Poison Pen
Chapter 20
Libby Gleib strokes her fingertips over the curling white hairs sprouting from her chin. "A missing child! That's terrible, just terrible. I don't know why parents these days don't keep better track of their youngsters. I always had an eye on my children, I can tell you. But I haven't seen a two-year-old in the neighborhood. For most of us, even our grandchildren are older than that. The Mendolas, down at the corner, are a younger family, but their kids are past that stage. They just took the play equipment out of their backyard and replaced it with a spa, a fire pit, and some of that outdoor furniture that's more expensive than what you put in your living room. I don't think they'd want little ones climbing all over it. Really, I wish I could help, but I don't believe that poor little girl is anywhere around here."
Kate pulls a card from the pocket of her blazer and extends it to Libby. "Thank you for your time Ms. Gleib. Please, if you hear or see anything, give me a call."
"I will certainly do that," Detective Beckett. "And it was nice to meet you, Mr. Castle. I've never been much into mysteries except for Harry Kemelman's rabbi books, but one of my daughters enjoys yours very much."
"Nice to know, Ms. Gleib," Castle smiles, nodding, "I appreciate every one of my readers."
Castle shakes his head as he and Kate descend the steps from the Gleib porch. "Looks like a dry hole, Kate."
"This neighborhood was only our first stop, Castle," Kate reminds him. "We have a lot more of Theresa's relatives to check out. We'll hit the house in Brooklyn, and by the time we get back to Manhattan, Alexis should be home from school. We can go by your loft long enough for you to check on her, and your mother too."
"Very perceptive, Kate. You know once Mother gave a party, and I found lime shards embedded in the wallpaper. She said the blender exploded. How does a blender explode? Anyway, thanks."
"This is an interesting neighborhood," Castle remarks, studying the row houses in Brooklyn. Our Lady of Grace is only a block away from Temple B'nai Abraham, and there's a taqueria two doors down from a kosher butcher. It's quintessential New York. I love the harmony."
"Right now, I'm more interested in crime than harmony," Kate responds, pointing to the dwelling in front of them. "Do you think Angela Candela could be in there?"
"It's possible," Castle considers. "The lots for these houses are narrow but long. I considered having a scene with someone running down a hall past doors into a lot of little rooms, in one. I would have had my character flee out the back door through a picture-book garden and into an alley."
"So, what happened?" Kate asks.
"I decided not to use it. The neighbors are so close to each other, one of them might have seen the chase and called the police. It would have ruined three chapters. Anyway, my point is that there are often alleys and little yards behind these houses. We can circle around and see what we see. If Angela is here, there may be some sign of her — toys or something."
"Good point, Castle. We can take a look." She points to the left. "That may be the shortest way in."
After threading their way through the trash awaiting pickup in the ally, Rick and Kate peer over a chain-link fence. "Ooh, see that plastic thing shaped like a turtle? Under the lid, it's a sandbox," Rick explains. "They probably keep it covered to keep out any cats that might be roaming around. I had one like it for Alexis in the loft. She loved playing on the beach at my house in the Hamptons so much that she wanted a piece of it at home."
"Didn't sand get all over the place?" Kate wonders.
"Oh yeah," Castle admits. "That's when I had a central vacuum system installed. You haven't been at the loft long enough to see it in action yet, but that thing can clean up a whole box of spilled Sugar Krinkles in two seconds. A little sandbox in a backyard would be perfect for a two-year-old, though. Angela could be in the house, Beckett. How do you want to play it?"
I'm going to call for a backup unit in case she is here, and someone tries to run with her, but with a few tweaks, I can just knock on the door."
"What tweaks?" Castle asks.
"I need to get a couple of things out of the trunk of my unit and change."
"Change into what?" Rick wonders.
"The sort of person who spends a lot of time knocking on doors. If you can make sure no one gets too close, I'm going to use the back seat to slip into something more appropriate."
Rick solemnly raises his right hand. "I shall zealously repel invaders while you make your transformation."
Blinking as Kate emerges from her vehicle, Rick takes in her new persona. She's exchanged her signature high heels for flats, and her slacks for a simple black skirt that falls below her knees. Her blazer tops a crisp white blouse, her hair is pulled back in a bun, and she's carrying a Bible. "Sir, can I share the wonder of John 3:16 with you?" she inquires, a bright smile on her face.
"God so loved the world that he…" Castle begins.
"Let me guess, the school where you learned Latin had mandatory chapel attendance," Kate ventures.
"Got it in one," Rick admits, "although, if they were going to save my soul, they were a bit late."
"I don't know about that, Castle. It's never too late for salvation, or at least that's going to be what I tell whoever answers the door."
"Where are you hiding your gun and badge?" Rick queries.
Kate smooths her skirt over her thighs. "Don't ask."
Esperanza Mendola Ramirez is pissed. She'd just managed to coax Jorge to take a nap when the doorbell rang. He'll never go back to sleep now, and with having to keep a constant eye on him, she'll never be able to get any housework done, let alone have a few minutes to herself to read Corazón tan Blanco. Esperanza pulls open the door, glaring at the woman on the other side. "What do you want?"
"I want to share God's love," Kate announces.
"Then God should have known better than to wake up my son," Esperanza returns, as Jorge, newly mounted on a riding fire engine, scoots up behind her. "Look, I go to Our Lady of Grace, when I can manage to get this one," she points at Jorge, "ready on a Sunday morning. I'll get whatever there is of God's love from the priest. So unless you can perform the miracle of getting a toddler to lie quietly for a couple of hours, go preach somewhere else."
"You have a blessed day," Kate replies as Esperanza closes the door.
"No, two-year-old?" Castle asks as Kate waves off the backup unit and returns to her own.
"Oh, you were right about the sandbox, Castle. There was a kid, just the wrong one, and a mother to whom I owe an apology."
"We could send her flowers," Castle suggests.
"I think she'd rather have a gift certificate to a babysitting service."
"That's possible too. When Alexis was younger, I background-checked and vetted all of them. It shouldn't take long to update my findings."
Kate can't help laughing. "Come on, Castle, I'll take you to the loft to see your daughter."