After Rita was gone, Kate sat quietly on the sofa while Castle went round and closed all the blinds. It had become a habit recently, in the hope that it would thwart anyone spying on them, but mostly because it made him feel safer.

He came back round to stand before her and held out a hand. "Did you forget where the bedroom was?" he said lightly.

Kate looked up at him and frowned a little.

"What's on your mind?" Castle asked, sitting beside her.

She shook her head. How could she put into words what was in her head? Then again, this was the guy who got her meaning even when she wasn't sure herself.

"Why you?" she said. "I mean, thank God it wasn't you. But why would they try to take you out? There are so many other targets, easier targets."

"I'm flattered, this time. I think," said her husband. "To think I'm not the easiest fish in the barrel."

"My dad," Kate went on. "Lanie. Aunt Teresa. Martha or Alexis, for that matter, I'm sorry to say. Not only civilians - well, except for Lanie - but people I would fight for just as hard."

She got to her feet and paced to the kitchen and back. "They all have a routine," she reasoned. "When and where they work. Martha at the studio and the show - Alexis at school - Lanie and my dad at work. It'd be easy to eliminate them."

"And Aunt Teresa hardly ever leaves her house," Castle pointed out. "Then there's me. Never know where I'm gonna turn up, where I'm going next. Even if someone could pry my schedule - such as it is - from Gina, last minute changes are way too common in my business."

"Which should make you more difficult as a target, rather than easier. So they must have had good reasons to pick you over anyone else."

"Leaving my ego aside for the moment - " Castle began. Kate grinned and he went on hastily. "Difficult, but not impossible. Consider it as a plot twist. You and I were on the outs, but we'd been there before, so the window of opportunity for killing or kidnapping me was in flux. We might make up at any time. As to the why -"

"Like Rita said, I'd leave no stone unturned, probably get distracted, be blinded by my search for vengeance..." Kate trailed off, realizing now that she was describing a place she'd been before.

"And who's always been here to talk you in off the ledge?" Castle asked quietly. "At least, once Roy was gone."

Kate gulped. "You," she whispered.

"Think about what Reed said on that recording. 'No one keeps her on an even keel like her husband.' Once I was gone, who would rein you in? Or at least, try to," he said. "If they killed your dad or Lanie or anyone else on your list, I'd be there for you, argue, reason, hold you back, if possible. And to have your back when it was time to kick ass. Just like I'm doing right now."

Once again, Kate thought, she'd underestimated him - as she tended to underestimate everyone else. When he said "always", this was what he meant.

"And without you, they think I'd go off the rails and become easier to target," she said, trying to remain objective. "Now that you're not dead, what's their next trick?"

"Take us both out, regardless of consequences," said Castle. "Someone's already after me; they've just expanded their program."

"Well, I'm getting tired of having to watch my back all the time," Kate sighed. "We have enough bad guys to deal with on a daily basis, without the Big Bad breathing down our necks."

"Much as I'd love watching your back...side 24/7," Castle leered, "I don't think either of us would accomplish much that way. You could wear those surveillance glasses you gave me."

Kate snorted. "Like that wouldn't attract a lot of notice. At least when you're wearing them people can put it down to your quirky sense of style."

"Hey, at least I have style."

"What, no cutesy code word?"

"Funny man. When's my birthday?"

"Hmm, I think it's in July?"

"Yeah, that proves it's you. You always think it's in July."

"What's happening?"

"The counselor has made contact with our subjects. Casual, at the moment, but I suspect he's clearing the way for action against them."

"You get that from the wire?"

"From the horse's mouths," said Rita dryly. "He came to the precinct to chat with the boss lady about his client - the analyst. I told her the counselor was just a cog in the machine."

"What does she think?"

"Not sure. Also, she and Castle insist that Jenkins and the analyst knew each other before the AG team was killed, but they don't say how they know that."

"Too bad I can't put thumbscrews on my son," Jack grumbled. "If he didn't try to hurt me, the boss lady surely would. Do you think they're right?"

"About Jenkins? They seemed pretty sure about him. Maybe you should have a chat with him."

"No one has contacted Junior since the Asia op. He should have forgotten all about Jenkins by now."

"Unless he's part of whatever it is Junior's hearing in his...visions. Junior took out the damn listening device before I could get anything useful about them."

"What's Jenkins up to, these days?"

"I'll check and get back to you. Meet up?"

000

"You have to go now?" Kate had no trouble sounding unpleasantly surprised. "To Chicago? What on Earth for?"

Castle sat on the couch in her office, looking downcast. "It's a will reading. I have to be there in person."

"Whose will?"

"Bill Jordan," said Castle. "He was one of my first editors, back in the day. I can't imagine what he's left me - we haven't kept in touch, the last several years. Anyway, I need to be there in person, tonight, so I have to leave right away."

"Did you consider that this might be a ploy to get us separated?" Kate asked, lowering her voice. Since she and Castle had come up with the ploy, she wasn't actually worried about external forces luring Castle away. Still.

"The thought had occurred," said Castle blandly. "I won't be alone in a car on a deserted road, this time. And you'll be taking precautions, right? I don't know if I'll be able to get back before tomorrow night."

"The guys are coming to install the new security system at the loft tomorrow." Kate shrugged. "Eduardo and Vinnie both know to check their credentials with a microscope, and I can work from home, since you won't be there to supervise."

"I'm sorry about this, Kate," said Castle, and he sounded sincere. He got up and Kate met him in front of her desk, leaning in to kiss him.

"Be safe," she murmured.