Who Are You?
By
UCSBdad
Disclaimer: Not mine, right? Rating: M, occasionally. Time: Season Seven.
Chapter Eleven
Before Rick or Kate could ask anything more from Ryan or Esposito, Gate's opened the door to her office. "Detective Beckett, will you please bring your team in here?"
Gates' visitor was a tall man, greying at the temples, well tanned, in good shape and very well dressed. Castle especially noticed that the suit he wore was hand made and of very good quality. He also caught the Rolex on the man's wrist.
"Captain McCarty, this is Detective Kate Beckett and her team, Detectives Ryan and Esposito and Mr. Castle. This is Captain Brian McCarty."
McCarty smiled and shook everyone's hand with a firm, but not too firm a grip. "I'm not a captain anymore, so Captain Gates is just being polite. It's Mr. McCarty now. I left the job three years ago."
"Where did you go?" Castle asked,
"Like all sensible born and bred New Yorkers, I retired to Miami. I opened a small security company, and I have to admit, I've done alright."
"Now Captain McCarty is being modest. He has a security contract for a dozen Native American casinos. They're very big and very lucrative. Not just casinos but hotels, restaurants, golf courses, swimming pools, the works."
McCarty blushed slightly under his tan. "I guess I've been lucky. And it's not just casinos, I manage security for a couple of high end communities in South Florida."
"I imagine you didn't drop by to tell us all about your successful new life, did you?" Kate asked.
McCarty laughed. "She gets right to the point, doesn't she Victoria? I like that in a detective. "He turned to face Kate. "I'm here for a number of reasons. First I want to apologize for the behavior of my nephew, Sergeant Michael McCarty. I heard that he came in here very angry about reopening the case. He's always been very sensitive about what happened with Henry, but that's no excuse for what he did. You have a murder. Naturally you have to investigate.And since the dead drug dealer was found in the same building where three cops were killed, you have to look for a connection. And you have to look for Henry. I understand that, but I'm afraid Michael and a few other members of the family don't. I'm sorry."
Kate shrugged. "We're not doing our job if we don't piss off some people sometimes."
McCarty laughed. "She doesn't mind pissing people off, either. You have a good one here, Victoria." The laugh faded and McCarty was serious. "But there's something else. Mike, Sergeant McCarty, picked up a rumor that Henry was involved in the death of the drug dealer. Maybe involved in the death of those cops. Basically, that he was dirty." He looked at Beckett expectantly.
She shrugged. "We've heard the same rumor. And that's all it is right now, a rumor. We've looked into everyone connected with Moncrief, the dead dealer and with anyone connected with the dead cops or with McCarty. But after all those years, there's not much information there. You were on the job. You know how it is." McCarty nodded. "If he had ripped off a drug dealer, it could explain why we're having so much trouble finding him. Then again, he could be dirt poor, have a new identity and be bartending in East Jesus, Texas. A cop would know how to disappear with no trace."
"I just hate to think of Henry being involved in anything like that. I mean it's be bad enough that everyone thinks he's a coward, but….." McCarty shook his head sadly. "Do you think that's why IA is interested in this? They think Henry was dirty?"
"You'll have to ask IA about that. As usual that's strictly need to know and no one outside of IA ever needs to know what they know. If you have access to people we don't. I'd love to know what IA knows that we don't. If they actually know anything."
"Sorry. Even when I was a captain, I didn't have any suction with IA. But, I have another question. There's some undercover Fed working this with you. What do the Feds have to do with this?"
Kate glared, quite nicely. "The Feds are even more closed mouth than IA. He got dumped on us and so far he's done nothing. Hell, he hasn't been around for what…"She looked at Castle. "Four days?"
"Five." Rick replied. "As a guess, if the Feds have something, it's only tangentially related to our case. I think he figured out we have nothing of use to him and is off on his own."
"Fine with me if he stays that way." Espo said. "I don't like having to deal with Feds and their superiority complex, but this guy…"
"Detective Esposito." Gates said in a warning tone of voice.
"Makes IA look like a bunch of incurable chatterboxes." Espo finished, with a sour look on his face.
McCarty stood up. "I apologize again for what Michael did. I'd tell you that he's sorry and won't do it again, but I'd be lying. He's a stubborn man."
He shook hands again and left.
As Kate was getting ready to leave, Gates spoke. "Detective Beckett, do you have anything at all concerning this case that would explain what just happened?"
