Beckett has always hated it when the boys get competitive, and even more so when she can only hear part of their conversation. She surveys the crime scene and the cordon: the crowd of people is growing every minute and news crews are gathering.
"What is it?" She asks over the phone. This Fields issue is looking more and more like it's related to the robbery and she wants to have as much information to give to Peterson and the rest of his team. However a glint of auburn hair catches her eye and she stifles a gasp.
"Listen, I need you to dig up everything you can on Agnes Fields," she says hurriedly, cutting Ryan off, "I gotta go." She doesn't wait for a response and hangs up the phone, already striding towards the cordon. Castle's daughter was certainly not someone she was expecting to see but if he's been as distant towards his family as he's been towards her all day she shouldn't really be surprised. Alexis as broken through the cordon and rushes towards her.
"They're here, aren't they?" Alexis says, the words spilling out of her mouth, "My dad and gram are in there. I know they were coming to this bank-"
"Alexis," Beckett starts, attempting to interrupt.
"And now no one's answering their phones, and my dad always takes my calls!" Alexis doesn't miss a beat, barely recognising that Beckett said a word to her.
"Listen to me." Beckett says firmly.
"And you're here!" Alexis finishes, now looking to Beckett for an explanation.
"Alexis, your dad and Martha are fine," Beckett informs her, keeping her voice steady, "They were late for the appointment and saw the robbers come in. They were still outside when it all kicked off. Your gram's gone home and Castle's round by command. He was a bit shaken up by the whole thing. He feels like he should've been in there, like he could be more help inside than out." He hasn't said that but Beckett knows him well enough that the best way her partner works is inside the action, even if things don't always go quite to plan. His sulky demeanour all day only serves to emphasise that fact to her.
"But he's not answering my calls, neither is gram, and this was all on the news-" Alexis clearly hadn't heard Beckett's response properly. Spelling it out for Castle's daughter was proving to be difficult but at that moment a familiar figure rounds the corner and starts to jog towards them.
"Dad!" Alexis shrieks, throwing her arms round her father in relief.
"Alexis?" Castle asks, confused to return to the crime scene and find his daughter, "What are you doing here?"
"I thought you were inside!" Alexis says, releasing her grip from his waist, "You didn't answer the phone, I was so scared, I thought I'd lost you!"
"Hey, it's ok," Castle says, laying his arm on her shoulder, "I'm sorry, my phone was on silent when we were in the command post. Gram was probably on her way back to the loft or on the phone to me when you called. We're both OK, I'm so sorry."
"Castle, maybe you should take Alexis home, there's not much you can do here after all." Beckett says. A tearful Alexis surprised her more than she expected and her mind is racing. Relating to Castle has been bad enough since Montgomery's funeral but his daughter is another level that she didn't anticipate. Now she realises that relating to Castle's family is another thing she has to think about and her head is buzzing. As much as she wants Castle around, right now she's not sure she can control herself.
"Oh no Beckett," Castle says, eagerly, "Thing is I've been thinking and I think there's more to that mystery man. See, why would he be so keen to get into that box today-"
"Castle." Beckett interrupts, "Ryan and Espo just went to his wife's house. She's been strangled and her safety deposit key is gone. And the real Gideon Fields is dead. That man was an imposter. I know there's more to him." She sees Alexis surveying them both and turns to her, gesturing towards the cordon. "Alexis, can you go and stand over there with that officer, you can't be in the cordon. I need to speak to your dad and then I'll get someone to take you home. Both of you." She looks Castle sternly in the eye. Alexis looks up at him too, searching for approval.
"Go on, honey," Castle says to his daughter, "You really shouldn't be here." He hugs her again and then she dutifully walks over to the officer at the cordon, just as Beckett asks. Castle then turns to his partner, "What's up, Kate?"
"Not here." Kate replies bluntly, "Not with Alexis watching." She turns and heads back to where Castle emerged from and he follows, intrigued. Maybe things were about to change for them.