Disclaimer: I do not Castle or the characters. This story is for the entertainment of the readers.
Castle: New beginnings and blurred Lines
Prologue
Central Park
Manhattan, New York
The early morning dew still hung in the air as the early morning risers took to Central Park for their daily exercises, or for their daily morning routines before going to work. The young female jogger ran at a good pace through the park. She sped up as she neared the area where she would stop, stretch, get a drink before heading back to her apartment before heading to work for the day. She crossed the area where she slowed down to a walk. She slowly made her way towards a water fountain that was near the pathway. As she was taking a drinking, she noticed something out of place laying in the grass near the pathway. Though safer than it was homeless people still sleep in the park, or do drugs. But this didn't seem like the type to the women. She cautiously made her way towards the person who she noticed now laying near the path.
"Excuse me do you need help?" She asked as she cautiously approached the person on the ground. She reached out and touched the person on the shoulder which caused the body to rollover. The lady screamed as she saw the sight.
Across town in Soho, Kate Beckett stood in front of her closet, and blew an exspharated sigh. She ran her hands across the length of her clothes trying to find something to wear. Today was the first day as Captain of the 12th Precinct, and she wanted to make a good impression. The officials at One Police Plaza wanted her to take it over immediately following the Volkov case, but she asked for a delay so her husband, Richard Castle could be at the promotion ceremony, along with Alexis and Martha. She had also taken emergency leave following the close of the case to be with them as Castle recovered. Now a couple days later following her promotion ceremony, she was taking over the 12th.
"You alright Kate?" Castle called from the bathroom as he was finishing up his morning routine following breakfast.
"I don't have anything to wear." Kate said as she stood her closet. She saw Castle come to the door. Her eyes went to the area on his chest where the bullet ripped into his lung, cause it to collapse and almost killing him. "No comments Castle."
"If we weren't running late, I would say something." Rick replied coming in to the room and heading towards his dresser. "It was a great morning present you gave me. You still have the glow."
They went back to intimacy as soon as the doctor gave Rick the okay to do so. So the comment made Kate smiled at him as she finally made a selection on an outfit. She went with a black mid-length skirt with matching top, and heels. As she finished dressing, she went over to Castle who was finishing buttoning up his shirt. She held up the chain that carried her mom's and hers engagement rings. "Care to help me out?"
"Sure." Castle replied as he began to work the clasp of the chain into the proper spot. "Nervous?"
"A little bit." Kate answered the question as she felt Castle's hands come down to her sides, and his lips touched her neck. She smiled again. "Stop, we don't have time."
Before Rick could answer his wife's statement, Kate's official issued phone went off. She picked it up and slide her finger over the screen. "Detect…Captain Beckett."
Rick shook his head with a laugh as he saw his wife write something down on a piece of paper, and hang up. "Still not used to it huh?"
"Not quite yet. We have a body." Kate replied grabbing her new issued Badge and identification, along with her weapon. She led the both of them out of the loft. Alexis was on a summer study aboard cruise, and Martha was at her acting school before she would have rehearsal.
In the morning traffic it took them roughly 30 minutes to commute even the short distance to the park, and the crime scene. As they were walking up, she noticed some things were different. Some of the officers that she knew stood a little straighter than normal. "Its weird, they used to wave."
"Can't wave anymore, wouldn't be proper." Castle remarked with a smile. He gave her hand a quick squeeze before letting go. "It will get easier, I hope."
"Me too." Kate replied feeling more relaxed after hearing that. She knows that she will need that in the next few days.
"Where's this new detective that was assigned anyway?" Castle asked looking around. He saw Lanie, Esposito and Ryan.
"Not sure, maybe didn't get the call." Kate answered the question, but also wondering the same thing. It was one of the many things going through her mind at the moment. "Morning Ryan, Esposito."
"Morning Captain, Castle." Ryan said with a smile as he held up the rope for them to enter the crime scene.
"Morning Captain Beckett, Castle." Esposito also said with a smile as he walked near the duo. He shook hands with both of them, along with hugs. "How's it feel?"
"Strange." Castle responded but quickly gasped realizing Esposito asked Kate.
"It's ok babe, strange covers it." Kate replied. She walked past Esposito hitting him lightly in the gut as she walked over by her best friend. "Lanie what do we got?"
"A bottle of champagne on ice if hubby over there can let you come over for a little bit." Lanie answered with a smile on her face. She saw Kate shake her head. "White male, 25-30, multiple stab wounds to the chest."
