Too Close
Chapter 79
"You must be famished, Detective," Vaughn suggests. "The room service is quite good here. I could have anything you like sent up."
"No, thank you, Mr. Vaughn," Kate demurs. "If I'm going to be your only protection, I can't afford distraction while you are up and about. And I ate before I arrived."
" Eric," he reminds her. "Perhaps some Champagne then," Vaughn persists, holding up a chilled vintage bottle. "We can celebrate the capture of the man who poisoned Arthur."
"I don't see much cause for celebration until we get the person behind it. You said that you were acquainted with Cindy Paralti. Isn't there anything else you can tell us about her?"
"I met Cindy when she came to me for an investment in Cyclen pharmaceuticals. I had my people dig into the financial situation of the company and concluded that even with investment, the company had no ability to continue in business as a standalone. And as I said before, I had no interest in the saxitoxin derivative. The review took some time, and Cindy and I shared several meals during that period. I'm afraid that she might have gotten the idea that my interest in her went beyond business. When I came to a decision that the only way that Cyclen could survive would be as a subsidiary, she was furious. She felt that I was devaluing her father's life's work. She also expressed feelings of betrayal of what she felt was a personal relationship."
"So she's thoroughly pissed off at you," Kate summarizes. "She wants revenge for both business reasons and because she thinks you jilted her."
"That's the essence of it." Vaughn agrees. "I tried to make it as easy on her father as I could. He still runs Cyclen, but with strong oversight."
"And the drug for Erdheim-Chester Syndrome that Corey Harrison wanted for his sister?"
"Too high a level of serious side effects for the FDA to approve it without modifications and more trials. However, if Harrison had come to me, I would have done what I could for his sister."
"Eric, busboys are not usually in the habit of walking up and talking to billionaires," Kate points out, "and I think you must understand how intimidating you can be, or I wouldn't be here. You used your clout to set up a situation that is less than ideal for both of us, and I don't appreciate it either from a personal or professional standpoint."
"Ouch," Vaughn reacts. "Perhaps I'd better start over. Detective Beckett, I noticed from the first moment that you are an attractive and intelligent woman. I may have handled it clumsily, but I only wanted to spend some time getting to know you. If you find that offensive, I apologize. Or is it that you're involved? Castle?"
"Perhaps you should talk to your mother more often, Eric." Kate pulls a chain with her ring on it from beneath her blouse. "It's no secret to Castle fans that Rick and I are engaged."
"Your fiancé has excellent taste in women and…" A bullet just misses Vaughn's head as he leans in to view the ring.
Kate pushes Vaughn to the floor and pulls out her radio. "Shot fired. Four Seasons hotel. The bullet appears to have come from across the street. Stay down," she instructs Vaughn as he begins to push upward. The gunman may still be out there."
Castle pounds on the door of Vaughn's suite. "Kate, I heard the shot. Are you all right?" he calls through the door.
"Fine, Babe. So is Vaughn, but I can't let him move until our people make sure the shooter no longer has him in his sites. Go downstairs and get the cop guarding the elevator and the men from the unit outside. They should be coming into the hotel any second. You can use your key to get them up to this floor. And grab someone to get the door to this suite open. I'm staying where I am until backup arrives."
"Copy that."
"Your fiancé has a suite on this floor?" Vaughn queries.
A smile tugs at the corners of Kate's mouth. "You're not the only one who can use connections to get what he wants, Eric. Rick was protecting his partner, professionally and personally. He's done that practically since he started shadowing me."
"I get the message, Detective," Vaughn responds, "loudly and clearly. So, how long do you think it will be until we can get up off the carpet?"
"If I were you," Kate advises, "I'd get comfortable."
"At least Vaughn's allowed himself to be moved to a safe house," Kate muses, sitting at the counter of the loft while Castle crafts her latte.
Rick hands her a mug topped with a foam heart. "Too bad that Cindy Paralti is still in the wind."
"Yeah, but I'm not convinced she hired the shooter. The guy the cops sweeping the building across the street nabbed didn't know who put out the contract. And given what Eric Vaughn told me about the finances of Cyclen, I don't know that she would have had the resources. It's possible that someone else was using her to get that toxin, someone who knew her situation."
"That would suggest someone in the inner circle of Vaughn Enterprises. Kate, what if the whole Paralti jealousy-revenge thing is a red herring, and she's just a pawn in someone else's murder plot?"
"Who?"
"It seems like the place to start would be anyone who knew where Vaughn would be dining. There can't be many people who would have had his schedule. It could even have been someone else at the table."
Kate's coffee sloshes as she slams it to the countertop. "You're right, Babe. We just treated the other diners as witnesses. Now we have to look at them as suspects - but in the morning. We finally have a break to work on our guest list, and I'm not going to let it get away again."
"Right, Castle agrees. "So just how big is your Aunt Theresa's side of the family?"
"Big enough so that we'd better double-check the capacity of that roof."
Castle sighs. "I wonder if I'll get any results back on my DNA in time to know if there's anyone who should be on the groom's side of the aisle. I paid the upcharge for a rush analysis. But then, whoever I find might not be someone I'd want to invite to our wedding."
"We can always hold a few spots open," Kate proposes. "But our gang from the 12th will be on both sides, in any case. That's a pretty big number just from the bullpen. And there are your author buddies. Do you have a list of those yet?"
"It's practically the roster of the Poe Society, but I'll try to winnow it down."
"Just don't eliminate John Grisham. My dad's been dying to meet him."
"Noted."
"And I want Lanie for my maid of honor. Who do you want for your best man?"
"Does it have to be a man?" Castle asks.
"Castle, is there something you're not telling me?"
"No, it's just that I'm supposed to pick the person who means the most to me, besides you, of course. And it was never more clear to me than when Volkov took her that it's Alexis."
"That makes sense to me, Babe, but if you value your friendships at the precinct, you'd better make Ryan and Esposito groomsmen."
Rick nods. "I'll even spring for their tuxedos."