Shattered Lies

Chapter 1

Scowling, Perlmutter looks up. "Castle be careful! Don't you see the cones?"

The writer stares down at the M.E. "Getting into traffic control now, Perlmutter? What happened to…? Hey! That's Balthazar Wolf!"

"You know him?" Kate asks.

"Not personally, but I watched him emerge triumphant on 'Kitchen Wars.'"

"Castle, reality TV? Seriously?"

"It can be very instructive. I sent for a whole molecular gastronomy kit and learned to make my own caviar. But really, Beckett, what's your problem with reality shows?"

"That they're not real. "No one sings 'Bad Boys,' when we hit the road."

"A little jealousy perhaps?" Rick surveys the scene. "Hmm. There's a Dewar flask lying on the floor. Was Wolf using liquid nitrogen to make instant ice cream?"

Shaking his head, Perlmutter snorts. "More like a corpsesickle and someone else made it. Look at his hand. It's shattered."

Castle raises an eyebrow. "Really? Is there more than one Dewar?"

Perlmutter hisses. "No Castle, it only took one."

Rick motions Kate to a corner of the restaurant kitchen, away from Perlmutter. "This doesn't make sense, Beckett. I've used liquid nitrogen. I started having fun with it in high school, stuff like shattering rubber balls, after the chemistry and biology teachers, Mr. Pinter and Mrs. Shapiro, teamed up for a demonstration. The thing is, the lesson was about body heat, no pun or reference to Nikki intended. The liquid nitrogen could freeze inanimate objects - although not as well as you might think - Mr. Pinter still had to use a diamond chisel to smash stuff like rubber poker chips. But when Mrs. Shapiro stuck her finger, briefly, down into the stuff, nothing happened to it. That's because her body heat immediately vaporized the liquid creating an insulating layer of gas.

"It's called the Leidenfrost effect. Throwing one flask of liquid on Wolf would not have been enough to make his hand shatter, let alone kill him. His hand would have had to be immersed in the stuff, maybe by filling a larger vessel from a tank. Some upscale restaurants like this one, keep a supply around. Perlmutter's either suddenly fallen down on his basic science, or he's lying."

Kate digs her teeth into her bottom lip. "Castle, messing up his science is not like Perlmutter."

Rick's head bobs vigorously. "I know, right? He brags about how good he is at it every chance he gets."

"But if you're right, and I'm not admitting that you are, why would Perlmutter lie?"

Rick's left eyebrow rises. "That is the question, isn't it?"

Kate frowns at an article on the Leidenfrost effect, on the screen of her computer. Castle was right. Wolf might have died if he'd swallowed liquid nitrogen, but if someone had thrown the contents of the flask at him, it would have at most left some burns on his skin. Someone went to a great deal of trouble to stage a murder, and Perlmutter went along with it.

Montgomery takes a swig from his flask and offers it to Kate, who waves it away. "This is bad, Beckett, really bad. Perlmutter has testified in hundreds, maybe thousands, of cases. If his work is called into question now, the courts could be deluged with appeals. Cases could be overturned left and right, putting the bad guys back on the street."

"Or the wrongly convicted might get another chance to prove their innocence. Either way, I can't let this go, Captain."

Montgomery shoves his flask back in the drawer of his desk. "Yeah, I know. Kate, Beckett, champion of justice. Look, the first step in investigating Perlmutter will be to call in another medical examiner, one with an unassailable reputation. But usually, that's done by an M.E. or the D.A."

"Castle thinks we ought to get Clark Murray to look at Wolf's body. He is regarded as an expert throughout the state."

"Can you handle that? Murray put you through a lot of pain when he uncovered the evidence that led to Coonan."

"I agree with Castle on this exactly because Dr. Murray was able to do that when everyone else missed connecting the other murders to my mother's. If anyone can figure out what's going on with this case, he can. I can ask Lanie to reach out, but quietly, so we don't tip Perlmutter off. We can make it look like it's a request that's coming from Madison Queller, the owner of the restaurant where Wolf died, to avoid any scandal that could ruin her business. I questioned her at the scene. Turns out she's an old friend of mine from high school."

Montgomery shrugs. "Small world, but do whatever you can to make this thing work, Beckett. Get Murray on it."

Kate spots Tom Demming in the break room where he's using Castle's machine to brew himself an espresso. "Don't you have a coffee maker in the break room down in robbery?"

Demming grimaces. "Sure, but the coffee tastes like…"

"A monkey peed in battery acid?"

"That description sounds like something Castle would say. It isn't that bad, but it isn't as good as the stuff up here. And I was going to come to see you, anyway. I need to beg off for tonight. My lieutenant's on the warpath about getting our paperwork in."

Kate's annoyed at her relief. "It's fine. I had something come up with my case anyway. I may be buried for a while too."

"Dad," Alexis admonishes, "that tie will look terrible with that shirt." She picks another one from the rack. "Try this."

Rick holds it up next to his shirt before putting it around his neck. "You're right. Have you considered going into the fashion consulting business?"

"I don't think calculus and AP chemistry would do me much good."

"You may have a point, and why are you still making a frowny face?"

"Because I'm worried about you. I mean, I know you like Detective Beckett because you haven't been out on a date in months."

"Beckett's with someone else."

"That Schlemming character you suddenly had pop up from nowhere?"

"Sometimes you're just too smart; you know that? His real name is Demming, but yes. He's a detective from robbery; handsome, blue eyes, an inch taller than I am. He's in the gym even more than Beckett and coaches a team for disadvantaged youth."

"Ouch."

"I think maybe it's time for me to look elsewhere. Besides, it's just a charity fundraiser. It's not like Maddie and I are going to… Never mind. You're too young for this discussion."

Alexis rolls her eyes. "Really, Dad, sometimes I think you're the one who's too young for this discussion. I know you have sex. I just don't want you to get hurt; that's all."

"Hey, I appreciate you trying to look out for me, but I can take care of myself. When's the last time you beat me in a fencing match?"

"A year ago, but I don't think fencing is going to help you much unless you decide to challenge Demming to a duel."

Rick strokes his newly clean-shaven chin. "It's a thought."

Ryan walks up to Kate's desk holding a file. "Beckett, there's something you need to see."

Kate scans the document the detective offered. "Madison Queller had an insurance policy on Wolf?"

"Key person insurance. He was the biggest asset of their partnership. His death pays off their considerable debt. She can hire a new chef and operate Q3 completely in the clear. Nice deal, huh?"

"Too nice. And Maddy's out with Castle at some foodie fundraiser Rocco DiSpirito is running." Kate suppresses a smug smile. "I'm going to have to interrupt their meal."