Scrabble Spells Murder!
Chapter 4
4.1
Ironside grabbed the police radio and barked into it, "This is Ironside. If there are any plain clothed officers in the vicinity of Fisherman's Wharf, respond immediately." He waited for an answer.
"Chief, this is Fran Belding. I am within a mile of the Wharf. Tell me what you want me to do."
"Fran, there is going to be an attempt on Commissioner Randall's life. He and his wife are eating dinner inside. We are still another ten minutes away. Assess the situation and act accordingly. The commissioner and his wife are your responsibility until we get there."
"Yes, sir. I am on my way." Fran broke the contact.
"I would feel more confident if there was a more experienced officer going in there," Carl said.
Ironside looked at Lt. Reese. "I trust Fran. The only other officers that I would trust as much are in this vehicle. And since none of you can get there any faster than I can, I am happy it was Fran that answered the call."
4.2
He sat in the booth as far away from Randall as he could possibly get. He could not be seen by the Randalls yet he was in a perfect spot to observe them. He remembered seeing Randall and his wife in the Wharf a couple years ago. When stopping by his table, Randall had told him that they had dinner every year at the Wharf on Thanksgiving. It made a perfect opportunity to kill the commissioner as the first Scrabble murder.
Whether or not Ironside would figure out the clue in time would depend on whether he knew about the Randall's tradition of where they had their Thanksgiving dinner. If he knew, then he would be here. If not, then Randall would become the first victim. He had nothing against the commissioner or his wife. Neither of them had ever done him any harm. In fact, Randall had helped him once. He did not know Mrs. Randall. He had never met her. It was unfortunate that she was with the commissioner on this particular day and place.
He would not allow any of this to deter his plans. He wanted to beat the cop that was considered the best. His job had become boring. It was no longer a challenge for him. He had to have something that stimulated his mind. What a better way to do it then best San Francisco's greatest detective? So far, no one had been able to beat Robert Ironside. Some had been successful in eluding the law. Ironside had rules to follow. That was the beauty of being on the other side of the law. You had no rules. You could make them up as you went along while the police had to figure out a way to charge you with some broken establishment law.
The problem with most of Ironside's adversaries was that they underestimated him. The man was simply brilliant. You could not let your guard down, not even for a moment. If you did, that was when he had you. Not many men had the ability to think like he could. He had watched him for a long time now... studied him and how he outsmarted the amateur crooks. But he would not outsmart him. No sir! He had been preparing for this for some time. He had planned each and every Scrabble clue. He had chosen the victims carefully.
The most important part of his plan was to keep the clues vague but at the same time give that brilliant mind of Ironside's a chance. After all, if he did not take some risk then the entire operation would be for nothing. The plan was to beat Ironside and he must do that fair and square. If he did not give him a fighting chance to solve each clue then it would not be much of a victory. No, he had to beat Ironside and he would do that by staying one-step ahead of him. That is the only way the victory would have any meaning.
Randall's death would make a big splash on the front page of the paper. After this killing, Ironside would not be able to keep it quiet. The city council would be screaming for him to solve the Scrabble murders. That is what they would become known as.
He watched Randall's table. A woman walked over to him. She spoke to him for a moment. Randall and his wife got out of their chairs and left the table with her. When they turned toward his direction, He recognized her... Fran Belding. She was a cop!
The Randalls followed Belding out of the restaurant. Something was wrong. Belding was a favorite of Ironside. He turned and looked out the window. A van had just pulled into the parking lot... Ironside's van! Damn! He had figured out the first clue. He must have known about the Randall's tradition.
He stood up and walked back to the restrooms. After entering the men's room, he looked up at the window near the ceiling. Fortunately, he was a small man. He would be able to fit through the window. Getting to that window would be tricky.
He turned and looked at the trash container. He smiled when he saw it had a cover. After pushing the trash container under the window, he climbed on top of it. He reached up and checked the window. It could be opened.
He forced the window open and slid out to the ground. Ironside would keep the cops busy checking for some clue as to who was trying to kill Randall. It would give him just enough time to slip away.
4.3
With her gun drawn, Officer Fran Belding's eyes darted left and right surveying the area for trouble. Fran led the Randalls to the van. The passenger door opened and Sgt. Ed Brown jumped out.
"Commissioner, the chief would like you to get into the van while we check out the Wharf."
Randall nodded and walked with his wife to the back of the van. The door opened and Lt. Carl Reese helped Patricia Randall in. Randall climbed into the van behind her as Reese hurried off towards the restaurant. Officer Eve Whitfield got out of the van and followed him. She smiled at the Randalls as she passed them.
Randall and his wife sat down in the back of the vehicle with Ironside. "Hello, Dennis. Sorry to interrupt your holiday." He took Patricia Randall's hand. "Happy Thanksgiving."
Patricia kissed his cheek. "Dennis was the target?"
"I believe so. We will know shortly for sure." Sirens wailed as police poured into the area.
The back door opened and Officer Duffy climbed into the van. "Just as you ordered, Chief, we are sealing off the area."
