Finding the Fit Chapter 99
"Let me see the warrant," attorney Simon Shane demands before Kate and Rick can take their seats at Interrogation One's table.
Kate hands it to him before sitting opposite Leslie Burke. "I take it, Mr. Shane, you can explain to your client my right to examine any and all information regarding incoming and outgoing calls and texts."
Leslie's eyes plead as she turns to her lawyer. "Is that true? Can she do that?"
"She can," Shane confirms, "but that doesn't include revealing anything you might have said on a call."
Leslie draws a shaky breath. "What about the texts?"
"If they're on the phone, she can read them."
Kate holds out her hand. "Give me the phone and the access code."
Reluctantly, Leslie hands over the device. "Two-one-one-three."
Kate quickly unlocks the phone and accesses recent calls. "You made a call at nine-oh-three p.m. the night Brian Newfelter died."
"That's three minutes after he logged off the network. You wouldn't have been alerting someone that he was leaving the building, would you?" Castle asks.
Leslie crosses her arms against her chest. "I logged off myself an hour before that. How would I have known he was leaving?"
"Being off the network doesn't mean that you weren't in the office," Kate retorts. "Let's check out your texts."
Rick looks on as Kate displays the messages on the screen. "Look at that! You had three texts with an LB the day Brian was killed. That wouldn't be Lyle Bartell, would it? And you've had four more since. And the exchanges with LBS that Detective Beckett is bringing up now about the competition being destroyed wouldn't be to the Limon Brothers, would they?"
"My client isn't going to answer those or any other questions," Shane announces.
"She won't have to," Kate asserts. "We can trace down the ownership of these numbers on our own."
The first hint of a smile shows on Leslie's face. "That won't be as easy as you think."
"You have the phone. Unless you are charging Ms. Burke, we're leaving," Shane declares.
"We both know, Mr. Shane, that I can hold her for 24 hours unless she's arraigned sooner. Somehow I doubt that either one of you is in a hurry to have her arraigned. But if she cooperates and gives us the identities of LB and LBS, this process can proceed a lot faster."
"If they're just her besties from high school, it could clear her," Rick interjects.
"Well, Ms. Burke, are they just harmless friends?" Kate questions.
Drawing her arms more tightly around her, Leslie Burke sits in silence.
Kate starts for the door. "Then we'll have to find out without your help. The officer outside will show you to a holding cell." Kate's eyes flit to her watch. "I believe lunch is being served to our detainees in about 15 minutes. Enjoy! Oh, and Mr. Shane can stay if you want him to, but he doesn't get lunch."
As Kate returns to her desk, Rick plops into his usual seat. She frowns as she stares at the phone. "From the look on Leslie's face when I said I'd track the numbers for LB and LBS, she must think she was calling burner phones we can't trace. I might not be able to prove who was on the other end."
"But Beckett, you don't need to track the numbers. You have the phone. You have Leslie's texts to imitate. Why not text them pretending to be her and get them to reveal themselves?"
"Babe, that could work, but you have a lot more experience mimicking the way people express themselves than I do."
"So you want me to give it a try?" Rick asks.
Kate holds out Leslie's phone. "Yes."
Rick enters a text to LB. "The cops have been around asking questions. Maggie said they asked about the cat. Is that all taken care of?" Rick looks up at Kate. "It's sent. I guess we'll just have to wait for a response. But while we do, I thought I heard you on a call to a Jordan this morning. Was that your jazz buddy?"
"It was," Kate confirms. "He said he's already booked for our wedding date, but he knows a fantastic group that might be available. He's hooking up with them for a session today, and he'll ask. We should know by tonight."
"That's great, Beckett!"
"It's only great if they're available. Keep your fingers crossed."
"Copy that and…." Leslie's phone beeps a text alert. "Looks like LB bit. 'No problem. Took cat to the pound. Told them I found it. If unclaimed after 3 days will be put to sleep. End of problem.'"
"Castle, we've got to get that cat!" Kate exclaims. "The lab may be able to match the hair to what was found on Brian's clothes. That will connect up LB and Leslie to the murder."
"And we can't let the pound put him to sleep," Castle adds. "Being able to put two or even four criminals away should earn him at least a reprieve, if not a life of luxury."
"We'll find him first, Castle, then we can worry about the rest of his life."
"We shouldn't have much trouble picking him out. To be an effective lure, he would have had to look just like Tiresias – Brian's cat, not the prophet."
"Yeah, Castle. I figured that was what you meant."
A sympathetic animal control officer looks at the picture Kate offers. "Yeah, I remember when that one was brought in. And the guy who brought him should be on the surveillance video. The poor cat looked like some a-hole put something in his eyes to make them look white. He can't see much. Not much chance he'd be adopted. Even if it wasn't for the eyes, everyone wants kittens. That cat must be at least ten, maybe older."
"Well, we'll take him right now," Kate says.
"Are you adopting him?"
Kate shakes her head. "Actually, he's evidence. He'll be in NYPD custody."
"But we'll make sure he's well taken care of," Rick adds.
"Some of the hairs Dr. Perlmutter found on the victim's clothes had attached roots." Chief Carl says, reaching out to pat the cat Rick holds. "It won't be hard to get a sample we can use to compare the DNA."
"Great! But it's super rush," Kate explains. "We have a suspect in custody who's already lawyered up. We need a match before he forces us into letting her go or rushing an arraignment. One suspect has already skipped bail. Once she's released, she could join him."
"Super rush," Chief Carl agrees. "And I'll keep that cat here until we have a result – just in case we need further samples. But after that, you'll have to figure out where you want to keep him."
"We'll work it out no problem," Castle asserts.
"So, the cat is our tie to LB. And when we get the surveillance video from the pound, we'll know if it was Bartell or not," Kate says as she and Castle return to the bullpen. She unlocks her desk drawer where she secured Leslie's phone and gives it to Rick. "So, can you get to work on LBS?"
"Hmm. That may be more difficult. I can't tell from the texts whether Leslie believes that Brian stole their code or not, and whether they're directly connected to Bartell. Maybe I can try something they'd find encouraging, regardless." Rick starts typing. "'Things at NP falling apart. Good time to make a move.' If it's the Limon Brothers, they should inquire about pouncing on Brian's business. We'll see what comes back."
