This story is about a terrible event and subject, of how people deal with it, heal and move on with life. There is also plenty of revenge. It has many twists and turns on both emotional and physical levels. It took me almost 18 months to write it from the original version of it to what is posted on this sight.
The topic is provoking and I hope it causes readers to think. In the time it took me to write this story there have been numerous accounts of reports sex crimes in Australia alone. Its devastating to write this and to see news reports of women who have died from being bashed and raped in a bus in India or an inner city alley in Melbourne, Australia or been held hostage for years in houses. So here is a very long journey ...
Chapter 1 – The abduction
"This is the address they gave you?" Castle asked peering out the window of the Crown Vic down towards the alley as they drove past it in search of a place to park to car. He looked around the shabby neighborhood, thanking himself it was more than a stone's throw from where he lived.
"This is it," Beckett confirmed glancing to the alley then continued driving to find a place to park the unit.
"You know if I was writing this..." he began with trepidation in his voice.
"Yes." Beckett's lip curved in amusement that he was already onto a story. She waited for him to continue whilst she found a spot to park the car and pulled in as he carried on with his in depth analysis of the situation.
"Well the alley, it's a venue where the story is about to suddenly change, to twist," he explained.
"Twist? Which way?" She asked curious for him to continue.
"Usually for the worst," he replied seriously, his eyes turning to her face as she put the car in park then killed the engine. He looked about the neighborhood, taking it all in. A reasonably quiet area, a low income district and everything he looked at needed repairs of some description. His gut had migrated from nervous butterflies to awkward twists and somersaults that he was unable to understand the reasoning of at the moment. He decided he would follow his instincts and talk it through.
"Well, this is not one of your stories Castle. We're just checking on a lead, then we can go grab some lunch because I'm starving," she stated with a tone that told him they were going to check out the lead no matter what he said to dissuade her.
"Me too. But this is an odd place for a lead." He decided to persist. "My gut is telling me something's not right." He looked again to Kate, his partner, seriously and directly to her hazel eyes and she responded with a smart ass stare then a roll of those large eyes her eyelids closing half a second. "I'm serious Beckett!" He stressed annoyed she wasn't taking on board what he was feeling.
"I have my gun." She smiled. "You're hungry. I did eat your bear claw this morning." She reminded him and unbuckled the seatbelt as he did. She placed the police card on the dash to avoid a parking ticket.
"I don't know where you put all the food you eat in a day." Castle commented checking out her slim body. "It sucks."
She snickered in response. "Good genes."
"They're great jeans, really make your …"
"Genes, as in genetics," she impatiently interrupted but also couldn't resist adding, "And yes, my ass does look great in these jeans."
"Sorry." Castle humbly submitted with a coy smile, thinking about how much of his undivided attention that nice piece of tail had had that very morning, "Shall we go check this lead out? Then we better feed you before the sugar levels get too low. We know what you're like when that happens." He commented sarcastically primarily to mess with her head, knowing full well she was irritable when she was hungry and would snap back at him.
"I have a gun Castle," she replied glaring at him also noticing his expression, "Wipe that look of your face, Castle."
"Sorry, again. I was thinking about this morning," he cheekily looked to her seeing the little sparkle of humour in her eyes, then climbed out the car as she did.
"Ha! Trust you." She remarked over the roof of the vehicle, but I have to admit it was good."
Rick chortled at her comment, "It was more than good."
They met at the front of the car on the sidewalk. Both immediately felt the cool breeze and pulled their jackets across their chests to cut the wind out as they commenced walking along the sidewalk to the alley in question. They were a good looking couple and by the manner in which they interacted were clearly dating.
Castle was solid man with broad chest and shoulders, strong arms. He was ruggedly handsome and easily attracted women. Beside him, Kate was a few inches shorter very slim with legs that compared favourably to super models. She was an intelligent woman, physically attractive but it was the character that glowed from within her that made her a beautiful woman. She should have been anywhere but on the streets working as a homicide detective. But here they were, in some derelict neighborhood wondering what they hell they were doing.
