Summary – Kate is at mandatory police training and Castle gets into trouble while researching a story. Can the 12th save him in time?
Author's Notes: Sorry it's been a while. Case of writer's block and a crazy life at work and home and little time to write. Rated T for language and violence and innuendo. Also I'm taking artistic liberties with how fast the investigation is going because, in the real world, it doesn't happen this fast. And some of the names of the towns are made up as are all of the people.
Disclaimer – Don't own Castle: Marlowe, ABC, and Disney do. Just writing for fun.
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This Is Castle We're Talking About – Chapter 20
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Before the four of them could make it to the elevator, the doors opened and Demming walked out.
"I heard about the deal Deigo made with the FBI and thought you could use this," he said, handing Beckett a warrant. "Reynolds and Masterson realized she had hung them out to dry and are cutting a deal with the DA to spill their guts about her human trafficking operation pending your approval. Judge Wilson was all too happy to sign the warrant for her arrest based on the information they've already given."
"What are the terms?" asked Beckett, taking the slip of paper.
Demming looked at Castle. "10 years max on any charges of kidnapping Richard Castle with attempted murder charges off the table, time off for good behavior."
"Meaning they could be out in 5," finished Beckett. She pressed her lips into a thin line as she turned to Castle, trying to read his inscrutable expression, and placed a hand on his arm. The police used deals all the time to get the bigger fish, but it was excruciating being on the other side, listening to how much or little your life was worth depending on the fish.
"Rick," she said softly, as Espo and Ryan moved off to give them some privacy.
"Do they know where the people are?" Castle asked Demming without looking at her.
"Yes, they do," he said.
"Then make the deal," Castle said curtly.
Demming nodded and pulled out his phone.
His anger quickly dissipating, Castle took a deep breath and swallowed before turning to Kate, an apology radiating out of his blue eyes. "Kate, I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't realize—" he started before she cut him off by placing a finger against his lips.
"Castle, it's okay – I wouldn't expect any less of you," she said, smiling at him. This was Castle they were talking about after all and he could be very chivalrous at times, even to his own detriment. "Now let's take that dirtbag down."
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Beckett drove, of course, with Castle riding shotgun, and Espo and Ryan following in their cruiser, lights flashing and sirens wailing.
A small jet stood powered-down and empty by the hanger that Sorenson's office had directed them to at JFK airport. Two black sedans were parked next to it, the occupants standing near the cars, talking on their cell phones.
Quickly stopping the car and unbuckling her seatbelt, Beckett looked at Castle. "Will you please stay here?" she asked. "And stay out of trouble this time?"
"I promise to try," Castle said sincerely with a nod of his head.
"Okay," she said, giving him a quick kiss before getting out of the car.
"Ryan, you're on Castle-watch," she said as Espo and Ryan walked up. "Make sure he stays put. Espo, you're with me."
"Yes, ma'am," said they said in unison.
"Detective Beckett and Detective Esposito, NYPD," said Kate as they flashed their badges at the people in suits near the two sedans. "Where are Agent Sorenson and Carmelita Deigo? We have a warrant for her arrest on ht charges."
"I'm Agent Ikerman," said a ball-headed man, coming up to her and taking the warrant. He scanned it quickly and then gave it back. "They're in the office," he said, pointing to the hanger. "Sorenson's not going to be pleased though – she cut a deal for immunity."
"Yeah, for dropping the charges of kidnapping and attempted murder of Mr. Richard Castle in exchange for information on her family," said Beckett as they walked to the hanger. "Her accomplices rolled on her when they realized she hung them out to dry so we can now link her to several cases of human trafficking. The Feds are on their way to her houses."
Ikerman opened the door to the office. "Hey, Sorenson, this detective wants to talk to you." He frowned as he looked at the overturned chair in the empty office and then at the open door that led into the hanger. "Shit, he must have gotten them," he swore as he pulled out his gun and moved to the side of the door and cautiously peered in.
"He who?" asked Beckett, pulling out her own gun and moving to Ikerman's flank. Espo took out his service gun and moved to the other side.
"Thomas the priest – we moved up the flight because we got confirmation this morning that he was in town," replied Ikerman. He pulled his phone out of its holder on his belt. "Abrams, we've been compromised. Thomas got them. I need you to quickly open the hanger door and move away."
They stood their position by the office door until the hanger door was open and the sunshine flooded the interior.
Ikerman swore again when it was apparent that no one was in the hanger. "Abrams, we need an all points. Consider Thomas armed and dangerous." He looked back at Beckett. "Sorry, but we're going to have to ask you to leave until we contain the situation. When we get her back, we can discuss your warrant."
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Castle and Ryan stopped talking as they watched Beckett and Espo stride back to them, Beckett's displeasure evident to all in the fury of her walk.
"Sorenson and Deigo are gone," she said when she reached them. "Apparently, the family sent a hit man after her and he was waiting in the hanger. The FBI has an all-points bulletin out so they can't get too far."
"Why didn't he just kill her?" asked Castle, confused. "It would have been a lot easier."
"The family probably wants to use her as an example," answered Ryan. "She said things got really bad after her uncle Max died 3 months ago, so she faked her death to get away and start a new life."
