Murder at Saint Mary's

Chapter 15

15.1

Morgan Haynes glanced down the street at the sound of a police siren. He pulled the police cruiser into an alley. The last thing he needed was to be drawn into a police call. He had a job to do. He had no intentions of being delayed.

The radio in the patrol car began calling for assistance. Morgan waited for some indication as how to answer.

"Eighty-six, do you copy? We need assistance."

Haynes picked up the radio and said, "I copy but am unable to respond. Handling a traffic accident." He waited for a moment wondering if the officer would question him or recognize that he was not who he was supposed to be.

"Copy that, eighty-six. Do you need assistance?"

"No. Just routine," Haynes answered.

"Alright, I will check with fifty-seven. Out."

Haynes took a deep breath. He had not considered he would be called upon to do actual police work. He turned on the siren and sped up the patrol car. He needed to finish the job before someone discovered this car was missing.

15.2

Robert Duvalier hung up the phone. "Bingo!"

Frank Rousseau looked up from his desk. "I take it Bob's hunch paid off?"

A big grin spread across Robert's face. "In spades!" He reached over and dialed Saint Mary's Hospital in San Francisco. "This is Robert Duvalier of the Montreal police department. I need to speak with Dr. Peter Witt." He was put through to Dr. Witt who in turn switched the call to Robert Ironside's room.

"Hello," Ironside answered.

"Papa, I have the information you wanted. You were right, Morgan Haynes does indeed have an account here in Canada with the Bank of Montreal. But that is not the half of it, Papa."

"What do you mean, Robert?"

"We got a court order to check out the account. It seems Mr. Haynes has been wiring money into the Bank of Montreal account from a Swiss bank account which had millions in it. There is no record as to how he got the money The account is, believe it or not, under his own name."

"I believe it. The man believes he is invulnerable. He doesn't think he can be caught. We are going to prove him wrong tonight. He is about to find out that he's human and has made human mistakes… mistakes that will be his downfall."

"This man is dangerous. Please don't take any chances with him, Papa."

"Do not worry. I have a plan… one that will draw him in."

"He will not be easily fooled."

"His kind never is," Ironside said.

"Is there anything else I can do?"

"No, son. You have provided information that has helped break this case wide open. You are going to be a very good detective."

"Thank you, Papa. I have a lot to live up to with you as my father."

"Do not try to be me, Robert. You will do just fine as yourself."

"I know. Be careful."

Ironside could hear the worry in his son's voice. Although it was comforting to know he cared, he did not want him to worry. "Remember, you must trust me to know what I am doing."

"I do trust you. I have not made any flight arrangements to San Francisco."

Ironside smiled at that comment. "And don't you make any either. Continue with your studies and soak up everything Frank teaches you. He's a fine detective."

"I will. Goodbye, Papa."

"Goodbye, son." Ironside hung up the phone.

Ironside immediately dialed the phone again. The other end was picked up on the first ring.

"Chief Ironside's office," said the feminine voice of Officer Eve Whitfield.

"Eve, is Ed there?"

"Yes, Chief. We were both about to head out of the office." She hit the speaker button.

"Did you do as I asked?"

"We only got your message a while ago but we called the same place that provided the dummy that trapped Jonathan Dix. They will be providing two dummies as you requested. But, Chief, they don't have time for much of a make-up job on them."

"It is not needed. Haynes is not going to go near either of them. Just be sure that they are faced away from the windows. I don't want Haynes to be able to see that he is shooting dummies."

"Ed already told Officer Duffy to take care of that."

"Good. Duffy is a good man. Haynes won't spot a thing."

"Chief, I think we should do the same with you. If it works for Sister Agatha, then it will work for you," Ed broke in.

"No, Ed. He is not going to shoot at me from a distance. He wants me to know who is ending my life. No, he will come directly to my room to finish the job."

"Why would he take the chance when all he has to do is kill you from a distance?" Eve asked.

"Because that is who he is, Eve. He wants me to know he has beaten me."

"Is there anything we can say to change your mind?" Ed asked.

