Beckett Behind Bars

CHAPTER SIX

All standard disclaimers apply

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Kate and Val strolled back into the building. When they got past the short hallway they turned to the left and Kate found herself following Val over to the small post office nestled next to the convenience store.

Val walked up and showed the young guard behind the short counter her I.D. Kate could see a large pigeon hole system of cubbies along the back wall. There was also a couple of large canvas hampers on wheels sitting next to a large machine that Kate had no idea what it might be.

After seeing Val's I.D, the young prison employee went back and dug around in one of the hampers for a few moments until she pulled out a wrapped box from it.

The box was slim in thickness and was about six by twelve inches. It looked like a box that candy would come in. The guard came back and handed it to Val.

Kate pointed to a stamped mark on the top of the package. "What's that?"

Val smiled. "It's the stamp that says the package has been x-rayed."

"What is it?" Kate asked. "It looks like a box of candy?"

"It is." Val smirked at her.

As they walked back to their cell, it seemed to Kate that the inmates had a lot of freedom within the walls of the prison. Sure, there were dozens of guards constantly doing rounds around the main floor, the outside, and the library, as well as the walkways. But she never saw the guards go into any of the cells when the inmates were in there.

Kate tapped Val on the arm. "I noticed that for all the guards walking their rounds, none of them seem to go into the cells themselves."

Val shook her head, causing her long hair to swing back and forth. "They don't. The policy is that a guard can't enter an occupied cell unless invited, or if it's an emergency situation; like injury or apparent physical distress. Or they see or hear something that is against the rules."

The two of them walked a little farther. "But, they can enter an empty cell any time they choose, and if they come across any infractions of the rules the cells will be manually locked off until the cell mates are found and the matter can be addressed. The worst that usually ever happens is what you mentioned earlier. They find evidence of theft from another inmate."

"I take it that their inspections are random?" Kate asked.

Val nodded, then smirked. "Actually, I think they just do it on a whim. I doubt that there is any real rotation of any kind." Val grinned. "Sometimes I think they are just nosey."

The two of them entered their cell. Val dragged one of the chairs over next to her bed, then sat on the bed. Kate sat down in the other chair across from Valeria.

Val glanced down the direction of the walkway that she could easily see. She nodded at Kate then jerked her head toward the direction behind her. Kate figured out what she was trying to say.

Kate spoke barely above a whisper. "There's no one coming from that way."

Val nodded. "No one coming from that way either." She indicated the other direction.

Kate gave her a slight smile. "I take it you don't want a guard around when you open up your box of candy. Do they have a tendency to help themselves to your sweets?"

Val didn't smile. "I'd just rather not have them around when I open the box."

Kate put her elbows on her knees, but kept one eye trained on the walkway outside their cell.

"It's getting close to the time where the gym will be converted to the dining room. The guards tend to linger about down there while that's going on."

Kate nodded this time. "I'm guessing that if you aren't on the conversion detail, you are supposed to be in your cell?"

Val smiled. "It's nice to know that you aren't all muscle and no brain."

Kate returned her smile. "Just don't tell anyone. You'll ruin my reputation."

Val smirked. "You have a reputation?

Kate shook her head. "I'm working on it."

Val had managed to tear the paper wrapping off the box and exposed one of those typical shiny, white glossy paper covered boxes normally used for chocolates and other candies. There was writing on the outside. A logo for a well-known candy company along with a picture of a longish, rectangular chocolate covered candy. The name of the confection was simply, Yummies.

Val opened the box and inside were 12 of the so-called Yummies. They were approximately three inches long and about two inches wide. They had the appearance of a small candy bar.

Val looked up at Kate and grinned. "I hope you have a sweet tooth."

Fascinated by what Val was doing, Kate watched as the woman carefully broke the candy bar in half length-wise. Inside the piece of candy were two long plastic capsules. Val quickly put the capsules in her pocket and shoved the candy into her mouth.

She then handed two of them to Kate and indicated that Kate should do as she had. Kate stared at her for a few seconds as Val broke open another piece of candy.

Val gave Kate a smile of appreciation. "I'm glad you are here now. I was afraid that eating all this candy would make me fat."

