The Long Game: Chapter 24
DISCLAIMER: None of these characters are mine, but they are memorable. Thank you Mr. Marlowe.
Long Beach, New York, around 6:40 p.m., Thursday evening, March 22, 2012
"Hello, my friend," Senator Bracken says by way of greeting, his cell phone against his ear. He sits in his limousine, waiting for his wife to join him. She is finishing up a quick interview with one of the networks. It will play on the ten o'clock news tonight.
"It is always good to hear from you," the Senator continues. "Where are you?"
"Leaving the Hamptons," Roy Montgomery responds, talking hands-free into the speakerphone of his car.
"The Hamptons?" the Senator asks, surprise clearly in his voice. "Does that mean what I think it means?"
"Yeah, it does," Montgomery replies. "They know about me. I had to come out. Hey, we knew this wouldn't last forever. And I think Castle is closing in on the bigger truth."
"How so?"
"Well, he knows he didn't do anything to cause you to change the deal, and I suspect that any day now he's going to figure out that Beckett didn't do anything either. She's got to be racking her mind right about now, trying to figure out what she did that left bread crumbs for you to follow. She'll figure out that she did nothing."
"That leaves you," Bracken comments, knowingly.
"That leaves me," Roy agrees.
"Well, then you're right," Bracken agrees after a few seconds. "Look, you kept her off my ass for years, Roy, so I have to thank you for that."
"Well, it worked out well for both of us, sir," Roy comments. "Over the last couple of years, we've been able to get rid of Coonan, Raglan, Lockwood . . ."
His voice trails off, and he hears the Senator chuckling on the other end.
"Everyone who could ever lead back to us," the Senator agrees. "Just as you said. Your best was Lockwood. He never suspected a thing, did he?"
"Not a thing," Roy smiles. "I enjoyed watching the life flow out of that bastard's eyes." Montgomery really does have a soft spot – for him at least – for Kate Beckett. Knowing that Lockwood planned on killing the detective made killing him more . . . personal, enjoyable.
"As I recall, he was literally on top of you when you put him down," the Senator reflects, recalling how Roy had recapped that evening for him a few days after his 'funeral'.
"So, was ending the ruse worth it?" the Senator asks, then turns to Elizabeth who has just walked up and opened the car door. "It's Roy," he comments.
"Tell him hello for me," she comments, turning back to gaze at the ruins of his parent's home on Long Beach. The press has finally dispersed, and she and the Senator have finished giving a few impromptu but well-scripted interviews. She has been dying to get into the back seat of the limousine and get her shoes off, which she does immediately.
Walter, the new driver, pulls the big machine away from the large, burned out shell of a home, as the Senator continues his conversation.
"Where are you?" Roy asks, hearing Elizabeth's greeting.
"Leaving Long Beach," Bracken responds, his voice dropping.
"I'm sorry, Will," Montgomery tells him, knowing how his day has been, and he is sincere. The entire Bracken family has always been only kind to him, very accepting of the man and the role he has played for their son over the past couple of decades. An opportunistic rookie cop finding out about a corrupt assistant DA could have gone one of three ways.
One, he tries to make a name for himself, or just out of some greater-than-thou mentality, he turns the Assistant DA in. That would have been a death sentence for the young cop.
Two, he plays ostrich and ignores what he has seen. The head in the sand routine usually is but a reprieve, and nothing else. Eventually, witnesses can't be left breathing, after all.
Third . . . ah, that wonderful third door, where the avaricious nature of the human condition arises. That was the door chosen by rookie cop Roy Montgomery, who came to the Assistant DA with a proposition. For a cut of the take, he would keep everyone off the future politician's back. He would be the man's eyes and ears in the police department. No one would suspect a rookie cop with no position, no history.
Over the years, theirs has been the prototypical symbiotic relationship. Bracken has greased wheels, allowing Montgomery to advance to the rank of Captain, while filling his off-shore coffers. In return, Montgomery has held an ambitious and driven detective at bay, while – over time - finding ways to eliminate anyone who could talk, and doing so within the confines of existing cases at that. No trail, no suspicion. And everyone is left running in circles.
"They really liked you, Roy," Bracken concurs. "You know that."
"Yeah, I do," Roy agrees. "And yeah, to answer your question, it was totally worth ending the ruse now. I think what I have learned will explain much to you, Senator. And it's deeper than you will ever believe."
"What can you tell me, Roy," Bracken replies, now clearly in the moment. "Hold on, while I put this on speakerphone for Liz."
