Poison Pen

Chapter 21

"Dad, I need to breathe," Alexis protests in the grip of Castle's enthusiastic hug.

"Oh, yeah, right," he acknowledges, loosening his hold. "How was your history exam?"

Alexis' pale face darkens. "I missed a question."

"One question? That would give you what?"

"A 95."

"Somehow, I don't believe that will seriously impact your college admissions."

"But I don't like it, Dad. I should have studied harder. The answer was in the book. I checked."

"Of course you did. Look, if it really bothers you, next time, I can quiz you, or you can tie up with a study group of your other academically obsessive peers."

"I already have — joined a study group, I mean. It's meeting here Friday night."

Castle does a quick mental calculation. He and Kate should know what's going on with Angela Candela by then, but for better or for worse, he'll be available to chaperone. He fervently hopes it's for the better."

After a quick trip to Rick's bathroom, Kate rejoins him. "Ready, Castle? We have time to check out one more Mendola household."

"Go, Dad," Alexis urges. "I'll keep Gram out of the kitchen, I promise."

Castle brushes her ginger locks with his lips and taking out his wallet. "Here," he offers, pulling out two twenties, "order Thai. Gram loves the spice, and you can save me some."

"Will do, Dad," Alexis agrees as Kate motions Castle toward the door.

"Spanish Harlem?" Castle asks as he and Kate step into the elevator.

"Uh-huh," Kate confirms. "The southern end where it's more gentrified. I think the address is in one of the rehabbed buildings."

"Those structures are huge," Castle notes. "We won't be able to scout the neighborhood."

"No, I think we'll have to use a more direct approach, but I'm sure any Mendola would claim they're interested in helping out poor Theresa. As far as anyone knows, Castle, we're still looking at a real kidnapping. And if we're wrong about the Candelas, that's exactly what it is."

Castle shudders. "You just made me want to go back and give my daughter another hug."

"I heard that Angela was taken," Alejandro Mendola volunteers at the sight of Kate's badge. "I'd like to help, but I don't know what I can do. Theresa and Nina are the stars in the family, the ones who earn real money. I'm just managing the rent on this apartment."

"Right now, we're gathering all the information we can," Kate explains. "Sometimes, family members see or hear something that they don't know is significant. Anything you can tell us may help. May we come in?"

"Sure," Alejandro agrees, "but I haven't been here long and haven't got much furniture yet."

"Not a problem," Kate assures him.

"I've been in my loft for 15 years, and I'm still working on it," Castle adds.

Alejandro opens two folding metal chairs to accompany one already at a small table. "Please, sit. What would you like to know?"

"When was the last time you saw Theresa, Mr. Mendola?" Kate asks.

"We had a family picnic thing in Central Park. There were Mendolas from all over. Theresa was there with Alfred and Angela. Nina, Theresa's sister, was there too, and she and Theresa were putting their heads together about something while Alfred took Angela off to find a playground with a baby swing. There was another cousin who went with them, Estelle. She babysits for Angela when Alfred goes to pitch galleries or whatever else an artist does. From what I could see, Angela's at the stage where she doesn't like many people, but she seems to love Estelle."

"In case we need further information about Angela, what's Estelle's full name?" Kate questions.

"Estelle Rivera. She lives in Kew Gardens, but she picks up a lot of temp work in Manhattan, so she doesn't mind coming in to help out Theresa and Alfred. They are such a lovely couple, and they worked very hard to adopt Angela. Alfred had a job as a graphic artist for an ad agency and was moving up when he agreed to stay home full time with the baby. According to what Theresa said, the adoption agency required one parent to do that for at least the first year. Theresa upped her workload to help him do it and pay the mortgage on their condo. I could never keep the schedule she does, I can tell you. It would totally exhaust me, but that was the plan she and Alfred worked out. They really wanted to be parents. Having Angela taken like that must be killing them."

"They are having a tough time," Kate agrees. "But the N.Y.P.D. is doing all we can to get Angela back, and so is the FBI."

"Glad to hear it. I'll be praying for her safe return. If there's anything else I can do, please let me know."

"I will, Mr. Mendola," Kate promises.

"Whew," Castle whistles, shaking his head as he pushes the elevator call button. "Theresa and Alfred must have been working on staging the kidnapping for a long time. Angela would be so used to Estelle she'd go with her without question. Angela will be returned on cue, and as soon as the furor dies down, the 'poor bankrupted Candelas,' can leave New York behind, take Angela and start their new life."

"Most people wouldn't even question their wanting to get away from the terrible memories of a kidnapping," Kate realizes.

"I've got to give it to them," Castle muses. "Theresa and Alfred put on a good show. For the first few minutes, I was convinced they hated each other. If their story had made more sense, I might still be on the hook. But if I'd written the scenario for them, I would have claimed Angela was grabbed in the park or a mall. No telltale security lapses like the window and just as many or more furious accusations."

"Then I suppose we should be glad that Alfred's an artist, not a writer," Kate considers. "I think we're going to have to lay the whole thing out for Will now, though. We'll have to cover Estelle's place in Kew Gardens, and anywhere else she might have taken Angela. That's going to take manpower, something the FBI has."

Castle squeezes Kate's hand. "And woman power."

"You better believe it, Castle."

Rick can see Sorenson's jaw muscles pop as Kate recounts what she and Castle learned from Alejandro Mendola and their theory of the crime. "That sounds like something Castle dreamed up for one of his books. You really believe it, Kate?"

"Yes, I do, Will," she confirms. "Every piece fits, a lot better than some random kidnapper who decides to break into the Candelas' apartment while Alfred is there, and snatch Angela."

"And I checked with the designer who did my beach house," Castle interjects. "She buys a lot of local art for her clients, and she recognized Alfred's name from a showing at a gallery she knows. His work isn't about to be auctioned off at Sotheby's, but he's not the failure Theresa implied. His work is salable. My designer was considering a piece for an uptown condo."

"Theresa and Alfred have been lying from the start, Will," Kate insists. "We need to uncover the truth without tipping them off, and we're going to need your resources to do it."

Sorenson nods, gritting his teeth. "I'll start the wheels rolling."