Shared Obsession Chapter 195
"Is there an ATM around here somewhere, Castle?" Kate asks.
"There's one at the bank in the village, actually right next door to Chief Brady's domain. I suppose that's one way of discouraging rip-offs. But the last time I checked, there's a thousand-dollar-a-day limit, which won't cut it for our covert voyage with Gertrude Moshower. But I can get the money from the safe at the house."
"Didn't know you had one."
"Well, sometimes I'd stay up here in the summer writing, especially when Alexis was away at music camp or computer camp or something. So I needed a place to stash emergency funds. And Gertrude isn't the only one around here who likes cash. It's come in particularly handy when dealing with some sources."
"What sources?" Kate questions.
"Believe me, as a cop, you don't want to know."
"Yeah, I believe that. So, back to the house?"
"Briefly. I want to be on our way ASAP before Gertrude has a chance to change her mind."
"She doesn't seem like the mind-changing kind," Kate offers.
"No, but she might be the 'I got a better offer' kind. It would come down to the same thing."
After punching in a code made up of the birthdays of three obscure but fascinating mystery writers, Castle opens the safe hidden behind an oil painting of a roaring lion. He bought it years later than – and at a hundred times the price of – the lion that he regards as his totem, on the poster on his bedroom wall in the loft. But other than serving as a guardian of sorts, the painting's no dearer to him than the original.
Packets of cash are arrayed on the shelves inside the secure space, as well as a tiny velvet-covered box. He purchased the contents within days of first making love with Kate. Since then, it languished in the safe in the loft, as Castle waited for the right moment to present it. He wasn't sure if this weekend would be the time, not with the results of Bracken's trial still up in the air. But he wanted it with him – just in case. He managed to slip it into the safe while Kate was in the bathroom. Leaving the box where it is, Castle pulls out the funds he needs and some extra, again, just in case.
"Got it!" he announces to Kate, who is using the time to grab bottles of water. "Alexis sent me a text that she's going to be spending the rest of the day with the museum interns before they return to the city. So we should have clear sailing."
Captain Gertrude Moshower thumbs through the bills Castle hands her. "OK, it's all here. Let's get you two set with life vests and we'll get underway."
"Are you expecting rough waters?" Castle inquires.
"No, although sometimes the currents can take some interesting turns around the end of the peninsula. No offense, but I've had enough lamebrain weekenders aboard my vessel not to take any chances."
"No offense taken," Castle replies. "I've met a few of those myself."
"OK, then," Gertrude continues, retrieving life vests from secured storage. "Now, I figure, we'll hug the western side of the peninsula on our way out. There are inlets all along that coast, but there are a couple I know of that are nearest to the area you want to check out. I'll let you know when we're getting close. Until then, enjoy the ride. And if you feel sick, for God's sake don't face into the wind."
Castle glances at Kate, raising an eyebrow. "Talk about lamebrain, I never asked you if you get seasick."
"Not that I know of, but my time on the water has consisted mostly of the Staten Island Ferry and fishing on the lake with my father. I did spend some time on a boat out of Odessa, but we stayed in the harbor. You?"
"Not so far. But you remember that Storm I wrote where he was on that yacht?"
"Uh-huh. With the evil female mastermind. I was wondering who you based her on."
"I think I came up with her after Gina's lawyer told me how much she wanted in alimony. But my point is, one of the things I researched is what causes motion sickness. From what I read, it has to do with the difference between what you see and the signals from your inner ear about how you are actually moving. So, if you are below decks and can't see things going up and down, your brain gets mixed messages and responds in an unfortunate manner. But if you stay on deck and keep your eyes on the horizon, everything matches, and you're OK. Of course that doesn't help much if a storm comes up and you either have to go below to keep from getting swept away or lash yourself to a mast or something."
Visions of a storm-battered George Clooney immediately flit through Kate's mind. She gazes up at an almost cloudless sky. "I think I should be all right."
If anything, the ride along the coastline is almost boring. Through binoculars, Castle can see a group of gulls trying to wait out a family gathering and grab what's left of their picnic. A few other boats cruise by, with passengers hoping to get in some fishing or just enjoy the day, but for the most part, the trip is free of much in the way of distractions. Life vests don't do much for his ability to cuddle up to Beckett, either.
Finally, Gertrude calls their attention to what looks like a grove of trees along the shoreline. "It's hard to see it, but there's an inlet there barely big enough to get a boat through. It widens out past the trees and goes inland a ways."
"Is it close to the old Cardano compound?" Castle asks.
"From the ocean, it's a couple of miles, but once it widens out inland, maybe half a mile."
"That should be close enough," Kate says.
"Right," Castle agrees, "can you get us in there?"
Gertrude snorts. "That's what you're paying me for."
The tree branches on either side of the boat are almost close enough to touch as Gertrude steers her craft through the narrow waterway. As she predicted, it finally broadens to almost lakelike proportions. Castle uses the binoculars to scan the shoreline. "I think I see a …." He hands the heavy glasses to Kate. "Does that look like a pier?"
"I think it does."
Castle points in the pier's direction. "Gertrude, can we get closer to that?"
Gertrude carefully steers the boat toward the abutment. "That's a pier all right," Kate says.
Castle takes back the binoculars. "And not an abandoned one either. If it had just been sitting there unused, the wood would be starting to rot away and there would be stuff growing on it. There's no sign of that. Someone is using that thing. Gertrude, can we tie up to it?"
"Castle, we were going to stay as far away as possible," Kate protests.
"Yes, so we could inform the authorities. But right now, all we have to tell them is that someone is using a pier. How much attention are they going to give to that?"
"Not much," Kate admits.
"It looks like there's a path leading to that pier. So let's take a little walk, and get closer to the compound." Castle suggests. "Then if we see anything, we can report it. And if we don't, at least we'll know there's nothing to see. Come on, Beckett, you know you're as curious about what the Cardanos are up to as I am."
"All right," Kate concedes. "But we stay outside the compound. If there is any activity, we should still be able to spot it."
"As you wish," Castle agrees.
"You two can go on some hair-brained hike if you want to, but I'm not going looking for that kind of trouble," Gertrude announces. "I'm staying with my boat. It shouldn't take you much more than ten or fifteen minutes to get there. So, I'll give you an hour. And if you're not back, I'm taking off without you."
"We'll be back," Castle promises.