Very Castle Celebrations

Chapter 9

Castle is coming out of the restroom when he hears voices from around the corner. He easily recognizes the slight soprano edge of Patience's tones, but it takes him a moment to realize that the other speaker is Caspar. He leans against the wall, breathing as quietly as he can to eavesdrop. "Listen, Caspar, when you figured out who I am and asked for my help, I had no choice. And I admit that with the way Martha Rodgers gouges for her classes, I needed your money for tuition. I still don't understand what the hell she means by using your inner self to become the outer character. But I'm done with that. I want to get out of here; go to L.A. or San Francisco. That will take money - a lot of it."

Castle could almost hear Caspar sneer. "That's not my problem. You've already received way more than your talents deserve. The police are trying to figure out how Michael was poisoned. From what I've heard from the rest of my family, the cops haven't made it very far. But Richard Castle and that wife of his have been sniffing around. If it isn't complete media hype, they've broken lots of tough cases together, when the rest of the homicide squad couldn't find their asses with both hands. You were there when Michael died right in front of them. You must have slipped up somehow, given something away. If you want to try your luck on the West Coast, go right ahead, but you're not doing it on my dime."

The pitch of Patience's voice rises as her portrayal of Patton slips away. "If anyone gave anything away to Castle, it must have been you. He's been here. He signed up two days ago. He must have found out you're a member. You've screwed over both of us. Well, it should be easier for you to disappear. No matter how many Bloomingdales you knock off to try to build yourself up, you'll never be anything but a ghost of a man."

Castle waits until he hears two sets of footsteps retreat. It's a good thing he made a mental note of the location of back door to the club. He can leave without being seen. It's time for Kate to call in the boys.


For the first time in his life, Caspar Bloomingdale is trending on Twitter, but Castle doubts that the man is enjoying the publicity. According to what the boys told Kate, Caspar asked for his lawyer, then refused to say anything else. Normally that would be a smart move. Unfortunately for Caspar, he'll be getting no financial help from the other Bloomingdales. What funds he has will not be enough to hire the kind of legal wizardry he'd need to keep him out of prison for the rest of his life.

Ryan sent Kate the video of Patience's statement. It's apparent that Mother's teachings didn't penetrate very well. He has no doubt that the tearful remorse Caspar's accomplice expressed was real - about getting caught. She was more than willing to flip on Caspar. The D.A. will still need Castle's testimony as corroboration of Caspar's involvement, as well as any other evidence the boys can dig up.

Any annoyance Kate had about Castle's presence at Eloquent Gents seems to have been nullified by her satisfaction in seeing Caspar and Patience nailed. He'd suggest a case-closing celebration except for two matters. The first is that there are only a few days until Easter and even if the infant will never consciously remember, Castle still wants to make Jackson's first encounter with the fabled bunny special. That means outfitting the loft with all the trappings of springtime renewal as well as hiring one of Mother's students to play the fuzzy-tailed role. Hopefully, this disciple will be more talented and less homicidal.

The thing that is still tying his stomach in knots is Alexis' imminent transition to co-habitation. He and Kate will be having dinner with Cary's parents the night before the move takes place. He's never had a dinner with the family of any of Alexis' boyfriends go as planned yet, and this is the most serious relationship Alexis has ever had. If Castle blows it with the Edelmans, the glacier his daughter will become may not thaw for months or maybe even years.

The meal will be taking place at Meir's, a new kosher restaurant and one of the few culinary establishments in New York with which Castle has yet to gain familiarity. While Cary does not keep to religious dietary rules, apparently the more senior Edelmans do. Alexis' old schoolmate Buttons Dutton, who is majoring in early childhood development at Hudson University, will be babysitting for Jackson. She's made him her study and been to the loft a few times to take notes about his growth and behavior, so at least he and Kate don't have to worry about a stranger being with their son. Castle had also run a background check on the Duttons, back when Button's mother took the two girls on a tour of prospective colleges. Aside from incredibly bad judgment in the choice of appellations, the family has no lurking villainy.


Coming through the door to Meir's, Castle's nose immediately catches the savory aroma of slow-roasting brisket. At least the food will be edible. After he and Kate are seated to await the arrival of the rest of their party, he peruses the wine list. For the most part, the offerings are unfamiliar or at least don't mean what they usually do. Wines that hail from Carmel are from Israel, not California. There are also a number of vintages originating in Italy and Australia - not what he would have expected. Still, the designations are familiar, from Moscato to Lambrusco. Proper pairings shouldn't be difficult to figure out.

Alexis and Cary arrive before Isidore and Esther Edelman make their appearance. From the way his daughter is folding and unfolding her napkin, Castle can tell that she is as nervous as he is. Cary puts a reassuring arm around his girlfriend as his parents approach the table. Isidore, or Izzy, as he immediately requests to be called, looks like an older version of Cary. He's about 2 inches shorter, grayer and wearing the traditional yarmulke, but his eyes have the same spark. With perceptions long accustomed to the ferreting out the behind-the-scenes secrets of the theater, Castle can tell that Esther is wearing a wig. Her clothes fit perfectly but are subdued. Her appearance doesn't scream for attention, but he can detect both solidity and self-confidence. These are people who will not be wowed by the sizzle; they will judge by the steak - or at least the brisket.

Once the waiter has taken everyone's orders, Cary brings up the subject of the apartment he and Alexis will be sharing. Castle can see immediately that the Edelmans are no more enthusiastic about the idea than he is, but also like him, they are both trying to put a lid on their apprehensions as their children spread their wings. Castle notes that Izzy chuckles when Esther steers the conversation toward Cary's latest theories about pocket dimensions. If the romance between Cary and Alexis lasts, the Edelmans will be interesting people to get to know.

One thing Castle gleans from the evening is that Meir's is a gustatory discovery. Not only is the food expertly seasoned, but it's some of the best he's ever tasted. The Cabernet Sauvignon is also excellent. For the first time in Castle history, a meet-the-parents goes off without a major flub. He hopes it's a sign.