Southern Heat
Chapter Two
Shortly before seven, Kate and Castle walk into the bullpen. Martha said she would be along in about an hour when they were leaving the loft. When they walk into the bullpen, Ryan and Espo are already there. "You guys taking a vacation?" Espo asks, as they walk towards Beckett's desk, discretely holding hands.
"Didn't realize you had no life Espo." Kate says, as Castle smirks.
"Alright, children." Ryan says, as he gets up and Kate puts her bag down.
"What do you got Ryan?" Kate asks, turning to him.
"After we went through the male victim's..." He glances at Castle.
"It's okay." Castle says and he continues.
"We decided to run a check on the female victim."
"Did you find out anything?" Kate asks, sort of kicking herself for not looking into the female victim yesterday. Castle squeezes her hand.
"According to this, the female victim is originally from Texas. She joined the army about four years ago."
"Do she have any family?"
"Only an Aunt, a Mable Green. But two months after the victim left Texas. Mable Green died." Ryan says
"Which is why you weren't able to get in touch with her." Castle says.
"Does she have any friends here or in Texas?" Kate asks.
"I haven't found any."
"What about employment?"
"She doesn't so far."
"Where does she live?"
"Address is on the upper west side." Espo says.
"Go over there and see if you can find anything out. Ryan run her financials before you go. We need to know how she supported herself since she left the Army." She says, as they nod. When they leave, she turns to Castle. "I should've done that yesterday."
"You were focused on me and I appreciate it so don't beat yourself up." He says, as LT walk into the bullpen.
"Detective Beckett." He says, as she turns to him.
"There's a Whitney and Alice Rodgers and a Justine Arlington here to see you." He says, as she nods.
"Can you take them into the conference room." She asks. He nods as she turns to Castle. "Are you ready?"
Sighing, he nods as she reaches for her folder. She reaches for his hand as the elevator dings and Martha walks out. She squeezes it before they walks towards the elevator. "I got here as soon as I could." Martha says, as they walk up.
"It's alright, they've just arrived." Kate says, turning for the conference room. Castle and Martha follow her. She opens the door as a man, much like Castle had described his grandfather turns around. Standing next to him is a small woman, with brown hair, filled with streaks of gray.
When Whitney looks behind Kate and spots Martha, he snaps. "What are you doing here?"
"He was my nephew too." Martha snaps back.
"A fact you never cared about, till now." Whitney says.
"Whit..." Alice says.
"Be quiet, Alice." He snaps.
"You are the same arrogant egotistical ass you always were." Martha says. "You can't even get over yourself long enough to see she's falling apart."
"And you're still as flighty and irresponsible as when you found yourself pregnant and..." He says, glancing at Rick with veiled contempt.
Rick takes a step towards his uncle but Beckett puts his hand on his arm. "We need to take a step back. Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers, Ms Arlington." She says, nodding to the younger woman behind both of them. She swallows and nods.
Whitney looks at Rick for a moment before, he says. "You have some sort of news for us." He says, as he turns his attention on Beckett.
"Yes, would you all please have a seat." Beckett says, nodding to the couch and chair across from her, Rick and Martha.
Once everyone is seated, Whitney says. "You said on the phone that this is about my son."
"Yes and I'm sorry to inform you of this." Kate says, taking a deep breath. Rick reaches for her hand and his uncle notices. Of all the meeting with victims families, this one will be one of the hardest. "Yesterday morning we found your son in an alley in Mid Town. He had been..."
"He's dead, isn't he." Alice whispers. Quietly, Kate nods and with a low moan she begins crying.
"Alice control..."
"Whitney, shut up." Martha says, getting up. "For once in your life try to act like you have some sort of feelings." She goes over to her sister-in-law. Putting her arms around her, she glares her brother.
"Do either of you know why your son was in the city?" Kate asks, taking control again.
"He had no reason..."
"I know." Justine says, as Whitney looks at her. She looks down when her father looks at her.
"Mrs. Arlington?" Kate asks.
"He was here to find her." Justine says, glancing at her father.