"No. I want you both to come in separately and quietly. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," they both answered.

15.3

"I don't like it, Chief. You will be a sitting duck," Mark argued, shaking his head.

"I already had this argument with Ed and Eve... and Sister Agatha. I want this man. This is a dangerous killer for hire. I want him off the streets. He made a big mistake bringing his hired gun to San Francisco. It ends here. I am putting him out of commission. Remember the hit man from Chicago?"

"Yes. I remember. You were to testify in court and a hit man was hired to kill you. But Chief, Commissioner Randall had you sent to jail to protect you. The police can't guarantee your safety in here," Mark continued to argue.

"Can they guarantee my safety if I leave here? We have to stop him now and I would prefer to do it on my terms, Mark. I am not the only one he is after. May I remind you that both you and Sister Agatha are also at risk?"

"And you are using dummies to protect us. Why can't you do the same for yourself?"

"I already explained that to you…"

The door to Mark's private room opened and Carl Reese walked into the room. He looked at two men he considered friends knowing both of their lives were in danger. He did not like the chief's plan any more than Mark, Eve or Ed but he would not argue with him. He knew that Ironside was right. This was the best way to lure this man in. It didn't mean he had to like it.

"Chief, I just got a call from the commissioner's wife. She called his office. She was told that no one was there. Mrs. Randall called his secretary and she told her that the commissioner told her he was going home."

"Maybe he stopped off somewhere on the way home," Mark suggested.

"No. He would have called Patricia. Dennis always lets her know where he is. He is absolutely adamant about it," Ironside said with a frown on his face. "Carl, call the Hall of Justice. Have an officer check Dennis' office and I mean every room including the closets."

"Yes, sir." Carl left the room.

"Chief, what are you thinking?"

"I am not sure. But my instincts tell me that something prevented Dennis from going home. I want to know what it was. Something tells me that Morgan Haynes may be responsible."

15.4

Officer Roger Johnson and Officer Joel Hall unlocked the door to Commissioner Dennis Randall's office. "How many rooms are there in the commissioner's office?" Officer Johnson asked his partner.

"My understanding is there is the secretary's outer office, the commissioner's office, a bathroom, a closet and a room behind the commissioner's office," Officer Hall replied.

The officers walked into the outer office. It was obvious that Randall was not anywhere in sight. "You missed listing the closet in this outer office." Johnson pointed at a door. He walked over to it, opened it. It was just a small closet, probably where the secretary hung her coat in the chilly winter weather. "Nothing here. Let's check the commissioner's office."

Hall nodded and followed Johnson into Randall's office. "He's not here."

"You check the bathroom. I will check the room behind the office," Johnson suggested.

The two men split up to check their respective rooms when they heard what sounded like someone pounding on the wall in the closet. "Did you hear that?" Hall asked.

"Yea, I heard it." Johnson checked through the keys he was holding, selected one of them and unlocked the door. "Commissioner!" The officer hurried over to Randall. He pulled the gag from his mouth.

"Untie me!" Randall ordered. Johnson removed the rope binding his hands and feet. Randall struggled to his feet. He headed straight to the phone and began dialing.

15.5

Morgan Haynes rode the elevator to the top floor. He headed down the hall toward the room that was directly across from Saint Mary's Hospital. He carried a box that contained the rifle he had taken back from Dennis Randall.

Haynes located the room he was searching for. After forcing the lock, he entered. If the information he had been able to get was correct, the nun and Ironside's aid were in rooms right next to each other on the security wing. The intelligence of these people! How could they call it a security wing if he could gain access to it from the outside?

Haynes removed the rifle from the box. Pointing it toward the room that his information told him was the nun's room, Haynes looked through the sight on the rifle. The blinds were open! Some security! Haynes laughed at the stupidity of the police. Someone was in the nun's room. The assassin watched the nurse through the sight. He would have to wait until she left the room. He could not afford to shoot with her in the room. He could not kill her. She might be missed immediately if she did not move on to her next patient.

