A/N: So I hope everyone reading this is enjoying it as much as I am writing it. I'm trying to keep all the characters as canon as possible and hopefully I'm doing it justice. I also gotta say I always thought it was cheesy how authors would be practically begging for reviews on their work, but after getting a couple I can see why. It's very addicting seeing people comment on your work. This chapter is a little more case related. Hope it makes sense. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Castle and its properties belong to ABC.
Walking out of the office, Beckett went with Ryan to check out the video that Esposito had cued up, while Castle rather sheepishly went over to Captain Murphy.
"Ah, Captain Murphy, I was wondering if I could have a minute," Castle asked looking the younger man directly in the eye.
"Sure Mr. Castle, what's up?' Captain Murphy replied while standing up from "Castle's seat".
"I just wanted to apologize for my brash behavior earlier, it was uncalled for and out of line," Castle spoke calmly and sincerely, "and please call me Rick or Castle, the mister part makes me feel really old," Castle concluded with a trademark smirk.
Captain Murphy looked at Castle with a very straight face and cool demeanor, and Castle couldn't help thinking that this guy would probably make a great poker player. "Well Mr. Castle, I must say nobody has ever spoken to me that way and lived to tell about it," Murphy started before breaking out into a huge grin, "Ha! Don't worry about Rick, Kate's told me quite a bit about you and I must say it's an honor to meet you, I've read some of your books as well, and please call me Jake."
A wave of relief washed over Castle, as he shook hands with Jake. "So you work down at Fort Dix, as an MP? Must run in the family to be in law enforcement."
"Well I always wanted to be in the military, and went to West Point. Kate over there…well she never planned to be a cop." Jake nodded over to where Beckett was hunched over Esposito's shoulder watching the surveillance video and at that point she looked up and saw Castle and Jake chatting away animatedly. "Excuse me gentleman, if you're done with the bromance there's some things here that you should come take a look at."
Walking over, Esposito rewound the video, to where he had it initially. Playing it, they saw Sergeant Wallace, wandering back and forth in front of the out of business offices, trying to find a place to peer in. He also, kept checking the doors. Then suddenly they saw him look down the street, and quickly start walking in the other direction, and then there in video frame, was two men dressed in black fatigues, clearly stalking Wallace.
"Wow! There was two of them, you can't really see their faces though, and their hats are pulled down pretty low. Do we have any other angles of them?" Castle asked.
"Nah, bro, I checked all the other videos and its weird, its like they appeared out of thin air at the end of the building and then just went after Wallace." Esposito stated.
"Hmm, it's like the conspiracy CIA black helicopters that roam major cities," Jake responded wistfully.
Both Castle and Beckett looked over at him with jaws open. Castle was the first to respond, "My sentiments exactly, good call Jake."
"I wasn't being serious Castle; chances are these guys are private military hired out to protect whatever is in that building. They carry themselves like ex-special forces," Jake informed them while narrowing his eyes at the screen. "It's gonna be a major SNAFU."
"Wallace was clearly investigating this, did he get any tips about it, what can you tell us about the sergeant?" Beckett asked Jake.
"Good man, better soldier. He was a crusader type. He believed in the greater good. He did mention something to me a couple weeks ago about some possible extracurricular activities going on at the base, but wasn't sure what. Maybe he was following some leads, before he brought me more evidence," Captain Murphy replied.
"Hmmm, Esposito, Ryan, anyway we can expand the time frame of video, maybe we'll see something else that can get us a solid lead. Castle, Jake, and I are going to head down to the morgue," Beckett said clearly in detective mode. She quickly wrote the new pertinent information on the murder board before, joining Castle and Jake by the elevator.
On the ride down Castle spoke, "If Wallace knew something that could get himself killed or was something pretty serious, why wouldn't he come to you as his commanding officer?"
"I don't know I give my guys some free reign. I don't believe in micro managing or being a control freak which sounds odd coming from someone in the military, but MPs are different. We're expected to think on our feet and not have to follow orders all the time," Jake replied clearly concentrating hard on what this could all mean.