"I made it clear the consequences should he pursue that relationship." Whitney says, glaring at her.
"What relationship?" Kate asks.
"He fancied himself in love with a woman in his command."
"He did love her. That's why he left the army." Justine says, as Whitney stares at her.
After a moment, Rick asks. "Was anyone in his command aware of this relationship?"
Whitney glances at him and then ignores his question. "Mr. Rodgers?" Kate asks. "Did anyone in his command know about the relationship
"There was no relationship. He knew the consequences of such a relationship. He came to me. Telling me he wanted to retire and marry this woman."
"And what happened during that conversation?" Kate asks.
"When he came to me about his feelings, I listened..."
"No, you didn't. You never do." Justine says. "That's why he had to hide his decision from you."
"Do you know who this woman was?"
"Blythe Richardson." Justine says, as Kate glances at Rick.
"Would you be able to recognize her, if you saw her?" Kate asks, reaching for the folder she brought with her when they arrived.
"Umm, sure." Justine says. "He showed me a picture of her from when they were in Iraq."
Opening the folder, Kate pulls out a picture of the female victim found with Captain Rodgers. "Is this the woman he was involved with?" She asks, handing the picture to Justine. She looks at it and then nods yes. "Do you know anything more about her?" Kate asks.
"No, not that much. Except that she was raised by her aunt in Texas."
"You said that your brother came to the city to find her. Was she hiding from him or someone else?"
" If you're asking did she come to the city to get away from him. The answer is no. Parker never touched her in anyway other than to protect and love her. It wasn't in him to hurt anyone." Justine says, as Alice nods.
"My boy wouldn't hurt anyone." She says. "Do you know where Ms. Richardson is?" She asks, looking at Kate.
Kate glances at Rick again before she replies. "Unfortunately, we do."
There's a moment of silence before Justine says. "She was in the alley with him, wasn't she?"
"I'm afraid she was and both were killed." Kate says.
Clearing his throat, Whitney asks. "Do you have any idea who did this?"
"Right now, we're looking into all possibilities." Kate says.
"So you have no information." He says, standing up.
"I still have some questions, Mr. Rodgers." Kate says, looking up. He sits back down.
"Do either of you know the reason he was searching for her?" Kate asks, looking at Justine.
Sighing, Justine says. " They both retired six months ago and they were living together a few towns over from Fort Drummond. He hadn't been around us much, because of their relationship." She doesn't say any more. "Anyway, about a month ago, he told me that Blythe started acting weird and she wouldn't tell him what was wrong. And then about a month ago, he came by and told me that she had left him."
"Did she give him a reason?"
"No, he didn't know why she'd left. And then a couple weeks ago, he came by again and said that he had found her and that he was coming to the city to try and convince her to marry him and come back with him."
"I think he succeeded in that." Rick says, as Justine looks at him. "Ms. Richardson was wearing a diamond engagement ring when we found her." He says.
"So this wasn't a random attack or robbery." Justine says.
"No, it wasn't. They were targeted and whomever did it, wanted to make sure they were gone." Kate says, as all three look at her. "Both of them were shot twice in the chest. They died almost instantly." Kate says. "Do you know if Ms. Richardson had any other relationships besides the one with your brother?"
"No, at least I don't think so. Parker said that she kept mostly to herself within the platoon."
"Did your son have any issues with anyone in his platoon or another platoon?" Castle asks, looking at his uncle.
"He was loved by everyone." Whitney replies.
"No all of them." Justine says, as he glances at her.
"Mrs. Richardson?" Kate asks.
Pulling her eyes away from her father, she says. "He had a run in with one of the enlisted men.
"When was this?"
"About a month after he returned from his last tour."
"Do you know what it was about?"
"No, he never went into detail about it."
"Who was this enlisted man?" Rick asks.
"He never told me that either."
"Sam might know." Alice says, looking at Justine.
"Who is Sam?"
"That would be my husband. He took over command of Parker's platoon after he retired. They are on maneuvers right now."
"When will they be back?"
"Not till this weekend."
"Is there any way of contacting them?"
