Another Chance
Chapter 32
Marjorie Jobrack's eyes are dry but red-rimmed, a look Kate's seen before on victims' families and in the mirror. After the initial shock, grief comes in waves, with or without tears. It's only been a week since Marjorie lost her daughter and the pain is still fresh. Kate's being as gentle as she can. "Was there anything unusual going on in Sharri's life? Was she angry or upset about something?"
Fury rises in Marjorie's eyes. "Why are you asking me that? Sharri was killed because some bastard wanted a ring. What does how she was feeling have to do with it?"
"We have to build a profile of a victim," Kate explains, skating on the edge of the truth. "When we get the perpetrator, his lawyer may try to mount a defense that blames Sharri. The more we know about her, the better prepared we'll be to put her killer behind bars for good."
Marjorie twists her fingers together. "All right. As far as I'm concerned, the state should just do to him what he did to Sharri, but I'll try to help you as much as I can. Sharri did seem to be upset about something, but I don't know what it was. I have a heart condition, and she didn't like to tell me about anything she thought might be upsetting. She was a little overprotective."
Kate nods, suppressing the efforts of her lips to turn upward. "I know how that can go. Is there anyone else she would have talked to? A friend perhaps?"
"If she told anyone, it would have been Midge. Our families lived next door to each other. They've been practically inseparable since before Sharri could walk. I can give you her number."
"You were uncharacteristically quiet," Kate notes as she and Castle return to her unit.
"You were doing great, no reason for me to break in and ruin your rapport with another overprotected female."
"Babe, no. I love you for caring so much about our daughter and me. I'm just…"
"Stubborn and independent?" Castle fills in. "I know. It's part of what I love about you. It's just that I can't stand the thought of anything happening to you - or the baby."
Kate bumps her hip against his before reaching for the handle of the driver's side door. "I know, Rick. I'm pretty attached to you too."
Kate can tell that Midge Secort is more than just grieving for a dead friend. The dark circles under her eyes cover almost half her face. Her skin is pale, but irritated, as if scrubbed too hard, and her nails are bitten to the quick. She's hesitant to let Kate into her apartment and asks if Castle can wait outside. Castle tells Kate he'll be in the car, as she follows Midge into the one-bedroom flat.
Dropping into a chair at a small table, Midge rests her head on her arms. Kate quietly takes a seat opposite her and waits. Finally, Midge looks up, her teeth digging into her lip. "It's my fault. It's my fault Sharri's dead."
"Why don't you start at the beginning?" Kate advises.
"I have - had a boyfriend. At first, I thought he was nice, really nice. He took me to restaurants, the good ones. We went to movies, he even paid for one of those carriage rides in the park. But Sharri didn't like him. She never met him, but she thought there was something wrong with him; the way I told her he acted was off."
Kate leans over the table. "And was she right?"
"She was so right. He started wanting to control everywhere I went, everything I did. If I bought a new outfit or even a lipstick, he was convinced I was doing it for some other guy. I tried so hard to make him happy, but one night I just wasn't up to it. I'd been throwing up all day with that 24-hour thing. Some of the other people at work had it too. When I told him I didn't feel well, it was like he just went crazy. He hit me and then he…"
Kate hesitates for a few moments to see if Midge will finish, before filling in the blank. "He raped you."
Midge nods. "He told me that no one would believe me if I said anything, but if I did, bad things would happen. I had to tell someone, so I told Sharri. Somehow he found out, and now she's dead because of me."
Kate puts her hand on Midge's shoulder. "Look, the only one responsible for Sharri's death is the man who killed her. Tell me who he is, and I'll make sure he never hurts anyone else."
"What if he comes after me?"
"We can protect you. Just give me his name and where we can find him."
Midge tries to swallow the shakiness from her voice. "His name is Robert, Robert Haverstrom the Fourth. He signs everything that way. He works downtown somewhere, in the financial district. He would never tell me exactly where. He said he didn't want me coming on to his buddies. He told me he lives on the Haverstrom Estate in New Rochelle. He claimed that his family has been there since the 1800s." Midge pulls her phone out of the pocket of her slacks and swipes through her images. "This is Robert and me on the ride in the park. And this is a picture he sent me of the house."
Kate slides her card across the table. "I'm going to need you to send those to me. And if you think of anything else that may help us track Haverstrom down, call or text me, day or night. I'm going to get a police car to sit right outside your building, and I won't leave until they get here."
Midge reaches for Kate's hand. "Thanks."
Kate bangs her palm against the steering wheel of her parked unit. "Damn it, Castle, if Midge hadn't been too scared to call the cops on that animal, he might be in jail now, and Sharri might still be alive. How do men do that? Terrify women into silence that way?"
Castle shakes his head. "I don't know Kate. I can't remember a woman being scared of me. I've lived in fear of a few not so gentle members of your gender from time to time. I hid out from Gina for months."
"It's not funny, Castle."
"Hey. I never said it was. Men like Haverstrom should never be let loose on this world. But that's not all of us Kate. I'd cut off my arm before I'd ever hurt you. You have to know that."
"I do Castle. There are lots of good men and women. In this job, we just see more of the bad stuff."
Castle lays his hand on her belly. "Kate, the best stuff is growing right here. With you as a mother, how could she not be? And I have my moments. We'll get Haverstrom, and there will be one less piece of dirt in the world we'll bring our daughter into. Midge was brave enough to give us the tools. Now we, with some assistance from the rest of the force, will just have to put them to work."
Kate covers his hand with hers. "What would I do without you, Castle?"
He leans over to kiss her hair. "I don't know. I'm pretty irreplaceable."
Rolling her eyes, Kate starts the car.