Return of the Crown Prince
Chapter 02
Ironside drummed his fingers on the table. Staring at the phone did not seem to make it ring any faster.
"Relax, Bob," Randall said. "The president will call."
"The question, Dennis, is when? I do not have all day," the detective complained.
"Well now you know how I feel when I am waiting for a call from you," Randall said with a smile.
He took another sip of coffee and frowned. "Mark, when are you going to learn how to make a decent cup of coffee?"
Mark knew he should ignore his boss. Whenever Ironside was irritated, Mark's coffee quite often became the subject of attack. As usual he could not resist. "For coffee that is so bad, you people certainly drink plenty of it. I am now buying it twice a week."
"Buy more and go once a week so you don't waste your time…..on my time," Ironside growled. Ed and Eve smiled. It was going to be another one of those days. Ironside turned his attention back to the commissioner. "When did you find out the president wanted to talk to us?"
"Last night. He called me at home," Randall replied.
"Last night! Why am I just finding out about it now?" Ironside complained.
"I called here last night and Mark said you were not home and had no idea when you would be back, if you would be back. I might be able to reach you if you came home at night once in a while," Randall said sarcastically. Ironside's staff attempted to hide the smiles that were threatening to spread across their faces. They all knew where the chief was last night.
In typical Ironside fashion, the chief ignored the remark. "What time is he supposed to call?"
"Any minute now," Randall answered.
As if on cue, the telephone rang. Everyone in the room except Randall reached for a phone. Ironside who was sitting closest to one picked it up first. "Ironside," he barked.
"Bob, it is good to hear your voice again," President James Whitmore said. "How's Barbara?"
"She's fine, Mr. President. Thank you for asking," Ironside replied.
"Is your staff with you?" Whitmore inquired.
"Yes they are with me, along with the commissioner."
"Good. Put me on speaker." Ironside pushed the speaker button on the phone and hung up the receiver. "I spoke with Commissioner Randall last night to ask for permission to borrow all of you for an assignment that is very important. We have had a series of high profile kidnappings the past few months. Dignitaries that have been visiting this country have been abducted and held for ransom. Now I know that most of you have not heard anything about it and that is because we have been keeping a lid on it. The government has been paying the ransom. As soon as we do, the victims are released. I assigned the FBI to this case and they have gotten absolutely nowhere with it. In fact there have been two more kidnappings since they took over the case."
"Have they come up with anything at all?" Ironside asked the president.
"I am embarrassed to say no. They have completely struck out. Each time, we have put an entire task force out there and each time they have been unable to pick up the kidnappers or even spot them for that matter. In fact, we are no closer to finding out who they are and how they know where and when to snatch these people."
"Mr. President, exactly what is it you want me and my staff to do? Ironside asked.
"Bob, I want you and your staff to take over this investigation. I will give you whatever resources you need, whether it be man power or equipment. Find out who is behind it and arrest them."
"I take it you have talked this over with the commissioner and it has been cleared with the city council?" Ironside inquired.
"You and you staff are cleared through my office to handle it," Randall answered for the president.
"Then I will get flights to Washington as soon as possible."
"That is not going to be necessary, Bob. You may be able to handle it from there," Whitmore said.
"I do not understand," Ironside said, puzzled.
"The day after tomorrow, the crown prince will arrive in San Francisco. I am putting you in charge of his safety while he is there. It will provide a perfect opportunity for our kidnappers to make an attempt to abduct the prince. I am counting on you and your staff to not only prevent it but also find out who is behind it and put a stop to this kidnapping ring."
"Which crown prince?" Ironside asked.
Whitmore chuckled. "Ask your pretty police woman. The commissioner will fill you in on the rest of the details. Goodbye, Bob." The line to the president went dead.
"So, Officer Whitfield, which crown prince are we protecting?" Ironside said with a grin?"
Eve smiled. "I never thought I would see Miguel again."
Randall perked up. "Miguel?"
"Miguel," Ed and Mark said at the same time.
"Didn't you know commissioner? Our pretty police officer is on a first name basis with the crown prince," Ironside said. "Prince Miguel Boodaris to be exact."
"Please tell me we are not going to have to deal with a romance as well as kidnappings," Randall worried.
Ed and Mark laughed at the commissioner. "Don't worry, commissioner," Ed said. "The worse that can happened is she marries the crown prince and you have to hire a new officer to replace her"
Randall got up. "Very funny." The others snickered including Chief Ironside. Then Ironside frowned and a slight smile appeared on his face. An idea popped into his mind.
When Randall started heading for the door, Ironside turned his chair in his direction. "Where are you going Dennis? President Whitmore said you would fill us in on the rest."
