Shared Obsession Chapter 9

With unnecessary force, Kate shoves the receiver of her landline into its cradle. "The DMV in Georgia confirms that the address on Sara's license matches the Mannings, but they don't have any further contact information. And I couldn't find a phone number for the couple. Castle, what are you doing with your phone?"

The writer looks up from his seat next to Kate's desk. "Social media. The Mannings posted a picture they took with Sara the last time she was home. I could reply asking them to contact you – unless you have a better idea." Castle holds out his phone to Kate.

Kate sighs, taking the device. "At the moment, I've run out of them. Go ahead. But don't give them my cell number, just ask them to contact the precinct."

Castle's jaw tightens. "Give me some credit, Beckett. That's exactly what I was planning to do. A group of my fans got a hold of my cell number once. I know what barrages from curious callers are like. I'm just glad it wasn't my home number. I wouldn't have wanted Alexis to have to cope with that. And we can't solve a murder if you're getting bombarded."

"Don't you want the precinct's public inquiry number?" Kate asks.

"No need. I saw it posted on a sign downstairs. I remember it."

"Really? Just how good is your memory, Castle?"

"Too good, sometimes," he admits. "If I'm paying attention, I remember most of what I read and see. Some days, I can close my eyes and look at an image like a listing from my address book. I was really good at that when I was younger, but now it comes and goes. It helped me get through school when I was too busy writing to study. But from what I've read, those kinds of skills start to fade as you get older. I suppose that's just as well now. I don't want to close my eyes and see dead bodies."

"If I can't solve a case, I see bodies when I close my eyes whether I want to or not," Kate admits. "I can still see a photo of my mother bleeding out in an alley in Washington Heights."

"And regardless of what some shrink said, it drives you."

"It does."

"I understand. Maybe I can help you find a new angle on the case."

"There is no new angle, Castle." Kate hands back his phone. "So send your reply or whatever you're going to do, and let's get on with finding out who killed Sara Manning."

"All right, Detective. Whatever you say. Have Ryan and Esposito reported anything from their canvass yet?"

"Just a confirmation that Sara and Chloe were friends. And they got a last name, Richardson, from Ian Harrison, half of the couple two floors up."

"I thought their name was Harris."

"Claudia got it a little wrong."

"Understandable," Castle allows, "given her distress when we questioned her. I wonder what else she got wrong. But then witness testimony is the most unreliable evidence there is, or so the books on crime investigation say."

"The books are right, Castle. But unfortunately, juries don't read them. They'll ignore solid forensic evidence in favor of some cooked-up alibi."

"Like Harrison Tisdale's phony trip to Canada?"

"Exactly. Good thing we have a confession. But right now, we need to concentrate on Sara. And while I'm waiting for the parents to respond to your message, we need to find Chloe Richardson. Esposito already started running her DMV. I should get an address any time."

"While you're waiting, how about a hotdog?" Castle suggests. "I saw a Nathan's vendor setting up at the corner. They're my favorite kind."

"Mine too, but only on the street or at the movies. The ones from the supermarket are completely bland."

"I know, right? Pale imitations with none of the artery-plugging goodness. So you want to go get a couple of the evil ones? It'll only take us five minutes."

Kate reaches for her jacket. "Sure. Might as well."

"You said you get these at the movies," Castle recalls, loading his hotdog with mustard, ketchup, and relish. "What kind of movies do you like?"

Kate squirts a perfect yellow line down the middle of her frank. "What difference does it make to how I solve crimes, Castle?"

"It tells me something about how you see the world. That would say something about how you take in a crime scene. So cutting edge, classics, take out your aggressions with Tarantino? What?"

"Classics, but mostly Sci-Fi classics. I think I've seen Forbidden Planet at least five times. And there's your crime connection, Castle. Everyone steals from it. Lost in Space stole the robot and the spaceship. Star Trek ripped off the learning device for 'Spock's Brain,' and Babylon five copied the whole underground power structure."

"Writers like to think of appropriating ideas like that as homage rather than stealing. But it bothers you?"

"As a cop, I guess. And I like creative thinking, not remakes and endless sequels. A little accuracy here and there doesn't hurt, either. You must have done a lot of research for your Storms."

"I did. You have no idea. And accuracy, or at least the flavor of it, is what I'm trying to get for my new book. That's why I'm following you around."

"Just don't get yourself killed before you can get it right, Castle."

"That's the plan."

Kate's cell dings a text. "The front desk got a call from Sara Manning's mother."

Castle uses a paper napkin to wipe escaped toppings off his fingers. "That was fast."

"Sara was supposed to call her mother today, and Mrs. Manning was worried when she didn't hear from her. So the moment she received notice of your reply, she called."

"Do you want me to stay with you when you break the news?" Castle offers.

"No. I'm going to have to ask some questions, too. And it will be easier if I handle it on my own. Finish your hotdog, Castle. Take a walk. I'll let you know when I have an address for Chloe."

Castle regards the haunted look in Kate's eyes as she unlocks her unit. "Tough one, huh?"

"I've had worse. Mrs. Manning was already expecting bad news. She told me that Sara broke up with her boyfriend, and he'd been harassing her. She was afraid he'd gone after her."

"Did she know his name?"

"Just his first name, Brent. But she thought Sara's friend Chloe might know more. We need to talk to Chloe, ASAP."

A petite redhead answers Kate's knock on an apartment door. She takes an involuntary step back at the sight of Kate's badge.

"I'm Detective Kate Beckett, and this is Mr. Castle. Are you Chloe Richardson?" Kate inquires.

The young woman's voice quavers. "Yes. Why are you here? Is something wrong?"

"Do you know Sara Manning?" Kate asks.

"We-we work together. I mean in the same building. We're both nannies."

"I understand that you're also friends," Kate continues.

"I guess. We take the kids we watch to the park at the same time. We talk while they play. Did something happen to Sara?"

"Can we come in?" Kate asks.

"I guess so." Sara gestures to chairs around a wooden table that Castle recognizes as the kind of second-hand find he would have picked up for his first student hovel. "You can sit down."

Kate waits for Chloe to take a seat as well. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but your friend Sara is dead. She was murdered."

Chloe pushes a pale fist against her mouth. "Oh, no! Who did it?"

"That's what we're trying to find out," Kate replies. "We have information that she was having trouble with an ex-boyfriend, Brent. Can you tell us anything about him?"

Chloe draws in a deep breath. "His name is Brent Johnson. Sara broke up with him about a month ago. But he wouldn't leave her alone."

Kate leans across the table. "Tell me everything about that you can remember."