Title: Reading Rights and Writing Wrongs
Summary: People die every day. In New York City, odds are pretty good they were murdered. Only a select few can speak for those whose lives are taken by another. And one detective has partnered with a writer to answer this call. They are so opposite they complete each other. But at the end of the day, they solve the crime. It's the Castle and Beckett you know and love. With just one little difference.
Disclaimer: I don't own most of these characters. If you recognize a name, odds are it isn't mine. But seeing as this is a fanfic website, you probably knew that already.
Thank you to the extraordinary Sunshiny-Kate. Without her help, this would have done nothing but stay an idea in my head.
Chapter 10
By 6:30, Kilby and the team of four were in the conference room. The table in front of them was covered with photos of the three dead men and their respective crime scenes. Kate was watching Kilby, wondering if he knew why he was really here. From what she knew of body language, she was guessing he didn't.
"So, what did you folks need me for?" Kilby asked.
"Well, something about these crimes don't make sense." Castle began. "But we can't put our fingers on why."
"What do you mean, exactly?" Kilby seemed genuinely confused.
"How can someone leave no evidence at a crime scene, let alone three of them?" Esposito answered him. "We thought that since you have so much experience, you might be able to help us figure out how the killer did it."
"You calling me old, son?" Kilby's statement sent him into one of his fits of self-induced laughter. Seeing the look on Esposito's face, he calmed down. "I'm just kidding around." He took a sip of the coffee that no one else was drinking and turned to face Castle. "Walk me through it."
"Okay. All three scenes are staged to look like a murder from one of Beckett's books. All three victims are connected by an old murder trial." Castle paused to see if Kilby would react to that. When he didn't, Castle continued. "We are pretty sure we aren't dealing with a common criminal. This guy is smart. Like Esposito said, what we need from you is input on how he could have kept the crime scenes evidence free."
Kilby took another drink of his coffee and said nothing. He looked down at the pictures in contemplation. After a few moments he spoke.
"Well, first thing that comes to mind is that he'd have to know a lot about forensics. I don't know how someone could commit three murders and not leave a scrap of evidence. Honestly, I've been wondering about that too. I certainly would not be able to pull it off."
"Yet, someone did." Ryan said.
"Indeed." Kilby responded. "You said they were connected to a trial. What case was that?"
"You actually worked it, it was the Kurt Spade murder trail." Castle answered him.
"Get outta here? The Spade case?" Kilby exclaimed. "I thought I recognized the guy in the fishbowl, but I couldn't place him. He was a juror, wasn't he?" He shook his head. "I didn't put two and two together, even after going to Spade's crime scene yesterday. And the kid from the pool table? He was a juror too, wasn't he?"
"Yep. And we are pretty sure that our killer had something to do with the case too, and didn't like the outcome." Esposito interjected.
"Why would someone start killing people from a case two years later?" Kilby continued with his questions.
"We had the same question." Castle said. "Can you think of anyone who worked that case and has had any part in the investigation of these new murders?"
"No. I don't think any of the cops working the murders were part of Spade's investigation." Kilby sounded sure of his memory.
Castle was honestly surprised at how good Kilby was. He wasn't budging even a little. It was time to kick this up a notch.
"We were thinking more along the lines of the crime scene investigators."
"Well, I worked all four crime scenes. I'd remember if anyone else had also." Kilby laughed.
"We noticed that you were put on suspension after the Spade trial." Castle pushed.
Kilby's eyes darkened.
"I felt like my abilities had been called into question. I reacted poorly. I take pride in my reputation as a CSI, and that fingerprint was clean." He stopped and sighed, then continued. "But I did my time on the bench. Made up for my mistake. Before then and ever since I have had a perfect service record."
Four sets of eyes were locked onto Kilby. He was convincing, they could all give him that.
"So, you didn't decide to go after some retribution? For those that made you look bad?" Castle accused.
Kilby's eyes flew open wide. His mouth followed suit, then he swallowed hard.
"So that's what this is about? You didn't need my help. You think I did this. You honestly think I am a murderer? I've devoted my life to catching bad guys, and there are plenty of them out there. I don't need to be one too."
"You have to admit, the evidence points to you, Kilby." Esposito said.
"What evidence?" Kilby demanded.
"Exactly." Added Ryan.
Kilby looked at the faces staring back at him. The anger he'd began to feel bubble up in his chest faded just as quickly as it'd come.
