Return of the Crown Prince
Chapter 09
9.1
York watched out the window of the building from across the Hall of Justice. Two police cars had just pulled in front. He looked around for the specially equipped van that Chief Robert Ironside rode in. Where was it? York wanted to put a stop to Ironside right here and now. Where was that damn crippled cop?
He raised his rife and looked though the site. York settled his view on the two police vehicles that had arrived. Neil Weeks must be in one of them, he thought. He waited for them to appear. Ironside would have his top man covering Weeks. York was unsure of who the other man would be.
As he continued to hold the police cars in the rifle's site, he caught movement on the right hand side of the site. There he was! Ironside's van had just pulled up beside the police cars and doubled parked. Perfect! Now I will be able to take both of them out!
Patiently, York waited. The van's lift was on the opposite side. He would have to wait until Ironside cleared the van. The doors on both police vehicles opened. Sgt. Ed Brown got out of the vehicle. He was followed by Neil Weeks. A uniformed officer got of the passenger side of the front seat. Brown led Weeks on one side and the uniformed officer fell in to place on his other.
York glanced back at Ironside's van. He was down on the ground. He could see the young black man who always accompanied the detective. There he is. I only wish the man knew that I was the one to end his life. Then the satisfaction would be complete.
He resisted the urge to just point at Ironside and pull the trigger. He had to wait until he was alongside of Weeks. He would have no more than a split second to kill both men. Ironside's people would be quick to react if he missed his first shot.
Ironside was now approached Brown and Weeks. Just a second or two longer. Perfectly lined up! York pointed the trigger at Weeks' head and pulled the trigger.
9.2
Ironside watched as Sgt. Ed Brown and Officer Duffy brought the prisoner out of the police car. Mark Sanger took his place behind Ironside and wheeled toward Brown. BANG! The sound of a rifle echoed in the wind.
The chief saw the blood from the gunshot wound splatter all over Brown and Duffy. He felt Mark use all his strength as he tipped his wheelchair and attempted to move him behind the safety of the van. A sharp pain screamed in his right shoulder. Once Mark successfully moved his boss behind the van, he covered Ironside's body with his own.
Ironside pointed at the building across the street. "GET OVER THERE AND DON'T LET ANYONE OUT THAT BUILDING!" He roared at police officers who were coming out of the Hall of Justice. "ED!" Ironside shouted and pointed at the building.
People were screaming and running in all directions. Many more shots were fired at the crowd that had gathered around the Hall of Justice. Sgt. Brown and Officer Duffy dragged Weeks behind the cover of one of the police cruisers. "Stay with him," Ed said upon hearing the chief's voice. He drew his service revolver and headed across the street using whatever cars he could find for cover.
A man came running out of the building and ran toward Brown as bullets continued to riddle the front of the Hall of Justice. "I'm a doctor!"
Ed pointed at the police cruisers and said, "There is a man behind the police cars that might need medical attention, it is probably too late already."
"I'll see what I can do." He left Brown and ran across the street. He approached Weeks and Duffy. "I'm a doctor." Duffy nodded. The doctor looked down at Weeks. "He's dead, I can't help him."
"I think Chief Ironside was hit," Duffy said pointing at Ironside and Sanger.
The doctor went over to him. "Chief, let me check that shoulder. I am a doctor." Mark backed away from his boss to give the doctor access.
9.3
"NEVER MIND ME! HELP THE OTHERS! Ironside shouted.
"Alright, Chief. Yours is a clean wound. The bullet is lodged by the shoulder blade. You'll be fine. Just get to the hospital and get it removed." Phillip York, aka the doctor left Ironside behind and began moving through the crowd. He checked back to see where Ironside's attention was. He was shouting orders at more police officers who had just arrived at the scene.