Stepping off the elevator, the trio made their way into the morgue to see Lanie, as she also said she had something for them. Opening the door the M.E. looked up and saw the new addition to the team. With an appraising once over she said, "And who is this? I always like a man in uniform"
"Lanie!" Beckett scolded her friend, "This is my cousin, Captain Jake Murphy. Jake this is my friend Lanie Parrish and our resident medical examiner."
"Nice to meet you Dr. Parrish," Jake said offering his hand to her.
Taking his hand, Lanie giggled, "Nice to meet you too and please call me Lanie."
"Oh Esposito is so going to hear about this," Castle said smirking at the feisty M.E.
"I swear I'll make it look like an accident Castle," Lanie replied in a sing-song voice. Castle merely quirked an eyebrow at her.
"So Lanie, what have you got for us?" Beckett asked clearly anxious to hear what the M.E had to say.
"Well once I got him on the slab, I saw some bruising on his ribs definitely pre mortem. What's more interesting is what I found in his underwear," Lanie rattled off. Before she realized what she said, Castle jumped all over it, "Oh that's just gross Lanie, checking out a dead man's junk!" This earned eye rolls and incredulous stares from the other three in the room.
"Castle, that's just wrong. He had this taped to the inside of his underwear," Lanie said as she passed the note to Beckett.
"It's just a bunch of numbers, maybe accounts, coordinates," Beckett mused.
"Can I take a look at it?" Captain Murphy asked. Handing him the note, he quickly scanned it, closed his eyes, and let out a deep breath.
"What's wrong?" Castle, Beckett, and Lanie all asked at the same time.
"This is so not good. Its MP radio codes, and serial numbers," Jake responded.
"Care to explain," Beckett asked.
"Yeah, the codes are as follows, 10-39, 10-24, 10-32, 10-17, and 10-50. In order that means 'check vehicle or building,' 'suspicious person,' 'request MP officer on duty,' 'return to HQ,' and 'change frequency.'" Jake looked visibly shaken.
"So what does that mean?" Castle asked with excitement in his voice.
"If it's what I'm thinking it means, it means that, that building is being used by people in the military, probably in Fort Dix for not so legal purposes," Beckett countered.
"Yeah, that's how I took it as well," Jake said uneasily. "The other numbers are serial numbers some of have been crossed out, but I only recognize one," Jake continued.
"How come only one?" Castle asked.
"Because it's mine," Jake replied, "that's why Wallace probably never came to me. He probably thought I was involved, as well as these others."
"Jake, is that all? Is there nothing else you can tell us?" Beckett asked narrowing her eyes on her cousin and slipping into interrogation mode. "Jake I hate to do this, but where were you the other night between eleven and one am?"
"I got nothing to hide Kate," Jake said disappointed. "I was at the officer's club on base around that time."
"If I ask around and find out that some of these serial numbers match up to those at the officer's club, that's a pretty weak alibi," Kate said pressing Jake even more.
"Hey take it easy, he's family!" Castle said stepping in between the two.
"Doesn't mean he can't be a suspect!" Kate replied, angry that Castle intervened.
"Look Kate, I know you're just doing your job, but you have to trust me, I want justice for Wallace." Jake asked raising his hands.
Running her hands through her hair and looking at the two men, "Alright, I just hope you're both right. Anything else Lanie?"
Everyone had almost forgot the M.E. standing there watching in shock. "Ummm yeah, there's some other odd bruising on the top of his foot, see?"
Everyone looked at the odd squiggly lines, peppered with little red scabs. "What is that, needle marks? Was Wallace using drugs?"
"That's what I thought, so I ran a tox panel, but everything came back negative. Here let me show you," Lanie said grabbing a UV black light and shining it on Wallace's foot.
"Oh that is so freakin cool!" Castle exclaimed. There on Wallace's foot appeared a tattoo of a thirteen digit number.
Looking at Jake, Kate asked, "Any idea what those numbers mean?"
"Not really, but looks like an account of some kind," Jake replied stunned at the lengths Wallace went to try hide everything he knew.
"Thanks Lanie, let us know if you find anything else." Kate said concluding their visit to the morgue.
On the ride back up in the elevator, the tension was palpable and for once it wasn't between Beckett and Castle. Clearing his throat Castle said, "So what's next?"
Beckett looked over at him and then at Jake, "Well guys, looks like its time for a stakeout."
There you have it. Questions, comments, inquiries?