CH10
Kate and Roy had arrived at Castle's house about 10 minutes early and Castle answered the door and welcomed them inside. Invites them upstairs where the video conference would take place. Offeres them drinks and both accepted coffee.
Rick started setting up the joint conference and soon Terry Hull and Justina Rostiawati were on the screen (split screen) that also served as Castle's projection screen for TV and movies off of the DVD player.
Rick then proceeded to introduce everyone and offered that Terry start.
HULL: "Female circumcision has been performed in Indonesia for centuries. According to Javanese tradition, it is part of a series of rituals which honor the girl child. The traditional birth attendant who went to a woman's house, assisted with the birth, cooked a meal, cleaned up and did all sorts of things around the family, and also said prayers and rubbed turmeric against the genitals of female children, as part of the whole birthing process traditionally, was all part of creating the woman."
"More recently the practice has been embraced by Indonesian Muslims, some of whom have a vastly different interpretation of female sexuality."
"The notion traditionally, was that male circumcision uncovered the male genitals to increase male sexual prowess, and female circumcision cut some of the female genitals, to reduce female sexual urges, and that this would 'even up' what one Islamic teacher in Surabaya said, was an 'Imbalance' in human beings."
"Of course, to many people, including myself, this sounds like a ridiculous argument, but it was picked ip by various Islamic teachers in eastern Java, and it's been promoted for the last twenty or thirty years now."
"The practice of female circumcision was officially banned by the Indonesian Ministry of Health in 2006 on the grounds that it was potentially harmful. But the government created confusion when, in 2010, it issued a ministerial regulation outlining how the practice should be carried out by medical doctors."
ROSTIAWATI: "When the hospital or the health services in that area refused to the circumcision, the mother will take the female baby to the midwife, or just to a traditional healer, or birth attendant. It's even more dangerous."
HULL: "Over the past two decades, there's been an increasing medicalisation of the practice, where medical personnel are taking part in what they interpret as Islamic rituals, and they are drawing blood and sometimes cutting away skin from the clitoris and sometimes from the labia."
KATE: "This is all about the child at birth. What about later in life? Say teenage years or early 20's?
ROSTIAWATI: "There is a small community of Islamic Clerics that have declared that any unmarried female that is considered part of their community should have the procedure."
"Wive, girlfriends, nieces, anyone who falls within that part of the community."
ROY: "Would this include someone who had been chosen by a male of this community about a female that he had decided was his girlfriend or future wife?"
ROSTIAWATI: "Yes. If this male and other members of the male or even female community saw her as being a part of this male's family and the practice had not yet been performed on her. Then she would be taken to a midwife, or traditional healer, or even the male or possible female head of the house hold to have the practice performed on her."
"This would be done to insure that no other male could claim the women and take her from their house hold."
"Additionally, when this practice is performed the women does not receive any kind of pain medication or anesthetic. She is typically conscious for the procedure."
"As painful and barbaric as it may sound. The omission of pain medication and having the women or baby conscious is so the women understand that she is now only for the male she is intended for. And will not ever receive any pleasure from any other male."
HULL: "If female circumcision was done on a teenage or older female, it would be mostly likely that her Vulva would have been sewn shut to prevent anyone except the male from impregnating her. The stitches would be removed by him personally and then impregnate her and then either sew her back closed or have a midwife or healer do it for him."
"Of course when it was time to give birth, the stitches would be removed to allow for the birth of the baby."
KATE: "And if she later rejected him and ran from the family community?"
ROSTIAWATI: "She would be hunted down and brought back. However if the transgression was grave enough the Islamic Cleric may have her put to death or simply executed."
HULL: "Unlike in the West, women are typically seen as property. In many places it is acceptable by law for the husband to kill his wife if he even believes that she has been unfaithful to him. This could include simply being seen outside and not completely covered. Having been seen alone in private or public with another male who is not a family member. Let alone having actually been caught by any person having sexual intercourse. In some cases all anyone has to do is accuse her of this act and the husband has the legal ground to either execute her himself or have the state do it. Sometimes in public, such as the age old practice of stoning her to death."
CASTLE: "Does any of this require any of the parties to be a particular race (color)?"
ROSTIAWATI: "No. It can be any racial or inter-racial mix. Typically the male will however be Muslim. The female could be of any religious faith at the beginning. However conversation to Muslim faith would be a requirement. And if refused, could lead to the female being executed by either the male (husband) or the lead Muslim Cleric."
After everyone says their thank you's and good lucks. Rick, Kate and Roy are left to themselves and their own thoughts.
"You up for a Poker game, Roy? All donations are gladly accepted." Rick changes the subject.
"Possibly. What do you have in mind and who's coming?"
"Two weeks from today. 7:00 pm. I'll provide the snacks and drinks. You just have to leave your money behind.
"So far I have Rob and Maximo."
"Maximo? As in Maximo Tolentino? Captain of the 84th?"
"Yup that's the one. Him and Rob Wheldon."
"You got the Mayor to come to your game?" Kate finally joins the conversation. Rick just grins.
