My Echo, My Shadow And Me

by Jude Rigby

A body discovered at the local equestrian center brings Castle and Beckett on the case. They search through the Hamptons with the help of a friend who becomes their co-consultant with the police to find the killer before more victims fall. Nineteenth in the Beware of Darkness series. Caskett pairing. Complete

1. Prologue- Night Has Come

Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: Since this is one of my shorter chapters I'll be posting the next one in three hours if anyone wants to continue!

A/N #2: The title of this story is part of the title of the song We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me) by Nelson Cogane, Sammy Mysels and Dick Robertson, the version I have taken from is sung by Paul McCartney from his album Kisses on the Bottom. The title of this Prologue is from the song Stand by Me by Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the version I have taken from is sung by John Lennon from his album Rock 'n' Roll.

Night Has Come

Making his way down the path the groundskeeper looked around the landscape to make sure that everything was still well kept. He hadn't had the chance to come back to see things during the day and was taking the opportunity he finally had at nearly ten at night to check to make sure everything was ready.

He wasn't sure why exactly the rich the next day were going to bother to call the thing charity if it was a competition with medals but he just shrugged at that point in his mental conversation as he didn't want to bother with an answer. He went over to a shrub that was growing out into the path though far over to the side and he easily snipped off the thin branch. He came to a wall made from shrubbery; what he liked to think of as his masterpiece; and he ran the flashlight he was holding over it, making sure the edge of it was as smooth as could be made.

Satisfied the man nodded and then looked down the course to where the riders would be coming the next day, riding down to the wall to take it. He shook his head grumbling, "Never understood why you have to jump." But he couldn't complain for too long, he'd been lucky to get the job he had and was determined to show his boss his abilities. He went down further around a curve in the path and came to a fallen tree branch where he spent some time dragging it out of the way. He shone his light up at the tree it'd fallen from and looked chagrined to see it appeared to have been pulled down deliberately. "Damn kids," he said under his breath.

He went back and forth on the path to make sure there weren't any other branches available to pull down before he went to the fence that was after the shrub wall. He shook the posts holding it, making sure each holder for the poles in it that were to be placed there the next day were secure. Moving on he suddenly heard a twig snapping underfoot to his left before his head jerked in that direction. "Who's there?" he called, going off the path.

"Come on I can hear you," the groundskeeper said. "I'm armed and I'm not afraid to use it…" Stepping through some branches into a tiny clearing he came upon two teenagers, holding what looked like cigarettes.

"Don't shoot!" the younger of the two said as he raised his hands, dropping the cigarette. "We were just…"

"Get out of here," the groundskeeper nearly snarled. "Get high somewhere else, this is private property."

"Yeah we were going right now," the young man said, dragging his friend away.

The groundskeeper was unsettled by the glare he got from the other teenager but he held his gaze until they left and he went over to the joint that was on the ground. Seeing it was unlit he tucked it away in his pocket, intending to destroy it later when he was back at the buildings. He went back to the path before he heard something behind him and he paused. "Thought I told you…" he said, turning and going to the sound. He had moved parallel to the course and was in a clearer area so he stopped when he couldn't see anyone or anything, either on the ground or above it.

Frowning the groundskeeper turned around and was just muttering about the teenagers when something hit his back. All he had was brief second of searing pain in his chest before he fell to the ground and remained there, motionless.

The sound of three people walking over the ground was loud against the largely silent path. Soon the shadows of three forms stretched out to cover the body of the groundskeeper, pausing and staring at it.

The body moved then, rolled onto a blue tarp that was nearly colorless with night and the shadows picked it up to carry their macabre load away from the awaiting obstacles.