*Castle and its characters are not mine*
"Oh, I…um, are you sure? I…with everything we've been through recently, I figured that if something like this happened, it wouldn't make a difference to me…obvi..obviously I, I was wrong," she choaked out, as tears began to stream down her face. Before Beckett could try to console her, she spoke up again,
"I don't, um didn't, love him anymore. We were completely done, going through the final stages of our divorce. I guess its just coming from those years we were happy…"
"I am very sorry for your loss Mrs. Strite. I need to ask you a few questions, but I can wait if you are not ready, " Beckett replied.
"No, no its fine. I'm good. Go ahead."
"Well, first off, how long have you and Alec been separated?"
"2 months, is how long we've been living apart, but we started having problems at least 2 months before that."
"Do you mind sharing with us why?" asked Castle.
"Alec started becoming more distant. His work was becoming his number one priority and sometimes he would not come home until midnight. I admired his hard work and dedication, but I was losing my husband. It was like I was invisible. We never went out and just enjoyed each other like we used to. We hardly got the chance to just sit and talk and when I would confront him about it, he would just shrug me off like nothing was wrong, or he would snap at me for no reason. And one day, I met someone else."
"So you cheated on him. Did you tell him, or did he find out?"
"He doesn't know. He never found out, and I never told him. I just served him with divorce papers and it didn't even phase him! It's like he knew it was coming."
Beckett felt for the woman, she knew what it was like to be put second behind your partner's job from her time with Will. Before she could switch tactics and start asking about the crime scene, Castle cut in with another question.
"Mrs. Strite…"
"Paige, please call me Paige"
"Paige, I myself have been through the divorce process a couple of times, and I know that if both sides are consensual, and it sounds like that's how yours is, the process can go very quickly unless there are disagreements with possessions or money. So, why after 2 months of separation, is your divorce still not finalized?"
"Alec's income was the primary income for our house. He made the real money. I am just a store clerk at Saks, haggling over how our joint accounts would be split. He believed he deserved 75% because of his high paying job," so we were Paige replied.
Paige's response raised some red flags for Beckett. To the normal eye, she seemed calm and composed, but Beckett could tell there was more to the story. She made a mental note to look into their financials and marital documents when her and Castle returned to the precinct.
"Paige, have you ever seen this boat before?" asked Beckett while holding out the photo of the green canoe.
"No, why?"
"This is where we found Alec. He was out floating in the bay inside this canoe. Did he ever go out fishing or frequent a certain marina?"
"No, as far as I know he has never been fishing. He's not much of an outdoors man. I can't imagine why he would be out there."
As if on cue, Beckett's phone buzzed with an incoming call from Lanie.
"Excuse me, Paige, I need to take this. Beckett."
"Hey girl, the boys told me you were interviewing the wife, so I figured I should call with the proper time of death. He died on Monday night, approximately between the hours of 8:00 PM and 10:30 PM."
"Okay, thanks Lanie. Call me when you figure out C.O.D."
"You got it," Lanie replied.
Beckett hung up the phone and moved back over to the loveseat where Castle was sitting across from the widow.
"Paige, I have to ask you this for the report, but where were you on Monday night between 8 and 10:30 PM?"
"I was, err… with my boyfriend. It was the one night he had off. He picked me up for dinner at 7 and then we went to see a show afterwards."
"Can I have his name, so that we can check with him?"
"Yeah, Dr. Josh Davidson. Good luck getting in touch with him, his schedule is honestly not much better than Alec's was. "
Beckett froze as she heard his name, and she could feel Castle tense beside her too. What the hell? Her Josh was…oh god. How could she have been so blind? She's a detective , she should have seen it. She wasn't sure if she wanted lash out at the woman sitting in front of her or wait to unleash her fury on the man himself. She decided that unleashing it on him would be way more rewarding, so she masked her shock and calmly thanked Paige for her assistance.
Castle was staring at her the entire time as they left the apartment and made their way back to the car. His eyes were full of concern and maybe a little bit of fear as he looked at her, unsure how to broach the subject.
As the car started to head back toward the precinct, he finally broke the silence with what he hoped were the right words.
"I would ask you if you're okay, but I know by the look on your face that you're not. I know there is nothing I can say to make it better, but know that if you ever just need to talk, I'm here. And I swear to God the next time I see that jackass I will punch him for you…"
At her raised eyebrow he quickly amended his last statement.
"Not that you can't punch him yourself, you most definitely can, but I, well you get the picture…"
Beckett smirked at his babbling but before she could mask her true feelings toward his comment, a gracious smile spread across her face.
"Thanks, Castle," she replied as she reached across the cruiser to squeeze his hand as an expression of her gratitude.
After a couple moments of silence, Castle spoke up again,
"So, what are you going to do? Arrest him? Illegally detain him? Send Ryan and Esposito on him!"
He got more excited with each suggestion that came out of his mouth. It was well known between the two of them that Castle was not a fan of Dr. Motorcycle Boy, but before he could get carried away, Beckett spoke up,
"Well, we need to question him as a part of this case, which is why I didn't say anything to Paige; but instead of seeking him out, I think I'll bring him to our territory. Ask him to come in and see me as if we were just going to chat, and then take him to interrogation. And then I'll strike."
As wounded as Castle was that someone could do that to his partner, he was secretly bubbling with excitement that he would get to see Beckett tear Josh apart in the box.
