Moment in Time Part 3

Chapter 101

Dead Again

Part 6

"Hey! Where are we on the waste management company?" Kate calls from the doorway of her office.

Esposito comes over to her with a file. "It's a new operation, Bullseye. No intelligence on who's running it yet. The guess is it's a new guy on the block."

"Yeah, poisoning and electrocution aren't like any of the established New York families," Kate agrees. "But he'd have a problem operating without their permission. There must be a relationship somewhere."

"Or maybe it's misdirection," Ryan offers, wandering up.

"That's possible. Why don't you guys go down to the second floor and see if Organized Crime has anything new? They're usually behind on checking out tips. Their lieutenant says that since the new mob movie came out, callers see wiseguys everywhere. He doesn't have enough people to handle the volume. Maybe you can see if there's anything that rings a bell."

Ryan sighs. "Sure, Captain."

Rick stares into the refrigerator. "You want a beer, Alan?"

"No thanks."

"Something softer – or harder?"

"I don't want anything except for you to tell me what Gwen told you," Alan insists.

"Right. She said everyone at Zantium hates you except her. She thinks you're kind of funny."

"Wow! That's – wait! Funny ha-ha or funny strange?"

"She didn't specify," Rick admits. "Did you try telling her a joke?"

"I sort of told it to the room. What do you call an inspector who writes you up for a chemical spill? The Toxic Avenger."

Rick shakes his head. "Well, I like it. But I camped out all night at Comicadia to see Mitch Cohen."

"Wow! The actor who played the Toxic Avenger? Did you get to meet him?"

"Yeah, but it turned out I didn't have to camp out. Only 20 people showed up. As heroes go, I think the Avenger is an acquired taste. But Gwen could have acquired it," Rick adds.

"You think so?" Alan asks hopefully.

"Anything's possible. But you'll never know if you don't ask her out."

"I can't ask anyone out," Alan maintains. "Someone's still after me."

Rick lays his hand on Alan's shoulder. "That's only temporary. We will collar the culprit. But anyway, how many guys are lucky enough to have two cops – and me – as his wingmen?"

"And that's supposed to help?"

"If she tries to attack you, the cops will stop her. And I'll trip her if she tries to run."

Alan slumps into a chair. "That's very comforting."

"You need a little liquid courage. Want that beer now?" Rick asks.

"Got any scotch?"

Rick heads for his 50-year-old single malt. "You've come to the right place." He watches as Alan downs two fingers of the whiskey. "Feeling braver now?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Rick picks up his landline's handset and starts hitting buttons. "Esposito put Gwen's number on his report. It's time to start living."

Alan throws up his hands. "Castle! Wait!"

Rick hands him the phone. "No time like the present to make your move. I'll be right here."

Alan takes a shaky breath. "It's ringing. I think I'm going to be sick. I don't know what to say."

"Just be yourself," Rick advises.

"Be myself," Alan repeats. "Say something like this is Alan Masters from the City Department of Inspections, badge number 62475…."

New plan," Rick interrupts. "Not that much yourself. Just say…."

"Hi, Gwen. This is Alan Masters of…. Yes, that's right. I'm much better now. Thanks. You? Oh, nothing. I was just calling to see if you wanted to have dinner with me. Oh. OK. I'll see you there." Still in shock, Alan hands the phone back to Rick. "She said yes."

Rick claps him on the back. "Well done, Alan! Now, all we have to do is plan the perfect date. How much time do we have?"

"She's meeting me at Boticelli's in 30 minutes."

Rick drops the receiver on the counter. "Tonight?"

"You said it's time to start living."

"Yeah, but I didn't think you'd get a chance so soon."

Kate's making herself a fresh espresso when Vikram comes to the break room doorway and just stares at her. She looks up. "You found something."

"Guess whose name is on the list of possibles from the partial plate I ran." He hands Kate a folder. "It's the tenth one down."

"It looks familiar, but I can't place it."

"You probably only saw it in my early research. Brooks was the head of the mercenaries Reed dealt with in Afghanistan. Reed must have brought him over here," Vikram speculates. "So if Brooks picked up Caleb at the airport, that's a high-level connection to Reed."

Kate presses a fingertip to her lower lip. "It could be a start. But if Brooks is a mercenary, he'll serve anyone who pays him. And Caleb's a public defender. He'd know lots of bad guys."

"Brown was using an alias. We could use the photographic evidence to put pressure on him," Vikram insists.

"How?" Kate questions. "Using an alias isn't illegal unless it involves intent to defraud. You should know that by now. And if Caleb was working a case with some dangerous clients, he could claim he used a false name for security. You haven't watched Caleb in court. If there's anything he knows how to do, it's make a convincing case. And from what I've seen so far, the judges love him. We can't go after him with just a photo. So, dig into Brooks. Find out if he's still working for Reed and who else is involved."

"All right, Captain," Vikram agrees. "But I want to get Brown."

"Yeah, well, that makes two of us."

The mahogany door to Botocelli's almost hits Rick in the face as Alan pulls it open. Alan points across the room. "Gwen's already here, at a table back there."

"Then don't keep her waiting. I'll be here if you need me. I'll just hang out at the bar."

"Just don't get drunk, Rick," Alan pleads. "If I get stuck for something to say, I might need you."

"If you get stuck for something to say, just tell her that when you look in her eyes, you have no words."

"That works?"

"Not for me. I'm a writer. I always have words. But for an inspector, it should. But I'll stick with sparkling water with a twist. Too bad they'll charge me as much for that as they would for booze. I don't suppose you could cite them for that.

"No. Different department." Leaving Rick, Alan apprehensively approaches Gwen's table. "Hi."

Smiling, she rises from her chair. Unfortunately, they collide as she moves in for a hug while he extends his hand to shake.

Rick palms his face as he watches. "Just keep it together, Alan. You can handle this – I hope."

Alan fumbles into a chair as Gwen retakes her seat. "You look great! Thanks for having dinner with me."

"I was surprised you called after the time you've had," she confides.

"It's been pretty nuts," he agrees, "coming back from the dead twice. But they throw their worst at me, and I just keep coming. I guess I am like the toxic avenger, punishing those who release their poison on the city."

"So you're still thinking about closing Zantium down?" Gwen reaches for his hand. "I need that job, Alan."

"I'll reinspect. If Patchett's cleaned up everything according to the city ordinances, the fine will be enough. I don't want to hurt anyone, Gwen, especially not you. But I can't let Zantium break the rules."

Gwen takes a gulp of red wine. "You really do have a stick up your ass, don't you, Alan?"

Rick winces at the impending dating disaster. "Uh-oh!" He's trying to figure out how to come to the rescue when his cell buzzes. " Ryan! Damn!"