Castle hummed happily when he finally got into his writing mood— no writer's block, cases or sexy NYPD detectives to distract him.
Gina had been bugging him for the past few weeks to come up with a draft for his next Nikki Heat novel, so here he was writing to shut her up.
It wasn't like he was ignoring her on purpose (okay, so maybe he was ignoring her on purpose, but definitely not his book). Before he joined the NYPD, he had nothing else other than writing to spend his days, but now he had a family. Not like Alexis and Martha, but the kind that he went out drinking with or paintballing or parties or movie nights. The kind kind of friends that turned into family.
He threw away his days of one night stands and endless hours of writing to pass the time for an actual life. Drinking with the boys, meaningful sex with Beckett and hours of helping at the precinct where he actually felt he was making a difference.
All in all, he'd rather have slower Nikki Heat installments and a family than the opposite.
Castle was actually writing now and with Alexis and Martha away for the weekend, he thought he could finish the draft— that is until his phone rang.
Castle groaned when the beeping of his cell halted his fingers mid-typing and he answered the call from Beckett praying that he wouldn't forget what he was writing after the call. "Beckett!" He whined only half jokingly. "I told you, no body drops for me until I finish this draft. It was your idea!"
Beckett answered without a trace of amusement in her voice, "Castle," Her pause was long enough for Castle to wonder if the call dropped before she continued. "You need to get here. Now."
Castle nodded numbly, pushing from his chair and heading out the door. The Nikki Heat draft already forgotten, "Is everyone okay? Is someone hurt?" He asked urgently as his stomach churned in dozens of different directions at once. He knew that his three friends had a dangerous and life threatening job, but he would never be ready for the call, God forbid anything actually happened.
"We're fine, Castle." She shot off the address where he needed to meet them and then she hung up.
Castle hissed as he slammed the door shut; all possible horrible outcomes playing out in his head.
Castle hopped out of the cab and was met by Beckett at the police tape. He was relieved to see that Beckett was physically fine and after a quick look around he saw Espo and Ryan interviewing someone, both perfectly healthy.
"What's going on?" Castle asked following Beckett to a beaten down row boat that was carelessly left in the middle of the alleyway.
"Theresa Huller, 32, killed by a dagger in the heart." Beckett gestured to the dead woman lying in the boat.
Castle looked down and then up at Beckett again. He was here no more than five minutes and was already confused. Why was she in a boat in the middle of an alley in New York City? Why did Beckett call Castle in?
Beckett noticed his confusion, "We believe it's another…" Her face screwed up in discomfort at the next word and it's context. "…fan."
Castle did a double take at the woman, her long, thick dark hair that pooled around her head, her dark eyes and darker skin. This Hispanic woman didn't seem to be anybody from his Nikki Heat series.
I don't see it…?" Castle said slowly, not sure if he was missing out on something.
"Neither did we at first, but then we found her I.D." Beckett handed it to Castle and he took it as he read her name crossed out and above was written Sophia Ochoa.
"She was hardly in Heat Rises, and Ochoa isn't even married to her anymore, why…" Before Castle could finish his thought, Beckett handed him something else—this time it was a piece of paper with a message typed.
Dear Jameson Rook,
I am a very big and dear fan of yours. Sometimes it amazes me how I see things that even you don't.
That`s why I`ll give you a chance, to fix your mistakes.
It`s good that you got rid of her, it really is. This is just a warning so Ochoa doesn`t decide to settle with her or any girl for that matter. Soon you`ll know why. This will all be smooth sailing if you follow my instructions.
But don`t worry, I'll be with you every step of the way to avoid other casualties.
Yours truly,
Captain Roach
After Castle read this letter he looked up in shock at Beckett, "Who the Hell kills an innocent woman for a book?!"
Beckett shook her head, "I don't know, Castle. But we've got nothing at all. No prints, no DNA, nothing."
Castle nodded, but pointed to a spot in the letter, "But he'll keep in touch, maybe just maybe, we can catch him along the way."
Beckett pursed her lips with a short nod as Ryan and Esposito came over discussing something in Ryan's little notepad.
"Anything boys?" Beckett asked with a sigh.
