The Marlowe Prep Murder
Chapter 31
Fisherman Brock Morgan's muscles are screaming. "The net is too f**king heavy for loligo squid!"
His partner, Creaky Watson, throws up his hands. "That's the problem with trawling. You can never tell what's going to get caught up in the seine. Let's just pull the damn thing in and see what crap we'll need to clean out of it."
Brock regards what they manage to haul aboard, his mouth gaping. "Sonofabitch! It's a f**king stiff!"
"We can't afford to go back in this early. Let's put it on ice," Creaky suggests. "We'll call the cops later when we get to shore with a load worth selling."
Wincing at the bitterness of leftover coffee, Jack studies a report on the uptick in the activity of the Cardano family. High-ranking and even midranking bosses from as far out as Vegas boarded planes headed for New York City. Nico's official installation in the Old Man's stead is imminent. There's never been a better time to throw a wrench into Russia's financial dealings, but the agency is going to have to move fast and under the radar. Bringing in local law enforcement would be ideal. If Kate can make the bust she's been striving for, the disruption will leave the crime organization in severe disarray. That will give the agency's people a chance to swoop in and cripple the east to west flow of rubles. Jack is making contact with his own family way too often for anyone's good, but he'll have to touch base with Kate, which no doubt also means with Richard.
Chief Brody frowns at the unidentified corpse. "You guys putting that on ice probably messed up the forensics, but it doesn't look like he's been dead long. From that broken cable attached to his leg, somebody tried to weigh the body down but messed up. I'll run his fingerprints to see if I can figure out who he is and then send the body to the medical examiner."
Brody returns to his official vehicle, muttering. "A bullet hole in the forehead. Has to be the damn Cardanos. If they wanted to shoot someone, why couldn't they do it in the city where they're used to handling this kind of sh*t?" The small-town chief's never had a homicide before. He has enough trouble with holiday traffic and dogs pooping on neighbors' lawns. At least he's got one of those new apps for his phone that does prints. He needed it for some home break-ins, but he never thought he'd be tracking a murderer. Brody shakes his head. He should have taken that security job in Sag Harbor.
Rick's blanket almost covers the floor of the still vacant office. "I sent everything off to Black Pawn an hour ago," he beams. "That gave me time to stop at the deli." He begins to set out containers with clear plastic lids. "We have an embarrassment of riches: thin-sliced roast beef, three sides including that mustardy potato salad you like and black and white cookies for dessert."
"Those cookies are the western version of yin and yang," Kate observes, settling herself on the waffle-weave throw, next to the food.
Rick grins. "Two halves of the same whole, like us. And so, my better half, I reported on my progress. How did the morning go for you?"
Kate jams a plastic fork into the potato salad. "I got a text from the D.A.'s office acknowledging everything we got from Vonda. A couple of traffic cams picked up Manetti's car on the way to the Hamptons, but we don't know where he went once he got to the villages."
Sitting cross-legged next to Kate, Rick attacks a sandwich he built with gusto and manages to form words around a healthy bite. "You know, the Cardanos have a compound out there. Every so often, someone brings it up in an editorial in the local newspaper. Still, they pay taxes, considerable taxes, and the powers that be have no intention of losing the revenue. That's probably where Manetti is, if he isn't out of the country already. He could easily hop in a boat."
Kate sighs. "Which probably means we'll never see him again."
Rick leans in to brush her hair with a consoling kiss. "You never know, but when you get down to it, how much does it matter? He was just a tool, like Vonda. With or without him, with what the D.A. has, we're going to bring down the men pulling the strings."
After tossing the last of the containers back in the bag from the deli, Rick stretches out on the blanket. "Do you have enough time left on your late lunch hour?"
"Enough for what?" Kate asks.
"The cookies were nice, but I could still use something sweet."
Kate walks her fingers up his thigh. "What did you have in mind?"
Rick reaches up to pull her close. Sweet and savory meld as their lips meet. "This is a start."
"Wait a minute," Kate cautions, getting up just long enough to double-check the lock on the office door. She lays herself out again, her mouth inches from his. "Now, where were we?"
Threading his fingers through her hair, Rick's lips find hers, his tongue seeking its partner in a serpentine dance. "Right about here."
Kate pulls back suddenly as her phone blasts an urgent alert, leaving Rick to grunt in frustration. "Is that the D.A.'s office?"
Kate hurriedly surveys the screen. "No, Babe, it's from your father."
Pushing himself up to read over Kate's shoulder, Rick takes in Jack's message. "He's sent a time and place to arrest the Old Man. Can you do that?"
"What we got from Vonda is more than enough to take to a judge for an arrest warrant, but we need to get the D.A. on board to prefer charges. I'll have to press a lot harder than just sending what I have to his office." Kate snaps her fingers. "I'll call Ms. Harbrough. If anyone can get things moving, she can."
"I believe that," Rich agrees.
"Detective Beckett, you called at the perfect time!" Harbrough exclaims. "The boss is excited to make a big push. He wants to take down the Old Man as a symbol of corruption in this city. If your information checks out, which I'm sure it will, he'll send a team with bells on."
"They'd do better with AR-15s," Rick inserts.
"Oh, Mr. Castle, I recognize your voice. I assure you that any operation organized from this office will have the proper personnel and equipment. Hmm."
"Hmm, what?" Rick asks.
"I just saw a notice come in," Harbrough explains. "The fingerprints from a body with a bullet in its head, fished out of the water near the Hamptons, triggered an alert. They matched Manetti, Vonda Covici's alleged killer. "
"So, the Cardanos took him out," Rick assumes. "They're trying to tie up any loose ends before their big event."
"Any other information on Manetti?" Kate asks.
"Not yet, but there are supposed to be updates coming," Harbrough responds.
"I would love to know what the ballistics reveal on that bullet," Kate muses.
"I believe the D.A. would too," Harbrough asserts. "I'll let you know if anything else comes through."
Rick pushes a stray strand of hair out of Kate's face and presses a kiss to her temple as she stuffs her phone back in the pocket of her slacks. "So, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted by the evil machinations of the Cardano family?"
Kate straddles Rick's lap. "If I recall, we were about to prove that there are sweeter desserts for a picnic than symbolic cookies. All we have to do is figure out what we want to taste first."
Rick grins. "I have an idea."