Chapter One: Revenge
By
UCSBdad
Disclaimer: Yes, I own Castle! Or was that hassle? Passel? Okay, I don't own it. Rating: It'll get to M sooner or later. Time: Season Four, before 47 Seconds.
"Beckett." She said briskly into her phone.
"Katherine, I'm sorry to bother you."
Kate smiled, hearing Martha's voice. "No problem, Martha. What can I do for you?"
"Is Richard there?"
Kate took a quick look around the bullpen. "No, he hasn't come in yet. Since he isn't in by now and we don't have any active cases, I thought he probably wasn't coming in."
Martha thought for a second. "I'm sure he said he was coming in. I'm positive he said he was going to stop and get you your coffee."
Kate shrugged. Richard Castle was not a predictable man, by any means. "I'm sure he just got distracted, Martha. You know how he is. What did you want to talk to him about anyway?"
"I asked him to pick up some costumes for me. He took the Mercedes so he'd have room for them. I do need them by tonight. But the costume shop called about an hour ago and told me they also have a shipment of wigs I need. I wanted to make sure that Richard picked the wigs up too. The young lady at the shop is the owner's niece, and while she's very nice, she's a bit scatterbrained. I've been calling Richard, but all I get is his voicemail. If you see him, can you give him the message that he needs to pick up the wigs, too?"
Kate wrote that down on a pad and put it on Castle's chair, where he'd be sure to see it when he came in. "No problem, Martha. And I'll be sure to tell Castle that I do not appreciate cold coffee." She said that with a laugh to Martha would know she wasn't angry at her writer-partner.
"As well you should, Katherine. Coffee is sacred to you, I know. Thank you so much. Good bye."
"Good bye, Martha." Kate put her phone down slowly. It wasn't so much that coffee was sacred to her, but that Castle brought it to her every day. Well, every day that he came in.
"Beckett!" Espo called. "We got one. A convenience store holdup gone bad. One dead."
She grabbed her sidearm and her phone and put on her coat. "Ready, let's go." As she was walking out, she called Castle and got his voicemail. She told him they had a body drop and where to meet them.
Lanie was already there when Kate and her team arrived at the crime scene. "What do we have?" Kate asked her.
"You'll want to talk to the uniforms who arrived first, but it was a robbery. The store clerk, Mr. Reynoso, said the guy came in with a hoodie, a baseball cap and shades. He pulled a gun and had Reynoso empty the cash drawer. The girl walked in in the middle of it. The robber turned around and shot her. She's Karen Shaw, age 17. According to her ID, she's a high school student."
Kate nodded. The wrong place at the wrong time. "Okay, let me know what you find."
Lanie nodded and Kate went to talk to Reynoso, who was already speaking in Spanish to Esposito. Javi turned to Kate. "Mr. Reynoso says the guy was shaky, nervous or maybe in withdrawal. They do have a security camera. Reynoso was just about to replay it for us."
Reynoso led the three detectives into the cramped back office and turned on the monitor for them. A grainy black and white picture showed the shooter walking in and holding up the store. Then Karen Shaw walked in. For a second the shooter seemed to ignore her, then turned and shot her. He ran out the door.
"Did you see how he was shaking?" Ryan asked. "Strung out, I bet."
"He touched the counter with his hand. It's Formica, we'll get some prints." Kate said.
"Of everyone who's been in here for the last year, I bet." Espo added.
"Detectives?" They were interrupted by a uniform. "We may have a break. I have a witness who says he knows who the shooter is."
Ron Poole was a tall, well-built African-American who was wearing a NY Yankees' ball cap, tee shirt and sweat pants. "Yeah. I saw the little shit run out just after I heard the shot. He lives in my building, him and his junkie girlfriend, Alice or something."
"Can you tell us his name, sir?" Kate asked.
"Tom something. I've seen him and Alice a hundred times. I know it was him. They live in apartment 2D. I can take you right there."
