American Crime Stories
Arc three, Chapter thirty three
A little while later, the three decided to walk over to the conference rooms and check on the teams. In the first one, they saw Santiago looking intently at a smart board that was running combinations of names, while Forester was looking at the white board they brought up with all the information on it. However, absent was the fake day planer Castle had put on the desk downstairs with all the names associated with the case. He pointed that out the detectives who shook their heads.
The point they had wanted to make for this case was to always check the evidence thoroughly and use their own brain power as much as possible. Yes, the tech and fancy toys the FBI had were great, but that shouldn't stop them from doing their due diligence themselves and learn from that experience.
It had been Shaw who had pointed out the fact that many of the younger agents relied too much on the fancy toys, letting them do their thinking for them. Sure, she used the tech herself, but for her it was a tool for aiding her and in some cases, as check-up for the conclusions she had made herself.
It was something that Castle understood. Yes, he loved the fancy tech, everybody knew that. However, they didn't have smart boards and the other toys at the 12th, but were able to solve those cases and all the others without them.
When they had prepared the cases, he, Ryan and Esposito had made sure that many clues were on site, waiting to be picked up. It should have been easy to figure them out, even for the younger and inexperienced agents. At this time, they should have had proof that the husband had killed Ashley. The video of him at the game was supposed to restart the clock, just like it had done for him and Kate. Instead, one of their group had come in alone and taken the bait with the anagram. Now, those two were wasting time.
They walked to the other conference room to check up on the other team. They could see Hill, Polter and Li trying to put the puzzle together. At least they were working as a team. That was the point of their case. To show them that they were only going to make it as a team.
"Come on guys, time for lunch. I'm going to order some pizzas. The same as usual for you?"
"Sure. Thanks, bro." "Yes, thanks, Castle."
Shortly after the full hour, Santiago came into the office. "What's the guy's name?" Castle asked without greeting.
"Evan Hinkle," she replied.
"And how did you find this name?" He asked.
"The anagram," Santiago replied.
"Pity," Castle said shaking his head.
"The next clue is that Evan canceled his meeting and instead the victim had lunch with the man she had a screaming match with."
"And who was that?" Santiago asked.
Castle looked at her. "Carmen, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure Castle, what do you want to know?"
"How much time did Mike and you actually spend looking over the crime scene? When you went back for the white board, did you even stop to look around?"
"No, we got the board and walked out," Santiago replied looking a little red from embarrassment.
"Can I let you in on a little secret?" Rick asked and Santiago nodded hesitantly.
"You guys got the easy case. The fact that it took you until now to figure that out is staggering. You could find the answers to all of your questions at the crime scene. In fact, the answers to almost every question have been just sitting there waiting for you to pick up. Go away and think about what I just said. Talk it over with Mike." Santiago nodded and walked away.
A few minutes later, Hill, Polter and Li came up. "Puzzle is done. A clown fish? Are you making fun of us?" Hill asked crankily.
"No, we're not. If you'd think about it, you'd realize that the puzzle was another clue," Castle said and turned to Esposito and Ryan.
"Right, your ballistics came back negative," Esposito said.
"However, we do have another clue for you. Unfortunately for you, it won't make much sense without the clue you guys didn't get," Ryan said and continued. "However, it is possible for you to figure out that missing clue if you go back and really look at the clues you have so far."
Hill nodded.
"Anyway, before the guys tell you anything else, I should let you know that the last clue I gave the other team should get them extremely close to solving their case. So, you should put a little more effort in it if you want to win", Castle told them.
Looking unhappy, Hill nodded again.
"Here is the next clue. The victim's apartment is rent controlled. If it stays in the family, it stays rent controlled. $562 a month. 3-bedroom."
"I'd kill for that," Li said.
"You know, I think Beckett said something similar," Castle said.
Ryan looked to Esposito and Castle. They had talked about various scenarios and how to react. Here was one of them.
"You have two questions to figure out the missing clue. Talk it over between yourselves," Ryan told them.
The others talked about for a few minutes.
"Is the missing clue about who told you about the victims' nightly strolls?" Hill asked.
"It is," Ryan replied.
"Is the clue that a family member told you about the strolls?" Hill asked with her eyes closed.
