Title: Crime Ring

Summary: While working a case, Beckett stumbles upon a secret Castle is keeping from her.

Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters I write about. If you recognize a name, odds are it isn't mine. But seeing as this is a fanfic website, you probably knew that already.

Thanks again to Sunshiny-Kate, the best beta a writer could ask for!

"Yo, Beckett!" Esposito hung up his phone and rose from his chair excitedly. "We have a possible witness coming in."

"Yeah?" She responded absentmindedly from her post in front of the rather sparse murder board.

"A couple of uniforms found the guy while doing a canvas of the neighborhood." Esposito explained as he walked over to her. "His store isn't far from the murder scene, and he told them he saw someone acting suspiciously yesterday right around the time of the murder. They asked him to come down here to talk to us."

"Okay."

"Hey, are you hearing me? We may have a lead."

Beckett turned to him, slow, still distracted, blinking several times until she could focus on him.

"Sorry, Espo. I was thinking."

"I could tell." He grinned. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

He dodged the punch she threw at his upper arm, chuckling to himself, proud of his joke.

"So the beat boys are bringing this guy in now?" Beckett asked for clarification.

"They'll be here within minutes." He nodded.

"Where's Ryan?"

"Jenny emailed him a video of Conrad crawling and he got all gushy and went to the break-room to call her." Esposito rolled his eyes, but Beckett knew without it being said that he'd watched the video of his godson right along with Ryan. "Anyway, you want me to get him for the questioning?"

"Nah, I'll take care of it. I'll talk to the guy in the lounge. He might be more willing to share information if he doesn't feel like a suspect." Beckett took in a long, deep breath, deciding the next step as she let the air out slowly. "When Ryan gets off his call I want the two of you to get the victim's phone records and see if anything pops."

"But we found him without his phone."

"I know." Beckett pointed to the spot on the murder board where'd she'd written Phone? in big letters. "But what kind of stock broker doesn't have a cell phone?"

"So you're going back to the empty briefcase?" Esposito said, catching up with her line of thought.

"Exactly. Maybe the killer took the phone to hide something, or perhaps the contents of the case themselves were important and the phone was collateral theft. Once we get the records, we can try to see if the phone is still on, maybe even get a ping on a location."

"Alright."

"Hey." Ryan greeted them as he walked up. "Sorry, Beckett."

"No problem." She smiled over her shoulder at him. "I want to see the video. I can't believe he's crawling already."

Ryan grinned back and reached into his pocket for his phone, but just as he was unlocking the screen the elevator bell went off. All three detectives looked over and saw the recently promoted Detective Hastings as she escorted a short, balding man towards them.

The man was dressed in pleated slacks, a button up white shirt that was crisply ironed, and a sweater vest of purple paisley. His penny loafers actually had pennies in them. His smile was large but slightly crooked, and thin wrinkles spread across his forehead and accentuated his light hazel eyes. If what was left of his salt and pepper hair was any indication, he had to be at least well into his sixties.

"Okay guys, get on the phone records." Beckett instructed. They nodded and went to their desks, then she sighed softly and put on a warm smile before crossing the room to meet up with Hastings and the man. "Good afternoon Mr.?" She held a hand out.

"Paul Fitzgerald." The stranger said enthusiastically as he shook her hand.

"Mr. Fitzgerald, I'm Detective Kate Beckett. Thank you for coming down here to talk to us."

"My pleasure." He dropped his hand to his side and chuckled. "I love to help the authorities whenever I can. But please, Detective, call me Paul."

"Only if you'll call me Kate." She smiled again. He nodded in agreement and she pointed to the lounge. "Shall we go sit down? And would you like some coffee or anything?"

"Oh no, I'm fine. Thank you though."

Beckett bobbed her head once in acknowledgement and then led the way towards the small room.

"Oh, Hastings?" She stopped and turned back to her.

"Yeah, Boss?" The junior detective replied eagerly.

"Why don't you go give Ryan and Esposito a hand?"

"Can do."

"Okay, and thanks for showing Mr. Fit- Paul up here."

Hastings didn't reply as she trotted over to the boy's desks. Beckett continued into the lounge with Fitzgerald right behind her. They both sat down and once they were settled in chairs facing each other, she cleared her throat and clasped her hands together lightly.

"So, Paul, you said that you saw someone that made you suspicious?"

"Yes, though I didn't think much of it at the time. It was a young man in a dark blue hoodie. He came running out of the alley by my store. But that part of town is popular with runners, they like to train in the neighborhood."

"What made you think of him as suspicious?"

"Well, when the uniformed officers came in my store today and I heard what time the murder took place yesterday, I realized it was right around the same time I saw the man running off."

"Do you think you could describe him to a sketch artist?" Beckett asked, a tinge of eagerness in her voice.

