Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold
Chapter Eleven
One hour later, across town at a motel…
Two men stiffly got out of a car after they parked out front and within a minute were standing outside the door, waiting for the renter of the room to open up and let them in. When the man before them finally did, the two men walked inside and took a seat, one on the single bed and the other in one of the chairs.
The renter spoke up gruffly as he asked, "What have you two done?"
Seeing the anger on the man's face, the youngest of the three answered fearfully, "We did what we thought you would have wanted us to do; for Robbie. That cop killed your son, my brother! You're our father. I was trying to make you…"
"I told you once, boy, do not call me that," Kort replied as he sat down in the other chair. "You may be my son by blood, but not by choice. If Robbie never went out to try to find you, none of this would be happening and I wouldn't be here. I never wanted that cop killed. He deserved to suffer, but if all I got was admittance, an apology, then I would have had to live with that."
"I was there tonight," his son responded. "I saw everything. I watched as Robbie struggled with those cops, just before the one shot him and caused him to fall through that hole. I know that it is my fault that Robbie had to come and help me clean up my mess after I, we, killed those two girls, I know that it's my fault that he's dead, but…"
The older man that walked in with Kort's son finally spoke up as he interrupted, "Someone needed to pay. Why not kill the killer? That detective could have made a different call, but instead he chose to shoot him down like a dog. I am here to look out for the only other family you have left. Surely that means something more to you than whatever it is you claim you hate him for. You are here after all."
Donovan glared at the man, who had come into the room with his son, then turned back to face his boy and answered, "The cops do not know about you because I went through a lot of effort to keep you hidden from everyone, including the government. Now, as long as you didn't screw up and leave something of yours behind at that detective's home, then you will remain hidden and be able to escape. They don't have anything on me."
"We burnt him and his house down to the ground," the friend replied smugly. "There is no chance that they'll be able to find anything left, but a burned up corpse."
"You appear to be pretty sure of yourself," Kort responded as he opened his jacket and pulled out his wallet. "But I've seen how protective they are of their man. If there is something of yours that was left back there, they will find it. They will find you and I will not allow you to take me and what is left of my family down, Mick O'Connell. Here is a couple thousand. Get Brett out of this state and do not come back, or I will give the cops what they want to know. Am I making myself clear?"
Brett Kort protested as he cried out, "I won't just run away like a coward! I came to find you and Robbie so that I can finally belong. I am tired of being alone."
Donovan turned away and headed to the door as he spoke up again saying, "You said so yourself, all of this is your fault. Now you have to accept the consequences of your actions. Now get out of here and do not ever come back to see me again."
"Pleasure doing business with you, Donovan," Mick said as Brett's father finally left.
"Are you really willing to just leave town for good?" Brett asked Mick as the older assailant began to count the money he was given by Kort.
Mick answered, "Your so called father was right about us not being able to get caught, but I do not plan to stick around in case the detectives somehow manage to get smart. I suggest you come with me."
Brett looked over at his friend and then replied, "Fine. Where are we going?"
"Take your pick," the older man responded. "He gave us enough money to go wherever we want to go. Personally, I'd like to go someplace a bit warmer. What do you think about Miami?"
Meanwhile, at Castle's apartment…
Martha was sitting down at the dining room table eating dinner with a houseguest, a man she had met at one of her acting seminars and had started dating a few weeks ago. It wasn't long into their date when the vibrant woman received a call from her son, a call that changed her good mood into a bad one.
"Richard, if you're calling to let me know that you're going to be coming home tonight because you and Beckett got into a fight, you might want to reconsider, as I might be getting lucky tonight, if you know what I mean," she spoke up as soon as she answered the phone.
"I wish that was all I was calling for, Mother, but ewe, no," Rick answered somberly. "I just wanted to…"
She turned away from her date as she replied fearfully, "Richard, I can hear the sadness in your voice. Is everything all right? Is it Kate?"
Castle responded, "No, Kate's fine. It's Ryan actually. He was attacked in his home tonight and then it was burned down. I was hoping that you would be able to take in Jenny for tonight and tomorrow, or at least until she wants to leave to be left on her own. We need someplace for her to go to be safe until we can catch the men who did this."
"Of course, of course," Martha answered as she left the table and began to put on her coat and grab her purse, then quickly asked her date to leave before heading out the door herself. "How is Detective Ryan? Are you all right?"
"I'm fine; the rest of us are fine," Rick replied. "Kevin's not so lucky, but he's alive, for now. We're at the hospital now. I have no idea when…"
She interrupted, "I am on my way. Just hang in there, Sweetheart. Everything's going to be all right."
Castle responded, "I hope you're right, Mother, and thank you."
