Part 2: From Chief to Chief
Eve drove to the airport to pick up Ironside.
Katherine had to stay behind in Sonoma. The Chief didn't want to leave her there unprotected though, with the threat hanging over her head. Fortunately Mark Sanger's girls were on holidays. The vineyard estate was a wonderful place to spend their time off as a family. That way they killed two birds with one stone.
Ironside wanted to be taken to headquarters immediately.
He had to wait a few minutes until he could meet his old friend. Meanwhile he witnessed how Chief Brown took care of things: With circumspection, efficiency and natural authority.
Ironside had expected to see a worn out, rattled man, similar to when Ed had called for help the last time. But the Ed Brown he faced now was different. He was a man ready to fight not only for his convictions, but notably for the people he loved. Ironside felt reminded of the mule-headed young officer who had surveilled the murderer of his fiancée night and day. Although he had become increasingly gaunt with advancing age he looked fit and energetic.
"Thanks for coming, Chief."
"You are welcome, Chief." In spite of the difficult situation Ironside had to smile. Ed really deserved this title now.
They closed the office door for more privacy.
Ed explained to Ironside Fisette's point of view.
"The problem is that you go soft, my friend. Your playing basketball with the juvenile offenders is the bone of contention. Fisette and company think that you are pampering the crooks instead of fighting them."
"Their recidivism rate is lower than the one of other kids in similar institutions."
"That's not the point. As Chief of detectives you have to be unambiguous."
"Chief, my guideline has always been the law, and I side the weak and helpless ones."
"I know – but you have to prove that you are tough enough to fight criminals."
"I want to fight crime, not criminals."
Ironside sighed. Contrary to the first impression this man had come a long ways from the angry, immature officer he had met decades ago. He could not agree with him in every respect, but he had to admit that his way of seeing things was considered and mature.
"Danny is a suspect too. Some people perceive your compassion for criminals as being your weak point, and that's where some people, Fisette among them, attack you."
"Do you suggest that I throw Danny to the wolves?!"
"Ed, are you or aren't you the boy's real father?"
"Of course I am!"
"You mean – biologically?"
Ed's voice was suddenly very calm. "Danny's blood type is AB, mine is O."
"Now that's an answer! What better proof is there that you are not his biological father? Why in blazes don't you go public with it?!"
"Because I love my son. He knows the truth of course. But I don't want to give him the impression that he is in any way not our child by proclaiming this."
According to his customs Ed went to work at four a.m. the next morning. There was some other work to be done while he was preoccupied with his son's problem.
When his car phone rang he pressed the button of the hands-free device.
Jerry Abby, his assistant, was on night shift. "Sir, I just got a call from the orphanage. They have noticed that two of their kids have absconded again. Thought you might want to know."
"Thanks, Jerry. Wait... maybe they were involved in a felony. What did you have tonight?"
"Not much, actually. A few bar brawls, a hit and run and a robbery at a Kebab shop..."
"Where was that?"
Jerry told him the address.
"Listen, Jerry - if I don't call in within the hour please alert Chief Ironside. He's staying at my house."
"But Sir, we had two men at that Kebab shop. They didn't find a thing, and the people who had robbed it are long gone, of course. They wore gloves and ski masks, so no pointer to anything."
"It's just a hunch. I'll call back."
Ed stopped his car on the side of the road.
An idea fought its way to the surface of his awareness: Patterns. Danny saw patterns everywhere, and he started to see them too.
Where would these kids go? It looked to him as if most of their former targets lay within two miles from the orphanage, and so did this Kebab shop. The kids had gone out regularly, together with other youngsters. Sometimes they just wanted to have fun. Sometimes the goal seemed to be to destroy something. Sometimes they stole money or small, relatively valuable items like watches or cameras. And when they did so they had to hide their loot somewhere until they could deliver it to a fence, since it would not be secure in the orphanage.
Unlike Danny he could try to think like them. Where would they hide the money they had stolen at the Kebab place?
Ed pulled a city map out of the glove compartment and studied it in the interior light of the car. An old factory stroke his eye. He knew that it was designed for demolition, but for some reason there had been a delay. It would be ideal as a stash for teenagers.
He decided to take a look at it.
Behind the glass of the door he saw a dim light, maybe from a flashlight.
If these were only kids he might go in alone, but he couldn't be sure. He'd better call for backup.
Yet while he took the receiver off the phone the door of the car was yanked open. Something hit his head and he blacked out.