Slaying the Beast

Chapter 2

Colby Chesmire doesn't look a bit like Jameson Rook, or much like an intrepid foreign correspondent either. He'd have a hard time topping five four, his hair is mostly a memory, and his round spectacles are reminiscent of a Dickensian character. The blue eyes behind them, however, don't miss a thing. He swipes through the pictures on Kate's phone. "Yes, there is a village like this, right on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It's Pashtun territory on both sides and prime opium growing country. Distribution isn't primarily in the United States. Afghanistan only supplies 7% of the opiates here. That's probably why Johnny Vong was a relatively minor player. Right now fentanyl from China is the growing business. These particular fields have supply routes to Europe.

You are right that Dick Coonan didn't control the operation. He was a front man as well as from what you've told me, part of the clean-up operation for the real leadership."

"Colb, don't keep us in suspense," Castle urges. "Who's the big cheese?"

"Castle, if I knew that, it would be my scoop of the decade. But I can tell you this, whoever it is has a lot of political influence. The Senate Intelligence Committee tried to launch several investigations into what's going on in that area. They were quashed every time. You're looking for someone who has a lot of funds to throw around and not just from a single drug operation. Whoever it is probably has a major super PAC behind him, maybe more than one."

"How do you know it's a him?" Kate queries. "Could a woman be in charge?"

Colby shakes his head. "Not operating hand in hand with the Pashtuns. They preach respect and protection for their women, but essentially it boils down to oppression. A man would have to be giving the orders. That is not to say a woman couldn't be involved, but it would have to be behind the scenes."

"The power behind the throne, so to speak," Castle summarizes.

"If she were to exist," Colby agrees. "But if I were you two, I would look for mover and shaker in DC, with a New York connection."

Kate nibbles at her lip. "It sounds like the Intelligence Committee would be a good place to start."

"It would," Colby agrees. "I'd do some digging for you if I didn't have to leave in a couple of hours for an assignment in Iraq embedded with the Kurds. But keep me posted if you get anything. I'd like to stay on top of this. Rick knows how to contact me."

Castle bobs in a shallow bow. "Done."

Kate slides behind the wheel of her unit noticing Castle repressing a groan as he sinks into the passenger seat. "Castle, do you want me to drop you back at your loft, so you can get some rest?"

"I'd rather be at the precinct. I'll feel the same there as I do at home. Better maybe, more distraction and less swamp water pushed in my face. Mother's got Alexis trying to force the stuff on me too. I can do some research. My phone understands what I say pretty well - better than my computer does. And I have an unlimited data plan."

"All right. If a body drops, I can have a uni take you home, unless you want to tag along on that too."

"Where you go, I go. It's worked out pretty well so far, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, Castle, most of the time I guess it has, but wear your vest. I don't want to have to explain to your family or to Captain Montgomery if you get shot again."

"Copy that."

Castle scans through the pictures of the senators on the Intelligence Committee. Including ex-officio members, of the 19, only three are women, two from California and one from Maine. Going along with Colby's advice, he concentrates on the men, especially any from New York. One qualifies. He's not only on the Intelligence Committee but on the Armed Services Committee. How convenient. He'd get his information from two sources. His name is William H. Bracken. Castle starts digging into his background.

Bracken's official bio is glowing. He got his start in politics as a New York District Attorney. He was the D.A. when Johanna Beckett was murdered. That tracks. Then he ran for Congress. "I wonder where he got the money?" Castle mutters to himself. Bob Weldon has twisted Castle's arm on more than one occasion for campaign contributions. Getting into office isn't cheap, and Bracken is portrayed as coming from humble beginnings, although he might have hung around with money. He's listed as being a scholarship student at fairly upper crust Horace Mann. From there he went on to major in poly at Michigan State University and then to Columbia Law School. He passed the N.Y. bar first try, and went from A.D.A., to D.A. He's either very smart, very lucky, or probably both. After three terms as a congressman, he became a senator, and he's been one ever since. Reading between the lines Castle can see that Bracken's been consolidating his power and his position. For what? The presidency? That would be his logical next move if he's questing for more power, but so far there haven't been any public hints that he has any plans in that direction. He paints himself as a dedicated man of the people. Castle wonders which people. The only way to know that would be to get into Bracken's circle of cronies. The quickest way to insinuate himself into that crowd is to make a campaign contribution, a very large campaign contribution, the kind that takes a PAC. He'll just have to track down which PAC is Bracken's treasure chest.

The ringing phone on Kate's desk pulls him away from his search. Castle can tell by the way she jots down the address that there's been a murder. He can continue his web sleuthing later.

Lanie Parish looks up from the dead body behind a dumpster and casts a tentative glance at Kate, then shifts her gaze to Castle. "Didn't expect you to be back on the hunt so soon. You doing OK, writer boy?"

"Just enjoying your sparkling presence amid the stench of decay, Dr. Parish."

"Uh huh." Lanie regards Kate through lowered lashes. "Everything OK with you too?"

"Fine, Lanie, but Castle is right about the stink. How long has this guy been dead?"

"I'll have to do some tests to be sure, but judging from the decomp, about three days, maybe more. We had a couple of cold nights that might have slowed things down - if he was outside. He wasn't killed here. There wasn't enough blood, and the pattern of where it settled in the body is all wrong. He was dumped."

Ryan strides up with his ever-present notebook in his hand. "Probably not too long ago either. The merchants say this area gets pretty heavy foot traffic and so far, no one remembers seeing - or smelling anything."

Kate nods, regarding the details of the crime scene. "That means the victim must have been kept and possibly killed nearby. Anyone dragging a corpse would have been seen. There are multiple doors opening into this alley. Our vic could have been kept in any of the buildings behind them. Set up…"

"A canvass," Ryan finishes. "I know. There are going to be a lot of doors to knock on."

"I'll talk to Montgomery and see that you have as many hands and feet as you need." She gazes back at Castle, whose color is fading from his face. "We can do that together. You always schmooze him better than I can."

"It's my ineffable charm," Castle insists, grinning, but shuffles wearily after Kate to her car.