Kate was upset due to the inference of Little AC was being a brat by Castle talking too loud about it. Great Kate thought after all that Rick had to bring it up again! Why was he here anyway?
"Rick why are you here?" Kate asked.
"Why where should I be?" Rick asked.
"Well I don't Know perhaps on your way to the Hamptons? I think that would be one good guess!" Kate said irritated at her partner.
"Nope I am good Alexis is working later tonight so she has time off on this weekend."
Rick said rearranging the elephants on her desk.
Kate looked at the huge clock on her video screen. Rick had downloaded this app so Kate could always know when quitting time was.
"Five, Four, Three, Two, One!" Rick droned on. "Kate it is officially the weekend! Let's go!"
"Let's go where? Castle?" Kate asked.
"I'm going to accompany to your car and your over night bag is in it. I checked before coming up here. Then we will kiss and I will say that I will miss you and you will say I know then you will get in your car. I wave good bye and I disappear into the dust of your review mirror on the way to your Father's cabin! So how close was I?" Rick asked.
"I dunno Rick why don't I leave and you follow me out and we can see how well you did!" Kate said rolling her eyes at her annoying partner. One she was rapidly developing feelings of missing him even though she had not left yet! Man I got it bad! How will I survive this weekend with out him? Kate thought.
"Oh Kate you still have not moved from your chair" Rick pointed out.
Kate looked at her screen she had been sitting there for 10 mins. It was a wonder Rick did not say something earlier.
Rick why did you not tell me? Kate got up and closed down her computer. She got up and it was this time Rick still sitting.
"Are you coming Rick?" Kate asked as she placed more sway in her step. This immediately got Rick's attention and followed her out like an obedient puppy.
Rick's predictive story was pretty accurate as Kate still remembering the kiss on the lips. Rick's image in the rear view mirror was fading into the dust of another Manhattan Evening.
\\\\\
Rick was alone there was still 1 ½ hours remaining. He could amuse himself with Lanie and Alexis in the morgue but there was always his first love The NY public Library. Rick pulled out his laptop and soon he was writing about Nikki and Rook. His reverie was broken by the alarm he had set for himself. It was 6:50 just 10 mins. It's in time to catch a cab to the OCME where the SUV was parked. It was full of gas and ready for the 2 ½ hour drive to the Hampton house. Leaving after 7 the LIE was not as crowded but taking Northern Ave had an exotic appeal. There was that one chocolate shop and restaurant which was calling to him. He knew Alexis would love to indulge too. I must remember to bring Kate here one day Rick thought. Getting out of the cab he rushed into autopsy.
"Hey Dad" Alexis chirped.
This was a far different greeting than the last time he was here Rick thought. "Hey Alexis."
"I need to degown and shower otherwise the SUV will smell of DB's!" Alexis said.
"Ok Pumpkin I will wait here for you" Rick said.
"Oh No you won't" the voice of Lanie issued from her office. "Now get over here" Lanie commanded.
Rick quickly did what Lanie had ordered and sat in a very uncomfortable chair.
"Richard Castle I hope you do right by my intern! I want to see her smiling once she returns! You have been ignoring her for too long!" Lanie said without taking one breath.
Rick was stunned by the ME's forcefulness.
"Er Lanie…." Rick started to say.
"No! Do not say Er Lanie I will not have it!" Lanie said defiantly "This is a yes Lanie Only answer. Let me hear you say it!"
"Yes Lanie?" Rick stuttered.
"Good I want to hear nothing but good things!" Lanie said now satisfied Rick was properly cowed.
Rick thought Lanie could become a feared Dom in the trade if this ME gig bored her.
Rick's musing was broken when his daughter poked her head into the room.
"Ok I am all set! Let's go Dad!" Alexis said excitedly.
"Fine Pumpkin, Lanie nice to have this chat but my darling daughter awaits me" Rick said rising from the painful chair he was forced to sit on.
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The trip Kate had planned worked perfectly she arrived almost at 7 :30 when driving up that familiar rutted road. She had just gotten a new squad car so she made sure she parked it away from the Pine trees which covered the 160 acres plus the cabin.
