Life Goes On 2

Chapter 12

Blissful in the glow of an encore of the night before, Rick drew Kate against his side. "I think we ought to put in a pool at home," he mused. "If the kids fall asleep after playing in it as early as they did last night, and stay asleep this long in the mornings, we could live an incredibly gratifying existence."

"Castle, it will be winter in a few months," Kate pointed out. "We might be better off building a skating rink."

"It's a thought," Castle considered. "Then our Christmas display could be the best in Fieldston, maybe the best in the city."

"Except that we'd have to fence it off because it would create an attractive hazard to the kids in the neighborhood, as would a pool," Kate replied.

"I think you've been hanging around with Lanie and Alan Masters too much, but true," Castle admitted. "That would spoil the effect. Still..." He was interrupted by the buzzing of his phone. "Damn, it's Chief Brady. I could ignore it."

Kate sighed. "Then he'd just come to our door. See what he wants."

Brady's voice came excitedly through the speaker. "Castle, Kate, the blood at Bernie Shapiro's pool didn't belong to him. The lab said it would match up with a son, but his wife says he doesn't have a son. And Bernie is still missing."

"Wow, obviously the man lied to his wife, but if you threw men in jail for that, most husbands would be behind bars," Castle noted.

Kate flashed her husband a dirty look. "Chief, right now it sounds like you're investigating a missing persons case. If Bernie Shapiro does have a son, that might have something to do with his disappearance. You need to investigate Shapiro's background."

"I already did an online background search," Brady protested. "Most of the information about him touts his prestigious medical career. There's no public record of any past marriages, or a son."

"Then you need to talk to the people who know him," Kate suggested, "his family, old friends."

"I don't have the manpower for that," Brady complained. "and since there's no real evidence of a crime, I could never justify spending the public's money to get it. But Mrs. Shapiro wants to know where her husband is, if just to rake him over the coals. Castle, you have a detective agency. You know Yetta Shapiro. You could offer her your services. There might even be a fat payday in it for you. According to the records I saw, she's the one who's loaded."

Rick raised an eyebrow at Kate, who rolled her eyes but nodded."My daughter is the one who manages Richard Castle Investigations, but I can pay a call on Yetta," Castle offered.

"Great!" Brady exclaimed. "I really appreciate this Castle."

"Remember that next time someone tickets my car," Castle responded, before hanging up.


Yetta Shapiro did not appear to be a formidable woman. She was only five foot two, and years past wearing a size eight. Her hair was graying and her face held none of the immobility that would have been a telltale of the botox shots of which her neighbors were so fond. Yet she was determined that her husband be found. She invited Castle into her sitting room and served very strong coffee. Castle would have liked to ask for sugar, but didn't dare. "Rick," she began, after taking a large sip of her challenging brew, "there is no doubt that Richard Castle investigations has an impressive reputation. I understand that you have several former New York City detectives working for your agency now."

Castle nodded. "Yes, I worked with them at the Twelfth Precinct. They are all outstanding. And we have other talented operatives as well."

"Glad to hear it," Yetta acknowledged, "but I want the former cops on this. My husband was into something and I need people who understand the dark underbelly of society."

Castle bit the inside of his lip to keep a straight face at her characterization. "Indeed," he agreed. "If there is anyone who understands the mean streets, they do. I'll call our administrator right now to make the arrangements, and we'll have detectives on top of this right away."


Alexis was feeling sorry for herself. She and Sergei had planned a long weekend with Bernard, but Sergei had been called into the lab the last minute, on a case. Had she known ahead of time, she would have taken her son with her and gone with her family for their holiday in the Hamptons. As it was, she was left keeping an eye on Bernard while he watched a Baby Einstein video, and unsuccessfully trying to interest herself in the latest product of the James Patterson book mill. She was surprised to receive the call from her father, but then hastily put her own calls out to Kevin, Javi, and Roselyn. Roselyn had plans with her wife and Kevin and Jenny had a family picnic. With Maria hosting an event at the FTC center, Javi was free and willing to take a drive to the Hamptons. Alexis decided to take Bernard and go as well, confident that she could leave her son with her father and Kate, if her sleuthing skills were required. There was also Lily, who took great pride in being an aunt, and was always enthusiastic about playing with her nephew. The energetic girl would be overjoyed to help amuse the toddler. Given her father's caution that Yetta Shapiro preferred ex-cops, Alexis would have Javi make the personal contact, and she could do any computer work that might be required. Otherwise, she could join her family for swimming and barbecue.


The cabin was of the type rented out to occasional weekend visitors in the cheap part of the Hamptons, but the owner had died and it had fallen into disuse. Ben seemed to be resting comfortably, although Bernie was alert for any signs of infection. The cabin wasn't exactly sterile and not his preferred venue to remove a bullet. Throughout his life, the boy, the result of a drunken night at a conference, had always been getting into trouble of one sort or another. Bernie had the lawyer that finagled Ben out of his difficulties, on speed dial. But the boy had never gotten himself hurt before. Ben hadn't told Bernie how it happened, but he made it very clear that he couldn't afford to have a bullet wound reported to the police. So Bernie would take care of things - again.

This was one of many times Bernie regretted not having come clean with Yetta. It would have been a lot easier to beg forgiveness for a one night stand, than to hide the boy's existence all these years. But it was too late now. He had told too many lies, hidden too much. He didn't know how he'd explain his disappearance, perhaps a sudden call from a former patient who required his immediate and unstinting attention. That excuse would not be entirely untrue. Yetta would still be angry at the lack of contact, but if he told her he'd been stuck in surgery, also not entirely untrue, she'd forgive him. He would just have to stay with Ben long enough to assure the boy didn't develop complications, then he could go home and make amends. He imagined that agreeing to have dinner with some of the snooty cousins that she loved, but he despised, would do the trick. It usually did."