Random Acts

Chapter 1

It was the first Sunday morning in December. Beckett had the day off and she was taking it easy. She awoke at 6:30 a.m.—her normal time, but she padded to the kitchen in her socks and robe and grabbed a cup of coffee, snatched the paper from the threshold of her door and went back to bed. Sipping her coffee from her favorite mug and reading the paper on Sunday mornings was a tribute to her mother. It had been Johanna Beckett's favorite way to spend a Sunday morning, and Kate resumed the tradition whenever possible. Sometimes she sat in the living room, but today it was cold. Kate snuggled into the blue and brown bed linens and started to devour the Sunday New York Times. She only subscribed to the Sunday paper. It usually took her all week to get through it, and that was only when she wasn't swamped with work.

She had just started to drift off again when her cell phone rang. Yawning, she looked at the caller ID. It was the Captain.

"Beckett."

"Detective Beckett, so sorry to disturb your Sunday morning, but we have a body."

"Sir, I'm off today. Can't someone else pick it up?"

"I realize that you're off, but I think you might want to catch this one. I could be wrong; but this one has your name all over it." Montgomery sounded somber when he said it.

Kate's curiosity piqued. "Give me an address." She was ready with pen and paper.

"460 East 79th off of Park. The forty-second floor. Apartment 4207. Parish is on her way. I'll call Castle and meet you there."

He'll meet me there? What is this? "Got it. I'll be there in thirty." She hung up with him and slid out of bed. Looking back at the paper strewn across her bed, she sensed that their relationship was over, but held off on throwing it away. Just in case.

Kate learned early in this business that you showered when you got home, so you didn't have to debate whether or not you were going to take one when trying to get to a crime scene. She just had to wash her face, brush her teeth, put make-up on and get dressed. Kate chose jeans, boots and a taupe sweater today; the weatherman said sleet and snow this afternoon so she might as well be prepared. Pouring the rest of the coffee into a travel mug and grabbing a Snickers bar out of the freezer, Kate snagged her black leather jacket and cadet blue scarf out of the closet and headed out to the crime scene of what would turn out to be one of her most memorable cases.

Twenty minutes later she stepped out of the car, greeted by a dapper looking Richard Castle. How does he do that? How does he look like he stepped out of GQ on a moments notice? Her attraction to Castle was starting to annoy her. He was always invading her personal space and damn if she didn't return the favor.

"Good morning, Detective Beckett. How are we this brisk December morning?" He brushed up against her as they walked side by side into the building.

"Cold. Castle. I'm cold…and curious about this case. Shall we go up?" He nodded and pushed the call button for the elevator.

"Did the Captain tell you anything?" Castle whispered to her leaning too close to her face. Beckett was about to be annoyed if Castle knew more about the case than she did.

"Just that I'd want to catch this one. Did he tell you anything?" She turned her face towards him, realizing too late that he was closer than she thought. His face was inches from hers and both of them paused. Kate couldn't help but glance at his lips, and then she broke the spell by turning away. It is way too early for this.

"Only that you would want this one and I would want to help."

"Then, let's go."

On the elevator ride up Castle questioned her about her morning. "What does Kate Beckett do on Sunday mornings when there is no work to be done?" He got in her face. "Did you have to kick someone out of your bed this morning to come here?"

She rolled her eyes. "Castle, your mind really should try to vacation out of the gutter once in a while. I read the paper and drink coffee like normal people."

"With or without company?"

"Depends on the company."

"And this morning?"

Kate grinned. His jealousy was cute and she couldn't help but encourage it. She stepped close to him. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Yes." He leaned closer in. She backed off. No way in a building full of cops was she going to be caught like that in an elevator with Richard Castle.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Kate strode out towards the apartment with Castle on her heels. Captain Montgomery met her at the door.

"Captain? What do we have?"

"Eliza Walker, 37, partner at Bailey and Weinberg. Stabbed seven times in the neck and abdomen in her bed last night."

"Any sign of forced entry?" Kate was trying to act normal, but so far there was nothing particularly intriguing about this case. The captain wouldn't have led her on. Something was coming.

"No. No sign of forced entry. And the victim was killed in her sleep."

"Any witnesses? Family?" She saw a look flash on his face. An apology?

