CHAPTER 3

On the ride to the morgue, Castle said, "I know where we should go."

"Oh, really?" Kate remembered their conversation from that morning.

"Yes, I know a guy"

"Know a guy," Kate said at the same time. The couple traded smiles.

"Anyway," Castle continued. "He's got a cabin in the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia. Its only half an hour from Charlottesville, but its completely secluded and private. It's up on a mountainside, so the view's fantastic. And there's a little town down the road in the valley with a general store and a restaurant and a couple other shops."

"It's sounds wonderful, Castle," Kate said, her voice wistful and dreamy. She had always loved visiting her dad's cabin in the Catskill Mountains. No matter how much she loved the city, there was just something about the mountains that enchanted her. "I think we should go."

"I'll call him back after we're done here," Castle said as Kate pulled the Crown Vic into the hospital parking lot.

The morgue was in the basement of the hospital. Castle and Beckett rode the elevator down together. Castle was looking at his wife tenderly and Kate reached out and took his hand. The elevator stopped with a gentle bump and the doors opened with a ding. Kate let go of her husband's hand reluctantly. They had agreed on a strict code of professionalism at work; they never knew if any of the other MEs or numerous interns would be around.

They stepped off the elevator together. Kate's heels clicked down the linoleum hallway to the autopsy room. She pushed through the swinging doors, with Castle right behind.

"Hey, Lanie," Kate said.

"Hey," Lanie answered distractedly, still hunched over the body of the vic.

"What did you find?" Beckett pressed.

"Time of death is between 10 and 12 pm yesterday," Lanie reported. "And I may have a lead on the murder weapon."

She lead the couple over to a screen displaying several black sheets. She flipped a switch and the screen glowed, lighting up the X-rays from behind.

"I carefully documented the wounds before starting the autopsy," Lanie explained. "They were unusual in depth and shape. The depth indicates a very heavy object, while the shape indicates a very narrow object."

"Do you have any idea what it could be?" Castle asked.

"Not yet. I sent copies of the X-rays and photos to the lab to see if they could identify it, but I've never seen any injuries like these before."

Kate frowned at the body before thanking Lanie. She and Castle left only slightly more enlightened than when they arrived.

"I just don't get it," Kate mused as they walked back to the car. "Our vic is murdered after he gets home and locks himself in his apartment. We have no evidence that anyone entered or left the apartment, but it was empty when we got there."

"Could someone have tampered with the security feed?" Castle asked.

"It's possible," Beckett agreed. "I'll have tech take a look at it, but it seems like a lot of trouble for just a murder."

"Well, blunt force trauma can be a lot of work for a murder, too."

"Touche."

Once in the car, Castle called his friend and told him he and Kate would like to stay at his cabin. They would be down as soon as the trial was over. Kate felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. It would be very relaxing and the three of them would be safe. She would have to go on maternity leave sooner and longer than she thought, but she was sure Gates would understand. After all, she was a mother herself.

Kate was sighing dreamily when Castle ended his phone call.

"Are you okay with this, Kate?" he asked. He had misinterpreted her sigh.

"Of course, Castle. I'm just excited to go. I feel like it's been forever since I've had a real vacation. Thank you for arranging this," she reached over and squeezed his hand lightly.

"Anything for you, Kate."


Sorry this chapter is kind of short. I'm trying to divide them up by events and not by length, so the lengths could vary.