CHAPTER 11

"The boys are onto us," Kate said as she drove to the loft.

"You think?" Rick asked.

"Didn't you see how they questioned us? Like they knew something was up, but not what it exactly was."

"You're right."

"I don't know how they could have gotten onto us, though," Kate said. "I haven't even told Lanie. I knew she couldn't keep it a secret from Espo. And then he would tell Ryan. Before we knew it, the whole precinct would know."

"How much do you think they know?"

"They know we have something to tell them, but they don't know what it is," Kate said. "We just have to keep it that way for a few more days. Until we solve the case."

"Do you think there's enough in those papers to make an arrest?" Castle asked.

"I hope so. If there's not, I don't see any way we could have enough evidence to bring charges."

Kate lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, She couldn't sleep. Castle had fallen asleep hours ago.

"You're thinking too hard, Kate," his voice in the darkness startled her.

"I thought you were asleep," she said.

"I know you, Kate. I can practically hear the wheels in your head turning. So, tell me," he rolled onto his side to face her, "what's wrong?"

"Is it right to worry, Castle?"

"About what?"

"About everything. About our kid. Every day, I have to tell people that their son or daughter or mother or father is dead. And I've worked kidnappings. I see what those parents go through, even when we find the kid alive. It was hard enough to watch you go through that with Alexis and I just..."

"Kate, worrying's a natural part of being a parent. I mean, Alexis is twenty years old now. I still worry about her. I worried about her before Paris and I worry about her now, even though she's shown me over and over again that she's fine."

"I just don't want to go through everyday of my life worrying about whether he's okay at school or whether I'm going to come home that night. I can't live that way, Castle."

"I know. Do you remember that ancient mummy case?"

"Yeah, the one where you thought you were cursed."

"That was the first case where the danger was obvious to me. I knew when I started shadowing you that I would be in some dangerous situations, but during that case, I really started thinking of what would happen to Alexis if something happened to me. But just knowing that she was expecting me to walk through the door that night got me through a lot. It helped me keep my head."

"Thanks, Castle," Kate curled up against his side.

"Always," he kissed her hair. "Now, sleep, Kate."

The next day, Tuesday, was rather pedestrian. Castle was in court most of the day and Beckett spent the day writing reports and doing paperwork.

Late in the afternoon, while the boys were gone, Beckett went to see Gates.

"Sir?" Beckett rapped on the door.

"Come in."

"Could I talk to you a moment?"

"Of course," Gates removed her glasses and faced Kate. "What is it?"

Beckett sat in one of the leather chairs facing Gates's desk. "It's something personal. I need some time off soon."

"Oh?"

"With the trial and now the case, Castle and I thought best if we left New York for a little while."

"What does your case have to do with it?"

"Well, it seems that our victim owed a lot of money to a Chinese tong. When he got fired from his job, they attacked his ex-girlfriend outside the Old Haunt to send a message, which is the trial Castle's involved with. Our vic couldn't pay back the money he owed so they forced him to help them. When he tried to blackmail the tong so he could escape, they killed him."

"He's worried about your safety?" the captain guessed.

"Actually, sir, I'm more worried about his. But, either way, we just decided it would be in our best interests to leave town, go off the grid, just until everything blows over."

"Are you sure it's necessary?" Gates asked tactfully. "Don't mistake me, Beckett. I'll grant you time off if you want it, but both you and Mr. Castle have investigated potentially life-threatening cases before."

"Sir, I've heard rumors about tongs. They are brutal and ruthless. They make millions of dollars every year from smuggling and illegal gambling, among other activities and they are not above removing anyone who stands in the way of their payday. Normally, I wouldn't be so paranoid, but there's more than just the two of us in the equation now," Kate finished.

Gates smiled. "When are you leaving?"

"Castle said as soon as the trial is over, so probably in a week or so."

"How long do you think you'll be gone?"

"I don't know. Hopefully, just a few weeks. We have a source who's working with the Organized Crime Task Force out of the Twentieth. She said she's willing to help them bring down the organization."

"Well, I wish you the best, Detective. Your desk will be waiting for you when you return," Gates stood and clasped Beckett's hand.

"Thank you, sir," Kate smiled broadly and left. Only to be confronted with Ryan and Esposito.

"You looked pretty cozy with Gates just now," Esposito said.

"Almost like you were sealing some kind of deal," Ryan added. "It couldn't have anything to do with that thing you and Castle have to tell us, could it?"

"No," Beckett said, walking to the Murder Board. "I was just updating her on the case."

"Right," Esposito said sarcastically. "That's why you're smiling."

"Where have you guys been?" Kate asked to change the subject.

"We just checked in with Organized Crime at the Twentieth. Lucy Ha is apparently proving very helpful. Her testimony and those papers you found at Leung's apartment could put the members of the tong away for a long time," Ryan reported.

"Do they have any leads about this assassin, Mogui?"

"The task force has some theories, but nothing concrete," Esposito said. "If those papers are indeed the tong's pays and owes, there might be something in there."

"Michael should have something for us tomorrow," Beckett said. "Anyway, good night, guys," she gathered her things and left.

She arrived home at the same moment as Castle. They rode the elevator up the loft together. Kate reached the door first, but didn't unlock it.

"Castle? Were you expecting a letter?" She peeled an envelope off the door and showed it to him.

He shook his head. Kate slid her finger under the flap and drew out a single sheet of paper. She read the simple black printing and then showed it to her husband.

"Back to the precinct. Now," he ordered.