Finding the Fit Chapter 95
Maggie Jones' eyes immediately flood. "Brian is dead? I just saw him last night. He finished coding a new algorithm. He said he was taking the subway home and planned to sleep late. He gave me a few notes on what to tell clients if they called before he got in."
"So you weren't expecting him this morning?" Kate queries.
"I didn't know when he'd come in. Sometimes, even when he planned to sleep in, an idea would come to him in the middle of the night, and he'd want to get to work on it."
"I know the feeling," Castle murmurs.
"Did Brian live alone? Who else would have known Brian's habits and where he would have been walking last night?" Kate asks.
"He lived alone, but anyone who works here would know his habits. We have a small staff, and we all built the company together. Usually, Brian hung with everyone else."
"Anyone here had a grudge against him?" Kate probes.
"No! The company has profit sharing. After Brian solved our first big ransom case, our fees went way up and everyone got a piece. It's been like that ever since."
"So killing Brian would be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs?" Rick suggests.
"Not entirely. The algorithms he developed are company property. A lot of clients have ongoing subscriptions. But Brian was the major developer of anything new."
"Who's the minor developer?" Rick inquires.
"Neil Patel. He could give you more details on what he and Brian were doing. His office is right down the hall. I think he came in about an hour ago. I saw him getting his tea in the break room. He usually gets it first thing."
Kate nods. "Thank you, Ms. Jones. I'm very sorry for your loss."
Neil Patel's glass work desk is bare except for his computer, a mug of tea, and a large shaker of red pepper flakes. His gaze is intent on his monitor. Kate raps loudly on the doorframe and holds up her badge. "Mr. Patel?"
"Yes. City, state, or federal? Whose network is being held hostage now?"
"NYPD," Kate answers. "I'm Detective Beckett. This is Mr. Castle, a civilian investigator. We're not here about cybercrime. I'm sorry to inform you that Brian Newfelter is dead. We're investigating his death."
Neil rises slowly from behind his desk. "What happened?"
"He was murdered," Kate replies gently, "not far from here. From what Ms. Jones told us, he might have been on his way to the subway. Do you know of anyone who wanted to hurt him?"
Neil sinks back into his chair. "Anyone whose rip-off scheme our company prevented. That's a long list."
"I'll need a copy," Kate says.
Neil's fingers go to his keyboard. "Yes, of course. I'll put one together for you."
"Was there anyone who was particularly upset at being thwarted, perhaps a cyberthief who made threats against Brian?" Rick asks.
"There have been several like that," Neil recalls. "They sent emails. We already forwarded copies to the FBI, but Maggie, Ms. Jones, can give them to you."
"Anyone you'd put at the top of the list?" Rick queries.
"Probably Lyle Bartell. He's already been indicted. Brian testified at his Grand Jury hearing. But Bartell's out on bail. If he's found guilty, and I don't know how he couldn't be, he could end up in federal prison for 10 to 20 years."
"How about now that Brian can't testify?" Rick asks.
"Then the federal prosecutor could have a harder time proving her case. It's almost all based on how our algorithms tracked the crime to Bartlett. Brian was the best one to explain that."
"How about you? Could you do it?" Rick presses.
"Brian wrote most of the code, but I understand how it works. Yes, I could."
"Which means you probably will," Kate figures. "I don't know why the FBI didn't have security on Brian."
"They wanted to, but he turned it down," Neil explains. "He could never work with anyone looking over his shoulder or even too close. He was funny like that. When we worked together, we'd do it over the network in two different rooms."
"How about you?" Kate asks. "Would you turn down security?"
"I have a wife and son. I'm not about to leave them to fend for themselves. I wouldn't turn it down."
"I'll put a team on you until I can get with the FBI," Kate says. "They may want to replace it with one of their own." She hands Neil her card. "And if you see anyone or anything suspicious at all, call me, day or night."
Neil bows slightly. "Thank you, Detective Beckett. I will."
"Sounds like you've got a primary suspect," Rick notes as he and Kate return to her unit.
"Yes, and if he's out on bail for a federal crime, the FBI damn well better know where he is."
The edge in Kate's voice, as it assaults her phone's microphone, could cut glass. "What do you mean your people lost Bartell? How could your people lose him?"
"He was wearing an ankle bracelet, but he disabled it," FBI liaison Harris explains. "There's a warrant out for him. We have the airports and other exits from the city covered."
"Looks like he stayed in the city – and killed the major witness against him," Kate points out. "Look, your people are more familiar with the case against Bartell than I am. Brian Newfelter might only be his first victim. We need to put our heads together and figure out how to find Bartell before Neil Patel or someone else who can put Bartell away is next."
"I can meet you at your precinct and bring the lead agent on the Bartell case with me," Harris proposes.
"Fine," Kate agrees. "Make it fast."
"Maggie Jones said that Newfelter intended to take the subway," Rick recalls to a fuming Kate. "The station is only a block from the building where NP Cyberservices has its offices. Maybe the killer took the train, and we'll get lucky, and the surveillance cameras will be working."
"I wouldn't put money on the cameras working," Kate replies, "But anything is possible."
"Speaking of anything being possible," Rick says, "While you were fencing with the FBI to find someone who knew something about Lyle Bartell, I was checking on wedding venues. You remember that non-denominational church we both thought was perfect but is booked for the next two years?"
"Sure, apparently every other engaged couple in New York thinks it's perfect too."
"Well, the engaged couple who booked it for the third Saturday in January got unengaged and canceled their wedding about two seconds before I called to check for miracles. I gave the church my credit card number immediately. We have it, Beckett! We have the venue we wanted."
Kate leans across her desk for a kiss. "That's incredible, Castle!"
"Now it's your turn," he offers as she slowly settles back in her chair.
"My turn for what?"
"I got the church, you need to book the jazz. Got any friends with connections?"
Kate twirls a strand of hair around her finger. "Actually, I do. Jordan, one of the guys I went to Stuy with, was into two things: motorcycles and jazz."
"Soulmate?" Rick asks, jealousy stiffening his tone.
"Actually, his soulmate is named Larry. He's gay. We lost touch when I went to Stanford but met up a few times after I returned to New York. When Jordan and Larry got married, I went to the wedding. They both sat in with the jazz band at the reception. If his group isn't available, Jordan can put me onto someone good who is."
Rick swoops in for a kiss. "Outstanding!"