THE BET - $10
Richard Castle came running out of the precinct's elevator. "I got away as quickly as possible," he stated to the man standing across the room who looked up at the rapidly approaching figure. "Where are they? Any new developments?"
Kevin Ryan motioned toward the small conference room and slowly shook his head. "They have been in there for the last thirty minutes. Beckett asked us to stay out. I've been in contact with the officers at the scene. Nothing new from the lab boys; they're still going through the house where it all took place." He paused. "Everyone has taken this pretty hard, especially Beckett. Just to let you know . . ."
Castle gave the Irishman a quick nod, and then started toward the closed door. He took a moment to gather his thoughts as he reached for the knob, softly knocking to alert those presently in the room as to his intention to enter. Only then did he slowly open the conference room door. "Detective, may I come in, please?"
He was just starting to enter the room when he heard his partner's voice grant him permission to enter. "Castle, we're in here."
Detective Ryan was right; she sounded exhausted.
As he looked in, he saw Kate Beckett sitting on the couch. Her shoes had been removed and were on the floor, her usually immaculate shirt was wrinkled and untucked, and her hair, always brushed until it shined, had been tied back into a messy ponytail. Sitting next to her was the little girl that Esposito had phoned him about, the one survivor of the family massacre, a tiny child who couldn't have been more than four years old. Although Kate was holding gently onto the small hand, the girl's fingers were limp and did not grasp those of the detective.
Castle noticed that the eyes of the girl did not focus, appearing to look right through him when she turned her head to face the new voice in the room. There was no telling what she had been witness to in the last five or six hours. All she knew is that her mommy and daddy were not by her side, and she was sitting on an uncomfortable couch in an unfamiliar building, with a woman she didn't know. And, thought Castle, if she refused to acknowledge yet another stranger as he entered, she probably thought that he wouldn't be able to harm her.
Castle wasn't even aware of the practiced ease with which he removed the opera cape that he was wearing with a flourish, revealing his tuxedo as he folded the outer garment over his arm and then gently placed it on the table by the door. Only then did he slowly and purposefully walk further into the room toward the couch's two occupants.
"Hi there, my name is Rick." He smiled at the girl as he dropped down on his haunches just a few feet from the child in an attempt to look at her on her own level. "My real first name is Richard, but all my friends call me Rick." He paused, searching her face for recognition. "What do your friends call you?"
Castle loosened his formal black bow tie and allowed it to dangle around his neck as he then undid the two top buttons on his formal white pleated shirt. At least now he could breathe more easily.
The young girl slowly seemed to realize that the man was asking her a question. He had blue eyes and was dressed like a prince at a ball, like in her story books. And, she liked her story books. Her mommy read them to her every evening when she was being tucked into bed, and she never had a bad dream after her mommy read to her.
"My name is Emily."
Kate looked at Castle with a surprised expression on her face. She hadn't had been able to get so much as a 'hello' from the child since she had been removed from the blood spattered bedroom over two hours ago. That was when she had asked Esposito to call Castle.
"Emily. That's a beautiful name. I have a daughter. And, she has bright red long hair down to here." Castle motioned to the middle of his chest, and he noticed that Emily watched his hand as he made the gesture. So far, so good, so he continued speaking in a low pitched, soothing voice.
"She's a few years older than you. Her name is Alexis. That's another beautiful name, isn't it?" Kate recognized the tone of his speech, and she smiled at him; Richard Castle only used that soft tone on special occasions, and usually only when the two of them were alone.
Emily didn't respond, but Castle noted that he now had her full attention. He turned up the charm.
"You know what would be nice about now? A cup of tea. Lots of times, oh, too many to count, Alexis would invite me into her bedroom for a tea party with many of her stuffed animals." He inched closed to the girl, making sure he appeared to be no threat to her. Then he loudly whispered, "Actually, I hate tea. How about a glass of wine? Do you drink?"
Kate was unable to suppress a smile. She winked at Castle and then looked down at Emily. "Well, what do you want to tell Rick? Tea or wine? Ladies' choice."
Emily seemed to think about the question. And, she didn't seem to know the answer.
It was now Rick's turn to grin, turning up the charm even further.
"I know; I bet you'd like a glass of warm milk. How does that sound to you? That's my favorite night time liquid. That makes my tummy happy. Emily, would you like a small glass of nice, warm milk? Detective Beckett, would you like a glass of warm milk, too?"