The passenger door opened as Sgt. Ed Brown slid back into the front seat. "Chief, we have a problem. Eve found a bomb attached to the underside of the table that the commissioner and his wife were sitting at."
"Mark," Ironside barked, "call in the bomb squad." Sanger got on the police unit immediately and did as he was instructed.
"Ed, clear everyone out of the building."
"Eve and Carl are already doing it, sir."
Mark turned around from the driver's seat to face his boss. "The bomb squad is on the way, Chief." Before they could arrive, there was an explosion in the restaurant.
"Ed!" Ironside shouted.
Ed was out the door and running back into the restaurant. Mark got out of the van and ran in after him.
Randall moved into the front seat as he surveyed the scene in front of him. "That bomb was meant for me."
"Without a doubt," Ironside agreed.
Randall looked at his friend. "Bob, you probably saved our lives."
"Forget it, Dennis. We must concentrate on who is responsible for this. That is the most important thing right now."
Randall shook his head. Just like Bob to brush off any kind of gratitude. "I am trying to thank you for saving our lives."
Still Ironside ignored him. The driver's door opened. Eve got in the car. "Everyone got out before it went off, Chief. No one was hurt. Most of the damage is confined to the area the commissioner was in. It looks like he only made the bomb powerful enough to kill those in the immediate area."
"Hold everyone that was in there until you have positively identified them. I want everyone checked out. Talk to the staff. Find out if anyone was seen at that table before Dennis entered. And find out who ate at the table directly before him."
"Yes sir." Eve got out of the van and went back into the Wharf.
4.4
Lt. Reese listened as Eve told him and Ed what the chief had ordered. "We are already doing it," he told her.
Ed left them and went back to the kitchen where the Wharf's staff had gathered, waiting to be questioned by the police. He spotted one young woman who was sitting by herself. Ed walked over to her. "I am Sgt. Brown of the San Francisco police department. Are you Suzanne Phillips?"
She stood up and looked at Ed as he approached her. "I am. They told us you would be asking questions. What would you like to know?"
"Do you know who the commissioner is?"
"Yes. He and his wife eat in here quite often."
"I understand that you waited on the commissioner today for dinner."
"Yes, that is correct," Suzanne, replied.
"Did anyone approach his table while he was having dinner?"
"Not that I am aware of."
"Did you notice anything unusual at all?"
She shook her head. "No, not that I can think... " She stopped.
Ed looked at her. She looked as though something had come to mind. "Miss Phillips?"
"There was one thing that happened but it was before the commissioner came into the restaurant."
"And what was that?"
"I was waiting on another table. As I walked back to the kitchen with dishes, I almost tripped over a man who was bent over next to the table."
"Was that the same table the commissioner was at today?"
"Yes, the commissioner always sits at the same table. They are very good customers. They call in ahead of time and reserve the same table."
"And he did that this time?"
"Yes. He did."
"How many people would know that he reserves the same table each time?"
"Just about everyone that works in the restaurant. Everyone knows the commissioner requests the same table."
"Did you see the face of the man that was bent down?"
"No. He said that he had dropped his cell phone and it slid under the table. When he stood up, his back was to me. He walked into the men's room. That was the last I saw of him."
Ed handed her a card. "If you think of anything else, please call me at that number. Thank you for your time."
Ed left her and joined Eve and Carl. "Anything?"
"No one saw anything. I have not been able to find out much of anything at all," Carl reported.
"Me neither," Eve said.
"Where's Mark," Ed asked when he did not see his friend.
"You know Mark," Eve smiled. He doesn't like leaving the chief alone if there is any chance that he could be in danger."
"I don't think the chief is in danger... yet," Ed added.
"There is not much else we can do here as far as I can see," Carl said. "We might as well leave this for the boys to clean up and return to the chief's office."
Both Ed and Eve were reluctant to go back with next to nothing to report to Ironside. Yet they knew they did not have much choice. Both nodded and followed Carl out of the Wharf.
4.5
He sat down at his computer. A smile appeared on his face. He was not entirely surprised that Ironside had showed up at the Wharf. After all, one of the reasons he had brought him into the game was because of his brilliance as a detective. Yet, he had to admit he harbored a desire to make a big splash on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle. The commissioner's death would have done that.
Should he try for the commissioner again? No. He had warned Ironside not to cheat by looking into the computer system for his identity. Ironside had complied. He would have known if he had not. He had been given a vague clue and still had been able to figure out whom, where and when. Therefore, be had been able to save the commissioner fair and square. He would not try to kill him again. He had to concede Ironside won the first round.
It was time to move on. He had to choose someone new as his target. He pulled up the list of names he had prepared. The next one needed to be someone prominent enough that would catch the attention of the public. Running his finger down the screen, he looked at each name one at a time. His victim also had to be someone it would hurt Ironside to lose. He did not want to kill a member of his staff... not yet. That would only serve to enrage the detective. It was far too early in the game for that. Still it had to be someone that would affect Ironside when the person died. His finger stopped at one name that caught his eye. Perfect! This person definitely fit the game, as he wanted it played.