Careful to avoid where he knew the bullets would be flying, York continued walking away from the scene as two ambulances and three more police cars went racing by. Damn that aide of his! I had him if he had not reacted so fast after the first shot. And, I was right beside Ironside! I could have killed him right there! York knew he could not have taken that chance. He had no choice but to leave Ironside alive. If he had finished him off, he never would have gotten away. He had walked ten blocks away and arrived at a vehicle that he had parked there earlier. York unlocked the vehicle, got in and drove away.
9.4
Sgt. Ed Brown entered the building. There were already other uniformed cops inside. "You! Come with me!" With his service revolver in hand, he ran to the stairs. He watched as several cops were standing by the elevator waiting for it to arrive on the ground floor. "Use the stairs," Ed ordered. "Leave a couple men here in case he tries to leave by the elevator." The police scrambled. Half of them followed Brown and the other half headed for the stairway at the other end of the hall. "You!" He directed his attention to more men entering the building. "Get around to the back! Make sure he doesn't escape out the back way!" The officers raced away as fast as they could move. "I want every floor covered. No one leaves this building!"
Ed stopped at the third floor and entered the hall. This was definitely the right floor. He could head the shots being fired. Ed approached the door with his back against the way. Police officers crossed the door to the other side. Ed looked at them and then looked at the officers beside him. He held up three fingers and brought them down one at a time. When he lowered the third finger, he kicked in the door at dropped into a crouch. The officers stood over him. Ed quickly lowered his gun as did the other officers.
In front of the opened window was a semi-automatic weapon that had been set up remotely, to shoot through the window. It was aimed across the street. As Ed approached the weapon, it stopped firing. He looked down at the floor where a rifle had been discarded by the shooter. Ed reached into his pocket and called the van. When Mark answered Ed said, "Mark, tell the chief there is no one here. The gun was set up to shoot remotely. There is also a rifle on the floor that was probably used to shoot Weeks." Ed could hear Mark talking to the chief.
"Ed, the chief said to turn the investigation over to the ranking officer in the building and then get back here. He said you are not going to find the shooter. He is long gone."
"Alright, Mark. That is the same conclusion I came to." Ed hung up and turned to the officer beside him. Find the ranking officer in the building and have him report to me immediately."
9.5
"Duffy, are you alright?" Ironside asked the officer.
"Fine, Chief, but you need to get to the hospital," the officer answered.
The coroner's vehicle pulled up. "Where's the stiff? I have several autopsies to do. I can't wait around her all day," the assistant coroner asked as he approached Mark.
"I wouldn't let the chief hear you talk like that, man. He's not in the best of moods right now."
"His mood is of no consequence to me. Now where's the stiff?"
Ironside wheeled up behind the man. "You refer to the dead man one more time as a stiff and you'll find out what consequence my mood is to you," Ironside growled.
The man whirled around to face Ironside. Mark turned so that his boss could not see the grin on his face. He watched the assistant coroner as his face turned red and his voice began stammering. It amazed Mark how bravado could quickly turn to babbling cowardice when they came face to face with the chief.
"I want the autopsy done immediately. Have the bullet turned over to Sgt. Brown," Ironside demanded.
"There are several before him, Chief Ironside. I am not sure it can be done right away," he said as Ironside began wheeling away.
Ironside turned his wheelchair back to the man who shrank away from him. "THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS AFTERNOON," Ironside roared.
"Yes, sir," The assistant coroner left him and went to pick up Neil Weeks.
He looked over at Mark, "And just what do you find so amusing, Mr. Sanger."
Mark looked at Ironside innocently and said, "Nothing."
The chief spotted her sergeant heading across the street toward them. Ironside wheeled over to him.
Brown spotted the blood on his boss' shoulder. "Chief, you need to get that treated."
"Any luck?"
"No, chief. You were right. Whoever it was is long gone. How bad was it?" Ed asked as he swept his hand toward the scene that had finally calmed down.
"Six people killed including two police officers... seven people if you include Weeks," Ironside answered.
"His target was obviously Weeks, so why did he kill the rest of them?" Mark wondered aloud.
"He wasn't trying to kill any of those in particular," Ed said.