"Any other time you would tell me you are doing things your way. Now you want me to tell you how to handle this?" Randall said, rolling his eyes.
"No, I am going to do this my way, Dennis. But the president said you would fill us in on the rest. What rest?" Ironside demanded gruffly.
"The rest is…if you need anything at all from Washington, you are to contact his chief of staff and it will be provided. In the meantime I suggest that start on security for the crown prince." Randall left Ironside's office not inviting any further questions.
Ed, Eve and Mark looked to their boss for direction. "So chief, where do you want to start?" Ed asked.
"Get on the phone, Call Whitmore's chief of staff. I want the files on the other kidnappings. If there is a pattern to the kidnappings, we will find it. Make sure he understands, I want them yesterday," Ironside said.
"Mark, get the van into the police garage. I want the glass change all the way around to strongest bulletproof glass that can be found. Put the bill on the taxpayer's account."
"You mean charge it to Washington?" Mark asked.
"That is exactly what I mean." Ironside, said contemplating everything that needed to be done in the two days before the prince's arrival. "Before the crown prince gets here I want to have a very good idea how the kidnappers think and how they will plan the kidnapping. Until further notice, all of you are on twenty four hour duty….give or take an hour here and there to sleep, which will be done in this office."
"There goes your date, Ed." Eve smiled.
"I don't know why I even set them up. I never get to go out anyway," Ed grumbled.
"Date on your own time, Sergeant," Ironside growled.
"I would," said Ed. "If I had any of my own time." Mark and Eve were grinning, knowing that even though Ed was giving the chief a hard time over the twenty-four hour duty, he would not have refused even if given the opportunity. His dedication to the chief would have him working right alongside of him until these kidnappers were caught….he just was not going to tell the chief that. What both Mark and Eve found even more amusing was that the chief knew it anyway.
Mark headed out of the office. Ed headed for a phone. "Eve," Ironside said. "I want you to go home and spend the rest of the day in your apartment. I want you back here at six o'clock and be prepared to stay her tonight." Mark stopped and turned around while Ed put the receiver back in the cradle.
"Now I know I didn't hear him say she was to go home and take it easy for the rest of the day while we are on twenty four hour duty," Ed said.
"You are on twenty four hour duty. I am not a cop," Mark said grinning.
"You are all on twenty four hour duty, including you Mark. You may not be a cop but you are an important part of this team. Eve is not going to be taking it easy." He turned and looked at Eve, his voice softening. "Of all of us, this is going to be hardest for you. I have something in mind that could put your life in danger. I want you to go home and think about whether you are willing to do that. This plan will depend on the crown prince as well. The two of you will have to decide whether you want to work as closely as I have in mind. I will not order you to do so. It will have to be your decision."
"What am I supposed to do while at home?" Eve asked her boss.
"I want you to call your mother and father, your friends and tell them you are going to be marrying the crown prince," Ironside said. "I want it to make the papers."
Shocked, Eve looked at Ironside. She could not believe what he was saying. "Is this all part of your plan?"
"Yes," Ironside said.
"Don't you think you should wait until Miguel gets here before I go announcing our engagement?" Eve asked, crossing her arms.
"I think that young man will not only approve of what I have in mind but will insist on being a part of it," Ironside answered. "Now go home. Think about it and if you agree to do it, call everyone you know and tell them you are engaged to the crown prince. You got them, Miss Whitfield?"
"Yes, chief," she said with mixed emotions.
"And Eve."
"Yes," she answered.
"I will need a decision by tonight."
Eve stood in front of a man she had so much love and respect for. She would go back and think about it, just as he asked even though she already knew the answer. She could not let the chief down. Eve Whitfield glanced one more time at her boss and left the office.
"What are you two still standing around for," he barked at Ed and Mark. Mark followed Eve out the door and Ed went back to the telephone, pick up the receiver and began dialing.
2.2
"Mr. President, this is a complete mistake," Jamie Morgan, Whitmore's national security advisor said strongly.
"Well if it is, it is my mistake," Whitmore said.
"Sir, the FBI is equipped to handle this problem. Why in god's name would we involve a simple police detective? They do not have the resources and could not possibly be been equipped to investigate this problem.
"The detective I have in mind is no ordinary detective," Whitmore said.
"Look, sir, I am not second guessing your judgment but the best detective in D.C is Captain Del Witherspoon and he is not nearly good enough to handle something this sensitive."
"I agree, Del is the best in Washington and he is not nearly good enough for this assignment. He is not who I had in mind." President Whitmore stood up, turned away from his desk and looked out the window.
"Just exactly who do you have in mind?" Morgan asked.
"Robert T. Ironside," Whitmore said emphasizing each word.
"The detective that helped clear you of your wife's murder?"
