Summer Mix

Chapter 9

Mop and Broom

"What is going on?" Broom asked. "What were you doing out there?"

"Beckett was interrogating a suspect," Mop answered. "You know how she can go all bad ass when she gets mad. Well they brought me in there to mop up some water that got spilled. The table was tipped over. I'm guessing she did it."

"What's so special about this suspect?" Broom inquired.

"Well, I'm not 100% sure," Mop explained. "But I heard Javi and Ryan in the Men's Room. There's always something to clean up in there. They were talking about a body that was found with ice skates on. It turns out that it was Alexis Castle's boyfriend. Anyway, for some reason Beckett thinks it has something to do with what happened to Castle."

"That would make smoke come out of her ears," Broom commented. "Did Beckett get anywhere with the interrogation?"

"I don't think so," Mop answered. "I heard Scary Lady telling her to cool down and threatening to send her home if she didn't. Oooh, I think I hear Beckett and Castle coming now."

"There's someone coming ahead of them," Broom said as the door opened and a hand reached for his handle.

"Someone dropped donuts on the floor of the break room again," Broom reported as he was returned to his spot. "So tell me what went on with Beckett and Castle."

"You hated to miss that, didn't you?" Mop gloated. "Well actually I think Castle brought her in here intending to calm her down, as Scary Lady said."

"But?" Broom asked excitedly.

"Well, it was Beckett and Castle," Mop answered. "Castle took her in his arms and kissed her hair. It looked like he just intended to hold her."

"They have been doing that a lot lately," Broom interjected.

"Yes they have," Mop agreed, "but you know those two. One thing led to another."

Broom's straws swayed against the floor. "Like what?"

Mop's handle swayed. "You really are incorrigible!"

"Oh c'mon," Broom said. "You know you want to talk about it. Was it hot?"

"If you mean hot under the collar, at least to start with, yes," Mop told him. "Beckett was really upset. Castle was trying to joke her out of her mad a little bit, but when that wasn't working he decided to kiss her out of it instead."

"Finally!" Broom exclaimed. "So then what happened? Did they do the up against the door thing that he likes?"

"No, you know the pile of slip covers in the corner?"

"Oh yeah," Broom said, "They used them to cover the couches in the lieutenant's office downstairs and the public waiting area until someone donated new furniture."

"That was Castle, you know," Mop informed him.

"I didn't know," Broom answered, "but get back to the subject."

"Okay," Mop continued, "they just used the pile of slip covers and got into it, pretty much the usual. They kissed until they got hot and then got into matters more deeply."

"Cute," Broom said.

"Beckett seemed to feel better afterward and Castle gave her a final kiss and they left," Mop finished.

"Did they say what's going to happen to the suspect?" Broom asked.

"No, but Castle said something about the FBI. I have no idea what's going to happen with that. Is somebody else coming?"

"That sounds like Javi and Dr. Lanie. I wonder what she's doing here?" Broom mused.

"You should pay attention," Mop told hm. "She and Beckett are best friends. I wouldn't be surprised if Castle called her, or Beckett called her herself. I don't see Javi not taking advantage of an opportunity if it presented itself."

"Shut up!" Broom exclaimed. "I want to listen."

"What did you think?" Mop asked as the door closed behind a departing Esposito and Parish.

"I think I'm disappointed," Broom complained. "Almost all they did was talk. Just a couple of kisses! What was that?"

"That was them being concerned about their friends," Mop scolded. "Lanie said that the murder victim was very expertly killed with a single knife thrust. That suggests a very well trained and dangerous killer. If he's after Castle or Beckett or any of Castle's family that's bad."

"That is bad," Broom agreed. "What was that?"

"It sounded like a gunshot!" Mop answered.


"It's been really quiet," Broom complained. "Nobody's taken us out and no one's been in here for hours."

"A little rest isn't bad," Mop replied.

"It's boring!" Broom grumbled. "Wait, I hear somebody now."

"Wasn't that the same creepy cop we saw talking in here before? The one who was talking about Castle?" Mop asked.

"It was," Broom agreed.

"I didn't really understand what he was talking about this time. What do you think that was all about?" Mop asked.

"He said something about a lock down and a loose end being taken care of. He also said something about scrutiny preventing him from doing anything further," Broom answered.

"What's a lock down?"

"You really don't pay attention, do you?" Broom replied. "When something bad happens they don't let anyone in or out of the precinct, that's called a lock down. They also try to make sure they know where everyone is and keep anyone who doesn't have to from moving around too much. That's probably why it's been so quiet."

"Something bad like what?" Mop asked.

"A shooting," Broom replied. "It could be about the gunshot we heard."

"Do you think Creepy Cop shot someone?" Mop asked.

"I don't know," Broom answered, "but it's possible. I don't like this. Oooh, I think I hear Beckett and Castle again. At least neither one of them got shot."

"Wow, That was something!" Mop exclaimed. "Beckett threw that door open hard enough to make all the shelves vibrate. I think a few of the sponges took a tumble"

"I don't know who was more upset, Beckett or Castle. What was Beckett saying about losing their only lead?"

"I think the lead was whoever got shot," Mop speculated. "I bet that was the loose end Creepy Cop was talking about. He was afraid whoever it was would spill something to Beckett, and shot him."

"Why would a cop shoot someone who's a lead in Castle and Beckett's case?" Broom asked.

"I don't know," Mop told him, "but I think this is very bad."