Scrabble Spells Murder
Chapter 11
11.1
Officer Fran Belding unlocked the door to her apartment, dropped her purse and keys on the table next to the door. She turned around, closed the door and locked it before reaching for the alarm, keying in the code that would activate it for the night. Fran was very pleased with the events of the evening. With each assignment with Chief Ironside's office, she came closer to her dream of becoming a detective instead of a uniformed police officer.
She did not know how much her father played in Ironside's decision to use her for some of her assignments but she didn't care. Oh, there was a time when it bothered her that she would be given special consideration because she was Dave Belding's daughter, but not anymore. If being his daughter got her an assignment in Ironside's office so much the better.
Fran had known Ironside all her life. He and her father had been good friends. Although she had not been close to him, he was a familiar face in her life. Now, of course, Robert Ironside was a legend. His office solved all the tough crimes. The commissioner and the city council turned to him to solve the ones no one else could. Ironside was a bulldog. He never let go of the bone. He might take years to finally nail a particular criminal. Even though he was not known for his patience in the office, he certainly was known for patience on watching, building and finally putting together a case against those hard-to-catch criminals.
Fran had never thought of being anything else. From the time she was a little girl, her mind had been made up to be a cop. Her inspiration had originally been her father, although, she had to admit, she admired Robert Ironside's brilliant deductive mind. She wanted to learn from him. She wanted to be able to solve crimes... the Ironside way.
It was well-known that Ironside could make or break a police officer's career. He had not been Chief of Detectives for several years now but his position in the department had only elevated and strengthened with every case solved. Fran wanted to be a part of that. She really did not care about the notoriety that came with Ironside's office. What Fran really wanted was to be the best cop she could. In order to be the best, you had to learn from the best. And IRONSIDE was the best.
She respected Robert Ironside and Fran knew she had the will and the ability to withstand his moods. She believed herself to be plenty tough enough to handle whatever he could dish out and boy could he dish it out. Fran knew that you had to be a quick study and learner under Ironside. He expected his officers to think for themselves. This she knew she could do.
Fran respected Eve Whitfield but she always felt that she was better suited to be a cop. Eve grew up in a privileged atmosphere. She did not have to come up the way Fran did. She bet that Eve never got into a fight in her life. A prim and proper daughter of a millionaire wouldn't think of getting into a fight. Fran thought back on how many times she had gotten into scrapes at home and in the neighborhood. Yes, they both grew up in entirely different circumstances. But Fran's life had toughened her and prepared her for a detective's life.
Eve was smart. She had learned quickly from Ironside and she had an especially close relationship with him. Fran hoped that some day she and Robert Ironside would share that same kind of special relationship. She knew she had at least as much to offer as Eve Whitfield. She would be a different kind of detective. Her upbringing would see to that.
Yet, despite their differences, Fran knew that Eve had developed into an excellent detective. It was that example that convinced her that she could be as good or better. But how would she ever break into the Chief's office as one of his officers as a regular? She did not know how Carl Reese felt as she really did not know him very well. After all, most of her experience was as a uniformed cop. Their duties and the road they traveled were much different than the detectives'. Carl was sort of in the same position as she was but admittedly with more experience. He was called upon by Ironside to help with smany of his cases but had not broken into becoming a regular either.
Fran knew that if Ironside asked for more officers, he would get them. Commissioner Randall almost gave him a blank check. Arguing that Ironside's office was overworked was no argument at all. Yet, Ironside never seem to ask for any more permanent help. She certainly hoped she did not have to wait until Ed or Eve retired before she could win a position. She would be too old to perform the job.
She walked into the kitchen and pulled a Pepsi out of the refrigerator. As she turned around, the phone rang. Fran walked over to the phone, picked it up and said, "Hello."
"Are you interested in solving the Hacker case?" the voice said.
Fran was instantly on guard. She decided the best tack to take was to play along until she knew better what this was all about. "Of course, we are all interested in solving the case. Maybe you should call Chief Ironside's office. He is in charge of the case."
"I am not interested in talking with Ironside. I want to talk to you. I want to help you solve the case. I have information that will help you to be the hero. Then maybe you will advance... maybe even get a position in Ironside's office."
"Then why don't you start by telling me your name?" Fran suggested.
"My name doesn't matter. You don't need to know my name. You only need to know that I have information that will help you find the Hacker."
Fran was skeptical. "Why would you help me find him? Why me?"
"Because I think you deserve to move up in the department. Because somebody besides Ironside should get the credit for catching him. I decided on you. But there is a condition."
"What condition?" Fran asked, warily.
"I will give the information. I am onto him. I can help you save the victims as he chooses them but you mustn't allow Ironside to know that I am helping you. If you do, I will stop helping you. Do you understand?"
"I understand. What is it you want to tell me?"
"Not yet. I want you to agree first that you will not tell Ironside where you are getting the information. Do you agree?"