"Exactly," Ryan exclaimed. "The son-in-law told us about the night-time walks," Ryan replied.
"Your next clue is salt," Esposito told them. "The victim had salt dust on his wrist and clothes."
"You have a few minutes to think about that as you have a late lunch. I ordered us some pizzas. Go back to your room and think about what that last clue could have to do with anything you have learned so far and eat your pizza," Castle told them waving them out of the room.
They walked out the room when Hill turned to Polter and Li. "Do you guys have any idea what salt could have to do with anything?"
"No, sorry. Then again, Castle did say some clues would help us and some clues would slow us down. Maybe this is one of the slow clues," Polter said shrugging.
"Maybe, but I think it's the clue that solves the whole case and we won't know what to do with it until later," Li suggested.
"It's possible. He jammed us up for not working together. This could also be a trick," Polter said.
When they got to their conference room they saw five pizzas sitting on the table.
"We must have just missed the pizza guy," Polter said.
"Wait, they left all the pizza here. Two of these were supposed to go to the others. If it's alright with you, I'll take the pizzas to them, and see how they're doing and whether I could help them," Li said. When the others nodded, she grabbed two pizza boxes and left.
She walked into the conference room. "Hey guys, Castle ordered pizza for everyone, but they left them all in our room. These two are for you," Li said putting the pizzas on the table.
Forester and Santiago happily grabbed a box and started eating.
"So how's it going?" Li asked.
"Not so good," Forester replied. "They made it clear that we screwed up big time by not looking over our crime scene thoroughly. We went back to it and checked the scene itself and the crime scene photos. It turns out that they put clues into the crime scene that would have helped us. Clues like that fact that the vic's husband took out a $3-million life insurance policy one month before his wife was killed."
"You know, my first thought was that the husband was the killer. That seemed to confirm it, despite the fact what Castle had told us that the husband had an alibi. That was until we found a flash drive with a clip of the St. Johns game at the Garden showing the husband exactly the minute his wife was killed," Santiago told Li.
"What about the other two?"
"We hit a snag early on when Melissa went to the others alone and subsequently missed part of the clues," Li reported. "First they told us off for it, but then offered us the chance to get the clue back."
"You know, I'm very impressed with the time and effort the three of them took to prepare all this, down to the smallest clue at the crime scenes. That makes it worse standing their looking at them when they told us off for making such a rookie mistake," Li said.
"Yeah, we had a similar problem. I really want to show them that we can do this and solve the case," Forester said balling up a piece of paper and tossing it at the turned off tech board hanging on the wall.
"You know, they are giving us clues within clues. He gave the other team a puzzle of clown… Fish!" Li exclaimed, almost pushing Santiago out of the way to get to the white board. "They gave the other team a puzzle of a clown fish and told us that that was a clue. We've spoken for a few minutes about that before I brought you the pizzas. None of us had any idea what he meant, but I think that I do now."
Li said pointing at the picture of a clown fish in the fish tank in the therapist's office. "Guys, I think our cases are connected," Li said.
"You have got to be kidding me?!" Forester exclaimed looking at the picture.
"Do you think they were related in real life?" Santiago asked.
"I don't know, but they're related today. Let's call the others. We're looking for the same killer," Li called Hill.
"Melissa, hi, listen, grab your white board and everything else and come to the other room. We think that the two cases are related."
"Shit. We're packing up and coming to you as soon as possible," Hill replied and ended the call.
A few minutes later, Hill and Polter walked into the conference room. Hill was carrying the pizza and Polter rolled the white board in.
"Clown fish," Polter said as he looked at the other teams white board.
"You know, I was impressed when we found all the records in the fake office they prepared, but this is just crazy," Forester said.
"Yeah. Look, there is another clue. The white dust on her clothes, it's salt," Hill said pointing to the dust.
"Alright, as our floater Li knows both cases, but let's brief each other on what we have so that we're all on the same page," Forester suggested.
Ten minutes later all five agents walked into the office of the VCTF.
"Yes, can we help you? It's not time for any clue yet," Castle said.
"Both cases are connected," Hill stated, but the others didn't react.
"What makes you say that?" Esposito asked.
"Salt," Hill replied. "You told us the white dust on our victim was salt. Is the white powder on the therapist sleeve salt, too?" she asked.
