The Other Path

Chapter 16

With Rick behind her, Kate pushes her way past the robed guardian. She meets the hostile stares of a small group of men gathered around what looks like a wedding canopy. "How dare you disturb a holy ceremony?" a bearded man standing in front of a podium holding a large book demands.

Hearing frantic protests from behind a side door, Kate ignores him. She draws her weapon and kicks her way in. "Help me," the woman Kate saw dragged into the building pleads.

An older woman, holding a wedding gown, turns on Kate in a fury. "This is God's will. You have no right to interfere."

Kate holds her weapon high. "I'm Detective Kate Beckett. And unless God decides to tell me what's going on here, I want to hear it from the bride." She nods toward the woman who asked for help. "Can I assume that's supposed to be you? What's your name?"

"Leah, Leah Jones. Two elders grabbed me and brought me here. They said I had to marry Lot. So did my parents. He's their choice. But he isn't mine. I don't want to get married to Lot or anyone. I want to go to college. Ms. Ramirez said she'd help pay for it and hire me when I finished."

"Meredith Ramirez?" Rick asks.

"Yes," Leah confirms. "I tried to call her when the elders came to the house. But she didn't answer."

"She couldn't answer, Leah," Rick responds gently. "She's dead."

Leah buries her face in her hands. "She was my only way out. Now, what am I supposed to do?"

"How old are you, Leah?" Kate asks.

"Eighteen. I just turned eighteen today. The wedding was supposed to happen before that, but Elder Saul became ill."

"These goons wanted to do it while Leah was still a minor and under her parents' control," Rick realizes.

"Well, you're not under your parents' control now, Leah. I'm going to get you out of here," Kate avows, "and arrest the men who grabbed you for kidnapping."

Tears stream from Leah's eyes. "But I have nowhere to go. Everyone I know is part of the lodge."

Rick's eyes meet Kate's in agreement. "You have a place to go," he responds.


Wide-eyed, Leah gazes around the Castle loft. "I've never seen a place like this before."

"I've been told many times that it's one of a kind," Rick assures her.

"How many people live here?" Leah wonders.

"Presently, just Detective Beckett – she and I are married – and myself. My daughter Alexis is in a dorm at Columbia, and my mother decided to get her own place when her stage career got its second wind." Rick gestures toward the stairs. "You'll be up there, in Mother's old room. You'll have your own bathroom. And I think you and Alexis are about the same size. I don't think she'll mind you borrowing some of her things until we can retrieve yours. We have extra toothbrushes and assorted sundries for guests. And I can take you shopping for anything you need now." Rick notes the heat rising in Leah's face. "Or Kate can do it when she finishes up her police chores. So are you hungry? Kate's always saying I keep the kitchen way beyond well-stocked."

"I um, that is our family, keeps to biblical laws about what we eat," Leah confides.

"You mean kosher?" Rick inquires.

"I think some people call it that. Sometimes the packages have a K on them. I guess I don't have to eat like that anymore, but I'm used to it."

"If that's what makes you comfortable, it's not a problem. Goldstein's Deli is only a couple of miles from here. They're as kosher as it gets." Rick grins. "And they deliver."


Wearily, Kate tosses her pen on her desk and switches off her computer screen. Stumbling onto a kidnapping during a murder investigation was messy enough. But the immediate accusations of trampling on religious freedom make it worse. Still, the DA and even Gates assured her she's on solid ground. And Rick taking on the task of looking after Leah makes things easier. When the woman feels safer, Kate should be able to get the full details of the kidnapping. And Leah's connection to both Meredith Ramirez and Northstar may give her some insights into the murder. But Kate doesn't want to lean on her about that, at least until the morning. According to Rick's texts, he has her more or less settled, but she's still on edge. And they'll be eating kosher for a while. Kate can't deny that she's looking forward to a fat pastrami sandwich. Bagels and lox for breakfast wouldn't be bad either."


"Do you feel up to talking?" Kate asks Leah as Rick pours coffee. "The reason Rick and I were watching the North Star Lodge yesterday is we suspect it might be connected to Meredith Ramirez's murder. Do you know of anyone at the lodge who might have had it out for her?"

"Almost everyone. I told my parents and my sisters and brothers what I wanted to do. I think they told just about all of the brethren. And the elders would have had to meet about it to plan the wedding."

"Was there anyone specific, maybe someone who spoke to you about your marriage opportunity, who was particularly furious at your resistance to North Star customs?" Rick queries.

"I don't – well, maybe. My sister Ahira was very upset. She has an affliction that the elders say would contaminate the bloodline. They won't let her marry. So she's kind of obsessed with my doing what she can't. She thinks Ms. Ramirez was sent by the devil, or at least following his instructions. But I can't imagine her hurting anyone."

Rick sighs. "People do unexpected things. I've been working with Kate for seven years, and some of them still surprise the heck out of me."

"How can we talk to Ahira?" Kate asks. "Is she still in school?"

"She's older than I am. She's already graduated. And we went to a private school funded by North Star. No one who went there would trust anyone from the outside."

"You did," Rick points out.

"That was an accident. Something went wrong with the school's computer, and a woman from Heights Software came to fix it. I was working in the office that day. We all had to work in the school somewhere. If a visitor was a man, I wouldn't have even been allowed to look at him. But I started talking to the tech, Judith. She told me about Ms. Ramirez and her program to help girls. She helped set up a meeting for me.

"I was afraid to go, but I wanted to see if what Judith told me could be true. So I told my mother I needed to get some seeds. We keep a little herb garden. And I met Ms. Ramirez. After that, I saw North Star and everything I'd been taught differently. And when the elders picked out Lot for me, he was just – I knew I couldn't marry him. But the elders said I had no choice. If you hadn't come, I'd be married to him now. And he would have – you know."

"Well, you aren't, and he didn't," Rick declares.

"But I do need to talk to your sister," Kate puts in softly.

"North Star has a plot in a community garden. Ahira likes working with plants. You might be able to find her there."