Another Chance

Chapter 19

Kate and Castle are ushered in the employees' entrance and accompanied to a small room they can use to talk to Tillie's co-workers. The doors had opened at 6 a.m., but even at nine, the atmosphere is frantic. With the throngs of bargain-hunters overrunning the store, it will take some effort for management to free up any members of the sales staff from the barely controlled chaos, but the plan is to bring them in one at a time as soon as possible.

As soon as possible appears to be taking a while. Castle asks Kate if she'd like to spend the time on wedding planning. Their discussions on the subject were suspended during the search for Merri, and Kate's reintroduction into the N.Y.P.D. They'd decided weeks before to avoid gift registries, or gifts from their guests at all, in favor of contributions to a fund to support the families of deceased or disabled first responders. Castle lined up a DJ, and Cherilyn has already put in the orders for any flowers that will need to be shipped in, but they still need to agree on a menu.

Castle has been forced to sit through too many rubber chicken affairs to give the catering staff at the hotel leave to grind out the usual. Kate also wants something that will intrigue and amuse their celebrants. From a hotel kitchen that may take some doing, and possibly a guest, or at least consulting, chef. Castle proposes that he get the catering supervisor on the phone to see what they can work out.

Bobby Cray sounds harried. Castle can only imagine that he's been juggling Thanksgiving family get-togethers along with plans for parties throughout the holiday season. Still, given the premium that Castle is putting out for the arrangements, Bobby better try to be as accommodating as he can. He explains that while the hotel's chef de cuisine can be territorial, if the qualifications for whomever Castle plans to bring in pass muster, his or her presence will be tolerated. However, in the interests of avoiding any liability for the hotel, whatever suppliers the consulting chef plans to use, will have to be on the hotel's approved list. The paperwork can be emailed to Castle and or his chef, but the coordination of deliveries will require some advanced planning.

Kate facepalms while Castle thanks Bobby for his time. Rick reaches for Kate's hand. "This won't be as complicated as Bobby made it sound. He was just trying to discourage us from taking him outside his comfort zone. But that's what we do, right? Think out of the box. So now that we know we can bring someone in, whom do we want? Do you want to try for Jennifer Wong, Maddie Queller's chef? Before she went to work for Maddie, she said she had a catering business going. Or maybe Rocco DiSpirito or Michael Symon?

Kate giggles. "I know you'd love Symon. I've caught him when the TV was on in the break room a couple of times. He's like you. He thinks everything is improved by the presence of bacon."

Castle's eyebrows fly up. "Well isn't it?"

"Not for a maid of honor who's dieted for three months to make sure she fits into her dress. How about if we lose the celebrities? Who did the food for that first Halloween party you invited the whole bullpen to?"

"You mean the one where you staged the scene from Alien? That didn't do much for the appetite, Kate, although it did increase traffic at my very heavily spiked punch bowl."

"That is the party I mean. Anyway, the potency of the punch aside, the food was delicious and creative. I never thought miniature goblins could taste that good. And the tiny tombstones were out of this world."

"They were tasty," Castle recalls. "That food was all done by Tamera Bardot. Her father runs a restaurant up in Westchester, that serves traditional French cuisine. It's all very upscale, especially the prices. Tamera was at the party. She was the one with purple and green streaks in her hair. That look wasn't just for Halloween. She has a unique sense of style. Tamera attended the Cordon Bleu, but she wanted to break away from Daddy's version of the culinary arts and do her own thing, so she founded Kicky Katering. She's never put a thing on a table that I haven't loved, but she definitely has her own way of presenting a meal."

"I noticed. But if Tamera can manage something that's not too off the wall, I think her food could be fun."

Castle shrugs. "I can set up a meeting, and we can find out."

The door opens, and a young woman with a Macy's nametag comes in. "I'm Casey Meacham. I worked in the same department as poor Tillie - for the past six months anyway. I was told you wanted to talk to me."

Kate gestures toward a chair. "Please sit down Ms. Meacham. I'm Detective Kate Beckett, and this is Mr. Castle. We just need to ask you some questions about Tillie."

Casey drops into a chair. "I don't know how much I can tell you. I mean, Tillie was nice and everything, and she knew all about the store. But I didn't get to talk to her much, except about where to find something or what was coming in. We worked the same section of the store so we couldn't go to lunch or on breaks at the same time. I mean, I don't know anything personal about her."

"Then tell me about when you worked with her," Kate prompts. "Did she seem worried about anything or distracted?"

Casey scrunches her eyes and rests her chin in her hand. "Not worried. She was excited about the parade. It's a big deal to be on a float. She talked a little about how she was looking forward to it." Casey's voice drops, almost to a whisper. "But some people talked about Tillie sometimes. I heard them in the lunchroom and the ladies room. What they said got pretty nasty. Some people thought she got too many awards and all the attention - like getting to be on the float. They thought she should retire and give other people a chance."

"Did Tillie know that people felt that way about her?" Castle asks.

"I don't know. I never heard anyone say anything to her face. And she hung with an older crowd anyway, women who've all been here a long time. I've seen them getting ready to go out together after work sometimes. I don't know where they went, but Tillie would leave with them."

"Kate pushes a pad and pen toward Casey. Could you write down some names - people who complained about Tillie, and also the ladies who were her friends?"

Casey picks up the pen. "I can try. You don't always know who a voice belongs to when you're going to the bathroom or trying to eat your lunch, you know? But I think I know a couple. And I know the names of two of the ladies Tillie hung with too. They're kind of mentors around here like Tillie was."

"Just give us what you can," Kate urged. "We can check the names out."

Casey drops the pen. "You won't tell anyone what I said, will you. Not about the mean ones, I mean. I still have to work with everyone."

Castle puts a finger to his lips. "Not a word."