He began typing on the keyboard in front of him. It was time to give Ironside the next clue.
4.6
Robert Ironside wheeled his chair down the ramp, slowing it as he descended. Everyone followed him into the main room of the office/residence. He wheeled over to the table that had been set. The smell of the turkey was delightful. Katherine came out of the kitchen.
"It is a good thing you are back because this turkey is about to fall off the bones." She looked at Commissioner Randall and his wife. "Hello, Commissioner." Katherine smiled at him.
"Dennis, I think you have met Katherine." He pointed at the commissioner's wife and said, "This is Patricia Randall. Patricia, I would like you to meet Katherine Denuerve."
"The Denuerve Vineyards?" Patricia responded.
Katherine, delighted that the commissioner's wife was familiar with her vineyards, smiled again and replied, "That is correct. Then you have heard of them."
"Dennis brings home your wine quite often."
"I am sure Robert has had a hand in that."
"No, he didn't. I have just as good taste in wine as Bob does," Randall said quickly.
"Huh," Ironside grunted.
"Mark, if you would not mind helping, we can put dinner on the table."
"Mark can handle it, Katherine. You, come and sit down."
"I don't mind, Robert. I knew Mark was with you so I got the rest of the dinner ready." They headed for the kitchen.
"As soon as you get the reports back, I want to know what they say," Randall told Ironside.
"I can tell you what the test will say. There will be no fingerprints and it was a small but effective bomb that would have done the job had Fran not got the two of you out of there," Ironside said.
"Chief, I believe the man who tried to kill the commissioner was in that restaurant," Ed announced.
Everyone turned towards him as the chief asked, "Because of the man the waitress saw bent over at the table?"
"He made sure he did not turn his face to her," Ed explained.
"That is not the only thing," Carl interjected. "Duffy said the window in the men's bathroom was opened. The manager said that window is never opened."
"So he was there and left through the window before we got there," Eve said.
"No, I doubt that. He probably left as soon as Fran took the commissioner out of the restaurant," Ed disagreed.
Mark and Katherine put the Thanksgiving dinner on the table. Katherine then took her place beside Ironside as Mark sat down on the other side of the commissioner.
Randall thought about what Ed had suggested. "Why not walk right out the front door? After all, we would not have recognized him."
"We don't know that." Eve took the cranberries and began passing the dishes around the table.
"What are you saying Eve?" Ironside asked. "That he left because we would have known who he was?"
Eve knew her boss already knew that is what she was thinking and that he was stimulating her thoughts. He did that to get his staff thinking about the case to not miss anything. "It is a possibility."
"Another possibility is that he was afraid that if he had been seen there, he might be recognized at a future location," Mark offered.
"Ed, did you find out if there are any cameras in the Wharf?" Ironside inquired.
"Carl checked that," Ed told him, deferring the question to Lt. Reese.
"No cameras, Chief, but one waitress remembers a customer that had been sitting alone at a table which would have been perfect for observing the commissioner's table," Carl told them. "When she looked for him after the bomb went off, he was gone. We had that table dusted for prints."
"You won't find any," Ironside said. "But I still want to see that report as soon as it is available."
Katherine put turkey on Ironside's plate. "That is enough shop talk, gentlemen. Let's enjoy dinner. I realize this case is extremely important but so is the reason for this dinner."
Dennis raised his glass of wine. "Katherine is right. Despite what is going on, we all have a lot to be thankful for. To good friends, good people and good times."
Everyone drank to Randall's toast and the dinner conversation turned to things more of a personal nature. Ironside teased his staff and they him. Randall told stories of his earlier years with Ironside and everyone laughed at the chief's expense.
After dinner, Katherine and Mark served pumpkin pie and whipped cream. As dinner began to wind down, Mark put on a pot of coffee.
Everyone had for the moment forgotten the Scrabble game and the promise of murders placed in the clues. Then... the computer on the chief's desk came alive. Heads turned toward the computer voice that was now speaking to them. Immediately they left the table and moved to Ironside's desk.
Congratulations, Chief. You have solved the first clue. I knew it the minute Officer Belding approached the commissioner's table. You can tell the commissioner, he is safe thanks to you. Since you won this round, I will not touch him. You have won his life back.
However, it is time for our Scrabble game to continue. I have selected the next person. As before, you will be given a clue that will identify who the target is, where the murder will be and when it will take place. As you did this time, if you solve the clue and stop the murder from happening, you will win back the life of the person targeted... that is IF you play by the rules. This time, you will not be allowed to use your staff to rescue the victim. You must save the person entirely on your own. They can help you solve the clue, although I suspect you are the one that solved the last one, but you and you alone must save the victim.
If you fail to follow the rules, you will receive the next clue after the victim is killed. Be a good boy and you will receive the next clue and a chance to stop it.
I think you will like the new rules. They will be different with each clue. Now for the clue. Remember, Chief, you must rescue this one on your own. Here is your Scrabble clue. The Scrabble board appeared on the screen with the new clue BOATGOLDHEAL. Good luck, Chief, ... well not really. I would like to spell murder this time!
Hacker