Flu

Chapter 110

To Merlin, the worst thing about the interrogation room at the 12th Precinct is the large mirror. It's bad enough to constantly have his image reflected at him, but he suspects there are gawkers on the other side. His mouth sets in a firm line. They may think they'll have something to see, but he won't give them anything to hear. He called the law firm that handles his finances and understands they'll be sending an attorney that deals in criminal matters. But he doesn't need counsel to tell him to keep his mouth shut. He only hopes the police won't hold him too long. His symptoms come and go, but after too many hours without his special medicine, the pain could become unbearable.

Rick gazes through the glass at Merlin. "He hasn't said a word since he asked to call a lawyer."

Muscles tighten along Kate's jaw. "That doesn't mean we can't talk to him. She grasps her leather folder against her chest. Come on, Babe. It's about time we faced Jasper with some facts his lawyer can't argue away."

Despite her expanding tummy, Kate slides smoothly into her chair and opens her folder. "I understand that you're availing yourself of your right to stay silent, Mr. Jasper. We will, of course, respect it. However, that right does not extend to silencing me, Mr. Castle, or anyone else who delivers facts to you. First, some things you may not know about a boy who was just trying to build a toy spaceship when you murdered him." Kate notes the disappearance of color from Merlin's face. Good. "Yes, we know about Larry Rosencrantz, Mr. Jasper.

"What's more, we have a witness who heard you threaten him. Perhaps you might have considered staying silent decades ago. You screamed at a child, a sweet and creative boy against whom no one bore ill will – except you. Larry's voice is still calling out for justice, Mr. Jasper. And it's my job to see that he gets it.

"But you didn't stop with one murder. Chris was the heart of his mother and his grandmother. He was a star student, excited to enter his school's science fair. But he never did, Mr. Jasper. You took that away from him. You took everything away from him. And you know what? We can prove it. You left a piece of yourself with Chris's broken body. That piece will shout your guilt in any courtroom in the land. We don't need you to confess, Mr. Jasper. You've already condemned yourself. The best your attorney can do is figure out how to get you thrown into the shallowest hole for what you did. Enjoy the wait." With Castle behind her, Kate leaves the room.

Rick drapes his arm around his wife. "That was quite a speech, but you know that after hearing it, Jasper is going to push his lawyer to go for an insanity plea."

"Any lawyer with a grain of sense would do that anyway. That's why I was slanting what I said toward the evidence of the crimes. What he left behind will be on Jasper's mind when his lawyer shows up. The more he says about it, the more obvious it will be that he knew what he did was wrong, or at least against the law. That would make him legally, if not medically, sane. Any attempt to dispute his actions will work against him. But even if a judge or jury decides that he does fit the legal requirements for being crazy, two crimes that far apart should land him behind locked doors forever. At least he won't be able to kill any more children."

"That is what counts," Castle agrees. "Good job, Detective."

"And good job, Special Consultant. Hmm, I have a couple of things I want you to pick up on your way back to the loft."

"You're sending me home now?"

"Didn't you say you're anxious to work on portraying Victoria St. Clair in all her mystery-solving glory?"

"Yes, I guess I did."

"Did Jasper's lawyer show up?" Rick asks as Kate ambles into his office.

"He did," she confirms. "He invoked Merlin's right to privacy during their discussion, so I have no idea what they said. But our suspect wasn't looking happy when L.T. took him back to his cell. Did you get any writing done?"

Rick's chest expands. "I did. Victoria St. Clair now pens a collection of mystery-romances. Fortunately, I don't have to actually write them. Still, I might give one a shot anyway to get the feel of the experience. But returning to our regular programming, what happens with Jasper now?"

"We'll be turning the case over to Eli to prosecute. He'll have to decide how he wants to handle it. Jasper will probably be arraigned in a couple of days. Until then, the 12th will be babysitting him."

"More like baby-killer sitting him. So what further avenues will the intrepid detective and her faithful sidekick be following?"

"We need to take a look at Jasper's current apartment. He could have evidence there of what he was doing during the period between killing Larry and killing Chris. We could find signs of other victims. I also want to know what the equipment he loaded into the U-Haul truck was and what made his old place smell so weird. It could all be tied up in the murders somehow."

"Somehow, gruesome," Rick speculates. "Probably best to go tomorrow morning while we have maximum daylight and avoid anything that goes bump in the night – or will spoil a perfectly good dinner."

"You have a point."

Rick cautiously sniffs as he follows Kate into Merlin Jasper's apartment. "Ugh. I've never smelled anything like that. If he weren't going to jail, Merlin might be a candidate for the worst cooks competition."

Kate points to the industrial drying unit. "I don't think he's been making jerky in this."

Rick gestures at a pulverizer. "And I don't think he's been using that to make graham cracker crumbs. I hesitate to suggest it, but we should check the fridge."

Kate braces herself before pulling open the door of the appliance. Rick cautiously peers inside. "Kate! He killed Squirrel Nutkin! There are a few bushy-tailed cousins in here, too." He gestures at a three-ringed binder lying on the counter. "Recipe book?" He flips through the pages. "More like a butchery manual, and not just for squirrels. Omigod, Kate, the man dissects family pets. But that's how sadists start, isn't it? First, the animals, then the people."

Kate skims through Jasper's writings. "I don't think Merlin's a sadist. The animals were dead before he cut them up. We know that Chris died almost instantly, and I believe Larry passed quickly as well. It doesn't look like Jasper's taking any joy in what he's doing. Maybe he's ashamed of it, or at least was afraid of anyone finding out. Why else would he kill kids who went through his trash? He must have thought they discovered the evidence. Maybe there's more about what he was up to than he put down in this notebook. I'm going to call in C.S.U., and we'll need to go through the whole place."

Rick makes gagging noises. "I should have skipped breakfast. I know I'm going to skip lunch."

Kate rubs her hand over the swell of her tummy. "If The Peanut doesn't mind too much. I think I might too."

The pain starts slowly, with pressure in his cheeks and forehead. But Merlin knows it will get worse, like a vice mercilessly crushing his skull. He needs his unique medicine. But how can he ask for it here? He calls loudly for his lawyer, the one person required to keep his secrets.