Shared Obsession Chapter 78
"Anything on the canvass?" Kate asks as Ryan and Esposito return to the bullpen.
"Nada," Ryan replies. "Locals only remember seeing the car after the tickets. No security cameras on the street."
"Which may be why the killer chose that particular spot," Kate considers. "It wouldn't get a lot of attention."
"The fiancée's story checks out," Esposito adds. "Cake shop confirms she was there waiting."
"Heading to meet his fiancée at a cake shop in Great Neck. How does a guy end up in Harlem?" Ryan wonders.
"Maybe he had secrets even his fiancée didn't know about," Castle offers. "Doctors have been known to do business with dangerous people and a plastic surgeon has some very saleable skills."
"Castle, that may be true, but right now we have to establish a timeline," Kate says. "When did Leeds get his first ticket?"
"Last Monday night," Ryan replies.
"OK, you guys go to the midtown garage where he kept his car," Kate instructs, "and Castle and I will check out his office."
Castle's head bobs as his eyes follow the motion of the unusually large breasts of a woman leaving Leeds' office. Kate jabs an elbow into his side. "What is it with men and boobs, anyway?"
"I think it's genetic. I read a theory somewhere that when humans started standing upright, it attracted a man to the front of a woman's body. I read another one that large breasts suggest the ability to provide nutrients to children."
"In which case, implants would create a false impression," Kate points out.
"Yes," Castle agrees. "But one could say the same for makeup, Spanx, and various other devices women employ hoping to appear more attractive. I'm more interested in what's behind all that."
"And you do seem rather fond of behinds."
"One in particular."
Kate grabs a handful. "Same here. But we have work to do." She pushes open the inner door.
"It wasn't like the doctor to disappear," Leeds' assistant Julia Hammond claims. "I think that deep down we all knew that something was, um, wrong."
"Did he seem agitated at all?" Beckett asks.
"No, it was pretty much business as usual," Julia replies.
"Except for the wedding," assistant Mario Guerrera interjects. "We were trying to clear his schedule for the honeymoon."
"When was the last time you saw him?" Kate inquires.
"Last Monday," Julia recalls. "He was on his way to meet his fiancée."
"What time did he leave the office?" Castle queries.
Julia hesitates. "Um."
"Around two," Mario puts in. "He said he wanted to beat the traffic on the L.I.E."
"Yeah," Julia agrees.
"When I called him at 2:30, he was fine," nurse Maggie Dowd offers. "He said he was just getting out of the tunnel."
"He'd left Manhattan then," Kate concludes.
"Why would he come back?" Castle wonders.
None of the office personnel respond.
"Did Dr. Leeds have any enemies," Kate asks, "anyone he operated on who had complications or a bad experience?"
"None of his patients had complications," Julia states defensively.
"That doesn't mean they were always happy," Mario inserts. "Cosmetic surgery is about self-image. For some people, it changes their lives. For others, nothing is ever enough."
"Did any of his patients ever threaten him?" Kate questions.
"One, Jacey Goldberg," Julia admits. "She was a patient of Dr. Leeds until about three months ago."
"What happened?" Castle asks.
"She wanted a facelift," Julia replies.
"So?" Kate probes.
"She had already had three, and Dr. Leeds refused to perform the operation," Mario explains.
"So what did she do?" Castle queries.
"She sued him. It was thrown out of court, of course," Julia rapidly adds.
"That's when the threats started," Maggie says.
With Beckett and Castle, Montgomery stares through the glass into Interrogation at an impatient Jacey Goldberg. "She should be arrested for violating the laws of nature. What is all that?"
Castle surveys the woman's face. "Collagen in the lips. Looks like she was going for Calista Flockhart and got Punch and Judy after the punch. Cheek implants maybe and probably enough Botox to paralyze her forehead. She's like the cover shot of one of those tabloids at the checkout stand, 'Alien worms invade human face.' No wonder Dr. Leeds refused to do any further procedures."