Kate snorted, but didn't say anything. She dutifully broke the candy in half and stuck the capsules in her shirt pocket and ate the candy. It really wasn't that much candy because most of the volume had been taken up by the capsules. Kate was pretty sure she knew what was in the capsules.

It only took the two of them about ten minutes to finish off the candy, and Kate handed over the capsules she uncovered to Val, who stuck them in her pocket. Then she got up and dumped the empty candy box into the large trash barrel just down from their cell.

Kate gave her a questioning look. "Don't the guards wonder about all that candy you seem to be eating?"

Val shook her head. "I just tell anyone who asks that I share them around. They all just walk away with a sour look since they haven't been given any of my candy."

Kate made sure she checked the outside walkway. "So, what's in those capsules?"

Val rolled her eyes. "Seriously, you work for Kristoff, I work for Kristoff. What do you think is in these capsules? And it's not candy."

Kate shot her back a 'look'. "Okay, I get it. Its drugs. But I was just wondering what you are peddling here."

Val glanced outside their door and looked both ways. "Okay, each capsule holds enough cocaine for the buyer to be able to do three to four lines depending on how big a snootful they like to take at a time."

Kate nodded. So this is what Valeria is here for. She graduated from drug mule, to pusher in a prison. She wasn't sure that was much of a promotion.

Val appeared to hesitate for a few moments. "Look Kat, I believe that you were sent here by Kristoff, but I really don't know you yet, so…" She looked somewhat embarrassed. "Would you go down the walkway and look like you are checking the schedule for a few minutes. I want to stash these away, and I'd rather not trust you where I do. At least not yet."

Kate stood up and shrugged. "Not a problem, I understand." She exited the cell and walked the twenty feet to the closest schedule. It was a good thing she did because it allowed her to find out that they were eating lunch at the first shift. That meant they could go down at 11:00.

A few minutes later, Val stuck her head out of the cell, being careful not to show her face to the few cameras along the walkways, and told Kate she could come back in.

Once back in the cell Kate sat on the chair and looked at Val. "What?" Val snapped.

"Okay, I saw you pick up the box sent to you. It had a stamp mark on it that you said meant that it had been x-rayed before you could receive it."

Val shrugged. "Yeah, so?"

"So how come those capsules weren't detected in the candy?"

Valeria plopped down on the corner of her bed and laughed. "For someone who works for a criminal you can be pretty naïve."

Kate answered her with a shrug. "What can I say? I'm just the bodyguard."

"Well, it's obvious you've never done time before if you think that the people who work in prisons are upstanding, gung ho, public servants." Val laughed. "When it comes to being guardians of our vaunted legal system, prison guards are at the bottom rung of the ladder."

Kate frowned. "I don't understand."

Kate could hear that several people were beginning to move around outside the cell on the walkway. It must mean that the first lunch shift is getting close. She glances out the door and could see several gals leaning over the railing staring down at the converted dining area.

Val grabbed Kate by her sleeve and pulled her back by the sink. She turned on the water, such that it came rushing out in a loud gush.

"There is no way I would be able to sell drugs to the inmates, if I didn't have a little help from those who control certain things. I have a few guards and prison employees, who are on our payroll. One was the young gal who handed me the package. Her main job is handling incoming packages and envelops. She is the one who runs them through the x-ray machine, then stamps it as having been checked."

Val turned the water off and began to dry her hands, which were barely wet. "Anything that has my name on it gets stamped without being scanned."

Kate nodded. "Smart. So there's only one gal who does that?"

"Yep." Val answered. "The postal incoming and outgoing area is only open, during the 7:00 to 10:00 and the 2:00 to 4:00 free time. The postal service is only open till 4:00 five days a week. So there is only one person who works our little post office."

Kate furrowed her brow. "But what if she's out sick, or something."

Since that woman is the only one certified to run the x-ray machine…" Val saw the confusion on Kate's face. "It's a really old machine and it breaks down a lot. The prison administration has yet to invest in better equipment, or another employee. So if she isn't in for any reason, the post office stays closed until she is back. Belmont doesn't really care about our letters from home."

Kate just shook her head. "That doesn't seem like a good long term solution. There is too much riding on one person, and continued indifference by the Administration."

Val shrugged. "By the time the system falls apart I expect to be out of here, and it will be someone else's problem." Val gave Kate a hard stare.

