The Return of the Crown Prince
Chapter 10
10.1
"Alright, Chief. The bullet is removed. I turned it over to your Sergeant Brown. I don't suppose it would do any good to tell you to take it easy for a couple of days?" The doctor asked.
"I have a kidnapper to catch," Ironside growled. "I'll take it easy when this case is solved."
"Some things never change. I could have you admitted. I can easily note on your chart that you should not leave the hospital. Then if you do, your insurance company will refuse to pay the bill," Doctor Taylor said.
"How would you like to spend a night in my jail," Ironside snarled.
The doctor laughed. "That's a chance I will have to take. Sister Agatha, I am admitting Chief Ironside for observation. Since the rest of the nurses are scared to death of him, you will have to be his nurse for the rest of the day and night."
"I am not staying in this hospital," Ironside roared. "There is simply no reason for you to admit me."
Doctor Taylor looked at Sister Agatha. "Will he go home and rest?"
"No," she said immediately.
"Then admit him on my order."
"Consider it done," Sister Agatha said.
"Now just a damn minute," Ironside snarled for all the good it did him as the doctor headed out of the room.
"Give it up Bob, you are staying in the hospital," Barbara said with a smile.
Sister Agatha threw a hospital gown on to his bed. "Get out of that suit, Robert and put that on."
Ironside picked it up and tossed it aside. I am not putting on that fanny freezer," he growled.
"And why not? It is not as if you can walk down the hall showing off your backside, Robert," Sister Agatha said with a smile.
Barbara started laughing. "You are outnumbered Bob and it is only for one day," she said.
Agatha picked up the bottle of bourbon and started walking away. "Sister! That is my personal, private property," Ironside shouted.
"Where have I heard that before?" Agatha asked. She turned and looked at Ironside. "I said you could have a glass if you behaved yourself. This is not what I consider behaving. Are you going to get out of that suit or do I take the bottle away?" Sister Agatha looked into his steely blue eyes and stared. When she found Ironside staring back at her, trying to intimidate her, she said, "It won't work, Robert. I am not scared of you."
"Oh hell," Ironside grumbled which caused Barbara to start laughing again. "Give me the damn thing." Sister Agatha left the room in triumph.
As Barbara began helping him remove his suit pants, Sister Agatha returned with a pair of men's pajamas. She tossed them on the bed with a smirk. "I've changed my mind. I don't want to see your backside either. She left Ironside's room with a grin.
10.2
Eve and the crown prince entered the hospital after returning from lunch at the Lighthouse. Mark and Ed saw them coming. They both stood up as the crown prince and Eve approached them. "How's the chief?" Eve asked.
"He's fine. Doctor Taylor removed the bullet." Ed pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to Eve.
"If they already have removed the bullet, then why have they not released him?" She asked as she gave the bullet back to Ed.
"They have admitted him until at least tomorrow. He would not promise Doctor Taylor he would take it easy for a couple days. We are just waiting to go into see him," Mark told her.
"Are you going into see him with us?" Ed asked.
Eve shook her head. "No thanks, not in the mood he will be in. Tell him we stopped to check on him. Miguel and I are going out to be …public."
Mark and Ed grinned. "Coward," Ed teased.
Eve smiled. "See you later. We will be back tonight after he has mellowed a bit." Eve and the crown prince left.
Sister Agatha came out of Ironside's room. "He's settled. You can go in now."
"How's his mood?" Ed asked.
"I would rather take my chances with a grizzly bear," Agatha said as she left the two men.
Mark and Ed looked at one another. "Anything further would be considered stalling," Mark said.
"That would only make him uglier," Ed said. "After you, Mark."
"No after you, Ed."
"I am pulling rank," Ed said. "After you."
"And you called Eve a coward," Mark sneered. The two men headed into Ironside's room.
10.3
Damn it! I had Ironside. I should have shot that aide of his too. Philip York was pacing back and forth in the apartment. Everything had gone as planned …well almost everything. He had gotten smoothly away from the scene with no one suspecting him as the shooter. Ironside himself had allowed him to walk away from the scene. Maybe this detective was not so smart after all. York laughed, thinking about how he had walked right out of that building, right past an army of cops and not one had stopped him.
