Previously in Apples & Cherries...Kate bought a blonde wig to bait Tyson at the symphony. Rick was all "Not you too, mlaaaghhaa". They totally kissed (I won't judge you if you go back and read that part). Took a picture of themselves and sent it to Shannon the reporter so they'd be in the morning paper.

Chapter Twenty-Six:

Tyson stared unblinkingly at the image that sat on his lap. His fingers were dusty with ink from running their tips endlessly over the text of the print. Tracing the rectangular outline of the enlarged photo, he rubbed at his scarred and tender lip carefully. Wincing in pain, he slowly brought the cheap cigarette to his lips and took a long draw. Let it calm his nerves and fill his lungs with a cloud of warm grey.

Was this some kind of joke? Did they think he was that stupid? Just some common murdering thug from the streets? He had been checking the New York papers daily for news of Richard Castle. Just to keep tabs on him. It was pure luck that he had seen the image of the cocky writer staring back at him from the Portland paper at the counter of the drugstore. He'd been pointing out the pack of cigarettes to the man at the counter when he noticed Castle's smug profile in a stack of newspapers on the floor behind the counter.

Seeing Richard Castle in full color had prompted him to immediately call the theatre camp. He had been calling every once in a while to make sure that Rick hadn't found out about Alexis' disappearance. To his knowledge, the "doting father" had no clue his only daughter had been missing for weeks.

But this? This was too much. Richard Castle was in Portland with that detective of his and he was supposed to think it had nothing to do with him? That he had come all the way over to this end of the states and hadn't even bothered to check in with his daughter? No. No. No. There was something more here.

The call to the camp confirmed his suspicions. A journalist had come poking around about Alexis. Of course it had been Rick. That man wouldn't know subtlety if it gently whispered in his ear to introduce itself.

So, Rick finally knew.

The thought gave him a thrill and sent a fresh batch of nerves through his hollow chest.

That arrogant writer thought that he could lure him out of hiding? As if dying the hair of Katherine Beckett blonde would change anything? It only made their ploy that much more obvious. It only clenched his near certainty that they knew he was here. They'd be at the symphony tonight, waiting for him on white horses with pearly hopes and dreams of good conquering evil.

It was almost comical how simple their plan was. They must be desperate. Good. Desperate people make mistakes.

And this? This was a huge mistake.

Oh, he'd be waiting at the symphony for them. And they'd never see it coming.

Smiling smugly to himself he pressed the hot, orange end of his cigarette straight through the papery profile of Richard Castle. In mere hours, that man's world was going to come crumbling down and Tyson was going to force him to watch while it happened. And lucky for him, Rick had provided him with a new toy. A tall, blonde, shiny new toy.

A/N: I wrote this chapter after drinking a LOT of whiskey. So…I may or may not be sliiiiiightly more than tipsy. So, yeah. Hope it doesn't suck.

Apologies for the shortness. The length is special...