Chapter 4

Castle was standing at a window at the far corner of his study, staring out into the darkness.

It was past midnight and all he could think about was if Joanne was sleeping or not, whether she was hurt, or crying, or even worse, unconscious. His fists clenched at the thought. Oh how he would kill that bastard when he got hold of him! Whoever this animal was, he was a heartless man to take a child away from her home, from her mother and father, and then demand money in exchange for her.
He was putting a price on her life and Rick felt sick at the thought. Joanne was not something you could put a price on. She was a priceless gift to his life, just like Alexis, when Joanne was born, it changed his life. She made him a better man and just as he did for Alexis, he was ready to put his life on the line for her.

If the price for her life was his, he'd readily give it up. His life's dreams were all mostly fulfilled; she still had years of dreams to make true. He knew that if Kate ever found out what he was thinking about right now she would have slapped him. She'd break at the thought of losing him in a bargain of getting her daughter back. But that was not going to stop him if it came down to that.
He knew if it did, Kate would forgive him one day in the future.

Kate. where was she right now? He walked to the living room and found her sitting beside Martha, deep in thought. Alexis was wide awake too, none of them could even think of sleeping right now. There were more important things to think about. Just then he spotted Sorenson move to pick up a call on his cell phone.
He ignored him, allowing his gaze to travel back to where the rest of his family was situated. Sorenson returned to his seat at the desk set up by his team near the phone to track ransom calls, and just as he sat down the phone began to ring. Everyone's eyes turned to the phone.

Kate hurried towards it, hand steady on it, looking towards Sorenson to check if he was recording it and when he nodded for her to answer she did.

The message was clear. The kidnapper asked for a sum of 5 million dollars and said to arrange for the money until he informs them of the time and venue where the exchange would happen. He also said he wants the writer to be the one to do the exchange and not the cop. Of course, he was trying to avoid making contact with an angry mother who was well trained to take him down.

Castle arranged for the money. According to Sorenson, they were going to follow the instructions given to them by the kidnapper. And now, all they could do was wait. The pressure was getting to all of them.

It was early morning now, and Castle was in his study, sitting at his desk, and just waiting. He heard the sound of a voice and got curious.

It was Sorenson's voice, he walked out of his study and saw him sitting really close to Kate. It was just them in the living room, he was whispering assurances to her, and she looked so broken.
Sorenson put his arm around Kate and castle felt his blood boil.

He had no right to feel this way right now, Kate was in a state where she needed comfort and Sorenson was giving her that. But castle wanted to be the only one who could do that, so of course he was uncomfortable.

And then to add to his discomfort at the scene, Kate leaned into Sorenson and began crying at his shoulder. Castle was not goanna stand here and watch this.

He walked in and sternly said "what's our next move?"

Kate looked to him, wiped her eyes, straightening herself up, he was not making eye contact with her, she knew something was up.
Sorenson took his arm off Kate and stood "All we can do now is wait for the next call. I suggest you get some rest , you're going to need to be alert and awake when the time comes."

Castle looked at him, then at Kate, and back at him and said "I don't need rest." Kate glared at him "Castle…"
he interrupted "I said I don't need rest. Period!"

Kate was outraged with his stubbornness. She was just about to say something back to him, when Sorenson's phone began to ring. He excused himself and walked away to take his call. Now that they had some privacy, Kate took her chance and said "Rick, what is wrong with you, why are you acting this way!?"

"why am I acting this way? You've got to be kidding me!"

"What are you talking about, you're being stubborn!"

"stubborn?! Wow. U know what? I really don't need this conversation right now!" he started walking away.

Kate called out to him "Castle don't u ignore me, come back here!". But castle walked on, enraged.

But neither he, nor Kate knew where this anger was coming from. Kate plopped herself on the couch again, and ran her hand through her hair, she was suddenly feeling frustrated! She couldn't believe how Castle was acting. And of all the times to play the jealousy card, he picked now?!