The three detectives and the uniforms cleared everyone off the second floor, then gathered around the door to apartment 2D. "NYPD!" Kate yelled. "Open up." No reply. She identified themselves again. She nodded to Espo. "Kick it in." Instead, Ryan reached over and opened the door.
"Unlocked." He said as the police poured into the apartment, weapons ready.
"I've got them." Called a uniform. "In the bedroom."
Tom and Alice something were naked in bed, passed out. Espo looked at the upended carton that served as a nightstand. "Syringe, candle, spoon and a white powder. He took the money, got some smack and they both shot up." He raised Tom's eyelid, then Alice's. "They'll be out of it for hours."
"Got a weapon." Ryan said, putting a revolver into an evidence bag.
"Okay, call an ambulance for these two. Get CSU in here. When he comes to, we'll arrest him for murder. The girl we can get for possession, maybe as an accessory."
"What a waste." Someone muttered.
When Kate got back to the precinct, she noticed at once that there was no familiar coffee cup on her desk and no one had seen or heard from Castle. She thought about calling him, but decided to do her paperwork instead. Castle wouldn't like this murder. It's too mundane, and he'd hate it that there's nothing left to do but paperwork.
When she finished her report, she called Castle but got only his voicemail. She left a brief message and then called Martha.
"Hi, Martha. It's Kate. Have you heard from Castle yet?"
"No, dear. I haven't. I did call the costume shop and he hasn't been in. I'm starting to get worried. Do you think he may have been in an accident or something?"
"Oh, I doubt it." Kate said, not wanting to upset Martha. "He's just being Castle. I'll call you if he shows up here, okay?"
"Thank you, Katherine. I appreciate it. Bye."
After hanging up, Kate thought for a minute, then stood up and grabbed her things.
"Beckett." Espo called. "You leaving already? It's barely four o'clock."
Kate decided to tell the boys what was happening. "Castle told Martha he was coming in today, but he never showed up. He was supposed to run an errand for her as well, but apparently he didn't do that either. It's probably nothing, but I thought I'd check the coffee shop he usually goes to."
Ryan and Espo stood up. "We're coming too." Ryan said.
"That's not necessary. You know Castle. He got distracted by something shiny and forgot all about us."
Espo shrugged. "Better than sitting here shuffling paper."
Kate walked into Java Joint and identified herself. She held up a photo of Castle on her phone. "Do you recognize this man?" She asked.
The manager nodded. "Sure. Mr. Castle. He comes in here all the time."
"Was he in today? Earlier? Say between seven thirty and eight?"
The manager shrugged. "I don't know. I got in here at noon. But you're in luck. Cindy is working a double shift today. She was here when we opened up." He turned from Kate and called, "Hey, Cindy. Come here for a minute.
A tall, slender blonde teenager detached herself from a group of other waitresses and walked over to Kate and the manager. "Yes?"
"Did you see this man today?" Kate held up her phone.
Cindy smiled. "Sure. Mr. Castle. Really nice and always tips well." Cindy frowned for a second and then smiled. "You're the grande latte double pump sugar free vanilla, right?"
Kate blushed and smiled at the same time. "I'm Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. Mr. Castle didn't show up at the precinct and his family is worried. Can you tell me when you last saw him?"
Cindy's brow furrowed. "Between seven, when we opened, and eight, I think. It gets really busy here about then. But he was definitely here this morning."
"Did he seem upset? Worried? Distracted?"
Cindy shook her head. "He seemed perfectly normal. He smiled at me. Thanked me for the coffee and put a five dollar tip in the jar."
"Did you see anyone who seemed to be paying close attention to him? Anyone who looked suspicious in any way?"
Cindy shook her head again. "No, but there are so many people in here in the morning…Is he in trouble? Did something happen to him?"
"No. I'm sure it's nothing serious. Thanks for your help."
Kate exited the coffee shop to find Espo and Ryan coming towards her, looking worried.
"Castle drives a silver Mercedes, right?" Espo asked. "Do you know his license plate?"