The nurse left the nun's room. Haynes turned the sight toward the nun's bed. She was turned away from the window. He could not see her face. How could he be sure it was the nun? Haynes moved the sight around the room. The closet door was open. Inside, hanging up was the nun's clothing. There was no doubt the person occupying the room was a nun. Yes, he had the right room.

Haynes raised the rifle, pointed it at the nun's head and pulled the trigger. The nun jerked and then she was still again. Haynes then pointed the rifle to the room to the left. Laying in the bed, a black man was turned away from the window. Again he could not see Sanger's face but this time he did not question whether it was Ironside's aid. His information had been right regarding the nun. He was certain this was indeed Sanger.

Morgan looked through the rifle's sight. He aimed at Mark Sanger's head and fired. Sanger slumped forward. Haynes still could not see his face but he knew he had fired the shot directly into his target's head. Sanger and the nun were dead. Now he would kill Ironside and then kill Commissioner Randall and the police officer in the evidence room. Then there would be no one left to identify him. There would not be one shred of evidence left to connect him with any of the killings.

15.6

Sergeant Ed Brown entered Saint Mary's Hospital. He went directly to Chief Ironside's room. "Commissioner Randall has been located." Ed told his boss what had transpired in Randall's office.

"Now our plan is more important than ever. We have to catch him in the act of trying to kill me," Ironside said. The phone beside him rang. The detective picked it up. "Hello." Ironside listened for a moment and then hung up the phone. "That was Carl. Haynes is close by. He shot both of the dummies. Alright, Ed, you know what to do." Ed nodded and left.

15.7

Morgan Haynes entered the parking garage at Saint Mary's. He sat in the vehicle watching the occasional visitor to the hospital. He had yet to see the one person that he was looking for. Earlier, he watched as Sergeant Ed Brown entered the hospital. Ironside must take him for a moron if he thought he was going to walk into his trap. He knew he had expected him to come after him. Morgan was sure Ironside was expecting him to come to his room and attempt to kill him in the same manner he had killed the other patients. Ironside had taken him for a fool. It was a mistake and it would be the last mistake he would ever make.

A vehicle pulled into the parking garage. After parking, a blond got out of the car. Haynes smiled. She had finally showed up. Haynes looked at Officer Eve Whitfield in appreciation. What a shame it would be to have to kill such a beautiful woman. Such a waste! But then it was her own fault. Why would such a looker choose to be a cop... and work for Ironside of all people?

He would use Eve Whitfield as an insurance policy. He was not naive enough to think that Ironside would not have that hospital crawling with plainclothes cops. Did he really think he was just going to walk into their waiting arms? Ironside was only used to dealing with punks and the everyday run of the mill crook. He would teach him what a real professional could do. Unfortunately, he would never be able to apply it as he would not be alive to do so.

Haynes got out of the car and headed in Eve Whitfield's direction. He was careful to stay between the vehicles and just far enough behind her not to draw her suspicions. Haynes moved more quickly as she walked toward the elevator that would take her into the main lobby of the hospital.

Haynes pulled out his silenced weapon and walked swiftly towards Eve with the confidence of of a tiger going after his prey. Just as he was about to raise his weapon, Eve turned around quickly, raising her service revolver to Haynes' face. He quickly swatted the gun out of her hand but he did not anticipate her next move. Eve reached up with her right hand and scratched at his eye... his right eye. The vision in that eye immediately blurred and blood ran down his check.

Morgan Haynes knew he had to regain control of the situation. He could not afford to have someone walk in on this confrontation with Whitfield. He had underestimated her. She had caught him off guard. That was something that no woman had ever been able to do before. He should have known if Ironside had chosen her for his team, she was no ordinary woman. Well, he would put an immediate end to her resistance.

Haynes doubled his fist and slugged Eve in the face. Eve staggered, her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed. Haynes caught her before she hit the cement.

The hired killer dragged her into the shadows. He had to get her somewhere out of sight until she came to. She was of no use to him out cold. She was his ticket to Ironside.

