Shared Obsession Chapter 188
"That was fast," Castle observes as Ryan and Esposito return to the bullpen. "You got samples from all those women in less than two hours?"
Ryan holds a USB drive. "Didn't have to. They were all on Wilder's voicemail system. We just had to get the IT guy to give us a copy."
"Slick," Castle grins. "Beckett sent some unis after Lance Newman. She's got him waiting in the break room. I had to convince him that the coffee is Fair Market before he would drink it, but he didn't ask where the doughnuts came from. Guess he's got a sweet tooth. Anyway, he's ready to go anytime you are."
A harried voice sounds from the laptop on one of the break room's high tables. "Leave a message or try my cell."
"Not her," Newman says.
"OK, how about this one?" Ryan queries.
"This is Jane. I'm away from my desk. Please leave a message."
Lance shakes his head.
"You've reached Sophie. I can't take your call now, so leave your name and number and I'll get back to you."
"We're not getting anywhere and I have a rally I need to get to," Newman complains.
"Just three more," Ryan soothes. "Try her."
"This is Lisa Jenkins. If you've reached this, it means I'm out of the office. Please leave a message."
Lance snaps his fingers and points at the computer. "That's her! That's the woman I heard arguing with Wilder. Only she wasn't that polite."
"Sounds like we've got a suspect," Beckett says.
"Detective Beckett," Tech Wong calls from the doorway. "I've finished going through that low-light surveillance video from the townhouses on East 75th. There were two people at trashcans." He hands Kate two printouts. "These are captures of the best images I could get."
Kate studies the pictures as Castle gazes over her shoulder. "That's our vegan bookseller retrieving his bounty but look who the one dumping them in is," Castle says.
Kate taps her finger against the image. "That's Damian's cousin Blake."
"Two suspects?" Castle asks.
"But only one we can place at the murder," Kate responds. "Still, we need to talk to both of them."
"OK, Damian and I had an argument at his place Thursday night," Lisa admits, frowning her annoyance. "But I was not having an affair with him and I never went to any motel in New Jersey."
"Our witness said he heard things being thrown and Damian saying something about a gun being put to his head. How do you explain that?" Kate demands.
"No, no, I didn't throw anything," Lisa claims. "That was Damian. He was talking about the protestors. He was unhappy because it was taking so long to find another manufacturer. And since I was in charge of production, he felt that was on me. Our discussion got a little heated."
"Could you tell us where you were Sunday night?" Kate questions.
"Out to dinner with some friends."
"And after dinner?" Castle probes.
"Can you be a little more specific?" Lisa asks.
"I can be very specific," Kate interjects. "Between 10:34 and 10:52."
"I was home alone, although I did step out at one point. My neighborhood has alternate side of the street parking and I had to move my car, find a different space."
"Did anyone see you?" Castle asks.
"Not that I know of."
"And what time was that?" Kate continues.
"Uh, 10:15 maybe."
"You live, what, ten blocks down Lex from where Wilder lived. It would take you about two minutes to drive there," Castle points out.
Lisa shrugs. "I don't know. I've never really timed it."
"You think she's telling the truth?" Castle asks as he and Beckett leave the box.
"I'll check with her doorman," Kate replies. "There might be some security footage that could nail down how long she was gone from her apartment. But she hasn't really got a motive. I mean, with Damian dead, the company could go to hell and her job with it."
"Unless Damian would have fired her for not doing her job," Castle points out.
"And Blake had the books," Kate adds. "If Lisa killed Damian, why would Blake get rid of the books?"
"Right, as next of kin, he would probably inherit them." Castle figures. "Unless he wanted to make the killing look like a robbery. That would clear Lisa. But then why the message written in blood? Kate, the more we know about this case, the less sense it makes."
Kate gestures toward two uniformed officers bringing in Blake. "Maybe after we talk to him again, it will be clearer."
"I can't believe you guys are dragging me down here again and accusing me of murder," Blake Wilder protests as he is guided firmly to a seat in Interrogation.
Kate holds up the screen capture of Blake dumping the books. "That's you, isn't it?"
"Maybe it's someone who looks like me," Blake responds.
"Looks enough like you that a computer comparison of this with your DMV photo called it a match," Kate replies. "And we've traced the books you were throwing away. At least two of them were from the catalog of Damian's collection. That would place you at the murder scene the night Damian was killed. "What were you trying to do, Blake? Pin it on the kitchen renovation crew you so conveniently steered us toward as suspects?"
"I didn't kill Damian," Blake insists. "I was meeting with friends for a drink the night he was murdered."
"Meeting with friends where?" Kate demands.
"At McDugans, at 11:00."
"That's a block away from your cousin's place," Kate points out. "How about before that?"
"I was home."
"Are you sure?" Kate queries. "Because I'm going to check with your doorman."
"I don't have one."
"Then I will check all of the street video around your place and Damian's. And I will check any transactions on your credit or debit cards."
"And you better believe she'll do it," Castle interjects.
"If you aren't telling me the truth, I will find out – and so will the DA," Kate continues.
Blake smacks his palms against the table. "All right! All right. I didn't go straight to the bar. I went to a newsstand. I bought some cigarettes, OK? All my friends think I quit, but every once in a while I get a craving I can't put off. So I went to the ATM. I got some cash. I bought a pack, smoked a few, and threw the rest away."
"What time was that?" Kate asks.
"I don't remember."
"Well, your ATM will," Kate says.
Kate drops her bag by the front door and slips out of her shoes as she and Castle drag into the loft. "I don't get it. The newsstand confirms Blake was there and his ATM withdrawal was at 10:39. That's right in the middle of our timeline. He couldn't have done it. But we still don't know how he managed to get and dump the books – or why."
"And the surveillance video at Lisa's place says she left her building at 10:18," Castle adds, "which would have given her plenty of time to get to Wilder's. But she's back at 10:47, also well within our timeline, so she couldn't have done it either. Maybe a decent meal and sleeping on it will help," he suggests before spying Martha sitting at the kitchen counter. "Mother, what are you doing here? Isn't this one of your evenings with Chet?"
"Oh, he had one of his ghastly political functions and I needed my stationery. I'm writing a note to Madge to tell her how brilliant her performance was."
"Well, that's very supportive and magnanimous of you, Mother, especially since she'll be out of a job soon."
"No, as I understand it, she's already booked a role in the new Keeno Deeves movie, playing the long-suffering mother of the hero. And I don't have to be magnanimous. My agent called today. I booked Doreen in "George is Dead," part of the anthology, Relatively Speaking. I'll be alternating with Marlo Thomas, but it is still a wonderful opportunity – and the schedule will give me more time with Chet."
"That's excellent news, Mother. The Keeno Deeves movie, is it shooting in New York?"
"Yes, it is. Apparently, he has a project here, one of his many good works."
"Those programs he sets up with disadvantaged youth?"
"Something like that."
"And I'd suppose he'll be needing security."
"I would imagine, Richard. Why?"
"Just a stray thought, Mother. So, how would everyone feel about Fettucine Alfredo? It shouldn't take me much longer to throw that together than it will take to get my pasta pot boiling."
"Whatever you like, Richard," Martha says. "I'm fasting for clarity anyway."
"Beckett?" Castle inquires.
"Sounds wonderful." Kate's cell phone dings a text. " Castle, the police in Atlantic City picked up Benny, Scarlett O'Hara's motel clerk, for disorderly conduct. "We should be able to question him in the morning."
"Ah, perhaps he can point us toward the elusive Scarlett O'Hara and let her luminescence shine some light through the murk of this case."