She shook her head. "He drove the Mercedes today, according to Martha, but I don't know the license. Why?"
"We found one down the block. Maybe it's his?"
The three detectives walked down the block to the parked Mercedes.
"It's the model he has, I'm sure." Kate said, now starting to get worried.
Ryan pulled out his phone. "I'll call in and get them to run the plate."
Espo had bent down by the car. "Look at this." He pointed to two coffee cups on the ground just under the car. He carefully recovered the two cups and sniffed them both. "This one smells of vanilla." He knelt again. "Oh, crap!" He reached further under the car.
"Espo, what is it?" Kate was feeling worse and worse about this.
Espo stood up and held put a key ring. "Keys. One of them's for a Mercedes." He clicked the key and the doors unlocked.
"It's Castle's car." Ryan told them. "The plates match. And take a look at the outside right rear view mirror."
Kate saw that the mirror had been pushed forward from its usual position. She examined it. "There's a small stain. It could be blood." Kate took a deep breath and pushed down her fear and anxiety. Calm. I need to stay calm.
Esposito took a step back. "I think there are coffee stains on the side of the car." He thought for a moment. "So Castle gets your coffee, comes back to the car and puts the two cups on the roof of the car while he gets his keys out. Someone hits him, knocking the coffee off the car and he drops his keys. Then he's dragged off."
Kate nodded. "He's been kidnapped. I'm calling it in." She pulled out her phone.
"We'll check for security and traffic cams." Ryan said, as he and Espo started down the street.
"Don't forget the Java Joint." Kate called to them. "If it is a kidnapping, they've probably been following him. Working out his schedule. Get their security cam records going back as far as they go."
They spent an hour looking, but found nothing useful. The street had no traffic cams they found out.
"There are two exterior security cams on the block. One shows only the sidewalk in front of a store and the other one's on an apartment building and it's been busted since forever, according to the doorman." Ryan told Kate.
"We did get the vids from the Java Joint. Their stuff goes back two weeks. We'll check the days that Castle bought coffee here, then we'll look at the rest of it. We'll find something." Espo said with conviction. A conviction Kate didn't feel.
She took a deep breath. "I'll go see Martha and Alexis. They should hear this from me in person and not over the phone."
"We'll be back at the precinct." Ryan said. Espo nodded in agreement.
"Good. I'll see you two back there when I'm done at Castle's. "
Kate stood at the door to the loft, wondering how she was going to manage this. Everyone told her that she was the very best at consoling the bereaved after a murder. She had never done anything like this before. I can't make them wait any longer. She knocked on the door.
"Katherine." Martha said, smiling and motioning Kate to come in. Then she saw the look on Kate's face. "Is there something wrong?"
Kate saw Alexis coming from the kitchen with a worried look on her face. "Detective Beckett, is something wrong?"
Kate nodded. She told the two women what they had found.
"Kidnapped. Are you sure?" Martha asked, tears forming in her eyes. Alexis was already crying.
As Kate nodded, Alexis collapsed into Martha's arms. Martha reached out and pulled Kate into the hug.
"A kidnapping is the most logical answer and it's what we're basing our investigation on." Kate said quietly. "I'd be overjoyed if it wasn't a kidnapping, but I don't see any viable alternative."
Martha suddenly looked at her. "But there could be other scenarios, as Richard calls them?"
Kate wasn't sure what Martha was getting at. "What kind of scenarios?"
"Like that horrible serial killer who blew up your apartment? Someone with an irrational grudge against Richard? Just some crazy who picked Richard because he obviously has money? Or because he's famous"
Kate could see that both Martha and Alexis were starting to lose it. She hugged them to her. "We're doing everything we can to get him back. After twenty four hours the law allows the FBI to take jurisdiction on kidnaping cases on the legal assumption that the kidnappers must have crossed state lines. We've already notified the Bureau. They'll be here in the morning."
"Suppose the kidnappers call tonight? Suppose some crazy comes here? Suppose it's someone Richard helped put in jail and he wants revenge against all of us?" Martha asked.