Castle walked straight back into his study, not realizing that the room was already occupied. He was startled when he heard Sorenson's voice, this time, talking animatedly to someone on the phone. Castle was never one to eavesdrop but there was something suspicious about the way he spoke. He hid himself so that Sorenson wouldn't know he was in the same room and listened in.

"No, you do exactly as I say!"

"Just give her something to eat, she'll shut up!"

"Yea, just wait a few minutess and then do it, not immediately I don't want this slipping out of our hands"

"you're damn right I'm serious! Now just do as you're told!"

he then cut the call and walked briskly out, composing himself on the way.

Castle suddenly had so many things rushing through his mind! He wasn't even sure if it was just his writer's imagination that was working his mind up. He needed to stop thinking so much! He needed something to numb his mind! His over imaginative brain was making up wild theories in his head that couldn't possibly be true.

so he reached into his cabinet behind his desk and poured himself a half glass of scotch. He gulped it down quickly, the burn of the scotch down his throat making him shiver. And he was brought out of his trance by the sound of the phone ringing. He got up quickly and ran to watch from the doorway, as Kate picked up the call and wrote down an address. Castle needed to do something soon. He needed to find out the truth.

Kate walked to Castles study, and saw him putting his coat on, she asked him from the doorway at the same time noticing the bottle of scotch and the glass on his desk "Where are you going?"

He looked at her, but didn't answer, she walked toward him keeping a straight face and continued "The guy said to meet him at a parking lot at 11pm tonight with the money, not now, so where do you think you're going?"

Castle finally stopped moving about and now looked at her and said "I'm going to find my daughter"

Kate now raised her voice, unable to control her emotions anymore. "What the hell Castle! How much did you drink? Why can't you just follow instructions! Or are you just incapable of doing the right thing!"

He didn't look like anything was going to stop him, so she continued "you know what you're doing Castle, instead of making this easier, you're only making it harder!"

he replied now "oh, am I now?"

"of course you are? Like right now, you're all ready to go and do your own thing without even thinking or explaining where and why! What's the whole point of having an experienced FBI agent here to help us if you're going to take matters into your own hands, are you trying to cause me more pain?"
her heart clenched as the words came out of her mouth, but he seemed unmoved. It was as if he built a wall in front of him that wouldn't let her get through to him.

"I'm causing you pain? Wow. Firstly, it wasn't my idea to call Sorenson, secondly, he's not helping at all. But oh wait, he's no help to me, but he surely is for you. That was a pretty courageous move he made in there, offering you a shoulder to cry on, holding you close and…."

"Oh my god! Castle I can't believe I'm hearing this! Seriously! Of all the times, you pick now to get jealous? Now, when our baby girl is being held hostage? Will was just trying to be nice. He may be my ex castle, but he still cares, as a friend. And that's all he did, offered his comfort, as a friend. you're blowing this whole thing out of proportion."

"A friend?! Please! I don't wanna hear this now, I've got more important things to do than to hear you make excuses for your ex's attempt to make a move on you"

she couldn't take it anymore! "CASTLE! How dare you…"

"Enough!" his voice loud and over-powering. "I'm getting out of here!" he moved past her and she said back to him "where are you going?"

"I told you, I'm going to get my baby girl"

"and where do you think you're going to find her. You have no clue whose behind this."

"I do, but you won't believe me if I told you"

"try me!" she softly challenged.

"I have evidence that Sorenson is behind the whole thing."

Her eyes widened and she yelled "you're right, I don't believe you!"

she tried to calm herself down. She took a deep breath, and continued "You know what castle, your clearly drunk, now get your coat and shoes off and go get some sleep, you need to be sober for later"

he replied immediately "I'm not drunk. I have fatherly instincts, and they worked when I saved Alexis's life, years ago. I'm sure I'm right this time around too"

"fatherly instinct?!, are you kidding me Castle? Are you even listening to yourself?"

Instantly came his reply, "you're the one who's not listening to me. You're deafened by the charm of a certain FBI agent, who according to me, has something to do with the kidnaping of our child. Now I'm not going to sit around here and watch you trust him over me. So dare, you stop me from going out to get my baby back!"

Saying this he walked out and Kate heard the front door slam shut!