"Nobody saw anything." Ryan said with clear disappointment.
"Did you guys find anything?" Esposito asked curiously with his gaze focused on the note in the writer's hand.
Castle nodded and handed the letter to Esposito and the two detectives read it quietly.
"What the fuck?" Esposito screwed up his face and shoved the letter back in Castle's hands. "I think all the crazies read your books, Castle." He shook his head.
Ryan cleared his throat, "Why did he want to kill Ochoa's wife?" He pointed to the paper in Castle's grip. "More importantly, why does he or she call them self Captain Roach?"
Beckett shrugged her shoulders, "This whole boat and captain thing seems to be a theme, but I don't understand why. Nobody was ever killed like this in any of your books, right Castle?"
He shook his head, rereading the letter again trying to find something they missed.
Ryan interrupted their thoughts when he used his gloved hand to lift the vic's left hand that was folded over her right on her chest. When he removed the bloody hand and slowly placed it next to her, the rest gasped.
On her right hand, her ring finger had been cut off.
Beckett lifted the hand and inspected it before turning to Ryan and Esposito, "I want you two to head back and look up anything you can find about her. Keep an eye out to see if she was married and that's what this is about." She turned her attention from her boys to Castle, "Castle, do you think you can try and figure out why the murderer wrote that letter for you?" Beckett asked as she pulled off her glove.
He nodded, "The Nikki Heat draft can wait…"
She nodded, "Good, I'll show Lanie the missing finger and see what she thinks about the body and then we'll regroup at the murder board in an hour."
"Sounds like a plan, Becks." Esposito mock saluted her before him and his partner headed towards their parked car.
Beckett wished Castle good luck before he left the crime scene to hail down a cab.
Espo leaned over Ryan's shoulder as they read Theresa's file; she wasn't married, no family in New York and no previous trouble with the law. Her record was clean with nothing pointing out anything to help.
"Well this sucks," Esposito grumbled.
"Maybe we can head to her apartment and see if her neighbors have noticed anything…odd." Ryan turned his head towards his partner as he spoke; their faces were so close their noses touched.
Esposito pushed himself backwards and tried to brush it off as if it was nothing. "So we heading out now?"
Ryan ignored the little spark of electricity he knew that he shouldn't have felt when his very straight partner touched his skin, "Y-yeah, sounds like a plan."
Espo rolled his eyes and grabbed his partner's upper arm, "C'mon, man."
Ryan smiled and nodded once Espo lifted him from his seat and let go. The Irishman watched Espo slip his jacket on and grabbed the directions to her apartment building from the printer.
"Hey Espo…?" Ryan spoke when they were alone in the elevator.
He turned his head to his partner, "Yeah?"
"What…what do you think that 'Captain Roach' thing was about?" He buttoned up his overcoat absently. "Why would this murderer name themselves after us?"
Espo furrowed his eyebrows in thought, "No clue, bro."
"But…they killed an innocent woman that looked like your wife in the book because she was in the way. Something that Castle wrote in the book, this person didn't like and is trying to change his mind." He looked up to see if his partner was following so he could save himself from the awkward finish.
With a sigh of frustration from Espo's obliviousness he continued, "You don't think that maybe he meant Roach…in the romantic way…?" Ryan avoided his partner's glare. "Few months ago when Castle kept sending us those stories and changing our desktop pictures with fanart. There were a lot of terms on those sites. Like two characters are a ship—"
"Bro," Espo cut in as he stared ahead, "Do you know how ridiculous you sound?! All those fanfictions that Castle sent us are exactly that— fiction! Besides Ochoa and Raley aren't us—"
"Technically they are…"
Esposito sighed, "Whatever, bro, just drop it." His expression and voice softened a bit, "Man, just wipe that from your head, okay?"
Ryan stayed quiet for a few minutes before he apologized."Sorry, Javi, just forget I even mentioned anything."
Espo sighed, "I'm not upset at you, Kev, I'm upset that you're right."
"Us together?"
Espo nodded, "That'll make us awkward and everything we do awkward…yeah, we're closer than most partners, but that's okay. And I'm sure as Hell ain't having some crazy person ruin our partnership."
