CBs

Chapter 31

Looking over Balazs's shoulder as he examined the newly obtained Rudy Gitano financials, Alexis tried to focus on the figures on the page but was distracted by the blue highlights flashing off her lover's midnight hair. "Do you see anything?" she asked.

Balazs consulted the list of Trimp petty cash expenditures Castle had provided. "We have a series of deposits that add up to the first transaction on your father's list. It's suggestive but not definitive. Alexis, as much as I enjoy your company, this is going to take a while, possibly days and I know you have work of your own to handle. I'll let you know the minute the gun really starts smoking."

"Fine," Alexis agreed grudgingly. "I'll be at my desk." The phone rang in reception. Forgetting her annoyance, she strode quickly to pick it up. "Richard Castle Investigations."

"Alexis, turn on ZNN," Hayley's familiar accent commanded.

"Trimp's face filled the screen as he addressed the crowd at a press conference. "This city is falling apart. The infra-structure is crumbling. Projects that would have supported the health and well-being of our citizenry are falling by the wayside. Our police are short of crucial funding. Mayor Weldon has failed in his duty. So today I am announcing that I will be running for Mayor in the upcoming election. Under my leadership, this city will be great again!"

Alexis' mouth gaped. "That sonofabitch!" she yelled into her phone. "He caused the problems he's claiming he's going to fix."

"Alexis, we can stop him," Hayley asserted.

Balazs joined his fuming redhead, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Hey, when we finish with this, the only place he'll be running is the prison yard. We're going to get it done."

The CBs who were gathered around the conference table watched a replay of Trimp's press conference in disgust. "Can you believe that guy!" Esposito exclaimed.

"It is sort of like the story of the guy who kills his parents and then throws himself on the mercy of the court because he's an orphan," Castle observed.

"It doesn't matter," Kate declared. "We'll be taking him down long before there's an election. So where are we?"

"Frampton took the plea deal that Marcus Weller offered," Ryan reported. "His attorney stipulated to all the evidence in the case against him, but Weller held back the note from Trimp because it wasn't necessary to the case. It's still in evidence for when we need it. We have Frampton's testimony that Trimp verbally solicited Ridley Mason's murder as well."

"Sylvie, what about Copswitch and the crisis center?" Kate inquired.

"As far as anyone can tell, Trimps money flowed to Guardians of the Future, but they didn't convince Copswitch by bribing him. The guy's just a fanatic - or a nutbar. The upside is that there are plans to construct a center with private funding. The campaign is already underway, supported by a number of women's organizations and religious groups. It won't have to go through the Responsibility Center so Copswitch won't be able to block it. It doesn't help our case, but it will help a lot of victims of sexual assault."

"Just tell me where to send a check," Castle offered, prompting Kate to affectionately squeeze her husband's knee, under the table.

"Angela?" Kate queried.

"I got a tip as to who the gang money went to to block the community center. It was Judith Morrison, who was the assistant director of the Responsibility Center. The director, Vance Archer, was out for a few months while his wife was going through chemo and Morrison took the opportunity to gridlock the community center. It was during the same period of time that Copswitch blocked the crisis center."

"Do you know how Mrs. Archer is doing?" Castle asked.

"Uh hmm, Vance Archer is back at work because she's in remission. He helped to uncover what Morrison and Copswitch did. Morrison's been fired and Archer will be helping us bring charges. Copswitch is still there, but I understand that as much as possible Archer will have him staring out a window. He's looking at the executive director of one of the groups funding the crisis center as a possible replacement for Morrison," Angela added. "Of course none of that helps our case against Trimp, but it's good news for the city."

"So Castle, as a concerned private citizen, what do you have to bring to the attention of the N.Y.P.D.?" Kate asked, fighting against the upward tug on the corners of her mouth.

"As a private citizen, I have employed Balazs Kovacs, a forensic accountant, to examine the financial records of of one Rudy Gitano, an official in Capital Expenditures who awards contracts. The records were obtained by the discovery process in a civil suit by my client, Pertwee Enterprises, and requested by my collaborator Hayley Shipton. Balasz has found a number of dispersals of cash by Trimp to Gitano that coincide with the award of bids to Trimp subsidiaries. The subsequent work on those projects has since been found to be faulty, substandard, and/or dangerous. Ladies and gentlemen, we've got the bastard."

Whoops and applause burst from around the table. "Castle, you got something for us from the Old Haunt to celerbrate?" Esposito asked hopefully.

"Let's not stage a celebration just yet," Kate cautioned. "The D.A. will have to bring charges and Trimp is going to fight us all the way. And we need to keep this under wraps until we have the cuffs on him. He has the resources to get the hell out of Dodge and there are any number of non-extradition countries that would welcome him and the funds that would flow from his off shore bank accounts."

"Well as nauseating as it is to listen to him, at least as long as he's performing for the cameras we know where he is," Castle offered.

"That's right," Kate agreed. "Marcus Weller will be working the case with Toni Gonzales, but I believe this is big enough so the D.A. himself will be getting involved. They'll let me know when they have all their ducks in a row. In the meantime, I don't think I have to tell you not to discuss this with anyone outside the case."

"Now," Castle announced, "the drinks are soft, but we do have Diner Dogs and all the fixings. They're already set up in the break room, together with my world famous seven layer dip."

Castle held Kate back with a hand on her arm, as the CBs enthusiastically headed for the food. "Kate we've got Trimp nailed. Are you ready for our discussion now?"

Kate sighed. "Oh Babe, we still have a long way to go. He hasn't even been arrested yet. You know his attorneys will try for endless delays and then when he gets to trial we have to make sure they can't pull some rabbit out of hat. This could take months, maybe longer."

Castle's voice rose in anger. "You knew that when you made our deal. The longer they delay, the longer you can delay. Kate, just tell me what you want. Even if I don't like it, it's better than not knowing."

Kate stroked his cheek. "I'm sorry Babe, right now I still don't know myself."

Castle pushed her hand away. "Fine. I'm going to my office, Captain. Enjoy your lunch."