The Marlowe Prep Murder

Chapter 30

Kate leans over the table toward Vonda. "Are you saying that you won't be in court? You understand that for your statement to be used as evidence, you have to testify to it."

Vonda slumps, her hands trembling slightly. "You don't get it. You'll be able to use my statement. It's all you'll be able to use from me because it will be what I believe the lawyers call a dying declaration."

Kate calls to the officer guarding the door of the room. "Get a medic in here!"

"Vonda just died in the hospital," Kate reports, tossing her phone on her desk. "The doctors said she told them what poison she thought she'd been given, but there was nothing they could do except make her comfortable. Lanie or whoever draws the autopsy can confirm the cause of death."

"Who poisoned her?" Castle wonders.

"The only person who saw her, outside of the department, was her lawyer, Manetti. Damn it, Babe! He as much as told me what he did. He said she wouldn't be talking to anyone." She picks up her phone again. "I need to put a BOLO out on him and see about getting a warrant for his arrest."

Castle waits while Kate grinds through the necessary procedures. "You know," he says, when she finishes, "it's ironic that Manetti poisoned her. The Cardano family must have sent him to keep her from talking, but if she didn't know she'd been betrayed, she might never have revealed a thing."

"That's true," Kate agrees. "I wonder why the family didn't understand that?"

"Maybe they didn't realize that she'd get a chance for revenge. Manetti could have screwed up," Rick suggests, glancing at his watch. "Look, it's 5 a.m. You probably won't hear anything for at least an hour or two. Why not go back to the loft, and grab some shuteye?"

Kate shrugs. "Might as well. I can send everything we got from Vonda to the D.A., but I doubt anyone is going to go through it at this hour. God, I hope Martha isn't in the mood for one of her juice drinks."

"If she is, I'll send her to Jamba Joy. I can buy her a gift card that will last her for the next five years."

Kate leans into Rick's shoulder for the short walk to the elevator. "Maybe you should make it ten."

Manetti paces the dock at the Cardano compound in the Hamptons. The plan is for a boat to show up to take him to a ship in international waters. From there, he'll have a leisurely sail to Cuba where the family has contacts, and he won't have to worry about extradition. Coming back when things cool down won't be a big deal, either. How much effort will the N.Y.P.D. put into tracking him down for taking out a murderer who tried to kill a cop? There are probably some cops who'd want to pin a medal on him. He pulls out his phone to check the time. The boat should have picked him up 20 minutes ago. Shoving the cell back in his pocket, he spots Nico coming down a nearby path. "Hey boss, you didn't have to come to see me off."

Manetti barely sees Nico pulling his gun before a black-ringed hole opens in his forehead. Tucking his pistol back in its place, Nico gazes down at the body. "You were supposed to keep her from talking." He signals two men approaching the dock. "Weigh him down and dump him in the water – but away from family property. He can fertilize the seaweed."

Kate groans as her phone lets out the opening measures of the Ride of the Valkyries.

Rick mashes his fists against his eyes. "Whose obnoxious ring tone is that?"

"Our most obnoxious M.E. He must be doing Vonda's autopsy." Kate punches accept and speaker.

"Vonda Covici was poisoned," a gruff voice proclaims.

"Vonda told us that herself before the paramedics arrived, Perlmutter," Kate responds. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Fine!" Perlmutter retorts. "The poison was an alkaloid, a purified plant extract. I can give you the scientific name."

"Never mind. How did her killer administer it?"

"Bruttiboni, Italian almond biscuits. Your victim was a glutton. She scarfed down a lot of them. They would have covered the taste of the poison and slowed its absorption, giving the killer plenty of time to get away."

"Where would the killer get poison like that?" Kate asks.

"A compounding pharmacy. In very small amounts, it's considered therapeutic for some neurological disorders, but whoever obtained it would need a prescription for enough to make up at least ten times the normal dose."

Rick props himself up on his elbows. "I imagine there's a mob doctor or two who would sign off on that."

"We can check it out," Kate agrees. "Anything else, Perlmutter?"

"Some of us still have work to do," Perlmutter snipes. "I'll email you my report when I'm finished. You and Castle can read it together – if his attention span lasts that long."

"He really hates me. What did I ever do to him?" Rick wonders after the M.E. hangs up.

"It isn't you, Babe, at least not specifically. He set me up once with his brother – his twin brother – Edgar. I didn't want to go, but Lanie talked me into it as a mercy date."

"Didn't go well, huh?" Rick guesses.

"Edgar's an accountant, and all he could talk about was the advantages of a new spreadsheet. I was falling asleep, so I told him I wasn't feeling good and cut the night short. Unfortunately, a body dropped a couple of hours later, one of Perlmutter's cases. He knew from looking at me that I'd lied to his brother, but instead of blaming me, he's decided anyone I'd date must be a jerk. And I married you so…"

Rick nods. "I get the picture. It sounds like Perlmutter would have fit right in at one of Alexis' preteen sleepovers, except that his hair isn't long enough to braid, and I assume he never had a crush on a Jonas brother."

Kate giggles. "I wouldn't be too sure about that. But anyway, I might as well get back to the precinct. Something may turn up on Manetti, and I can get in touch with the D.A.'s office."

"Want some company?" Rick asks.

"Did you send your chapters off to Black Pawn yet?"

Rick looks down sheepishly. "Still half a chapter to go."

"Then you should use the time to finish it, but you want to meet me for lunch? If things don't pick up, we could picnic in our favorite spot."

Rick's eyebrows dance above his eyes. "Just picnic?"

"And whatever else comes up."

Rick helps himself to a quick kiss. "It's a date."

"How could you do it, Nico?" the Old Man demands.

"I didn't, Grandfather, I swear." Nico insists. "Manetti decided on his own to take Vonda out. I guess he figured she was going to talk if he couldn't get her off. But I took care of him."

The Old Man gathers Nico in an embrace. "I should have known you wouldn't betray me like that. Is everything set for the big day?"

"We have a block of hotel rooms in the tower, and everyone is scheduled to fly in tonight. All the capos are coming and representatives from all of our operations. Mangino's is handling the catering, and Father Francis will be there to give his blessing."

The Old Man nods. "Very good. These things must always be done right."