PART TWO
JOAN OF NEW YORK
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Kate Beckett reviews the file on the Paul Oaklyn case (she still isn't sure if it can be called murder). The case of the pool cue battle is essentially stalled until the autopsy is over, but an early morning call to Lanie was fruitless as her office is backed up with three definite murders ahead of this matter. Beckett's best guess is that the cousins, Angelo Morton and Frank Unger, will at most face a charge of manslaughter of their former (and very late) friend Oaklyn. Capt. Gates is already pressing hard for a resolution to this problematic case as there are other crimes that need to be attended to. Beckett recalls the chewing out she got yesterday for being back late from lunch during an active investigation, and it was only prevented from being an epic dressing down due to Beckett having to testify in court that afternoon.
The elevator dings and Beckett looks up, hopeful that it will be Castle, who is running later than usual. Beckett quickly resets her expression, reminding herself that even a small slip like an expectant glance can give it all away. (It's just that with Martha and Alexis back from Europe, she and Castle now have to limit the time they can be together, and Beckett is surprised by how much she missed sleeping in his arms last night.) The elevator doors open and out steps Castle and…whoa, talk about expectant!
The very pregnant young woman that accompanies Castle is attractive, and solicitously attended to by New York's most eligible bachelor (as far as anyone else knows). Beckett does a quick calculation and realizes that this young woman's pregnancy must have begun well before she and Castle hooked up. A stab of jealousy along with a moment of panic goes through Beckett, but the detective forces herself to calm down. 'Easy Kate, even if this were one of Castle's former one night stands, he wouldn't bring her here. He knows I have a gun'.
Castle steers the young woman into the small conference room and then quickly approaches Beckett's desk. "Good morning, Beckett."
"Explain Castle, and I mean right now."
"I told you I couldn't come over last night because I have a house guest. Remember Joan Girardi?"
Beckett breathes a quick sigh of relief. "Oh right, the girl that saved you and your family when you were visiting Maryland a couple of years ago. What's she doing here?"
"Bring the Paul Oaklyn file and be prepared for a surprise."
Beckett grabs the file that is before her and follows Castle into the conference room.
"Detective Kate Beckett, meet Joan Girardi – a new assistant prosecutor for Hogan County, Maryland."
"Hogan County is where Arcadia is located." Joan adds as she displays her official i.d.
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Girardi. I understand you have some information about our Paul Oaklyn case?"
Joan removes a file from her briefcase and slides it over to Beckett. "I actually came to New York to interview Mr. Oaklyn, who was our only eyewitness to a fatal hit and run that occurred in Arcadia last month. It seems that he, along with his friends Unger and Morton, drove down to attend the wedding of a mutual friend from their high school days. They arrived in time to attend the bachelor party."
Beckett, looking at the file, reads, "Upon leaving the party Oaklyn, who admits to being drunk, saw a 60 year old woman run down by a late model silver grey Ford. He only got a brief glance at the driver and didn't catch the license plate."
Castle says, "When Joan went into details about why she was here in town, I saw that we now have a potential motive for murder."
Joan nods. "The police always suspected that it was one of the drunken guests from the bachelor party who committed the crime. After an unsuccessful month long search for a grey Ford damaged in a hit and run, suspicion has been growing that Oaklyn lied in his report to the police."
Beckett responds, "So, Oaklyn lied to cover for a party-goer, two of whom are our suspects Morton and Unger in the death of their 'friend'."
Castle suggests, "Maybe the battle of the pool cues wasn't such a sudden falling out as it seemed. What if one or both of the cousins decided they could no longer trust Paul Oaklyn to keep his mouth shut?"
"Oaklyn was given advanced notice that I would be visiting to go over his story again." Joan remarks.
"If Morton and Unger became aware of that, and one of them was involved with the hit and run, it would be motive. But…this is all speculation. We can't tie any of these three men to the crime in Arcadia." Beckett says.
"Actually, there is something suspicious about their visit to my hometown. A toll booth security camera shows the three men entering Hogan County in Paul Oaklyn's car, but they returned to New York by train."
"And I would bet a month's pay Oaklyn doesn't drive a grey Ford."
"A blue Chevrolet, which is now being investigated for repairs in every body shop within a hundred mile radius of Arcadia."