"Pine sap was the hardest to clean off" Kate muttered.
Kate got out her bags and headed to the door it was locked looking into the potted plant she found the key and opened the door. The smell of frying trout was irresistible her stomach growled loudly. Her father was just finishing up the trout and turned around as he plated the fish. Placing the hot pan into the sink he faced his daughter.
"Katie Bug! This is a surprise! I was just out on the lake with Bob and we caught some great fish will you join us?" Jim asked.
Bob, Jim's AA friend, avid hunter and fisherman was her father's fishing buddy. He lived in town.
"Dad I would be delighted" Kate said. "Hello Bob" Kate acknowledged the older man's presence at the table.
"Hey Kate" Bob said.
"Those are some big trout" Kate observed.
"Yeah some steelheads got into the lake. Not sure how it happened but they are sure fine eating!" Bob said.
"It must have been a mix up at the hatchery" Jim said hugging his daughter.
Soon the meal was over and Bob left. The fireplace was roaring giving off just enough heat to keep the chill of the outdoors at bay. Jim had just given Kate a cup of coffee. Kate made a face over the bitterness of the brew!
"Oh it can not be that bad you used to love my coffee! However, that roast that Alexis gave me was quite good. I could see how you did not like this brew! You have been spoilt." Jim said.
"No it is fine" Kate lied.
"So what brings you up here to the wilds?" Jim asked.
"Why does there something has to be wrong for me to visit my Dad?" Kate asked crossly.
"No not at all but I thought you were spending most of your time with your Partner. I am surprised to see you that's all." Jim said taken back by his daughter's intensity.
Once the conversation had mellowed Kate now asked her father for her mother's journals.
"Oh they are around here alright. I could not part with them. Your mother had this way of writing notes. Here let me show you" Jim said as he drug out the box from the other room.
Kate and Jim looked into the box. They were all labeled by date.
"Johanna was nothing but meticulous!" Jim lamented missing his wife.
Kate was impressed she knew her mother had an OCD streak but this was over the top.
"Here is one from our DA days! You know she prosecuted Mobsters?" Jim said opening it to the first page.
Kate shook her head no.
"Ah the FBI case I remember it like it was yesterday" Jim read.
"Dad?" Kate was wondering about the volumes.
"Yeah Katie?" Jim said.
"What are these squiggles?" Kate asked.
"Oh that was Jo's secret weapon nobody could ever read her notes! It was something she alone thought up. She was a stickler on security. Some of these cases are pretty interesting. Getting back to that first case she and I were assigned a Mobster who had killed an FBI agent. But the funny thing after we won the case she said that was a miscarriage of justice. Your mother was a crusader Justice was her banner" Jim said.
Kate smiled recognizing her mother the same way.
"That is strange." Jim said.
"What is dad?" Kate asked.
"The last volume she was working on that exact same case and she wanted the conviction over turned!" Jim said.
"How can you tell?" Kate asked.
"Well I can read some of the squibbles and I recognized the same name Puglatti! He was the mobster she was trying to free. I never made the connection until now! The place she was killed was the exact place the FBI agent was killed! She must have been lured there!"
Jim said.
"Tell me about this case?" Kate asked.
"Well Katie it was like this the Mobster Puglatti was one of the enforcers of the Spilano family. They were a big deal back then. Anyway this Bob Armen was his lt. and they were supposed to be having an argument in the alleyway of the Palermo Club. It was the mob hangs out. Then Puglatti found the wire and shot him two off duty police men who were in the party next door heard the shots and placed him under arrest." Jim said. "It was a pretty much open and shut case. Puglatti avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty."
"Dad what were those two Cops names?" Kate asked with trepidation.
"An officer Raglan and McAllister" Jim said. "I am sure they are all dead now."
"I am sure but Officer Raglan is he not the same Detective who found Mom?" Kate asked.
"Yes Katie he was I never made that connection before either!" Jim said. "He was dirty!"
"I guess so Dad who was the DA at the time?" Kate asked.
