A/N: Set three months after Castle: From the Depths of Hell. Here is my new story folks and I hope you enjoy this one as much as you have enjoyed the other ones. So please read, and review and thank you to everyone for your support through the rest of my stories. So please enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Castle series or the characters. This story is based solely on the entertainment of the readers.
Castle: Ends to a means and Begin anew
Prologue
5th Avenue, and East 62nd Street
Upper East Side, New York
A middle age gentlemen moved towards the end unit apartment with a lady in her 20's with wet hair and a jogging suit, following along behind him. "Come on Mr. Philipps. Get that son of bitch to turn off his water."
"Calm down Sally. I am pretty sure it was a oversight on Mr. Connors part. He's usually pretty good about letting me know about things like this." The gentlemen said as they arrived at the door.
"Whatever, I just need to let him know I am suing him for damages." The lady answered. She leaned against the wall. "That water breaking through my ceiling ruined a power suit that I was going to use for a presentation today, and now I am going to be late, and wear a dress that I wore for a previous presentation."
The gentlemen who was the building super rolled his eyes without her seeing him. He took a breath. "We don't know what's going on. Could be a busted pipe. So please Sally let me handle this."
The lady scoffed but remained quiet, so the super knocked on the door. "Mr. Conners, it's the building super. Water is cascading into the apartment below you. Is everything alright?"
"YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD LAWYER BUSTER." The lady said in a shout right after the building super knocked.
"Sally, please." The building super pleaded. He then heard a faint noise coming from inside the apartment. "His TV is on, he must be home."
"Must be too afraid to answer the door." The lady said scoffing.
The building super who was a vet the military actions in Grenada, Panama, and Desert Storm was worried. He looked at the young lady next to him. "Stay here. He generally answers even when sick."
The lady scoffed again but decided to do what she was told. The super unlocked the door and proceeded slowly inside the apartment. Indeed the TV was on in the living room and the sound of water running could be heard coming from the master bath. "Mr. Conners?"
The super didn't see anyone inside the living room so he started towards the bedroom. He saw the soaked carpet and the noise of the water growing louder. "Mr. Conners?"
He gasped when he saw the tenant he was looking for laying face down on the bed. He then heard the sound of the young lady coming behind. "Listen hear you bastard, I am going to miss a very important presentation….."
The lady screamed when she saw the body on the bed.
Kate and Rick's Loft
SoHo, New York
"Hello, hello, hello." Rick Castle said walking into the loft and setting his bag down by the door. "I'm home."
"Richard welcome home dear." Martha said coming over and giving her son a kiss and hug hello. "How was the tour?"
"Good, but glad to be home, and even gladder it was a short tour with Kate being so close to her due date." Castle answered with a smile on his face. He walked over and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge as Alexis jumped off the stool and hugged him. "Hi pumpkin. How are classes going?"
Alexis smiled and jumped back up on the stool. "Going good. So everything was good?"
"Yep everything turned out fine, thanks to Maria." Castle answered as he went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. He looked around the loft. "Where is my beautiful, glowing, charming, sexy pregnant wife?"
"Your bloated, not so beautiful, or glowing, or charming, or sexy whale of a wife is right here babe." Kate said with a small smile as she came out of the bedroom and towards the island. "I'm so glad you are home."
Castle smiled and kissed Kate deeply. "Me too, because I was worried you would go into labor while I was gone."
Kate shook her head. "No, baby Castle decided to wait for his daddy."
Castle smiled and placed his hands on the swollen belly. He felt a bump under his hand. "Active today isn't he."
"He is that." Kate replied as she stood next to the island. She looked around. "Where's Maria?"
"Sent her home. Four days with me was enough because I had everybody in the world asking what are you naming the baby, sign the book Richard Castle and family." Castle said complaining. He sipped his water. "What a tour. Why are you home? Thought the next two days are your last days?"
