A Murder Below Zero
By
UCSBdad
Disclaimer: There's zero chance that I own Castle. Rating: K Time: In an AU future.
"Dad! You're doing drugs!" Kate couldn't believe it.
"They're not for me. They're for Mrs. Molson who lives down the hall."
"Mrs. Molson! Dad, she's got to be in her eighties."
"Eighty- two to be exact. She also lost her husband, her two brothers and all of her four children in the wars. The drugs keep her happy. All she does is sit around and remember the good old days."
"I think I should go check on Mrs. Molson." Ed said.
"She lives in number 307, and you'll need a key?' Jim Beckett said,
"No problem." And Ed was out the door.
"I know that what I did was illegal, but I also know it's only a low-level misdemeanor. I'm willing to pay whatever fine is involved. I won't need a lawyer, of course, so…"
"I don't think we need to bother you on that account, Mr. Beckett. There's a very similar legal drug that I can get sent to you, if that's okay with Kate."
Kate just nodded.
"Thank you. Um, Rick, is it?"
That's when Ed came back in.
"How is she?" Rick asked.
"Luckily, she has three obese cats sitting on her lap. Otherwise, she'd be floating in the air. She's on pixie dust, all right. "Ed turned to Jim. "How did you come to meet Jack Coonan."
"He was having some trouble filling out his tax forms. He came into the office. It was a minor problem. He just didn't understand what the tax language. Few people do, it seems."
"I think that's about it." Ed said. "Okay with you, Rick? Kate?"
Both nodded.
"Kate, could you stay for just a few minutes?"
"Sure, Dad."
The two men left quietly.
"So. A Special Ops officer." Jim said.
"How do you know that, Dad."
"Katie, I was in the military, remember? I was in JAG, but I served. And I learned things. So how long have you two been together?"
"We're not together. We just met today."
"And you're on a first name basis already? You two must have clicked."
"They're all on a first name basis and I thought I should reciprocate and have him call me Kate since everyone was calling him Rick."
"So, you suggested he call you Kate?"
"Dad! There's nothing going on between us."
"If you say so, Katie. But I would like some grandchildren to spoil while I still can."
"Good bye, Dad. I'll call you about another dinner. Maybe!"
The next stop was the apartment of the so-called emotional therapist, Gina Cowell. When they pulled up to the place, Kate decided that being an emotional therapist must pay better than working for Finn Rourke. Ed showed his credentials to the doorman and explained that if Ms. Cowell was expecting them, Ed would personally put the doorman's phone in a place he wouldn't like.
Arriving on her floor, they knocked on her door. Gina Cowell was blonde, busty and scantily dressed.
"What do you want?' She demanded.
"I'm Detective Kate Beckett, NEPD, homicide. May we talk to you?"
Cowell shook her head.
"Go back and get a warrant, if you can."
She tried to close the door, but Ed pushed his way in.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Cowell demanded.
Ed showed his ID.
"MinSec. Tenth Directorate."
Hearing that, a man's head popped up over the back of a couch.
"The Tenth Directorate? What the hell is happening here, Gina?"
"Who are you?" Ed demanded.
"He's a client." Gina said, much more politely.
"Come over here, client."
The man stood, pulled up his pants, pulled on his shirt and grabbed his jacket and shoes.
"My name is Andrew Brown, sir. I'm a…"
"You ID." Ed demanded.
The man handed over his ID card.
"You work for the Ministry of Production, Mr. Brown?"
"Yes, sir. I do."
"Are you on your lunch hour?"
"No, sir. I took the afternoon off."
"An entire afternoon with an emotional therapist. That must be expensive. I'm sure the Ministry didn't pay for it."
"No, sir. Of course not."
"Then I think I should look into how you pay for Miss Cowell's services."
"Sir, I assure you that everything is proper and above board."
"We'll see about that. Now, be on your way."
The man left so rapidly that he had to finish getting dressed in the hallway.
"You just cost me a client." Cowell said, sharply.
"I'm sure you insisted that he pay up front." Kate said.
"I did, but he may never come back."
"Indeed, he may not." Ed said, smiling at the thought. Kate suppressed a shudder.
"Do you know a man named Jack Coonan?" Kate asked.
"I know many men."
"I'm sure you do and you didn't answer the question." Kate snapped.
"Yes, I do know a Jack Coonan."
"In what capacity."
"I'm a licensed emotional therapist…" Cowell began.
"I've never heard of any such a function being licensed." Kate said." We'll need to see the license."
Cowell walked to her desk, putting as much sway in her ass as she could manage. It did nothing for Kate, and as far as she could tell, nothing for Ed. However, she was a bit surprised that she found herself taking a quick glance at Rick to see how he reacted. She found herself oddly pleased that Cowell seemed to have no effect on him either.
Cowell came back and handed a piece of paper to Kate. Kate looked at it.
"This is a standard business license issued by the city. A seller of bronuts on a street corner would need one of these."
"However, I am a licensed emotional therapist. "
"Getting back to Jack Coonan." Ed broke in." What exactly was your relationship with him? Was he a customer for your services? Perhaps something else?"
"He provided me with something I need for my business."
"What?"
"I'd prefer not to answer." Cowell was starting to look nervous.