Castle frowned at them. "You were there when they questioned her and made the deal?"
"Uh, yeah," said Ryan, looking slightly ashamed.
"Listen, bro," Espo piped up. "We wanted them to throw the book at her."
"But apparently getting Max's son is more important than…" Ryan trailed off when he realized he was close to putting his foot in his mouth.
"You mean Thomas the priest?" Castle asked, a dumbfounded expression on his face.
"Yeah, she said he runs the business now. He must have gotten his nickname by hearing his victims' confessions before he kills them," commented Espo drily.
"Uh, no," said Castle, shaking his head in disbelief. "Didn't the Feds check their facts first? Uncle Max only has one son, Thomas Emanuel, and he really is a Catholic priest."
"This Father Thomas – you know him?" asked Beckett.
"Yeah," said Castle. "He's one of Pablo and Miguel's best friends. I'd confess to him each time I saw him—"
"But you're not Catholic," commented Beckett.
"No, but a little fire protection can't hurt," Castle explained. "Father Thomas is the real deal – a man of the cloth, totally devoted to God. But that would be cool," he said, getting distracted, his eyes narrowing in thought. "A man of the cloth by day seeking God's forgiveness and a vigilante at night seeking a God's justice."
"Castle – focus," hissed Beckett. "They said they moved up the flight because he's in town."
"Yeah, he's here for a retreat," said Castle. "We're going to get together before he flies back on Sunday for the annual fleecing of the Castle poker game."
"A priest who cheats at cards?" Espo asked incredulously.
"No, but he's got the best inside track ever and all the winnings go to his church as penance for – well, you know…" Castle said. He looked at Ryan and Espo and then at Beckett who rolled her eyes at him. "You're more than welcome to come – if you aren't on duty. The mayor should be there too," he added quietly.
"Well, this poker game isn't going to happen unless we find him before the Feds do. Does Thomas run the family business?" Beckett asked.
Castle shook his head. "I can't see him leaving the church to take over the family business – the legitimate family business," he quickly added. "But if he did, I could see how everything went south for Carmelita. Father Thomas has a very dim view of people who break the 10 commandments knowingly, and Carmelita has definitely broken all of them at least one time, if not several." He paused. "Well, at least she didn't lie about that."
"Yo, dude," Espo yelled at Ikerman who was talking on his phone near one of the cars. "You've been had."
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A search of the hanger quickly turned up an unresponsive Sorenson stuffed into a utility closet, a large lump purpling on the side of his head. They quickly pulled him out and placed him on the ground.
Ikerman felt his neck for a pulse and then shook his head grimly. "Nothing," he said.
"No, he's not dead," said Castle and Beckett in unison.
"She probably used ER4SER on him," said Castle, kneeling beside Sorenson.
"Look for a needle mark," finished Beckett.
As they examined him, Espo and Ryan filled Ikerman in on Castle's revelations.
"There," said Beckett, as she pushed up one of Sorenson's sleeves, motioning to the puncture wound in the crook of his left elbow. She pulled out her phone and quickly called Danberg. "We've got another one for you – Will Sorenson. We'll have the EMTs transport him to Mt. Sinai."
"If this Thomas isn't a hit man, who took Deigo?" asked Ikerman, taking off his jacket, wadding it up, and putting it under Sorenson's head.
"Reynolds and Masterson are still in lock-up," said Ryan, "so she must have another accomplice who was waiting."
"And she could be anywhere," said Beckett, looking at the airport terminal in the distance as the distant wail of a siren came closer.
"I've got this," said Ikerman, motioning towards Sorenson. "The balls in your court now, Detective."
The team moved back over to their cars, making their game plan.
Beckett quickly dialed Fallon and put him on speaker phone. "Agent Fallon, this is Detective Beckett. We're at JFK and Carmelita Deigo has escaped. We think she's trying to leave the country but she'll be traveling under an assumed name."
"And she won't be traveling alone," interjected Castle. "She knows we'll be looking for a single person, so it will be less suspicious if she's traveling with someone else." He thought for a moment and then suddenly said, "Dr. Dimont – Claire Dimont – see if that name is on any lists."
"Let me see what I can find at my end," said Fallon.
"Claire Dimont?" asked Beckett, arching an eyebrow and looking at Castle.
Castle watched as the EMTs carefully loaded Sorenson into the ambulance and then race off, only turning on their siren when they cleared the airfield.
"I saw her at the embassy. She's the ME in Paris who signed off on the autopsy on Simone so she could be involved," he replied. "Alexis didn't have any extra clothes and she'd worn what she had on for several days, so Julie took us to Dries Van Noten and Balenciaga so I could buy her some. Their names were on the registries together, so yeah, I'm certain they know each other."
Fallon was back on the line in a few moments. "Dr. Claire Dimont has 2 tickets on an Air France flight leaving in an hour. I'll put a departure hold on the plane. That should give you time to get there."
Espo looked at Castle. "Yo, bro, you've got all the pieces of the puzzle – no wonder they wanted you dead."
"Not funny," Beckett replied as she opened the door to her car.
"Little bit funny," Castle mouthed at him as he proceeded to get into the car.
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