"Oh he is a big Senator now. William Bracken. Why?" Jim asked.
"Nothing I am tired Dad I will see you in the morning. I need to place those volumes in the car. I will be taking them back to the loft with me Ok Dad?" Kate asked.
"Sure Katie I place them there tonight if you want I am not yet tired" Jim said.
"Ok Dad" Kate hugged and kissed her father then got to her bedroom.
It was the same as she remembered it as a child. Looking up from the bed she could see that very same crack in the wooden ceiling. She tossed then turned for awhile. Sleep just was not coming. Kate knew what the problem. She texted first.
You still awake? KB
The reply came very fast.
Yeah missing you! Can't sleep by myself! You have ruined me Katherine Beckett! RC
Kate reading that got very excited and called.
"Hey" Rick said.
"Hey" Kate said relieved at the sound of his voice.
So you having fun with your Dad? Rick asked.
"Yeah he was telling me about his first case at the DA office. There is a connection somewhere" Kate said excitedly.
"To your mother's case?" Rick asked.
"Yeah." Kate assented.
"How do you know?" Rick asked his journalistic nose was twitching. There was a story here.
"Cop Instinct I guess. Did you know this case and my mother's case was done by the same Cop? An Officer Raglan! He was dirty Rick I know it!" Kate said.
"Ok Kate but remember nothing outside the Loft!" Rick implored.
"Ok Rick I will be returning with my mother's volumes too. So maybe those could shed some light on this" Kate said.
"Ok Kate but no more talking about this outside the loft it is too dangerous" Rick said.
"Ok Rick I promise. To change the subject how was your trip to the Hamptons?" Kate asked.
"Oh it was good I had to stop at this little German/ Swiss restaurant which has its own creamery and chocolate shop. I have a few treats for you once I return. It is a great little place I think you would enjoy it! Then we played slug a bug!" Rick recounted.
"Slug a bug? What are you five?" Kate giggled.
"I must say Alexis has a very good left jab. My right arm is very sore!" Rick said wanting some sympathy.
"Ah you poor baby If I was there I would kiss it to make it all better" Kate said.
"I hope that is not the only place you would put your luscious lips?" Rick suggested.
"Oh I would tease you at first then…" Kate said.
Rick was really getting into the role play.
"And Then?" Rick asked.
"Well I would need to show you" Kate said coyly.
"Wouldn't you like to tell me now?" Rick was straining.
"No I would not!" Kate pouted.
"Evil Woman!" Rick groused. "How am I ever going to survive this separation?"
"You will have to adapt!" Kate said brightly.
"What if I don't want to would you come out here to tuck me in?" Rick asked in a little boy's voice.
"I would love to but remember it is all about Alexis" Kate said.
"Yeah but she does not keep me warm at night!" Rick complained.
"That would be sick if she did! Rick!" Kate exclaimed.
"You know what I mean!" Rick being absolutely flustered by this ethereal creature.
"Yes I do!" Kate laughed she was totally enjoying teasing poor Rick.
"So tell me what fun event do you have planned tomorrow?" Kate asked.
"Well we are going to go Pumpkin Chunkin tomorrow and then pick out a few pumpkins and create scary jack o lanterns!" Rick proudly said.
"Yeah I guess Halloween is coming up Wait what is Pumpkin Chunkin? Kate said.
"Oh a group out here create cannons some are air powered others are spring powered then we have a target in a field. We use pumpkins as the shot. We try to hit the target. It is great fun. Alexis won a few years ago with her air cannon design. I hope to reclaim the title with this spring baby!" Rick said was proud of his design and sent Kate a pic.
Kate looked at the pic and laughed it was a Rube Goldberg machine if she had ever saw one.
"That is great Rick I wish you and Alexis luck! I need my sleep good night sweet prince!" Kate said.
"Did I say I loved you? How great is that a partner who quotes Shakespeare?" Rick said. "Good night Kate. Kiss!" Rick now was tired enough and fell asleep and dreamed of Kate being Juliet!
Kate yawned and fell promptly asleep.