"Husband, Dr. Henry Masters, a chemical engineering professor at Columbia University. One daughter, Caroline Masters, thirteen. They were away at a horse show in Connecticut. Came home early this morning. Dad dropped the daughter off at the front door, and went around to the garage to park the car. The daughter found her. Called 9-1-1."

Oh My God. Kate's face must have shown her feelings, because Montgomery picked up on them immediately. So did Castle. "Detective, are you going to be okay with this case? Say the word and I throw it to someone else."

"Yes sir. I'll be fine. Is Lanie here yet? I need to see the body. What are Esposito and Ryan doing?"

"She's processing now. Straight in to the living room, take the hall to the right. The Master bedroom is the last door on the left. Ryan and Esposito are speaking with the husband and daughter."

"Thank you, sir."

Kate entered the apartment with Castle on her heels. He had been unusually quiet. So much so that she glanced back at him to make sure he was following. His eyes met hers and she heard the silent question in them. You okay? They had been working together for less than a year and he knew her so well. She gave him a slight nod and proceeded towards the living room.

There she saw Esposito and Ryan sitting in chairs in front of a man who looked to be almost forty, handsome with dark hair and dark eyes, and a teenage girl next to him who was stunningly beautiful with long brown hair and chocolate eyes now rimmed with red. They were sitting on a caramel colored leather couch in a well decorated but inviting living room. Beckett and Castle also noticed that the daughter was covered in blood; it was on her hands, sweater, jeans and her chin. It was her, the daughter. That's what the captain meant. She was going to make this a difficult case for Kate. She was also going to be the driving force behind the hunt for the killer.

Kate could smell the blood before she even walked into the bedroom. It looked like a blood bath had occurred there. Blood red popped against the ivory and blue bedding. The warm cherry dresser and chest of drawers in the room looked untouched, but the king-sized bed, the bedside table and anything within five feet of the bed had blood on it.

The petite woman's body was uncovered on the bed. It was impossible to tell what color her nightgown had been. Now it was a deep crimson. She looked young for her thirty-seven years. The daughter had her mother's face, but it was obvious she had gotten her coloring from her father. Eliza's hair looked to be dark blond and her eyes were blue and still staring in horror.

Lanie was leaning over the body. "What do you have Lanie?" Kate asked softly. The CSU techs were making their way around the room, picking up evidence, taking pictures, and gathering prints. Kate and Castle approached the body, but Castle slowed the closer they got to the bed. The smell of the blood was overwhelming.

"Thirty-seven year old female stabbed repeatedly with probably a hunting knife. She was asleep when the attack started. My preliminary time of death is between one and three this morning. I'm getting ready to take her to the morgue. I told Montgomery she was stabbed seven times, but I'm thinking more now. Once I get her cleaned up I'll be able to tell for sure."

"This. Guy. Hated. Her." Castle murmured.

Kate and Lanie looked over at him. His face was serious and he looked very pale. "This was a crime of passion. And he passionately hated her. He worked furiously to get this done." Castle glanced toward the ceiling.

Kate and Lanie looked up as well. The CSUs stopped and looked to the ceiling. They all would have noticed it eventually, but it was horrifying just the same. There were string patterns on the ceiling revealing that the killer had stabbed her so fast with so much force that each time he pulled back the weapon, he flung blood in streaks on the ceiling.

"Damn." Lanie said. "That poor girl. Coming in here to see her mom and finding this."

A digital noise pinged from the bedside table. "Her phone." Lanie said. "It's been making noise since I got here. I haven't touched it. I didn't know if you want CSU to take it, or if you want it now. It has quite a bit of blood on it. Looks like she's getting text messages."

"Actually it's reminders." The young female voice came from the doorway.

Kate, Castle and Lanie turned toward the voice. Caroline Masters stood there, covered in her mother's blood, taking in the scene like it was an everyday occurrence. Kate removed her gloves as did Castle and they walked toward the girl. "Reminders for what?" Castle asked, as he gently guided her out of the room. Kate was amazed at the subtlety of his actions. Caroline's eyes stayed glued to her mother for as long as they could. When they were out of sight of the room, she finally answered.

"She had reminders for everything. For my events and appointments, for my father's lectures, briefs that were due, parties to go to, gifts to buy, types of events that were important to her. I'll bet one of those reminders was to make thumbprint cookies. I needed them for my book club after school tomorrow." The girl paused and looked confused. "Will I go to school tomorrow? What do I do? What am I supposed to say to people?" She started to sob and collapse at the same time. Rick held on to her as they moved her towards her room.

