Poison Pen

Chapter 55

"Call your witness, Mr. Kirby," Judge Mencas orders.

"I call Dr. Hans Kanner."

Rick leans forward in his seat as Kanner is sworn in. He was expecting Wellborn but suspects that Kirby was less than happy with his previous witness' conclusions and decided to go for another opinion. No doubt, Kanner is prepared to come down on the side of Badcock's insanity plea. Kirby would be a lousy lawyer if he put up a witness who said anything else.

Castle listens with half an ear to Kanner's bona fides. Of course, they sound impressive, but Rick has met more than his share of "experts" with impressive-sounding credentials and no more expertise than a kindergartner trying to perform neurosurgery. As Rick suspected, Kanner paints Badcock as being so out of touch with reality as to be unable to distinguish right from wrong. On cross-examination, Toni Gonzales pokes as many holes in Kanner's testimony as she can, but from Rick's read of the jury, some of them are still accepting the shrink's evaluation.

After the defense rests, Gonzales informs the court that she intends to call a rebuttal witness. Castle lets out a deep breath as the judge grants Toni's request for a recess until the next day.

As Rick arrives in the bullpen, Kate looks up hopefully and points to stacks of paperwork. "Between Shelby and Galegos, if I don't document every iota of evidence against the Sewards and exactly how we obtained it, we could crash and burn in court, even on the theft and smuggling charges."

"How can I help?" Rick asks.

"By filling in details, but only the ones you witnessed; otherwise, it will give counsel an excuse to get whatever you describe suppressed."

Castle's chest expands beneath his suit jacket. "Details are my forte. They're what gives a story texture and believability."

"I know, Babe. You always do a great job with them in your books, but when you write those, you're free to make things up. Against these guys, it's strictly Joe Friday — just the facts."

"Just the facts, Ma'am," Rick mimics Jack Webb. "No names shall be changed to protect the innocent or the guilty."

Kate contentedly leans back in her desk chair and stretches her arms over her head. "Done, and it's just end of shift. Thanks, Babe. If you hadn't pitched in, I'd be here until midnight."

"It was in my self-interest. This way, I get to spend the evening with you. So, what's your pleasure? A movie marathon? Bridal blogs? Or," Rick's brows ripple above his eyes, "strip poker, a game impossible to lose."

Kate giggles. "That sounds like fun, but won't Alexis be around studying or something?"

"We can all have dinner together, but these days she's not about to breach the bedroom door without knocking. You and I can play cards on the bed. As we shed our wagers, we'll be in the right place at the right time."

"That does sound very convenient, and fair is fair. You dived into the paperwork. I can cook."

"Music to my rumbly tummy."

Castle examines the five cards in his hand. A flush — in more ways than one. He can feel the heat rising in his body as he contemplates watching Kate remove the last barrier from hers. "All in."

"Call."

Kate smiles as Rick lays down his cards. Locking her gaze with his, she slowly slides a silky thong down her legs until catching it in her toes, she tosses it aside. "You win."

"That happened the first moment I saw you, but the hits just keep coming."

"They'd come even faster if you weren't overdressed." She plunges her fingers beneath the waistband of his boxers. "I can help you with that. Mmm. Someone is coming out to play."

"How about a new game?" Rick suggests.

"What game did you have in mind?"

"Hiding the cream stick."

"I have to find out if it's worth hiding. I'll need to taste it first."

Rick gasps, as Kate's mouth finds its target. "It's all yours."

Groaning as his cellphone chimes at sunrise, Rick reaches for it, barely opening his eyes. "Sorry for the early call, Castle," Stanford Oakes apologizes, "but I believe you'll want to hear what I have to say. I just got off the phone with a board member who's traveling in Egypt. He met with Adom Gamal, and our mark is over the moon at the idea of the auction. He's going to be arriving in New York in three days. We've put together events quickly, but it's going to be hell arranging one that fast. I was hoping that you could pitch in."

"Anything you need," Rick agrees, "but don't you have catering services on contract? I know some very fast talkers. You want me to find you an auctioneer?"

"No, thanks. One of our docents retired from the business. He'll understand the items we have for sale and do the work for free. But we have a few things the board thinks we should sell, that we haven't located yet. What I need is your detecting skills, and Kate's too, if she's available, to try to find them."

Rick sits straight up. "You mean I get to look around the museum's basement?"

"That is where the artifacts should be," Stanford confirms.

"I'll have to work around a court schedule but count me in. And I'll see if Kate's available."

"Great!" Stanford responds. "Talk to you later."

Kate pushes herself up on one elbow. "See if I'm available for what?"

"To search for hidden treasure."

"I'll have to ask Montgomery, but if it helps us close Will Medina's murder, he should be all for it. What time is it?"

"A little past five. You want to try to go back to sleep?"

"I don't think I can, but a nice long shower would be terrific. You want to join me?"

"Can't think of much I'd rather do."

"Call your rebuttal witness, Ms. Gonzalez," Judge Mencas orders, as Castle looks on.

"I call Dr. Manley Welborn."

"Dr. Welborn," Gonzales asks after her witness is sworn in, "you hold both an M.D. and a Ph.D. in psychology, do you not?"

"I do," Wellborn confirms.

"And did you testify in a hearing in this court that Mr. Badcock is competent to stand trial?"

"I did."

"And your testimony was based on extensive testing of Mr. Badcock?"

"It was, as well as Mr. Badcock's manifesto, which required considerable cognitive skills to create."

"During your time with Mr. Badcock, did you find him capable of understanding what he hears and reads? To enlarge on that, Mr. Badcock is familiar with a great many books, is he not?"

"He is."

"And did those books include murder mysteries such as those written by Connor O'Donnell and Richard Castle?"

"They did."

"So, is he capable of reading and understanding books in which murderers are pursued for breaking the law?"

"He is."

"And did he communicate how he felt about those books?"

"He wrote about them in his manifesto. He objected to the way in which they were written; their literary content."

"At any time, either verbally or in writing did Mr. Badcock express the opinion that those murderers did nothing wrong and should not be punished?"

"Not at all. His objections were based purely on what he perceived as the lack of skill of the writers. He also expressed disgust that the reading public would buy the books in question."

"So to reiterate, do you have any reason to believe that Mr. Badcock is or was incapable of understanding that murdering or attempting to murder another human being is wrong?"

"I do not, Ms. Gonzales."

For one of the few moments of the trial, Toni smiles. "Thank you, Dr. Wellborn. Your testimony has been very helpful."