"No not while they're in the field, I'm sorry."
"Would anyone else in the command know which one he argued with?"
"Umm, his commander might know." Justine says."
"And what was his name?" Kate asks.
"Major Dennis Andrews." Justine replies.
"Is there some way he could be reached to interview." Kate asks.
"He's probably on base right now." Justine says.
"We'll look into that." Kate says, putting her folder down. She looks at all three of them and feels her own sadness. Tapping into that, she says. "One final question, what platoon was that enlisted man in?"
"Second Brigade Combat Team." Justine says, as Kate nods.
"I want you to know that I will do everything I can to bring the person or persons responsible for killing your son and brother to justice." Whitney just looks at her while Alice and Justine nod. "Thank you again for coming in and again I am sorry for your loss." This time Whitney nods slightly, along with Alice and Justine. They all stand up while Kate says. "There will be an officer outside to take you to your son." Alice and Justine reach to shake her hand as Whitney turns to leave without acknowledging anyone.
Kate and Rick stand in the doorway watching them follow LT to the elevators. Martha stands there for a moment beside them before she follows behind them. "Mother, where are you going?" Rick asks, reaching out.
"Just give me a moment." She says. She walks over to her brother and sister-in-law. Alice turns as she walks up. Ignoring her brother, she says. "Alice if you need anything..."
"She..." Whitney says, and Martha looks at him and he falls silent again.
"If you need anything please do not hesitate to call me." Martha says, as Alice nods. The elevator comes a t that moment and they follow LT on as Martha steps back, watching as the door closes.
"I'm going to go see if the boys have found out anything more about our female victim." Kate says, while Rick watches his mother and doesn't answer her. "Castle." She says, touching his arm.
"Yeah, sorry. What did you say?" He asks, turning to her.
"I said I'm going to go check in with the boys."
"Okay." He says, turning to watch his mother again as the doors closes on the elevator.
"Go to her." Kate says, sliding her hand down his back before she walks away.
For a moment, he stands there and then he slowly walks over to her. Putting his arm across her shoulders as she looks up. She turns to him, wrapping her arms around him. She takes a deep breath, breathing him in and feeling his warmth, her little boy. After a moment, he asks. "Do you want me to take you home Mother?"
Slowly she pulls away and looks up. Smiling, she replies. "No, I'll be okay."
"Are you sure? I'm sure Captain Gates..."
"No, stay and help Kate solve this. I'll be fine. I might go to the studio and... I don't know what I'll do, but I'll be fine." She says, pulling away and patting his arm before she reaches for the button on the wall. He stands there beside her, waiting for the elevator. When it comes, she says. "Go, help Kate. I'll be fine." She says, with a smile. It doesn't quite reach her eyes. As he steps back the elevator dings, the doors opens and she walks on. Pushing the button for the ground floor, she looks up and smiles again before the doors close. Turning he follows Kate back into the bullpen.
When Castle walks into the bullpen, Kate, Ryan and Espo are standing around the murder board. He walks over to them slowly. Kate looks up as he walks up to them. "Is Martha okay?" She asks, as he nods, standing beside her and leaning against her desk. He looks at the murder board.
"You've updated it." He says, noticing all the notes Beckett had added while he was with his mom.
"Yeah. And Kevin and Javi were able track down Ms. Richardson's roommate."
"Did they know anything?" Castle asks, looking at them.
"Not too much, only the victim had left the previous night to meet up with Mr. Rodgers."
"Alright, Kevin stay with that. Try to track down where they met and where she and Mr. Rodgers went after they met. Javi, look into her employment history. Castle and I are going to take a drive up to Fort Drummond. We're going to contact Maj. Andrews and see if he has any information on the argument Mr. Rodgers had with that enlisted man after he returned from Iraq."
"Beckett, do you mind if I stay here with the boys?" Castle asks, as she looks at him slightly surprised. "I want to be around in case my mom..."
"I thought you said she was okay." She says, turning to him while Javi and Kevin walk away.
"She is, but I want to be here, just in case she needs me." He says, his look pleading with her to understand.