"Oh my God." She sobbed. "Who did this? She's my mom! Why would someone do this? She wouldn't hurt anyone. She was asleep! She was pregnant." Kate stopped and her eyes widened. Something she didn't know. "It doesn't make any sense. No!" Caroline turned around quickly and Castle lost his grip on her. She ran back to her mother's room. "It can't be her! There has to be a mistake!" She burst into the room just as Lanie was zipping up the body bag containing Eliza Walker.

"Oh!" Caroline went to her mom's body. She laid her head on her mother's chest and cried. "I don't want you to go, Mom. I don't know how to do this myself."

Kate went to Caroline and put her arms around the girl. "Come on, Sweetie. Let's get you cleaned up." The commotion attracted Esposito, Ryan and Henry Masters. The girl's father was clearly devastated and his daughter's outburst just broke his heart. As Kate led the girl out of the room for the second time, Caroline uttered, "I think I'm going to be sick." She bolted loose from Beckett's hold and ran into her own room. Beckett and Castle followed and found the girl throwing up in her bathroom. Caroline leaned back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling.

"My dad dropped me off in front of the building because I was so excited. I won the horse show. I ran up to show her my trophy. I couldn't tell her last night, because the show ran so late. The last time I talked to her was right before my last event. She told me how proud she was of me. She said 'I love you, Baby Girl.' And all I could say back was 'rubber and glue.' I was too embarrassed to say 'I love you' in front of the other girls."

"Rubber and glue?" Castle asked.

She sniffed. "You know the saying, 'I'm rubber, you're glue whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you.' That became our little saying. When I was little and I'd call her, if she was in a meeting and I said 'I love you,' she would say 'rubber and glue.' It was code for 'I love you back.'" Caroline smiled. Then her face crumpled again.

"I came into her bedroom and it was dark and I knew it smelled funny, but I just didn't think. We got home so early and she's been so tired lately, so I figured she was still asleep. I called to her. When she didn't answer I turned on the bedside lamp. My first thought was CPR. I need to save her and the baby. And when I tried to feel for a pulse, her neck…" Castle closed his eyes. "All I could do is call 9-1-1. Then my dad came in and he fainted when he saw all of the…the blood." Caroline shook her head as if to clear it. "I need to get back to him. He needs me." The words hit home for Beckett as she remembered her father's devastation. Caroline stood up and turned on the water. Grabbing a toothbrush and toothpaste she started to brush her teeth; she glanced in the mirror and froze. "Oh my God!"

The girl instantly started to disrobe. She couldn't get her mother's blood off of her fast enough. She pulled her sweater over her head. As soon as Castle realized what she was doing he headed out the bathroom door. "I'm going to look for some fresh clothes for her." He closed the door behind him. Kate gathered up her clothes and stacked them together. Caroline was standing there in her underwear and socks, the only items of clothing that were free of her mother's blood. She crossed her arms over her bare chest. She still had blood on her stomach, chest and legs where it had soaked through her sweater, bra and jeans. Of course it was also still on her hands. She nervously looked at Kate.

"Can I shower here?"

"Of course."

"Can you get me some clothes?"

"I can. Do you want…your dad?"

"No!" She looked mortified, "He can't see me like this! It would kill him."

"Okay." Kate smiled sadly at her. "I'll get you some clothes. Go ahead and shower. I want you to know I have to take these clothes to the lab. They need to ignore those fibers."

Caroline nodded. "I'm sorry. Did I mess things up?"

Kate stepped closer to her. "You did absolutely nothing wrong. Nothing is messed up. Don't worry."

"Thank you." She sniffed.

Kate left the bathroom and saw Castle sitting on the edge of the daybed holding a pair of jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt. Kate sat down next to him. She looked around the room. It was painted a light sage green. The bedding was a combination of pink and green abstract flowers and stripes. The room was definitely feminine, but there were touches of "toughness" that Kate noticed. There were trophies for horseback riding, swimming, and soccer. There were many pictures showing the girl in various sports on her dresser and bookshelves. The bookshelves were also packed with books of all kinds. She had Twilight next to Harry Potter, Murder on the Orient Express, Animal Farm, Ordinary People, Fahrenheit 451, the Bible and the Koran, Dr. Who, and Little Women. She was obviously an intelligent young lady with a love of books. The similarities between them unnerved Kate.

