A/N Spoilers for 707

After the Vows

Jim Beckett's Journal

Chapter 13

Dear Johanna,

Esposito has been the focus of attention for the last day or so. He was held hostage on a subway train as part of some wild scheme to sell flu vaccine. There was also a murder involved. Katie and Rick caught the murderer and uncovered the scheme. Despite being dreadfully worried about Esposito, I think Katie was glad to have a real case instead of a desk full of paper. Given Katie's closeness with Lanie, she was trying her best to be there for her friend, while solving a murder. Not an easy task, but Katie was up to it.

There was a happy ending of sorts, Esposito came back to Lanie safe and sound and all the subway passengers are fine. That has brought on another discussion. Lanie and Esposito, Ryan and Jennie, and Katie and Rick are talking about going on a couples retreat after the holidays. There are some significant problems involved with that. The Ryans need someone to watch Sarah Grace. Alexis would have liked to volunteer, but she will be back in school. Ryan has older sisters, one of them may be able to take the baby, but no one has stepped up yet. Then there's the matter of Katie's lack of vacation. She'll be eligible for some in the new year, but she still has her heart set on a honeymoon trip to an island. Who could blame her? The natural thing would be to attend a retreat on a weekend, but for cops weekends are often not down time. There are also Rick's obligations. He needs to write and also do some promotion to keep his books from landing on the bargain table.

Black Pawn, Rick's publisher, put out a promotional video for Raging Heat. It went viral but didn't achieve the goal of selling books. It cast Rick as a dork, I think that's the word. Anyway, it was funny but it wasn't flattering. I couldn't help laughing when I saw it but I felt sorry for Rick. Much as Katie enjoys teasing Rick, she felt bad for him too. He is very sensitive about the way he appears to his fans. Maybe the video was Gina's revenge for his absence. In any case, his readers seem to prefer the sexy dashing author that he usually projects on TV and at readings. Rick has some damage control to do. I'm not sure where it's going to fit in with everything else he is doing.

Roselyn Karpowski is a gem. She has already managed to talk to two women who turned Ryan down cold. I'm really glad to have her on board. Dana continues to do a wonderful job as well. We are really going to nail the company. I can feel it. I don't think I've ever been so excited about a suit before. I know you'd be proud of the work we're doing.

William Bracken is unfortunately recovering. He will live to stand trial for his crimes. Once he realizes who tried to do him in, if he actually knows, he may make a deal to throw his own drug operation under the bus. When it comes down to it, I'm sure he'd turn on anyone to save his own worthless skin. There has been enough progress on the drug operation though, that Bracken may not have much to trade. The RCMP picked up Creason's trail in Canada and the DEA has begun closing in on operations revealed in the evidence seized from J.J.. I have been staying on top of the news any way I can, from Ryan, Esposito, Katie, and Rick. The more Bracken's drug operations are dismantled, the safer Katie will be. Also, the more that is uncovered about J.J., the better the chance that he will, at least metaphorically, burn in his own private hell. So far it looks like J.J. was as deeply involved with the drug operation as the bastard could be. There are some indications that he may have had an eye to wresting it away from Bracken. He may have been involved in Vulcan Simmons' murder, as much for his own purposes as Bracken's. There are even some indications that he might have been involved with taking Pulgatti out, to throw more attention on Bracken. I am astounded and disgusted by how much evil could hide right under my nose. The man is a quintessential actor, but that doesn't excuse my own lack of perceptiveness. That is something I'm going to work on.

Speaking of acting, I got to see a preview, actually more of a rehearsal, of Martha's play last night. The play was good and Martha was better. It makes me feel ashamed that I once disparaged her skills as an actress. She disappeared so thoroughly into her character that I completely forgot who I was watching. That must take a lot of talent to accomplish and she truly has it. Her celebrity chef was there as well. His name is Morrison Collier, by the way. He wears his hair, which is as gray as mine, in a ponytail. That is a little strange to me but doesn't seem to bother Martha or any of her friends a bit. I think she has completely bewitched him. He couldn't take his eyes off her. I don't know that she feels as strongly about him. In a way, Martha is much like Rick. Rick was abandoned by his father and badly stung by two ex-wives. When it came to admitting his feelings for Katie to himself, let alone to her, it was difficult and wrenching. Martha was also abandoned by Rick's father and thoroughly taken by one of her ex-husbands. He stole all her life savings. I'd love to get into that sometime, maybe sue the pants off the man. I'm sure Martha could use the money. She's invested every dime she's gotten since into her acting school. From what I can tell, she's operating in the black, but barely, and she's had to hire more staff to cover the time she spends on her play. If she gets more income, it would be easier for her to leave the Castle loft, either move to Katie's old apartment or somewhere else. Martha's finances were a digression. My point is that she has had enough misfortune in her romantic life to make her cautious about giving her heart. Rick found his way through that and Martha may as well. For her sake, I hope so.

Forever love,

JB