"Martha, I have to go back to the precinct, but when I'm done there, I'll go to my place, get some things and come back here and stay the night with you two. Okay?"
"Thank you. Thank you so much, Katherine." Martha was very relieved.
Alexis held Kate tightly. "Thank you, Detective Beckett."
"Why don't you call me Kate, Alexis?"
"Thank you Kate." Alexis said with a brief smile.
Martha headed for Castle's office. "I know how late you work, so I'll get you a key so you don't have to wake us up when you come in tonight." She came back out of the office and handed a key to Kate. "And thank you again, so much. You have no idea how much better this makes me feel."
Kate returned to the loft just after midnight. Letting herself in, she saw Martha asleep on the couch. She went over and woke the older woman. "Martha. It's me. You should go to bed. I'm here now."
Martha's eyes opened wide and she looked confused for just a second. "Oh! I was so worried I couldn't get to sleep. I was going to wait up for you. I guess I didn't."
"You can go to sleep now. I've locked the front door and I told the doorman about…Castle. And I know how to set the alarm system. I'll take care of that. Go to bed, Martha." Kate said with what she hoped was a reassuring smile.
Martha stood there, however. "Kathrine, I know this sounds silly, but instead of sleeping in the guest bedroom, could you sleep in Richard's room? Alexis and I sleep on the second floor so his bedroom is the closest to the door, in case anything should happen."
"Sure, Martha. I'll sleep downstairs tonight."
Martha went off to her bedroom and Kate got ready for bed. She slid in between the sheets of Castle's bed, feeling his presence there even in his absence. I've fantasized about being here enough. I've wished I was here. I've imagined every possible way I could be here, but never this way. In Castle's bed without him. She felt resolve growing within her. I've come close to losing him too often. I've got to do this. I have to find myself not just in Castle's bed, but in his heart, just as he's in mine. Kate relaxed and soon drifted off to sleep.
Her phone awoke her. She looked outside and determined it was just dawn. She checked the phone and saw it was Ryan. "Beckett." She answered.
"Morning. We got a call from the Feds. They'll be over at Castle's loft about seven thirty to set up for a ransom call. You should probably get over there and let them know what we've found, which isn't much. So far we have no more than we did yesterday."
"I'm already there. Martha was so upset last night she asked me to stay. One thing. Martha suggested this might be some nut job like Scott Dunn who's obsessed with Castle or his characters. Or maybe someone he helped put away. Maybe an angry brother, son, lover…Who knows? Can you have all the files pulled that Castle's worked on? And check with Black Pawn. See if he's gotten any threats lately."
"Will do. Another thing. Captain Gates wants to see you ASAP when you get in. She seems to be upset."
Kate groaned. "She's probably hoping we never get Castle back. I'm sure she wants us off the case now that the Feds are involved."
She hung up and decided she may as well get up. She showered and dressed and then found Martha and Alexis making breakfast.
"There's coffee in the pot, Katherine. I'll have your bacon and eggs in a minute."
"Would you like a half a cantaloupe, Kate?" Alexis asked.
Kate usually didn't have much of a breakfast, but was happy to sit with Castle's family. She would have been much happier if Castle was there. She had to tell the two women that there had been no further news about Castle, but that FBI would be by to prepare for the ransom demand.
Promptly at seven thirty there was a knock at the door. Martha answered it. Three agents came in. Two men and a woman. The woman was very much in charge. The woman was tall, taller than Kate and dressed in the Fed's uniform of dark suit and white shirt and striped tie. She looked to be a bit older than Kate, but quite attractive in spite of her black hair being pulled back in a severe pony tail. Her grey eyes surveyed the loft's first floor.
"Mrs. Rodgers? I'm Special Agent Helen Grivas, FBI. These are agents Barrone and Feltzer. They'll be setting up the communications. Have you made arrangements to get money together for the ransom?"