"But look Castle, not a word to the boys as to what is going on. You guys can go into the observation room, but I don't want to cause a scene when Josh walks into the precinct. Try to act normal so that he doesn't suspect anything," Beckett added.
"I'll do my best," Castle placated.
When they arrived at the precinct, Josh was already there, leaning up against Beckett's desk. Castle immediately walked over in the direction of Ryan and Esposito's desks to suppress his urge to hurt Josh.
"Hey Babe, what's up?"
"Hey, I just wanted to see you and talk to you. Just give me a minute to catch the boys up on our new leads and I'll meet you in that room, over there," Beckett smiled, keeping up the part of "loving girlfriend" while nonchalantly pointing to the interrogation room. As soon as he was gone, Castle came back over with Ryan and Esposito trailing.
"Everything alright?"
"Yeah, Castle, I'm good" she answered as she looked over her notes from the interview with Paige Strite. "Remember what I said, no physical harm," and with that, she turned on her heel and stalked into the Interrogation Room.
"What was that about?" Esposito asked as he a Ryan simultaneously turned to Castle with confused looks.
"You'll see, it goes for you all too," Castle answered grimly. "Come on, let's go to Observation. Believe it or not, this is actually relevant to our case."
Esposito and Ryan nodded and followed Castle into Observation.
Josh was strolling around the room, randomly pausing to check himself in the mirror. He had never been inside one of these rooms before, nor had he ever seen what Kate could do to suspects between these four walls. He knew Kate, not Detective Beckett. Thinking it might be cool to get the full effect, he took a seat in the chair that was obviously for the criminal behind the table. Kate walked in, carefully closed the door, and leaned up against the wall looking over at Josh.
"Hey Babe"
"Hey…Josh"
"What did you want to talk about?"
"Well, I just wanted to see you, I missed you on Monday, I was looking forward to dinner"
"Yeah babe, I'm sorry, you know how it is being on call, I had to go take care of a new patient that came in," Josh replied apologetically.
Beckett nodded. She did understand, but that's not where he was according to Paige Strite. She pushed off the wall and started to move around the room, like a tigress does before she pounces on her prey.
"Um, Castle, how is this relevant to our case? I feel like we're butting in on a private conversation" Ryan voiced.
"Just watch. Kate told us we could be in here"
"Oh, its Kate now? On a first name basis Castle?" Esposito countered.
"Guys, not relevant. Pay attention"
"You're one to talk" chuckled Ryan.
"Right. So when you say 'patient,' you mean 'a sick person in the hospital' correct?
"Uh, yeah Kate, why?
"Oh nothing, it's just I wasn't sure if you were getting the word patient confused with woman."
"Kate what are you talking about?"
"Well today I went and interviewed a suspect for the case were working on, and she seemed to think that you were somewhere else that night. So, Josh, would you like to change your answer?
A look of realization passed over Josh's face, but quickly changed to resignation. He was done and he knew it. Beckett of course noticed and it took all her energy to not just start screaming.
"What? No answer?" she scoffed. "Dr. Davidson, where were you on Monday night, between 8 PM and 10:30 PM?" Beckett asked coolly.
"What? Woah, I'm a suspect now?"
"Well seeing as your other woman's HUSBAND was murdered, yeah, you are. But, if you tell me where you were Monday night, you might not be. "she growled.
Josh had never seen her like this. She was in full on, bad ass detective mode, stalking her prey relentlessly until it caved. If looks could kill…
"Well, by your line of questioning, it seems you already know where I was so what's the point?" Josh sneered.
She rounded the table in a flash, lowered her hands to the table so she was leaning down face to face with him.
"Please don't tell me what I think is happening is actually true, man, I swear to God…" mumbled Esposito.
"Damn, I would not want to be him right now." Said Ryan
"Say it Josh, Say it, TO MY FACE" she spat.
"Fine! I was with a woman, okay? Paige Strite."
"Oh hell no, are you effing kidding me! Im gonna bust your ass chico. Nobody hurts my little chica man, I will…" and the rest of Esposito's rant echoing through the glass was cut short, by what Kate could only assume was the other two holding him back.
"Dammit Josh," she yelled as she slapped her hand down on the table," What the hell is wrong with you! We've been dating for 6 months! 6 freaking months of me trying to make a relationship between two overly busy people work, but it turns out you weren't even working half the time, you were effing some other chick! That is married! I trusted you Josh! "
She took a breath and composed herself, fixing her eyes on his with her best Beckett glare before she spoke again.
"I sincerely hope you burn in hell. You are free to go." And with that, she turned and stalked out of the interrogation room, slamming the door shut behind her and immediately turning into the Observation Room. Closing the door, she sank down to floor, with her head in her hands, ignoring the concerned and angry stares of her boys.
After a few minutes of silence, and the few tears that had escaped had dried on her cheeks, she spoke,
"I know you guys want to knock him dead right now, but please do not go make a scene in the precinct."
They all nodded in understanding, but still not saying a word as she sat there on the floor. Esposito looked like he was having a difficult time restraining himself. Ryan's normally cool blue eyes were laced with anger, but Castle looked like someone had just kicked his puppy as his soft eyes looked over her crumpled form on the floor. Nobody even noticed Josh getting up to leave.
A/N: Please let me know what you think, I welcome critique