
Mark shook his head. Sometimes he thought the chief complained about the coffee just to get a reaction out of him. "What about the file?"
"I remember this case. The CEO called the police. Carl Reese was with me at the time. I got a call from Dennis asking me to go over to the Fox Tech Company. The CEO, Brit Bradford is a friend of Dennis'. Carl drove me to the Fox Tech building. When we got there, Bradford presented the evidence. We arrested Daniel Moorey. Bradford dropped the charges a day later. I went to see him but he refused to say why he dropped them. There was enough evidence to convict him."
"So you have no idea why he refused to go ahead?" Ed asked.
"No. But I suspect Moorey had something on him. My guess is blackmail," Ironside said. "What is significant here is the fact that he was selling information to the Harris Corporation. I think Lt. Tragg might be interested in knowing this. He might want to find out where he is right now and if he has any connection to Connor Wolff."
"Eve, run a check on Moorey and find out if he has been in any trouble since being arrested. Ed and I are going to pay Mr. Bradford a visit.
xxxxx
"Meeting like this is dangerous. You better have a good reason for doing it," William Morrison said. "The cops could be watching you."
"I want more money." Connor Wolff demanded.
Morrison became immediately angry. "I am the CEO for the Harris Corporation. I don't own it. You seem to think I can come up with money at will."
Wolff laughed, "You better be able to. Otherwise, I will tell everything I know. How long do you think you could remain the CEO of the Harris Corporation if the board of directors finds out what you have been up to?"
"How much more?" Morrison asked.
"Oh I think fifty thousand dollars ought to do it," Wolff said.
"Where am I supposed to come up with that kind of money," Morrison said angrily.
"I don't care how you come up with it. Just do it and I want it by tomorrow." Wolff turned to go.
Morris stared after him. Neither man knew that Hamilton Burger was watching them from a short distance.
xxxxx
Connor Wolff entered the employee entrance of the Johnson Tech Corporation and headed in the direction of his office when he spotted Charles Patrick coming down the hall. "Charlie, I need to talk to you."
Patrick approached Wolff. "Don't call me Charlie. I am the CEO. How the hell do you think it looks when one of the workers calls me by my first name?"
"Chill out. I could care less how it looks. I said I need to talk to you and I mean now." Wolff. spepped right into Patrick's face.
Charles Patrick back away from the larger man. "In here," he said as he opened the door to one of his vacationing employee's office. Don't ever talk to me that way again."
Connor Wolff laughed at the highest ranking employee in the Johnson Corporation. "You are in no position to order me around. Now where's my money?"
Charles Patrick was regretting the day he had agreed to work with Wolff. It had turned out to be a nightmare. He had already paid him twice what they had agreed upon for the plans for the chip. Now Wolff was demanding more money. Patrick had no doubt that this would not be the end of his demands. Yet, what could he do? Wolff had him over a barrel. He had no choice but to pay him. There had to be a way to stop him.
"I told you, you would have the money by the end of the week. It takes time to get that much money together. Get one thing clear, Connor. This is it. There is no more money forth coming."
Wolff got in Patrick's face using his larger frame to intimidate him. "I'll decide when there is no money forth coming. You don't have a choice. If you don't pay, I blow the whistle and you go to jail. How's that for who decides when the money stops?" Wolff turned on his heels and left the room.
The man had to be stopped or this would never end. Charles Patrick made up his mind. Yes, he would stop him.
xxxxx
Mark pulled the van to a stop in front of Fox Technologies. Sgt. Ed Brown got out of the passenger side of the van and waited for Chief Ironside to lower the lift that carried his wheel chair to the ground. Mark came around to join Ed and the chief.
"Bradford's office is on the fifth floor," he said. "Let's go."
Mark stepped in behind his boss and pushed the chief's chair toward the big double glass doors. Ed hurried ahead to open the door for Ironside. Directly in front of them was a long counter that stretched nearly across the entire hall. A private security guard was overlooking both the entrance and the exit on the opposite side. Ironside notice both security guards were armed.
Mark wheeled his boss to the entrance side of the counter. The security guard stepped in front of the police officers. "I am sorry gentlemen but you must have a pass to get into this building. If you will go over to the desk and state the nature of your business and who you want to see, you will be put on a list and an appointment will be made as soon as it is possible."
Ironside pulled out his badge and displayed it to the security guard. "My name is Chief Robert Ironside. This is Sgt. Brown and my aide, Mark Sanger. I am here on official police business. I want to see Brit Bradford. Please call him and tell him I am here to see him."
The security guard did not give an inch. "I am sorry Chief Ironside but you must go through our security procedures. Again sir, if you will get in line and….."
Ironside interrupted him and raised his voice. "I am not standing in a fifty people deep line. We are here on official business. Tell Mr. Bradford we are here to see him and please do so now."
"I cannot do that. You have to follow….."
"Mister, you either make the call to Mr. Bradford or I will have a warrant here in five minutes. Then I will put you under arrest for interfering with an official police investigation. NOW MAKE THAT CALL!" Ironside snarled.
The security guard stepped to the phone. He turned his body away from Ironside and his staff. After a few moment of talking quietly into the phone, he hung up. "If you will put all metal through the machine and turn over your weapons, I will pass you through."
Ironside was losing what little patience he had left. "How many times do I have to tell you this is an official police investigation? Police officers carry guns. They are not very effective without them if shot at. Neither my sergeant nor I am turning our weapons over to you. Now, is that clear enough?"
The security guard by now was completely intimidated by Ironside. He backed away from the security gate and motioned for Ironside to pass through. He led the way to the elevators. Ed and Mark followed. The chief turned his wheel chair around and backed into the elevator. When they reached the fifth floor, the doors open and they heady down the hall.
The door to Brit Bradford's office opened and a woman who introduced herself as Bradford's secretary invited the three men in. She punched the intercom and said, "Mr. Bradford, Chief Ironside has arrived." She hung up the phone and said, "Chief, you and your officers can go right in."
Ironside wheeled through the office door while Ed and Mark followed behind. Brit Bradford stepped forward, offered his hand and said, "I apologize for the hassle you were given at the gate. Please understand this company develops the latest in computer technology. We must take precautions to make sure nothing gets out of this building."
"It is pretty hard for one to take something out of the building when one is not allowed in," Ironside pointed out.
"Well, yes…..what can I do for you chief," Bradford said.
"I wanted to talk to you about an employee you fired a couple years back, a man by the name of Daniel Moorey. You accused him of selling information to the Harris Corporation in San Diego. Yet you dropped the charges," Ironside said.
Bradford sighed. "I remember, Chief Ironside. "Why are bringing this up again?"
"I believe this is related to a case in Los Angeles. I want to know why you dropped the charges," Ironside demanded.
"I had my reasons which are confidential within this company. That is all I am going to say about it," Bradford said.
"Mr. Bradford. You are interfering with a police investigation. If you do not cooperate I will get a court order for the records and you will tell me why those charges were dropped."
"Do what you have to do Chief Ironside but I will not tell you. I don't think you will get your court order either. So if there is nothing else I am a busy man." Bradford turned away from Ironside in dismissal.
"I want Moorey's records, Mr. Bradford…and I will get that court order." Ironside signal to Mark and Ed to follow him. He said loudly to be sure that Bradford heard him, "Sergeant, get that court order today. If it is too late today, then first thing in the morning."
After Mark, Ed and Ironside left the office, Bradford picked up the phone. "Charlene, get Commissioner Randall on the phone for me, please."
xxxxx