"Time of death?" Kate asked making notes in her notebook. She looked over at her friend.
"Based on liver temp, sometime between midnight and two a.m." Lanie replied to the question as she closed up her kit.
"That time of the night, this part of the park is pretty much deserted." Esposito stated as he came over to stand next to the body. "The patrols here often arrest people for drugs or underage drinking in this section of the park."
"But I'll know more as I get him on my table." Lanie continued after Esposito made his observation. She got up and left from the body. "I'll let you know."
"Thanks Lanie." Kate said as she walked around the body. She saw Castle doing the same. "If he was stabbed here, there be a lot more blood."
"Yeah there would be. And look the position he's in." Castle pointed to the body. He walked around the body as well. "Did the witness touch him?"
"Yeah she did. Touch the deceased on the shoulder which caused the body to rollover." Ryan stated as he came over. He nodded his head towards the women in the running outfit behind the crime scene tape. "Finished a run, and saw the body on the ground and went to check on him."
"I don't think she be running in the park again." Castle said with a smile as he looked toward the small wooded area near the pathway. "Got blood here."
"Hold on Castle." Kate stated coming over to him. She saw what he was looking at. "There's a blood trail."
But before any of them could follow it, a uniform came over. "Captain, there's a detective here that says she's been assigned to you."
"Thanks." Kate said to the officer who nodded. She and Castle walked over to the tape where they noticed a female about five foot seven behind the tape. Her blond her neatly done in a bun with her badge and weapon clearly visible. Kate removed her gloves and stretched out her hand. "Hello. I'm Captain Beckett."
The blonde shook it. "Captain Beckett, Detective Jennifer Russell. I'm sorry I'm late, dispatch didn't get the update to my assignment."
"It's all right." Kate replied. She then turned to Castle. "This is my husband and the police consultant for the 12th, Richard Castle."
Castle did the same with his gloves before shaking Jennifer's hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Same here. I heard the stories about the 12th and how you help to increase their closure rate." Jennifer stated. Kate and Castle blushed a little bit, so did Jennifer so she decided to move on. "Where do you need me Captain?"
"Castle and I were about to follow this blood trail that we discovered." Kate told her new detective. Her phoned then went off with a message. She pulled it out and looked at it. "Commander's call at 1PP, which means I have to leave."
"It's ok Kate, I'll show Detective Russell where the trail is." Castle told her.
"That's fine with me Captain, if Mr. Castle showed me where this trail is." Jennifer also told Kate.
"Just Castle please. Being called Mister makes me feel old." Castle said with a straight face but he felt Kate's stare.
Kate after giving Rick a quick stare decided to indoctrinate her new detective in the ways of Castle. "Ok sounds good."
Jennifer nodded and ducked under the tape and as soon as she was past them, Kate slapped her husband in the gut. "No flirting."
"I wasn't flirting, I was being kind." Castle defended himself, but saw his wife's stare again at him. "I promise I wasn't flirting, but I will do no such thing. Boy scouts promise."
Kate just smiled at him. "I know, but I got to go. Be kind to her."
"Promise." Castle said. They kissed as Kate ducked under the ropes as Castle caught up to the new detective. "So where did you transfer in from?"
"Manhattan North." Jennifer answered as she saw the body being loaded onto the gurney to be taken away to the van. She saw Castle show her where the blood trail was. "So what were you and the Captain about to do?"
"Follow the blood trail." Castle said to Jennifer. He then saw Ryan and Esposito coming over from up the path. "Ryan, Esposito this is Detective Jennifer Russell. She just transferred in."
Handshakes and hellos were exchanged again. Esposito held up an evidence bag. "We just found the victim's wallet, with the credit cards and cash still there. Name is Jeremey Russell who lives over in the alphabets."
"So if it were robbery they should have taken the cash and credit cards." Jennifer remarked getting looks. She then looked down at the blood trail. "He ended up here, but the trail leads this way."
Jennifer led the way as they began to follow the blood trail deeper into the wooded area. After a couple minutes they walked out of the wooded area towards the ravine area of the park. A large blood pool sat in the tall grass. "He was attacked here, and ran all that way."
"Well I think I may have found your motive." Castle said as he called over the trio. He pointed down at the ground to show them what he was talking about. There was a bag that held what looked like design schematics. "It was industrial espionage."
Ryan and Esposito smiled at Castle as Jennifer stared in disbelief.