Guardian Angel
Chapter 31
Johanna stares with alarm at a man entering the Bracken campaign storefront not long after Sledge departs. "Kate, I recognize him. He was one of Vulcan Simmons' dealers. I saw him on the street selling to school kids."
"From the look of things, he's moved up in the world," Kate mutters.
"What?" Castle asks.
"The man coming in has an expensive suit on," Kate covers.
"Campaign contributor, maybe," Castle ponders. "But he doesn't look like he'd move in Toch brother circles. Their followers tend to run toward much lighter pigmentation." Castle picks up his cell, which he laid on the desk next to him after capturing Sledge with Bracken. "Maybe I can run image comparisons again unless you think Montgomery will let you run facial recognition."
"Just check with Narcotics, Kate," Johanna urges. "Even if they couldn't nail him, they should know who he is."
Kate nods. "Try to get a picture, Babe. I can send it to Ryan and Esposito. One of their contacts might recognize him."
"Good thought," Castle agrees. "Hey, the candidate doesn't look too happy to see him, and vice versa. Trouble in Brackenland?"
"I hope so," Kate replies. "If he's distracted, it will just make things easier."
"He'll be distracted all right," Castle asserts. "I can't make out the words, but there is some sound coming through the door, and it's not joyous laughter."
"Good," Johanna mutters.
Still hiding beneath his LABA hat, Castle snaps a picture unnoticed as Bracken's visitor strides out.
"I need everyone's attention," Judy shouts from the front of the room as a stream of LABA hat wearers flows into the office. "Your man and mine, William Bracken, will be addressing us shortly." She indicates the direction of a makeshift podium. "I want those of you who've worked for the campaign the longest in the front so that he can thank you. Newcomers toward the back, please, and everyone make sure you're wearing your hats. Let's get organized, people."
"This should work out," Kate whispers. "If there were any chance he'd recognize us, being behind everyone should make it impossible."
"I doubt he'd notice us anyway, Kate. I don't know if hiding under the hats mattered," Castle whispers back. "He barely glanced at us or any of the other campaign workers. He's a sociopath. Everyone here is just a tool, like a hammer or a toaster. He doesn't care about people, except what they can do for him."
"Narcissistic creep," Johanna spits out.
"Still, Castle," Kate advises, "let's stay out of his line of vision."
"Roger that."
Applause echoes off the walls as Bracken takes his spot and raises his hands to quiet the crowd. "You are the important ones here. You talk to your neighbors. You hand out the flyers. You wear your hats, and you post on social media. You are the ones who get the new ideas out there. You are the ones who are going to clean up the planet. You are the ones who will make this campaign a success. I'll just get to climb onstage and take the bow. So now, I want you, all of you, to take a bow. Come on, Judy will show you how it's done."
With an embarrassed smile, Judy sidles up next to Bracken and bows. "Do it again, Bracken urges, "and this time, all of you do it with her!" The bills of LABA hats waving like flags, the heads in the room bob up and down while Bracken applauds. "That's great!" Bracken exclaims. "You humble me and make me want to work that much harder for you. So, have a great day and a great campaign, and I'll see you soon."
With the enthusiastic campaigners cheering wildly, Judy ushers Bracken out the door and into a waiting limousine. "You know," Castle whispers to Kate as they slowly slip away from the noisy admirers, the man is good at this, really good. If I didn't know better, I'd be anxious to vote for him."
"He's too good," Kate replies. "He's been twisting this city to his purposes for years."
"He's a monster, Kate," Johanna declares. "And you have to take him down."
As the excitement slowly wanes, the campaign staff return to their work and Rick and Kate go back to their computers. Rick leans close to Kate. "I hope Izzy gets back to us soon. I've only got a couple of hours at most, of work left on my list, and I'm not about to do Bracken any favors."
"Me either," Kate agrees as Castle's phone slowly dings a text.
Castle softly blows out a breath. "This is it! Izzy sent me instructions to hack my way into the innards of this thing, so I can send him the info he needs to download a file. It doesn't look too hard to do." Castle's fingers fly over the keys. "Wow, I'm seeing just what he told me I'd see. I just have to type this code into my phone right."
"You better turn off your autocorrect first, before your phone screws everything up," Kate cautions."
"Ooh, you're right. You wouldn't believe some of the things … maybe you would. Anyway, that's got it. Typing it in, now." Castle pushes back his LABA hat as he swipes the back of his hand across his forehead. "There, that's got it. Sending. I'll just have to signal Izzy when we leave, so we're not around when he pulls the trigger."
"Good. What are you going to have to pay him this time?"
"Nothing. He hates the Toch brothers with a passion. They did a hostile takeover of a company some of Izzy's friends gave their hearts and souls to build. Once I told him we wanted to screw with Bracken, he was all in. I just wish we could be around to watch whatever happens when Izzy sets off his bomb. He said something about a systemwide screen of death."
"Castle, once we get enough on Coonan for Karnacki to flip him, Bracken will think massive computer failure is a walk in the park."
"From your mouth to The Father's ears, Katie-girl," Johanna declares.
Kate pulls off her LABA hat as soon as she and Castle are far from enough Bracken headquarters to be out of the sight of the campaign staff. "I can't wait to get rid of this thing. Where's a dumpster when you really need one?"
Castle points to a nearby Chinese restaurant. "There's probably one behind that place, but it would seem that the occasion calls for something more ceremonial than a simple toss in the trash."
"What did you have in mind, Castle?" Kate wonders.
Rick strokes the shadow forming on his jawline. "Nothing specific yet. Burning our hats would be unimaginative, not to mention polluting. Maybe we could use them to make giant voodoo dolls. We could stick pins in one and hang the other in effigy, or perhaps embed them in plastic to create seats for commodes. Maybe we could use them as dartboards at the giant party I'm going throw when Bracken is led off in shackles, or put them on pikes and throw rotten tomatoes at them. Proper utilization of talismans is too important to execute on the spur of the moment. I'll have to think about it for a while. "
Kate smothers a laugh. "Castle, I think you're flashing back to 'Hell Hath No Fury' and that black magic ceremony you dreamed up."
"You may have a point," Castle concedes. "Let's just hang on to the evil one's headgear for a while. I'll come up with something."
"I'm sure he will," Johanna remarks. "And it will be good."
