Confession Chapter 21

"What tapes?" Kate demands.

"You'll understand when you hear them – even one," Montgomery explains.

"So, how do we do that?" Castle asks.

"I have one at the precinct," Montgomery confides. "But the tech is 20 years old. We'd need a microcassette player to listen to it. Who has those anymore?"

"Yeah, everything has gone digital," Castle agrees. He turns to Kate. "But there was one in the, uh, boxes. Easy enough to get it. Still, it could look strange for the captain to be strolling into the precinct in the middle of the night."

"But I've been getting in early. If you two meet me in my office tomorrow at 7:30 with the player, it should answer a lot of your questions," Montgomery says.

Castle squeezes Kate's hand. "We'll be there."

To say the audio on the micro-cassette player was tinny would be kind. Castle wishes that he and Kate could march it into Tech and let the resident geniuses clean up the sound. But Montgomery made it quite clear that the tape would go no further than his securely locked office door.

"I want out!" a voice rattles through the ancient speaker. Montgomery silently points at himself.

Even on the outdated player, the smirk in the next voice is obvious. "There's only one out and you wouldn't like it."

"Bracken," Montgomery mouths as the tape continues.

"And that lovely wife of yours wouldn't like it either when she IDs your body. You've done all right, Roy. You're buying a house. How many rookies can afford that on their salaries? And you have enough collars to already be on your way up the ladder. Are you really ready to throw that away because of an – unfortunate accident or two?"

"Unfortunate accident!" the younger Montgomery's protest bursts forth. "A federal agent died. And another man died when his 'tuning up' as Gary calls it, went too far. It almost started a war when the Spolanos thought the Cardanos were responsible."

"Two bad it didn't," another voice chimes in that Montgomery identifies as McCallister. "Our jobs would all be a lot easier if the mob just killed each other off."

"With how many innocent people caught in the crossfire?" Montgomery exclaims.

"You're in whether you like it or not. I could bring you up on charges for Armen's death," Bracken declares.

"We never determined whose bullet killed him," Montgomery insists.

"It doesn't matter and you know it," Bracken retorts. "You were there and involved in the commission of a serious crime. Felony murder, Roy. You'd be upstate for the rest of your life. No wife, no home, no family. And you know what happens to cops in prison. Is that really what you want? Look. By this time next year, I'll be in Congress and you can do whatever the hell you want. Become a model cop. I don't give a damn. All you have to do is play along until then and keep your damn mouth shut. And before you answer, think hard about the alternative."

Montgomery's taped voice fades to a tortured whisper. "All right."

As the tape reaches the end, Kate sits in stunned silence until words can push through her lips. "So, my mother was right. Pulgatti didn't do it. It was cops."

Montgomery nods. "Raglan, McCallister, or me. We were never sure exactly who. But as Bracken said, it didn't matter. We're all guilty. So, Beckett, Castle, now that you know, what are you going to do?"

"It's what you have to do, Roy," Kate says. "You need to go to the DOJ, tell them what you know about Bracken. If you're lucky, you might be able to cut an immunity deal for testifying against him. You said you have more tapes?"

"And other evidence," Montgomery agrees.

"Enough for ammunition to flip Raglan, McCallister, and any other cops involved with Bracken? Maybe even Carmack?" Kate asks.

Montgomery shrugs. "Maybe."

"How about the drug dealer, Vulcan Simmons?" Castle queries. "What do you know about him?"

"He and Bracken had some kind of deal going. We were under strict orders to leave him and any of his people alone. Aside from that, I don't know."

"It's a start," Castle says.

Montgomery shakes his head. "Look, I can't just go walk into the U.S. Attorney's office. I need time to talk to Evelyn. She never knew about any of this. And I have to make sure my family will be OK. But I swear to you, Bracken will pay for Johanna Beckett's death – and all the others."

Silent questions flash between Kate and Castle. "How much time, Roy?" she asks.

"I have some things in place. I have for years. I just have to put them in motion. A few days, maybe a week."

"All right, a week," Kate agrees. "But if you haven't gone to the SDNY by then, I will."

Roy nods. "A week."

The tall graying man looks up at the visitor framed in the doorway of his well-appointed office. "Roy Montgomery, I haven't seen you since what, your wedding? What are you doing here?"

"Michael, you told me that if one day I needed something, you'd be there."

"And I meant it," Michael Smith insists, motioning Montgomery in. "I owe you my life. You know that. What do you need?"

"It's big Michael. About my life and my family's."

"Just tell me what you want me to do."

"Are you still part of that yachting club?"

"Yes, I am."

"Well, I need you to make something happen, and it has to happen fast."

"Go on."

Roy isn't sure how to break the news to Evelyn or his children. Evelyn isn't in love with her job, but she likes it. Mary and Rebecca are happy with their school and their friends. Although there is that boy, who's been sniffing around Mary too much. Roy will be glad to see an end to that. And Evan hasn't really fit in at school or with any group of kids. Maybe he can use a fresh start as much as Roy can. Regardless, the biggest changes in their lives will occur whether they welcome them or not.

Montgomery lets himself into his still-empty house and goes to his study. His good bottle – not as good as Castle's but good – sits in his desk's bottom drawer. He stares at it for a moment before closing the drawer again. The time for using work or a drink to keep the memories at bay is past. He opens his safe and begins organizing the contents into piles. Most will go to Michael to distribute appropriately. Some he'll leave for Beckett and Castle. He can take a few tokens of his most precious moments, but only a few.

Roy's almost finished when he hears Mary and Rebecca return from school. Evan will be coming home from his enrichment program not long before Evelyn gets in from work. Roy will talk to Evelyn first. Then hopefully they can talk to the kids together. He goes over the words in his head, not sure how much he can explain or how to possibly make the kids understand. If he was in their place at that age, he can't imagine how he could. But the words will come. They'll have to. The sound of the television penetrates the walls of his sanctuary. He hears the theme song of "Agonies and Ecstasies" a show about teens trying to adjust to changes in their lives. Moisture blurs his vision. Soon his kids will face more changes than they've ever seen on TV. So will he and Evelyn. But Roy can't see any other way out.