Note to the readers: Day 1 back wasn't too bad. The kids were talkative but were working. I am hoping this means my 13-14 year olds have suddenly reached some maturity. I doubt it, but one can always hope. My administrator made another snarky comment and the only thought I had was 89 more to go. I don't know where I will be teaching next year, but it won't be for her. I want to work where I will be allowed to teach, nurture and push kids to think…not test them into the mindless zombies. Ugh!

Anyway, thanks to those of you kind enough to review…

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Castle, nor did I create it. Maybe I will get lucky and AM will steal something from what I write…it would a compliment.

"Are you sure you don't want to discuss the case?"

"Positive. When the tech guys have deciphered what is on the hard drive, we will have a whole lot more to go on. Until then, let's leave work at work. Okay?" Kate said snuggled up beside Rick on the sofa to watch television. She didn't really understand why but the show Swamp Wars was definitely growing on her. Watching the Miami Dade Firemen and Police try to wrangle all sort of exotic animals really made her job seem easier. You couldn't pay me enough to have a wrestling match with a 18 foot long boa constrictor was her last thought as the sandman claimed her.

Chapter 11

12th Precinct Friday Afternoon

Castle and Beckett are leafing through copies of tech's report and looking at the murder board. Beckett reads a page or two and then stares at the board and then goes back to reading. Beckett sighs and sets the report on her desk and begins pacing up and down the murder board chewing on her thumbnail.

"Jan Schmidt was an operative for Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) which is basically the German equivalent to the FBI. He and his wife faked their deaths before moving to the United States where they have been hidden as the Sherman's for almost 2 decades." Beckett says to herself while pacing.

"Maybe the CIA connection here is that the O'Keefe's were watching Schmidt to monitor his movements because he was involved in secret Nazi inspired experiments?" Castle wondered aloud. "What! The BKA is famous for hiring ex-Nazis."

Beckett rolled her eyes.

"You know it wouldn't be a stretch for the O'Keefe's to be his handlers if he had defected. Since he has been in the United States for around 20 years under different names, he wouldn't necessarily be under a watch list with frequent check-ins." Beckett responded.

Rick continued "how does this fit with our murders?"

"Going off the timeline the perps took Brad Green because of his knowledge of the houses. He was taken to the O'Keefe's first. The couple was murdered and the boxes were emptied." Kate began.

"But, the boxes may have already been empty and for some reason the perps believed what they needed remained in Sherman's house. When they arrived at the house, he was already meeting with his real estate agent. It looks like Brad tried to get her to close her mouth which is where he gained the bite mark." Castle followed her thought.

"Yet, Green covering her mouth implies that he may have been alone with her in the bedroom trying to prevent someone from knowing she was there and the struggle brought the others into the bedroom. One of the perps closed her mouth permanently with the shotgun…"Kate continued.

"But Sherman intervened in an attempt to save her and was shot from behind. Maybe they had them separated trying to get answers from Sherman." Castle finished the thought.

Both stood quietly for a moment then simultaneously, "Who would know that Green knew the layouts to the houses?"

"I would say it narrows down to Ellie and Brad's dad, Brian Green." Esposito tossed in.

"Ellie would be able to ask her dad anything she wanted without violence I bet." Ryan responded.

"That would mean that we need to take a better look at Brian Green." Esposito said.

"But who would the second perp be?" Castle asked.

"Castle, the name of the law firm is Green, Lambert & Green. I suspect it might another Green. Let's take a look at the law firm and see if it connects in any way to the data found on the hard drive." Beckett suggested.

Castle flipped through the report. "I think I can tell you where the link is, we just need to find the case. See this data that tracks heavy metals found in coastal waters. If you look at the actual data and not the summary, you will see that site 31621 has unusually high levels of mercury. Someone is either stirring up the mercury that has already accumulated on the bottom of the Hudson or someone is dumping it which could ruin property values along where this site is located."

"True Castle, but these are environmental lawyers; wouldn't they be happy to have data they could use to go after the villains?" Ryan asked.

"Your assuming that this case is one in which they aren't defending the dumpers. Environmental lawyers are hired on sides, the violators and the victims," Castle explained.

"We need to find out what cases they are currently involved with and find out what properties they might own," Beckett added.

Castle's Loft Friday Evening

Kate and Rick had been watching Battlestar Galactica reruns and feeding each other popcorn. The debate over whether or not the final episode really implied that human civilization was just a cycle and that they had just traveled in an endless loop or if they wound up in a parallel universe with different possibilities had finally petered out. Kate wanted to believe in the possibilities but Rick felt that it just showed how very much most people resemble hamsters on a wheel. He had been watching with a growing furrow on his brow. She reached out and soothed that creased willing it to go away.