"Alright, I agree. Now what?"
"I am going to give you the former hideout of the Hacker. You will have to figure out how you will break it to Ironside. But remember, if you tell him we have spoken, you will not hear from me again. Til we speak again."
"But..." She did not get out another word as the caller on the other end hung up the phone.
Frustrated, Fran paced back and forth. Why did the man call her and how did he get her number? She stopped and stared at the phone. She should call the chief. Fran hurried over to the phone, picked it up and began dialing Ironside's number.
A sleepy voice came on the line. "Ironside."
Fran hesitated. Suddenly, she could not say anything to him. Her caller's words came back to her.
"Hello," Ironside said again, this time his voice gruffer and louder.
Fran thought for a moment and then replaced the phone back to the cradle. She turned and walked away from the phone. She stopped suddenly and then walked back to the phone. Once again she picked up the phone and began dialing the chief's office, but before she finished dialing the last number, she hung up the phone again.
He had said if she told Ironside, she would not hear from him again. But how could he possibly know if she told Chief Ironside? The only way would be if there was a bug in his office. She thought about it. How many times did the chief leave his office quickly and leave it empty and unlocked? If would be easy for someone at Headquarters to slip into his office and plant a bug. Someone who would know that he had left the office. Possibly someone that arranged to have him called away from the office. If they knew Ironside had Ed and Eve out of the office on assignments, all he would have to do is find some way to get the chief out.
Ironside's deduction that it was possibly someone at Headquarters was looking like the chief was right. Chief Ironside. She had to tell him. He was her boss right now. How could she hold out on him? On the other hand, she did not really have much to tell him... yet. Come to think of it the caller had not yet told her where this hideout of the Hacker was. Fran could not believe she had not kept him on the phone long enough to find out where that was. Somehow, she was sure she was going to hear from him again. She would wait. There wasn't anything to tell Chief Ironside at the moment. As soon as she had something substantial, she would bring the chief in on it.
Fran turned out the lights and went to bed.
11.2
The Hacker smiled as he hung up the phone. The wheels were in motion. Fran Belding would follow the rules. He could sense it. She would not run to Ironside with the information he had just given her. He had hacked into Headquarters' computers. Belding's father worked with Ironside. That probably meant that Belding wanted into Ironside's office and because of her father, had a better chance of succeeding especially if she could impress Ironside with solving the Hacker case... his case. That would keep her from running to the cripple.
The Hacker slid his chair over to the desk and switched on the computer. As he waited for it to boot up, he went to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator door and removed a bottle of beer. He twisted off the top, raised the bottle to his lips and swilled almost half the bottle. He returned to his computer. Seeing that it was ready for use, he immediately hacked into Ironside's computer and began typing a message.
I have decided on the victim, Ironside. Too bad you will not be receiving a clue. The victim will never have a chance. But I promise you that the victim will know that you are responsible for his... or her death. I will be sure to tell him or is it her? Maybe next time you will not be so quick to break the rules. I will hand it to you. I did not expect you to be so good at our little game of Scrabble. However, your game point lead is about to be cut right in half. Unfortunately, you will not know who, where or when. Sleep tight, Chief.
The Hacker re-read his message and then pushed the send button.He felt a satisfaction he had not felt in a long time. He would beat him this time. He would not prevent Fran Belding's murder.
11.3
Ironside retuned the phone to the cradle. Propping his head with his hand and elbow, he thought about the phone call. The caller had not said a word, but he was sure that whoever it was wanted to. He wondered what prevented the caller from talking to him. All he heard was total silence except for the light breathing and the peculiar sound of a clock. A sound that was now stuck in his mind. Where had he heard it before? He was sure he had. It sounded familiar. An out-of-tune chimes of a Howard Miller grandfather's clock. Where...? Who had a clock with chimes that sounded that out of tune?
He reached over and turned on the light. "Mark! Mark!" He heard the door to Sanger's room open. The young man appeared at his bedroom door.
"What is it, Chief?" Mark asked.
"Who do we know if any of the potential victims have a grandfather's clock?"
"What? Why?" Mark asked.
"Just answer my question. Who do we know?"
Sanger thought for a moment and then replied, "I can't think of anyone that has one."
"Well, someone does. I want it checked out in the morning."
"Couldn't you have waited until morning to tell me that?" Mark asked. "Did you have to wake me?"
"Go back to bed, Mark," Ironside said and then reached up and turned out the light.
Mark stood there dumbfounded. He did not understand the chief at times. This was one of them. He shook his head and returned to his room. He only hoped he could go back to sleep.
11.4
The alarm beside Fran's bed went off. She reached up and turned it off. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed and wiping the sleep from her eyes, Fran got up and headed for the shower. When she reached the connecting bathroom, she turned on the shower, tested the water; removed her robe and stepped into the shower. The warm water felt good and helped her to come fully awake. As the water beat down on her body, she thought about the phone call the previous night.
