Shared Obsession Chapter 196
Castle points down at ruts in the path leading away from the pier. "Beckett, does that look like someone was using a cart or a dolly to move cargo?"
Kate crouches for a look. "It does, and pretty recently too. The tracks wouldn't look this clear if they'd been rained on. Do you know when the last time it rained out here was?"
Castle pulls out his phone. "I can find out. Thursday, just before people would have started coming out for the holiday. So these could have been made any time since then."
"Which means whoever made them might still be around," Kate realizes. "We'll have to approach without doing anything that might attract attention. I'll take point. And from now on, I know it's a strain for you, Castle, but no talking. Are you with me?"
Castle presses a finger to his lips and nods.
Moving deliberately, as if clearing a room, Kate wonders if she should draw her off-duty gun from her ankle holster. Deciding that if she and Castle are spotted, showing a weapon would wipe out any chance of claiming they're on an innocent walk, she leaves it hidden.
As Castle follows, his head buzzes with ideas desperate to burst out for theory-building with Kate. Still, he forces himself to silence. Finally, Kate reaches an opening in the greenery from where she can see the Cardano compound. The grounds are surrounded by a barbwire-topped chainlink fence with a gate roughly facing where the path emerges from the woods. Spotting at least two people inside, she points to the phone in his pocket and pantomimes snapping pictures.
As quietly as he can, Castle positions himself where he can get the clearest shots. He knows that his brand new phone camera, unlike Beckett's, has an enhanced zoom capacity. Assuming that's why she wanted him to take the photos instead of taking them herself, he makes a mental note to get her the latest upgrade. Gazing through the fence, he sees what she must have seen: men moving around the compound with boxes. One exits a building wearing a filter mask, the kind used when packaging drugs. He takes as many photos as he can before he feels Beckett tugging on his shirt. She taps her watch crystal and points back down the path.
They're almost at the pier when the sound of a rifle cocking cuts through the air. A gruff demand comes from behind some trees. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"
Castle offers two men emerging from concealment his most baffled expression. "Hey! What's the problem? You don't need to point a gun at us. We were just taking a hike."
"If we're trespassing, we're sorry," Kate adds.
"Uh-huh. See, we were just taking a boat ride and we found this amazing hidden lake, so we thought we'd look around, explore a little, you know," Castle babbles. "We didn't mean any harm."
"Yeah, we'll see about that," one of the men says. He points down the path back toward the compound. "Get moving!"
"All right, we're going," Kate replies. "Just don't shoot us." She starts walking back the way she came with Castle close behind.
"Tell me you have a plan," he whispers in her ear.
"Working on it," she mutters.
"No talking!" the man urging them along orders.
Kate keeps walking until about halfway to the compound and stumbles. "Damn! My ankle!" she exclaims sitting on the ground.
"Get up and get going," their captor orders.
Castle crouches beside Kate, shielding her hands from view. "Can't you give her a minute, she's in pain."
The two men move in. "You better not be faking," the spokesman warns, as he bends over to look.
"Now, Castle," Kate whispers almost imperceptively. Kicking straight up, she knocks the gun from the leader's hands and sends him careening into his compatriot. Drawing her own weapon, Kate kicks the dropped rifle away while Castle grabs the other one from the downed henchman's grasp and tosses it into the brush. "Castle, there are zip-tie handcuffs in my pocket. Get them."
"I can't believe you brought those. Unless…."
"Later, Castle. Just cuff these guys."
"Yes ma'am!"
"OK, you two," Kate commands their prisoners, "down the path to the pier. Now!"
With Kate pointing her weapon at their backs, the two men start walking.
Staring at the group coming toward her boat, Gertrude throws out her arms. "Now wait just a minute! You paid for a nice quiet ride. I ain't haulin' no guys in handcuffs wherever you think we're going."
"We just need you to take us back to where you were moored. We'll call ahead and have the cops meet us there," Kate explains.
"You hired this boat to transport two people. Taking on more, um, passengers, will cost you more," Gertrude declares.
Castle rolls his eyes, glad that he'd grabbed extra cash. "All right, here we go, how much?"
When Gertrude ties up in East Hampton, Chief Brady is waiting at the dock with several state troopers. "From the way you described the property where you caught your prisoners, Detective Beckett, it's actually part of a state park. That puts it in state jurisdiction." He gestures toward the troopers. "So you can explain what happened to these gentlemen. I have to make sure the tourists gathering for the concert later don't get out of hand."
"Ooh, are you still expecting the Blue Pill?" Castle asks. "They're my daughter's favorite."
"As far as I know," Brady responds. "But whoever is singing, I need to make sure the traffic keeps moving." He turns to the troopers. "This is all yours."
A trooper whose badge identifies her as Lingonberry steps forward. "So, Detective Beckett and Mr. Castle, right? What have we got here?"
Castle grins. "Wait 'til you hear."
Stretching contentedly after enjoying a rib eye Castle grilled, Kate hears the ding of a text coming in on her phone. "What's that?" Castle asks.
"The state cops raided the Cardano compound. They found a meth lab plus drug shipments that look like they were brought in by boat, probably from vessels in international waters. There was enough to supply at least the Tri-State area. They also picked up the rifles from where we left them in the woods. The prints will back up our story. You know, the Cardanos had quite an operation going."
"Anything about what Vinny says about it?"
"Apparently he claims he didn't know. But that will be for the DA to sort out. If he can flip one of the guys we brought in, Vinny may have to sing a different tune. In the meantime, he'll be under a microscope."
"They're going to need a big one. It's been quite a day. And hey, I know Alexis is going to want to see Blue Pill tonight. Do want to go? If not, I can just drop her off and pick her up afterward – assuming Chief Brady does his job keeping the traffic flowing."
"I bet he will, but I want to go," Kate decides. "I heard that after Hayley Blue died, her sister Skye really cleaned up her act, and the band is doing great. It would be wonderful to see something positive for a change."
"Yes, it would," Castle agrees. "A night under the stars with good music and the best company. I can't think of much that's better than that."
Kate leans over their dinner for a kiss. "Neither can I."