He wondered what the chances were that Ironside's hospital room was guarded. Had he figured out how the shooter had escaped that building? If he had, then there was no doubt Sergeant Brown would have police officers assigned outside his hospital room. But, if not, maybe, just maybe he could have another crack at the man. York grabbed his gun and put a silencer on the barrel. He was going to make a quick trip over to Saint Mary's Hospital.
10.4
"Ed, you, Duffy and I all saw the shooter. I want Duffy to report here to the hospital with a police sketch artist. Between the three of us I want a likeness of him created so that it can be distributed among the police force."
"It is already done, Chief. I arranged for Duffy and Charlie to be here shortly," Brown informed his boss. "As soon as we have the sketch, I will make sure the boys have it.
The door opened and Sister Agatha brought in a tray of food. "I thought you might be hungry, Robert." She set the tray down on the table.
Ironside lifted the cover off the plate, took one look at the tray, frowned and then barked, "Since when am I on a low fat diet?"
"Since you look like you have gained weight since the last time I saw you," Agatha said. Ed and Mark held back smiles. It was too bad they could not hire Sister Agatha to work in Ironside's office full time. She seemed to be the only one that knew how to handle him.
Sister Agatha looked at Mark and Ed. "He is supposed to be resting. You have been here long enough. The doctor ordered rest. You have five minutes." She turned and left the room.
Ironside shook his head. "Sergeant Agatha." He blew out a short breath.
"She can't be a sergeant, Bob," Barbara said, smiling. "She obviously outranks you." Mark and Ed tried unsuccessfully to hold back smiles.
"Since you two had nothing to do but stand around and grin, get out of here. Get over to the television station. I want the shooter's picture on the 6:00 news. Make the arrangements and then get back here immediately with Duffy and Charlie," Ironside ordered.
Mark and Ed left the room. Barbara ran her finger down Ironside's jawline. "Aren't you going to eat your lunch?"
"Lunch? I would not feed that to Otto." Ironside complained.
Barbara chuckled. "I have a feeling Otto would gladly eat it without complaint." She turned serious. "You have got to stop putting yourself in danger like this. Do you have any idea how many years are scared off my life every time I get these phone calls from your staff?"
"It should have been routine. We were only there for an arraignment." Ironside's mood turned quiet. "I could have ended this today. I let him walk right past me, like a rookie."
"So did Ed and the rest of the police department. He took advantage of the confusion, Bob. You were busy worrying about everyone's safety. You cannot blame yourself for that."
"I could have had him." He repeated.
"I think you should forget about this for a while and get some rest."
"I don't have time for rest right now," Ironside complained.
"Do I have to call Sister Agatha back in? I am sure she would be willing to give you something to make you sleep."
Ironside looked at her. You too, huh?"
She laughed. "If you won't take care of yourself then we will just have to do it for you."
10.5
Three police cars parked by the bay with sirens had caught Sergeant Brown's attention. Ed picked up the radio and said, "Sergeant Brown here. What's going on down there? Do you need some assistance?"
"Officer Duffy, here, Ed. We just fished a body out of the bay. You better come down here."
Brown exited the bridge and headed toward the police cars. He shut off the engine and got out of his dark blue Ford. The sergeant navigated the slope downward and arrived at the scene where the body had just been pulled out of the water. "What have we got?"
"He has been in the water awhile, Ed." Duffy told Ironside's top detective.
"Do we have an id on him?" Ed asked.
"Not yet. But, I'll tell you one thing. He sure as hell looks familiar," Duffy said.
Sergeant Brown lifted the tarp the body had been covered with.
Duffy thought he saw a light of recognition on his face. "Do you know who he is?"
"Maybe." Ed said. "Duffy, this is to be kept quiet until I have talked to Chief Ironside. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir."
"Have the body held at the morgue. Tell the boys that anyone that leaks that this man has been found will answer to the chief. Than get over to the hospital. The chief is in room one twenty six. He wants a police sketch of that man who claimed to be a doctor. Then I want you to take over the security of the chief's room."
"Okay, Ed. Who is this guy anyway?"
"Probably not the guy he claimed to be. I have to go. I don't want to keep the chief waiting. He is not in the best of moods."
"So what's new?" Duffy laughed.
10.6
Lieutenant Carl Reese watched the crown prince and Eve strolled down Fishermen's Warf. He glanced around to be sure all of his plain clothed officers were paying close attention to the couple Ironside had charged them with protecting.