Kate held her hands up. "Oh no, I'm just the hired muscle. Please remember that."

Val laughed. "Don't worry your… artistic head about it. There are safeguards and protections in place for us at this prison." Val glanced at the clock. "But that will have to wait until later, it's time for lunch."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Castle brought coffee to both Esposito and Ryan. He then rolled Beckett's chair over next to Ryan's desk.

"Okay, what have we got here?"

Ryan stared at him, and Esposito just shook his head back and forth and pointed at the chair. "Do you think that Beckett would allow you to sit in her chair?"

Castle thought briefly that with how things between them were now, she probably wouldn't care… well, he didn't think she would care.

"So what? She not here, she'll never know."

Ryan laughed as Esposito frowned at him. "You really think so?"

Castle looked at the two of them, then let his head fall to his chin. "No, you're right. Somehow with her witchy woman's ways she'll know I sat here."

He pushed her chair back behind her desk, and slid his ragged old chair next to Ryan's desk. Ryan gave him an annoyed look. Rick gave Kevin his megawatt smile.

"So what's first?"

Javi turned his chair toward Castle. "Well, since Beckett usually creates the timeline on a murder board, I guess that task now falls to you."

Castle jumped up. "I can do that. I have great penmanship." He looked around the three desks. "Where is the murder board?"

Ryan pointed toward the supply room. Castle snapped his fingers and hustled over to get them a nice clean white board they can use to create their murder board.

He set it up just adjacent to Kate's desk like she usually did. He ran back to the supply room and brought back six different colored markers and set them all in the white board's tray.

He stood back and admired his handy work, then snapped his fingers as he realized he didn't bring an eraser. He went back once again to retrieve an eraser.

With a smile on his face. He drew a long horizontal line across much of the board. He then wrote down the victim's name, Dimitri Chekov, 28 year old white male. Then he looked over at the boys.

Ryan rolled his eyes. "Is that all you got?"

"Yeah, well I'm not used to being the one who gets the facts. Lanie said he lived over in Little Odessa, but never told me the address."

"Well she did tell me." Javi smirked. He gave Castle the address and he wrote it down.

"Okay, what else do we have?"

Ryan gave Castle a shrug. "That's all until we get Lanie's report. We know it was a large caliber gunshot but don't have it definitive yet. Also we don't have a definitive COD yet either even though it is obvious."

Castle looked lost. "So what do we do?"

"We use his name and address to see what information is out there on Dimitri Chekov. You are the master of research Castle… research."

Castle grumbled as he pulled out his phone. Since he didn't know Beckett's password he couldn't log into her computer, so he was stuck using his phone to check on all his favorite search engines.

After about an hour, Rick was getting cramps in his thumbs from using his phone for searching. He looked up at Espo and Ryan. "Hey, you guys get anything yet?"

Ryan looked over his shoulder toward Castle. "Not much. From his address I was able to track down his social security number which allowed me to find out where he worked."

Castle frowned. "How come you were able to get all that. All I could find was somebody by that name used to be a pretty good hockey player a few years ago. Got a tryout with the Islanders."

"It helps to have police access to certain data bases." Espo smirked.

"You guys aren't playing fair." Suddenly Castle got a big smile on his face. He reached over and wrote down under Chekov's name that he worked for Kristoff Anitovich as 'muscle'.

Ryan looked at him, the question mark in his expression was obvious. "How did you confirm that connection? We only supposed he might work for Anitovich."

Javi jumped in. "Yeah, his social security info gives Kodiak Shipping as his place of employment. Now, Kristoff does run Kodiak Shipping, but Chekov could just be a dock jockey."

Castle stared at his hands for a few moments. "Yeah, well, I was worried about Beckett so I kind of used some privileged information to check with a Lt. Walters over at the 29th to see if he knew whether or not Chekov was tied to Kristoff. He confirmed that he was muscle for Anitovich."

Both of the two other partners glared at Rick. "And exactly how does the death of a soldier for a big time Russian drug dealer affect Beckett's special assignment?" Ryan asked. "And who is Walters?"

Castle had trouble meeting the eyes of either of them. "I can't really say, because its information that I'm not even supposed to know. But the Lieutenant thanked me for the information and ensured me that Chekov's murder should have little to no effect on Kate assignment."