Martha nodded. "I contacted Richard's lawyer. He's getting the information together. He said he can come by at any time."
"Good." Grivas looked over at Kate. "You're family?"
She shook her head. "Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. I can brief you on what we've done so far."
She started to walk over to Grivas, but the agent held up her hands. "Not necessary. We got a briefing from the NYPD. You can go now, Detective. The Bureau is in charge now."
Kate smiled. "Mr. Castle has been embedded with my homicide team at the Twelfth Precinct for several years now. I'm quite familiar with…"
Grivas cut her off. "I do not need, nor do I want, the NYPD getting in my way on this case. Now get the hell out or I'll arrest your bony ass for obstruction of justice. Do you understand me?"
"I'm afraid you don't understand, Agent Grivas." Martha said coldly.
"I don't understand what?" From her tone it was obvious that Grivas believed she understood everything.
Martha put her arm around Kate. "Katherine is a longtime friend of the family and is, in fact, our house guest. I'm afraid she'll have to remain here."
Grivas looked like she was ready to explode. "Mrs. Rodgers, perhaps I should…"
"Perhaps we should wait until Richard's attorney arrives. Perhaps he'll be able to advise me on what rights we have in who lives in our own home."
Grivas glared at one and all. Before she could say anything further, Kate spoke up. "I should be heading for the precinct, Martha."
"We'll expect you for dinner, dear." Martha said with a warm smile.
Kate took Martha's arm and pulled her to the front door and out into the hallway. "Martha, the FBI has jurisdiction over this case now. You shouldn't be antagonizing Grivas. And I should go back to my place."
"Then she shouldn't be antagonizing me. Besides, you know Richard. When they put him on the phone for that proof of life thing, he'll try to get us a message. Grivas won't understand it, but you might. His life could depend on you."
Kate shook her head. I should let Grivas do her job, but it's Castle…"Martha, let me think about this. Maybe something will happen that will change everything. I'll get back to you."
When Kate arrived at the precinct, she realized she didn't have her morning coffee. I can't even get my own coffee any more. I need Castle more than I knew.
"Yo, Beckett!"
"Anything, Javi?" She asked.
"Not so far. We asked files to send up all of the cases Castle has been involved with. The first of them should be up in an hour or so. I also called Black Pawn. They're looking for any threats to Castle in their records. They suggested I call his agent, a Paula Haas, which I did. She said she might have something and will call back." Espo pointed towards Gates's office. "And she wants to see you now."
When she knocked on Gates's door, Gates told her to come in and shut the door. "Where are we with Mr. Castle, Detective?"
Kate briefed her on what little information they had and told her about her meeting with Special Agent Grivas. "Grivas told me in no uncertain terms that she did not want the NYPD involved in this case. It's the FBI's case, or more likely, hers. And sir, I'd like to request some time off, immediately."
"You want what?" Gates said sharply.
Kate took a deep breath and went ahead. "I realize that we're a homicide unit and that the FBI has jurisdiction, but Castle is my partner and I cannot ignore the fact that he's been kidnapped. If I'm on vacation…"
"No!" Gates said firmly.
"Sir, I'd like to…"
"Detective Beckett, I do not like Mr. Castle one bit. I will admit that, on occasion, he has been a help to you. That said, it will be a cold day in hell when someone who is a part of my precinct, in any way, shape or form, is kidnapped and I don't do everything in my power to get that person back. Your team's job is to get Mr. Castle back. If you need any further resources, let me know." Gates looked down at the notes she had taken from Kate's briefing. "You say this Special Agent Grivas is not extending the full cooperation we've come to expect from the FBI?"
"To say the least, sir."
"The mayor has asked me to call him directly with an update when you got in. I'll bet His Honor will be interested in what Grivas is doing. Now, go do your job."
Kate went.
"Beckett!" Ryan called. "Sergeant Pontiakowski, from the Four Four. He wants to talk to you."
She grabbed the phone. "Beckett."
"Detective. You have a BOLO on a Richard Castle?"