Carl had worked with Chief Ironside on more occasions that he could possibly count. In fact, outside of Eve and Ed, Reese was easily Ironside's favorite detective to pull from his duties to work with his staff. Captain Jimmy Smith never ever refused Ironside. But then there wasn't anybody on the police force who did. There was no doubt that part of the reason was because most officers were intimidated by Chief Ironside. But, mostly it was because almost all people in the department respected the gruff detective.
Carl was no different. He had advanced quickly in the department and he knew his work with Ironside was a good deal responsible for that advancement. He enjoyed working with the chief. In fact, he was happiest when he was working with Ed, Eve and Ironside.
However, working with Ironside was no picnic. Ironside demanded one hundred percent loyalty and any officer working for him worked night and day until the case was solved. The hours were long and tiring. Sometimes Carl wondered how Eve and Ed did it. More so, Ed as Ironside was easier on his policewoman if one could describe it as easy. Nothing really was easy when it came to Ironside. Ed did take the brunt of the long hours, though.
Carl noticed two men were watching Eve and the crown prince. He lifted his radio and said, "Smiddy, are you catching the action at twelve o'clock?"
Smiddy checked Carl's position in order to determine where twelve o'clock was in relationship to him. He realized it was the same two men he had been keeping an eye on. "Yes, Lieutenant. I have been watching them for about twenty-five minutes now. They were a bit further down, out of your line of view. They have moved closer in the last five minutes."
"Be on the safe side. You and Stevens move in closer to them. See if one of you can get a picture of them on your cell phone. I am too far away. The last thing I want to do is have anything happen to either Eve or the crown prince. The chief would have us for lunch."
"Roger that, Lieutenant." Smiddy radioed Stevens and the two of them casually moved closer to the subjects in question. Stevens was able to get close enough for the picture without being spotted.
Carl watched as his men accomplished his orders. He would check the photo against the police mug files to see if these men presented a threat.
10.7
Ed arrived at the hospital. He headed down the hall to Ironside's room. Outside the room two police officers stood, one on each side of Ironside's door. They nodded at Ed as he entered the room. Eve and the crown prince were sitting in the room with Chief Ironside and Barbara Jones. Mark stood by the door that led into the courtyard. "Hello Chief. How are you feeling?"
"I am fine now and I was fine when the doctor and Sergeant Agatha conspired to keep me held hostage in this hospital," Ironside grumbled.
"I thought you said he would mellow by tonight." Ed turned and looked at Eve.
"I was obviously wrong." Eve smiled at Ed.
"The chief was just telling us the plan for allowing the kidnappers to take us," the crown prince told Ed.
Ed looked at his boss. "When?"
"Tomorrow night, Ed. At the Lighthouse. They are watching it. You can be sure of that. They know that Eve and the crown prince went there the last time he was in this country. I purposely had them go there for lunch. By now, whoever is in charge is waiting for them to return to the Lighthouse. They have made their arrangements to kidnap them. We are going to oblige them," Ironside said.
Sister Agatha opened the door and walked into the room. "What is going on in here?"
"Not now sister, we are going over some very important police business," Ironside barked.
"You are not going over anything," she said sternly. "You are here to rest. If you do not follow the doctor's orders, you will not be leaving this hospital in the morning."
"I am leaving this hospital in the morning. We have very important police business to take care of tomorrow."
"Either this room clears out or I recommend to the doctor that he not release you in the morning." Sister Agatha stood her ground.
"Bob, I will see you first thing in the morning," Barbara said, bending down to kiss him goodbye. "I suggest everyone do as Sister Agatha requests." She got up and left the room.
The crown prince stood up. "Shall we continue this into the tomorrow?"
"First thing in the morning … in my office. Eve, no socializing tonight. Mark, take the crown prince to his hotel and drop Eve off at her apartment. The police will follow you in unmarked cars. Alright, good night everyone." Everyone got up to leave. "Not you Ed, I want to talk to you." Everyone else left the room.
"Robert!" Sister Agatha said, looking at Ironside as if he were a misbehaving schoolboy.
"It won't take long, Sister. I just need a minute alone with Ed. Than he will be on his way."
Sister Agatha looked at her patient and said, "You have one minute. Any longer than that and you will be our guest for another day." She turned and followed the others out.
