Chapter One Bittersweet Valentine REVISED EDITION

Three days before Valentine's day.

Wall Street Lawyer Erik Loftson and his wife Mary were in the middle of finishing. A long case for there clients going through a rough divorce after 15 years of marriage.

Both sides were claiming cheating. When in fact there was no evidence to prove it in the first place.

Erikson and his wife after finishing up. Decided to head on out to there favorite restaurant to at least celebrate the closing of the case in spite the sadness of it all.

After dinner they would head over to the Old Haunt for a couple of drinks.

It's been awhile since they had spent some proper time together as husband and wife. Plus the fact his old friend Richard Castle would be working behind the bar. As a favor to them to celebrate the case, and the up and coming Valentine's.

It was a wonderful evening with the temperatures in the low forties, and traffic was light for a change.

/

Trump Towers apartment complex, New York City, New York.

The evening maid Rosatto Sanchez working for the Bacocks for 15 years. She was coming back from shopping for her clients. When she walked in with the past key to get inside. She just couldn't believe it.

She starts to scream at the top of her lungs. When she see the two bodies on the couch with gun shots to there heads and chests. Crimson was everywhere!

She needed very quickly to call 911 before leaving. She was scared out of her mind.

/

Old Haunt

The Old Haunt was busy tonight. Even Castle's wife Kate Beckett to joined in on the fun in the first place. She and Castle would be celebrating Valentine's at the Hampton's for the evening and next day driving up.

She was sitting in the corner watching her husband serve the customers with a real flair. it'd made her laugh most of the evening.

And since she wasn't able to drink. She'd a special surprise for her husband on Valentine's Day.

"Castle Buddy. How long it's been since my wife and I seen you and your wife?" Taking a sip of his scotch. His wife Mary was sitting in the corner with Beckett.

"Two years I believe Erikson. Besides we were not married as yet. When we met the last time at your office, and besides How's the divorced business now of days?" He says...

"Matter of fact my wife Mary and I closed a case earlier with a couple having been married 15 years with no children involved."

"How sad !; Would you care for another drink. This time it's on the house?"

"Sure. Rick, and one for my wife Mary as well." Castle gets his special stock of Scotch from the far end of the bar. While his bartender Andy was busy with the rest of his regular customers.

/

Mary was trying to have a conversation with Kate Beckett. She was more inclined in watching her Ruggedly handsome husband working his magic.

"Kate are you even paying attention to what I said in the first place?" She says with an cocky altitude.

She turns her back to look at Mary somewhat upset. "I am so sorry Mary. I was just watching Rick working his magic with the drinks."

"By the way how come your not drinking tonight?" She asked with great interest for when it comes to Kate Beckett.

"Not in the mood. Besides I plan to make it up. When Rick and I head for the Hampton's for Valentine's day. Besides what are your plans by any chance?"

"Erikson and myself will be taking a trip to the Bahamas for the week, we were able to clear up our calendars to be able to have that week of fun in the sun."

"I have never been to the Bahamas, but Rick has a number of times over the years." She was saying with envy...

/

Eight 0' clock at night

Detective Kevin Ryan and Sergeant Javier Esposito were arriving at the Trump Towers apartment complex with having received a 911 call from the maid Rosatto Sanchez for the Bacocks.

Along with the crime scene unit arriving and Medical Examiner Lanie Parish with her tech Alexis Castle.

"L.T. came outside to greet everyone to have them interview the maid. Who was still quite upset having to walked in on the two bodies.

"Where is she, L.T.?" Ryan looked around. Along with Esposito taking notes with everything he checked out. "She's sitting down on the stairs. She's afraid to go back inside."

While Ryan walks over. Lanie and Alexis with there equipment take the elevator to the sixth floor already filled with the crime scene unit.

Alexis having been used to working the crime scene. But she never seen something like this with blood splattered all over the entire living room. Lanie could tell Alexis was upset. But never the less she was a real trouper having to not leave the crime scene.

Lanie asked two of the crime scene officers to place the bodies onto the gurney. While she took out the special palm reader to find out who they were.

Alexis placed the reader onto the female's right palm. it read " Julie Rose Williams Bacock, age 45 years old, Consultant for Dennison's warehouse outlet.

"That's all it says Lanie." While she placed it on the male. Thomas Gilmore, age 47 years old, Lawyer for the partnership of Erikson and Mary Bacock."

Lanie had a look on her face that Alexis knew right away on what was on her mind. "It's looks like our dear Mr. Bacock has skipped town or something!"

"Lanie. We need to get Ryan and Esposito up here right away, along with my step mom Kate Beckett to find out. Just what the heck is going on in the first place." She had the feeling that paranoia is going to set in with this case.

"I think it would be a good idea to call your step mom. And tell her the news about the case. She is supposed to be at the Old Haunt with your father." She takes out her cell phone from her jacket.

/

Old Haunt

Things were starting to heat up at the Old Haunt.

Castle decided to stop working behind the bar to spend a few minutes down in the his office to service Kate Beckett after waiting all night.

She couldn't wait to get her hands on her husband. Who had some ideas about playing pool with using her as the cue ball.

She was currently horizontal on the pool table ready to go and in position to be ready to drop into the corner pocket.

However it was not to be. When her cell phone started to ring, and a very disappointed Richard Castle losing his "Eight ball".

"Sorry!"; She says to him walking away to sit at his office desk and just mope. "Beckett. Are you serious Lanie? How can that be unless the real Joel Bacock planned the entire murder in the first place?"

Castle hollers at his wife to asked on whether or not, you want us to help out.

"I heard that Beck. Actually even Alexis asked the same question before I called you." She says while the bodies were being moved out of the living room and down the hall to the elevator.

"Tell me Lanie. How did Alexis handle the crime scene?" Kate Beckett looks at her husband wondering the same thing in regard to his daughter.

"At first she was shocked. She was able to handle it never the less, like a real trouper. Any rate we will need yours and Castle's help before the both of you leave for the Hampton's."

"All right Lanie, we are getting ready to leave right now, just give me the address." Lanie ends the call to finish up the rest of her work, along with Alexis coming in from the outside and helping with placing the bodies into the morgue van.

"Your father and step mother are on there way over from the Old Haunt."

"Good. But in the meantime, I was able to find this piece of paper in the dead man's coat pocket. It's damaged a little. But it shows to be an bank account number."

"This case gets better and Better at every corner. Just be sure to show Beckett and your father the paper."

"I will Lanie. Now if you excuse me. I will be checking for anything else that just might help us."

Chapter Two Up-Next