She reaches for his hand. "It's okay." She says, squeezing it. "I was just surprised, that's all. You're always the first to be ready for a road trip."
"Normally, I would be. But I think I need to stay here."
"Alright, I'll see you when I get back." She says, reaching for her purse.
"Beckett." He says. She looks at him and he looks at her and then she looks down and he's holding out his hand and she smiles. Taking his hand, she looks into his eyes as they shake hands.
Slowly she releases his hand after several seconds and picks up her purse, she whispers. "I'll see you tonight." He smiles as she walks out of the bullpen and he turns his attentions to Kevin and Javi.
Jesse never liked being told what he couldn't do. It just bugged him to no end. Getting into his truck, he backs out of long term parking at DFW and points it towards Celina, TX. When he left New York, he'd dumped the gun and burner phone that he had used to kill his ex and her new boy toy. Now he was going back to Celina, but he had no idea what he was going to do once he got there, only that no and he meant no told him he couldn't do something.
Leaving Rick at the station, Martha heads back to the loft. One of the few things she was able to rescue from her place before creditor took it was a box full of Rick's old baby things. Those little things that mothers hold onto, his baby book, his first pair of shoes, the lock of hair from his first hair cut, his first teddy bear, the first little craft project he brought home from kindergarten, the little construction paper drawings that she never displayed on the refrigerator, because that didn't jive with a Broadway diva, but always touched her heart when Rick would bring her one of those drawings. There was even a small story he had written when he was in boarding school. He had to have been nine or ten when he wrote it, and it was filled with grammatical and spelling errors, but it was so cute. And maybe even then there was a hint of what he would one day be. There were mother's day cards from every year. The first few years she had to buy them herself, because there was no one there to take him to get a card. She kept them all and Rick had no idea she had this box.
Sitting down on her bed, she slowly takes out each item, looking at it before she lays it on her bed. Holding his first pair of shoes, she remembers his first steps in that tiny apartment on the Lower east side. The way he wobbled but how he pushed forward, unbridled and uncaring about the possibility that he could get hurt. Everything he did, he did with passion and fearlessness. Something he probably got from both of his parents. At least she wanted to believe that. Reaching up, she wipes a tear from her cheek.
Laying the shoes down, she picked up the lock of hair. She smiled remembering the day she'd taken him to get it cut. He had screamed bloody murder when she set him down in that chair. Reaching for her until she finally gave in and picked him up. The barber smiled and put the cape around both of them and cut his hair. She picked up the tiny little clay modelings of his little five year old hands, with his name scratched between them. Laying that down, she flipped through the pictures next, smiling at the things he would draw, zombies attacking their house and how he always would defeat them. She shakes her head at his imagination even at the early age of six or seven. The story was about ninja's and pirates being at war with each other. "And the ninja's will always win." She thought, smiling.
She thinks back to the day, Richard had told he that Meredith was pregnant. Meredith hadn't even bothered to be there when he told her. A flash of anger rolls through her, but she pushes it away. This wasn't about Meredith. She loves Alexis, but she remembers hoping that Rick would be able to experience all the things she experienced with his son. She was proud of the man he had become. Proud of the father he was to Alexis. And proud of the relationship he was building with Kate.
With the boys check out leads for the other victim and Beckett on her way to Fort Drummond there really wasn't anything for Castle to do at the precinct. He probably should be home writing. If he waited much longer, Gina would be hounding him for the chapters on the new Nikki Heat novel. Kevin turns around as he stands up. "Going somewhere Castle?" He asks, as Javi glances up.
"Yeah, I think I'm going to go back to the loft. I've got a couple chapters due." He says, pulling his coat on.
"Alright." Kevin says, as Castle turns away.
Grabbing a cab outside the precinct, he gives the driver his address and then settles back. A little while later, they pull up in front of his building. Handing the fare through the window, he gets out and walks towards the front door. "Good afternoon, Mr. Castle." The doorman says, holding the door for him.
