Shattered Lies

Chapter 35

"It would be nice to have a place like this," Castle muses, as he and Kate search Bracken's hideaway. "No traffic, no cable TV, just hunkering down surrounded by nature."

"It didn't work out that well for Bracken," Kate points out.

"That was because he stole it out from under Granddad Cracken," Rick insists. "Karma came to bite him in the butt or at least shoot him in the head."

Kate looks up from the drawer she's rifling. "Are you planning on buying it?"

"Not for myself. If I do, it will be to give it back to the Cracken family. It should have been theirs in the first place. But it would be nice to have something more private than the house in the Hamptons - and smaller."

"My Dad has a cabin. He usually goes up there during December and January so he won't see anything that reminds him of my mother's murder."

"Do you think he'll need to do that this year?" Castle wonders. "I mean he - both of you - should have closure now, at least when we solidly establish that Bracken was responsible for her death. I take it that the Beckett legal minds aren't going to take the words of a vicious killer as irrefutable proof."

"I don't know Castle; they fit with everything else we've uncovered. And the case doesn't have to stand up in court unless they try Bracken from his grave."

"I believe a higher power than the New York State judiciary will be taking care of that if it hasn't already. But if there is a book, do you still want to find it?"

"Of course I do. Bob Armen would be in there - and who knows who else."

Castle takes down a framed photograph of Bracken regaling worshipful supporters and turns it over. "I thought this was sticking out too far from the wall, even with the rugged log construction." He detaches a thin notebook taped to the mat of the picture and flips through it before holding it up for Kate to see. "Seek, and ye shall find."

Kate grabs for the book. "Is my mother in there?"

Castle puts his arm around her shoulders, drawing her against his side. "Second page: JB January 9, 1999. That's the day Coonan killed her, isn't it? It has to be her."

Kate traces her finger over the entry. "It is. This address is the alley where she died. DC is Dick Coonan. And on the first page, BA by PD with the same address. That's when Custos' Daddy killed Bob Armen."

"I resent any implication of a blood relationship between a hitman and the newest member of my family, but do you think this will help you finish your mother's work with Pulgatti?"

"I think she'd like that. I'll need some legal help. Maybe Dad will be willing to give it a shot."

"It would be good for both of you. But what about all the others? Kate, there must be at least fifty sets of initials in here with different dates and places. And this goes back before the records were digitized. Won't it take a massive investigation to track down who all the victims were and reach out to their families?"

"It will, Castle. But this, along with Lockwood's testimony and whatever we can squeeze out of Doof, will establish Bracken as a serial killer - at least by proxy. That means the FBI will be involved. And if Bracken was getting his money through a drug syndicate, that's even more reason for the feds, including Murphy and the task force to get into it. We'll have the hands we need, for however long it takes to give peace to every family Bracken ravaged."

"So how about you, Kate? Do you have peace now?"

Kate presses her face into Rick's chest for a moment before pulling back to deposit the notebook in an evidence bag, noting the time and place before initialing it.

"So what's our next order of business?" Castle asks.

"I've just started the chain of custody in case we need Bracken's notebook to be admitted as evidence. We need to get back to the city and make sure this is under lock and key and that the chain is maintained."

"I take it that means no stopping for snacks on the way?"

"After that massive piece of apple pie, you scarfed down at the Cracken Farm?"

"Kate, they have their own orchard. It wouldn't have been polite not to pay the fruits of it the respect they deserve. But I wouldn't mind a hotdog or some nachos."

Kate smiles and pecks his lips "We can find a drive-thru."

Even after the able companionship of Miniver as well as a multitude of pets and tummy rubs from Alexis, Custos' tail won't stop wagging when Rick and Kate arrive back at the loft. Miniver grins at the enthusiastic puppy. "He's devoted to everyone occupying this territory. I took some towels from your bathroom while you were gone." She points to the huge stuffed dog in Custos' domain. "I used them to transfer your scent to that thing. It's much more of a comfort to him now. And mine is on everything. So is Alexis' and he's had more than a few sniffs of Ms. Rodgers too. I don't think he'll be nearly as distressed to sleep out here now. And you will want him to. He'll be growing very fast."

"It looks like he's put on weight just since we've been gone," Castle notes.

"He has. He'll be about 40 pounds by the time he's three months old, about 150 at a year and might make it to 180 at two. You're going to have to take him out a lot, but no one who's unwanted will be getting past him to get into your loft. Guarding the family will be everything to him."

Castle nods. "That's what I want. Kate and I have thanked your family for their help."

Miniver chuckles. "I heard about the fertilizer. Organic. Much appreciated."

"Good to know," Castle responds. "But I want to thank you too. You have no idea what you helped us do, for Kate, and for a lot of people you will never know."

Miniver brushes off her hands against her jeans. No thanks necessary. Having this job will help me accomplish everything I need to do to finish my masters and my other research. But if you two are in for the night, I'd like to get back for a while to what passes for an apartment in New York. I have some things to take care of there."

"Absolutely," Castle agrees. "You'll be back tomorrow?"

"Couldn't keep me away."

Kate slips into bed next to Castle, the shape of her body outlined beneath the thin cotton of her oversized N.Y.P.D. T-shirt. Castle traces the curve of her hip. "Heck of a day."

"Heck of a day," she agrees. "But it sounds like Miniver was right. Custos isn't crying."

"So whatever will we do with ourselves during this blessed quietude?"

"We could make up for lost time," Kate suggests.

Castle slides his hand to her thigh. "How much lost time?"

Kate's fingers explore the heat beneath his shorts. "I'd say about two years' worth."

His hands cupping the firm muscle below her back, Castle pulls Kate tight against the part of him she's teased to full attention. "Then, by all means, let's get started."