VII

Rick Castle was nothing but courteous. He excused himself as he left the captain's office and it was then he noticed the slack jawed look on both of their faces. But now as he walked past them there were calls he needed to make, one being very serious. He looked at Roy and he knew from his poker face he could tell that he was wondering where he was going with this, but he kept silent.

Kate on the other side of the spectrum was wondering what was up as well. She thought he would jump at the chance of telling him that she could stay with him until the case was at least at a level that she could return to her place, but he just passed her by with a second thought.

Rick was trying not to show how he was feeling. He had mixed feelings about her and he could not let it show. He drew out his cell phone and dialed a number without looking at the keypad. This number had been implanted in his mind from about a year ago. He uttered one phrase:

"She is aware. The ruse is no longer viable. Fall back to the safe location. Bring all intel to this location. I'll be in touch before the day is done."

When he finished the call they were still in his office talking to each other. This was good because he did not want to explain what he was keeping from her. He ended the call and pulled up his next contact. The one that mattered more than the first call. Hitting send he waited for the call to connect. It did.

"Mother?"

"Richard? What's wrong?"

"Mom, listen Kate's apartment is now officially a crime scene. I know that you and Alexis live at the loft but I need to know if it will be a problem if she stays with us for about a months time?"

"Richard, are you seriously asking me if Kate can live in YOUR loft for thirty days?"

"Well yes mother, why else would I be calling?"

"Richard it's not me you should be asking. Immediately hang up this phone and call Alexis. Calmly explain what you are asking. Then tell her that I am in agreement with what you want to do."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Richard mothers know about things like this. Call her!"

"Okay mom. I'll talk to you later. Goodbye."

As the both of them watched, he spoke with who they thought was his mother, he ended the call and dialed a second number. They both looked at each other with questioning looks.

"Hello, dad."

"Hello, daughter."

"What's happened now? Are you okay? Are you in the hospital? The pokey? You never call me in the middle of the day." Alexis fired questions at him like a pro.

"Alexis, everything's fine. I'm calling because I need to ask you a question."

"Okay, dad what is it?"

"You can say no because you are part of this family and you have a say in this." Rick said crossing his fingers.

"Dad out with it."

"Kate's cousin was murdered. Her home is now a crime scene and she can't stay there because of NYPD regs. So wold it be alright if she stayed with us for a month or longer if need be?"

There was only silence as he finished his request. Now while it was awkward at first, it now became more painful as the call went on. Then he heard rustling in the background.

"Dad, I guess it's okay. Are you finally going to talk to her?"

"ALEXIS! Not good. Please do not mention this again! I'll talk to her when I'm ready."

"Dad, your ready now. You should not put off the inevitable."

"Yeah, maybe your right Pumpkin. Thanks for being okay with this."

"Come on dad she is practically family."

"Thanks, Alexis. I love you."

"Right back atcha dad."

Rick ends the call and heads back to Roy's office. As he gets closer he sees that they have been watching him approach. He re-enters the office. Roy looks at Kate and they have the same looks on their faces. One of expectation.

"Well?" They both ask.

"Well, I needed to ask Alexis if it was okay that you stay with us. This impacts her as well."

"Again we ask WELL?"

"Yeah she's okay with it. I just need to swing by her school and pick her on the way back Kate."

"Rick we need to make going back to my place the priority first. After I get what I need I am not allowed to be anywhere near my place. Can we get Alexis after we do this?"

"Of course Kate. So are we ready to go?"

Roy stops Kate's forward motion and tells her...

"Kate, there will be no sneaking back to get into your place. I will have a uniform on your front door and one on the fire escape just for good measure. So don't get ANY ideas. If you defy me that I'll have no other recourse to suspend you without pay. I'm serious about this Kate. You've been warned."

"Understood Captain. Rick let's go." As Kate leads the way Rick looks over to Roy. He has a look on his face that he can't read. He knows him but apparently there is something that he is not telling him. He thinks back to his initial phone call and wonders if he knows something as well. The ride is short. As the cab pulls up to Kate's apartment Rick tells her that they need to be in and out quickly. No wasting time. Get what she needs and get out.

"Kate, do you want me to come in with you?"

"Rick I can do this faster without you touching everything in my place. I promise to be quick. Wait here?"

"Okay." She exits the cab and he watched as she climbs the steps of the stoop. She enters the building and he pulls out his phone once again. He dials the same number he did in the precinct. The call connects.

"Are you at the primary location?"

"I am." a deep baritone voice replies.

"Alright. Take all the files, set them up on the board and then run through her cousin's life. And I mean run everything! I want to know how long she was here for, when she arrived back, and if she had any contact with the alpha target. What she was supposed to be working on has no reason for her being back here in the states. How did we miss this?"

"Maybe she came in under an alias. Her passport was not flagged at any of the airports in the country."

"And yet she ends up dead here in New York."

"Listen, I'll run everything you need. When will you be able to get here?"

"That's going to be a problem."

"Why, just tell Alexis that you have a case and there's your excuse."

"Mike, Kate is staying at the loft with me. Her place is a crime scene now. Cop, Regs, get the picture?"

"Yeah you're officially screwed now."

"Shut up! I'll get there as soon as I can. Listen she's coming gotta go."

Rick ends the call just as Kate opens the door to come down the steps of her apartment. She pulls open the cab's door open and slides in alongside Rick.

"So, got everything?"

"I think so. It's hard to gauge what you need in less than ten minutes. I grabbed what I could. The only problem is that Montgomery must have called the uni there and she followed me everywhere. So I only took what I needed. But I did manage to grab my sheer black teddy and matching panties. She thought to herself.

Rick gave the cabby the address to Alexis' school and after they picked her up his loft was next. Before long they were at the loft.