715. Chapter 715

After Disciple

Episode 6.09

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I don't even look like Castle, let alone own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

"You have got to be kidding me." He said.

Kate slowly shook her head. "We've pretty much run out of options, babe. This is the only way we can get someone inside the so-called Reverend "Red" Grover's so-called church. We have Lila Fox, a defector from the cult, but she's a civilian. She wouldn't know what to look for. You do."

He shook his head disbelievingly. "You expect that I can just go to his church, walk in and he's going to start telling me the secrets of his little religious scam?"

"No. You'll have to work on it. You're Richard Castle, a nice guy. You met Lila who ran away from home years ago and has been drifting. She fell in with Grover and temporarily found a refuge, and a job paying a lot less than minimum wage. After a while she figured out it was a scam and left. Now she's willing to go back and bring you with her. You just tell Grover you gave her a ride to the church in upstate New York. But, you're a famous novelist and are always looking for interesting background for your books. You're interested in Grover, just as background, but as you see him more and more you start to reveal that while you're wealthy and famous…."

"And have a gorgeous wife." Castle added.

Kate smiled. "You find you're missing a spiritual dimension. When he accepts you, then you can start looking around."

"And another thing, bro. He may be running a scam, but he's damned smart. The IRS has been all over him like a cheap suit. He's declared every cent his store makes. We don't want him because he's running a scam. We want him because he, or someone close to him, murdered Susan Garrett here in Manhattan."

The next morning Castle got ready to take Lila back to Grover's church. He kissed Kate and whispered in her ear. "You're going to have to be extra nice to me for making me put up with some religious nut case."

"You mean you think I'm not already as nice to you as I can be?" She teased.

"Touche, Captain Beckett."

Castle looked at Lila Fox on the long drive upstate. She was in her late twenties and had been on her own since she was fifteen. She was as tall as Beckett, but skinnier, only a hundred pounds or so. She had short brown hair that looked like three different people had given her the haircut at the same time. Her eyes were haunted, however. Always looking around as if expecting to be attacked at any time.

The church, when they arrived was actually a farm, with a long rambling farmhouse and a dozen or so outbuildings. Castle could see several dozen men and women working in the fields and around the other buildings. As soon as his car pulled up, a young girl who had been sitting on the front porch got up and ran inside.

"That's Mary Jo." Lila muttered. "One of his enforcers. She's been here since birth. She thinks he's God's gift to the world."

"She can't be more than twelve. She's an enforcer?"

"She tells on people who don't do their jobs. They get punished."

As they got out of the car, Reverend Red Grover came out to greet them. If he was called Red because of his hair color, there was no indication of it now. The little fringe of hair he had left was now pure white. His skin was pale like so many redheads, though. He was small and lean, wearing boots, jeans and a plaid shirt. And a smile that looked real.

"Why, Lila. You've come back to us. I'm so glad to see you, girl." He put his arms around her and then looked at Castle. "And who is the good Samaritan who brought our lost sheep back to us?"

Castle held out his hand. "Rick Castle. I saw Lila hitchhiking and gave her a lift. I'm a writer and I enjoy meeting people and hearing their stories. You never know when inspiration will hit. When Lila told me about this place, I had to come and see it for myself."

Grover shook his hand. "A writer? Anything I might have read?"

"The Derek Storm books? The Nikki Heat books? And a few others."

Grover looked thoughtful, then shook his head. "I can't say I've ever heard of those books. But thank you for bringing Lila back to us. Can I persuade you to stay for lunch?"

"I'd be interested in a quick look around, if I could. Like I said, you never know when inspiration will strike."

"My pleasure."

The farm produced gourmet foods, all natural without any sort of additives and all of the highest quality. They made jams, jellies and marmalade. Canned fruits and vegetable of all sorts, and many kinds of soup.

Grover was still regaling Castle with the products of his church and farm when they had lunch. "But what I'm most proud of, of all the things we do here, is that we give young people a sense of purpose and direction that they have somehow lost. Indeed we give them a family."

Castle sat at a separate table with Grover and three very attractive young ladies. Castle couldn't help but notice that the three were constantly trying to get Grover's attention. From what Lila had told him, Grover slept with all of the women on the farm at one time or another, but the prettiest were his personal harem. Some family. He thought.

After lunch, Castle congratulated Grover. "That was an excellent meal. One of the best I've ever had." Be reached into his pocket and pulled out a checkbook. "In fact, I'd like to make a contribution to support your fine work here."

To Castle's surprise, Grover turned him down. "Really, Mr. Castle Thank you, but we already have all we need here. But if you want to help, you can buy some of our products in our little store here. Most of what we sell is sold in the city. There are small number gourmet stores there who sell our products. I'll be happy to give you as list. As I said, we produce contentment and satisfaction here."

Castle looked over at two young men who had been glaring at him throughout the meal. "It looks like those two are a bit short on contentment and satisfaction."

Grover sighed. "The Wills brothers. A very sad story. They were abused by their parents, foster parents and just about everyone in their lives until they came here. We're trying to get through to them. And we will. I have faith."

That night at the loft, Rick told Kate what he had learned. "I checked the stores the church's products sell in. They're selling for top dollar. Even if he was paying those kids minimum wage instead just three meals a day and a place to sleep, he'd be getting rich and he has his very own harem. There must be thirty young women there and according to Lila, he can sleep with any on them."

"But we need proof of a crime, lover, if we want to nail this son of a bitch."

Two days later, Castle drove back up to the church's farm and got a very different reception from Reverend Grover.

"Mr. Castle, Lila has confessed to me that you're working for the police, trying to prove I'm some sort of criminal. I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave my property at once."

"I'd like to see…" Castle began.

"At once. Or I'll call the police."

Castle left and drove back to the precinct. He sat down next to Kate's desk. "Sorry, Lila talked. He kicked me off the farm."

Surprisingly, she smiled. "No problem, we've solved the homicide. The Wills brothers, who aren't related by the way, and our vic, Susan Garrett, have been ripping off Grover for months. They stole tens of thousands of dollars from him. But Susan tried to grab the money and run when they were in the city delivering his gourmet food. The two, Harry Longbaugh and Bob Parker, killed her. Well, they each ratted the other out in no time flat. But we found her blood on Parker's clothing and his DNA under her finger nails. We got both of them."

"And Grover?" He asked.

"We're asking that he be investigated for labor law violations, but he's been investigated before. His disciples say they are paid properly and that they voluntarily donate their earnings back to the church."

"So he's a victim and he gets his money back? That sucks." Castle said disgustedly.

"Well, if those three were able to cheat him out of all of that money, at least he's no criminal genius."

"That's so not comforting."

"Have faith. We'll get him sooner or later."