For the People Chapter 20
"And now our first guest, Richard Castle," Stephen Cobbler announces as Rick joins him on stage.
Cobbler extends his hand. "Richard, or do you prefer Rick?"
Rick grins. "The only person who calls me Richard is my mother, so I think I'll stick with Rick, Stephen."
Cobbler gestures for Rick to sit. "I'll admit to the guilty pleasure of reading your Derrick Storm and Nikki Heat books. And I've found your recent work very enlightening, as well as perfect for propping open my office door. But we've never met before in person."
"Not quite true," Rick responds, eyebrows rippling. "Do you remember the Sci-fantastic Con? I signed a copy of the first Storm graphic novel for you."
Cobbler palms his face. "That's right! But I was dressed as Gandalf with a gray beard and everything. How did you know it was me?"
"You were wearing a badge with your name on it."
Cobbler colors. "Right. Well, I'm honored that you remembered."
"Any fan of Tolkien is all right in my book," Rick responds.
"I appreciate that. And I also appreciated your latest book, 'In God's Name: the Ultimate Blasphemy of Big Oil.' I couldn't put it down, which could account for the cramp in my shoulder."
"It is heavy reading," Rick agrees with a crooked smile. "But I hoped to illustrate how oil companies, particularly Flipvol, hijack people's faith and turn it to their own purposes. It's bad enough when they pick your pocket at the pump. But in the interest of higher profits, they are twisting something much more vital to hearts and minds. I want to expose their practices for the shameless manipulations they are."
"I hope you accomplish that, Rick," Cobbler offers. "And interest recently also kicked up for your previous book, 'Bracken: Decades of Murder and Deception.'"
"I believe that I can credit the Senate Ethics Committee for calling my wife, Assistant District Attorney Katherine Beckett, to testify, for that. Her many years of investigation developed quite an impressive case."
"She was also impressive in the Baird trial," Cobbler adds. "As crusaders, you two make quite the pair."
"Yes, we share a taste for justice – also for great cheeseburgers."
"Which will being us to our next guest," Stephen interjects. "Grill master extraordinaire, Dobby Dray, joins us right after the break."
"So, how did taping your interview with Stephen Cobbler go?" Kate inquires as Rick sheds his coat at the loft. "I don't know if I can stay awake long enough to watch it. I'm really tired, and I have three arraignments in the morning."
"The interview went OK. We got plugs in for both books. However, backstage was even better. The man knows his Middle Earth. He almost beat me at Tolkien trivia. But are you coming down with something? You're not usually tired this early. With my advancing years, I'm generally the one who nods off."
"I don't think I'm sick. I don't have a stuffed-up nose or anything. Maybe it's plea bargain overload. I did ten of them today."
"That's a record for you, isn't it?"
"A depressing one."
"So what would cheer you up?"
"Seeing Bracken at a defense table again."
"We're getting there, Kate. I can feel it."
As she's leaving the courtroom, a text appears on Kate's phone. "Come see me, Shapiro."
Gidon Shapiro waves Kate into his office. "Sit down Beckett. In the past couple of days, I've had calls from both our senators and our congresswoman. They're feeling a lot of pressure from their constituents to charge William Bracken for as many of his past crimes as we legally still can."
"That would still be all the murders, including my mother's," Kate realizes. "Waterman should have done that years ago. I had the evidence."
"I imagine that's true," Shapiro responds. "And you were a cop, not a prosecutor then, which would have made the whole situation a lot less complicated. My common sense tells me I should keep you as far away from the case as I can. You have way too much emotional investment. However, the political sentiment is that the public would derive tremendous satisfaction in seeing you put away the man you steadfastly pursued all these years for killing your mother and all the others."
"I wasn't all that steadfast," Kate admits. "If it hadn't been for my husband, I would have given up. Back then, a shrink told me to."
"Castle seems to have left that out of his book."
"He didn't want to embarrass me, and he said it wasn't relevant to the evidence against Bracken."
"He was right. It isn't relevant to the evidence. But the fact that you consulted a therapist about your investigation sheds even more doubt on your emotional state. The truth is, Kate, a lot of people would love to see you skewer Bracken in court. It would be a happy ending to a long tale of trials and tribulations. It would also be great messaging that no one is above the law, much as the Baird case was. But I have to be sure you can handle it. If Bracken gets any grounds for appeal, the whole matter could drag on for His Name knows how long. And the citizens of this city, this state, and this country would be even more convinced that our justice system is broken."
"So, are you asking me if I can keep it together enough to handle the trial?" Kate questions.
"No, I'm asking you if you can keep it together enough to win. And I want you to think hard before you answer."
"Will I be first chair?"
"No. I'll be first chair. We need to show this is coming from the top. But you'll be doing even more of the heavy lifting than you did with Baird, including the opening argument and possibly the closing. You have the facts at your fingertips more than I or anyone else possibly could. I can spell you with witnesses, particularly concerning the foundational information. But if you slip off the track while you're directly addressing the jury, I won't be able to jump in."
"Sir, I've never slipped off the track directly addressing a jury," Kate protests.
"You've never prosecuted your mother's murder before. That kind of pressure could mess with anyone's mind. So, perhaps you should talk to someone before you give me an answer."
The muscles pop on Kate's jaw. "You mean a shrink?"
"It couldn't hurt. And, of course, it would be totally confidential. Do you have one that you trust?"
"I haven't seen him in years, but yes, I do."
"Then talk to him, Beckett, and let me know. You have some time. I'll be taking the case to the Grand Jury tomorrow. We have more than enough for an easy indictment, but I want to make sure every possible charge is covered. By the time I get that done, I'll need your answer, one I can count on."
"You'll have it, Sir," Kate promises. "You'll have it."
An almost impossibly deep voice greets Kate as she enters a comfortably furnished office. "Kate Beckett. It's been quite a while. The last time we talked was after you had to shoot Dick Coonan and lost your tie to the man behind your mother's killer."
"It wasn't as lost as I thought it was back then, Dr. Burke," Kate confides.
"Yes, I read your husband's book. The situation came full circle, didn't it? You shot Coonan to save Castle and Castle helped you pick up the trail to Bracken again."
"It's more than a matter of picking up the trail now, Dr. Burke," Kate explains. "I have to decide whether I can be on the team to prosecute Bracken for my mother's murder."
Burke nods and waves Kate to a chair. "Then get comfortable, Kate. We have work to do."
