Chapter Four
Kate's head shot up at the unholy scream that erupted from somewhere. Looking around she saw what looked like a fight break out in the break room. Knowing Castle had been heading in that direction, she ran towards the room to find out what was going on. She stopped at the door, transfixed by the sight of three women biting and clawing at each other. Castle was hiding behind a table at the far end of the room, with a look of horror on his face. Their eyes met across the room in silent communication. Nodding at him to indicate she understood, she let out a shrill whistle.
"Ladies! Stop!" She shouted, then waited for them to obey. "Now, I can settle this once and for all. Richard Castle is not up for grabs. For those of you who don't know, and we all know you should, he is mine. We're engaged, and are getting married on Saturday. So would you kindly let each other go and leave the premises." Her tone brooked no argument and they silently, sullenly, released their punishing grips on each other and headed out the door.
Once they were gone, Castle emerged from his hiding place, relief evident on his face. "Thank you, Kate. That was.."
"Yeah," She turned to face him, completely bewildered by the recent turn of events. "What is going on?"
"I have no clue." He told her, sharing her confusion. "I was just making coffee. They just started fighting over me, like I was some kind of prize."
"So I saw," she commented dryly.
"This just doesn't happen to me," he continued quietly, "And after that little display, I'm glad to say I don't want to experience that ever again." He shuddered at the thought of enduring that on a daily basis.
"Well, until we get to the bottom of this, you shouldn't go anywhere alone." Kate told him sternly.
"Sure, I don't think that will be a problem." Castle answered softly.
He walked back to the table where he'd placed the coffee's and handed one to Beckett. She smiled at the picture he'd drawn in the milk, he really was the sweetest man. They headed for her desk to begin looking into their victim.
Ryan and Esposito returned a few hours later after gathering security tapes to find Castle and Beckett sat staring at the murder board.
"Yo," Esposito said, when they approached them, "None of the neighbours report seeing or hearing anything out of the ordinary."
"The doorman didn't see anyone suspicious or let any unknown people into the building, which means either the killer was someone they knew or he got in another way." Ryan added before heading off to review the footage he had acquired.
"There's nothing in his life to indicate why someone would want him dead. He worked for a large pharmaceutical company and has no family apart from a cousin in Utah." Kate filled in Esposito on what they had so far discovered. "Take a look at the victims financial and phone records. See what you can find."
Esposito went back to his desk to get started, when Kate's phone chimed. "Lanie's got something."
"Hey Lanie." Kate greeted the Medical Examiner.
"I managed to determine what was used to kill Mr Henderson here." Lanie pulled out a picture to show them. "It was a blade about six inches long and one inch wide with a serrated edge on one side."
"A kitchen knife?" Castle asked.
"Basically, yes."
Castle and Beckett looked at each other, both coming to the same conclusion. "We have to go back to the crime scene."
"Not so fast, Detective Beckett." Dr Parish called as they headed towards the door. "I want a word with you before you run out of here." Castle left to allow the two ladies to talk. "Alright, spill."
"What are you talking about?" She asked, confused.
"Don't 'what' me Kate, I can see it written all over your face. What's going on?"
"I don't know yet, Lanie. But ever since we got this case women haven't left him alone. It's like they all woke up today and decided to pursue my fiance."
"I don't follow." The ME said, confused.
"Well, we left the crime scene this morning and this blonde bimbo approached him and asked him out. Right next to me." Kate told her. "And then at the Precinct, he went to make coffee and three women accosted him and began fighting over the right to take him home."
Lanie was shocked at what she was hearing. Whilst she admired the writer, she had never felt any sort of attraction to him. Besides he was engaged to her best friend, so as far as she was concerned he was off limits. "What did you do?"
"I yelled at them that we're getting married at the weekend and kicked them out of the Precinct."
"And that worked?" At Kate's nod she added, "You go girl. Good for you. Just keep him close until whatever it is passes ok?"
"Don't worry Lanie, I don't plan to let him out of my sight at all until the wedding." She left the morgue and found Castle waiting in the deserted hallway for her.
"I'm so glad you're here. Please don't do that again." At her confused look he elaborated. "One of the techs here got a bit handsy and I had to hide in the closet until she left."
"I promise, Castle, that I won't let you out of my sight until this is over." She wound her arms around his neck and brought his lips to hers in a sizzling kiss full of promise and love.
"Okay." He whispered when she pulled back. Taking her hand he led the way to the elevator and together they headed out to the victims address.
"It's not here," Beckett called from the kitchen. "The killer must have taken it with him when he left."
"Or he brought it with him." Castle added, joining her. "Either way, we don't have a murder weapon."
"Maybe not, but look at this." She showed him a small velvet pouch she had found under the sink. "This definitely doesn't belong here."
"No, it doesn't." He leaned in to smell it. "Smells like herbs of some sort."
"We should get it to the lab." She placed it in a bag before returning to the lounge. They continued searching for anything else unusual and came up with several more of the little herb pouches hidden throughout the apartment. They were all identical in size and contents.
"What the hell was this guy into?" Castle asked, rhetorically.
"Whatever it was, it definitely wasn't good." She answered. "We should go, there's nothing else here." She led them out of the building.
Once outside they almost made it to the cruiser before they were beset upon by an overly enthusiastic woman.
"Mr Castle! Mr Castle." Both Beckett and Castle rolled their eyes before turning towards the woman.
"Can I help you?" Castle asked, politely, pasting on a smile for her.
"I just wanted to ask you if you'd like to get a drink with me. I promise to make it worth your while." She said, paying no attention to Detective Beckett, who was smirking at her as she surreptitiously put on her engagement ring.
"While I appreciate the offer, I cannot accept. You see," He stepped closer to Beckett and took her left hand in his, bringing it to his chest, "I'm engaged to this beautiful Detective here, and we're getting married on Saturday. There is nothing, and no one, that will stop me from walking down the aisle with her as my wife and spending the rest of my life making her as happy as she makes me." He drove that home by kissing her hand then kissing her soundly and with some finality on the lips in full view of everyone around.
The woman in question watched all this with no small amount of shock, as she had believed that he was unattached and ripe for the picking. Seeing the ring and the love they shared caused her embarrassment to rise and she stuttered out an apology to them both before rushing of in shame.
It seemed to do the trick and no other women bothered them as they finally reached the car and made their way to the lab first then back to the Precinct.
What do you think so far?
