Now What? Chapter 26
Beckett holds up an empty steroid ampule. "Recognize this, Brian?"
"So we're going to be adversarial from the start," the Morris' attorney responds.
"How's this for adversarial, Counselor?" Kate retorts. "Zack Lindsey was killed after he found a stash of illegal steroids in your client's car."
"A car which he apparently stole," the lawyer points out.
"Really?" Kate ripostes. "Strange that your client never reported it."
"Montgomery grins as he watches Kate through the glass in Observation. "She's like a tiger in there. I never get tired of watching her."
Castle extends his popcorn bowl. "Me neither.
"I didn't know it was gone," Brian claims.
Kate smacks her leather folder against the table. "A classic car worth over 70 grand goes missing, and you are telling me that you had no idea it was gone?"
"Why would I?" Brian argues. "I hardly even drive it."
"You knew that car was stolen," Kate insists. "You didn't want the police to recover it in case they found," she holds up the ampule, "more of these."
"You have no proof of that," Benjamin Morris declares. "Zack could have planted steroids in Brian's car."
"And why would Zack plant anything in a car your son claims he hardly ever drives and didn't know was gone? What Zack did was hide the two full ampules he found, in his apartment. Then he confronted you about them, didn't he Brian? You realized you could kiss your Olympic dreams goodbye, so you killed him. Then you broke into his apartment and tried to cover your tracks. But the thing is, Brian, Zack wasn't just a better swimmer than you, he was smarter. And he came from a neighborhood where you had to know how to keep your stuff from being ripped off. So he hid them where you couldn't find them. But unfortunately for you, we did."
"She means I did," Rick tells Montgomery. "But she's streamlining the story."
Brian squares his well-muscled shoulders. "To my recollection, at no point did Zack Lindsey and I discuss any performance-enhancing drugs. And I have no idea who killed him."
"Not a gold medal performance, Brian," Kate comments before shifting her gaze back to the attorney. "He could have used more practice. But then, he had been slowing down. That was the problem, wasn't it?"
Ben Morris' eyes blaze. "My son is more Olympic material than Zack Lindsey ever could have been."
"No matter how much it costs you to get him there?" Kate queries. "Brian, where were you between the hours of one and five am before your team discovered Zack's body?"
"We've been over this," Brian complains. "I was at the practice pool at my parents' house."
The attorney opens his attaché case and holds up a plastic jewel box. "This DVD is from the camera mounted above the training pool. It has the date and time running in the corner."
"Which will reflect whatever day and time the camera programmer cared to set. Anything else, Counselor?" Kate queries.
"His family and staff will also swear that Brian was at his parents' home. I have affidavits."
"I'm sure you do, counselor," Kate replies dryly. "And I'm sure the staff prefers to keep their jobs and avoid being blackballed from further employment."
"Even if that were the case, which it isn't, you would have no way of proving it, Detective," the lawyer asserts. "So unless you're charging my client, we're done."
As Ben Morris leaves Interrogation with his son and the attorney, he notices Rick. "Castle, if you're involved with that detective trying to railroad my son and smear his good name, I'll see that you're never welcome at any event in my circle again."
"Morris, I doubt very much that any of those events will be celebrating your son's Olympic victory." Rick shrugs. "And I can't think of any circle to which I'd rather be disinvited."
"Beckett," Rick says as the elevator doors close on the Morris family and company, "I don't think Brian Morris killed Zack Lindsey."
Kate glares at him, grabbing his arm. "Castle, are you going to let Ben Morris' threats get to you?"
Rick shakes his head. "Being banned from events designed to enhance social status in exchange for hefty donations? Wow! That would just break my heart, Beckett. I usually only showed up because Meredith thought it would boost her career – which it didn't – or Mother had someone on her graydar. If I think a cause is worthy, I'll send them a check, I don't require social blackmail. No, the reason I think Brian didn't kill Zack Lindsey is precisely because he grew up under the shelter of his daddy's money. He hasn't got the guts to get his hands dirty."
"So you think he might have paid someone to do it for him?" Kate asks.
"I think it's a possibility. Then establishing an alibi on video and with the loyal staff would just be icing on the cake."
Kate nods. "I'll pull Brian's financials and see what I can find."
"And while you're at it, you might try the Morris family's phone records," Rick suggests. "There could be some very interesting calls."
"Yes there could," Kate agrees. "But none of that will come through until morning. The Comfort Food Truck is still outside. Want to grab something or are you too stuffed with popcorn?"
"The lion's share of the popcorn actually went to your resident captain alpha lion. Esposito wasn't shy either. So, macaroni and cheese, with their chocolate pudding would be wonderful."
"I agree. Are you ready to go?" Kate asks.
Rick sweeps a hand toward the elevator. "Lead the way."
"I don't suppose you've heard anything from Josh," Rick says as Kate licks the last of her pudding from a plastic spoon.
Kate shakes her head. "Communications are still down where the tsunami hit. But I haven't heard further reports of deaths. So he's probably all right."
"And if no one is dying, he should be able to head back soon," Rick suggests.
Kate sighs. "I don't know what he'll do. Right now I'd rather concentrate on solving Zack's murder."
"You know, Kate, Zack didn't just stumble into stealing cars. He would have needed a mentor of sorts to show him the ropes and hook him up with Jimmy Lennon."
"You mean, Tommy Marcone?"
"Sure, and after a stint or two behind bars, Tommy would have been even better educated in the trade. He probably was way more involved with what Zack was doing than he was willing to admit."
"He's on probation. He couldn't admit it without going back to prison."
"Exactly. But he and Zack go back together from kindergarten. It can't be that easy to boost a 70K Stingray. It would have security, maybe even be in a locked facility. Maybe Tommy helped an old friend out."
"Maybe he did, but he has no more reason to admit it now than he did before."
"Did CSU fingerprint the car?"
"They brought it in to go over it in case there were more drugs or something hidden inside. We should have a report from them tomorrow too."
"Sounds like it could be a busy day," Rick remarks.
"A busy day goes faster."
"Yes, it does," Rick agrees but silently laments the lack of anything to speed the passage of what will be a very long night.