"He used the remote weapon as a diversion in order to get away," Ironside said. He frowned. "Ed, Weeks was shot with a rifle not an automatic weapon and when they dig the slug out of my shoulder, you will find that was from a rifle as well."
"Yeah, so what are you getting at, Chief?"
"He did not have time to get out of that building. We had cops across the street. They were in that building immediately. So, tell me, how did he just walk past our officers?"
Ed looked at the chief. "That's a good question. They locked down the building almost immediately.
An officer walked up to them. "That's it Chief. The last of the injured have been taken to the hospital."
"How many were injured?" Ironside asked.
"Twenty two suffered gunshot wounds. I don't think any of those are fatal. Sir, your shoulder needs attention. We can handle it from here."
"He's right, Chief," Ed agreed. "Can Mark and I take you to the hospital now?"
Ironside nodded. Mark wheeled him over to the van. He turned as if he was looking for someone. "Duffy!"
Duffy hurried over to Ironside. "Yes, Chief."
"You better go inside and tell them there is no one to arraign."
"I'll take care of it, Chief. You take care of that shoulder."
After they got into the van, Ironside was quiet… unusually quiet.
"Chief, are you okay?" Ed asked.
"How did the shooter get out of that building Ed?"
"We don't know yet. No one came out of the building."
"Someone did," Ironside said, "but who and how? How did the man just walk past our cops."
"Only a cop could walk past that many cops," Mark said.
Brown and Ironside looked at one another. "Is that possible, Ed? Could one of our own be responsible for the killing?"
"I don't see how, Chief. The men that were across the street did not enter the building until the shooting began."
"Then how did the shooter walk past our cops? There must be an explanation," Ironside said no more but Ed knew his boss was running every possibility through his mind.
9.6
Miguel looked at Eve. Her blonde hair was blowing in the wind. "This is a most beautiful site, Eve. Thank you for showing it to me." He smiled at her as they sat together in the grass.
"You are welcome, Miguel. You did not have the opportunity to see it the last time you were here. I know it is only a bridge but I still think it is a beautiful site with the bay behind the Golden Gate."
"Golden Gate?" Miguel looked at her confused.
"The Golden Gate Bridge. That is what we call it. Everyone that comes to San Francisco should see it."
"And now I have and it is most impressive," he smiled at her again. He looked out over the bay. "I have been meaning to ask you. Aren't you just a bit nervous by what your chief has planned?"
Eve shrugged. "I trust him, Miguel. He knows what he is doing. He will protect us. He's determined to stop these kidnappers and discover who is behind it. I do apologize. He was pretty rough on you yesterday."
He waved off her apology. "No apology is necessary. Your chief was right. He knew I wanted to help. He simply removed the only obstacle."
"Your father?"
"Yes, my father."
"You said your chief is determined to stop the kidnappers. Does he have any idea who is behind it?" He asked her.
Eve thought for a moment. "He believes that someone in Washington is behind it. We will have to catch the underlings. The chief believes that will lead us to the Washington connection."
"Is it really necessary to put you in danger in order to find them?"
"This is my job, Miguel. It is what I do. Does it bother you to pose as an engaged couple?"
He looked into her eyes. "How could I object to being engaged to you? You are a beautiful woman, Eve Whitfield." He looked away from her. "I must confess I have been looking so forward to seeing you again. I have never been more… moved by a woman anywhere." He did not look away from as he tried to gage her reaction.
Rather then turn away from him as he was expecting, Eve took his hand. "I, too, have been looking forward to seeing you. I just wish that it could be under less dangerous circumstances. I wish we did not have to deceive your father."
"Huh, do not trouble yourself over my father. He will get over it."
"But will happen when he finds out that we really are not engaged."
"I trust he will actually be relieved. He does not think much of American women. I must say he could not be more wrong… at least where you are concern."
Eve smiled. "Well, I think we should go into town and get something to eat. The chief wants us to be very public."