"You two would make five." Rick tells them. Hopeful.
"I don't think so Castle." Kate doesn't want the temptation of being around Castle any longer than she has to.
"Not afraid of a little action, are you Beckett?" Rick taunts.
"Afraid we might HURT you?" Rick still taunting. Roy just looks on amused.
Not taking this lying down. "Oh, you're gonna get hurt Castle. I'll make you cry."
"A little girl like you? I'd like to see you try!" Maybe just one more taunt.
"Oh, you are on Castle. You want to give away your money that badly, I'll be more than happy to take it from you!" Kate is in.
"Just don't be late Beckett. And don't bring Monopoly money either." Rick just gets a glare of 'You are going down!' look.
"Has Jessica told you anything about what happened to her yet?" Rick finally asks, changing the subject, again.
"Castle." Kate is hesitant. He's going to be mad when she tells him. "She was killed in her hospital room this morning."
"WHAT? You took her from here and sent her to the hospital. You said she would be SAFE!"
"I'm, sorry Castle."
"How did she die?"
"She was shot. Three times in the chest." Kate states flatly.
"So, someone just waltzed into the hospital, walked right past any security, goes into her room and shoots her. And no one hears or sees anything?"
"It's early in the investigation. We only just found out a couple of hours ago."
"We'll get them, him, Castle."
Castle just stands their quietly, numbed. "Get out detective!"
"I'm sorry Castle."
"Just get out." Rick is hurt and mad.
Roy turns to leave and touches Kate's arm. "Come on Beckett." And they both head for the door. Just as they reach it, they can both hear the sound of glass breaking back up the stairs.
Once in the car. "Take me to the 12th, then head over to the hospital and find out what is going on. And see if you can break Esposito out of his to help you."
Roy sits quietly for the rest of the trip. He is playing with fire and he knows it. Only question is, how badly is he or anyone else going to get burned?
By the time Kate got to the hospital, it was a mad house. Almost a 3-ring circus. This had to stop. Turning to one of the uniforms. "Get all the staff that was anywhere near Jessica's room and put them in one place. If they give you trouble arrest them and haul them done to the 12th for processing."
Next Kate called the hospital to get Espo busted out of jail. She needed the help. Next was to call Ryan and have him go pick up Espo and get over here.
Next she went to Jessica's room. The body was not there anymore and neither was Lanie. Telling one of the uniforms, "Get CSU in here. I want prints of everyone who has ever been in this room."
Seeing that the bed had not been changed and there was a little blood on the sheets.
A uniform approached her and told her the staff had been assembled for her. So she followed him.
"Alright, these fine representatives of New York's finest are going to ask you some questions. No one goes home until they finish. It would be in your best interest to answer their questions completely and truthfully. Otherwise I will have you taken down to the station where I will question you personally, ... as soon as I find time." Not really hinting, more or a threat.
"You can't do that. Some of us have been here 36 hours already." One of them complains.
Turning to one of the officers. "Question him last. Dead last." Kate tells him loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Anyone want to go after him?" Kate tells the staff looking at them with a 'go ahead, I dare you' look.
After getting silence. "I didn't think so." Then turns to the officer. "Get started."
Seeing Ryan and a stiff walking Espo walk in, she heads for them. "How your feeling?" Genuine concern in her voice.
"It only hurts when I breath." He jokes to her. Getting a smile from Kate. The first one she has had all day.
"Javi, make sure CSU goes thru Jessica's room. Take a look and tell me what you find. Ryan I want video coverage of everyone who came in this hospital up to 4 hours before Jessica was found. Who they are, what door they came in, where they went, who did they talk to."
They both nod and head of to their respective tasks. "Oh, Ryan. Did you find that Rook guy?"
"The guys in gangs are going to handle it." Ryan explains. And moves off.
Gangs, torture, mutilation, and assassination. What did you get yourself involved with, Jessica? Kate wonders to herself.
Three hours later, the interviews are over, Ryan and Espo have left for the 12th to review the footage they have. CSU is still in Jessica's room. Lanie probably had Jessica on her table. Kate hasn't had lunch and isn't even thinking of it. When her phone rings.
"Beckett."
"Good afternoon detective." A very soft and pleasant female sounding voice reply's.
"Who is this and what do you want?"
"You are familiar with a Detective Raglan. Now would be a good time to have a conversation with him. While he is still able to talk." The voice is so soft and pleasant. And the call ends.
What the hell was that about? While he can still talk? Why now? Kate has questions with no answers.
Kate has made it back to the 12th and is intercepted by Karpowski. "The gang squad brought in Rook. He's down in holding. He put up a fight on the way there. I got involved." Showing her scratch she gained in the fight. "I got some DNA off of him in our little, tussle, and took it down to Lanie for you."
"Thanks Karpowski. Let's hope Lanie can match it to something."
Sitting at her computer she looks up Raglan and makes a phone call. When she is done, she is amazed. He wants to talk. Says he has information about her mother's killer. Meet her at a Diner at noon tomorrow. And come alone.