The Other Path

Chapter 48

"I'm not saying anything until my lawyer gets here," Duncan Fairborough declares, staring sullenly across the table at Kate.

Kate shrugs. "You want to wait for your family attorney? Fine. That gives us more time for the lab results to come back."

Duncan lunges across the table as far as his restraints allow. "What lab results?"

Kate smiles. "I don't have to say anything until your lawyer comes either. Come to think of it, I didn't have much breakfast. So I believe I'll get lunch while we wait. See you later."

"Don't I get lunch?" Duncan protests.

"Sure, they're serving in holding. Do you want to go back and join your cellmate? I believe he's anxious to get to know you better."

The color fades from Duncan's already pale skin. "I'll wait here."

Rick grins as Kate meets him in observation. "Just going to let him stew for a while?"

"Yes, but I also want the lab results to come in. We got his DNA when he was processed. If it matches what Lanie found on Sherrie's body, we've got a slam dunk. And with all the other evidence, there won't be much his lawyer can do."

"You want me to get burgers from Remy's?"

"Double fries."

"Absolutely."


"Are those the DNA results?" Rick asks when Kate's phone dings a text as she's dipping her last steak fry in a pool of ketchup.

Kate picks up her cell. "Uh-huh. Even for a buff jock, cutting up a body is hard work. Duncan was a match to some sweat that dripped on Sherrie's torso. As soon as his lawyer gets here, I'll give them both the bad news. And while you were at Remy's, Tech recovered the most recent saved document on Sherrie's computer. I don't know what she found in the Ledger's morgue before she was killed, but it still doesn't look good for the Fairboroughs."

"Perhaps," Rick considers, "I can retrace her steps and finish the book for her. Black Pawn might want to publish it. Or, if I adapt her story as part of my novel, I'll give Sherrie a writing credit. She deserves at least that much."

Kate leans across their high break room table to bless Rick's mouth with a ketchup-flavored kiss. "Sweet. Do you want to join me in interrogation when Duncan's attorney gets here?"

"That would be…."

"Richard" blasts from Rick's cell.

"That's a 911 from Mother. She had an audition this morning. Something serious must be going on for her to break her concentration to call for me." Rick drops from his stool. "I need to check it out."

"Go! Call me if she needs my help."

Rick returns Kate's kiss. "I will."


Rick spies Martha standing outside the theater between two uniformed officers, her hair uncharacteristically awry and with a tear in the arm of her silk blouse. "What happened, Mother?"

"Richard, I've worked with many method actors, but none of them did anything like this before. I was reading for the role of the controlling grandmother, and the young man playing my grandson went completely off-script and attacked me."

"Are you all right?" Rick asks.

"I'm fine, but he isn't. I had a prop umbrella. I poked at him to hold him off, and he collapsed. The medics took him to the hospital."

"You're Mr. Castle, the writer who works with Detective Beckett, aren't you?" one of the cops with Martha asks.

"That's right," Rick confirms.

"Then you should know that the man Ms. Rodgers struck with that umbrella was in bad shape. We will have to take her in and get this sorted out."

"Can't I take her home to get herself together first?" Rick queries. "I can bring her to the precinct to give her statement later."

"Sorry, Mr. Castle. We already called this in, and we have orders from our sergeant to transport her now."

Rick squeezes Martha's hand. "I'll be right behind you. Everything will be fine."


Kate meets Rick as he steps off the elevator at the 12th. "We just got word. Lawrence Marah, the actor Martha jabbed with the umbrella, didn't make it. We're going to have to hold her until the doctors figure out what happened. And Gates has barred both of us from the investigation."

"Who's got it?"

"Ryan and Esposito. Unis are securing the scene. The boys are already on the way to question witnesses."

"Marah's death can't be Mother's fault. She said he went off the rails before she defended herself. Something was wrong with him."

"Babe, the autopsy will determine that."

"Who's doing it?"

"Perlmutter. Lanie could be accused of favoritism toward us."

"Yeah. Not a problem with that with Perlmutter, at least not toward me. Can I at least go sit with Mother?"

Gates approaches the couple. "Of course, you can, Mr. Castle. Ms. Rodgers isn't charged with anything yet. But we'll have to follow the investigation wherever it leads."

"Well, it won't lead to her," Rick declares.

In Interrogation, Martha rushes into Rick's arms. "Oh, Richard, I don't understand what's happening."

"We'll figure it out," Rick assures her. "Let's sit down," he suggests urging Martha back into her chair. Taking the seat next to her, he reaches for her hand. "All right. Now, when Larry Marah was reading with you, how did he look?"

"Angry, defiant, but that was part of his character. He wouldn't have been acting if he hadn't."

"Anything else?" Rick presses. "Was he sweating? What about his eyes?"

Martha closes her own eyes to recall the scene. "He was perspiring. Still, many actors sweat through auditions. But there was something strange about his eyes. His eyelids were flicking up and down. Does that mean something?"

"If I recall the research I did on drugs when I was writing one of my earlier books, it's a symptom of PCP use. That would make sense with his behavior. And we might not have to wait for the autopsy. The hospital may have run a screen on him. Sit tight, Mother. I'll see what I can find out."

"Hurry, Richard."

Rick kisses Martha's cheek. "I'll do my best."

Kate sighs. "Babe, you know I'm not getting any info on this case."

"But the boys could find out, couldn't they? We can ask Ryan. After Mother's run in Gypsy, he practically worships her."


"The hospital did run a screen," Ryan whispers into his phone. "We're supposed to clear it with Gates before saying anything, but Martha should know she's off the hook. Larry Marah had enough PCP in his system to take down two guys. It's no wonder he attacked her. He was probably hallucinating. Perlmutter's going to tell us more when he finishes his prelim. But it's a good thing Martha had a way to defend herself. Marah could have done anything."

"I don't know how much better she'll feel, but I'll tell her," Rick promises.

"Just don't do it on a live mic," Ryan cautions, "or Gates will have my ass."

"Have no fear. No one is better at spotting a live mic than Martha Rodgers."


Rick pours three glasses of red wine and hands one to Martha and one to Kate. "Hell of a day."

"At least Martha was cleared, and Gates is letting us in on the case," Kate notes. "Marah's death looks like a homicide. He may have died of PCP, but we have no idea how it got into his system. Usually, it's an adulterant in another drug, but his screen was clear of everything except the PCP, even cannabis. And he had no history of drug use. Martha, do you have any idea who might have had it in for Marah?"

"I never met Lawrence before the audition. But he and Moxie Generis, the director, seemed acquainted. She might know."

Kate nods. "First thing tomorrow, we'll ask her."