"Thanks, Henry." Castle says, walking into the lobby. He walks over to the elevator and pushes the button for it. Stepping back, he waits for it and then moves to the side when the doors open and a couple of his neighbors step off. He nods to them before getting on. Pressing the button for his floor, he steps back and then looks up at the bar running along the top of the elevator, indicating which floor it was on. When the doors open, he steps off and then slowly walks down the hall to his loft.
Unlocking the door, he walks in. Closing the door behind him, he hangs his coat up along with his scarf and then walks into the kitchen. He grabs a bottle of water from the refrigerator and makes his way towards his office. He's in front of the stairs leading to Alexis and his mother's room when he hears a small sound. Stopping he listens, and it's only a few seconds before he hears it again. Climbing the stairs, he starts down the hall, following the sound. Which is louder now that he's on the upper floor. He stops outside Alexis's room, expecting the sound to be from there, but it's not. He walks on, stopping outside Martha's room. And he can clearly hear her inside, and she's crying, sobbing was more like it.
Slowly he pushes the door open. He's surprised to find her on her bed, holding his first teddy bear, with a bunch of junk laying around her. "Mom." He says quietly. He sees her stiffen when she hears him before she quickly reaches up to wipe her face. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the precinct with Kate." She asks, without turning around.
"She went to Fort Drummond." He says, as he steps into the room.
"And you didn't want to go with her?" She asks, gathering all the junk up and putting it in the box beside her.
"I thought maybe I should stay here." He says, walking over to the bed. When her reaches the bed, he's surprised to see different things from his childhood. "What are you doing?" He asks just as quietly as before.
"Oh nothing." She says, still not looking at him. "Just taking a silly trip down memory lane." She says, trying to be her jovial self.
"Mom, look at me." He says, standing beside her now. When she doesn't he kneels down in front of her. "Come on, look at me." He says, laying his hand on her knee. Slowly she looks up and he can see the tracks of her tears through her makeup. It's evidence of what he had already known. She was in here crying while she looked at all his baby things. "Mom." He sighs, pushing things back from the side of her bed and then sitting down beside her. She looks at him and smiles weakly. "What are you doing?" He asks, reaching for the card in her hand.
"I told you taking a silly..."
"It's not silly." He says, putting the card down as he takes her hand. "This is about Parker, isn't it." He says, slowly rubbing his thumb back and forth across her hand, but it has a totally different connotation to it than when he does it with Beckett. "I thought you were going to go to your studio."
"I was, but when I left the precinct I suddenly didn't have the desire to go there. So I came home." She says, looking around her. There's a few moments of silence before she says. "I wanted to see this stuff."
"You wanted to see my baby things." He says, looking at some of the things she had quickly dropped into the box when he'd walked in.
"Yeah. Do you remember the day you told me that Meredith was pregnant?" She says, looking at him with a small smile.
"Yes. You were furious that she didn't bother to be there with me." He says, patiently waiting for her to continue.
"I was. But I remember hoping that you would have a little boy. I love Alexis, don't take that..."
"I know you love Alexis." He says, holding up his hand
"Anyway, I remember hoping you would have a little boy. I wanted you to experience all the things I did when I was raising you. You were so passionate about everything. And fearless, went at everything with full commitment, even learning to walk, you went for it. Like you were completely oblivious to the fact that you could get hurt if you fell down."
"I was oblivious. I was barely ten months old." He says with a smile.
"Yeah, well I cringed ever time you fell down. And then when you were older and you tried to be a ninja on the fire escape of that apartment on the lower east side, I wanted to strangle you. And how you got expelled before you graduated for the prank, I wanted to slap that principal for throwing you away for doing what teenage boys do."
"How does this tie into Parker?"
She looks up and sighs. "I can't help thinking that Alice will never know that. Her little boy is gone. And I know my brother, he'll soldier on without showing any emotion and she'll be alone to grieve for all the things I've experienced with you. Sometimes I have literally wanted to throttle you and then a minute later, you've made laugh so hard." She says, reaching up to caress his cheek. "You were the best gift your father ever gave me."
"I was the only gift, I think. Unless I have sibling..."