"Sir?" Kate said, confused.
"It's not that long a flight from Miami and he does have family here, but isn't it a bit odd that he'd come all this was to deliver a second hand apology and ask us about the investigation?"
Kate thought for a moment. "I have no ideas at all, sir."
"Well, I wish someone would find out more about Mr. McCarty."
When they got back to Kate's desk, Castle looked at the three detectives. "Did anyone else get an odd vibe from Gates' last comment?"
"What do you mean, bro? Like when she looked at the only non-cop in the room who has a reputation for knowing people who can get information without things like warrants?" Espo shook his head. "I didn't get a vibe like that at all."
Kate took his hand. "You don't have to do anything if you don't want to, babe."
"Yeah, but I want to." He stood up. "I think I need to make a phone call. I think I should make it all by myself. Outside. Be back in ten."
It was three days before the phone call paid off.
"I have to go to lunch. Be back in a couple of hours." He told his wife.
"You're not springing for lunch for us?" Ryan asked.
"It would be better if I didn't involve you guys in this. I'll be back and…."
Kate grabbed his wrist. "I'm going with you."
"Kate. You really don't need to and…."
"I'm your wife and I'm going." She turned to her detectives. "If Gates asks where we are, tell her we're out not looking into any ex-cops who live in Florida."
Castle admitted defeat and the two left the bullpen. Once outside Castle's car service had a car waiting for them.
"Are you taking me to someplace that nice, or is this for security?"
"Security, but the place is pretty nice."
They were driven to a neighborhood delicatessen in Brooklyn. I was pretty full, but they were waved to a table in the back by a skinny older man in sunglasses and a ball cap. "Try the pastrami, Ricky. It's the best." He said as they sat. "And you brought your wife?"
"Don't worry. She won't tell on us." Rick said with a smile.
"I never thought she would, Glad to meet you, Mrs. Castle. Call me Slick Willie. I'm the original Slick Willie."
The waitress brought them food and the three ate. When they were done, Slick Willie passed a manila file to them. "I'll give you the high spots. When McCarty was on the job, he had a house in the price range of a captain. Same with his cars. One for him, one for the wife. When the kids got into high school, she got a part time job at the school, mostly to have something to do, I think. I can't say they needed the money that bad. As for the usual problems, sex, drugs, and gambling, nothing. So him, his wife and the kids look good. Oh, that's not to say the kids never smoked a joint, or that neither of them might have fooled around, but there's no evidence that shows a problem. Basically a cop living on his salary."
"And after he retired?" Kate asked.
"Moved to Florida. And got lucky."
"How lucky?" Both Rick and Kate asked.
"He opened a little security company just as one of the big Indian casinos found out that their own security company was allowing the employees to skim cash in return for a cut. Now the other casino security companies were pretty tight with each other, so McCarty's big draw was that he wasn't local and all tied up with the local firms. He got a job right out of bed with the biggest casino in Florida and hasn't looked back. Pretty soon he had he had security contracts for all the big Indian casinos and was doing good. Really good. The man is a millionaire many times over, almost as rich as Ricky here."
"Casinos are famous for laundering money." Kate said. "Any sign he might be laundering money?"
Slick Willie shrugged. "Not from what I have. I can't just hack into his financial records for something like that. If you really want me to find out, I'd need to go to Florida and look around. Probably take a couple of months. I'd be happy to go."
Rick and Kate exchanged glances. "Nothing sticks out in his Florida finances?" Rick asked.
Slick Willie shook his head. "Again, no sign he's living beyond his considerable means, and no sign of any financial problems."
"You'll have to go to Florida on your own, Willie." Castle said with a smile.
"Might just do that come winter."
When they got back to the precinct, Castle went to talk to Gates, alone.
"Sir," He said, closing the door. "Can I talk to you… Um, about a friend of mine? I've been….helping him straighten out his finances. I thought…."
Captain Gates held up her hand to stop him. "Mr. Castle, I'm not going to rat you out and I'm sure you won't rat me out, so why don't you just tell me what you found out about Mr. McCarty?"
Castle made a choking sound, then told Gates what Slick Willie had found out.
"So, there's no evidence that McCarty is in any way dirty?" She asked.
