Chapter 3

Wrapping a quilt around herself, Kate looked out the window. The parking lot hadn't been plowed, nor had the road beyond it. If she got something besides voice mail, she might be able to conduct her interviews by phone, but she preferred to look people in the eye and read their body language.

Rick rolled over and sat up sleepily. "Something wrong?"

"It looks like we're snowed in, at least for the moment."

"Maybe it's a sign from the universe for you to come back to bed."

Kate laughed. "Maybe."

Bringing herself and her quilt, Kate fit herself under Rick's arm and snuggled into his body, one arm across his chest.

"Feel anything you like?" Rick asked.

"Just getting warm," Kate answered.

"Let me help you with that."

Kate could feel the heat as Rick pulled her beneath him. Hands on either side of her head, his mouth descended to claim hers. She could feel his body pushing against her and she arched to meet it. Encircling his body with her arms, she swept her fingertips up and down his broad back. Rick's hands reached under Kate, cupping her and pulling her against him. They were one, moving, reaching, for the next level, and the next. Sensory input became sensory overload. The limit was reached and they held each other in their own quilted cavern.

Scraping sounds floated up from the parking lot. The plows had arrived in the lot from a road already cleared. "I think it's time to go to work, Castle," Beckett said.

Castle sat up, planting a quick kiss on her hair. "It was great while it lasted."

Stopping to fortify themselves with a hot breakfast, Castle and Beckett began the task of removing almost a foot of snow from the car. Castle's long arms made the job easier and with the two of them working, they were on their way before becoming completely frozen. Beckett had called ahead and finally talked to Joelle Sullivan. She was waiting for them to arrive.

Joelle was an organic farmer and looked like one. Her hands were calloused and her face toughened by the sun. She invited them in and put huge mugs of steaming coffee before them without asking. Castle breathed in the steam as Beckett began the questioning. "Ms Sullivan, we understand that you were opposed to the drilling project that Glen Warren was pushing at the church."

"That's an understatement, Detective," Joelle answered. "I need water to irrigate my crops. Fracking uses a lot of it. It would either take it away from me or make it more expensive. Worse, if it contaminated the water table, I might not be able to label my crops as organic. I service some of the most high end restaurants in New York. I'd lose my customers and probably my farm."

"You said you sell to restaurants in New York. Do you go into the city to do that?" Beckett asked, trying to keep a casual tone.

"Sometimes I do, when I negotiate contracts."

"Were you there Sunday night?"Beckett continued.

"Detective, if that's your way of asking me if I killed Glen Warren, I can tell you that I was in New York but I never saw the jackass. I can't afford the prices of New York hotels. I was staying with a friend and I'd be happy to give you her number."

"Thank you, Ms. Sullivan," Beckett told her. "I'd appreciate that."

Beckett called Joelle's friend, Billie Martin from the car and confirmed Joelle's alibi and it was on to visit Parley Safer. Parley never stopped moving. His eyes darted from place to place and his hand stroked everything around him. "Of course I'm against fracking!" he exclaimed. Any sane person would be. You should see all the stuff on the internet. Gas flames coming out of kitchen sinks. Earthquakes. Radioactive water. If someone killed Glen Warren they deserve a medal for saving the planet."

"I understand how you feel," Castle told him. "I want to stand up and do something about it. Tell me, what do you do?"

"I go to protests," Parley said with pride. "Lots of them."

"I live in New York," Castle told him. "Any protests there?"

"Sometimes. You ought to come."

"I'd like to. Were there any Sunday?" Castle asked.

"No. There was a good one up by Woodstock. You should have seen it! They had bands and everything, like the '70's or something. I got a t shirt. Parley showed Castle his crudely printed treasure."

"That's great!" Castle exclaimed. "I should get something like that!"

Beckett stood to leave. "I think that's all we need, Mr. Safer. Thank you." Castle quickly trailed her out the door.

"Fun little guy," Castle commented as he and Beckett got in the car.

"He's your soul mate, Castle. He believes everything he reads on the internet too."

"I don't!" Castle protested.

"No," Beckett said, "just CIA conspiracies, Bigfoot, ghosts, and gray men."

"But those are true!"

Beckett grinned and rolled her eyes.

Buddy Palfry was mad and didn't care who knew it. "That SOB Sandy Sawyer lied to us!" He informed Beckett. "Someone should arrest him for fraud."

"How about Glen Warren, Mr. Palfry?" Beckett asked.

"He just drank the Koolaid." Palfry answered as Castle suppressed a smirk. "He's from the city. I don't think he really knew what was going on."

"Do you ever get to the city, Mr. Palfry?" Beckett inquired.

"My mother lives there. I see her."

"Were you there Sunday night?"

"Detective, I was in New York, with my mother on Sunday night. We watched that show about the phony psychic together. You can ask her."

Beckett tried to do just that, Buddy's mother seemed to have a problem hearing her on the phone, so she asked Esposito to go see her.

"Castle," I think we're done here," Beckett said.

"It's early, we could go back to the B & B, get our stuff and head back to the city, maybe look for a venue or two along the way," Castle suggested.

"Fine," Beckett agreed.

The ride back to New York was a little slower than Castle might have hoped. Some of the roads had not been well cleared and he and Beckett had to make a couple of unscheduled stops. One of the stops was serendipitous. They discovered a beautiful rock formation overlooking a small lake surrounded by woods. The lake was was frozen, but Beckett could imagine it a sparkling blue and surrounded by fall foliage. There was an open wooden structure nearby, containing wooden tables, benches, and barbecue grills that might provide an emergency retreat for guests in case of rain. Castle took pictures and emailed them to his computer.

It was eleven o'clock when they finally reached the loft and dropped their bags by the front door. Kate rolled her head and rotated her shoulders. "You OK?" Rick asked.

"Yeah," Kate answered, "just stiff."

Rick handed her a glass of wine and began to gently massage her shoulders. "I can take care of that," he said, kissing the sensitive spot behind her ear, "I know just how to get the kinks out.