Ryan smiled in relief that his partner didn't think he was that off in his theory, after all Esposito thought it could be that too, but was choosing to ignore it. That didn't mean there wasn't a slight ping in his stomach because of his partner's adverse reaction to the idea of them ever being together.
The rest of the elevator ride and then the drive to the apartment was quiet. Ryan tried not to show his disappointment so Esposito wouldn't get suspicious about any feelings he did or did not feel. Before he knew it, they were outside the apartment heading into the lobby.
"NYPD, Detective Esposito and my partner Detective Ryan." Esposito said to the clerk at the front desk.
"May I help you?" He said slowly eyeing the two.
"Theresa Huller." Ryan said putting his badge back on his hip.
"Yes?" The desk clerk narrowed his eyes.
Esposito and Ryan exchanged looks, "She was…killed last night."
"K-killed?" His expression turned grave.
"Yes, now we would like to ask you a few questions about Ms. Huller if you don't mind." Ryan took out his notebook.
"Of course, of course!" He gestured for them to take a seat at the small love seat inside the small 'employees only room'.
Ryan and Espo followed him and sat across from the clerk. Ryan prepared his pen and notebook as Espo asked the first question. "Was Ms. Huller acting strangely before last night?"
He shook his head, "Not at all, she was just how she always was, ya know?"
"Did she have any enemies?" Esposito leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees.
"Um, not directly, but I mean, she was a big part of this group to protest…same sex marriage." He looked between the two men sitting across from him and quickly added, "She was the only one in this complex who was apart of it, most of us here actually support gay rights." He laughed nervously with a faintly flushed cheeks.
"Oookay…" Esposito shifted uncomfortably, moving away so his shoulder was no longer touching his partner's. The desk clerk must have assumed him and Ryan were more than just partners, Espo thought.
Ryan cleared his throat, "Do you know where she was last night, between the hours of 8 and 11?"
He furrowed his eyebrows, "Actually, I was talking to her friends who usually pick her up for those protests and she was at one yesterday. She is usually back by dinner time, but she didn't return last night. I just assumed she was staying the night with friends." He shrugged his shoulders.
Ryan finished jotting down his notes before asking for the friends' names. "Would you happen to have her friends' names?"
"Stacy and Daniel…I do not know last names, I apologize." He sighed, "But maybe she has something in her apartment…"
Esposito and Ryan nodded. "That would he helpful."
"Very well," He stood up and led them back out into the dingy lobby and down a hall until he stopped in front of room 36A. He pulled out a crowded key ring and unlocked the door before stepping aside and letting the two in. He nodded and seemed to be hesitant to leave. Esposito raised his eyebrows at him so he finally spoke, "Uh, sorry, about before. I didn't mean anything by it. You two…just…I meant nothing by it…"
"No, we're not—" Ryan started to explain, but Esposito interrupted him.
"It's alright, man, really."
He nodded with a nervous smile before heading back down the hall. Esposito and Ryan exchanged glances before Ryan spoke up, "Why does everyone assume we're a thing…weird huh?" He forced a laugh and Espo sighed with a small smile.
"Yeah, can't they see I'm totally out of your league?" Ryan laughed and just like that, the awkwardness washed away.
"You wish," Ryan retorted as he pulled his cell out to call Beckett. "Hey, Beckett, we just talked to the clerk at the hotel and found out she was at a protest against same sex marriage last night."
"Anti-gay rights?"
Ryan nodded and watched as Espo looked through a black phone book on her desk. "Yup, apparently she was very active in that community. Two friends picked her up last night and she never returned."
"Maybe an argument went down last night?"
"Maybe. Espo and I are in her apartment looking for last names for her two friends. Stacy and Daniel…maybe they'll know what happened."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Anything new from Lanie?" Ryan caught Esposito's eyes as he started to motion for Ryan to come by his side. He closed the distance between him and Esposito and read the names he was pointing out, Stacy McGuire andDaniel Nash. Ryan wordlessly handed his notepad to Espo so he could write down their names, numbers and addresses.
"Nothing much, Ry. Castle thinks that the letter was something about you and Espo—sorry, Ochoa and Raley—but we're not sure exactly what."