"Which is not to say that we've proved he's one hundred per cent clean. Remember, that we were told that the bosses were smart. They were going to keep the money safely hidden away until after they retired. And McCarty's work with the casinos is perfect if he can find someone to help him launder the money. And since he managed to get rich pretty much on his own, he doesn't have to launder millions all at once. Plus, he can invite his accomplices to work for him in Florida when they retire, and launder their money as well. Assuming he's at all dirty."
Gates stared out the window. "So, we're no closer to finding our dirty cops than before." Gates looked at Castle. "Thank you, Mr. Castle. You've proven quite useful to Detective Beckett's team." Seeing Castle smile, she quickly added. "And you still have the ability to infuriate me on a daily basis."
The smile faded quickly. "I'll try to do better, sir. I mean, not to bother you…..Not that I'd do better at infuriating….."
Gates just pointed to the door.
Rick told Kate and her detectives what had happened with Gates.
"I don't think she's ready to join the Rick Castle fan club." Kate teased.
"I have all the detectives I need from the 12th in my fan club already. And, I'm the president of the Detective Kate Beckett fan club."
Kate laughed. "We may have to have a fan club meeting when we get home."
"Could you two knock it off?" Ryan Said. "Karpowski just called. She thinks we'll want in on the body drop she just got."
Karpowski and her team and Perlmutter were at the crime scene as CSU techs went about their business. Kate and her team ducked under the crime scene tape and walked down an alley.
"Are we sure it's him?" Kate asked.
Karpowski nodded. "The beat cops ID'd him and told us you'd been interested in him for your little IA case. You gonna tell me what this is all about? I am a homicide detective, remember? I might be of some help to you on this one."
Kate wearily shook her head. "Believe me, Roz. You do not want in on this one. Hell, I don't want in on it. So, we've confirmed he's Ricky Perez, our friendly local drug dealer, who helped Mr. Nunez into the next world?"
"That's what the beat cops and his driver's license say. Care to take a look?"
Kate zipped down the body bag and nodded. "It's him." She turned to Perlmutter. "Cause and time of death?"
"COD is a GSW to the back of the head. He was shot by a silenced .22 caliber Ruger automatic pistol with a suppressor on it. No one would have heard the sound of the shot more than twenty feet away."
"Very good, Perlmutter." Castle said. "You wouldn't want to become a detective and work for me, would you?"
"Not if my immortal soul depended on it, Castle. The uniforms found the weapon at the end of the alley and I wrote the information down for my report. As for time of death, I'll know more when I get him to the morgue, but a prelim time of death would be between 1AM and 5AM. Oh, no signs of a struggle or any defensive wounds."
Kate looked around the alley. "So he met with someone he knew and trusted, walked down the alley, and our killer put a round in his head, tossed the piece and kept going." She turned to Karpowski. "Keep us informed of what you find, Roz. And thanks for letting us in on this one."
"Always glad to help out."
But Roz was not much help. Her detectives found no witnesses and there were no security or traffic cams for blocks. CSU had found no evidence at all in the alley that they could connect to the murder and the gun was clean of prints or DNA. The gun itself had been stolen from a delivery truck going to a sporting goods store in Kansas six years previously. A ballistics test showed it wasn't in the system.
"We have nothing." Kate said to Roz when she was done.
"A professional job is my opinion."
Kate took the copy of Roz's report and put it with a growing stack on her desk. "Thanks. Maybe we can find this guy from my end."
Roz leaned in. "Um, anything yet on what I mentioned about a certain guy who hangs around here?"
Kate shook her head. "He doesn't even hang around here much anymore. We haven't seen him in over a week. Gates was contacting the Feds, but if she's heard back, she isn't sharing."
Another day went by.
"Guess who wants to come in today and make a statement?" Ryan asked.
"Elmer Fudd." Castle said quickly. "He finally did in that wascally wabbit."
Kate didn't even bother to glare. "I don't have to guess because my detective will tell me. If he knows what's good for him."
"Okay, it's the Izquerida kids. And their lawyers, of course. Michael is in law school and his sister, Anita, is in college."
"Why do they want to make a statement?" Kate asked.
Ryan shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. But they called Gates and asked if they could come in after lunch."
"Okay, Castle and I will take the boy and you and Javi interview the girl. That way we can compare their stories later."