Castle turned his full attention to his partner for the first time that evening. Kate had been trying for almost two hours to get Emily to speak to her, but without success. She knew that Emily was trying not to associate her with what had happened in her house, but it didn't seem like a possibility. So, she asked, no, ordered Esposito to call Castle, and to keep calling him until he answered his damn phone. It took almost an hour, but he had finally picked up. Esposito heard the party in full swing in the background as he filled Castle in on what had happened, adding that Kate had specifically requested that he please get his ass to the precinct as soon as possible, and bring with him all of his fathering experience in an attempt to put the girl at ease.
And, finally, here he was. Rick gave Emily an even bigger smile. "Let's see what we can find . . ."
Castle slowly stood up and walked over to the department's ice box while still maintaining his monologue with Emily. "I bet there's some milk in here that we can heat up for you. . ." He knew that his height alone could have alarmed the petite child, so he walked with his shoulders hunched and his knees slightly bent, in an attempt to make himself as short as possible. Kate grinned at his efforts; Rick was almost six foot two, and has he walked away from them hunched over, she thought he resembled a very well dressed troll. If trolls dressed in Armani.
As Castle was opening the door of the refrigerator, there was a short knock on the door and Detectives Ryan and Esposito entered after a momentary pause. They took only a single step into the conference room having noted Rick's cautious entrance.
"Someone from Child Services should be here within the hour," said Ryan. He found himself speaking to Castle's butt, which was the only part of him visible from the doorway. "Ah, Castle, what are you looking for?"
"Milk . . .and, yeah, here it is!" Castle held up a nearly empty half quart of milk in his raised left hand as though it was a precious artifact. "There should be enough for a small glass, I'll just put it in a coffee cup and zap it in the microwave."
Ryan and Esposito gave each other an uncomfortable look. "Ah, Castle," said Esposito, "that's Detective Kawalski's milk for her wake-up coffee. It's off limits for everyone else . . ."
Castle shook his head. "Nah, doesn't count, it's for Emily." And he started to open and look through all of the kitchen cabinets in search of a small mug to pour the milk into.
Ryan shook his head. "Castle, you sure you want to do that? She won't be happy in the morning. . ."
Esposito was in agreement. "She'll have your head if, no, when she finds out who took the last of her milk. . ."
But Castle had already removed the bright pink post-it from the side of the carton that said "Kawalski Only Or Die!" in bright blue large lettering, and placed it on the counter as he emptied the contents of the carton in an NYPD mug that he then placed into the microwave.
"Emily, would like for me to tell you a story while you drink your milk? Or, would you like Detective Beckett to tell you a story?" Despite the seriousness of the moment, Castle
had to grin at the flash of panic that appeared on Kate's face. Stories? Off the top of her head? And for a traumatized little girl no less?
Then Kate saw Castle's wink. "I bet I know more stories than Detective Beckett. Alexis loves fairy tales with princesses and knights and dragons. It might be due to the fact that our last name is 'Castle'. Archery contests, sword duels, servants parading around the great hall with trays of food, people dancing around the May pole as the king and queen cheered them on. I think I still remember a few of those. That means that those stories would be Alexis' favorites, and I told them to her lots and lots of times. Would you like to hear one?"
The microwave dinged, signaling that the milk was ready.
"Yes, please," said Emily, and Castle smiled at her, using his best "the women all love this expression" grin. At the same time, he indicated with a quick flick of his head that Esposito and Ryan could leave the room, that he now had things under control.
"It would be my pleasure. Scoot over so there is room for me on the couch. . ." This time standing tall, Castle brought over the milk and handed it to Emily. He then proceeded to sit down almost in Beckett's lap as Emily moved closer to the arm of the couch and Beckett tried to shift more to Castle's right.
After making sure that the young girl has a good grasp on the coffee mug, Rick then put his left arm around Emily, and his other arm around Beckett. She raised an eyebrow at his audacity, but kept her mouth shut. Maybe for just this one time it would be alright. Besides, it actually felt rather nice, having the man nestled right next to her with his arm resting on her shoulder.
"Everybody comfortable?" He looked at Emily, and then at Kate. Seeing no objection from his partner, he winked at her for the second time as Emily took her first sip of the warm milk. "Okay, let's start. Once upon a time . . ."
That next morning, New York City Police Detective Olga Kawalski was surprise to find a crisp ten dollar bill stapled to her post it note on the now-empty milk carton. On the note was written, "Thank you: Emily".
Kawalski looked around the empty break room. "Who the heck is 'Emily'?"