She wished the caller had given her the address of the Hacker's hideout. She would not have remained silent when she called the chief if he had told her. It was only a matter of time before she brought Ironside up to date. He would know what to do about it. He always did.
Fran completed her shower. She stepped out and dried herself with a towel. After drying her hair, she put on her makeup and went into the bedroom to get dressed. On her first day at the chief's office, it was important that she selected a professional outfit. She reached into her closet and selected a light gray matching jacket and skirt with a baby blue blouse. She wore coordinating shoes and selected tasteful but limited jewelry that enhanced the business look.
She switched the contents of her purse to one that matched her suit. Looking in the mirror, she smiled her approval of the look. She knew that the chief would be silently pleased with the professionalism she would present in her appearance. She picked up her service revolver and placed it in her purse, shut off the house alarm. As she reached for the door, the telephone rang. She shut the door and picked up the phone. "Hello."
"Good morning, Officer Belding," the Hacker said. "I am sorry I did not give you the address for the Hacker but I had to sleep on whether or not I could trust you not to tell Ironside. I have decided that you will keep quiet. I promise I will do everything I can to help you catch the Hacker."
"Alright, where is the Hacker's hideout?" Fran asked.
"You will find the address on the passenger seat of your car. Remember, Fran, do not tell Ironside about our conversation." The phone went dead.
Fran hurried to her vehicle. Across the street, she could see a patrol car with two officers in it. She waved at them, started her car and headed down the street in the opposite direction in which they were pointed. Fran turned the corner and when she reached the next block, she sped up to make it through the amber light. She continued down the road and made another left hand turn to the street that would lead toward the address she found on her front seat. Fran did not notice that the officers that were assigned to follow her were stopped at the light. Despite putting on their flashers, it took them a moment to halt the traffic, long enough to have lost sight of her vehicle.
The officers searched the area in an attempt to locate Fran's car. After fifteen minutes, they gave up and headed back to the station. The officer in the passenger seat called the station to get Fran's cell phone number.
11.5
"Mark, where's the coffee?" Ironside called out as Eve, Ed and Carl entered the office.
"Yea, Mark. Where's the coffee?" Ed asked.
Sanger brought the coffee pot to the table, went back to the kitchen and returned with the coffee mugs. "The amount of coffee consumed in this office could keep the United States Army awake for a week."
Ironside looked over at Mark. "If they could stand to drink it."
Ed and Eve smiled as Mark poured the chief his coffee. Ironside looked around the room and then checked his watch. "Well, it seems Officer Belding has chosen to be late on her first day assigned to this office."
"Chief, Fran is never late for anything," Eve said. "She has an excellent record for being punctual."
"That's right, Chief," Ed agreed. "Something must have kept her from reporting to the office."
"How do the two of you know she is always on time?" Ironside's gruff voice asked.
"We have worked with her before," Carl said. "Besides, like you, we have all read her file."
Ironside's face was a picture of concentration. "Eve, call her on her cell phone."
Ed picked up the receiver and handed it to Eve. She dialed Fran's mobile phone and waited.
"Hello," Fran answered.
Eve punched the speaker phone button and Ironside barked, "Fran, you are late. Where are you and why aren't you in this office? You are holding up the investigation."
"Oh, hi, Chief. I have a very good reason for being late. I am at the Hacker's basement apartment."
Ironside looked around the room at his officers. "You are where?"
"The Hacker's apartment. I got a tip last night from a caller who told me he would help me catch the Hacker. He left this address on the front seat of my car." Fran gave him the address.
"Why didn't you call me last night?" Ironside demanded.
"He told me I wasn't to tell you. He wanted me to get the credit but I intended on calling you as soon as I confirmed that this is the Hacker's apartment. Chief, I believe the man that gave me the address could be the Hacker."
"What did you and the other officers find?" Ed inquired.
"Other officers?" Fran asked.
"The officers assigned to protect you," Ironside said.
"Oh, I didn't even realize that they weren't with me. They must have been caught by that first light."
"Damn it, Fran, you should have called me," Ironside snarled. Then it hit him. The chimes. Fran did not have a grandfather's clock but she had a mantle clock with out-of-tune chimes. Fran was the one who called him and the Hacker probably had a trace on her phone. He would know that Fran had called him. She broke the rules!
"Fran, get the flaming hell out of there!" Ironside shouted.
"But, Chief. This place is loaded with equipment. You have to see it to believe it!"
"Fran, get out!" The line went dead.
"Ed, Carl, get out here and get over to that address. Eve, go with them." They raced out of the office.
Ironside reached for the phone and dialed downstairs. "I want all available units at the following address..." After giving them the address and why, Ironside slammed the phone back down.
"Let's go, Mark. Fran is the Hacker's next victim!"