Summer Mix

Chapter 20

Mop and Broom

"What is going on with Scary Lady?" Mop asked Broom as he was returned to the Janitor's Closet.

"She's having some kind of discussion, a loud discussion, with her sister Elizabeth in her office. She broke some kind of ugly knickknack, that's why I was there." Broom answered.

"What about?" Mop inquired.

"As near as I can tell, it has to do with a case Kate and Castle are working on," Broom replied. "Jurisdiction on the case got transferred to the Attorney General's office. Scary Lady seems to think her sister should know something about it. Her sister says she doesn't."

"Do you believe her?" Mop asked. "You sound doubtful."

"I'm not sure," Broom mused. "It might have been that I was stirring up dust, but she was rubbing the side of her nose. I've noticed that humans sometimes do that when they're lying. I wonder what Kate and Castle think about it."

"I think we may find out," Mop said excitedly twirling his tendrils. "I think I hear them coming."

"There's another set of footsteps ahead of them," Broom told him nervously. "I hope..."

"Okay," Broom ordered Mop as he was returned to his place. "Tell me everything that happened with Kate and Castle while I was gone, especially the good stuff."

"And by good stuff I assume you mean making out," Mop said.

"Off course," Broom answered. "Get to it!"

"Sorry, they started out by talking about the murder," Mop told him. "They were actually pretty glad that the Attorney General's office is intervening."

"Why?" Broom asked.

"They were talking about someone named Rostoff," Mop reported. "They seemed to believe that Rostoff was behind the whole thing and that if someone named Villante can help bring Rostoff down, they'll have an easier time getting whichever of Rostoff's henchmen actually did the killing. Also, they were talking about the wedding. They both seemed to think that the wedding would be a lot safer if Rostoff is taken down before the ceremony."

"When is the ceremony?" Broom asked.

"They said Saturday," Mop replied. "That's soon. Isn't today Thursday?"

"It is," Broom confirmed. "I saw the calendar on Scary Lady's desk. That's exciting, although I hope their marriage doesn't slow down their activities in here."

"What!" Mop exclaimed, handle jerking sharply. "Is that all you care about?"

"Right, and you don't enjoy it too!" Broom retorted. "Anyway, what happened next?"

"As I said," Mop told him brusquely, "They were talking about their vows. Kate has already written hers. Castle hasn't finished his. Kate called him the 'Master of Procrastination.'"

"I think I heard his daughter say the same thing once," Broom commented.

"Kate was laughing and smiling when she said it, though," Mop said, "then she did her thing where she grabs his behind."

"Now you're talking," Broom enthused. "Then what?"

"He did that move where he grabs her and pull her tight against him," Mop described.

"Oooh, I love that one!" Broom proclaimed.

"Don't I know it," Mop said drily. "Well you know where things go from there."

"Up against the door?" Broom asked.

"Yes," Mop affirmed, "but he was more joyful than ravenous. Despite everything that's happened Castle seems really happy. Both of them do. When they finished, they just leaned against the door smiling at each other. They didn't leave then either. They started talking again."

"About what?" Broom asked with surprise.

"They talked about putting on a show about being upset about being excluded from the murder investigation," Mop answered. "They were talking about what they would say to Kevin and Javi and of course Scary Lady. They are pretending that they don't know what Villante is doing, but they do. From what I was able to understand, Villante is actually working from a plan Castle suggested. Kate is absolutely amazed by that, but also very pleased. She told Castle she's proud of him."

"Just told him?" Broom asked.

"Yes, there was a kiss," Mop replied with an air of disgust. "You never stop, do you?"

"You don't want me to," Broom protested. "You just love talking about those two and you know it."

"I suppose," Mop agreed grudgingly. "Hey! They're coming again."

"That's not Kate and Castle," Broom corrected. "That's Javi and Dr. Lanie."

"Do you understand what that was all about?" Broom asked after the door closed behind the departing couple.

"It sounded like Dr. Lanie found some evidence in the murder and Kate told her to give it to Villante," Mop answered. "Javi was really surprised and upset because he didn't think it was like Kate. He thought Kate would want to pursue it herself and he was asking Dr. Lanie if she understood. Lanie said she thought Kate was distracted by the wedding. She told Javi not to worry about it."

"It sounds like Castle and Kate aren't really fooling their friends," Broom speculated.

"Kate has never been able to fool either Dr. Lanie or Javi that I can remember," Mop said.

"That's true," Broom agreed. "Listen! I think that really is Kate and Castle coming back this time."

"Why do you think Kate and Castle brought that phone in here?" Broom asked as the door clicked behind the duo as they left.

"Isn't it obvious?" Mop replied. "They didn't want to be overheard. They were talking to that Villante guy and they didn't want anyone to know about it."

"I'm not sure I got everything they said. Was I hearing about Rostoff again?" Broom queried.

"If I got it straight," Mop explained, "This was it. Castle asked Villante when the plan is scheduled to go into effect. Villante told him tomorrow morning. Beckett asked about how many accounts would be involved and how many operations would be shut down. Villante gave her some numbers. I don't remember what they were."

"Whatever they were, those two sure looked blissful," Broom opined. "That was quite a kiss!"

"I have to agree with you there," Mop told him. "I don't even know who started it. They just came together and stayed that way."

"Well they did have to breathe eventually," Broom said. "Humans always do. But as hot as they were, I thought they'd do a repeat of their earlier performance."

"You think you know so much about humans," Mop lectured haughtily, "you should know that they usually don't do it twice that close together, still they certainly were as into each other as I've ever seen them."

"That is saying something, What was Castle whistling as they left?" Broom asked.

"You know, I'm not sure," Mop answered. "I've heard a couple of women humming it in the Ladies' Room. Officer Hastings did that just before she married that reporter who's always hanging around. Maybe it's a wedding song."

"That sounds right," Broom agreed. "Dum dum de dum sounds like a bride walking down the aisle. I never thought about it before, but I wish I could watch Kate do that. It has been so long coming."

"For once you're right," Mop admitted. "That would be nice. Anyway, I hope everything goes all right this time and they'll be as happy as they were just now."

"Yeah," Broom said, his straws scratching wistfully. "Me too."