"Don't bother," Montgomery tells him. "This is absolutely a face-to-face discussion, Will. Between the pictures I have on my phone and what I have . . . just trust me, we need to talk face to –"
"No, no, you're right," Bracken agrees. "We can wait. Liz and I are headed to the airport and back down to D.C. tonight. It will be good to get back home."
"Good, good, I will meet you there," Montgomery smiles.
"Where does the detective think you are going?" Bracken asks him.
"Back to Evelyn," Roy smiles. "I will get back home tomorrow night. But Kate doesn't talk with Evelyn, so, no worries there. Trust me, this is good. It explains everything. You will – once again – have the upper hand, Will."
Bracken smiles, for the first time today, a genuine smile. It's been a horrific twenty-four hours, with the death of his parents, the destruction of their home, and the loss of his best assassin. He could use some good news, and Roy Montgomery isn't one to over-exaggerate. If the ex-Captain of the 12th says it is good, then Bracken knows he is going to be pleased.
"I will see you in D.C.," Roy states quickly, ready to sign off now. Talking about Evelyn has caused him to wish to speak with his wife. Of all the things he has done in his life, he is constantly surprised and grateful that fate still allowed him a good wife.
"And Will," Montgomery says in closing, "Trust me. Everything is going to be good."
"I believe you Roy."
"Again, I'm sorry about your parents," Montgomery says, and clicks off. He smiles again, reflecting on how his duplicitous life has managed to work well for him. A good wife, healthy girls, and an even healthier bank account. Yeah, life is good, he smiles.
Roy is looking forward to a train ride down to D.C. to visit with the Senator. Yeah, he has good news all right. Bracken's assassin, Elena, is cozying up to his enemy. That's always good to know. And it's damn obvious that Castle's father isn't just some travelling salesman. The guy smells like CIA or a high stakes mercenary.
It's always good to know your enemy, to really see how they think, what makes them tick. That's what Roy has been able to do successfully for over a decade for the Senator. And today's revelations are probably among the most important he will ever share with Bracken.
He smiles again at his great fortune, not noticing the black SUV that has closed the distance on him. He's driven east on Montauk Highway and now is making decent time back toward the city. The larger vehicle accelerates and pulls alongside him, bumping him hard into the grassy meadows. Montgomery loses control as his vehicle spins out into the marsh. His head smashes into the driver's side window, and he fights to remain conscious as the vehicle comes to a stop. He blinks his eyes, trying to stay coherent when he sees the lithe figure walking towards him. He opens the door, thinking to get out of the car, stand up, try to get his bearings. Maybe that will work.
Opening the door is his final, fatal mistake.
He glances up at the woman, recognition setting in too late, as he reaches for the door to close it shut.
"Elena," he whispers, knowing his fate is sealed.
Elena Markov reaches inside and pinches his neck, momentarily incapacitating him. She reaches behind his shoulder and grabs the small bug she planted on the inside lapel of his shirt collar.
"I heard your conversation with the Senator," she smiles. "I am glad I decided to follow you. Castle's father wasn't sure – he wanted to believe the best about you. Life has taught me the folly of such thinking."
"Wait . . . wait a minute," Roy pleads, knowing the next words could save or end his life. "Tell me what you want. What do you –"
"Trust me, Captain Montgomery, there is nothing you have that I want," she tells him, ending any and all hope he has remaining. "I often wonder how people like you live with yourselves. In your case, I need wonder no longer."
A quick slash severs Roy Montgomery's jugular, and his blood splatters messily in the front seat and onto Elena. She leans in close to his ear, allowing the blood to spray across her.
"There is nothing easier than killing a man already believed to be dead. No one will miss you . . . save your wife and children. They will mourn. They will move on."
She steps away and walks back to the main road and climbs into the SUV and pulls out her cell phone. She finds Jackson Hunt's contact information, and types out a quick text.
"On my way back. I was right."
Seconds later, Jackson Hunt frowns as he reads the message from his protégé. It's true, he had been hoping for the best, hoping that Elena was wrong about Roy Montgomery. But in the end, she was right. Roy Montgomery was never a man to be trusted. Still, he was able to use Montgomery to his advantage with Bracken. Elena has just made things more difficult. Not that he will argue this with her.
He idly wonders how his son and the detective will take this news, then pushes the thought away, and takes another sip of his drink, and smiles at the red-haired woman next to him.