Confessions Chapter 20
"Come on, Bro," Esposito says as a server collects Ryan's basket of stripped-clean chicken bones. "We have some business to finish at the dartboard."
As Ryan follows his partner to the corner of the room set up for sharp-pointed competition, Kate stares at the pictures above the bar. "Anything jump out at you?" Castle asks.
"That one down in the lower left corner, does it look like a younger version of Raglan and McCallister?"
Castle leans over the bar for a better look. "It does kind of, but there's a third guy there. He's behind them in shadow, but there's something familiar about him."
"Yeah, there is," Kate agrees.
Holding up a $20 bill, Castle signals to the bartender. "Could we get a closer look at that picture there? Yeah, right, that one. Castle takes the photo as the bartender takes the cash. "I've got a magnifying app," he explains to Kate, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He studies the image on his screen. "The third guy's African-American, but that's about all I can tell this way. But," He snaps a photo of the image, "Alexis has some handy-dandy software I got her when she was doing a report on image manipulation. I think we can use it to get a better look at our mystery man."
"The program would probably work better with the original," Kate suggests.
"You're right," Castle agrees. "Hey, Buddy," Castle calls to the barkeeper and points at the snapshot. "What do you think the owner would want for this?"
The barkeeper shrugs. "Don't know. He probably wouldn't care. He doesn't run the place anymore. He and his wife moved to Florida. I just send him monthly statements."
"Does a hundred bucks sound fair?" Castle inquires, pulling the bill from his wallet.
"I think that will cover it," the barkeeper agrees, pushing the picture toward Castle. He glances at Kate. "Another Virgin Mary?"
She nods. "And another order of wings."
Castle grins. "Make that two."
Alexis scans the photo and uploads the image to her computer. The unknown third man looks even fuzzier on the screen. "Can you sharpen that up any?" Castle asks.
The teen's head bobs. "Should be able to." The keys click under her fingers. "There. That's the best I can do."
Kate studies the image. "He looks like he's in his early twenties. Probably just a rookie."
"He still looks familiar," Castle says. "But I can't – Alexis do you still have that aging program?"
"Sure. How much older should I make him?"
"Try adding 20 years," Kate offers.
"Twenty years older," Alexis confirms.
"Pumpkin, it might be better if you don't see this," Castle suggests. "If it's someone you might recognize, I don't want it coming back on you."
Alexis slides out of her seat. "OK, Dad. I need to get to bed anyway. I have a project to work on before my first class tomorrow. Can you follow the prompts?"
"I think I'll manage," Castle assures her.
"You think you know who we're going to see, don't you Castle?" Kate questions. "Someone Alexis might know?"
"This is one time I really hope I'm wrong, Beckett." Castle manipulates the mouse as the features evolve until finally looking a lot like the face they usually see behind Roy Montgomery's desk. The computer got the hairline wrong, not anticipating how much it would retreat. But everything else could be a snapshot taken at the 12th Precinct. He blows out a long breath. "I think we just found the stick up Montgomery's ass."
Kate slumps in her chair. "Montgomery – he was involved with Raglan and McCallister, maybe their whole racket. Castle, he encouraged me, brought me in as a detective, and all that time…."
"Kate, we don't know how involved he was. Rookies are always assigned to training officers, aren't they? Considering that you ended up arresting him, yours wasn't exactly a straight shooter either. From what you guys said, you followed him around like a puppy. That didn't make you dirty. But you were damned upset about how things ended up with him. So maybe Montgomery knew what was going on with Raglan and McCallister and kept his mouth shut out of misguided loyalty. That doesn't mean he had anything to do with Bracken or your mother's death."
"I can't just let this go, Castle. I have to know the truth."
Castle presses her hand between his palms. "I know you do. And you will. We will."
"How, Castle? Just march into his office and demand to know if he's a dirty cop?"
"Maybe we could be a little less straightforward than that. We were talking about a poker game. As I recall, Evelyn has her book club at the house on the third Thursday of the month, and Roy looks for excuses to duck out. An evening of cards, booze, and over-salted snacks is a better one than most. The third Thursday is fortuitously tomorrow. I can call him in the morning and issue an invitation. Unless you've got a better idea."
"Not really, unless you keep a stash of truth serum secreted away somewhere."
"Wow, wouldn't that be a dream for parents of teenagers everywhere? Unfortunately, I'm fresh out. But I do have my 50-year-old single malt. That has been known to promote the flow of verbiage."
Kate sighs. "It's worth a shot."
"Will I be dealing you in?"
"I wouldn't miss it."
"Oh, look at the time," Martha proclaims after her third fold in a row. "I'm afraid that's it for me. An actor needs sleep to refresh the creative flow – and I have a yoga class in the morning."
"That's it for me too," a fellow actor Martha recruited as a seat filler says, taking her cue. "I have an early call."
"Well, I guess that leaves no one but us crime-busters," Castle says. He winks at Montgomery. "Time to bring out the good stuff."
"I really should be getting…," Montgomery starts to protest before spying the label on Castle's bottle. "Is that Glenfiddich?"
"Their finest."
"I guess I can stay for another hand or two," Montgomery concedes.
Castle slaps him on the back. "Good man!"
"You know, " Castle says, refilling Montgomery's glass. "When I was looking around for background I could use in my books, I found this great bar – Joe Nepo's. Know the place?"
"Was there once or twice as a rookie," Montgomery says. "The other guys told me Joe never watered down the drinks. With all those cops around, he didn't dare." He points a finger at his glass. "Nothing like this though. But who could afford it on a cop's salary?"
"Some of the cops have side hustles now," Kate observes. "Didn't the cops back then have any?"
Montgomery's eyes narrow. "What are you getting at, Beckett?"
Kate and Castle exchange looks, and she nods. He gets a folder from his office and pulls out the snapshot from Joe Nepo's wall. "I know those two cops, Raglan and McCallister had a racket going. Captain, did you know about it?" Kate asks. "Is that other guy you?"
As Montgomery stares at the photo, his head sinks into his hands. "It was me. But you have no idea what things were like back then. What went down. What it led to. Who really ended up pulling the strings."
"William Bracken," Kate states flatly.
Montgomery's head jerks upward, his mouth gaping. "How did you?"
"It was all connected to my mother's death wasn't it? Were you part of it?" Kate demands.
"I knew about things – parts of things – but I never…."
Cards and drinks jump as Kate's palm slams the table. "Never what?"
"Never wanted anyone to get hurt. Look, there are things you need to hear. I have tapes."