"I could see by the look on your face, there is something you wanted to talk to me about. But first …" Ironside reached over to the stand beside his hospital bed and picked up a manila jacket. He reached inside and pulled out a sketch. Since you were busy at the bay, I had Charlie come in and do the sketch from what I saw of him. Duffy dropped in and agreed it was a very good likeness." Ironside handed the sketch to Ed. "Is this the man you saw as well?"
Ed took the sketch from his boss and looked at it carefully. "Yes, that's him. I'll take it over to the news station. They have agreed to run it on the six o'clock news and again during commercials."
"I have changed my mind. I don't want them to do that." He took the sketch from Ed. "I don't want to tip this guy off. Besides, I made a call to Washington. I talked to President Whitmore. I had the sketch faxed to Artie Hinson. They ran it by the CIA."
"Any luck?" Ed asked.
"We hit pay dirt. The man's name is Phillip York. He's an international hit man for hire. Seems he takes on other work as well, in this case …kidnapping."
Concerned over what he just heard, Ed asked, "Chief, considering what you have learned, you still want to allow this cold blooded killer to take Eve and the crown prince?"
"No, Ed, I don't, but if we are going to catch him and whoever is behind this, we have no choice. Having said that, the entire plan hinges on the answer to my next question."
"And that is?"
"The man you fished out of the bay? Was he Captain Gary Bahr, the man who put the chips into Eve and the crown prince?"
"Yes." Ed saw what he thought was disappointment on Ironside's face. He grinned and said, "He was…"
"An imposter," Ironside finished for him.
Ed was clearly disappointed that he was not a step ahead of his boss. "How do you know?"
"That uniform did not fit our Gary Bahr. Washington said he had lost some weight but that man was walking on the cuffs of his pants. Since when does a man who loses weight also lose inches on his height?"
"But they confirmed his picture," Ed protested.
"President Whitmore had them do further checking. The computer was tampered with. The photo of the man who showed up was put in the system in place of the real Gary Bahr."
"Then who is the guy we fished out of the bay?" Ed asked.
"We don't know that yet. Before you go home tonight, I want you to fax his prints to Washington. Here is the number." Ironside reached back and took a piece of paper from the stand. President Whitmore will have them checked. "If he works for the government, they will have his name for us in the morning. Hopefully that will lead us to the Washington connection"
"But chief, if that was not Bahr that injected the chips into Eve and the crown prince …"
"Then we have to assume the chips will not work," Ironside finished.
"Chief, we can't go through with this. We will be taking a terrible chance with Eve's and the crown prince's life."
"Another officer is on a plane as we speak. He will remove the chips that were injected and put new ones in. The rest of the equipment will be replaced as well. The defense department said that the current ones were probably programed to be rendered useless. The new ones will be unaffected."
"How will we know the man is who he is supposed to be?" Ed asked.
"The president is sending Artie Hinson with him for identification. We are back in business." Ironside grinned.
"I thought you were supposed be to resting today," Ed said.
"I had the officer outside the door back up against the door every time Sister Agatha came to the room. That way I could close my eyes and pretend to be sleeping." The grin returned to his face.
The door opened and Sister Agatha walked in. "Your minute is up, Robert." She looked at Ed. "You! Out!"
"Mark and I will pick you up in the morning. Good night, Chief." Ed looked at Sister Agatha and then left the room.
Sister Agatha walked over to Ironside. In her hand, she held the little round pill cup. She poured a glass of water and handed it to him, along with the pill cup.
"What is that?"
"It is for pain," Sister Agatha answered.
"Forget it, I don't need it," he responded.
"Do you want to get out of here in the morning or not?" She challenged him.
"I certainly do." Ironside put the pill cup to his lips, tossed the medication into his mouth and washed it down with water. He then made the same face at her that he did when she forced him to take the medicine that almost killed him when he was in the hospital to determine if he would walk again.
Sister Agatha stared at Ironside and then both of them burst into laughter.
10.7
At midnight, Phillip York quietly entered the courtyard. He stood in the shadows and glanced around. He looked down the courtyard and counted the rooms. The seventh one down on the left side was the detective's room. Staying concealed in the shadows, York walked silently and slowly toward Ironside's room, his eyes continually moving, to be sure there were no witnesses.
As he reached the glass door to his room, he slowly checked the handle. It was locked. York pulled out his silenced weapon. There was just enough light in the room for York to see Ironside. He was sleeping on his back. His face lit up slightly by the moonlight.
York aimed the weapon through the glass at Ironside's head and pulled the trigger.