A LOVE LETTER
Castle takes a deep breath before continuing. "Actually several love letters."
Kate stares at Castle "Several love letters? I don't understand. From who to whom?"
"Actually from me to you"
Rick kneels down next to Kate and looks directly into her eyes. He then has to look away or he knows he will not be able to finish what he is going to tell her if he has to see her tear up.
"When I met you back 4 years ago, I was smitten with you. I was a goner. But I also knew I was not the guy for you. I was way too full of myself. You are too grounded. I had too many parties to go to, too much booze, and too many women. You deserved a real man. A good man. One that would be there for you and no one else. One who would never, never disappoint you. Always be home for supper. A good husband. Possibly a good dad if you wanted children. A good man without baggage. I was nothing but baggage"
Castle was right, Beckett's eyes were filling with tears.
"So, I decided to write a love letter to you. I knew you would never see it, but that's ok. After I wrote it, I realized how arrogant I sounded. So I tore it up and wrote a real love letter as if I stood a chance with you. Then every so often I wrote another, then another, then another.
Kate is just staring at Rick in disbelief. "How many are there?"
"I never counted them. There are several. Let me get them out of the drawer and I will dispose of them"
Kate blocks the drawer "Oh! No! you will not. I want to read them"
"Kate please, I am afraid if you do, you might leave and never come back"
"Rick, I promise there is nothing that could possibly be in those letters that will drive me away. EVER!"
Beckett opens the drawer and removes the envelope leaving the small box. Castle quickly reaches in and takes the box out and puts it in his jacket pocket.
He tells Beckett they need to leave and they walk out into the living room. They have been in such a discussion, they did not hear the doorbell ring. Alexis opens the door to the limo driver, turns to her dad and Beckett, "see you two tomorrow, OK?"
Kate says "Tomorrow"
Rick chimes in "See you tomorrow, pumpkin"
Castle and Beckett head out to the garage, get into the Escalade and head out to Kate's father's cabin in upstate New York. Rick asks if there is a good grocery store for them to stop off and pick up the items for dinner. Kate's tells him there is great store only a few miles from the destination so Rick heads for the highway and away from the evils of the city.
After they get on the road, Beckett opens the envelope not really sure what she will find inside. She did tell Castle that nothing in these letters will cause a problem between them. She hopes she was right. She knows early on that Castle was pretty much a bad boy, but not so much anymore. The reading might make the trip go faster. She takes the stack of letters out.
The letters are hand written. Unusual for a professional writer who normally does his work on a computer, or years ago, a typewriter. Each one is dated or at least the month and year so she can follow a time line.
March 8, 2009
Dear Detective Beckett,
I just met the most interesting woman in the world. You Detective Beckett, NYPD.
I never really saw police officers as anything except an obstacle in my way when I was trying to research a book. But you, however, came to me for my help and taught me a lot.
I was really impressed with how you handled the information that came to you. You had to follow the leads wherever they went. You could not decide up front who did it? You followed the path presented to you and made your decision on the evidence and nothing else.
I on the other hand could always rewrite the story to fit what I wanted to happen. You taught me that it was more important to see the events from the eyes of the victims. The people who were hurt by the murder. The ones who had lost a loved one, not some mindless character written in a book.
Thank you for teaching me these things. I really needed it at this time in my life.
I am truly sorry for bringing up your past. Especially anything to do with your mother.
I still think we could have had a great time it you had gone out to dinner with me.
Sincerely,
Richard Edgar Castle
Kate finished reading the letter and thought that if this was an example of the other letters, she will have no issues with what he has written.
Well there are several more to go.
April 1, 2009
Dear Detective Beckett,
I must admit having seen you arrive at my reading wearing "That Dress" caused my heart to skip several beats.
I had to catch my breath and did in fact have to mentally regroup before I was able to finish.
I assume you know how incredibly sexy you are. If not someone has failed in giving you that compliment.
I was going to ask you out to diner again that night, but my mother and daughter came over an interrupted my plans.
Then she brought up the Nikki Heat name and things just went down hill from there.
Phooey!
Sincerely,
Richard Castle
Kate finished that letter and again mundane enough. The next letter was written just a few days later.
Dear Detective Beckett,
Seeing you arrive at my loft in the dress mother and I picked out for you ball was almost more than I could handle. You were the most ravishingly beautiful woman there. You made me proud to say that you were my date for the evening. I must admit we must go to more charity balls together.
Thank you,
Richard Castle
Kate notices that the salutations and closings are changing just a little with each letter.
November 2009
Dear Katherine Beckett,
Tonight my life changed. I have had many, many release parties over the years, but none of them came close to what happened tonight.
At this release party for first "Nikki Heat Novel" ,,,
YOU SHOWED UP ! !
I couldn't believe my eyes. There you were. Walking into my party in all your radiant beauty. I can honestly say I was awe struck. Paula, my publishing agent stopped me to tell me about the British book deal and all I could do was look at you. Regrets are going thru my mind about leaving Nikki Heat, but more importantly, I do not want to leave YOU! "Kate Beckett".
When we spoke, I had to change the subject from you and the dedication of the book to the current case just to keep my mind where it needed to be. Not on looking at you and wanting you, but matters important to you. Your cases.
Later when we were saying our goodbyes thinking the shadowing was finished, I wanted so bad to kiss you, but I thought better of it. I do really know what type of a CAD I am and you need someone better than me and anyway. I will be gone
That still does not stop me from loving you though.
There I have said it NOW!
Rick Castle
So Kate now is beginning to see what Rick was alluding to in his concern about the words in the letters.
March 2010,
Dear Kate Beckett,
What can I say? Your apartment is blown up and I thought I had lost you. Even though this would have been a perfect time for me to catch a feel or see you naked, I could not bring myself down to that level.
My only interest was taking care of you and getting you safe. No more, no less.
Kate, you have me. Hook, line, and sinker.
Richard
Kate suddenly realizes they are almost to the store where they need to get groceries.
She tells Rick where to turn off the highway and where the store is located.
When they arrive, she goes in with him so she can see the owner and his wife. They have been running this store all their lives. Still married after more than 50 years. Everyone in the area knows them and their story. All about children, grandchildren and from what her dad has told her great-great grandchildren.
Kate hopes she can have such a story to tell later in life. Maybe she still can, who knows.