"You okay?" Beckett asked Castle. They can hear the water streaming from the shower in the other room.

"Yeah, it's just…this case hits so close to home. I can imagine Alexis in the very same situation with the same response, and it makes me angry. And then there's you…"

"I'll be fine." She said almost too quickly. Beckett went to the chest of drawers to retrieve the items that Castle either didn't think about of didn't feel comfortable getting.

"Well, I'm glad you will. I don't know if I'll ever be the same. That is probably the worst thing I've ever seen." He frowned, and Kate saw the concerned father in him warring with his objectivity.

"The family being here makes it worse. You have to cope with processing a scene and dealing with their emotions at the same time. The fact that she discovered her mother, that's enough to make this case horrific." They heard Caroline crying in the shower.

"Do you need to go in there?" It made Castle uncomfortable to hear her cry.

"No. This is the beginning." Esposito and Ryan walked quietly into the room while Beckett talked. "No one will be able to comfort her enough to make the pain go away. It will take time. And even as young as she is, she's going to have to make her peace with it the best way she can. That starts with recognizing the loss. It starts with crying."

They all knew that Beckett spoke from experience. In this case, she understood exactly what this girl was feeling, because she had been there herself, in some ways Kate was still working through it. "The one thing I can do to help her is give her closure. To find the bastard that did this and make sure he gets what he deserves."

Beckett turned to Esposito and Ryan, "Did the husband give you anything?"

Esposito recounted his conversation to them. "Not much. He talked with her last night. He said everything was normal, fine. They talked about the horse show and leaving early this morning. He said that she had some work to do today. Her paralegal was going to come by at some point and pick up some case related documents to file with the court in the morning. Caroline was exhausted last night, but the husband said they both wanted to come home. Mrs. Walker convinced him to stay and come home early this morning.

"He said they were happy. Work was going well for both of them. He couldn't think of any enemies. Money was fine. I asked him to take a look around and see if anything was missing. The only thing he commented about was her phone. I told him we took that.

"He also mentioned that she was pregnant."

"The daughter mentioned that too." Beckett said quietly.

"Apparently, she was about 14 weeks along. She was just coming out of the morning sickness which is why she stayed behind instead of going with them to the horse show. The pregnancy was a surprise. Masters said they were excited, but afraid to get their hopes up."

Beckett shook her head to move on to the next thought. "Okay, has any family been contacted? They can't stay here."

"Mr. Masters is packing a bag now with a uniform. As soon as the daughter gets done, they'll take them to the precinct. Ben Masters, the husband's brother, is driving down from Connecticut to pick them up." Ryan answered.

The bathroom door opened and Caroline appeared wrapped in a pink fluffy bathrobe. She looked at the detectives. "I need some clothes." Kate added the clothes in Castle's hands to the ones she had picked out and handed them to Caroline. Ryan and Esposito left, but Castle stayed with Beckett.

"I hope these are okay."

Caroline nodded. "They're fine." She stood there in the robe, holding her clothes. Her brow furrowed and she scrunched up her mouth. They could see in her eyes that she had questions. "What's next?"

"You get dressed, pack a bag and you'll go stay with your uncle for a while."

"How do we find who did this?" Caroline asked. "How are you going to find him? Won't you need our help?"

"Caroline, this is my job. I promise you I'll find him. I won't give up. I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to find who did this and bring them to justice. Your job is to be thirteen; to live your life. That is what your mother would want."

"You're right." Caroline smiled weakly. "She's all about life, my mom. 'Live it to the fullest,' she'd say. You know that song 'Live Like We're Dying?'"

Castle nodded, but Beckett shook her head. Some things just came with having a teenage daughter. Beckett was more into alternative music, jazz, and some R&B.

"My mom and I were listening to the radio in the car when it came on. She liked it so much; she made it her ring tone."

Caroline turned back towards the bathroom. As she closed the door, she said, more to herself than anyone else, "It just doesn't make sense. It doesn't feel real."

Kate Beckett walked to the window. It had started snowing. December. She has to go through Christmas right after this? Surreal, indeed. Kate looked at her watch. It was almost eleven in the morning. Looking out the window, she whispered, "I'm coming for you, you son of a bitch."