CHAPTER 10
Castle looks over the back seat to the driver "Look! I am Richard Castle. I am a mystery writer here on a book tour. This beautiful woman I was having a very private conversation with is Detective Kate Beckett of the New York police department. And she is my girlfriend and model for one of my main characters. We are not having an affair. Neither on of us is married. We are in a relationship that we have had to keep a secret due to problems that might occur at her work.
The driver is madly making notes about what Castle is saying
"So whatever illicit thing you thought you were capturing is not, what you were hoping for. Now, since I have almost unlimited legal resources, you might just consider what kind of a bad Storm (Castle looks over at Kate and grins about the "Storm" comment) I can unleash on you and your little television program. So if you know what is best for your financial position, I suggest you give me the recordings of what took place tonight. Do I make myself clear?"
The driver sits thinking for a moment "OK Mr. Castle. I guess I understand" He reaches under the front seat and pulls out a flash drive and hands it over to Castle.
Sir, I believe you made the wisest choice. So we are all clear on this. If I find out that there is another copy of this or if there is any posting or broadcast of what took place in this cab tonight you will be faced with some very serious legal issues. Do I make myself clear?"
The cab driver looks out the front window and after a moment's pause "Yes, I understand"
"Good. So we will be leaving now"
The driver looks at the meter. "Sir! That will be $19.45"
Castle looks toward the driver "Seriously? You are charging me for this? Here's twenty. Keep the change"
Castle and Beckett get out and walk toward the next corner. Fortunately the cab has brought them to within one block of the restaurant. They enter the front door and are greeted by the hostess "Good evening Mr. Castle. The rest of your party is already here. He leads the couple to a table near the rear of the restaurant. When they come close to their seats they see Sorenson and a woman sitting at the table.
"Hello Mr. Castle, Detective Beckett" Comes the words from Special Agent Jordan Shaw "glad to see you again detective. Well, I see that Mr. Castle is still OBSERVING you"
"Agent Shaw? Hello!" Beckett almost has to spit out the name. Kate remembers that Castle was somewhat smitten by her when they first met several years ago or more accurately smitten by her toys. "Are you involved in this case?
"Yes I am. I am here as a profiler to see if we can tie any of this together."
"Since you all know each other, it seems that we have the old team all back together again" Sorenson chimes in
Castle and Beckett sit down next to each other. Beckett starts the conversation "So! I guess you two have been working on this case for a while?"
"I was assigned to assist Agent Sorenson about two weeks ago when the fifth victim was connected to his case."
The server comes up and asks for drink orders. Castle tells the server that he knows what he wants. The two FBI agents had already ordered.
After ordering drinks and their meals, Beckett asks. "So what is the history of this case?"
Sorenson begins "the first victim happened here in Las Vegas. The second was in Los Angeles, then Houston, Chicago, and finally Portland. If we count your two in New York and the one this morning we have a total of eight. The only connection is the MO of the killing. Strange weapon and tossed from a building"
Castle is listening closely to the conversation "Is there anything else tying these victims to a common thread? Business, banking, high school, college, gym memberships? Anything at all?"
Shaw answers. "No! That is why the profile is almost impossible to pin down. I have tried everything I can think of to connect the dots. Nothing fits, so far. Since you became a witness, I am hoping that you and your odd ball thinking might twist this into one of your stories and come up with an answer"
"Well I can try. Can you get me the details on the other cases? I will get the information from the guys in New York and this latest case and we will see if something clicks."
Shaw tells Castle that she will gather the documents and bring them to Castle's hotel later this evening.
This whole time, Sorenson is looking at Beckett and not really paying attention to the conversation between Castle and Shaw. Beckett is not looking at Sorenson, but at Castle. She is totally oblivious to Will's focus on her. She glances over toward Shaw for a moment and decides that Shaw is smiling at Castle a little too much. Kate realizes that Shaw is flirting with Rick. She looks at Sorenson just in time to see a big smile come across his face. Maybe this dinner was not such a good idea. They should have kept it at the FBI office and not over an expensive meal.
"Agent Shaw, I think tomorrow will be fine for the case files. I don't need it tonight"
"Oh, I just thought we might get started earlier this way"
"No thanks. Tomorrow will be fine. Oh look here is our meals!" Castle is so glad the food has arrived. The rest of dinner is conducted with idle conversation about sports and what good shows they might see while in Vegas.
Castle pays the tab, over the objections of the two FBI agents, and they all walk out to the front.
"Well, Agent Shaw, Agent Sorenson. I guess we will talk to you two tomorrow" Beckett states.
Castle goes to hail a cab and bids goodnight to the two agents "Yes. We will all talk tomorrow Agent Shaw. We will be at a book signing early tomorrow so you can just leave the documents with the desk and I will get them when I return"
"OK Rick. We will see you tomorrow" Shaw responds
Castle did not notice that Agent Shaw had slipped a piece of paper into his jacket.
During the cab ride back to the hotel, Castle puts his arm around Kate as she puts her head on his shoulder. He whispers into her ear that he will not be discussing their love life out loud in a cab ever again. She laughs and agrees with his sentiment.
Back in their hotel room, they both change and go to the living room to have a glass of wine and unwind for on the couch. "Castle, what is on the agenda tomorrow?"
We go in the morning to Borders out on the north end of the strip and then to their store in the mall after lunch. Tomorrow night we are free and I got us some tickets to see Blue Man. Front row under the rain coats."
"I've never seen them live."
"You will love them Kate. They are so much fun to watch"
Kate Beckett is sitting, curled up against her man. Hum. Her man! She has never had someone she felt like calling Her Man before.
"Castle I am having a great time so far. So this is how you have lived your life before I came along?"
"No. This is not how I lived before. Before now I didn't have you with me. So I can't compare then and now because there is no comparison"
Kate puts her head on his shoulder. That warm feeling is coming around again. She then looks back up at Castle. "I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back" and stands to go to the bedroom
Just as she leaves the living room into the bedroom they hear KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! On the door
Beckett looks toward the door "Now who could that be?"
"I don't know" Castle says while getting up and walking over to the door. "Only hotel staff can even come to this floor"
When Castle opens the door he comments "OH! Hello Special Agent Shaw"