Another Chance
Chapter 42
Ryan points to an entry in a file he plops on Esposito's desk. "Hey man, look at this. You remember the description we got of the man who was meeting Alicia at Cupa Wonderful?"
"Dark hair, light skin, scar on his forehead?"
"Right. Now, look at this description that one of the unis got of a guy who was putting a couch into a truck outside Donovan's building. Dark hair, light skin, same scar. Donovan must have been in on trying to take Beckett out."
"You've got something, Bro. We weren't looking for a truck before. Are you pulling the traffic cam footage?"
"Already requested. We trace that truck, we could break both cases wide-open. You find anything else on Donovan besides that account in the Caymans?"
"Beckett sent me an email about checking out the Frankfort Bank. They were sending deposits directly to Donovan's offshore account, but I don't see any connection with Alicia or anything else in this case."
"I do," Victoria Gates said, coming out of her office toward the two of them. "Frankfort Bank has been laundering money for Russian oligarchs and the Russian mob for years, mostly making outsized loans for real-estate deals. My sister's office has brought several cases against them. If Russians were paying Donovan to act as a mole in the department, that's how they would have done it. I don't understand how all this ties in with the attacks on Detective Beckett and I have a feeling that you men know more than you're telling. Look, if it helps, I'm pretty sure that Beckett was covering for Roy Montgomery. I'm not interested in digging up old skeletons and ruining the lives of the family of a dead cop, but I think it's time I knew what you two know about what we're up against here."
The grooves deepen on Castle's face. "The boys spilled everything to Gates?"
"That's what Espo told me, but she's not going to do anything to hurt Evelyn and the kids. He says she can help. You know her sister is the U.S. Attorney for the Southern district. They have a lot on the people who were running Bracken, years' worth. But they haven't got enough to stick to the major player, Mikael Kilimnik. He's former Russian intelligence and very good at covering his tracks."
"Is he the one who was meeting with Alicia?"
"No. He doesn't fit the description, but he has a son-in-law, Victor Chumak, who does. Victor is Kilimnik's, right-hand man. He would have trusted him to take out Donovan. I've been working on background on him. Feel like giving me a hand?"
"If we can get these guys: both hands, both feet and if necessary I can manipulate a mouse with my chin."
Kate reaches up to stroke the roughness forming on the body part in question. "I don't think that will be necessary, Babe, but I appreciate the offer."
Hunt can't believe the wall he is running up against requisitioning a single piece of equipment. Of course, he isn't supposed to terminate anyone on American soil - not officially - but that's never stopped the company from assigning him to do it. Kilimnik has his fingers in all kinds of pies but trying to screw with the top leadership of the United States should easily earn him a one way trip to hell. Isn't the mission of the company supposed to be preserving democracy? Apparently, the new director is a little squeamish about possible publicity. Damn political appointees, always complicating things.
If he can't take Kilimnik out on his fancy New York Estate, he'll have to give him a reason to leave the country. Outside U.S. borders Hunt can have free rein. Kilimnik was a big player in the takeover of the Ukraine by a Russia-friendly administration. In exchange, he was granted significant control over the largest machine-building plant there, one of his more prized acquisitions. Trouble in that factory might just get Kilimnik on a plane. Hunt's had a yen for authentic chicken Kiev lately. This might just be his chance to get some. His people can watch over Kate, Richard, and the family until he yanks out one of the crucial roots of the problem.
Kate thinks the disguise Castle insists she wears for a three-mile taxi ride to see Dr. Lyra is a bit over the top, but she's willing to go along with it. She's been blonde before, but nothing like the platinum shade of the wig he's managed to acquire somehow. His idea of stuffing her clothes, so she looks uniformly fat instead of pregnant goes against the grain. She's always been fond of her trim body and worked hard to keep it in shape. Nevertheless, between that and some heavy makeup, even her own father wouldn't recognize her.
She's used to admiring appraisals from men, but the island-born cab driver doesn't give her a second look. Castle has managed to bulk himself up as well and has a hat pulled over his face. To their conveyor, they must look like a typical overfed American couple. She convinces herself that's for the best. She and Castle will be forgotten before the cabbie picks up his next fare.
Lyra's brow furrows as she scrolls through her records of Kate's readouts. "You haven't exactly been leading a calm life, I see. Understandable, I suppose. I saw the story in The Ledger about the attempt to blow up Mr. Castle's apartment. I assume you've found safer accommodations?"
"As safe as we can. Is anywhere in New York safe?"
Lyra shrugs and shakes her head. "Kate, I can't ignore this, and neither can you. I see significant strain here. Your heart rate is still up, and your blood pressure is rising. That's not good for you, or the baby. Look, I'm going to prescribe some breathing exercises for relaxation. I want you to do them three times a day and more often if you have an identifiable stressor. If the situation doesn't improve in a few days, we'll have to talk about bed rest, and I'm sure you don't want that. So are you hearing me? Put on some meditation music, visualize waterfalls, do whatever it takes to get those readings down. And from everything I've seen of Mr. Castle, I'm sure he'll be willing to help in any way he can."
Kate sighs. "He'll want to help. He'll want to help way too much."
"Maybe we should get you a pet," Castle muses after they've returned to their hideaway. "Stroking an animal can be very calming. We'd have to walk a dog, but how about a cat, a nice furry purry."
"Castle, I am not a cat lady. I always feel like they're watching me. Anyway," she adds, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair, "I already have someone I enjoy stroking."
"You may find that calming, but I don't. My blood pressure and a lower part of my anatomy are rising by the second. While I appreciate the thought, I don't believe that is the result we're striving for at this particular moment. Should I download some Kenny G, or perhaps some Yanni?"
Kate gags. "No thanks, Castle, but maybe we could just curl up and listen to Marsalis for a while."
Castle inclines his head in an abbreviated bow. "Your wish is my command."