Author's Note: This is my first Castle story, so I'd love to hear what you think. This is set sometime after the current story arc, but not far.
Castle sighed as he traced the spine of the worn book.
He loved antique stores, but there was something about the feeling of an old book that superseded any other feeling in the world.
It was indescribable, really.
And for a writer, that was saying something.
He flipped open the front page of the book, breathing in the beautiful smell of old paper bound by cloth and leather with hand stitched signatures.
People didn't make books like this anymore.
"That's a shame." He murmured as he carefully turned the first few pages, awed by the old writing that lined the pages.
Hearing the dinging bell, he felt momentarily grateful that he was entirely hidden behind the old bookcase before he remembered his location.
Most frequenters of antique stores such as this had never read his books.
While that was something he hoped to rectify, it was also nice to be able to go somewhere without anybody watching.
He looked around, chuckling as he thought what Beckett would say if she heard him think that.
Sometimes she had mind voodoo like that.
'I have something to sell.' A woman's voice said briskly, getting straight down to business.
Castle shut the book, slightly weirded out by how similarly this woman's voice sounded like someone he knew.
Someone who also liked to get straight down to business.
Someone like Beckett.
Glancing slowly over the books stacked neatly along the shelf so steal a glance to who could have the Beckett-like voice.
Because if Beckett showed up here, he'd have to reconsider the whole ESP thing he'd wondered about for so long.
'This is a 1938 Rolex Watch.' The old woman behind the counter exclaimed in surprise. 'It's worth 20 Grand, at least.'
Castle ducked, peaking over the lower shelf as he spied the interaction between the two women. His heart sank as he saw Beckett frown, obviously distraught as she nodded slowly. 'How much will you give me for it?'
Now this was very un-Beckett-like behavior.
'I can give you 15 Grand cash in a couple of days.' The woman said cautiously, obviously trying to barter the best deal despite her earlier outburst. 'Or I can give you 8 grand for it right now.'
'I need the money now.' Beckett replied, her gaze tracing along the fine etchings of the watch. '8 Grand, you've got a deal.' She said, and he couldn't help but feel the sadness that emanated from her. 'It's not like it matters anyway.' She muttered as if attempting to convince herself.
The woman behind the counter smiled, and Beckett looked over her shoulder as if she could feel his eyes on her. Castle ducked to avoid detection, but peeked over a low shelf of books and watched as the money changed hands.
This was out of character.
Especially for Kate.
Beckett. He reminded himself. Beckett. She was only Beckett.
No matter how much he would like to change that, Beckett had made it perfectly clear that she was still in a relationship. With doctor boy.
As the door chimed, he looked up in surprise, shocked to realize that in his daydreaming he had missed Beckett's departure. Discarding the book in his hands, he felt his legs carry him toward the woman behind the counter. The words were out of his mouth before his brain had a chance to keep up, "How much for the watch?" He asked, gesturing to the item still in the older woman's hands.
"$ 23,000." The woman said immediately, obviously not caring whether he had just heard the last transaction.
The amount didn't phase him, nothing did. Because the watch was important, it was a part of Beckett. And if she was just going to sell it to some antique dealer, well there was something wrong. "Do you take Visa?" He asked, pulling out his wallet.
He wasn't sure what made him do it, but knew it was in part due to the sickening sense of foreboding that he had felt recently.
Something was off with Beckett, and he was going to find out what it was.
