CBs
Chapter 13
A uniformed unit was the first to arrive. Castle didn't recognize either of the officers, but they made it clear that they had received orders from Captain Beckett to cooperate with him. With no appearance of real danger, they awaited the arrival of Fran Bardici for the possible attempt at the deadly use of a scalpel. Hayley fed Castle steady reports. Failing sudden traffic, she judged Bardici to be about five minutes from the apartment. Castle was not at all sure what to do when Bardici got there. There was no real evidence that Bardici was doing anything but coming home, nor that the man dragged into the building was connected to Bardici. But the story would make no sense unless it was all connected. The least Castle could do would be to watch Bardici when he arrived and call the uniforms in if an organ removal seemed imminent. He wished Kate's team would arrive, but he knew Bardici would make an appearance first.
Using binoculars, Castle caught the code with which Bardici let himself into his building and followed. Bardici was just disappearing into the elevator. Castle watched, noting the floor at which it stopped: four. Bardici lived on four, but that meant little. The operations could be performed in his own apartment or another one on the same floor. Castle took the stairs, cautiously peering out from the stairwell to make sure the hallway was clear. Pulling a sound amplifier from his pocket, Castle listened at Bardici's door. "It's about time you got here," a male voice spat out. "Let's get this done."
"Hey, I need to gown up," a voice Castle took to be Bardici's protested.
"What for?" the first voice questioned impatiently. "It's not like it matters if he catches something from you."
"Well I don't want to catch anything from him," Bardici retorted. "You people haven't exactly been careful about what you've brought me. The death of that little girl has us under a magnifying glass. The police and a P.I. have been sniffing around the hospital. They know the Nussbaums were scammed and Debora is going have to work even harder to make sure all the paperwork checks out. So where did you get this one?"
"He's one of our own. Healthy as far as anyone knows. Got some kind of conscience about that girl dying. He got drunk at the club and was running his mouth about it. The big guy found out and wasn't happy. Couldn't have anyone breaking the code that way. It was just lucky this asshole typed out as useful."
"Yeah, well I have to be more careful altering the lab records to cover up those tests too," Bardici complained. "They've put another check on the bar codes, got some little intern in. The Nussbaum death has everyone scrambling to cover their asses. We may have to go with the other hospitals, and we don't have as good a line on any of them. Well, this one should go through all right. Practically the whole place has been praying for the right heart to turn up. Get that jerk on the table. I'll be ready in a few minutes. I have to get all the equipment set. Harvesting a heart is delicate. I can't afford to damage any of the vessels. Everything will have to be perfect."
Castle listened in horror. He thought about kicking the door in, but there was a good chance the men who had brought the body were armed. Even if they weren't, it would be three against one in a room full of sharp instruments. He called for the uniforms then called Kate, who told him the team was two minutes out. Castle hoped they had two minutes.
The uniforms charged up the stairs, guns drawn, to join Castle. "He hasn't started yet, but he could any minute," Castle whispered. He handed one of the officers his earphones. "Use these, you'll hear if he's starting and you can go in. Captain Beckett's people are almost here. I'm going to try to cut the power. Bardici can't operate without it.
Castle ran down the stairs, finding a second rougher staircase that led to the basement. He pulled out his Mag Lite, searching for the circuit breakers. The panel was large and he had to strain to open it. The breakers weren't labeled by apartment, but there was a master breaker. Castle threw it and signaled Kate about what he had done.
Kate's team burst into the building, rushing to join the uniforms upstairs. They broke through the door of Bardici's apartment to find him helplessly searching for a flashlight. The men who had brought the donor drew their weapons but surrendered quickly when it was clear that they were outgunned. Kate cuffed Bardici while her team secured the other two men. She thumbed an icon on her phone. "Castle, you can turn the lights back on now. We've got them."
A cuffed Bardici sat sullenly across the table from the Castles in interrogation. "I would say we caught you red handed," Castle quipped, "but fortunately you never got to operate."
"Your would be heart donor was more than willing to tell us about your organ racket," Kate informed Bardici. "Normally that, and the evidence we gathered at your apartment, would be enough to put you away for several lifetimes, but he doesn't know who the person behind your little harvesting club is. I have a feeling you do. If you give us a name, that could put the D.A. in a generous mood. Who knows? You might even be eligible for parole some day."
Bardici crossed his arms across his chest and tapped his leg nervously. "I'm not telling you or some D.A. anything. If I give you a name I'll never live to be paroled. I'm only talking to my lawyer."
Kate rose from her chair. "Fine. You're responsible for the death of a twelve year old girl. A whole firm of lawyers won't be able to keep you out of prison. Next time you bend over you'd better have your back to the wall." Castle followed Kate from the room, leaving L.T. to guard the prisoner. "What do you think, Castle?" she asked as they watched a sweating Bardici through the one way mirror. "Will he talk?"
Castle sighed and shrugged. "I don't think so, Kate. He's more afraid of whomever the big guy is than of you. But I think Mr. Big might be the guy in the expensive suit I saw talking to Debora at the club. The way he acted broadcast power - and cruelty. I got a picture of him. Ryan ran it through facial recognition, but he got nothing. I think I need to stake out the club. Big looked comfortable there, like a regular. I'd be willing to bet he'll be back."
"Castle," Kate suggested, "How about if we stake out the club together? A couple might draw less attention. And we haven't been dancing in a while."
Castle caressed her cheekbone with the backs of his fingers. "Kate, I can't picture you not drawing attention. But you would look incredible in the kind of dress the women I saw there had painted on. He extended a hand. "Care to cut a rug with me tonight, Captain Beckett?"
"Well Mr. Castle," Kate replied, "I'd be delighted."