"It is," Castle replied.
"Okay, now we need to check both victims' families and see what they have in common," Forester stated.
Castle grabbed a file and handed it to him. "This is everything your victim's daughter and son-in-law knew about the victim. Use this list, and everything you have from your victims' office to find your suspect."
"Out of curiosity, who made the connection about the two cases?" Castle asked.
"I did, but it was an accident," Li said.
"Good job, Fay. There are a lot cases we've worked together that were broken open because of some small fact. Remember that, all of you. Now go, work the evidence."
The agents left the office and the three continued to eat their pizzas.
Twenty minutes later the agents came back again.
"Grovner," Hill said.
"What do you mean, 'Grovner'," Castle asked.
"Grovner is the only name on the list that matches anything in the office," Hill said.
"You cracked that one, Melissa?"
"I did. This guy is the only connection to the two victims," Hill stated proudly.
"Your right. We found out that Wesley Grovner is a convicted sex offender who got out of jail two weeks before the murders. The principal at I.S. 161 told us that Grovner assaulted the math teacher after Anderson had reported him on suspicion of child abuse," Ryan explained.
"For that reason, Grovner and his wife went to Ashley for couples' counselling. But that didn't go too well, because they ended up filing for divorce. Not only that, but Ashley also testified against Grovner in court."
"So Grovner had reason to go after both our victims," Santiago stated smiling.
Castle could see that she thought that they had solved both cases, as did the others. He was more than happy to burst their bubble. "But here's the kicker," he said. "Wesley Grovner didn't do it."
"What?" Polter exclaimed. The other were surprised, too.
"Yeah, Grovner didn't do it. When we went to him he showed us his ankle monitor. He was under house arrest at the time of the murders," Esposito explained.
"And the fish tank? That turned into a bust, too. The salt on the victims was the same, but it didn't come from the tank," Castle said.
"You've got to be kidding me?" Santiago said looking confused.
"You're telling me?" Castle exclaimed. "I was the one that was sitting there looking at the two white boards the morning after we found out about this information. We had some of the same feelings you have now, but much, much worse," Castle said and Ryan and Esposito nodded.
"Anyway, let's move on. You're right about the fact that the two cases are connected. You next job is to figure out what or who connects your two victims."
The agents walked out of the office and back to the shared conference room.
The scenes repeated for the next hours until the time draw near to the end. Castle, Ryan and Esposito had sent the agents back one last time. When the agents got to their shared conference room, they all started talking.
A few seconds later, Forester whistled. "Okay! That's enough. We won't get anywhere if we speak all at the same time."
The others nodded sheepishly.
"We've been going at this for hours and it was only when we put our heads together that we figured out the Grovner angle. Which I think was one of the points they wanted to make today," Forester said and could see that the others thought the same.
"Anyway, we also came to the conclusion that they gave us some clues within clues. So, I suggest that we all take a few moments to try and remember everything they told us today. They've given us all the clues we needed to get here, I bet they've given us something to connect the cases and solve the cases, too."
"Mike's right. They've been testing us all day. They wanted us to listen to them and connect what they told us to the case. Like they were witnesses. Hell, I think that were Castle's words before he told us about the first victim," Hill said.
"Come on, everybody write down everything they can think of that the three of them have told us today. Then we'll go through that as a group," Forester suggested.
"Good idea. Write it all down and we'll go around the room," Polter said tearing off pages from his legal pad and passing them around.
A few minutes later, Forester looked up. "Has everybody finished?" He asked.
"Yeah, I think so," Hill said looking around the room.
"Okay, I'll go first. They told us to look at every detail and study every fact."
"They told us that a team leader needs to consult with his team or they mess things up."
"They told us that sometimes a tiny little thing can be the key to the case."
"They told us to study the facts and not let the computer studying the facts for you."
"There is no such thing as coincidences."
"Don't miss anything."
"And always check and double-check the murder board," Li said standing up and rolling the two bards side by side.
"We have to look at them again. I have no doubt that they set the two boards up like this for a reason. They told us that that they have given us everything we need. We just have to find it," she said standing on one side of the table looking at the two boards.
The others nodded, got up and stood next to her looking at the two boards.
