After the Vows

Jim Beckett's Journal

Chapter 8

Dear Johanna,

The kids, independently, got a break in the Donovan case. It is amazing how in synch they are even when they are working separately. Lanie has joked that they have a "shared brain." As I said before, the DNA on the body came from a sneeze. When Rick was going through the files he found a cop that Donovan had busted for taking unauthorized time off when he was supposed to be on patrol. Turns out the guy had massive allergies, pretty much to the point where he couldn't do his job. He was taking off time either when he couldn't function or was pursuing all sorts of medically questionable treatments. Somehow it clicked in Rick's mind that this might be someone who would sneeze on a body.

At the same time, Katie was interviewing one of the endless stream of possible suspects and the man had a sneezing attack. She put it together too. They both identified the same person! Their suspicions aren't even close to what it would take to get a warrant for the man's DNA, so they're putting together a scheme to get it without tipping him off. They haven't told me much about it, but I believe it involves a coffee shop. That makes a strange sort of sense. Rick has spent the last six years bringing Katie coffee. As I understand it, they're planning to execute the operation today. Hopefully that's some light at the end of the tunnel.

As to my own operations, they are coming along as I've previously described. J.J. Is indefatigable about the case. Unfortunately he is equally as determined to meet the kids. I've made it abundantly clear that they are up to their ears right now, but every so often he suggests buying them a quick coffee. One of the paralegals teased him about having obsessive Castle disorder. He laughed, but gave her a very strange look. Given my own obsession with baseball, you would think that I'd understand fan behavior, but I don't. However, J.J. is so good at his job, I can certainly tolerate an eccentricity.

We've had some real complications, other than the Donovan case, come up about Thanksgiving. First, Martha has been invited to give a preview of her play at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. As I'm sure you remember from our mornings watching it with Katie, usually Broadway musicals do numbers. Martha is not in a musical, but she has scored an interview with the hosts of a national morning show. In addition, Declan is one of the musicians who has been selected to play in the parade. I was not aware of it, but violin is far from the only instrument he plays. He has a passion for exotic strings and he will be playing something called an Indian banjo, accompanying a group of dancers doing something called Bollywood. I had never heard of either an Indian banjo or Bollywood before Alexis mentioned them, but apparently they've made their way into popular culture. Having a young person around does help to keep me from falling hopelessly behind the times. Alexis is determined to be there for both Declan and her grandmother, so we won't be able to do a family thing at least until the afternoon.

Unless something else comes up in the Donovan case, Rick thinks he can do most of the cooking, with possible help from Katie, depending on her work schedule. She is on call that morning. Rick has cooked turkeys before, apparently without incident, with one exception. Alexis told me that one year he tried to deep fry a turkey and the whole thing went very wrong. She wasn't in the room, which was probably fortunate, so she didn't know exactly what happened, but Rick singed his eyebrows off. Martha made him up for book signings until they grew back. Since then, Rick has been taking the slower but more conventional route of using an oven. He has a very large one in the loft. Given his tendency to go overboard on almost everything, he will probably get a turkey large enough to fit it. I think he has some sort of plan to distribute turkey sandwiches to the homeless though. I understand that he's done that before. His heart is as big as his oven. I've been told that Castle tradition dictates that Alexis provides dessert. She has done this since she was quite young, with, from what I hear, some interesting results at times. This year she will be doing her baking ahead and is planning a couple of different kinds of pie. Martha, never to be outdone, will be doing canapes ahead that she hopes to heat up when she gets back from the parade. I'll be contributing my corn casserole, as I did last year. I think everyone liked it or did a good job pretending that they did. One of the effects of Rick growing up without a father is that he isn't much of a sports fan, so at least we don't have to worry about football games. He does love dress up, so much so that last year as a joke, he convinced Katie that the whole family dresses up for the meal. She came as Pocahontas in deerskin. She looked beautiful but was not at all amused that Castle had put one over on her. She got him back, making him wear a pilgrim outfit. I don't think he minded except that he got gravy all over the sleeves and had a substantial dry cleaning bill. As far as I know, no costume play is planned for this year, but I would never count Rick or Katie out. They could come up with something.

Regardless of what anyone cooks or anyone wears, we have a real determination to make a family holiday work, regardless of the obstacles. I can't even begin to describe how that feels. I haven't felt anything like it since our last holiday together. I have just buried any feelings about the holidays for so long. After we lost you, I hid in my cabin over the holidays every year, except for last Thanksgiving, when I was lending some support to Katie. Until Katie became Castle's lover, she spent every Christmas on duty, filling in for other cops who wanted to be with their families. I don't know if she even thought about Thanksgiving until she was engaged to Rick last year. But this year - this year my love, there is so much joy. I wish you were here to see it. Maybe you can.

Forever love,

JB