My last post on the subject.
Decided to replace the starter motor because all through these weeks of travail, it seemed like only a fully charged battery could spin the starter motor. That just didn't seem right.
Serendipitous I'll admit, since I did not expect the starter motor to also be the cause of the "drain" or failure of the alternator to provide a suitable charging voltage.
Be that as it may, I now have 14.5v on cold start and 14.2v nominally at idle. After fully warmed up with a full load (max A/C, headlights, etc.) I still get 13.5v to 14v.
I suppose that maybe there was a drain through the motor or solenoid in STAR or RUN key positions. I didn't catch it and neither did the two "professional" shops I took the car to. Since many people have had the same symptoms with no solution, I'll post this solution anew under a different title.