Moment in Time Part 3

Chapter 12

PhDead

Part 4

"You two looked a lot happier last night than you do now," Lucy observes as Kate and Rick drag themselves toward the kitchen.

"We just got the report on the DNA that CSU recovered from Peter Garber's scrubs and hands, Lucy," Rick explains. "It came from a woman, but not our suspect. And it doesn't match anything in CODIS. So please tell me you started the coffee maker."

"Of course I did, Rick. It's part of my programming. And the pot's sensors tell me it's ready now. But doesn't knowing the murderer is a woman eliminate almost half your potential suspect pool?"

"It would have required considerable strength to shove Peter Garber on that branch," Kate adds. "With Lillstrom's dealings with the military, she might have ins with programs to build muscle mass. But we aren't looking at any other women with those capabilities."

Rick groans, handing a steaming mug to Kate and filling one for himself. "As of now, we aren't looking at any women at all."

"According to your Nikki Heat books, when your avatars are stumped, they walk the murder scene," Lucy notes.

"You read the Heat books?" Rick queries.

"I have everything you've ever published in my database, Rick. How else could I anticipate your needs?"

"It's a good thing I don't publish all my thoughts," Rick mutters. "However, walking the murder scene isn't a bad idea."

"But Lillstrom terminated the experiment," Kate points out. "The prisoners, the guards, and some of the equipment are already out of there."

"Then," Rick suggests, "we'd best get the former warden to fill us in on where everything was."

Lillstrom points at a cell. "This was Peter's. I still don't know how he got out. The locks are military-grade, certified pick-proof. They're the same ones used on Guantanomo. Peter was thoroughly searched, as was the cell. There was nothing he could have used to escape."

"And yet, he did," Rick reminds the professor. "Detective Beckett, if we're going to gain insight from the scene, we should get inside the cell."

"Babe, after the way I was smuggled into Lanie, I'm not crazy about enclosed spaces," Kate whispers in Rick's ear.

"I understand completely. But we're pretty sure Peter didn't use the door. So we can keep it open."

"I guess I can deal with that." Slowly walking inside, Kate looks around. Checking the bunk, she finds a sagging slat. "The metal piece that held this is missing."

"Maybe it was used to pry something open," Rick offers. "But what?"

"This is an office building, right? That means ventilation ductwork and vents."

"And possibly, with the cheap help Lumpfish hired, not put in too securely." Rick looks up. "There's an air register in the ceiling. Do you want to reprise our ghosthunting act and climb on my shoulders?"

"Might as well. I can't see any other way out. Just hold onto me."

"Always my pleasure."

"The cover is loose," Kate calls down. "Boost me up."

With a push from Rick, Kate crawls into a duct. A few minutes later, she returns to the line of cells. "It was narrow in there, and Peter wasn't that small a guy. I don't think he could have made it through. And he couldn't have gotten up there by himself."

Rick nods. "He had to have had a partner. Someone he would have reached through the bars to lift. They could have timed their moves when a guard was elsewhere or taking a break. As a former head guard, Peter would have known the schedule. Using that information, the escapee could have returned as you did and let him out. Dr. Lillstrom, who was in the cell next to Peter's?"

"That would have been Emily, Emily Coughlin. She is a student in the PE department. But she has interests similar to what Peter's were – stress responses. She planned to use a redacted form of her experience here to write a paper competing for a scholarship to study that area. Peter was competing as well. I was informed because I would have to sign off on both papers. But Peter had a leg up. He was recommended by Dean Fowler. In fact, she was the one who asked me to take him under my wing."

"Why was that?" Castle queries. "Did he have any exceptional academic achievements?"

"None of which I'm aware. As I recall, the dean told me the push came from a lawyer doing some fund-raising for the university. But she didn't give me a name."

"That was probably Lehman Powell," Kate realizes. "That's how Scott Powell got Peter into the project. Dr. Lillstrom, do you have an address for Emily?"

Lillstrom shakes her head. "No. When I closed down the experiment, I had to turn over all the paperwork to the project's underwriter. And I'm sorry, its identity is…."

"We know," Rick interjects. "It's classified."

"But Hudson's registrar should have what you need," Lillstrom suggests.

"We have a faster way of getting information about Emily than going to the registrar," Rick whispers to Kate as they leave the cell area. "Our pyramidal friend is tied into all the university records."

"Is that even legal?" Kate wonders.

"I have no idea," Rick admits. "But how do you prosecute a hunk of circuits for hacking? Oh, wait! You could lock her up in a Faraday cage."

"I don't think that's in the penal code, Babe. Not yet, anyway. But we have a right to the information for our investigation. So let's go ask her."

"I'm sending Emily Coughlin's records to the printer," Lucy informs Rick. "And you'll need a new black ink cartridge soon. Yours is low."

"I have extras in my desk, Lucy," Rick responds. "I guess that's one thing you can't detect yet."

"You're right, Rick. The manufacturers should put transponders in the cartridge's packaging. They'd be easier to track, and it would be better antitheft than the stores employ now. Shall I send emails in your name suggesting it?"

"I think you can hold back on that until I study the situation, Lucy. But, um, you can't send emails as me without my permission, can you?" Rick questions.

"Of course not, Rick. That would be fraud. I'm programmed against it. But do you wish to override the program? There are instructions in my manual. I can send them to your phone."

"Absolutely not! But who would approve an override like that?"

"Marketers, Rick. Units like me email their prospects all the time. It saves a lot of effort on their part."

Kate slaps a palm to her face. "Great! We have a spam machine."

"I don't manufacture canned meat, Kate," Lucy protests. "But I have provided the information you need. Can I help you with anything else, Rick?"

Rick shrinks under Kate's black look. "No, thank you, Lucy. That will be fine."

When Emily opens her dorm room door, her workout clothes reveal well-developed muscles. Kate holds up her badge. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I need to ask you some questions about Peter Garber."

Emily wipes sweat from her forehead and tosses the tissue into a full wastebasket. "Who?"

"Peter Garber. He had the cell next to yours in Dr. Lillstrom's prison experiment. You helped him escape."

"I'm sorry, I don't know anything about an experiment or a Peter Garber," Emily insists. "And I have to get back to my weight exercises. I have a bodybuilding competition in two weeks, and I need the prize money."

"Because you lost your fee when the experiment was cut off, and you lost out on a scholarship," Rick suggests.

"Emily, any NDA is null and void when it's used as an excuse to cover up a crime," Kate informs her suspect. "We know you were in that experiment, and we know you helped Peter Garber escape."

"You can't prove anything," Emily retorts. "And I don't have to talk to you." Emily slams the door in Kate's face.

Rick stares gap-jawed at his wife."You're not going to let her get away with that, are you?"

"Of course not. I'm going to wait for her to take out her trash. And as overflowing with DNA samples as it was, that shouldn't take long."

Rick raises a goblet of red wine. "To another successfully closed case."

"And to privacy. I'm sorry you had to shut down Lucy, Babe, but having her around made me feel like Big Brother was watching."

"More like Big Sister. But I know how you felt, Kate. And now that I'm aware the research software exists, I can put some of it on my computer as a less intrusive aid to our endeavors. And I can program the timer on the coffeepot myself. Still, every time I get an email, I'm going to wonder what sent it. Do you think there's a firewall against pyramid-launched missives?"

"You could ask Vikram. I signed him on as the 12th's digital investigator."

"I thought he wanted to go back to DC."

"He wants to take down whatever's left of Reed's organization more. We know there were cells other than Meeker's. And working for me, Vikram will be free to uncover the remaining hornet's nests."

Rick clinks his glass with Kate's. "And Captain Beckett will ignite the torch to burn them out."