755. Chapter 755

After Habeas Corpse

Episode 7.19

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: In the case of Castle vs. UCSBdad, the honorable court finds that UCSBdad does not own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

"Sir, ADA Beckett is here to see you."

Richard Rodgers smiled at his secretary. "Thanks, Pumpkin, I'll be just a minute."

True to his word, Kate Beckett was ushered into Rodger's palatial office in less than minute.

"Your secretary's name is Pumpkin? Did you run out Chelseas, Dawns and Bambis?"

Rick smiled. "Her name is Alexis and she's my daughter. She starts at Harvard Law next fall, so I thought a little on the job training might be in order. Pumpkin is her nickname. The red hair, you know."

Kate blushed slightly. Her attempt to put Rodgers on the defensive had backfired on her.

"Would you like some coffee, Ms. Beckett? It's a combination of Jamaican Blue Mountain, Sumatran Arabica and some Ethiopian coffee from Harar. A little shop in the East Village makes it up for me."

Kate was about to decline, but the aroma of the coffee hit her and she nodded. "Thank you."

When she sipped the coffee, she noticed the distinct flavor of vanilla. She looked suspiciously at Rodgers.

"Two pumps of sugar free vanilla?" He said with a smile. "I like to know a bit about my opponents."

"Then perhaps we should discuss business. I'm prepared to offer your client a second degree rape charge. With good behavior, he's out in three years. And that's the best I'm prepared to offer. Otherwise I charge him with first degree rape, and he goes away for a long time."

Rodgers smiled and shook his head. "No deal. I intend to win this case. In fact, I can't lose."

Beckett shook her head. "Have you seen the DNA and other medical evidence we have, plus the victim's testimony. And we have a witness who saw your client drag Ms. Day into his office by her hair, slapping her and groping her breasts as he did. I'd advise you and your client to take the deal."

Rodgers stood up. "Thank you, Ms. Beckett, but no deal. I'll win this case, hands down."

Kate left the office angry at what she had just seen. It wasn't that Rodgers wasn't interested in the deal, it was something else. I just found out that lawyer Rick Rodgers is my favorite author, Richard Castle. His books about attorney Nikki Heat and her investigative reporter husband, Jameson Rook, have been my favorites for years. Nikki is a great lawyer who became a lawyer to help people, not to get rich and powerful. And what I wouldn't give to have a man like Jameson Rook as my husband. She stared down at her ringless left hand. But I can't seem to find a man who wants to marry a strong, intelligent and driven woman. She thought back to the only other time she'd seen Richard Castle. She'd been eating dinner at a nicer restaurant than usual. In fact, she usually ate at her desk. But she'd overheard the woman at the next table tell her companion that she'd read his first draft of Judicial Heat and thought it was even better than his Heat in Recess or Heat's Decision. She had managed to turn and get a look at Richard Castle, a tall, blue eyed ruggedly handsome man. She'd had a major crush on him since then.

Until now. She thought. How could the man who writes so eloquently about working for justice, even if Jameson Rook did cut a few moral corners to see justice done, agree to represent a man like Dr. Josh Davidson? The man is a serial rapist, even if he's always managed to wriggle out of it. Well, no matter how rich and powerful he and his lawyer are, this time I've got him.

Richard Rodgers was also upset when Kate Beckett left. He knew he was going to win the case. There was no doubt of that. His client had told him that he'd had a low life private eye named Demming terrorize his victim. Demming had forced the girl to sign a statement that the sex was consensual and that in fact she liked rough sex, the rougher the better. Beckett's case was going to blow up in her face and there was nothing he could do about it. Sure, I like to win, but I've always won honestly because I had the law and the facts on my side. Not because some sleaze ball intimidated the witness. Richard Rodgers poured another cup of coffee. What would Nikki and Rook do? A smile slowly spread over his face.

Two nights later, Tom Demming was stumbling back to his apartment after a night out. He'd hauled some chick out in the back of Shaughnessy's, but he'd had too much booze and wasn't able to perform. She'd laughed at him and he'd punched her, but just brushed her cheek and his hand rammed into the brick wall. He was angry and drunk and wasn't paying any attention to anything around him.

All at once he found himself on the pavement with a heavy knee in his back and cold steel pressed against the back of his skull.

"I know how you forced her to tell those lies about her and that rapist. Now you're going to die for it." A rough, low voice growled at him.

Demming heard the sound of the hammer of a gun being drawn back and then a loud click. He heard a curse and then the gun slammed into his head. He lay there stunned and by the time he was able to get up, his assailant was gone.

The next morning, as soon as he was able, Demming went to Davidson to tell him what had happened.

"The bastard would have killed me if his gun hadn't misfired. And he knows that I made Day make that statement that you didn't rape that her, that it was consensual. He knew that was a lie. And he knows me. Next time he could kill me."

Davidson just smiled. "I've got lots of money, so I can give you enough cash to get out of town for a few months. I hear Florida is nice this time of year. Ten thousand would keep you there for a while. And when you get back, there's this snotty waitress I've met. She turned me down for a date because she has some stupid boyfriend. When you get back, I'll rape her just like all the rest and this time I'll beat her face up so badly her boyfriend won't want to look at her. That's teach the stupid bitch to turn Josh Davidson down. Just like I taught Day."

The two men continued talking for a bit and neither one noticed the tiny microphone pressed up against the window.

Two weeks later Kate Beckett came back to Richard Rodgers' office.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Ms. Beckett?"

"The police were sent some interesting evidence a couple of weeks ago."

Rick shrugged. "Don't the police get interesting evidence all of the time?"

"This was a tape of a conversation between Davidson and a private eye named Demming. Davidson admitted to raping Ms. Day and Demming admitted to forcing her to give a false statement that the sex was consensual. The police picked up Demming and he rolled on Davidson. The girl recanted the false statement. You've got nothing now."

Rodgers shrugged. "So, I guess I lose."

Kate smiled. "The way I see it, no one but either Davidson, Demming or you could have known about that false statement."

Rick managed to look shocked. "Ms. Beckett, if you're suggesting that I violated the attorney-client privilege and gave confidential evidence about my client to the police? Why, I could be disbarred."

Kate grinned. "I suppose other people could have known. There's a mysterious boyfriend of Ms. Day's who attacked Demming. She says she knows nothing about him."

Rick just shrugged.

"You have a good imagination. Hypothetically, could you think of a way this could be done?"

"Hypothetically?" Rick said, while deciding just how much to tell her. Hypothetically, of course. "I suppose someone might have kept an eye on Davidson and seen him with Demming and put two and two together. Then that person might have faked an attempt on Demming's life using an unloaded gun. He might have known how to disguise his voice."

Kate interrupted. "For instance, he might have learned that from his mother, if she was an actress."

Rick just nodded. "Hypothetically, he might have bugged Davidson's place with a microphone placed against the window. And retrieved it and destroyed it. And once he had the confession, he sent it to the police. Who can use it because while the person who placed the mic may have committed a crime, the police did nothing illegal. Of course, that's just one hypothetical way it could have been done. I'm sure I could think up a dozen more hypothetical explanations."

"I'm sure you could." She gave Rick a long look. "Have you ever considered a career with the District Attorney's office, Mr. Castle?"

Rick smiled. "Perhaps you could tell me more over lunch?"

"Perfect."