The two Izqueridas and four lawyers arrived after lunch. Michael looked perfectly relaxed, although as a law student he should have looked relaxed. His sister, Anita, looked unhappy, but maybe that was because she'd rather be shopping on Fifth Avenue. The four lawyers all had matching sour expressions, tending towards glum.
Kate explained that they would interview the two separately.
Before the lawyers could say anything, Michael Izquerida spoke. "That's fine with us. Why don't Mr. Holland and Ms. Crane come with me? Will you be okay with the other two, Anita?"
Anita just nodded.
Once in interrogation, Kate introduced herself and Rick.
"Mr. Castle is not a police officer. He's a civilian writer. If any of this winds up in one of his novels about some over sexed cop, we'll sue." Holland said quickly.
"Mr. Castle is a civilian investigator with the NYPD. He has every right to be here. "Kate said coldly.
"Have you ever heard the term roman a clef?" Castle asked with a smile.
"I have. It's a form of a novel that takes real situations and disguises them as fiction. Your Nikki Heat novels are an example."
Rick nodded, still smiling. "A better example might be Primary Colors. Everyone knows the book is about the Clintons and their first campaign for the Presidency. Just about every character in the book, or the movie, has a counterpart in real life. But, should the Clintons decide to sue for defamation, they couldn't. Because, no matter what people think it's about, it's really about a fictional governor named Jack Stanton. Do you understand me?"
"I'm not afraid of…."
"Having your client look very bad in a best selling novel when you have zero chance of suing successfully?"
"Mr. Holland!" Michael Izquerida broke in. "We didn't come here to start a fight with anyone. I came to discuss the events of September 24, 2000. Which is all that I have any personal knowledge of. May I continue?"
"Please do." Kate said.
"My father, my mother, my sister and I were driving to church when we were pulled over by three cops in two cars. They were all in uniform and their cars were standard NYPD patrol cars. They had us get out of the car and go into a parking garage. They handcuffed my father's hands behind and opened the trunk, which was empty. Finding it empty, they demanded money from my father. Lots of money. They also hit my father, slapped my mother and called her a whore. One of them pointed a gun at me when he saw I was looking at his name tag. His name was Borelli. He said I was a punk and my sister would be a whore just like my mom. Anita was crying. I don't know how much she heard or understood, since she was very scared. Another one, a sergeant with three gold stripes on his shirt told Anita and me that if we ever said a word about what happened, we'd regret it. And our parents would regret it. Then they let us all go. Yesterday, I looked at photos of the three officers that were murdered in the building where you found Mr. Moncrief. I'm positive that those three are the same three officers that stopped us. That's all I know and all I can tell you."
"Mr. Izquerida, may I ask why you came in today? The men who assaulted you are long dead." Kate asked.
"I'll soon be an attorney. Naturally, I want to do anything I can do to see that justice is done."
"And I'm sure you'll be happy to do anything you can to blacken the names of the three officers and the NYPD in general." Castle added.
He glared at Castle. "My sister cried and had trouble sleeping for months. I used to hold her and tell her everything would be okay. She didn't really know what a whore was, but she knew it was bad and she didn't want to have to become one like that cop said. For all that they did, those cops deserve to rot in hell and they sure don't deserve to be considered heroes." He stood up. "That's the extent of my statement. We're done here."
"One more thing, Mr. Izquerida." Kate asked. "How did you know that we were interested in those officers' deaths?"
Izquerida chuckled. "You asked half the people in that neighborhood about the late Mr. Moncrief and the death of those cops. People know how my family feels about those crooked cops. We got lots of phone calls."
When both interviews were over, they all met in Gates' office. "We've gone over both statements from the Izqueridas and they match. Ms. Izquerida's statement is less complete, but she was younger and more upset. And, basically, we got nothing we didn't already know."
"Except that now, if nothing happens with the investigation, the Izqueridas can tell the world that the NYPD had them in to talk about the three dead cops and were told they were dirty. And that the NYPD never denied they were dirty. That would make the Izqueridas happy."
"Um, Captain Gates, would you like me to….look into the Izqueridas for you?" Castle asked.
Gates shook her head. "No, Mr. Castle, but thank you for offering. What we know now is that the still living Izquerida family members are actually legitimate businessmen and businesswomen." Gates suddenly looked out of her office towards the elevator. "Oh, lord, what's wrong now?"
Lieutenant Bergdahl stormed into Gates' office and slammed the door behind her. "What the hell have you idiots done now?"
'