Ryan eyed his partner quickly and saw that he was busy writing in the notepad to listen, "That's what I said…you know how crazy those fangirlscan be."
Ryan smiled when he heard Beckett laugh, it was the first time since they found the connection to their team that she smiled, "Remember last spring, all that porn that Castle showed you? And I thought there was only that stuff for Hook."
Ryan shared a laugh as well, "Yeah, well, we can't let you two get all the spotlight, now can we?"
"Oh so you do want Castle to give Roach a sex scene…" Ryan could practically hear the smirk in her voice. "He is in the middle of a draft, I'm sure he wouldn't mind changing up the plot."
"God, no, Beckett," He voice was serious even though he was laughing. "Don't say anything to Castle."
Espo slipped the now closed notepad into Ryan's pocket as he gave his partner a confused look.
"Yeah, okay, whatever you say, Ryan."
"Beckett, I mean-" Before he could finish, the sound of whispering and footsteps could be heard from the living room.
Esposito and Ryan froze, both pulling their guns out, "Becks…just give us a minute…" He tossed his phone on the vic's bed after he ended the call; Ryan reminded himself to call Beckett back immediately after they checked it out. Beckett would kill him if she was left hanging, not knowing if her partners were safe or not.
Esposito exited the bedroom first, followed by Ryan. Ryan whispered, "You go through the kitchen, I'll take the door in the hall."
Esposito nodded before they slowly took their positions; exactly in unison moments later, they both entered the small living room yelling "NYPD! Freeze!" cornering the two intruders.
The female squeaked dropping the key ring in her hand. "We're friends!" She nodded at the male by her side.
"Yeah, uh I'm Daniel and this is Stacy, really we weren't breaking in or anything. We swear!" He raised his hands above his head anyway.
Esposito and Ryan exchanged a quick look, using their method of speaking without talking and lowered their guns. "Nash and McGuire?"
The girl was the first to speak up, "Yeah, we just dropped by to check on Tessa, she disappeared last night right after the rally and we haven't heard from her since."
Ryan gulped and tucked his gun back in his holster. "Theresa Huller was…killed last night…"
Daniel spoke first, "Tessa…but…who would kill her?" His wide eyes locked with Esposito's.
"That's what we're trying to figure out, Mr. Nash, if you don't mind us asking a few questions about last night and the hours prior to her death," Espo gestured to the couch.
"O-of course," Stacy mumbled brushing tears out of her eyes. "Anything to help, Detective…?" She smiled weakly.
Esposito smiled back, "Detective Esposito and my partner Detective Ryan."
Daniel let out a brief gasp, "No…Kevin and Javier?"
Esposito snapped his head towards the man and looked at him wide eyed, but said nothing. "Do we know you?"
Stacy cleared her throat, "Dan's coming off a bit creepy…sorry…" She brushed a hair behind her ear with a soft sniffle, "We are big fans of Richard Castle…his Nikki books are our favorites." She shot a glare at Dan possibly for embarrassing her.
"Big Hook fans," Daniel looked at the two excitedly. "Yeah you— I meanRoach have great…uh…you know subtext? I guess? But we're not into that sorta thing." He winced apologetically.
Ryan sighed, "Nothing's there more than being partners—"
Stacy interrupted Ryan and breathed, "Man, if Tessa could meet you guys…well I guess having you investigate her murder would be the next best thing."
The three men gave her a weird look before Espo nodded, "Yeah, anyway, we would like to ask a few questions before we wrap this up."
"Of course." Stacy was back to the tears again.
"Did she make any enemies in these Anti-Gay Rights movements you partook in?"
Dan shook his head, but Stacy placed a hand on his arm, "Well, we've always had our disputes, but never an enemy…arguments stayed on the battlefield per se, but last night, about an hour before we were gonna head to dinner…she was arguing with this man."
This seemed to perk both Ryan and Esposito's interest. "Really?" The Irishman said already furiously scribbling away in his notepad. "Could you describe him for us?"
Stacy nodded and thoughtfully bit her lip before responding, "We're always in fights, it's just a norm during a protest. Usually we brush 'em off, you know, people will have their opinions, but this time it was different." She rubbed her arm idly with a haunted look in her eyes, "The guy threatened her and I told her to ignore him. Who the hell kills somebody for what they believe in?"
