A Different Shade of Pale

Chapter 11

A full stomach had reduced the side effects of Castle's new medications to mild nausea. He was able, if fitfully, to sleep through the daylight hours. Kate called just as the sun descended below the horizon. Boian Sala, the lawyer for Castle's collar, now identified as Cezar Albu, was due to arrive shortly and Kate would be beginning her questioning. Castle arrived at the Twelfth just as Albu was ushered into the box by two unis. Restless, Albu chafed at the cuffs and chains restraining him. "Babe, you need to stay in observation," Kate cautioned Castle as they gazed at Albu through the two-way mirror. "There's something I may have to do and you shouldn't be in the room. You may even need to look away. Just hang in there."

Beckett entered interrogation, taking a seat opposite Albu. "My client is obviously disturbed," Sala began. "He should have been in a psychiatric facility, not a cell."

"He was certainly in touch with reality enough to ask for a lawyer," Beckett responded, "but he has been referred for evaluation. There are just some things we need to clear up before he's transported. There have been a number of assaults in the area where your client was found, similar to the one he was attempting to commit last night when Mr. Castle stopped him. We need to determine if your client was involved in those as well."

"My client is asserting his right to remain silent," Sala insisted.

Beckett picked up a folder secured with a knotted cord. After making a show of attempting to untie the knot, Beckett pulled out her knife to cut it, nicking her finger in the process. Blood welled from the cut. Albu jerked upward from the table, restrained by his chains. Sala shifted uncomfortably, staring at the red drops as Beckett stuck her finger in her mouth. Albu struggled against his restraints, causing Sala to grab his arm to pull him back to his seat. "You should cover that," Sala advised Beckett. "It's disturbing my client."

"It's only a little cut. Why should it disturb him?" Beckett extended her finger toward Albu, another drop of blood clinging to the tip. "See, it's nothing."

Still held at bay by his chains his chains, Albu made another futile lunge at Beckett. "Blood!"

"Quiet!" Sala hissed.

Albu ignored his counsel. "Needed blood. Always need blood. Need it now."

Beckett squeezed another drop of blood from her fingertip. "Are you admitting to the attacks, Mr. Albu?"

"My client admits nothing," Sala insisted.

"Shut up!" Albu shouted. "Yes. I needed blood. I had no choice. None of us have a choice. Please!"

"Alright," Beckett agreed. "Mr. Sala, I'm going to call an ambulance for your client. You can accompany him if you like."

Beckett carefully covered her cut with a band aid before meeting Castle in observation."You okay Babe?"

"None of us have a choice," Castle repeated. "Kate it's not just him. There are more of them. Will his confession hold up in court?"

"Probably not," Beckett admitted. "Sala will claim Albu was under duress. But it doesn't have to. There's more than enough to convict him of the attack last night and now we have a justification to look into everything about Sânge. If there are others, we'll find them."

"Kate, I want to help, I need to help," Castle insisted.

"You will," Kate agreed. "I'm going home to catch a few hours of sleep, but you can start digging into the records tonight if you want to."

"I want to," Castle responded enthusiastically.

"Then when you're down for the day I'll email you anything the boys and I find." Kate smiled. "You can employ your writer's superpowers as a researcher."

Castle mimed typing on a keyboard. "Just call me Captain Fingers. Ooh, that sounded dirtier than I intended.

Kate stroked his hand. "It sounded good to me. Later?"

"Later," Castle agreed.

Castle bent over the computer at Beckett's desk. Financials on Sânge and Albu would not arrive until morning, but the history of the Albu family was fascinating, dating back centuries. They had maintained extensive estates in Romania, with their holdings shrinking during World War II. In earlier centuries, the locals had lived in fear of the Albus, with reports of unexplained deaths and disappearances. There were stories of strange illnesses taking hold after reported attacks by an Albu, but it was apparent that not all the Albus had been affected. Some had traveled and very successfully conducted business in daylight. There were also reports that some victims of alleged attacks had recovered. Castle wondered if that implied there was a cure or some form of immunity. That would be a question for Dr. Morris, if he was open-minded enough to consider it. Castle sent an email, attaching the information he'd gathered, hoping the Doctor would send a reply sometime during the day. An alarm sounded on Castle's phone. Sunrise was approaching. He headed for Kate's apartment.

The long hours with scant sleep had caught up to Beckett. She lay oblivious as Castle straightened the tangled covers and tucked them around her. She could have at least a few minutes more before he'd rouse her, especially if he made something portable for her breakfast. The occasion called for a breakfast burrito. He cut up peppers and put them in a pan to heat while he diced fresh tomato, beat eggs, and laid out a tortilla.

Kate emerged sleepily from the bedroom. "Smells good in here. I hope I have time to eat it. I need to get back to the precinct. I'm just gonna grab a quick shower."

While he heard the water running, Castle scrambled the eggs with the peppers, dumped the result into the tortilla, topped it with diced tomatoes, rolled it up in a sheath of aluminum foil, and dropped it in a paper bag. He had just filled a traveling mug with coffee when Kate appeared, still slightly damp, but dressed. "I'm sorry Castle, I really need to get out of here."

"My lady does not leave unfed," Castle announced, handing her the mug and the paper bag. "And you'll find all my research on your desk."

Kate stretched upward for a kiss. "You're the best house guest ever, Castle."

"House guest?" Castle questioned.

Kate reached around to grab his well rounded posterior. "Among other things."

"We can explore those later," he suggested returning the kiss. "Now you go be the best, the best detective in the city, and I will see you later."

Castle watched Kate hurry through the door, locking it behind her. Castle cleaned up from making Beckett's meal and yawning, realized that he hadn't consumed what he needed to mitigate the unfortunate effects of his new set of pills. He reached into the depths of the refrigerator for a hunk of ultra-rare breakfast. With torpor rapidly overcoming him, he downed it, together with Morris's contribution. Just managing to finish, he gratefully slipped between Beckett infused sheets.