The crown prince stood up. He reached down and took both of Eve's hands and pulled her to her feet. As Eve tried to pull away, the prince did not let go. He held on to her and looked into her eyes. "Would you consider it forward of me if I kissed you?"
Although surprised, Eve smiled. "No, Miguel. I would not. The crown prince slowly leaned in and kissed her softly. When they separated, Eve said, "We better go to town.
Lt. Carl Reese who had been trailing them at a distance along with several other officers, was headed in their direction. When he arrived, Eve could tell something was wrong. "What is it, Carl?"
"It's the chief, Eve. He's been shot," he replied.
"Oh my god! Is he…"
"No, relax. He's fine. Mark and Ed took him to Saint Mary's Hospital. He was shot in the shoulder."
"What happened?" The crown prince asked.
"A sniper in the building across the street shot and killed Neil Weeks. Seems his other target was the chief. Thanks to Mark's quick action, he was able to minimized the shot fired at him." Carl went on to relay the events as they happened at the Hall of Justice.
"I do not understand, Lieutenant. How did this man get by your officers?" The crown prince inquired.
"I do not know, Your Highness. It is under investigation."
"Carl, please take us to the hospital," Eve requested.
"I am sorry, Eve. The chief called himself. He did not want you to see it on television but he told me to assure you that he is going to fine. He would like you to continue posing as a newly engaged couple. He said he would call you later. He wants to set up the kidnapping."
Eve and the crown prince looked at one another. He offered his arm. "Shall we go to lunch?"
Eve took it. "Where would you like to eat?"
Carl spoke up. "You are eating at the Lighthouse. Don't worry, the chief wants you completely covered. He just wants you seen there. He believes that is where they will ultimately make their attempt. Right now he just wants to get their attention."
"Let us not keep our future captors waiting," Miguel said. Carl followed Eve and the prince back to their limo.
9.7
Ironside sat in the emergency treatment room. The curtain was pull back. "The world's worse patient is back to visit us, I see."
The chief turned. A big smile spread across his face. "Well hello, Sister."
Sister Agatha walked over to him. "How did they ever get you on a hospital bed?"
Mark said, "It was easy, Ed and I just picked him up and dumped him there.
Agatha smiled. She reached into the bag she had brought in with her and pulled out a bottle of bourbon and a glass. She set the glass on the table beside lronside. Holding onto the bottle, she said. "I thought I would use a different method. If you behave yourself Robert, I will pour you a glass."
Ironside grinned. "Well get on with it sister. I don't have all day. I have a case to solve."
"You always have a case to solve. I need you remove your shirt."
Ironside removed his suit coat and began unbuttoning his shirt. He took it off and then pulled the tee shirt over his head. Sister Agatha checked the gunshot wound. "This will have to be cleaned. I will clean it and then the doctor will be in to remove the bullet."
The curtain was pulled back and Barbara Jones entered. "Bob… are you alright?" She asked, her face etched with worry. She went to him and he took her hand and kissed it.
"I'll be fine. It's just a scratch."
"Mark called me. I came as soon as I heard," Barbara said.
"I'm fine, Barbara," he said trying to soothe her concern. "Mark got me out of the line of fire."
"From what I hear, it is too bad there was not a doctor at the scene of the shooting. More lives could have been saved," Sister Agatha said as she began cleaning Ironside's shoulder.
He turned his head quickly toward Agatha. "What did you say?"
"I said if there had been a doctor at the scene more lives could have been saved."
Ironside looked at Mark and then at Ed. "There WAS a doctor at the scene."
"But I was told no one was treated until the ambulances arrived on the scene," Agatha said.
"Ed, did you by any chance allow a doctor out of that building?"
The look of realization was all over Ed's face. "Chief, a man came out of the building and said he was a doctor. I let him pass. He headed across the street to help out."
"Did he by any chance have a British accent?" Ironside asked.
Ed nodded. "I let the killer go right by me."
"You weren't the only one Ed. So did I," Ironside said.