Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews. I real appreciate it. Again, if you have any suggestions about how to make the story better PM me or put it on your review. Thanks! Enjoy!
Cross walked into the bullpen and up to the circle of detectives who surrounded the murder board.
"There you are. We were waiting for you." Castle exclaimed.
"What did Lanie say?"
"Cause of death is strangulation, time of death is 1-3pm, and Lanie found a partial on the neck. Also, further examination showed that she fought back." Cross briefed the team.
"Ok. Well the father is in the interrogation room, whenever your ready." Beckett said.
"So what do we have on him?"
"His name is Patrick Harris. Harris is 45 years-old. At the moment he is on probation for domestic violence and an assault charge he received 3 months again. He and Natalie were married in 2002. Throughout the marriage there was domestic violence but, she never pressed charges on him due to the fact that he was the only one bringing in an income at the time. Natalie filed for divorce 6 months ago and was finalized 2 months ago." Esposito informed.
"Is he in the will?"
"No he isn't. The parents and the daughter are."
"Ok. Where did you get this information at?" Cross asked wondering.
"The grandparents."
"So what are you thinking motive is?"
"Well… he was not allowed to his daughter and she was filing for a restraining order. So maybe he killed her before it was filed." Beckett thought.
"Maybe, he was drunk." Castle intervened.
"Well I'm ready."
Cross turned and walked into the interrogation room while the others went into observation. There sat an unshaven, middle aged man sitting with his arms crossed.
"Patrick Harris."
"Yea"
"My name is Detective James Cross. How are you?"
"Quit the chit-chat. I know why I'm here."
"Ok. Why are you here?"
"Because you cops are trying to get me in trouble again. My bitch of an ex wife is trying to put me in jail. Just because she and that girl…"
"That girl is your daughter. Watch your mouth. Tell me, why did you abuse your family." He asked putting air quotes around the word family.
"I'm an alcoholic. Ok. I cannot control myself when those little bastards don't do what I say."
"And that justifies your actions?" Cross yelled, raising his voice an octave.
"Of course it does!"
"Well what justifies murder?"
"Murder?! I didn't kill anyone!"
"Really? Because your ex-wife was murdered and your daughter found the body." Cross said sliding a picture of a dead Natalie Fitzgerald across the table. "What do you say about that?"
"I'd say the bitch got what she deserved." He said calmly.
In the blink of an eye, as swift as a tiger, Cross had Harris face down on the metal table.
"You are supposed to protect your daughter! You took a mother from her child! You son of a bitch!" He raised Harris's head by the collar of his shirt and smashed his head into the table.
Harris fell onto the floor, groaning in pain, holding his head in his hands. Esposito and Ryan burst through the door grabbing Cross by his arms and pulling him out of the room.
"What the hell was that?" Beckett asked, her voice attracting the stares of the detectives.
"That? That was me holding back on that sorry waste of life!"
"Take a walk."
"What?"
"Take a walk. Come back when you're calmed down and you have your emotions under control."
Cross turned and trudged to elevator. A look of anger on his face as the doors slid close.
Beckett turned to Castle,"Call Lanie and tell her to come up and check Harris for a concussion. I'll go get him a water."
"Got it."
The phone in the morgue drew both women out of their paperwork.
"Lanie."
Silence.
"Yea. Uh-huh. I'll be right up."
She hung up.
"Who was that?" Alexis inquired.
"Your father."
"My dad? Why was he calling?"
"Apparently, one of their suspects could have a concussion."
"What? How did that happen?"
"I don't know. I'll be back."
"Dr. Parish!"
"What? You want to come don't you?"
She shook her head yes.
"Come on."
Alexis hurriedly got up and raced after Lanie to the elevator.
"So what happened?" Alexis asked her father while watching Lanie examine the suspect from the observation room.
"Cross smashed his head into the table."
"What! Why would he do that?"
"He said that the mother got what she deserved. Beckett told him to take a walk."
Alexis stood there stunned her mind racing with possibilities of where he could be.
"Do you think he will press charges?"
"Hopefully, not."
Lanie came through the doors of the observation room.
"So?"
"He has a mild concussion. He'll have a headache for a while but he should be okay."
"Ok. Castle let's go." Castle walked out of the room and into interrogation with Beckett.
"Mr. Harris, I am sorry for what happened to you. Now can you tell us where you were this morning between 12-3pm?"
Silence.
"Mr. Harris?"
"I want my lawyer."
"I'm giving you a chance Mr. Harris. Where were you?"
He leaned on the table and said,"I want my lawyer."
Castle and Beckett stood and walked out meeting Esposito and Ryan at her desk.
"He wants a lawyer."
"Great, so rookie probably ruined our only chance of getting him to talk." Esposito said.
"I don't think he is our guy." Castle vocalized.
"It's getting late how 'bout we start up again tomorrow morning?"
"Ok. Have a good night." The boys said in unison.
Beckett sat down at her desk, Castle sitting in his chair.
"So how's Alexis and Pi?" Beckett asked.
"Arguing constantly. On the verge, I think." He said with a grin. "Why?"
"No reason."
"Why?" He pleaded with her.
"Because Castle, have you not seen the way she looks at Cross. It's the spitting image of how you looked at me for the first two years."
"I know and I don't like it."
"Why?"
"Because he is dangerous and my little girl will not date someone like that."
"It's not your decision."
"I know and that scares me."
"Come on. Enough dwelling on something that probably won't even happen. Let's go home, kitten."
"That's not fair!" He stood in a hurry catching up just in time to wrap his arms around her in the elevator, kissing her softly.