Chapter Thirty Seven

Rick directed Kate to the town house; they arrived just in time to see the broker add a "Sold" banner to the "For Sale" sign. She pulled into a parking spot reserved for prospective buyers. Ryan walked over to greet them; he shook hands with Rick and didn't let go until Jenny came out to kiss him. "Please come in and look around, both of you, isn't it wonderful. I don't know how to thank you enough."

"Honey, I need to update them on the hunt for Maddox, can you give us a minute." He waited until his wife went inside. "I just found out about this a few hours ago or I would have called you sooner. Gates still has me buried in the file room. Tom Deming came to see me. I think he is still carrying a torch for you, Kate. He transferred uptown to the 18th precinct after you broke up. Yesterday, he and his partner responded to a break in.…" He looked around quickly to make sure no one was listening. "At the home of Trent Cabot-Smith." Rick looked totally shocked but Kate only looked puzzled.

"Who?"

"TC or Top Cat, as he is known in the marble halls of the elite power brokers, he is the man behind almost every winning election since Ronald Regan. City, state or national campaign, if he backs you, you're in. If he doesn't like you, if you won't dance to his tune or you've crossed him in any way even once, you don't have a prayer of ever getting elected even as dog catcher."

"I've never heard of him."

"I'm not surprised; he pulls all the strings but always stays far in the background. I don't think anyone has even gotten a picture of him in twenty, maybe thirty years. They say he has more money than God and wields just as much power. I can't believe that one person could or would try to break in. His place is like a fortress and he has an army of security...just ask any reporter or writer who ever tried to see him." Rick ran his hand through his hair and then looked away.

"It wasn't one guy; Tom told me they found ten security guys out cold all over the grounds and estate. They were all knocked out with multiple Taser burns and stun gun marks on their necks and more disabled the power and security cameras. TC's secretary was found tied to a chair in the outer office; he had been tortured and beaten to death. The inner office was trashed but his boss was nowhere to be found. The case was transferred first to homicide but then the FBI was called in. They think TC might have been kidnapped. Tom Deming came to me, showed me his files because they found lots of DNA at the scene. The security team didn't go down without a fight; crime scene guys found blood and skin on some of the security guards and they got several matches. One of them was Maddox. He also gave me a picture of the missing man…Rick, could this be your mysterious Mr. Smith?"

"I only saw him for a second or two as a car drove by us…but yeah that looks like him."

"If Maddox has Smith, then he already has or will find the Captain's files." Kate sounded defeated.

"That's if he has Smith, for all we know Maddox came up empty. He searched the office and found nothing. The secretary must have died before telling him where the files were, that is if he even knew anything about them; otherwise Maddox wouldn't have torn the office apart like that. I told you TC was brilliant and careful. I'm sure he set up his place with at least one emergency escape, maybe more. You don't get that powerful and not have made lots of enemies. I'm sure he has secret files on quite a few powerful people. He would probably store that information in more than one location and not where he lives or like Captain Montgomery, he sent copies of the files to someone he trusted. We are meeting with Jordan Shaw; she may already be working on this case and can fill in some of the blanks. Kevin, thanks for your help, we owe you big time."

"No, you don't." Pointing to the house he shook hands with Rick again and Kate. "We're even. Good Luck, you know if either of you needs anything, anytime just let me know."

"Give Jenny our apologies; let her know we had to go. I promise you both we will come back and take the tour of your new home another time." With a last handshake he watched as Kate walked away without even saying goodbye to Kevin.

Rick knew that Kate would assume the worst had happened. She felt like her last chance to find "The Dragon" was slipping through her fingers. He put his arm around her shoulders and walked her to the passenger side of the SUV. He helped her in and caressed her face. "Kate, we don't know that anything has changed, let's go see Agent Shaw. She'll have more information on what happened to Smith. If he was kidnapped, that will make a lot of important people very nervous." He leaned down to kiss her and Kate clung to him. Rick expanded the kiss and pulled her against his chest. "Kate, if Maddox does have the files, which I doubt, he still has to get them to "The Dragon". After all the time, trouble and money that bastard spent to find them, he won't just destroy them. The FBI have a lot more clout, men and toys to help find Maddox and they know what he looks like now. They can make sure he's found and followed. He may even lead us right to the man holding his leash. One way or the other your long stalemate is over and this game is going to end." Rick lifted her face to give her one last kiss and then walked back to the driver's side of the SUV.

