CHAPTER TWENTY
CASTLE leaned back in his chair, after having moved it from beside Caliver's desk to Ryan and Esposito's work area. Even though McKenna and Johnson said he didn't belong in the Precinct anymore, both Esposito and Ryan said he could stay, if only to tie up any loose ends for tonight only, otherwise their hands were tied, and Castle had understood.
Right now, Esposito and Ryan were over with McKenna, Johnson, and the new detective Caliver, going over the leads that they had investigated earlier in the day, so other then the janitor who was collecting garbage, Castle was all by himself.
He smiled at the janitor, whose name tag read George, and handed him the garbage bin that was beside him.
"Thank you," George said, with an awkward voice.
"No problem," Castle said. He watched as George emptied the bin into the larger garbage bag he carried on his cart.
"Say, you look familiar," George said. "Aren't you an author?"
Castle perked up in his chair. "As a matter of fact, I am."
"You've written the Derrick Storm and Nikki Heat series, haven't you?"
"I have," Castle answered. "You've read them?"
"Yep. Loved each and everyone." There was a small pause before he said, "Are you at the Precinct to write about a new murder case?"
"New murder case?" Castle asked.
"Yeah. It's all over the papers - the serial killer on the loose. The one that killed that woman detective? What was her name? Katherine Beckett?"
"I don't think I could write about that guy. The case is too personal."
"Hm. That's a shame," George said. "If anyone could do justice on that serial killer, it would be you. Alas, some other talentless hack writer will write about him."
Castle opened his mouth to say something, but George was already making his way back to the elevator, and Esposito and Ryan were making their way back to their desks.
"Something wrong, Castle?" Ryan asked, noticing the flubbed look on his friend's face.
"I was just talking to the janitor. He said I should write about this case in my next book."
"Someone's a fan," Esposito said as he shut down his computer and began to gather his things.
"You guys are going home?" Castle asked, to which both male detectives nodded.
"It's late. Jenny has dinner waiting for me, and there is nothing we can do at this hour anyway."
Castle nodded his head, getting up from his chair. He extended his hand to both Ryan and Esposito. "It was a pleasure getting to know you, and work along side you."
"Pleasure was ours, Bro," Esposito said, shaking his hand.
"We will sure miss your practical jokes and one liners," Ryan added, also shaking Castle's hand. "Have to admit, the diapers, dentures, and prune juice was the funniest by far."
Castle laughed, remembering how Esposito and Ryan lost track of an old man, posing to be handicapped, that escaped.
"Taking back the Espresso Machine?" Esposito asked, once they all made their way to the elevator.
"No. You guys can keep it. But, by all means, if you want to get the bomb squad to rig it so it looks like it exploded to get back at McKenna, Johnson, and Caliver, please by all means, do it, and then get it on Youtube, and I'll buy you guys a new one."
The three of them shared a quick laugh.
"And also, if you're still interested, I don't mind taking you two for money on our weekly poker night games."
"I've been getting better," Esposito said. "I'm going to be taking you for your money."
"All talk, Esposito. All talk."
"And you, Alexis and your mother will be at my wedding, right?" Ryan asked.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Castle said.
CASTLE opened the door quietly, making sure not to wake up his mother or Alexis, who he figured was still sleeping.
He made his way into the kitchen, and stopped suddenly when he saw Alexis sitting at the counter, with an icepack placed against her mouth.
"What's wrong?" Castle asked, causing Alexis to look at him.
"I think my wisdom teeth are growing in, and it hurts."
Castle sympathized with Alexis. "Yeah."
"Why couldn't teeth grow in all at once? Like when I was teething as a baby so I don't have to remember the pain?"
Castle laughed. "You may not remember your teething pain, but I sure do." He walked over to the fridge, pulling out a water.
"How did you deal with your wisdom teeth pain?"
"Jack Daniels."
"Anything I can use?" Alexis asked.
"Sorry, honey."
Alexis got up from her chair. "I wish they would just fall out, or I'll pull them out." She walked over to her dad, and hugged him. "Did you say goodbye today?"
"Yeah. It's going to be weird not going to the Precinct anymore, but I'll still see Esposito and Ryan on poker nights, and we are all still going to Ryan's wedding."
"At least you'll still see them," Alexis said, pulling apart from the hug. "Are you going to bed?"
"I think I'm going to try to write something first, but soon."
"Good night, Dad."
"Good night, sweetie."
As Alexis made her way upstairs to her bedroom, Castle made his way into his office. He had always found that he worked better at night, and as he flipped open his laptop screen, and turned it around, facing his chair, the feeling he usually got when he figured something out during a murder investigation had struck him. His eyes widening, he quickly reached for his cellphone.
LANIE had just finished watching Dr. G, Medical Examiner on the television and was about to call it a night when she heard her cellphone vibrating. With all the chaos that had happened in the past weeks, on top of losing her best friend, all she wanted to do was crawl into her nice warm bed, but reluctantly, she walked over to her phone and checked to see who had texted her. She was surprised to see a text from Castle that simply read urgent, and asking to meet in the morgue as soon as possible. Intrigued, she replied with an 'okay,' and after putting her phone down, she went to her bedroom to get dressed, and head out again.
WHEN she arrived at the City Morgue, she was surprised to see Esposito and Ryan with Castle, waiting outside for her to let them in with her key.
"Thanks for coming, Lanie. I appreciate this," Castle said, once Lanie put her key into the door and let them all in.
"Your hunches usually pan out," Lanie said, leading the three men down in the morgue area. "I just don't know what help I'll be, or what you are looking for in the first place."
"None of us know," Esposito said. "Castle wouldn't tell us until we all were here."
Lanie just nodded her head, and flipped on the lights in the morgue. Castle had to admit to himself it was pretty weird to see a morgue empty without a body lying on a table, covered in a white sheet.
"So what did you want to tell us?" Ryan asked, once they all turned to look at Castle.
Castle looked directly at Lanie and asked, "Do you still have Beckett's teeth?"
Lanie was slightly taken aback by the odd request, but she nodded her head. "Just a second." She left the room, going into her office. When she returned, she had a small envelope in her hand and it was marked with an evidence seal. Three teeth, that were split in half, were placed on a metal tray.
"What about her teeth?" Esposito asked. It could have been the lack of sleep, but he wasn't seeing what Castle was seeing.
"When I got home today Alexis was complaining that her mouth was hurting because her wisdom teeth were growing in."
"Okay..." Esposito said, still not following.
Castle turned to Lanie again. "Maybe you'll know better then me, but what teeth are these?"
Lanie looked at Castle for a moment before turning her attention back to the teeth. She put each of the teeth pieces together, and really looked at it. Her eyes widened as she looked back up at Castle. "Wisdom teeth."
"What are you getting at, Castle?" Ryan asked.
"Teeth sometimes don't get incinerated along with the rest of the body. If there were any teeth that were the most dispensable on a person it would be"-
"The wisdom teeth," Lanie said, interrupting Castle.
"Exactly. And since we can't get DNA samples from ashes, the next bet is to extract it from the teeth. If someone wanted to fake a persons death, it would be the best way to do it."
"Are you saying what I think you are saying?" Lanie asked.
Castle nodded his head. "Beckett could still be alive."