"Okay. I can see how it actually does make sense. But I did not do this. I'll do anything to prove it. Give me a polygraph."
"Funny." Castle said. "You know those tests aren't usually admissible in court."
"Look. You don't have anything on me. Because I didn't do it. Hold me if you want, but we all know that you can't. I'm going home. If I can be of any real help, give me a call."
Before anyone could react, Kilby turned and walked out of the room.
"Are you going to stop him?" Kate spoke for the first time since Kilby had come in. She'd been silently observing the whole thing, and she couldn't believe they were letting him go.
"He's right. We can't hold him here." Castle sighed as he answered her. "Until we have some kind of proof, we're back at square one." He walked over and turned off the recorder they'd hidden in case Kilby had confessed.
"So, now what do you want to do?" Ryan asked.
"I don't know." Castle replied.
"Did we ever actually confirm the alibis of the five jurors?" Kate inquired.
"No. Didn't think we needed to once I thought it was Kilby." Castle responded. "I suppose that's a good a place to start as any." He looked at his watch. It was just after 7:00. So much for having this case solved before the sun was up. "Okay, it's still pretty early. Let get all the contact info we need to confirm the alibis. We'll start making calls around eight." He looked at Ryan and Esposito. "You guys take the men. I'll check out the women's stories."
They nodded and went to their desks. Castle went to his, and Kate returned to the chair she'd moved the night before. An hour passed as the four complied the necessary information to find out if one of the jurors had lied to them. They went through each person in the order they'd been interviewed. Castle finished first, Jephers and Dorten's alibis had checked out quickly, since they been at work for a good part of the day. He was in Montgomery's office to fill in him on the disappointing status of the case. Kate was still sitting by his desk and was fighting her drooping eyelids, the lack of sleep catching up to her. Suddenly she was brought back to full alert, as Ryan stood up and practically yelled.
"Castle! We got him!"
"You found proof it was Kilby?" Castle asked as he rushed out of Montgomery's office, almost bumping into Kate as she walked over from his desk.
"Nope." Ryan answered.
"Who then?" Castle was growing impatient.
"Polli."
"The librarian?" Kate asked.
"The librarian." Ryan nodded as he responded. "I just talked to his lawyer. He hasn't seen Polli in over a week. So I called his workplace and they told me that he called in sick the day of the murders."
"I guess it's time to get my library card renewed." Castle said with a grin.
Kate rolled her eyes while Ryan and Esposito laughed as he walked to his desk to call dispatch. They listened to his side of the conversation.
"Hey, this is Detective Castle. Can you send a couple of uniforms to Tompkins Square Library? I need them to pick up an employee named Frank Polli. Tell them not to arrest him. I need him cooperative." He paused, listening for a moment. "Tell them to tell him we just need to ask a few more questions. Okay, thank you." He hung up. "He should be here within 30 minutes. There's a car a couple blocks from the library. That gives us time for a coffee run. Esposito and Ryan, I believe you still owe me one? I'll let you off the hook for the bear claws though."
The partners grumbled mockingly but headed down to Java the Hut. They were back in time for the group to enjoy most of their drinks before Polli was escorted in.
"Mr. Polli. I am sorry to bring you back down here. I just needed to ask you a few more questions." Castle waved him over. "Would you come with me, please sir?"
Polli said nothing, but followed Castle into the interrogation room. Ryan, Esposito, and Kate went into the observation room.
"We still don't have any actual proof it was Polli." Esposito said as they lined up in a row behind the mirror to watch.
"True. Hopefully Castle can get a confession." Ryan agreed.
"If he doesn't, then what? Where do we go from here?" Kate asked.
Both Ryan and Esposito shrugged. At this point they didn't have an answer for her. A few moments later Ryan spoke.
"It has to be Kilby or Polli. There's no one else that makes sense."
"This no evidence thing sucks." Esposito added, and Ryan and Kate nodded in agreement.
They fell into a curious silence as they watched Castle question Polli in the next room.
"Why am I here again? I told you where I was during those murders." Polli demanded as Castle was sitting down.
"Murders? What murders?" Castle was intrigued, for they hadn't divulged to Polli the day before that the three men had been murdered.
"Well, you are a homicide detective. I'm not stupid. You bring us in and ask us about people from our past. The only logical connection is that they were killed and you suspect one of us. Or mainly me, since I am the only one I see back here today."
