Slaying the Beast
Chapter 41
The body is burned beyond recognition. If it weren't for DNA, it would have been impossible to identify Sergeant Carmen Redfield. Castle winces at the sight of what's left of Gates' former partner, lying on Lanie's table. "Why would someone do something like this?"
"Anger, Castle," Kate suggests. "This is personal. The killer wanted to remove Sergeant Redfield from this earth."
"So we can eliminate a random cop killing?" Castle asks.
Kate shakes her head. "We can't eliminate anything at this point, but we can concentrate our efforts. We look at lovers, former and present, family, Redfield's collars released from prison, especially any who like to play with matches."
"That's still a pretty wide net, Kate."
"I found something that might help," Lanie interjects. "There was saliva on the body, like someone spit on it after the blaze was out. The DNA was too degraded by the residual heat to get much out of it, but it came from a male."
"That eliminates half our suspects," Castle notes.
"More than half, Castle," Kate points out. "There are more women than men in New York."
"As any woman trying to find a decent guy could tell you," Lanie interjects.
"We need to talk to Carmen's next of kin, and her most recent partner, find out if there was any man who threatened her. And we'll need to question Gates, too," Kate goes on.
Castle pulls at the neck of his shirt. "I was afraid of that."
Lily Redfield's eyes are dry but red-rimmed, and her voice trembles. "Yes, my sister's been threatened, many times. She made a lot of busts. But she never took the threats seriously, and in fifteen years, no one ever tried to carry through on one - at least that she told me. She did have boyfriends. None of them were cops. She always said that she thought that it could end up compromising her judgment in a critical situation if she found a cop she cared about that way. She liked men who were good with their hands."
Castle represses the urge to make a response.
"I mean blue-collar types," Lily continues, "but skilled, like carpenters, plumbers, mechanics. There was a mechanic I was hoping she'd stay with. He used to fix my car. I'm not sure why they broke up. She wouldn't talk about it."
"Do you know his name?" Kate queries.
"Alphonso Zuniga. He worked at Superior Repairs up in the Bronx. I don't know if he's still there."
Kate records the information on her tablet. "Is there anyone else you can think of who might want to see Carmen dead?"
"No. Wait! Yes! Our cousin Yossi, Yossi Kahane. Our great aunt died. She had a huge place in Harlem she bought years before Clinton decided he wanted offices up there and the price of everything skyrocketed. Yossi thought it was worth a couple of million bucks and that he'd inherit it, but he'd been out of the city for decades. He barely saw Aunt Miriam, but Carmen did. She used to bring her salt-free bread that was supposed to be better for her blood pressure, and she called her every day to make sure she was all right, pretty much up until the end. It made sense that Aunt Miriam would leave Carmen the house, but Yossi was furious. I don't know if he meant it, but he swore he'd get even. He lives out on Staten Island, in kind of a dump. I can give you the address."
Gates gestures with her folded reading glasses. "I don't remember Carmen mentioning a cousin, but if he wasn't around, that's not surprising. She talked about her Aunt Miriam a lot. I went with her to see the woman, once or twice. She told great stories about growing up in the East Village back when apartments there were cheap, and the bathtubs were in the kitchen. It's no wonder that she bought in Harlem. She had a feel for when neighborhoods were going to rise. Carmen was always saying how wise her aunt was. I had no idea that Miriam had left Carmen the house, though. It's been a while since Carmen, and I talked. It was just as well for her. If she'd looked too friendly with someone from IA, she could have been a pariah. Members of my former department aren't exactly popular."
Kate isn't about to comment on the lack of love for IA. Her sharp glance at Castle ensures that he doesn't either. And she needs to ask about her other possible suspect. "Did Carmen ever mention an Alphonso Zuniga?"
Gates throws her glasses on top of a stack of papers on her desk. "Not that I can remember, but as I said, Carmen and I didn't talk much lately. And Kate, make sure you get your suspects' financials. One thing I learned in IA is that you always follow the money."
"Yes, Sir."
"I thought Gates recused herself from running the investigation," Castle remarks once Kate is back at her desk. It sounds like she's still giving orders."
"She probably can't help it, Castle. Habit. But I ordered financials for Carmen and her sister, in case Lily was holding something back. I'm getting them for Zuniga and Jossi Kahane too - also a copy of Miriam Kahane's will. Ryan is on all of that now. And I sent Espo up to Harlem with Karpowksi and a CSU team. They'll be going through the house Miriam left Carmen with a fine tooth comb. If there are any clues there, they should find them. I'm going to have McNulty check out Alphonso Zuniga at work. He has a thing for cars, and they should be able to speak the same language."
"You certainly are making good use of the bullpen. "What are we going to do now?"
"Drive to Staten Island. "Let's find out just how desperate Yossi was to get Aunt Miriam's house."
"And over the river, we go."
Dump is an apt description for Jossi Kahane's home. It's big enough, but the damage inflicted by a storm surge is all too evident from the discoloration of the outer wall and a musty odor that no coverup could mask. No wonder he would want a big dry house in Harlem. Kate presses the button for the doorbell but hears no chime or buzzer sounding within.
"Allow me," Castle offers, rapping loudly on the door. The sound of shuffling steps approaches and Jossi Kahane stares out warily. Kate raises her new badge. "Mr. Kahane, I'm Sergeant Beckett. I need to ask you a few questions."
"You may need to ask them, but I know my rights. I don't need to answer them," Kahane retorts, and slams the door."
"Now what?" Castle asks.
"Now I put 24/7 coverage on him until we get something that will convince a judge to issue a warrant," Kate replies grimly. "That was not the action of an innocent man."
"But what is he guilty of?" Castle wondered. "If he'd committed a murder, especially the killing of a cop, would he call attention to himself that way? Wouldn't it have been better for him to politely give us a line of B.S.?
"Maybe," Kate admits, "but if he did kill Carmen Redfield, I can't take the chance that he'll rabbit on us. While we have him under surveillance, we can figure out what other reason he might have for not wanting police sniffing around. And we can check back and see what the rest of my team dug up."
"The rest of your team," Castle repeats. "It should have a name. Beckett's crime-busters or Beckett's Bird Dogs - better alliteration. Or you could just go with Beckett's Band."
"Castle, I think I'll just stick with team."
"Boring, Kate."
"Don't worry, Babe, when we arrest the killer, you can tag him with a suitably florid phrase."
Castle presses his lips to her cheekbone. "I'm going to hold you to that, and I'm already thinking of one.