He spotted a door nearby. He picked up Eve and walked over to it. Setting her down, he pointed his weapon at the lock and fired. Haynes then opened the door and dragged the policewoman into the room. He reached up and turned on the light, then slammed the door shut.

Setting her down on the floor, Haynes pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket. He lightly patted his painful eye. When he pulled the handkerchief away, it was covered in blood. Haynes could not see anything out of that eye. Whatever she had done had rendered the eye useless. Rage began to rise. He was afraid she had done permanent damage to the eye he used to look through the scope and aim at his targets.

Why had he been looking at her as a woman? She was nothing more than a way to reach Ironside. He had allowed her to distract him. Now he may have paid for it with the loss of sight in his right eye. He would enjoy ending her life. He had to fight the desire to do it right now. Her time would come.

15.8

Ironside looked at the clock. What was he waiting for? He was sure Haynes was near the hospital. Why had he not entered?

He was concerned about Eve. She was overdue. Ed had been in the hospital for an hour. They had left at the same time. Where was Eve? Ironside reached for the phone. After dialing, he barked into the speaker, "Ed, any sign of Eve yet?"

"No, Chief. She would have no reason to be late. Are you thinking what I am?"

"Haynes has her," Ironside said.

"That is what I think too," Ed said. "Looks like he trumped your ace."

"But only with the left bower. Now my partner will play the right. Is the van in the hospital parking lot?"

"Yes, why?"

"Because you need to put the right bower in it."

15.9

Eve began to stir. She opened her eyes. She cringed at the pain in her cheek. Placing her hand on it, she could feel the swelling. What had happened... then she remembered.

"Welcome back, Officer Whitfield," Haynes said. "You are going to have quite the shiner but then you don't have to worry about anyone other than Chief Ironside seeing it because you both will be dead shortly. I am going to kill you right in front of him while he sits by helpless to do anything about it. Then I am going to kill him."

"Do you really think Chief Ironside is going to just roll over and die because you say so?"

"No, I suspect I will have to drag him kicking and screaming to his death but he will die as will you, Miss Whitfield." He handed her a cell phone. "You are going to call him and tell him he is to come unarmed to the parking lot. He is to tell no one where he is going. If I see anyone at all, I will kill you. Now call him."

"No. I will not help you."

"Now Miss Whitfield, I can just as easily make the call myself but it would be more effective if you do it."

"I told you, I will not help you."

"Alright, then I will do it myself." Haynes called the main desk, told them he was holding Eve Whitfield and demanded they put him through to Ironside or he would kill her. He was put through to his room immediately.

"Ironside," the chief barked.

"Hello, Chief. I thought it was time we met."

"What do you want, Haynes?"

Shocked momentarily, Morgan Haynes was silent. How did Ironside find out who he was? He retrieved the rifle before they could get his prints or did he? What difference would it make? His prints were not on file anywhere. How did Ironside find out. It was imperative that he eliminate him tonight. Again he had underestimated Ironside. "You and I are going for a little ride."

Ironside needed to find out if he had Eve. "I am not going anywhere with you."

"Such a pity. Then Miss Whitfield will die."

"You expect me to believe that you have her?"

"I am more than willing to prove it. Say hello to your boss, Officer." Haynes tried to hand the phone to Eve. She shook her head no. He put the phone back to his ear. "One moment, Chief, Miss Whitfield seems to need some convincing to speak to you." He hit Eve with the back of his hand causing her to cry out.

Ironside heard Eve. "Leave her alone, Haynes. If you hurt her, I... "

"Come now, Chief, you are in no position to issue threats. After all, I am the one holding your policewoman. If you want to keep her alive, you will do exactly what I tell you." Haynes dictated the same instructions he had told Eve earlier. "You have ten minutes, Ironside. Remember, come unarmed and no cops or I will kill her." He hung up the phone.

"Ed, is everything set up?"

"Just as you instructed, Chief. I don't have to tell you... be careful."

"I will and you be careful as well. Eve's life depends on it."

"So does yours, Chief. So does yours."