"That's right, one and the same," Whitmore said without turning away from the window.
"While I will admit the man was brilliant on that case, you can't possibly think he can solve a matter of national security?"
"Bob Ironside has the best record in the country for solving cases. He has a brilliant deductive mind. He's intelligent and furthermore he understands the criminal mind better than anyone. Jamie, he's better equipped, as you put it, to solve this than anyone in the FBI."
"That means bringing him to Washington. You can't keep that quiet. Thanks to your trial, Ironside is famous all over the country. The media is going to want to know why he is here. We risk them finding out about the kidnappings. Mr. President, you can't be serious?"
"I am dead serious except we are not going to bring Ironside to Washington," Whitmore said, turning away from the window and sitting back down behind his desk.
Confused, Morgan looked into the president's eyes. "You have lost me completely."
"The United States is about to have another foreign guest, this time a royal one, the Crown Prince Miguel Boordaris."
"Sir, no disrespect intended but are you going to start making sense soon because I don't understand how Ironside is going to protect the crown prince from San Francisco."
"Jamie, I found out that the last time the crown prince was in the United States, his last stop was San Francisco. The commissioner there, a man by the name of Dennis Randall, assigned Ironside to make sure the crown prince did not get involved in an international incident. He became very fond of Ironside and his staff, especially a policewoman on Ironside's staff, Officer Eve Whitfield. I have been in touch with the crown prince and when I suggested he make his speech on relations between our two countries that he do it in the city of San Francisco. He became very excited. I believe he was delighted at the thought of visiting Ironside and Eve Whitfield. That is a perfect cover for Bob Ironside to do his investigation under."
Morgan smiled. "You just may be on to something, there. You will have to get permission from the San Francisco police commissioner to borrow Ironside for the assignment."
"Already done. I talked to Dennis Randall last night. As you know I helped Chief Ironside's brother with some information during Randall's trial."
"Oh yes, I remember. Ironside and his brother cleared Randall and brought down the governor of California."
"That's right. I knew Randall would fall over backwards to give me Ironside so I took advantage of him…just a little," Whitmore said with a smirk.
"When does the crown prince arrive?" Morgan asked.
"The day after tomorrow. He will land at San Francisco International. From there the investigation is up to Bob Ironside. Whoever is behind this is about to run into the Ironman on Wheels."
"Then you have talked to Ironside as well?"
"Yes, I spoke with him this morning."
"And he agreed to take over the investigation?"
"Yes, without hesitation," Whitmore answered.
Morgan watched his president. "Then it is set. I hope this works sir." Morgan did not like it but the president really did not give him in say in the manner. Ironside would be very effective. Yes, Ironside would certainly give the kidnappers fits. Morgan just did not like the idea of non-government personal heading the investigation.
2.3
"Your highness, I would like to talk to you about your trip to the United States," Boodaris' aide said.
The crown prince barely heard his aide. He knew he was talking to him but he had other things on his mind. The American president has suggested he give his speech in San Francisco. He had a hard time containing his excitement. His mind wondered back to what he considered a most enjoyable trip. A visual of Eve Whitfield entered his mind. He had only had one evening with her but it was one that he would never forget. He had experience things and feelings he never had before. He had never enjoyed being with a woman more in his life. Not a day went by when he did not think of the American woman, so very different from the women in his county. He dreaded the time when his father would insist he marry to give the county an heir to the throne. How he wished it would be someone like Eve Whitfield.
He could never forget Robert Ironside, a good man. He had only spent a short time with him but he knew him to be an honest, principled man and a fine policeman. He had protected him from an international incident by assigning Eve to look after him. He could not wait to see her, Chief Ironside and their lovely city again. Maybe Eve would even take him back to the Lighthouse for another evening of dancing. He could only hope.
"Your highness! Are you all right?"
Drawn out of his private thoughts, the crown prince turned to his aide. "Yes, I am well."
"Your trip to the United States?"
"Yes,"
"Our intelligence reports the Americans are hiding several kidnappings that have occurred on American soil. They have been unable to find out who has been committing these acts. I strongly urge your highness to reconsider visiting the Americans at this time."
"Yes, yes, I have been informed about these unfortunate incidents. They are most disturbing. However, I will not be putting off my trip." When his aide opened his mouth to say something, the crown prince put his hand up and closed his eyes. "It is decided. I will travel to America. You will accompany me, of course."
"Will the Americans provide us with protection?"
"Yes, Chief Ironside will again be in charge of our safety. He is most efficient. I look forward to a pleasant visit in America."
The aide bowed and backed out of the room. Once outside, he thought to himself…this trip to America would be one the prince would never forget. It would be anything but pleasant.