"I'm sorry, but no. All I saw was his hoodie and the briefest of glances at his face." He paused when Beckett's brow scrunched in frustration. "However, I do have surveillance cameras. You're welcome to look through the footage. One of them faces the alleyway."

"That would be great, Paul. Thank you." Beckett stood up, and Fitzgerald followed suit. "I'll have Detective Hastings take you back to your store, and then she can look and see if there's any useful footage."

"Okay." He smiled. "Oh wait, I have one more thing that might help." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. "This is a list of customers who were in my store at the time. Perhaps one of them saw something more than I did."

"Thank you, but won't your customers object to you giving up their personal information?"

"Some might, but none who are on that list. I know my customers well enough to know that for sure."

He handed Beckett the paper and she unfolded it. She scanned the names, noticing that a phone number was included by each name. Then her eyes froze on an all too familiar name.

"Paul, may I ask a question about one of these customers?"

"Of course."

"This one here, what was he purchasing, if that isn't a breach of privacy?"

Fitzgerald squinted slightly as he read the name her finger sat below. Then he laughed and looked back at Beckett.

"Are you a fan of Mr. Castle?"

"You could say that." Beckett replied.

"Well, I suppose it won't matter if I tell you." Fitzgerald shrugged. "I'm sure it'll be in the papers soon. A man like him comes off the market and the gossip media goes into a frenzy."

"What do you mean?"

"He had me fashion a one of a kind ring. A diamond ring." He winked. "Said he was going to propose to his girlfriend."

"He said that?"

"Yep." Fitzgerald grinned wildly. "Hopeful women every where will be crushed to see him leave the bachelor world." He stepped closer and lowered his voice. "And between me and you, the way he talked about this girl, she's got him wrapped around her little finger. I've sold a lot of engagement rings, and every man either looks terrified or enamored. And Mr. Castle, he's in love. There's no doubt about it."

Beckett sucked in a quiet, shaky breath, trying desperately to hide the fury of emotions swirling through her. After a moment she shook her head slightly, shoved everything not related to the case to the back of her mind, and smiled at Fitzgerald.

"Paul, thank you again for coming down here. Let me take you out to Detective Hastings."

"You're welcome, Kate."

They shook hands and then he followed her out into the main room. They made it halfway to where Ryan, Esposito, and Hastings were working when the elevator's bell announced the arrival of someone new. Beckett looked habitually toward the sound, and felt her eyes widen when Castle stepped out of the otherwise empty car and started in their direction. Both hands had a travel mug of coffee in them, as per usual, but he still lifted one hand in greeting. He was about ten feet away when his pace slowed and he turned his attention to Fitzgerald.

"Fitzy?" He chuckled. "What are you doing here?"

"Mr. Castle." Fitzgerald smiled widely. "What a small world. I was just talking about you."

"You were? To whom?" Castle asked as he reached them.

"Kate." Fitzgerald replied with a head nod in Beckett's direction. "Apparently there was a murder in that alley near my store yesterday and so I came down to offer my help in any way possible."

"That sounds exciting, and it's kind of you to help." Castle held out one of the coffees to Beckett, who took it wordlessly. "Exactly how did my name come up? I'm not a suspect am I?" He glanced at Beckett. "That's never fun."

"Oh, of course not." Fitzgerald laughed. "I gave her a list of people I thought might have seen the same man I did running from the alley. You're name was on it. She pointed out your name and asked me what you had purchased." His eyes lit up as his smile grew wider. "I was telling her about the ring you bought for your girlfriend."

"Oh no." Castle whispered and ran his free hand down his face. "Fitzy, please tell me you're joking."

Fitzgerald opened his mouth to answer but then he snapped it closed again. His smile dropped away and he looked over at Beckett, who was staring at her coffee cup as if it were the single most interesting thing in the world. He turned back to Castle, the realization of what he'd done all over his face.

"Mr. Castle, I am so sorry. I had no idea."

"It's okay, you had no way of knowing." Castle sighed. "But if you'd please excuse me, I need to talk to Detective Beckett. In private."

Before anyone could say anything else, Castle started walking towards the nearest observation room, knowing that Beckett would be right behind him. Less than a minute later they were behind closed doors. Castle pinched the bridge of his nose and then looked through the glass into the empty interrogation room. He set his coffee down on a table and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Kate." He began, exhaling loudly a breath that he didn't remember holding in.

"Look, Castle, I shouldn't have asked him what you were buying. I saw your name on that list and I just couldn't help myself. I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"I'm sorry because you found out this way. I had this big thing all planned out, where our family and closest friends would be there." He shrugged and let out a quiet, half-hearted chuckle. "You know, so it would be big and intimate."

"Rick." Beckett breathed out, her voice so soft he barely heard her say it.