Esposito scrunched up his face like he was thinking hard. He looked up at Castle and snapped his fingers. "I just made the connection. I know of a Lt. Walters. He's in charge of the Gangs Task Force."

He scowled. "He must've been the guy who called me about Beckett's breakfast habits. He never gave me his name. Are you telling me that Beckett is somehow involved with Russian gangs pushing drugs? I know she speaks Russian from her time in Kiev."

Castle shook his head. "I'm not telling you anything. I know nutting and see nutting."

"Mister Castle, and you too detectives. If you would please join me in my office." An all too familiar voice startled all three of them.

Javi glared at Ryan. "Why didn't you warn me she was back from 1PP?"

Ryan matched his glare. "Why didn't you warn me?"

Castle just let his chin meet his chest as he shuffled his way into Gates' office.

"Detectives, sit." She pointed to chairs in front of her desk. She turned her icy glare on Castle. "Now, Mr. Castle if you would be so kind as to tell me why two of my detectives are discussing information that they aren't supposed to have any knowledge of. Information you weren't even supposed to be aware of."

Castle noticed that Gates hadn't invited him to sit down, she just locked eyes with him as she also continued to stand.

"Um, sir, I can explain."

"I'm waiting Mr. Castle."

"You see, the boys called me this morning and asked if wanted to join them on a body drop." Gates shifted her glare toward Espo and Ryan, then shifted it back to Castle.

"And, when I got there I found out the victim was a young Russian. The guys wondered since our victim had been murdered if he was at all connected to the Russian gangs. Particularly, Kristoff Anitovich."

Gates' eyes squinted in anger. "And you immediately assume that any murdered Russian is a member of a gang?"

Castle shuffled his feet. "Not exactly. I knew enough to be worried about the possibility so I called Lt. Walters and asked if he knew of a Dimitri Chekov and he did. He hemmed and hawed for a bit, but then he relented and said that we would eventually find out in the course of our investigation anyway. He told me that Chekov was muscle for Anitovich's businesses."

Gates took a few moments to think about things. Then she asked. "Did he make any mention as to whether or not this might have any impact on Beckett's assignment?"

Castle shook his head. "He didn't see how it would, but he thanked me for the heads up and told me that if he thought Beckett would need to know he had a way to get information to her."

Gates nodded. "I suspected as much." She glanced over at the two detectives. "As for you two, I want you to investigate this murder as you would any other murder. Do not waste your time trying to imagine whether or not Detective Beckett is anywhere close to this situation. I can tell you that she is not." Gates pursed her lips. "I will tell you that she is not even in New York City. So go and do your jobs, and let Detective Beckett do hers."

Castle scooted out the door with Ryan and Esposito right on his tail.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Kate and Valeria were strolling back to their cells, during the chaos of the leaving of Lunch One, and the incoming inmates who would be eating during Lunch Two. After which the tables and chairs would be taken down, placed on their storage carts and wheeled into a storage room until dinner, when the ballet that was the dining room conversion would be danced again.

As the two cellmates sat down to pass the hours of restricted movement until their scheduled afternoon free time. Kate wondered how much she should push to know how things worked out in the little enterprise that Val seemed to be in charge of. She didn't want to cause Val to clam up wondering why this weird girl with all the tattoos was so nosey.

But if you don't ask, you'll never know. "So, I don't mean to be nosey here." Kate started out hesitantly. "But how can you sell drugs to inmates in a prison? It's not like we have our own cash to use."

Val gave Kate a big smile. "Oh but you do." Kate looked confused. "I know you were told that any money you brought into the prison when you were being processed would be held in an account specifically for you."

Kate nodded. "Yeah, and we could add to it by volunteering for paid work details and get donations from relatives and such."

Val continued. "And you have a card that you can use to acquire things from the stores within the prison. Just like you would use a bank card."

Kate's mouth hung open. "You take credit cards?"

Val laughed. "Not exactly. We use the system the store has."

Kate chuckled. "Okay, but I find it hard to believe that the little store down on the first floor carries cocaine in small plastic capsules for the asking."

Val laughed. "In a sense they do. You just have to know how to use the system, and have a couple of attendants who are on our payroll too."

