Tampa FBI Field Office Monday Morning October 24

Roy Montgomery, Special Agent in Charge of the Tampa Field Office, finished loading the data for his budget meeting and pressed the 'enter' key. He relaxed back in his chair and rewarded himself with a healthy sip of the cappuccino he picked up on his way into work. It looked to be a fairly calm day, with only one major cloud raining on his parade, and that cloud was named Kate Beckett.

What had possessed the woman anyway? Getting involved with an accredited Diplomat from a country that was just barely on speaking terms with the U.S., precipitating a violent confrontation between her lovers, and then worst of all, disappearing. The conservatives in Congress were already screaming about espionage and demanding Kate's head. A discrete knock at his door interrupted his ruminations. "Come in," He called. Why do I get the feeling that my nice calm Monday is about to implode? Then he saw who his visitor was and feeling became certainty. "What can I do for you AgentShipton?"

"Sir, I would like your permission to remove two pieces of evidence from the evidence room."

"Agent Shipton, you don't need my permission to remove evidence as long as you follow protocol."

"I do if I remove it to the lab at Orion for further testing."

Oh shit, "Which two pieces of evidence are we talking about?"

"Agent Beckett's blood sample that was taken the night of the incident, and an orchid corsage." Hayley responded.

"I believe Agent Beckett's blood sample was tested and nothing was found." Roy pointed out.

"Yes sir, that's correct, but I believe we're looking for something not included in the standard tox screen, perhaps even something that didn't exist until recently."

"Are you serious?" he asked, incredulity evident in his voice. "Wait, you mean like that virus thing that the terrorists tried to use at the golf course?"

"Yes sir, something like that."

"And the best place to deal with something so out of the box is Orion?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, I won't argue that point Agent Shipton, they certainly earned their spurs on the golf course case. By the way, the paperwork came back Friday making Orion an approved consultant. So you're free to use them when the case justifies it."

"Good to know. Sir I have one more request?"

Something in her body language told Roy that she was about to hand him a sputtering stick of dynamite with only a nub of fuse remaining. "Go ahead Agent Shipton, make my day."

Hayley swallowed and braced herself for an explosion. "Sir, I need to have Alexyev's autopsy redone."

Roy's chair crashed forward, almost flinging him onto the floor. "I'm assuming you have a compelling reason for making this request?"

"Yes sir, I have evidence that is exculpatory in the murder charge against Mr. Castle and the only way to confirm it is to have someone else do the autopsy. I'd like to observe if that's possible."

"Who did the autopsy?"

"Assistant ME Healy."

Roy suddenly slapped the top of his desk with such force that Hayley jumped. "I've been trying to fire that moron for years, but he has political support that goes all the way to the top." He paused and a gleeful grin brightened his face. "Agent Shipton if you've got something that will stick to that mutt, it'll be worth getting my ears boxed by the Director for having him in the organization."

"Would this do sir?" Hayley handed him the computer printout she was carrying. "I ran his financials this morning when I got to work."

"Let's see what you have." He adjusted his glasses and began reading. "Holy crap!" He raised his gaze to meet Hayley's

"Three deposits of a half million each in the last thirteen months."

"Look at the dates sir." Hayley prompted. Roy turned his attention back to the printout,

"I see, the latest payment was one day after the Alexyev autopsy and both of the others were within a few days of autopsies where the ME's opinion turned the entire theory of the case on its head. The two previous cases resulted in a hung jury and an acquittal. Made us look like idiots."

"And Assistant ME Healey did all three." Hayley added.

"Son of bitch set us up! Roy growled. "Sorry, Agent Shipton." He added sheepishly.

"It's all right Sir, I've heard the term before."

Roy nodded and punched in the number for the receptionist. "Marilyn, is Dr. Healey in the building?"

"No sir, he came in early, packed some things and left. Said he had to catch a flight."

"Did he say where?"

"No, but I saw his ticket sticking out of his blazer pocket."

"And?"

"Caracas, he was going to Caracas. Avianca flight 2702."

"Excellent," Roy exclaimed "I always said that a good receptionist is worth three field agents." Marilyn beamed and Hayley flashed her a quick thumbs up. "Anything else we need to discuss, Agent Shipton?"

"No sir, And I have a nine o'clock meeting at Orion."

"All right, Agent Shipton, Come back first thing in the morning and I'll fill you in on how we're going to handle the autopsy."