"Well, Mr. Polli. You are the only one who lied to us about where you were on the day in question."
"I'm going through a divorce. My days run together. I'm sorry." Polli crossed his arms as he spoke.
"You're also the only person we talked to who said you'd heard of Kate Beckett. And you admitted that you've read all of her books." Castle looked at Polli closely as he spoke, looking for signs that he was getting close to the truth.
"What does a side effect of my occupation have to do with this?"
"All three crime scenes were made to look like a murder from one of her novels."
Polli swallowed hard at Castle's statement. Castle took the opportunity to push him.
"And at this library, do you have books about forensics?"
"We have books on virtually every subject. That's kind of the point of a library, Detective."
"So a patron or employee of your library could, in theory, learn a lot about crime scenes?"
"If that was a subject of interest to them, then yes, I suppose they could." Polli gulped again. Castle knew he was on the right track.
"More specifically, they could learn about evidence. Or how to avoid leaving any?"
"It would take some time and a lot of research, but yes, I assume they could."
"Like, two years of research?"
Castle did not miss the subtle widening of Polli's eyes caused by his question.
"Would you please get to the point?" Polli asked with a huff.
"The point is, Mr. Polli, is that you murdered three people. I know how you killed them, when you killed them, but not why you killed them." Castle's voice was getting tenser by the word. "Honestly though, I don't care why. I don't even care about how you managed to leave no evidence at all three scenes. All I care about is solving murders. And now I have." He stood up and walked towards the door, hoping the action would scare Polli into incriminating himself.
"You've done no such thing." Polli's calm and collected tone stopped Castle in his tracks.
"Excuse me?" He asked as he turned back to face Polli.
"You said yourself that there was no evidence. All you have to go on is the fact that I lied. Which last time I checked, wasn't a crime."
Castle walked back to the table and placed his hands on it palm down. He leaned across to get closer to Polli.
"It is when it impedes an investigation." Castle stormed out of the room before Polli could respond and joined the rest of his team in the observation room.
"He knows we have nothing to hold him on." Castle said without even trying to hide his frustration. "He isn't going to give us anything."
"I've got an idea." Kate spoke quietly, and the three men looked at her. Her tone grew more confident. "He doesn't know I'm working with you. Put us in holding together. I'll act like I am here for questioning too. Maybe I can get him to say something. I can wear a wire."
"That could be dangerous." The concern in Castle's eyes as he spoke to her made her heart flutter.
"You guys can listen in from somewhere close by. I'll have a code word in case I need help."
"It's not a bad idea boss." Esposito chimed in. "We don't have a whole lot of options here."
"It's settled then." Kate said.
Castle sighed, but he knew they were right.
"Okay. Let's get the wire on you."
Castle left the room and was back in less than ten minutes with the necessary equipment.
"Um. I think I can do that part myself." Kate held up a hand to stop him as he walked towards her. He nodded and showed her how to set it up. The men left the room and she followed a few minutes later after preparing and placing the tiny microphone. When she joined the group outside, Castle smiled at her.
"Ryan, Esposito, I'm going to take Kate down to holding. Bring Polli in ten minutes."
They nodded their understanding as Castle and Kate headed to the elevator to go down to the first floor.
The ride down was quick. They didn't say anything until they reached one of the empty holding cells.
"We need to decide on that code word." Kate said. "So you'll know if I need you to come help."
"My safe word is apples." Castle said with a grin. "It can be yours too."
She rolled her eyes but she was laughing inside.
"Okay. Apples it is."
"Be careful, Kate. If he feels trapped or figures you out, he could turn mean fast."
"Don't worry, Castle."
With that, he opened the door and let her walk through. He didn't like closing the bars behind her, but the small smile she gave him made him feel better. He headed into a room where they planned to monitor the exchange. Plus, he didn't want Polli to see him in case it clued him into what was going on. While he waited on the others he got the receiver of the wiretap set up, so they would be ready to listen. He had just finished when he heard the sound of bars shutting over the speaker, letting him know that Polli had been placed in the cell next to Kate's and the microphone was working. A minute later he was joined by Ryan and Esposito. It was all up to Kate now. They sat and listened to the conversation going on down the hall.
Kate sat with her head in her hands, feigning grief. She could see Polli in her peripheral vision. He was pacing, but she could tell he was watching her. She let out a sigh every few breaths, hoping he would notice. After several minutes, he did.