Castle says, "A simple scenario. Oaklyn admits to his friends that he is too drunk to drive them back to their motel. Either Morton or Unger offers to drive, but is also drunk. There is a fatal accident, and Oaklyn volunteers to be the red herring witness while the car is being hidden somewhere. Learning that the Arcadia authorities are going deeper in their investigation, the two cousins stage a drunken fight that leads to Oaklyn's death. Better to face potential manslaughter charges than definite murder charges."
Beckett says, "I think it's time to question the cousins again."
Joan asks, "Mind if I tag along? There's still a potential murder charge facing at least one of these men back in Arcadia."
Beckett hesitates, but remembers this young woman once saved Castle's life. Beckett nods.
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"Martha, I do wish you would call me 'William'."
"Are you kidding? Lord Redfield, I've dined with movie stars, political leaders and captains of industry, but I've never felt as hoity-toity as I do now at a simple luncheon. I love all of the fawning and 'my Lord this and my Lord that'. We Americans can't seem to get enough of the English aristocracy." Martha Rodgers chuckles.
Lord Redfield smiles politely while he calculates the cost of this 'simple' luncheon at one of the city's most elegant restaurants. He wonders if it is just coincidence that Mrs. Rodgers ordered the most expensive items on the menu, not to mention a growing bar tab. Perhaps she is testing his reaction to see if he has a parsimonious nature? For the moment he will play along as Alexis' grandmother seems to be solidly in his corner, but he decides at some point he will have to kill this annoying old lady too.
Alexis says. "William, you'll have to forgive Grams. She has had a thing for English noblemen ever since she dated a viscount in her younger days."
"Oh, perhaps I know him?"
Martha shakes her head. "Long before your time. Poor old Reggie passed years before you were born. It was one of those May/December romances back when I was still 'May'."
"Which can't be all that long ago."
"Flatterer, and thank you for that. Alexis, you have a real charmer here."
Alexis smiles and blushes a little. "Charm, yes - but I like to think there is more than that to 'his lordship'."
Redfield smiles back. "Now I'm the one who feels flattered. So Alexis, is there anything special you would like to do tonight? Perhaps a Broadway play?"
"Actually, just dinner alone sounds good to me. I believe there is an excellent restaurant...at the Ritz." Alexis says with a deeper blush, knowing that is where William is staying.
"I'll make a reservation." Redfield responds while trying hard not to show his feeling of triumph. So, tonight is the night - excellent. Redfield has decided he must speed up his campaign to make Alexis fall in love with him. His private investigator has discovered that Richard Castle is involved in a clandestine relationship with the NYPD detective who is the inspiration for his Nikki Heat novels. This can only mean the relationship is serious, and he will have to move up his timetable. If Castle were to marry this Beckett woman, half of his estate could go to her instead of his daughter - a potential loss of millions. He can no longer wait until he and Alexis are married before killing her father. Besides, being the 'supportive lover' during her time of grieving will draw them close together much quicker...
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Arranging the requestioning of the suspects in the Oaklyn case proved more difficult than anticipated. The cousins' lawyer objected until Joan added that there were potential new charges facing his clients in Maryland. If the cousins co-operated in this investigation by going through their previous statements at the actual crime scene, it would go a long way in reducing potential harshness in sentencing in the Arcadia hit and run. Agreeing that the questioning would be limited to previous statements only, the lawyer gave the go ahead.
Helped by Castle, Joan manages the rather steep stairs going to the basement of the row house where the crime took place. Denise Cobb, Oaklyn's girlfriend, also reponded to the request to come to this re-inactment. With their lawyer, Marvin Greene - an obese man of fifty, the two cousins stand by looking wary. Joan goes to stand in a corner, aware of her observer status in this matter. Joan takes in her first view of the crime scene. The basement is long and narrow with a single barred window overlooking the street, and only one door to the room. At the far end of the basement are the furnace and laundry facilities, in the middle of the room is the pool table, and near the corner next to the door where Joan stands, there is a work bench with numerous tools hanging from hooks on the wall.
Joan tries to relax and allow her spiritual abilities to rise, but this has been a trying day for her. It's true her pregnancy has been difficult, and travel to this noisy city during a heat wave has placed a strain on her. The stench in the basement of cleaning supplies, oily rags at the work bench and the lingering odor of blood is not helping Joan's concentration. But years of meditation techniques help Joan to focus, and she begins to take a 'read' on the souls of those present. This ability, honed over many years, is one of the reasons why Joan chose the path of prosecutor in her hometown. She can read people like an open book. It is how she cleaned out the three card monte operator, and how she knew the moment she saw Castle and Beckett together that they are secret lovers. It is also how she knows who the killer is, but as to proving it...
