Under and Over Chapter 23

"How far behind Bracken are we?" Rick inquires.

"About 45 minutes," Kate replies, merging into highway traffic. "But we may be able to draw even. There are three bottlenecks on the route north. As an official vehicle, we can use the shoulders and access roads to get around them. And if Bracken is afraid of being tagged, he won't do anything to draw attention to himself."

"So you don't think he knows he's being followed."

"According to reports so far, he hasn't shown any signs of knowing it. But if he does, he's smart enough not to give anything away."

"Where do you think he's going?" Rick wonders.

"No idea. But so far, he's on the same route my dad takes to his cabin in the Adirondacks. There are a lot of isolated spots in that same general area. Bracken could be headed for any one of them."

"Under different conditions, finding a nice isolated spot could be very, um, stimulating."

Kat's fingers brush Rick's arm. "Yeah, but we'll have to think about that later."

"I'll remind you," Rick promises as an alert blasts from Kate's phone. "Ooh, is that what I think it is?"

"It should be, but check it out, Castle."

Rick grabs Kate's phone from the console. "Judge Markway issued a warrant to pick up Bracken for the solicitation of the murder of John Raglan. It's attached as a PDF. But nothing else yet."

"It's enough," Kate declares. "And that's a state crime which gives us a step up on the feds. I can arrest Bracken the moment we reach him."

"Kate, you don't know who Bracken might be meeting up there or if he's got an arsenal stashed. Shouldn't you call in some backup?"

"When I figure out where in the mountains he's going, I'll call in some state troopers to meet us there. When I see what exit he takes off the interstate, I should have a pretty good idea."

"You'll have to get pretty close to see that, Kate. He could make us."

"If Bracken's going where I think he is, he'll be one of a line of cars taking one of three exits. We won't be the only vehicle behind him. But I'll be careful."

Bracken throws a glance at the road markers. He's got two-tenths of a mile to Exit 22. After he leaves the highway, his cabin will be less than a mile away. In the summer, the foliage would shield it, but most of the leaves fell after their blaze of glory about a month back. The structure will be visible through the trees, not obvious, but visible. There's nothing he can do about that. The foundation was dug into the hillside to accommodate the space beneath the plank flooring that hides the safe. At his last count, it holds $2,000,000. He could use more for the escape he pictures, but when he reaches his first stop at Tobago, he'll be able to get his hands on whatever funds he wants. He'll have more than enough to set himself up in his final destination of Vanuatu. Once he's settled in, he could send for his family. But if his wife's loyalty is to her father, well, he's not so sure he should be in such a hurry to have her by his side. And the kids have trusts which will be immune from attachment. He'll have to see what develops. But first, he has to get into his safe.

Kate checks the clock on her dash against her GPS. "We've been on the road for over three hours. We should be pretty close to Bracken by now. There! Kate points through her windshield as a blue BMW, at the limit of her visual range, moves into the exit lane. "He's getting off at 22!"

"Time for backup now?" Rick prompts.

"Get ready to hit the NY Troopers contact on my phone and hold it up for me. As soon as I see which side road he takes, I'll call them in."

Dirt and gravel spin up from the wheels of his luxury car as Bracken hastily parks in front of the cabin he dubbed "The Perch." Normally, Bracken would have chosen to drive a car with a less expensive finish into the rustic surroundings. But he didn't have time to go after another vehicle. He was lucky enough to obtain the property from the estate of a man who never trusted banks to guard his wealth. Despite the picturesque location, in Bracken's view, the best thing about the place had been the hidden safe. He just wishes he'd made more extensive use of it.

Bracken fumbles in the pockets of the wool jacket he'd grabbed to guard against temperatures considerably lower than those in the heatsink formed by Manhattan's massive amalgamation of concrete. Even so, his hand trembles as he works to open a lock too long undisturbed. The frame creaks as Bracken finally pushes the door open. He grimaces at a few rodent signs in the coating of dust. But at least there's no indication of uninvited human occupation.

Grunting, he pushes aside a heavy table that covers the planks shielding the door to the safe. The combination he chose comes easily to his memory. It's the date he was elected, D.A. in Manhattan, the day he began to taste real power. His muscles protest the weight of the heavy steel he tugs upward, but he ignores the strain.

The money is all that matters now. It will give him his last laugh on the NYPD, the insane alphabet soup of federal agencies, and even Ben Moss. The old man will be struggling to maintain a powerbase missing Bracken's vital support in the Senate, while Bracken enjoys a new life. The idea of doing it with his wife in tow grows less appealing as the moments pass. Deep in the grip of exotic visions, Bracken misses the motor sounds muffled by the thick log walls.

Kate drives from a gravel-topped private road to pull in behind the BMW, blocking Bracken's exit. Three vehicles carrying New York State Troopers pull in behind her. As the cops mass, ready to breach the building, Bracken rushes out the door, his view half obscured by the bag of bills he carries. Kate raises her weapon. "William H. Bracken, you are under arrest for the solicitation of murder. Put down the bag, get on the ground, hands behind your head."

"You can't arrest me," Bracken blusters. "It's unconstitutional. I'm a United States Senator."

"Senator," Kate throws back, "cops can read. It's a job requirement. Article 1 section 6 of the Constitution says, and I quote: 'They shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same.' You're not anywhere near a Senate session, and you have committed a felony. Now, get on your knees, or would you rather we put you face down on the ground?"

Carefully setting aside his sack, Bracken slowly sinks to his knees. I want an attorney, and if even a dollar is missing from my effects, I'll hold you all personally liable."

Rick smirks. "Bracken, the last thing you have to worry about right now is someone stealing your money. The only people who'll make a claim on it will be your lawyers."