Rick drove into his loft's garage and used the private elevator up to his place. He shut down the security system and checked the online recorder to confirm no one had entered since they left. He also did a quick scan to make sure no listening devices had been planted. "OK, it's safe to talk now."

"I know you love these high tech toys but when did you have all this installed?"

"A few weeks ago, just after you came to stay with me again…and not just to keep you safe but Alexis and Mother too. Kate, I know we are safe here too but I already miss the beach house."

"Me too. We better try to re-create the file on my mother's case before Jordan gets here."

"I still have my file but I need to update a few things."

"I thought you said that you deleted it. That you were done…not that I didn't deserve it after the way I treated you.

"Kate don't, that's all in the past. I did delete the file on your mom's case but when you came to apologize, I un-deleted it. We can review it before Agent Shaw comes. First, let me make some coffee. Did you want anything to eat?"

Kate just shook her head. "Too nervous, not sure I could eat or drink anything."

"OK then, coffee can wait." Taking her hand they walked into his study and he turned on his computer and pulled up the "Johanna Beckett" file.

Kate was silent for some time as she scanned the material. "How did you get all these pictures and notes? It looks like the complete police case file...Well for once your habit of stealing and copying files and photographs came in handy." Chuckling she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Rick walked her through the other information he'd found by hiring private investigators, until they got to the page on Mr. Smith. "Cabot-Smith looks like the mystery man I met but how did Captain Montgomery know him?" Rick searched and found his file on TC and one on the Captain. "I don't see that they ever met or how Roy could have helped such a powerful man like TC but Smith said he owed Captain Montgomery."

Their discussion was interrupted by phone on his desk ringing.

"Castle."

"Mr. Castle, you are home! I am so sorry, I did not know."

"No, it's my fault, Carlos. I forgot to tell you, I came home just for the day. I am expecting Jordan Shaw at three o'clock."

"Mr. Castle, it is three thirty but she is here now. I told her you were not at home but she insisted you asked her to meet you. I called just to double check…so it is OK that I send her up?"

"Yes, please and thank you, Carlos." Hanging up, Rick turned to Kate. "She's here, let's go."

He took her hand as they walked to the loft door and opened it. "Agent Shaw, please come in."

Kate let go of Rick's hand as she was pulled into a hug by Jordan Shaw. "It's good to see you again, Kate. How are you doing?"

"Much better than the last time you saw me." She turned to Rick. "Jordan came to see me at the hospital after I was shot."

"I know! I was sitting in the waiting room." What he didn't say to either of them was that Kate had asked him to leave but he just couldn't go.

"So you two are together now. Can I say it is about time?" She looked at Kate, "and I told you so."

Jordan and Kate laughed at the puzzled look on Rick's face. "Can I get you some coffee and something to eat? Kate can bring you to the study and show you the information we have."

"Just coffee, thanks.

Well over an hour later, Rick came back to the one piece of the puzzle they were missing. What had Roy Montgomery done so that TC owed him enough to "protect" Kate?

"Well, Rick I'm impressed, you missed your calling. You are dammed good at gathering and piecing together information on a suspect. You could work for the bureau as a profiler. Wait, did I just say that out loud. What did you put in that coffee?" Shaking her head, Jordan pulled out a small device from her purse. "Can you download a copy of your information onto this flash drive? Let me dig a little more, see if I can find a connection. As far as we know right now, TC was not kidnapped. There have been no ransom demands or any groups claiming responsibility so he must be in hiding and probably has the information Roy Montgomery sent him. Let me see if he tried to send that information to someone he trusted. Kate, I don't think staying here in the city is a good idea."

"We were planning to return to the Hamptons first thing in the morning. We dropped my mother off on the Cape earlier today. My daughter is on her way to the South of France to visit her mother. We will drive there now, if you need to reach us this is the number. I have a private security detail covering the house."

Jordan nodded as he spoke. "Kate, you were right, he can be useful. I'll be in touch, soon. Let's find this son of bitch."

"And make him pay for what he's done." Kate shook hands with Jordan as Rick also shook her hand and opened the door to let Agent Shaw leave.

"It's my job but I owe you both. We will find him and kill the dragon."

A/N I hoped to have this done for Christmas Morning...I'm a little late but a new chapter much faster than the last. Merry Christmas to all!