After The Vows

Jim Beckett's Journal

Chapter 25

Dear Johanna,

The news I suspected was on the way has broken. Bracken made a deal. There will be no trial. He will be put away for life, but the death penalty is off the table. He'll also be out of the general prison population in more protected surroundings. There are probably other aspects to the deal, but if there are, they haven't been publicized.

To say Katie is disappointed would be a massive understatement. She wanted him to have to sit in shackles in court, in full public view, while every charge was read and every piece of evidence presented. She is comforted by one thing. To make his deal, he had to admit to all the charges against him. That means that Katie is fully vindicated. There is no question about her attempted escape when he framed her. She will forever be a heroic figure who brought down a monster. No one who actually knew her had any doubts on that score, but Bracken presented a very different story to the general public. That story had now been completely debunked.

Reporters have been calling the loft and the precinct incessantly. Some of then have even managed to get Katie's or Rick's cell numbers or called my office. My team certainly has no time to deal with that right now, nor do I. Rick's agent recommended a PR specialist to field the inquiries so Katie, Rick, and my people can have some peace. Her name is Magda Pierson and she is a godsend. We can all direct inquiries to her and otherwise not have to say a single word. She arranged for Katie to give one statement to be distributed to the press and give one exclusive interview. That interview went to a reporter named Paul Whittaker who is married to one of the cops at the 12th. I understand there is a history there, something to do with a comic superhero, but I don't know the full story. I'm sure it's interesting and maybe I can get Katie or Rick to tell me about it some day. Whatever Paul's background with Katie may be, he gave her the opportunity to give a full accounting of the events leading to your death, as well as what she uncovered about Bracken's connections to drugs and campaign finance. Quotes from Whittaker's very well written piece have been appearing everywhere both in print and on the internet. I would not be surprised if the young man wins a Pulitzer.

Something else has come out of all the furor. A buzz has started for Katie to run for political office. Katie is confused. She became aware of her desire to make a bigger contribution when she was offered her short-lived job on the Attorney General's task force. As I understand it from Rick, the question of Katie going into politics even came up in regard to a case, but at the time, Katie completely dismissed the idea.

She certainly seems to have conflicting feelings about the whole notion. She hates paperwork and she despises the kind of political maneuvering that Captain Gates has to do to deal with the mayor and the hierarchy at One Police Plaza. Still, I think the idea may have taken root in her mind. I don't see her looking at a run for office now, but it may be a real possibility some time in the future.

After Katie, Rick, and I had a short meeting with Magda, I had a chance to ask them about the white haired man. For a moment they just looked at each other, then Rick told Katie to say whatever she felt comfortable saying. Katie was very held back, even for her, putting a lot of thought behind her words.

The white haired man, and even Rick doesn't know his real name, is Rick's father. He's called Hunt for convenience. Katie said that Hunt is involved with the intelligence community and that his work is quite dangerous and completely classified. Hunt has a lot of enemies. Because of that, he is not supposed to have ties or relationships with anyone, even Rick or Martha.

The deadliness of that situation was brought home a couple of years ago when Alexis was kidnapped and taken to Paris. Everyone assumed that she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time when the daughter, Sara El-Masri, of a rich and politically despised Egyptian was kidnapped. Alexis was with Sara and it was assumed that Alexis was just taken as a bargaining chip. In fact, Alexis had been the target all along. She was taken by an old enemy of Hunt's to draw him out so he could be killed. Hunt and Rick teamed up to get Alexis out in a rescue that came very close to killing both of them. No one outside the family knows that. There was an official cover story crediting the French police and Interpol with the rescue. From what Katie told me, neither agency actually had anything to with it. Somewhere in the course of events, Hunt saved Rick's life as well, but what it boils down to, is the whole thing would never have happened in the first place if Hunt hadn't somehow revealed the family connection between him and the Castles. Last year Rick and Katie, especially Rick, were put in danger again when they assisted Hunt on a mission. To say the least, Martha was none too pleased. She wants nothing more to do with Hunt and neither do Rick and Katie.

Rick is aware that Hunt keeps track of the family and has done so pretty much since Rick was born. I think he is both curious and afraid to know more about his father. I gather that Hunt is an extremely dangerous man. I had assumed that the steel that Rick has shown under the fun-loving exterior came from Martha. I understand now that those genes come from both sides.

I'll admit that I find the situation more than a little disquieting. Having a man out there who may at at any moment, however unintentionally, bring peril on the family is a frightening thought, especially given the danger Katie faces every day just from her work. However, I did get to experience the other side of the coin. Hunt seems determined to keep the family safe and may even be willing to give his life to do so. That is something clearly passed down to Rick. He hasn't hesitated to put everything, including his life, on the line for Katie or Alexis. Having a son-in-law like that is truly remarkable.

Forever love,

JB