"Alright, we're all sure that Jason Cosway killed his wife and Eric Marx his father-in-law," Forester said.
"Yeah, these two men defiantly are our killers," Hill agreed. "They have means, motive, but no opportunity. They have both solid alibis for the murders."
"Maybe the M.E. messed up the time of death?" Santiago suggested, but it was clear that she didn't really think that to be true.
"Both of them? I don't think so," Polter said.
"Yeah, didn't really think so, too," Santiago said balling up a piece of paper. "I know this son of a bitch killed his wife, I know he did."
Santiago said and threw the paper at the board. The picture of Jason Cosway fell off the board.
"Now look what you did," Hill said walking around the table to pick up the picture.
"You knocked our prime suspect off the list…" She paused thinking. "But he can't be our prime suspect, can he?" Hill said looking at the photo.
"Yeah, he's got an alibi. A nationally televised alibi," Li said.
"You on to something, Melissa?" Forester asked coming around the table topping next to her.
"Maybe. Just let me think out loud for a moment," she said and the others nodded. "Both of these men have alibis for the murder we think they did, right?" Hill asked.
"Jep," Polter said.
"Okay. Look at the time-lines again," Hill said grabbing a marker off the table. "Both men have an alibi for the murder we think they did, but look at the time frames for the other murder?" Hill said circling two empty time gaps on each of the time lines.
"Look they match," Hill said.
"Oh my god," Forester exclaimed. "You take my murder and I'll take yours."
"Hitchcock, 'Strangers on a train'," Santiago added.
"Exactly," Forester said taking the two photos of their suspects and sticking them to the other murder board.
"You're saying that these two men for whom we couldn't find any connection so far, met up and talked each other into killing for them?" Polter asked incredulously.
"I do. In the movie these two guys meet on a train and start complaining about their wives. The complaining becomes planning and bingo, two murders on the same night, done during a time when they have an airtight alibi for the other one," Hill explained shaking her head. "Let's check the facts again."
For the next few minutes the agents checked all the facts against their new theory.
"Are we sure about it?" Li asked and the others nodded. "All right. I'm going to get the others. You just make sure you're ready to explain it to them," Li said running out of the room.
"Hey guys, I think we cracked it?" Li said.
"You're kidding? It took you guys 45 minutes?" Castle asked.
"Is that faster or slower than it took you?" Li asked losing a bit of her enthusiasm.
"Slower, much slower. Alright guys, let's go and see what the agents have for us."
They walked into the conference room. "Hey guys, Fay here said that you have solved the cases. Impress us," Castle said taking a seat in the center of the conference table.
"It was Melissa's solve," Forester said patting the agent on the back.
"We were just talking, well complaining really, that we were sure that these guys were our killers. They had means, motive, but lacked the opportunity. Then Carmen got mad and tossed a paper ball at the board and Cosway's photo fell off. When I picked it up I looked at the two time-lines and I saw the gaps lined up perfectly. Marx had plenty enough time to get over the Ashley's office and kill her and then make it to the party. And Cosway had enough time to kill the old man and still make it to the office and call the cops," Hill explained.
"That's when it hit me. 'Strangers on a train'. You take my murder and I'll take yours," Forester said. "Sadly, we couldn't find the connection. We have some ideas, but no way to verify them."
Castle looked at Ryan and Esposito who nodded and then started to clap their hands.
"Congratulations. You're right, they did it. I can tell you that the two men met on the fairy and plotted the murders. Marx cracked under a prisoner's dilemma and confessed. Cosway is serving life in prison for one count of murder in the 1st degree, and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder. Marx is serving 15 years for murder in the 1st degree," Castle told the agents who congratulated each other.
"I don't want to sound arrogant, but it took you guys just under forty-five minutes to make the same connection I made in only a few minutes. However, I was lucky, my inspiration came from something the other detective said. Yours came from a paper ball. I want you to remember that, any small thing can help you solve a case. That's why you should always check and re-check the evidence. Speaking of which, if you had check the crime scenes more thoroughly, you would have found two receipts for the ferry we put there," Castle told the stunned agents.
"Anyway, before I take you out for some drinks, let's talk about today, what you think you did right or wrong and what you think you have learned."
A/N: Alright, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. There are only two chapter left before this story is completed.