Shared Obsession Chapter 4

"Mr. Tisdale, can you think of anyone who would have benefitted from Allison's death?" Kate inquires. "Did she have a will?"

"Her death wouldn't have benefitted anyone except for small amounts of money that would have gone to various charities. Allison wasn't rich or interested in being rich. She lived primarily on her salary as a case worker. She received some money from investments I made for her when she was a baby, but what she had, she usually gave away."

"How about a rejected lover?" Kate presses. "Could a former boyfriend have struck out in revenge?"

Tisdale shakes his head and then immediately touches his hand to his hair. "As far as I know, Allison never had a serious boyfriend. She put all her passion into her work."

"Did she ever discuss her work with you?" Kate asks.

"Only in general terms. She believed strongly in protecting the privacy of her clients."

Castle's brows rise. "So she wouldn't have given anyone details about her cases?"

"No," Tisdale insists. "Sometimes she'd use a first name and an initial when describing someone's progress that made her happy. She did that last time I saw her, about a Kyle C. But I have no idea who he is."

"So, if someone wanted to find out who her clients were, they'd have to follow her?" Castle queries.

Tisdale shrugs before touching his hair again. "I suppose so, but I can't imagine why anyone would want to."

Castle gestures around Tisdale's office at models of various buildings. "You've successfully developed a lot of real estate in this city. You must have done very well for yourself. You said that charity would receive anything Allison has. Who gets your money when you pass, Mr. Tisdale?"

Kate's eyes shoot darts. "Castle!"

"No, it's all right," Tisdale replies. "Under the circumstances, it's a reasonable question. My will leaves half to a charitable foundation and half to my children, Allison and Harrison." Tisdale closes his eyes for a moment. "Now it's just Harrison."

"Thank you for talking to us, Mr. Tisdale," Castle replies, rising to depart. "I have a daughter, and I can't bear to imagine how torn up I'd feel if I lost her."

"Once again, I'm sorry for your loss," Kate adds as she stands as well."

Tisdale nods, touching his hair once again. "Thank you. My assistant will show you out."

"He's dying," Castle proclaims as he and Kate reach the sidewalk.

"He's obviously upset about his daughter's death," Kate agrees.

"No, I mean dying as in no longer breathing," Castle insists.

"How do you figure that?" Kate asks.

"Did you see his portrait in reception? He's lost at least 30 pounds since that was painted. And he was wearing makeup. It was a very skillful job, but I've spent more than enough time backstage with my mother to recognize the most subtle tricks. And did you see how he was touching his hair?"

"You think he's wearing a rug?" Kate questions.

"It's a good one, but yes. He's not used to it and afraid it will slip."

"OK, Castle, assuming you're right, people lose weight and their hair from chemo, but they still survive. What makes you think he's dying?"

"Because that's the only way Harrison would get his sister's share of the Tisdale money by killing her."

"That's quite a leap, Castle."

"Maybe, but it all makes sense, Detective. Kyle was Allison's client, but she didn't go blabbing about him. Harrison had to follow Allison and maybe Kyle too, to find someone to take the fall for him. That's why he was out in the diner's parking lot. And a person on good terms with her brother might say hi, maybe share some of her pie or something. But instead, Allison bit her pen when she saw him. And Allison told Kyle she was having dinner with her father, but apparently never mentioned her brother. Tisdale never mentioned him either, until I asked about the will. I think Harrison was on the outs with Allison, or at least not her favorite person. And I don't believe that his father thinks much of him either."

"Maybe," Kate allows.

"Then shouldn't we go see him?" Castle suggests, pulling out his phone. "Hmm, it would seem he's at least a partial chip off the old block. He has a company called Harrison Tisdale Development. It's only a few blocks from here."

"Are you going to call ahead for an appointment there too?" Kate asks.

"And if I did, and he is guilty, what would be our chances of finding him there?"

"Probably zip."

"My thoughts exactly, Detective. Care to join me on a surprise visit?"

"I'm not about to get rid of you, am I, Castle?"

"Not until we nail Allison's murderer."

Kate rolls her eyes. "All right. Let's…." Her cell phone buzzes with a text. "There was another weird murder. A guy was found strangled in the middle of a pentagram. It sounds like "Hell Hath No Fury."

Castle's eyes twinkle. "You really are a fan, aren't you, Detective? Angry Wiccans out for blood? Only my hardest core readers went for that one."

Kate coughs and mutters.

"So, where's the murder scene?" Castle prompts.

"There isn't one anymore. The murder happened three weeks ago. The 54th Precinct caught the case. Esposito used to be assigned there. He was just having a beer with an old buddy. He heard about it, and he thought it might be part of the pattern. The victim was a regular at the diner where Kyle Cabot works. Esposito's trying to get a copy of the file now, but we may not have everything until morning."

"Which will give us plenty of time to go see Harrison Tisdale. He could have seen that guy when he was watching the diner. I wonder where he was three weeks ago."

Kate starts down the sidewalk. "Good question."

Harrison Tisdale pulls a handkerchief from the pocket of his custom-made suit and presses it to his eyes. "My sister was one of the sweetest people who ever lived. And a murder out of one of your books, Mr. Castle? Who would do such a thing?"

"That's what we're trying to find out, Mr. Tisdale," Kate responds. "Your sister's murder was actually one of a series, the first was a few weeks ago. I'm sorry, but I have to ask. Where were you then?"

"I was in Canada negotiating for lumber for a future building project." Harrison reaches into his desk drawer and pulls out a passport. "Here, you can check for yourself."

Kate carefully examines the document. "All right, Mr. Harrison, thank you for your cooperation. Is there anyone at all you can think of who might have wanted to hurt your sister?"

"She was a social worker," Harrison considers, "so she had all kinds of crazies on her caseload. There was this one guy who worked at a diner. She saw him a lot. Maybe he went wacko on her."

"So, was Harrison really out of the country when the first murder took place?" Castle asks as he and Kate walk away from Harrison's company."

"That passport says he was."

Castle shakes his head. "I was so sure. But if he was in Canada…."

Kate sticks an elbow in Castle's ribs. "This is where being a real cop comes in, Castle. Harrison didn't even ask for the exact date of the murder. He just handed me the passport. He knew when the murder was. You write spy stories. How many of your characters get phony passports?"

"A lot of them," Castle admits. "And after Harrison presented you with his pre-arranged alibi, he tried to steer you toward Kyle. He has to be the one that set him up."

"I agree, Castle. But that was the easy part. Now I have to prove it."

"We have to prove it."