"Could you stop doing that?" He asked her in frustration, the constant noise getting on his nerves.
Kate's only response was to sigh again.
"Excuse me, ma'am, will you please stop that?"
"No." She didn't look up as she answered. "I've been arrested for murder. I'm upset. I sigh when I'm upset."
Polli looked at her without responding. Something felt off, but he couldn't figure out what. After she let out another sigh, this time adding a small whimper, he spoke.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know."
Kate still wouldn't look at him.
"I'm here because they think I'm a murderer too." He hoped a conversation would at least get her to stop that incessant sighing.
She looked up in mock surprise at him.
"Really? I'm so scared." She stood and walked to the bars that separated them, wrapping her hands around them as she leaned in and spoke softly. "They think I killed three people."
Polli hesitated before answering with a tinge of suspicion in his voice.
"Me too. Um, have we met?"
"I don't think so, no."
"You look familiar."
"I get that a lot. I'm an author."
Recognition splashed over his face.
"You're Kate Beckett." He took a step towards the bars where she was still standing. "Why do they think you're a murderer?" Polli asked though he was sure he already knew the answer.
"The crime scenes matched some of my novels." She let out a tearless sob and looked down, taking her hands from the bars and wringing them together.
"They'll never pin it on you. They don't have any evidence." He said, trying to comfort her, shocked by her reaction.
"How do you know that?" She sniffled out.
"They told me. I am here for the same three murders."
"Then why did they arrest me?" She inquired.
"Because they are grasping at straws. They'll never solve this case." Polli's grinned confidently.
"How can you be so sure?" Kate pushed him.
"If they couldn't secure Spade's conviction with his perfect fingerprint, then they'll never even get to trial with no evidence."
"Who is Spade?"
"One of the murder victims. He was on trial for murder two years ago, and he and two of the jurors are now dead. I was one of the jurors too. That's why they brought me in."
"Why did they only bring you in? Weren't there other jurors?"
"Yes. But I lied to the detectives investigating this case. I also don't have an alibi for the day of the murders. Because of those two things they seem to think I'm guilty." Polli sat down on the bench in his cell and leaned back against the wall.
"Why did you lie?" Kate asked innocently as she put her hands back on the bars.
Polli didn't answer right away. After a minute had passed he sighed and continued.
"I don't know. I panicked. I really don't have an alibi, so I made one up."
"Well, where were you really?" She kept her voice calm and low, hoping her wouldn't catch on to why she was prodding so much.
"I took a personal day from work." He looked down at his feet. "I just needed a break. I spent the day at home." He looked back up at Kate. "Where were you?"
"I was at a book signing that afternoon."
"So you only have an alibi for Spade's murder?" Polli asked.
"What do you mean?" She asked, realizing he was on the verge of saying just what they needed him to say.
"Spade was killed in the afternoon. The other two were killed that morning, so your book signing doesn't give you an alibi for all three murders." Polli had closed his eyes as he spoke, so he didn't see Castle, Ryan, and Esposito walking up to his cell.
"How did you know Spade was killed last?" Castle's voice startled Polli and he stood up quickly.
"Excuse me?" Polli said, trying to play off what he had said.
"You may not be excused. You are officially under arrest for the murders of Thomas Whitley, Clark Miller, and Kurt Spade." Castle said with a smile.
He then walked over and opened the cell that Kate was in, so she could walk out. She stepped over and stood in front of Polli's cell.
"It was nice talking with you, Mr. Polli. Enjoy life in prison." She said with a grin.
His mouth dropped open as she headed towards the elevator with Castle. As the silver doors slid closed, Ryan and Esposito began to read a confused and angry Polli his rights.
"How did you do that?" Castle asked as they rode the elevator up.
"Do what?" Kate asked.
"Get him to say that. To basically admit to the murders?"
"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." Kate said, suppressing a smile.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"A woman doesn't share her secrets about the power she has over a man."
Before Castle could respond, the doors opened on the seventh floor. Kate walked out first, leaving him standing there with a goofy grin on his face.
The next couple of hours went by in a blur while the team of detectives caught Montgomery up, finalized case reports and packed up all the files. Kate watched them work, taking in every detail she could.