"They are. So Meyers is handling the precinct morning routine for me, because I have that 10 AM meeting at 1PP that is supposed last till two." Kate said in a disgusting tone. Castle helped her into one of the stools. "So I told him I would go straight to 1PP from here since it's harder to get moving these days."
Castle smiled and kissed his wife's temple. "You are everything I said you were. You are carrying our child and it makes you even sexier."
"Ahh. Good one Writer boy." Kate said with a smile. She kissed his lips. Then her phone rang. "Captain Beckett."
Castle listen only partially as he sipped his water. "Right Russell. Listen Castle and Maria came back so I'll send him over. No he sent Maria home. Ok."
Castle smiled at his wife as she set the phone down. "I thought I would stay home today to get the nursery ready?"
"Really Richard, I haven't moved out yet." Martha told her son with a hand over her chest. "I'm hurt that you would do that to me."
Kate smiled and slowly got out of the stool. "Don't worry Martha. We'll punish him later."
Castle looked around and decided to follow his wife's lead. "Yeah, I got to get to the…."
Alexis and Martha laughed as Castle and Kate left the loft together.
5th Avenue, and East 62nd Street
Upper East Side, New York
Russell was waiting for Castle as he got off the elevator on the floor. "Welcome home Castle. How was the tour?"
"Oh not too bad. Maria kept everything smoothly." Castle replied handing over a cup of coffee to Russell who smiled and nodded her thanks. "She's a good one."
"Yes she is." Russell replied as she took a sip of the coffee. They started to walk down the hallway towards the crime scene. "Everything ready for the baby?"
"Except his nursery. Mother still hasn't moved out yet." Castle replied with a smile as they neared the crime scene. They set the coffees on the window ledge as Castle put on the gloves offered by Russell. "So that is the only thing. Oh that Kate is probably going to be finishing her last meeting at 1PP before starting maternity leave."
Russell smiled at Castle as they ducked under the tape. "Well its good she is giving you guys the room."
"Yeah it is." Castle answered as they walked towards the bedroom. "Woah. Is this that new spongy carpet I heard so much about."
"Hardly Castle." Ryan said as he came over with his notebook out. He smiled at Castle. "Welcome home by the way."
Castle nodded his thanks as Russell looked at Ryan. "What do we have Ryan?"
"Victim's name is Jeffery Connors. 28, lives alone here in the apartment." Ryan replied.
"How can he afford a place like this?" Castle asked.
"He's a stock broker at one of the trading firms over on Wall Street." Ryan answered as they moved into the bedroom. That is when they found the body. "This is how he was found."
"Dr. Parrish what do we have?" Russell asked as she took out her notepad.
"White Male, late 20's. Cause of death as blunt force trauma to the back of the skull." Lanie remarked as she finished her examination. She looked up and smiled at Castle. She came over and gave him a hug. "Welcome home Castle. Kate was worried you wouldn't be there in case she went into labor."
"Trust me I was worried too. Thank you Lanie for also keeping an eye on her." Castle said with a smile.
Lanie smiled at him. "Not a problem."
Russell waited as Lanie went back towards the body. "Time of death Dr. Parrish?"
"Liver temp puts the TOD between 9 and 11 last evening." Lanie remarked as she closed up her kit. "Luckily he didn't land in the flood here, otherwise TOD might have been thrown off."
Russell nodded. "Who found the body?"
That is when Esposito came over. "The building super and the neighbor from the apartment directly below here did. She complained to the building super when water burst through her ceiling and in her words "Completely destroyed a power suit for an important presentation and wanted to sue or kill the bastard that did it". Welcome home Castle. "
"Thanks. What does she do?" Castle asked.
"Business acquisitions and mergers." Esposito answered as he consulted his notes. "She buys and sells companies."
"Oh those people live for their wardrobe no wonder she wanted to kill him." Castle said as he moved towards the bed. Everyone nodded at the comment.
"Dr. Parrish, you find anything else on the body?" Russell asked as she began to look the body over.
