Previously:
She heard Espo clear his throat nervously.
"So we processed the scene, Lanie took the body, and we've been following up leads over here…" Javi trailed off, apprehension audible in his voice.
Kate was getting frustrated with this cat and mouse game. If they had something, they just needed to tell her.
"Well, what have you got Espo? Do I have to wring it out of you? What's the big deal?"
"Beckett…"
Espo paused.
"Kate. We have his name."
Kate's gut twisted. How had they gotten a name so fast? Was he in the system? They didn't usually get ID's this quickly…ever.
"You have his name."
"Yeah…"
"Care to share with the class Esposito?"
Kate didn't keep the annoyance from her voice. It clipped her words, and she could imagine Espo cringing at her tone.
"Sorry Beckett. His name's…um… Edward Dupree."
Dupree? Why did she know that name? Think Kate, think…
Suddenly it clicked. Kate's stomach dropped and she almost let go of the phone.
"Edward Dupree? Any relation to Thomas Dupree?"
"Yeah Beckett. It's his brother..."
The information hit her hard and sent her stumbling towards a vacant bench. Damn. I thought we were done with this case…
The call had come in a few months back. One of those calls that every detective dreads. A cop had been killed. One of their own.
She had been called out to the scene early in the morning. The officer's wife had found him dead on the kitchen room floor, bled out from a bullet wound to the chest. Kate knew it was going to be a bad one; when it came to cop killers, it was personal. Castle hadn't made any of his usual quips, and had kept quiet most of the morning. Even he seemed to be taking the murder personally.
A week of chasing down leads and running the officer's old case files had finally panned out; they picked up a small-time arms dealer by the name of Thomas Dupree. It was rather open and shut: He didn't have a solid alibi, had old beef with the officer, and his prints were at the scene. When they arrested Thomas Dupree from his apartment in Manhattan, he had gone willingly, almost as if he knew they would come to get him.
Kate hadn't given the case another thought…until now.
"That son of a…" Beckett slammed her hand down on the bench in frustration. Even from the grave Thomas Dupree was screwing with their lives.
"Yeah I know Beckett. Ryan and I are running through a timeline of Edward's movements these past few weeks. Apparently since his brother died, he's quit his job, packed up all his things, and fallen off the grid. Lanie's about to start the autopsy. I'll call you if we find anything."
"Thanks, Espo."
"And…uh…Beckett?"
"Yeah?"
"How's Castle…how's he doing?"
Kate shut her eyes and let a breath out slowly.
"He's…um he's okay. He's out of surgery now. The doctor says he's stable, but they have to watch him for the next day or so. Espo…the things that man did to him…"
Kate trailed off, emotion making her throat thick. Her mind raced through all the injuries she saw on Castle, all the information the doctor told her. Yeah, his luck had definitely run out this time.
"Bastard. If that sick SOB was still alive…"
The threat in Esposito's voice mirrored her own thoughts. The man's death had been too easy, too painless. Her bullet to his chest was a small price to pay for the pain he caused Castle.
"I'll let you know if anything changes. Later, Espo."
She hung up the phone and bit back the tears stinging her eyes. Talking about it made it seem all the more real. When he was hidden behind medical jargon and hospital room doors, Castle's condition seemed far away and intangible. But when she had to explain it to Espo… Kate's chest hurt and she pressed a palm to the place right above her scar. Her breathing quickened and she willed the storm of emotions coursing through her to subside.
Beneath her palm, she felt her heartbeat begin to slow and felt the pressure on her chest dwindle. She opened her eyes and saw her breath mist in the cool night air. Beckett ran a hand through her hair and rose to her feet. She walked unhurriedly back through the hospital doors, lost deep in thought.
Edward Dupree. Thomas Dupree. Killed in prison. Brother bent on revenge. This was all because of revenge. Major blood loss. Broken bones. Skull fracture. Concussion. Castle, sitting in the chair, blood coating his face and chest, looking at her with pain and betrayal in his sea blue eyes. The shot ringing out...Castle saved her life…
Beckett sank slowly in to a waiting room chair and stared off in to space.
"Kate."
Beckett blinked dazedly and looked around, searching for the source of her name. Her eyes fell on Martha, who stood before her with a cup of coffee extended in her direction.
"Dear, I brought you some coffee. I wasn't sure if you wanted any but-"
"No, Martha, this is great. Thank you." A small smile lit her face as she looked in to Martha's blue eyes. Those blue eyes that were just like Rick's.
Martha took the seat next to Kate and they sipped their bitter hospital coffee in silence.
Movement drew Kate's attention from the steam rising from the coffee. Alexis hurriedly took the seat next to Martha, her face drawn and pale. She turned her head to look at Kate, red hair swirling around her shoulders. Kate looked in to Castle's daughter's eyes and saw pain, anguish, and fear. What this young girl had seen in that room had shaken her to her core. Kate looked then to Martha, and back to Alexis.
"Go, Kate."
Kate looked confusedly at Martha. She searched in those deep blue eyes for any sense of hesitation or misgivings. But she could find none. Martha gave her a warm smile.
"Go, dear. I'll see him a bit later. I'm going to refill my coffee anyways and grab a bite to eat for Alexis and I. But, if he does wake up, dear, have a nurse come get me?"
Kate nodded blankly at Martha. She rose stiffly to her feet. It was as if she had to force her feet forward…all of a sudden she felt like bolting and running far away from this hospital. Kate froze in the middle of the waiting room, tentative and unsure. She didn't think she could see him looking like that again. She wasn't sure she could take it…
Martha noticed the young detective's hesitation. Handing her coffee to Alexis, she stood up and walked up behind Kate. Gently, she placed a hand on the detective's shoulder. She felt the young woman jump at her touch.
"Go Kate. He would want you there, even if he weren't aware of it. Don't run away and hide from him again. I don't think he could bear it."
Martha gave a reassuring squeeze to Kate's shoulder, than the mothering trace was gone. Drawing in a deep breath, Kate took a tentative step forward. I won't run. I won't hide. I'll be here for him. I won't turn my back on him this time.
She took another step, than another. Before she knew it, she was down the hall. Kate glanced behind her back towards the waiting room. She saw Martha with her arms around Alexis, consoling the young woman. Suddenly the older Castle's bright blue eyes locked with hers, and Martha gave her an encouraging nod.
Kate turned back around, and searched for signs leading to Castle's room. After a turn, and down another long hallway, she found herself in front of his room. She stood motionless, unsure if she should knock or just go in. Her hand wrapped lightly around the door handle. Anxious butterflies flitted in her stomach, and Kate bit her lip. You can do this. Don't run away. He needs you.
She pressed uncertainly down on the door handle and pushed the door open.