Kate shook her head, and missed have her long hair slapping her in the face when she does. "You're are going to have to explain that to me. My tiny brain cannot wrap my head around how something like that could work."

Val suddenly appeared to shut down. The look on her face suddenly became suspicious.

Kate was quick to reassure her. "Hey, if you don't want to tell me, I'm fine with that. I don't do drugs so I wouldn't need to know how. I was just curious."

Valeria studied Kate's earnest face for a few moments, then smiled. "Hey, if you're going to be my henchwoman, I guess you need to know how things work."

They both shared a laugh. Val turned more toward Kate directly. "As it happens, this is a fair sized prison, but the store is pretty small in comparison and it has a problem in keeping certain things in stock. Before you'd just have to keep going back to the store and hope you were one of the first people there when whatever it was comes back into stock. If you miss out again, you're out of luck."

Val leaned back in her chair. "So they decided to create a system where if a particular item is out of stock, but is one that is normally stocked, an inmate can go ahead and pay for the particular item to make sure they would be able to get it first once the stock is replenished."

Val was getting into her presentation. She was waving her hands and changing the inflection of her voice. "Normally when you buy something, your card is run and if you have the money in your account you can take the item with you and your card has had the amount deducted from your account, but you don't get a receipt for it."

"In order to track purchases of items that were not in stock at the time of the purchase, that is the only time that the buyer gets a receipt. They keep it as their proof of purchase. The receipt has the product number on it. Whenever resupply come in the inmate can come up and show her receipt and receive the item in exchange for that receipt."

Kate sat there with a look a amazement on her face. "Are you telling me?"

Val smirked. "Telling you what?"

"Are you telling me that you've managed to program a product number for your drugs into the system?" Kate spread her hands out in a 'what the f*ck' expression.

Val nodded while smiling. "Yep, but I had nothing to do with the technical maneuvering. And to get their drugs, they have to give that receipt to me, and then I give them their fix, if I have the stock handy." Val shrugged. "Sometimes I have trouble keeping my product in stock."

Val paced a bit. "I've only been here a little over a month. So we are still in the growing stages of our operations here. But there are hopes that it can grow into a very lucrative operation over time. Hopefully I'll be gone by then."

Kate gazed at Val for several moments. She had a slight smile on her face. It had become clear to Kate that Val was a lonely young woman. She had seized on the story that Kate gave her with only the minimal of urging. She so badly wanted to be not the only one abandoned in here that she was willing to share information with Kate that a smart and savvy person would be very reluctant to do. Val was not just some dummy, but her intellect sometimes stepped aside for her emotional needs.

Kate leaned forward. "So you are telling me that your boss was able to get access to that particular system used by Belmont for their internal store and inserted a product number for a product that they don't actually have."

Val nodded again. "That's right. But since it's all within the electronics of the system nobody would ever know, and the money for that particular product number is happily sent to a secure bank account created just for the drug moneys."

Kate thought for a few moments. "I assume that at least some of the prison staff work that store are on the take, so to speak, and are aware of the product number they need to input for the presale of the drugs."

"Off course." Val responded as if anyone should know that. "There is a four person rotation of the staff, but at least one, and normally two are on duty who are in our pocket. You would have to be aware of who is who before you attempt to buy drugs from them." Val shrugs. "It's part of my function to make sure my customers know who to buy from."

Kate just shook her head again. "I can't believe it. But really, how was it ever set up in the first place? I would have to think that it would be hard for an outsider to insert such programing unnoticed?"

"Well that's where Kristoff's secret weapon comes in."

Kate tilted her head like a dog awaiting a treat.

Val smirked again. "The number two in this prison, but really the one who actually runs things is part of Kristoff's organization." Val actually giggled. "You might have met her, Lieutenant Hellicson?"

Kate's jaw dropped. "You've got to be kidding me. She would be the last one I could ever see playing both sides. She just doesn't seem the type."

Val laughed. "People will surprise you. But blood will usually win out." Kate felt lost. "Hellicson is her married name. She's a widow, her husband died several years ago. Her maiden name is Anitovich. She's Kristoff's sister."

A/N: Surprise!

All Readers are Appreciated, Review if you wish.