Especially today, Rick had wanted to keep her at home, to have her to himself, to continue what they had had most of the night. It had been so special.
They arrived at the corner, both of them staring down the long secluded alley. It was a standard inner city alley. Bricked walls, old bitumen surface, a few doors and windows, rubbish and bins.
Castle looked back at Kate then around them, "Do the boys know we're here?" He asked thinking they should let them know prior to venturing down the alley. "You know what Gates said."
"You afraid Castle? You can wait in the car," she bullied by using her tone of voice.
"I'm ok. I just don't feel like wrestling tigers today," he hinted, choosing to ignore her usual tactics.
"Me neither. Don't want that again." She agreed her tone softer. In any case, she unclipped her holster enabling quick access to her gun. Castle's unease over the environment was prickling at her nerves. He was, as a general rule, jumping into situations right beside her, but today he was creating stories, a sign she knew he was not happy about the situation. It was unusual for him to be reluctant.
"This is all wrong." He interrupted her thoughts. Kate looked to his eyes and saw the signs he really was not happy at the situation they were in.
"Ok Castle, you tell me. What do you think we should do?" She crossed her arms pretending to be impatient but she was listening. She wanted from Rick a substantial reason for his hesitation to assess whether they should proceed with their original plan to investigate the lead. He fidgeted on his feet glancing from Kate to the alley several times, trying to sort out in his mind what he was sensing in his gut. The whole neighborhood didn't feel right. His instincts were signalling to him that something was very fishy, but he knew Kate would push it. "Castle." She hinted impatiently.
His sight flickered between Kate and the entrance of the alley, "You got the call directly that there was a good lead down there." His arm pointed into the alley. "It all looks too solitary." He dropped his arm. "Like a trap. Why did you get the call? Why didn't it go to switchboard and get passed in via an email to Gates to delegate?" He finished, then looked about them, trying to figure out in detail what was bothering him enough to influence Kate to follow him.
Kate processed what he had said. "You're letting your writer's imagination take over Castle. I think you should have had that bear claw this morning. It's made you anxious." She sighed, and squinting into the sunlight, looked about the quiet and hellishly rundown neighborhood. "Let's take a quick look then go buy lunch." She seriously suggested.
"Let's get lunch first," he counter suggested hoping she would change her mind just this one time.
"We'll be five minutes," she stated looking at him seriously.
"C'mon, Baby, you're hungry. So am I," he genuinely urged, even reaching for her hand but she didn't respond how he wanted her to so he kept trying, "I'll buy you a big lunch and then we can come back here, with back up."
"We can wait five minutes, then go eat," Kate firmly stated then started striding into the entrance of the alley ahead of him. Castle waited, counting the seconds in his mind, thinking that maybe if he stayed put, stood his ground, she would change her mind. Not a chance. Ten seconds later she didn't even fault in her pace. She wasn't afraid of anything and simply continued down the alley without looking over her shoulder once, her heeled shoes sounding on the bitumen. He knew she wouldn't stop. He hurried after her at a jog, quickly catching up. "Decided to join me?" She asked with a smart ass tone of voice as he fell in beside her to continue down the alley.
"Under objection and duress, yes I'm joining you, to keep you safe," he replied and as they arrived at the first doorway to the left side of the alley.
Kate glanced at him, amused by his comment to protect her, "I do have my gun on me."
"I know, but please allow me my masculine pride once in awhile," he replied and he heard her hum a response.
They began to search each doorway and window for any irregularities, separating and coming back together as they progressed, making little comments to each other over what they saw. The further they walked, searching for the subject door, the more Castle started to relax and focus on detective work. His eyes that were always able to pick up tiny changes or discrepancies in things were kept busy. He was aware Kate had moved ahead of him as usual. She was as a rule, quicker to observe and move on. She was at a doorway further down already and trying the handle. It was locked as most of them were. She took a couple of steps back peering up to the second floor then turned her gaze back to Castle who was still on his way to catch up with her.
She turned her head towards the end of the alley, distracted by a noise coming from around the corner then glanced back to Castle to see where he was. She looked back hearing further sounds. Inquisitive, she headed in that direction.
