Moment in Time Part 3

Chapter 31

Mr. And Mrs. Castle

Part 3

"I have an ID on your suspect," Vikram announces. "He has a New York commercial driver's license, and his name is Salvador Acosta."

"But he's probably still on the ship," Kate worries.

"No, he isn't," Vikram informs her. "He was cited for driving an overweight load for Loxley's waste disposal company this morning."

"Loxley's," Rick repeats, "Robin Hood. More like the Sheriff of Nottingham or Prince John."

"Do you have an address on Acosta?" Kate asks.

"He has an apartment up in the Bronx not far from the Loxley disposal company. So he could be in either place."

"Ryan, Esposito, you're with us," Kate declares. "We're going to have a little talk with Mr. Acosta."

Blocked in by marked cars and Ryan and Esposito's unit, Salvador Acosta climbs down from his truck. "Mr. Acosta," Kate informs him. "You're under arrest on suspicion of the murder of Laura Madden."

Kate answers an unfamiliar knock on her office door. "Captain Beckett, I'm Caleb Brown, attorney for Salvador Acosta."

Kate regards the tall, slightly charismatic lawyer. "I don't know what you believe I can do for you or your client, Mr. Brown. We have hard evidence against him for homicide, and I've involved the federal authorities to investigate his illegal disposal of hazardous waste."

"Don't you think that's a bit much, Captain Beckett?" Brown inquires. "I've seen the video. For all you or anyone else knows, my client could have been dumping old flour and stowing unidentifiable boxes."

"Flour that reacted on contact with water? I don't think so. And if I were you, Mr. Brown, I'd worry more about the homicide charge."

"Why? You have no witnesses or video of the actual crime. And any other evidence is out of reach in international waters."

"No, that's where you're wrong, Mr. Brown. Your client's shoe left an imprint in Laura Madden's blood. And it was a very special imprint. Are you aware that Mr. Acosta wears custom-made corrective shoes? Each pair is unique and carries a serial number embedded in the sole. Once a jury hears the whole story, I don't think they'll have much trouble coming up with a conviction."

"Captain Beckett, we both know that my client is just a cog in a larger operation. What if he could put you onto someone higher up? Would you recommend knocking the charge down to second degree?"

Thoughts of finding another connection to Reed burn through Kate's brain. "No promises, Mr. Brown. Dumping and smuggling aren't much against a woman's life. But if your client gives me something I can use, I'll let the DA know."

"Vikram," Kate requests after the attorney goes to speak with his client, "Dig up everything you can on a Caleb Brown. Something about that guy doesn't feel right."

Rick pops into Kate's office. "I just sent two chapters to Black Pawn. How's it going with you?"

"I was about to interrogate Mr. Bloody Footprint, Salvador Acosta. Want to join me?"

"I'd love to."

Kate takes a seat in Interrogation opposite Acosta. At her side, Rick stares at Caleb Brown. "Mr. Acosta," Kate begins. "Mr. Brown claims that you have some information for me. I'm listening."

"All I know is that some huge higher-up runs the whole operation, everything we do. And he's connected all over the world. But I can give you the man in charge in New York. He's the one who gave me my instructions."

"And who is that?" Kate probes.

"His name is Leo Logarzo. He runs Loxley and Friendly Islands Sanitation."

"I bet the islands are real friendly," Rick comments.

Acosta ignores Rick and appeals to Kate. "So you'll tell the DA I cooperated, right?"

"If what you told me works out."

"My client is going to need protection." Brown asserts. "If Logarzo is that connected, Mr. Acosta is in danger."

"He should be safe in a holding cell while we check out his information," Kate promises. "After that, it will be up to the DA."

"So, what do we know about Leo Logarzo?" Kate asks as she, Rick, Ryan, Esposito, and Vikram gather in the conference room.

"He's ex-military," Vikram reports. "He served in Afghanistan. He was suspected of running drugs, but the army could never come up with any definitive proof, so he finished his service with a general discharge instead of a court-martial. When he came back to New York, he bought his businesses, but it was far from clear where the funds came from."

"Drug money," Rick assumes.

Vikram nods. "Probably. So far, no one's been able to pin enough on him for an indictment, but several employees of Loxley and Friendly Islands managed to end up dead before they could testify. The man is dangerous, Captain."

"All the more reason to go after him," Kate decides. "Do we have a location?"

"Logarzo maintains an office at a Friendly Island's warehouse. Patrols in the area report seeing a Maserati registered to him in the lot adjoining the building."

Kate pushes back from the table. "Then let's go."

"Wait," Vikram cautions. "I started to dig into Caleb Brown. There's a lot more to him than a defense attorney."

"You keep at it," Kate instructs, "we'll check in with you when we get back."

Despite repeated warnings, Leo Logarzo runs for an alley and climbs a fence that separates it from the next building. Metal flashes in his hand. "Gun!" Ryan shouts as Esposito fires.

Logarzo plummets to the concrete. Grabbing her cell from her pocket, Kate calls for medics.

Ryan feels for a pulse. "Nothing, Captain."

"Then damn it, start CPR," Kate commands. "I need to know what he knows."

Rick wraps an arm around Kate as the paramedics report no signal on an EKG. "I'm sorry."

"He was into the drug trade in Afghanistan. He would have been another connection to Reed."

"I know. Still, you can still trace that pill Laura Madden had on her," Rick comforts.

"But we can't prove where it came from or that Reed was involved. By the time we can get to that ship again, if we can get to that ship again, all the evidence will be gone."

"But Vikram was pretty anxious to tell you about Brown. So maybe there's something there," Rick suggests.

"You're right," Kate agrees. "I need to get back to the precinct."

Kate closes the door of her office and huddles with Vikram and Rick at her desk. Vikram opens a folder. "Until five years ago, Caleb Brown was a high-powered corporate lawyer. He has degrees from Harvard Law School – the whole thing. He crushed a lot of small companies. Then, reportedly, he saw the light and became a defense attorney. Now supposedly, he fights for the little guy – except that most of his clients were arrested on drug-related crimes. And if he can't get them off, they end up shanked in prison."

"So why would he have Acosta flip on Logarzo?" Kate wonders.

"Simple," Rick figures. "He's actually working for the biggest boy, Reed. So he makes sure nothing goes high enough to get to the boss. Brown must have figured that Logarzo would never allow himself to be taken alive. But if he was, he wouldn't stay that way. Acosta isn't big enough to matter and probably won't survive long either."

"So Caleb Brown could be our key to nailing Reed," Kate realizes. "We'll have to keep a watch on him."

Rick shakes his head. "Since anyone with real information ends up dead, that may be easier said than done. Be careful, Kate."

Her teeth find her lower lip. "Yeah. I will."