Esposito strides up with a file. "Check this out – Jacey Goldberg's husband Jack had her committed to Bellevue a month ago for psychiatric treatment for her little obsession. And get this! Joshua Leeds testified in support of her commitment. Mandatory one-month treatment plan. She was released three days before the doctor went missing."
Kate gestures toward the box and sticks the file in her leather folder. "Maybe she needed a lot more help. Come on, Castle. Let's get in there."
Smiling sympathetically, Kate takes a seat opposite Jacey and her lawyer. Rick settles into the chair beside her. "Ms. Goldberg, I'm Detective Beckett. This is Mr. Castle, a consultant with the department."
"What's this all about, Detective?" the attorney demands.
"Ms. Goldberg, are you familiar with a plastic surgeon named Joshua Leeds?"
Jacey glances at her attorney, who nods. "Yes."
Kate opens her folder in front of her. "You recently sued him for malpractice."
"That's correct," Jacey acknowledges.
Kate traces her finger down a document. "For refusing to perform elective cosmetic surgery, specifically a facelift, implants, and liposuction."
"We object to the term 'elective,'" the lawyer responds.
Jacey draws herself up in her chair. "I can assure you each procedure was medically necessary."
"Dr. Leeds didn't seem to think so," Castle points out.
Jacey thrusts out a grotesque lower lip. "Well, that arrogant bastard thought he could play God."
"If you wanted the surgery so badly, why didn't you just see another li – uh, doctor?" Castle asks.
"Because I wanted the best." Jacey retorts. "Who is he to deny me the best?"
"So you threatened to ruin him," Castle responds.
Jacey's voice rises. "Why does he get to tell me what I can and cannot do? Why does he get to decide what I look like?"
"Is that why you killed him?" Beckett questions.
"You don't have to answer that," Jacey's lawyer advises as his client's mouth falls open.
Jacey shakes her head. "What?"
"Dr. Leeds was murdered last week," Castle informs her.
"Murdered?" Jacey repeats.
"A couple of days after you were released from the psychiatric facility Leeds helped commit you to," Kate explains and turns to the lawyer. "That's motive and opportunity, Counselor."
"I said I'd ruin him, not kill him," Jacey protests. "That's a big difference."
Kate holds a pen poised over her folder. "Then I suppose you won't mind telling us where you were last Monday afternoon."
"Getting help from a doctor more understanding than Dr. Leeds," Jacey declares.
As he and Kate leave the box, Castle blows out a deep breath through pursed lips. "Eww! If I never hear a description of that surgery again it will be too soon."
"Some women do like to tighten up a bit down there," Kate suggests.
"Aren't there exercises for that? Meredith did something along those lines for months after Alexis was born."
"I don't think Jacey's the exercise type," Kate notes. "I'm going to check her alibi, but I'm guessing it's true."
"Assuming it is, what next?" Castle asks.
"CSU went over the car with a fine tooth comb but didn't find anything. And Leeds was tortured. Maybe he had information someone wanted. That would suggest a professional. I'm thinking of getting with the organized crime unit to see if they know of anyone whose MO matches the plastic bag and duct tape."
"Not to mention extracted fingernails and broken fingers," Castle adds.
"Uh-huh."
"If the Organized Crime Unit knows whose signature that is, wouldn't they have caught him?" Castle asks.
"Maybe. Probably. But they might still be gathering evidence."
"I have another idea about how we might get the information. I know a guy. He's a capo in one of the families. I used him as a consultant in one of my books. He's actually pretty nice. And I know where he spends his evenings. But," Castle consults his watch, "Mother is taking Alexis to a boutique to find the perfect prom dress. I promised to bring my titanium card as my date. And while I'm at it, I want to make sure the dress doesn't make any promises I won't want Alexis to keep."
"Castle, you and Alexis have finally managed to make peace," Kate reminds him. "You don't want to ruin it by sending her to the prom in a potato sack."
"The thought did cross my mind. But I'll settle for elegant but very hard to unzip."
"Good luck."