She slaps his arm. "You always say the most outrageous things." She says, as he smiles. She smiles back. He reaches for her and they hug, holding onto each other like they would do during those lean years and they leaved on the lower east side.
After several moments, he leans back and she releases him. "If you want you can invite Alice over here."
"Whitney would never let her come." Martha says, reaching for a stack of cards.
"You're... we're family." He says, not quite understanding.
She looks at him and he reminds her of that innocent little boy she had. "Yes we are, but we're not up to his standards." She says, putting more stuff in the box.
He looks at her for a moment and then he reaches to help her. When they're done, he says. "I think you should still contact her. I'm sure Beckett knows what hotel they are staying in while they're here." She looks at him and smiles and then reaches over and caresses his cheek again.
"I love you Richard Edgar Alexander Rodgers Castle." She says, as he smiles.
"I love you too Mom." He says, hugging her.
When Kate reached Fort Drummond, it didn't take her long to find Major Andrews office. Pulling up outside the building, she pause for a moment before she opens the door and gets out. When she walks in, a young woman looks up and asks. "May I help you?"
"Yes, I'm Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. I need to speak with Major Andrews."
"May I asked what this is about?"
"He has information pertaining to a murder I'm investigating."
"Do you have an appointment to speak with him?"
"No." Kate says. "Is he here?"
"I'm sorry but without an appointment I can't allow you to see him." The young woman says, looking down.
Kate stands there until she finally looks back up. "I'm investigating a murder and Major Andrews has some information that I need. Now you can call back to his office or I can go back there myself, it's your choice."
"Please have a seat and I'll see if he's available to speak with you." The young woman says. Kate looks at her for a moment and then steps back. Turning, she takes a seat behind her as the young woman picks up the phone. She pushes a button and then says. "Sir, there is a Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. She's here to speak to you about a case she's investigating." The young woman pause and then says. "Of course, Sir. I'll inform her." She says, hanging up the phone. "He will be with you shortly, Detective." She says, and Kate nods.
Twenty minutes later, the Major still hasn't come. Kate glances at the clock and then stands up. "It's been twenty minutes, where is he?"
"He's a very busy man." The young woman replies, as Kate walks around her desk and down the hallway with the young woman following her. "You can't be back here, it's..."
They reach the end of the hall with two office doors. Kate turns to the woman. "Which one is his office?" The woman doesn't reply. "You can either tell me which one is his office or I will arrest you for obstruction." The woman nods towards the door on the right. Walking over, Kate opens it and finds the office empty. She turns to the woman. "Where is he?" She demands, flipping her jacket back to have access to her cuffs. For a moment, the woman doesn't answer.
Kate reaches for her cuffs and the woman says. "Wait, I don't know where he is." Kate looks at her like she doesn't believe her. "I don't, I swear. He was supposes to be in by seven this morning, but he wasn't here."
"Why did you hide the fact that he wasn't here?"
"You said you were investigating a crime. I was protecting him. He's been a bit distracted since...
"Since when, since he returned from the city."
"He was in the city, when?" The woman pauses again. "When!" Kate demands.
" A couple nights ago, I guess. He left the office early and said he would be back by the following morning."
"Was he?"
"Yes, but he was very distracted."
"Did he say why he was distracted?"
"No, I didn't ask. It's not my place to question a Major." She says, looking at Kate like she lost her mind with that last question.
"So he left the office early two nights ago and he came back distracted and he hasn't shown up for work today." Beckett says suspiciously.
"Yes." The young woman says. Beckett turns away. "What type of case are you investigating?" She asks.
Kate looks at her and then says. "A homicide. Do you have the Major's home address?"
"Yes, but I'm not supposes to give it out."
"Obstruction." Kate says, looking at the woman.
"It's back at my desk." She says, turning around. Kate follows her. When they reach her desk, she quickly looks up the address and scribbles it down onto a piece of paper and hands it to Kate.
Pulling out her car, she hands it to the woman. "If Major Andrews comes in, please give him that card and ask him to call me." Kate says, as the woman nods. Kate turns to leave as the woman sits down at her desk.