The case was paper-thin, as there was still no physical evidence. This wasn't going to be an easy case for the district attorney's office to win. But the detectives and the writer had done their jobs, and done them well. They were hoping the circumstantial evidence and the recording from Kate's wire would be enough to convince a jury of Polli's guilt or at least make Polli want to take a deal and plead guilty. They knew they may never know why he did it, but they were okay with that, as long as justice was served.
To celebrate the successful closing of the case, the foursome went down to Remy's to eat. They ate and joked and enjoyed each others' company, all the pressure of the case lifted from their shoulders. But their joy was cut short when Castle got a call from Montgomery about a new case.
They paid and left the restaurant. Ryan and Esposito said bye to Kate and headed for their car and drove off towards the new crime scene. Castle looked at Kate as she watched them drive off. She turned back to face him after they had disappeared from her view.
"Well, I guess this is it." She said, looking up at him.
"Oh, it doesn't have to be. We could go to dinner tonight. Talk about the case." He hesitated and flashed a grin. "Or pillowcases."
"Why, Castle?" She squinted her eyes at him. "So I can become a notch on your bedpost?"
"Or I could be a notch on yours." His grin grew wider and his eyebrows rose.
Their gaze locked, each seeing the desire they were feeling reflected in the other's eyes. It was obvious that they wanted the same thing, but they were only willing to dip their toes in the water. Neither wanted to be the first to jump in. After several moments, she gave him her answer.
"It was nice to meet you, Castle." Kate put her right hand out.
"That's too bad. It would have been great." He replied as he wrapped her hand in a warm and gentle handshake.
Kate looked at him. She wanted nothing more than to take him up on his offer. But she had made a decision and she was going to stick with it, if only to prove to herself that she could. She bit her lip to keep herself from saying what she was thinking. She took a deep breath and stepped close to him as she had the night before. She could hear him swallow hard, and when her mouth was hovering beside his ear, she whispered her reply.
"You have no idea."
She could hear his breathing hitch as she pulled her hand from his, which had tightened it's hold on her. She turned on her heels and walked to the street corner to hail a cab.
Castle watched her walk away yet again. It was something he was becoming used to. And as much as he hated seeing her go, he quite enjoyed watching her leave. A deep breath exploded from his chest, one that he didn't realize he'd been holding. Once she was in a taxi and headed out of his life, he crossed the street and got into his car. He sat there for a full five minutes until the silence was broken by the jingle of a text message from Esposito asking him where he was. He smiled again, sighed, and shifted his thoughts to the new case as he shifted his car into drive.
It had been two weeks since Kate had left Castle standing on the sidewalk. And she hadn't been able to write a single usable sentence since then. It frustrated her to no end. She had satisfied Gina temporarily by telling her that she'd come up with a title and a premise and a name of a character, just like she'd asked for. Gina had not been pleased that her inspiration had come from working with Castle, but she was just happy that Kate was writing something.
Tired of being taunted by the blinking cursor yet again, and finding no help from music or coffee or her imagination, Kate did something she figured she'd probably come to regret. She looked at the clock and saw it was 9:10, and knew that it wasn't too late. She picked up her phone and dialed a familiar number.
"Hello, Kate. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Montgomery's voice came through the speaker.
"Hey, Roy. I need to ask a favor." Kate skipped the pleasantries and got right to the point.
"What can I do for you?"
"I need ideas." She sighed, not wanting to say what she was about to say. "And I know where I can get them."
"I'm listening."
"I need to work on some more real cases." She grimaced to herself, unsure of how he would respond.
"You mean, shadow Castle some more?"
"No, it doesn't have to be Castle. I'll work with anyone."
"Well, he is the best I've got. And Ryan and Esposito are great too. If I was going to let you do this, it would have to be with that team. You'll be safest with them." His tone told her that he wouldn't back down from that condition.
"So, if I agree to work with them, you'll let me do it?"
"As long as you sign the proper paperwork." He joked.
Kate sat in silence for a moment. Could she work with Castle and keep it just that? She needed this. The rush she'd felt from solving an actual crime had helped her so much, and now she was literally at a loss for words. She needed to feel it again.
"When can I start?"
"How's tomorrow?"
"I'll be there. Thank you, Roy."
"You're welcome. See you in the morning."
"See you then, Roy."
She ended the call and looked back to her work in progress on the screen. She smiled, shut down her computer and headed to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a good day.
A/N - Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks again for sticking around and reading!