"But, since you already know, I guess I might as well go ahead."

He suddenly stepped closer to her and took her coffee from her hand and then moved back and set it next to his. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue box. He came to her again, closing the space between them to less than six inches.

"I'm not going to kneel down." He smiled. "I hope you don't mind, because I want to look you in the eye."

"I don't mind." She interjected.

"Good." Castle smiled briefly, then his expression grew serious. "Kate, I am so in love with you, and yet my love grows each day. I don't deserve you, but I have you, and I don't ever want to let you go, because living without you isn't something I even want to think about imagining." He paused and licked his lips. "You inspire my words, you inspire me to be a better man, you inspire all that I do. I want to spend the rest of my life being inspired by you. I want to marry you and have children with you and fight with you and make up with you and grow old with you. I want to live my life with you, Kate." Without breaking eye contact, he lifted the lid, removed the ring, pocketed the now empty box, and took her left hand in his. "My dear Detective, you have arrested my heart, and I don't ever want to make bail." He slid the ring on her third finger. "Will you please do me the honor of marrying me?"

"I thought you'd never ask." She grinned at him.

"So, is that a yes?"

"Of course it is, Castle. Now, are you gonna kiss me?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

Beckett laughed as she reached up and grabbed him around the neck, pulling him in to her, pressing her lips hard to his. Her tongue sought his, and he opened for her for only a moment before pulling away.

"Hey." She gasped, chasing after him. "I wasn't finished."

"You didn't look at the ring."

"Seriously, Castle?" She sighed, but there was too much joy in her tone for the annoyance to be believable.

She brought her hand from behind his neck and let her eyes fall on the jewel for the first time.

"Do you like it?" Castle asked tentatively after she'd stared silently for several moments.

"Yes." Was all she could muster.

"I had Fitzy cut the diamond to resemble the shape of the metal part of your badge, without the number part obviously."

''It's beautiful."

"Yes it is."

Beckett turned her eyes up to Castle to find that he wasn't looking at the ring. Her smile grew wider and she took a half step forward, removing the rest of the air from between their bodies. The pace was slow and gentle this time, a languid dance of lips as they shared dozens of kisses, each one longer and sweeter than the last. Arms found their way around backs and shoulders, the pair of lovers tangling themselves so that two seemed to become one. Beckett reached up to run her fingers through his hair, a favorite location for the both of them.

Neither knew how much time had passed when a knock on the glass jarred them from their reverie. They turned their heads at the same time, breaking no other point of contact. Peering through the two way mirror at them was Lanie.

"Hey, I can't see the two of you, but I know you're still in there. Let's get a move on, lovebirds. These pastries aren't gonna eat themselves. And I need to see that rock he put on your hand, Katherine Beckett."

Beckett jerked her head back to Castle. He smiled, knowing lines crinkling the edges of his twinkling eyes.

"What is she talking about?"

"I suppose we should go see." He replied cryptically.

He slid his hands from her back and wrapped his fingers around hers. He began to walk towards the door, but Beckett tugged him to a stop.

"Castle." She kissed him quickly, softly. "I love you."

"I love you too." He lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of hers. "Now come with me."

He led her out the door, and they were met with a chorus of claps and whistles. Beckett glanced around at all the faces. Her father and Martha were there, and Alexis too. Ryan, Esposito, Hastings, and Lanie were standing by the trio of relatives. Several other officers that Beckett had worked with were there, and on the other side of the group stood a smiling Gates and an overly cheerful Paul Fitzgerald.

And in the middle of the room on a desk currently not in use was a ridiculously large amount of doughnuts, cupcakes, cookies, and bear-claws. Next to the desk a huge coffee urn was set up and there were bottles of sparkling cider and grape juice chilling in a bucket of ice. Castle leaned over to Beckett and whispered in her ear.

"We'll drink the good stuff tonight, when you aren't on duty."

"That's not all we're going to do when I get off duty." Beckett whispered back, stifling a laugh at mix of shock and arousal that he had to fight to remove from his face. She gestured to the crowd. "So you arranged all this?"

"I did." Castle smiled proudly. "Well, not the murder, of course. I just had to wait for a slow case."

"And Fitzgerald, he's not a real witness, I take it?"

"No way. His store is on the other side of town from the murder yesterday. Like I said, I had to wait for a slow case."

"You two quit whispering sweet nothings to each other." Gates called out. "We need to get this party started so everyone can get back to work."

"Yes Sir." Castle nodded.

"And congratulations." Gates added.

"Thank you, Sir." Castle answered.

At that moment, almost as if practiced, the crowd converged on the twosome. There was eating and drinking and ring gazing and laughing. For a short while, the homicide department of the 12th precinct of the city of New York put death on the back burner and celebrated living life.