CBs
Chapter 16
Alexis grabbed every opportunity she could to ferry test results to Debora Halil's office. She smiled and tried to be friendly, even asking if she could fetch Debora fresh coffee. Debora was not in the mood for company, especially after Alexis dropped an armful of files on the floor. As soon as she picked up the fallen paperwork, Alexis was dismissed abruptly, but a bug was in place under Debora's desk.
As unobtrusive as possible, the bug was tiny with limited power. It could stream but not record and its signal wouldn't reach beyond hospital grounds. Hayley was stationed in the parking lot to pick up every word and she didn't have long to wait. Debora's voice was rough and shaky. "The organs have to be perfect, do you hear me? I can't have any more red flags. You send me specimens for typing and I'll get them through the lab, but you better not have grabbed some slut off the street. And your doctor better have some first class skills."
Hayley called the Castles. They would have to move fast to prevent another death.
Castle distributed coffee as Ryan, Esposito, and Bill Garrett rushed to their places around the conference table. Kate addressed the group. "Our priority of uncovering the identity of Kreu has shifted. We no longer have the time. It's clear that Kreu's people are holding someone, somewhere, until they're carved up for parts. According to Alexis, the tests have already arrived at the lab. If a transplant will be performed, the final cross match should take forty-eight hours. That gives us two days to figure out where the donor is being held and get them out. So where are we?"
"Castle, Ryan, and I have sifted through the holding company's business to determine potential sites," Bill Garrett reported. "We have three that are most likely. One is the building at 900 Lydig Avenue that Captain Beckett and Castle observed Kreu entering. Another is an Italian market that was purchased but has not yet reopened. The third is a veterinary clinic, also acquired but not reopened and we all consider it most likely. The deal included equipment, which means operating facilities."
"We'll put all three under surveillance," Kate decided. "We might even get lucky and pick up activity from Kreu, especially on Lydig Avenue. But regardless of what we see, we'll have to have teams ready to move the moment Alexis' bug indicates a transplant is scheduled."
"Hayley and her operatives are monitoring it around the clock," Castle added.
A savory aroma came through the door of Kate's office, immediately followed by Castle. Kate looked up from her computer and spied the slightly greasy bag in Castle's hand. "You went to Remy's."
Castle consulted his watch. "It's nine o'clock. I thought if you were determined to hang around the precinct, you could use some fuel."
"You thought right, Babe. My mind was taken up by the transplant murders, but I've got other things to juggle. The Chief may have found some money for the CB's, but the rest of the budget is still cut to the bone. I have cops wanting to take vacation and a couple about to take family leave and without overtime, I don't have enough people to cover. Two of the toilets in the restrooms upstairs don't work and I have no money for a plumber. The video screen is out in the break room in robbery and I can't replace it, and the heating system is making all kinds of funny noises."
"I noticed," Castle said, extending a paper-wrapped burger. "Sounds kind of like the Tin Man when he needs his oil can. But look, Kate, stuff like plumbers and heating guys, I can pick up."
"Babe, that's sweet, but you shouldn't have to and it wouldn't give me more cops. I'll figure it out."
"Of that," Castle declared, "I have no doubt."
Kate was down to her last french fry when her phone rang. She nodded as she listened briefly. Castle raised a questioning eyebrow as Kate ended the call, shoving her chair back as she stood. "Surveillance spotted Kreu at the Lydig Avenue building. They're sitting on him now."
"Road trip?" Castle asked.
"Road trip," Kate agreed.
Kreu had been in the building for hours and Castle was beginning to think he'd be in there all night. Finally Kreu emerged at three A.M. and got behind the wheel of a BMW. "Where do you think he's going?" Castle whispered.
Kate pulled out quietly, staying far enough behind to avoid notice. "We'll find out."
Castle monitored their route, comparing it to possible destinations using the mapping app on his phone. "Kate, he's going to the veterinary clinic." Castle's own phone buzzed. "That was Hayley. She says Debora just arrived at her office. Something must be going down tonight."
Kate pulled over. "Castle, you drive. I want to coordinate our teams. I need to make sure no harvesting takes place, but we need to catch Kreu at the clinic if we can."
Kate spent the rest of the trip on the phone. Waking Judge Markaway, she obtained an emergency warrant. Officers breached the clinic, preventing a harvest about to begin, arresting the participants, and rescuing the would be donor. With Kreu mere minutes away, the team pulled back, leaving detectives hidden inside. Kreu was allowed to enter the building unimpeded. When he called out for his men, asking where the hell the kidney was, the detectives emerged guns drawn. They cuffed him and read him his rights, leading him out just as Castle parked Kate's unit at the scene. The donor was put in an ambulance and Kreu and the others who'd been arrested were brought back to the precinct. At the same time, Ryan and Esposito were sent to bring in Debora Halil. Kate and Castle met them at the precinct.
Debora Halil had one interest and one interest only, saving her own ass. She immediately asked for an attorney to broker a deal. Kate let her sweat it out in a holding cell until her lawyer could arrive.
Kreu said nothing, except to request a lawyer. Two of the others arrested at the clinic said nothing at all. The third, requested a lawyer as his boss had done. Kate waited for matches on the fingerprints taken at booking. The results arrived close to sunrise and she and Castle sat down to examine them. The three men found at the clinic were in the system. The two silent ones had been previously arrested for dealing drugs.
The third, Fordham Burgess, had been found poised to apply a scalpel to unwilling flesh. Burgess' file showed a conviction for attempted rape. He had been a surgeon, one highly regarded in his field. Testimony against him indicated that arrogance born of his medical prowess has led him to feel entitled to visit his attentions on female co-workers. Multiple sexual harassment complaints had been hushed up by the hospital where he was on staff, until he attacked a surgical nurse. He had made an unfortunate choice of victim. Former military, she was able to successfully fight him off, while her shouts brought witnesses. The hospital could no longer keep his behavior under wraps. Burgess took a plea. He served less than a year in jail but lost his medical license. After his arrest at the clinic, he was more than willing to have his lawyer negotiate another deal. A meeting with the A.D.A. was set for late that afternoon.
Castle wearily but triumphantly let himself and Kate into the loft. Bright sun shone through the windows. Too tired to care that it was well into daytime, they divested themselves only of their shoes before climbing between the sheets. Kate cuddled into Castle's side and Castle lightly kissed her hair. "Score another win for the CBs," he murmured.
"We have a long way to go, Castle. We still haven't identified Kreu and so far all we can do is place him at the scene of a crime. That's not much."
"There will be a lot more after we get testimony from Debora and Burgess, right?" Castle asked. "He solicited felonies leading to murder and attempted murder. Shouldn't that be enough to throw away the key?"
Kate's finger drew invisible patterns on the fabric of Castle's shirt. "We'll see what they tell the A.D.A. and then we'll know what we've got."
Castle drew her closer. "Well I know what I've got, the best, most beautiful, bad ass police captain ever."
Kate snuggled into his chest, smiling. "Damn straight!"