"He has bruising on his upper arms like someone grabbed him, along with bruising in the stomach area." Lanie answered as she stood nearby. She then bent down towards the skull. "This is a circular indentation here, but I won't know for sure till I get him back on my table. I'll let you know."
Russell nodded and stood up. "Thanks Dr. Parrish.
"Thanks. Lanie." Castle answered as he looked around the bedroom as Lanie left the bedroom. "Guy was doing well for himself. Versace suits, genuine Rolex's, high end business shoes. Guy was making some serious money."
"Same thing with the furniture and electronics. All top of the line products." Esposito added in as well.
"This bedroom set in here cost up to twenty thousand dollars." Russell remarked. She saw the looks from her team. "What I was curious about a new bedroom and I saw this one and I asked."
"What did he do again Ryan?" Castle asked.
"Stockbroker according to his card." Ryan replied.
"Let's contact his boss and coworkers and have them come down for statements." Russell answered as everyone nodded. "Same thing for the neighbor and building super too."
"Got it." Esposito answered and walked out of the bedroom and back towards the living room.
Castle walked over as the morgue team came in with the body bag and the gurney. He looked at Russell. "Something doesn't add up. Most Stockbrokers I know can't afford half this stuff in here."
"We'll check his finances after we talk to his coworkers." Russell answered. She saw the look Castle had. "You think he may have been insider trading?"
Castle looked around. "It make the most sense, or he was running a pyramid scheme."
Castle and Russell walked out as the body bag was zipped closed.
12th Precinct
Manhattan, New York
"Castle you know that may make the most sense." Russell said as they walked into the lobby of the precinct. "If he was insider trading, maybe someone caught wind and killed him over it."
"Same thing could be said if someone found out he was running a pyramid scheme." Castle replied as they walked towards the elevator. That is when Castle noticed his wife standing there. "Hey. I thought you had a meeting until two."
"Chief Miller excused me at the first break after my presentation." Kate replied with a smile and kiss on the cheek for her husband. "Plus I forgot I didn't finish my briefing sheet for my temporary replacement."
"I thought Lt. Meyers was filling in while you were gone Captain?" Russell asked as she pressed the button.
"They want a senior officer here to handle the administrative task while Meyers does the community and daily business of the precinct." Kate replied as the elevator dinged. "How's the case going?"
"Coworkers are in route to the precinct now, as well as the victim's boss is." Russell remarked as the elevator began to rise. "We also have the building super and the victim's downstairs neighbor to interview upstairs."
Kate nodded as she leaned into Castle. "God I cant wait to sit down before I start standing again."
Russell looked confused but Castle just waved her off. The elevator dinged and they started to walk off when they were stopped by Esposito and Ryan. Espsoito spoke first. "Head back downstairs and pretend you are not here?"
"Guys what is going on?" Kate asked as she was surprised by this behavior. "I have to get stuff done in my office and Sierra Potter is on a leave of absence I thought."
"And we got a murder to solve guys." Russell added in as well.
"Trust us on this." Ryan told them. He pointed towards the bullpen. "You do not want to go in there."
Castle was even now confused. "Why what is going on?"
Then the voice that Castle, Kate, Ryan and Esposito were all too familiar with came across the bullpen. "Ricky, Kate. How wonderful you guys are here. We simply need to talk."
"Oh brother." Kate said rubbing her forehead.
"Told you." Esposito said as he and Ryan started back towards their desk.
"Who is that?" Russell asked as a red head with six inch stilettos and a dark blue deep v neck dress came coming up towards them.
"Meredith, what are you doing here?" Castle asked as his first ex-wife came over and gave Castle and Kate a hug.
"I have a surprise for the both of you." Meredith said with a very large smile on her face.
Castle and Kate were both in shock as Russell looked on in confusion.
Additional note: What could Meredith have in store for our favorite couple? Stay tuned to find out as the team gets set about to start working the case as well as dealing with the ex-wife drama in their lives.