"You'll be surprised at all of the reasons people kill each other." Espo sighed before continuing with his questioning, "Now about that man?"
"Oh yeah, um, he's a regular, Brad Heggs. He's always trying for the gay marriage thing." Her face twisted up in disgust at the word.
Ryan nodded, jotting the name down. "Thank you two very much, and we'd appreciate if you don't leave town until we wrap this up in case we have other questions about your friend."
"Of course," Dan nodded in understanding before the four exited the apartment.
On their way to the lobby, Stacy broke the silence, "So…are you twotogether?" Both of the detectives could hear the disgust she tried to hide.
"What?" Ryan shook his head with a sigh, "No! Why does everyone think that?"
For a brief moment, it almost looked like Stacy was disappointed, but she showed her approval with a nod, "Good, that would just ruin the story."
Ryan's nose scrunched up at her insulting comment, but a nudge from his partner made him drop it with a sigh.
"I think Castle's writing already took care of that." Esposito laughed looking at Ryan for a smile. Ryan rolled his eyes with a small smile before waving goodbye to the victim's friends.
Ryan didn't even bother trying to get to the car first, he learned after the first dozen races or so that even if he did beat Esposito, he wouldn't be allowed to drive. Esposito drove and he sat shotgun.
"Don't forget to call Beckett, she's probably pacing the bullpen pulling her hair out in worry right now." Esposito said as he stuck the key into their car's ignition.
Ryan already had his phone out, "Although I'd love to see that, you're probably right and then she'd flip out on us when we got back." He smiled as he heard his partner laugh in agreement before dialing Beckett's number.
"I'm sure they're perfectly okay, Beckett. We didn't get any calls over the radio. They'll be okay." Castle rubbed her arm as they sat together in the breakroom waiting for one of the boys to call back.
"Fifteen minutes ago they hung up, Castle, they know the rules. They call back as soon as possible."
"Maybe— " Just as Castle tried to come up with something else to keep her mind off of the boys' welfare, her phone rang.
Her hand ripped it off the table and she practically stabbed the screen with her finger to answer Ryan's call. She didn't even give him a chance to explain himself before she yelled, "Kevin Patrick Ryan! Just what the hell do you think you're doing not calling me back? That was a half and hour ago!"
Castle flinched in his seat and could imagine Ryan pulling the phone away from his ear as their superior scolded him. He waved his hand for Beckett to switch the call to speaker phone letting Castle hear Ryan mid-apology, "I'm sorry, Beckett, I called when I could. It was just the vic's friends, Stacy McGuire and Dan Nash."
"Next time call right away, with the team's connection to this case I really don't want to risk anything." She finally took a seat next to Castle now that she knew her boys were safe.
"Understand." Beckett heard Ryan and knew he was truly sorry for worrying her, but that didn't take back the gray hair she now had. She looked over at Castle when she noticed he was uncharastically quiet; he was staring down at the table with furrowed eyebrows.
"Castle, what's— "
"Stacy McGuire, that name sounds familiar." Castle said more to himself than anyone else.
"She's a fan of yours, Castle." Ryan's laugh bubbled through the speaker, "Doesn't like Roach too much, though. She said if Raley and Ochoa were together it would ruin the story."
Ryan must have had his phone on speaker as well because Esposito cut in, "Don't worry, man, I told her our writing already ruined it."
"Ha ha," Castle said sarcastically, "Thanks a lot, 'Sito."
"Anyway," Ryan said getting back to work, "We've got a name, Brad Heggs, he was seen arguing with the vic last night at a protest."
Beckett nodded, "Anybody else?"
"Not that Nash or McGuire knew." Esposito noted, "I guess this Heggs kid is our one lead right now."
"I'll bring him in to see what we can learn." Beckett was already getting ready to run his name through the system.
"Great, we should be back within a few minutes." Ryan said before hanging up.
Beckett pocketed her phone and headed towards the door leading into the bullpen, "C'mon Castle, we've got a murder to solve.
Standing up to follow the detective out the door, he still couldn't shake the feeling that he had definitely heard her name before…but where?
