Another Chance
Chapter 26
Charles Bollendorf watches from the back room of the Mercy Mission as the man and the woman go from table to table showing a picture of him, or at least what he looked like before he grew a beard. The woman is beautiful. If he could be sure she was born in this time period, he might even like to meet her. But she's also a cop. He can see the badge hanging from her belt. He recognizes the man. He's Richard Castle. Charles saw him on TV once talking about the crew of the Enterprise as if they weren't real. Castle could be one of the time invaders - after Charles because he knows the truth.
They aren't going to find him. Even if they did recognize him from the picture, no one here talks to people from the outside, especially not cops and the thralls of the time travelers. Some of them even have seen the travelers themselves. They see other things too. It's the ignorant fools who think they know everything, who are blind. He pulls his watch cap down, obscuring even more of his face. He had his meal in the kitchen while he was helping out, and he can hide in the sleeping quarters upstairs until the threatening presences are gone. But he may still have some work to do. It's a good thing he managed to stash his gun, his ammunition, and his money in a safe place - or as safe as they can be from time travelers. The guardian only knows what's in its records. Charles just needs to be careful until he's sure his task is accomplished.
The volunteer who introduced herself as Mandy Redford stares hard at the 8 X 10. She is careful about giving out information on the guests of the mission. Many of them are there because life has rained shit on their heads and they need a second chance, not a visit from the cops. But if this man shot a bunch of people, she can't let him do it again - if she can help it. "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing." Her mother said that every day of her life and Mandy believes it with her whole heart. The man in the picture looks familiar - something about the eyes. She covers the bottom half of his face with her fingers.
It's Charles. She's pretty sure. She lowers her voice to whisper that the suspect had been helping prepare the oatmeal for breakfast and is probably still in the building somewhere, but he's spooky and may run if he sees Castle or the lady detective. Her questioner just gives a nod and thanks her softly, before catching the eye of his partner. They act as if they are leaving. Mandy hopes they aren't.
Words explode from Castle's mouth as soon as he and Kate are out on the sidewalk. "He's in there, Kate. Mandy - the woman I was talking to - says he has a beard, which may be why no one recognized him, but he's in there. She thinks that if he believes anyone is after him, he'll run."
"Then we'll have to do this carefully, have backup keep their distance and get everyone out. These people will need a reason to leave."
"How about someone outside giving away free clothes and stuff. I can call a guy I know who owns a surplus store where I get things for cosplay. He has blankets and survival gear, items the mission's clients might need. I can get him down here if I pay for whatever the patrons of this establishment accept. I'll consider it my random act of kindness for the day."
"Not so random, Castle, but it's a good idea if you can get him to show up fast enough."
"He's only 20 blocks away, and I know he can use the business. He'll move his ass. While we're waiting, you can get things going with the N.Y.P.D."
Micah is nervous as he takes his place behind the podium, but not as nervous as he thought he'd be. Alexis assured him that what he plans to say is good, and he can see her on the end of the third row, right next to where he was sitting. The atmosphere is too somber for her to smile at him, but encouragement is in her eyes. The words are in front of him, but he doesn't need to read them; they are firmly imprinted on his brain.
He describes his time with his aunt, how she'd told him about a world and events that he was too young to have experienced but could see through her eyes. He talks about how she had encouraged him to learn about the things he loved, no matter what anyone else thought and how it had helped him and still did. Finally, he tells the other mourners that although her death is painful, he will always be richer for having known her.
He returns to Alexis while a guitarist plays Golda's favorite hymn, "Morning Has Broken." The rest of the service is short, with no viewing. As part of her last wishes, Golda had requested a closed casket. Micah is relieved that she did. He prefers to remember her alive.
The procession to the cemetery is long and tedious, but the graveside ceremony is mercifully brief. Micah and Alexis stand hand in hand watching as Golda's coffin is lowered into the autumn-chilled ground.
"You want to stop for some hot chocolate or something?" Micah asks on the way back to Manhattan. "It was pretty cold out there."
Alexis looks at her watch and shakes her head. "I need to get back to school. I have a class in two hours. Is there anything else you have to take care of for your family?"
Micah shrugs. "I'm not sure it's for the family. The lawyer who drafted Aunt Golda's will said that he needs to talk to me. I'm seeing him tomorrow. Maybe she left me a keepsake or something. She did have some collectibles, like a little Robbie the Robot. I don't think it's worth much of anything, but it would be a great thing to remember her by."
"Do you want me to go with you?"
"If you can spare the time, I'd love it. Having you with me has made all of this a lot easier to handle.
Alexis will make the time. Even if it means pulling an all-nighter.
The mission's patrons are suspicious at first of the truck that drives up, full of blankets, crank-operated flashlights, warm socks, and emergency supplies, but once they're convinced there's no catch, a crowd forms. When the truck relocates a block down, ostensibly for more room, they follow.
The N.Y.P.D. begins to set up their perimeter with the SWAT team preparing to storm the building. As far as Kate and Castle can tell, Charles Bollendorf is still inside. They've added the beard and the cap that Mandy saw him wearing, to his description. There's no way of knowing if he has a gun. Firearms are prohibited in Mercy Mission, but he could have concealed one. Time is moving in slow motion as looking through a small set of binoculars, Kate watches for Bollendorf to make a move. A metal door opens near the dumpster in the narrow alley at the side of the mission.