Castle approached the doorway she had been at. He checked the number on the door. This was the address the phone call had come in about. He noticed a small window to the left that wasn't boarded up and stepped closer to it to see inside. He shielded his eyes with his hands against the window to prevent the light reflecting his own image in the glass and peered inside. It was dim and difficult to make out much, but he was also able to sum up quickly that it was just an old empty shop. The floorboards were long gone and the front room was full of crap and dust. No one had been inside the building for years he speculated by the filthy appearance of it. He stood back, unconsciously wiping his hands on his jeans.
"Beckett, there's nothing here. Let's go." He stated backing up to take a look at the second floor. They were investigating a dead end, an abandoned building that once upon a time had been a shop with a dwelling upstairs. Nothing had taken place at this address in years, especially not in the past twenty four hours. Having heard no response from Kate, he turned and looked to the end of the alley to where it T-boned another alley. Kate was nowhere and must have taken the corner ahead of him. "Beckett!" He called wondering why she always had to be ahead of him. No response. "Beckett?" He called louder and looked to where they had come from. No Kate in either direction. His heart rate quickened. "Kate? Stop with the fucking around!" He hollered and hurried to the end of the alley. He looked from left to right and back. She was nowhere nearby. In fact there was no one around. "Beckett!" He yelled, spinning about searching for her, "Kate?"
He heard the sound of tires squealing on the road not far away and sprinted down the alley in the direction of the noise, his legs pumping hard. By the time he reached there, he caught the glimpse of the back corner of a black SUV as it turned left onto the adjoining street.
Frustrated, he held his head, his heart pounding in fear, "Beckett!" he called again spinning around looking everywhere. He started jogging back up the alley his eyes searching every door, garage door. About half way along he sighted the jacket Beckett had been wearing lying on the ground in a doorstep. With it was her badge, gun, holster, wallet, keys and her cell phone. He went to pick them up but stopped. "Don't touch it." He pulled out his phone and hit quick dial for Esposito. It seemed the phone rang for an eternity.
"Yo, Castle! Beckett giving you a hard time?"
"Yeah. She's gone Espo. Someone just kidnapped Kate."
"Are you sure?"
"She's gone."
"Where are you?"
Castle gave Esposito his exact location as he continued to pace up and down the alley search in vain for any sight of Kate. He couldn't lose her today. Not today.
Esposito said, "We're on our way, man. Stay on the phone. You sure she's been taken?" His voice was surprised. He could hear Rick's heavy breathing in the phone.
"She's gone. I have her jacket, cell phone, badge, gun and wallet. No Beckett!" He yelled angrily into the phone. Black SUV, man. That's all I have." He could already hear Police sirens coming towards him. The Police were already on their way. "I'm sorry Espo. She just disappeared man!"
"She didn't scream?"
"Nothing. Not a sound, Espo. She walked around a corner that's it." Castle frantically searched the alley trying all the doors in the hope one would open and he would find her hiding from him. It would be her to pull a stupid prank like this.
"We're on our way.
"Tell me Espo that this is not a prank you guys have pulled on me."
"It's not a prank, Rick. I have a squad car on its way."
"I heard it," he replied, but then realised the siren had stopped, "Maybe another unit. Hurry!" Castle hung up and continued his hunt he now knew was in vain. He understood they had just walked into a trap. He returned to her belongings, finding it odd that whoever had taken her had left all her personal belongings at the scene. She had been stripped her of her identity. Kate was now a nobody, an unidentified woman. Castle stopped breathing the second it occurred to him what was taking place. His stomach somersaulted. He felt horribly ill. If he had been with her would she still be with him or would he be dead? She had been their target for sure and they had known she would stray from him.
He placed his hands over his face in sheer frustration and anger. She had disappeared in his company, had been snatched from under his nose. She must have heard something that had attracted her interest around the corner, a noise he hadn't picked up. He leaned against the wall feeling the coldness of the old red bricks. He was feeling extremely ill right now.