"What are you thinking about?" Kate asked while curled into his side on the couch.

"Parents and children. Admiral Adama failed his son when he really needed him. The son fought his father tooth and nail to show his independence. They lost each other." He sighed and shook his head knowing that she was thinking he was crazy giving that much depth to the Syfy series.

"I don't know I kind of think Starbuck's description of their relationship was usually insightful." Kate replied knowing that there was no possible way that his strained look had anything to do with what they were watching.

"I was thinking about how if I had met you 12 years ago, we wouldn't even be sitting here and it would be because neither one of us had an interest in the long term at that time." Rick wrapped his arms around her to hold her in place. He buried his nose in her and inhaled deeply closing his eyes. "Kate, I know the other night you were telling me about that part of your life because you felt I needed to know and because you aren't proud of it. But, you lost track of who you were when your anchor was ripped away. I need you to know that I have I lost myself too. I know how that feels. I had a small daughter and an ex-wife who chose one of the least artistically inclined directors of all time to abandon us for and then very publicly shack up with. Seriously, this guy makes Michael Bay and Tony Scott look like high art. I went after everything that moved when Alexis wasn't around. That silly persona was me or maybe I was it. I don't know. I hate for you to feel like you aren't worthy of all of this because sometimes we need someone to act as a compass. I am lucky; I have two. Mom and Alexis each in their own way brought me back to me. You didn't have anyone Kate. Your dad could have come to the rescue, but he didn't." Rick said sadly.

He soothingly stroked her hair fearing that he had said too much. What if he hadn't said enough? Could she possibly understand that her past only made her a better match? The strength she must have had to deal with all of that on her own. It may have taken her longer to find herself, but she did it without anyone in her corner.

"He did fail me when I needed him the most, but I didn't understand why then. He had several reasons; none of them were good enough for what he did, but he did have them. I had been a handful before mom died. I was argumentative, rebellious and stubborn. I had to go right when they wanted me to go left, just because it was the opposite of what they wanted. I was so tired of being Johanna Junior that I would do anything to prove I was not like them. Dad didn't know what to do with me. Mom always laughed it off as a phase. I now think she considered it like watching a younger version of her. I didn't get that at the time. I was just mad at dad for being angry and not seeing me as an adult even though I wasn't one. But, on top of that, he had lost her. I never knew what it was to have someone that made you feel whole, but then I met you. My life is empty when you aren't around. I can't even begin to imagine how alone he felt and then I pulled all that crap on him."

Kate fell silent staring off into space. Her eyes were focused on past events. Rick was fairly certain his mother could streak through the room singing at the top of her lungs and Kate wouldn't notice.

"You keep forgetting that you were just a child," he said exasperated.

"And you keep forgetting that I was in college and old enough to know better." She leaned in and kissed him. "I am learning though and I have you to keep telling me." She turned her head and pulled his chin down so that they were nose to nose. She looked deep in his eyes so that he could see that the conversation wasn't opening old wounds.

"And I have you to thank for making me want to be a better man." He said with all sincerity.

"So, do I need to earn my keep by making you write tonight or are we wasting another evening in front of the TV?"

"I have a few ideas that would keep it from being a total waste."

"Rick, I am sure you do but isn't Alexis supposed to be walking through that door sometime in the next two hours."

"Good point. Gina is off my back for the next month, but I wouldn't complain if you felt like assisting again. I am going to grab the laptop. I will be back."

"Does it make you feel better that we have no need to rush into the station tomorrow? We are waiting for a green light from the politicians before we proceed further. Gates wants a seal of approval from the bigwigs before we stomp on a law offices toes." She said loudly so he could hear her in the office.

"So you are saying an after party isn't out of the question."

"After party?"

"After Alexis gets home pajamas optional party."

She chuckled as he sat down next to her.

"Rick, you know this is the wrong position for this to work. Lie down so I can claim my spot."

She once again found herself sitting across his lap as he was propping himself up with one of the arm rests.

"Which scenario was it that worked the best?"

"I was thinking when we ruined a few of your ties by using them as restraints." She said with a devilish grin.

Rook knew his Armani suit would never be the same, but if Nikki was willing to use his Hermes ties as shackles, it would be worth the expense to replace them. He still had not figured out how they had managed to crack the headboard on his king sized bed. It had been a very, very good night.