Beckett says, "If everyone can take their places at the moment the fight broke out?"
The cousins take position about four feet apart, facing each other, at the end of the pool table nearest the door.
"And Miss Cobb, where were you?"
Denise Cobb, a 20 year old with dirty blonde hair and a chubby figure replies, "As the guys started yelling at each other, I got nervous and moved closer to the door. As you can see, the circuit breaker is right next to the door."
"And where was Paul?"
"There, about halfway between me and those two!" Denise hisses with anger.
"Castle?"
"Lucky me, I get to fill in for the victim." Castle says with a grin as he stands in the appropriate spot.
Beckett goes to a corner and removes three items from a large plastic bag. "Per a suggestion from our Maryland visitor, we have brought along three pool cues to help with this demonstration."
The lawyer Greene says, "I protest. We did not agree to this."
"We are merely going over the statements of your clients as you agreed. We are only adding some visual aids. Gentlemen, choose your weapons."
With Greene glaring at these proceedings, the cousins Morton and Unger each take a pool cue from Beckett, and she hands Castle the last one. The cousins look at the cues in their hands and then at Castle, who gulps a little nervously. Joan notices that each cousin has a bandaged left arm from the battle of two nights ago.
Beckett says, "Now we go through this slowly, step by step. Miss Cobb, you first."
"The three guys were playing pool for a couple of hours, steadily drinking all of that time. They started with small bets, but the drunker they got the higher the wagering went. Then at the last game, they accused Paul of cheating after he won."
Unger says, "He did cheat. That last shot, Paul accidentily tapped the cueball with his stick but then took his shot anyway. That won the game, but according to the rules he didn't have the right to take that shot."
"Paul denied tapping the cueball." Denise says.
Morton adds, "But he did tap the ball. I saw it too. Paul demanded we pay off the bet, but we refused because he cheated. After that...things got out of hand."
"Got out of hand? You killed my boyfriend over a hundred dollar bet!" Denise shouts.
"No, I didn't. Yeah, I swung my pool cue but I hit my cousin, not Paul."
"Me too." Unger asserts.
Castle sighs. "Which puts us right back where we started. At least one of you hit Paul Oaklyn, maybe both. In fact, you may have deliberately hit each other after killing Paul in order to confuse the situation."
Greene says, "Now you're suggesting premeditation? This is over. One of my clients may have accidentily struck Mr. Oaklyn in self defense during the time the lights were out, but at most that would be a charge of manslaughter. It's up to you to determine which one did that, and the court will not stand for eeenie-meenie-mynie-moe."
Beckett and Castle exchange glances, realizing they may not be able to make a charge of manslaughter, let alone murder. From the corner Joan clears her throat...
"Since I came all the way from Maryland for this, could you indulge a pregnant lady? Just one time, please go through the re-inactment in slo-mo."
Everyone glances Joan's way and she experiences the wave of sympathy she hoped for. The two cousins shrug and take their positions.
Beckett smiles and says, "Miss Cobb, if you will?"
Denise replies, "The arguing got really loud and scary. All three guys raised their pool cues as weapons and...Paul advanced on the other two. That's when I switched off the power."
Denise pulls the main switch on the circuit breaker and the room gets very dark despite the small amount of light coming from the window. At night the room would have been pitch black.
"Lights!" Joan calls out.
Denise dutifully switches the power back on revealing the situation... Castle has instinctively ducked and the pool cues of the two right handed cousins are now an inch away from their left arm injuries. Joan is standing behind Castle holding a crowbar from the work bench, now resting next to his head. While everyone is momentarily frozen in place, Beckett looks at the crime scene photo of Oaklyn's head wound. The angle is a match. All eyes go to Denise Cobb who turns to run, but she quickly finds Esposito and Ryan on the other side of the door.
"Hold her, guys." Beckett calls out.
Castle looks at Joan and asks, "How did you know?"
Experienced in situations like this, Joan has a lie ready, but her face suddenly becomes stricken. With a shriek of pain, Joan crumples over as Castle rushes to catch her...
To Be Continued.
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