"And we'd all prefer that you did. Of course, we could have Detective Beckett take you to the 12th Precinct to be interrogated. Then Rick could take you to the 10th Special Operations Regiment for another interrogation, and then I could take you in for a nice little chat at the Ministry of Security. Your choice."
"I buy pixie dust from him. It helps some of my more tense clients to relax."
"That wasn't so hard, was it." Ed said sarcastically. "When did you last see him."
"Four or five days ago."
"Which was it? Four days or five days?"
"I don't remember. Why don't you ask Jack?"
"He's not answering questions now. Or doing anything else. Ever."
"He's dead?" Cowell sounded shocked to Kate.
"Where were you last night?" Ed asked.
"Here. All alone. My last client left at eight in the evening and I didn't leave until nine the next morning for my spa appointment."
"So you have no alibi?"
"You can check with the doorman. He can show you the security tapes. They'll show I didn't leave." Cowell was beginning to sound desperate.
"Security cameras can be altered."
"Maybe, but I can't see old Harry knowing how to do anything like that."
"We'll see." Ed stared at the blonde and then appeared to make a decision.
"Okay. That's all for now. But don't leave town without letting the 10th Directorate know."
"How will I contact them?"
"Don't worry. If you show any sign of leaving, we'll contact you."
They left and talked to the doorman, old Harry, who seemed to have little understanding of the building's security system. He did run a fast forward however, which did not show Cowell leaving. Ed decided he'd send a team over to examine the security system. And check further on Miss Cowell and her guests.
"Do you think she killed Jack Coonan?" Kate asked.
"No, but Brown is a bit too high up in his ministry to just ignore. If she's giving "therapy" to too many important people, we want to know about it."
Next on their list was Doctor Josh Davidson. According to Ed, he would be just getting off of a double shift at the Emergency Room.
"That means he'll be tired and grumpy. People like that make mistakes." Ed said.
Davidson was sitting in the doctor's lounge having a bite to eat when he saw Kate and the two men coming towards him.
"Get the hell out of here, bitch. You tried to frame me once for rape and it didn't work and I won't put up with having you here. I'm not without friends in high places, so take your two Constabulary stooges and get the fuck out of this hospital or I'll start making phone calls."
Rick smiled and walked over to Davidson and sat across from him. He showed the doctor his ID. "I have friend in high places myself. My particular friend is Major General Roy Montgomery, who commands the 10th Corps."
Ed sat next to Davidson. He also showed his ID.
"I have a few friends myself. Maybe we can go down to Lukas Street and you can see the scenery."
There was an old joke that the MinSec's Lukas Street Prison was the tallest building in the world since from its cellars, you could see the Arctic Penal Camps.
"I'm very sorry, sirs." Davidson said apologetically. "When I saw Beckett, I just sort of snapped at her."
"I'm glad you've seen the error of your ways. But I think an apology to Detective Beckett is in order." Rick said, smiling.
"An apology?"
"You did say some unpleasant things about her. Yes, an apology is definitely in order."
Davidson swallowed, then spoke in a low voice.
"I'm sorry for insulting you Detective Beckett."
"I think you need to say that a bit louder and you definitely need to use the word apology. Try again."
"I'm sorry for insulting you, Detective and I apologize for doing so."
Kate could see that several of the people in the lounge were suppressing grins at Davidson's discomfort.
Rick continued.
"So, what can you tell me about Jack Coonan?"
"Jack Coonan? I don't know anyone by that name."
Ed spoke.
"However, your business card was found in his apartment and I'm afraid that MinSec has more evidence connecting you two. Would you care to try answering that again?"
Davidson looked around, hoping that someone in the lounge would help. No one appeared to be interested.
"I buy pixie dust from him." Davidson whispered.
"You use pixie dust?" Ed said, much louder.
"No. In the proper doses it's a specific for depression. It's used as a medicine here in the hospital."
"You're a thoracic surgeon. What use could pixie dust be to you?"
"Since the wars, we've had to get…creative in getting supplies. I know a man who could get pixie dust and it goes to the psychiatric ward. Others know where we can get antibiotics that are…." Davidson stopped talking.
"That are from the black market." Ed finished for him. "You'll need a new supplier since Coonan is dead. Oh, we know you didn't do it. We already checked the security tapes here. But, I'll need to look into the hospital. Buying black market drugs, and buying illegal drugs, and I'll need to look into the payment made to the young lady you were accused of raping. A ten thousand CU error shows incompetence. But, we'll get to the bottom of it. Thank you for your time, citizen."
Kate was happy that Dr. Davidson was looking very unhappy.
"Are you really going to start an investigation into the hospital and that payment?" Kate asked once they were outside.
Ed laughed.
"I'll report all of this, of course, but I doubt there'll be an investigation. We have too many other things to worry about. What with all the shortages caused by the wars, I'm not surprised that hospitals are being, what was that word? Creative."
"What's next?" Kate asked.
"I think we should talk to Finn Rourke." Rick said. "I'm sure he's had time to look into the death of his enforcer. He might even tell us something, but don't bet on it."
Kate had been in Finn Rourke's bar before, but with her full team and a SWAT team standing by. This time she just went in with Rick and Ed.
TBC