Shared Obsession Chapter 158
Kate finishes a call with Lanie and starts making a note on the murder board. "You were right, Castle. Dental records confirm that the mummified body is Nicole Graham."
"I thought that girl was killed by an animal in the jungle," Montgomery says.
"When we talked to some of the other grad students on the expedition we found out her body was never recovered," Castle explains. "All the Mexican authorities found was her bloody clothes and a piece of scalp. They assumed a jaguar got her. But it also fits perfectly with what Lanie reported about blunt force trauma to the head."
"But instead of just leaving her for the animals in the jungle, someone turned her into a mummy?" Montgomery questions.
"Maybe someone wanted to be sure nothing would turn up to cause the authorities to ask more questions," Castle suggests. "Hell of a way to get rid of a body. Hide it in plain sight and ship it out with the other artifacts."
"And no one would have ever found out if Medina hadn't decided to sell the wrong mummy," Kate points out.
"And when the collector refused it, Medina decided to take another look. A crime uncovered by attempting another crime. Good plotline," Castle muses.
"But Medina's suspicions must have tipped off the killer somehow. So they decided to get rid of him to cover up the original crime," Kate adds.
"It makes sense," Montgomery says. "But who's our killer?"
"It would have to be the person with skills to mummify a body, and who Medina might have confided his suspicions to," Kate figures.
"Rachel Walters!" she and Castle exclaim.
Rachel gazes around at the sterile walls of the box. "What's going on?"
"Four words," Castle says. "Eat, pray, love, kill. A little friendly advice: next time you kill someone, skip the part where you prove only you could have covered it up."
"Kill someone? What are you talking about?" Rachel demands.
"We're talking about Nicole Graham," Kate answers. "You killed her in Mexico then you mummified her body to cover it up."
"What? No! Nicole was killed in a jaguar attack," Rachel protests.
"Except the Mexican authorities never found her body," Kate says.
"But the NYPD did," Castle interjects. "And so did Medina when he discovered a discrepancy in the carbon dating."
"And that's when you knew you had to kill him," Kate declares.
Rachel's eyes squeeze shut. "That's insane!"
"What happened, Rachel?" Kate presses. "Did you find her in the jungle making time with your man?"
"No! Nicole and I were friends," Rachel insists. "And whoever told you she was sleeping with Will was lying. Sure she had a crush on him, OK? We all did. But she backed off when she realized Will was interested in me. Stanford was the one who was jealous. Ask any of the women who were down there. He had a thing for Nicole ever since she joined the program. We'd see him standing around watching her. It was creepy."
"You were the expert, Rachel. You were the only one who knew how to mummify a body," Kate asserts.
"No, I wasn't," Rachel retorts. "Everything I know about mummification I learned from Stanford Raynes. Look, Detective. Mummification is a hands-on process. I promise you that whoever did that to Nicole left behind some DNA. I'm happy to provide a sample. Why don't you see if Stanford Raynes will do the same?"
"The floors look shiny," Castle notes as he and Kate walk toward the exhibit area in the museum. "They must have waxed them in preparation for the onslaught of mummy fans."
"Stanford Raynes," Kate calls out as they approach the curator, "you're under arrest for the murder of Nicole Graham."
"And don't forget Will Medina," Castle adds. "You had to kill him too when you found him sniffing around her mummy. Only way to protect your secret."
Raynes smirks. "You can't be serious."
"Serious enough to get a warrant for your DNA," Kate says.
"This is the part where you say I would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for you meddling kids," Castle tells him. "You don't have a creepy mask to pull off, but your face is creepy enough."
After a beat of confusion over Castle's remark, Raynes dashes down a hallway. Sliding on the newly waxed floor, he tumbles down a flight of stairs, landing in front of Ryan and Esposito.
Castle gazes down as Ryan cuffs the stunned suspect. "Ruh-roh."
"So, once Stanford got out of surgery, he confessed to everything," Castle tells Montgomery. "He lured Nicole to the burial chamber. Then when she refused to, uh, celebrate with him, they fought. He was more deadly than a jaguar."
"So what happened to the mummy he swapped for Nicole's body?" Montgomery asks.
"The mummy was so fragile that all Stanford had to do was strip off the wrappings and stomp it into dust," Kate explains.
"An affront to every archaeologist who ever lived," Castle says. "And if it's that easy to dispose of a mummy, it ruins the plots of most mummy movies ever made."
"Then Stanford wrapped Nicole in the mummy's original cloth," Kate continues. "That's why it passed the carbon 14 test, but her bone didn't. He stuffed it into the sarcophagus, sealed it up tight, and by the time it got to the US months later, the mummification process was complete."
Castle picks up the tale. "And when Stanford decided to kill Medina, he used one of the pry bars from the museum to tip the gargoyle. Rupert Bentley was already planning the PR campaign and Stanford hoped Will's death would be blamed on the curse."
"Three members of the expedition dead, one on his way to jail, sounds like a curse to me," Montgomery opines.
"A curse entirely of human origin," Castle returns. "Raynes was lecherous and Medina greedy, very human failings. Research is one thing, but Cacaw Te was right. Regardless of whatever the Mexican government got out of the deal, the museum's expedition had no right to take what belonged to the indigenous people."
"And speaking of Cacaw Te…." Kate says, gesturing for Castle to follow her.
Kate and Castle join Cacaw Te in his holding cell. "I have a deal to propose," Kate tells him. "I spoke to the DA and he's agreed to drop the felony threat charges in exchange for your cooperation."
"What kind of cooperation?" Te asks.
"You have to announce that New Yorkers are in no danger of revenge from angry mummies. 911 is overloaded with calls of people afraid a mummy is stalking them."
"And why should I disabuse them?" Cacaw Te asks.
"Because thanks to us, Rupert Bentley has agreed to send the entire collection back to the Mexican Museum after the exhibit ends," Kate replies.
"And why would he do that?" Te queries.
"Let's say that with the scandal of the museum's curator committing a double murder, he has enough of a PR problem. And he's also under pressure from the museum's Platinum Circle," Castle adds.
Te nods. "I see."
"And there's one more thing," Castle adds. "I can't be the only one allergic to the calabash pollen where your people make their homes. Is there an ancient Mayan remedy for hives?"
"There is. It grows all over the Yucatan, but it's not just Mayan. It's a popular plant in the US too. My people use aloe to take care of the problem."
"Really? My mother has several plants. She uses them for cleanses."
Te wrinkles his nose. "My people prefer external use. Just rub on the gel. You should be OK in a day or two."
"Wow! Anything else we can do for you?" Castle asks.
"I wouldn't mind a trip to the airport."
Castle whistles as he makes a batch of smiley-face pancakes.
"You're in a good mood, Dad," Alexis observes.
"I am! Thanks to the Mayan remedy and Kate's help with – never mind – I had a great night's sleep. Ready to take on the world."
"How about appearing on the Bobby Mann show?" the teen asks. "Aren't you supposed to be pushing your new book tonight? Gina called yesterday with a reminder – her third one."
"Right. I don't know why. The man's ratings are sinking. I'd do a lot better on Kimmel or Letterman. But a bestselling author's duties are never done. However, these pancakes are."
Kate takes a seat at the counter, her hair still damp from her shower. "Great! I'm starved."
Castle winks. "I'll bet you are."