Heat Noir
Chapter 37
Wednesday 17th April 1946 (Late Afternoon)
Castle stopped in his tracks the moment his eyes spotted the display board advertising the Murder City bookshop. His face immediately split into a big grin as he turned direction and headed for the stairs that led down to the shop. He could have kicked himself for having forgotten about this shop.
It had been a great many years since he had last been here and his excitement level rose with each step he took. Apart from the New York Public Library this shop had been his favourite place. Many had been the hours he had spent browsing through endless bookshelves. Other times he would pull a book off the shelf then go and find a spot somewhere in the shop, sit down and start reading the book. The shop owner did not mind him just reading a book in his shop without buying it. There had been times when he encouraged it. However when he got older and received an allowance Castle made it a point of buying at least one or two books when he came to the shop.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs Castle paused and tried to contain his excitement but failed. He reached out to the handle and pulled open the door.
The familiar tinkling bell above the door sounded as he entered the bookshop. He stopped just in front of the doorway and slowly took in the scene before him. The smile on his face deepened. He would swear the shop had not changed at all since the last time he had been standing here. It was almost as if the shop had been suspended in time. Even the smell of the place seemed the same as he remembered.
Castle moved slowly towards the counter but his eyes were still riveted to the rows of bookshelves. He bumped into the counter and was startled but the smile on his face had not faltered. The counter was not manned. He rang the bell on the counter and waited. With his growing excitement he could not stand there patiently waiting, he rang the bell again, hitting it a little harder.
"Coming." A cheerful voice called out.
Castle turned in the direction of the voice and his smile grew even wider as he set eyes on the owner of the ship. Joe Fox looked over in the direction of the front counter and the smile on his face faltered a little when he saw who was standing by the counter. A moment later his smile returned with full force.
"Ricky?" Joe said.
"Joe!" Castle cried out.
Castle moved away from the counter and approached the shop owner. Joe held out his hand which Castle took and shook firmly.
"Ricky it's so good to see you again."
"Not half as good as seeing you, Joe." Castle replied. "How you been?"
The two men slowly made their way back to the front counter.
"How long has it been, Ricky?"
"Too long." Castle shook his head. "Far too long, Joe."
"You look, well, Ricky."
"As do you."
"Well, I've tried, I got say."
Reaching the counter Castle looked over the shop and smiled.
"I was walking down the street, saw the sign and I couldn't believe it. The store was still here." Castle said excitedly.
"Where else would it be?" Joe chuckled.
Castle smiled as he turned to look at the older man who was now standing behind the counter.
"Thanks for the books you sent over, Joe"
Castle's unit had been in England training night and day for the Normandy invasion with little time between one training exercise finishing and a new one beginning. One day during a lull in the training Castle had gone to the company HQ to collect his mail. There he had found waiting for him were numerous letters from his mother and daughter, one from his wife, a few from friends and one very large package. The package was very heavy and Castle had thought that his mother had sent him some of the comforts from home only to discover when he tore off the brown wrapping paper that the package had contained a couple of dozen paperback novels.
The books were all dime store novels the kind of hard boiled that were popular at the time. The package also contained a handwritten note from the sender, Joe Fox. He had sent the books to Castle for him and his men to read. The books had been very appreciated by the men. They had all been snapped up within the hour and then swapped around the company in the following days. More than a few of those books had made their to Normandy on D-Day.
"They boosted morale, Joe." Castle said.
Joe shrugged his shoulders.
"Just my little part in the war efforts that's all it was, Ricky." Joe said modestly.
"How did you know where I was?"
"Oh, I ran into your mother one day and we got to talking and she mentioned that you were a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne." Joe explained. "I sent the package to Richard Castle care of the 82nd Airborne."
"Well, the books were very much appreciated, as were all the others you sent."
XXX
Kate opened the last of the six cardboard boxes that had arrived that morning in the mail. Inside the box were a number of hardback books that had been sent to Joe from a colleague in Los Angeles. Rather than send them back to the publisher so that they could be pulped the LA book shop owner sent them to Joe where he would sell them. Kate had found that Fox had contacts with a number of bookshop owners around the country all of whom sent him the stuff they could not sell.
She took out the first book and read the title and author on the spine then checked off the book from the list on her clipboard. She was thankful that this was the last of the boxes. The books from the other boxes had been put in storage out the back but these books, as Joe had instructed, would be going onto the shelves in the shop. It was here job to put these books on the shelves.
Joe had been helping her with the task but had been called away when someone had come into the store and started ringing the bell urgently. It must have been someone Joe knew because he had not returned to help her, Kate thought to herself. That was okay with her she did not mind working alone.
As she checked off another book from her list Kate started to think back to yesterday and what had occurred when she had gone for drinks with Castle. She had been thinking about it ever since. She had thought about it last night to the point where she had a fitful night's sleep. She had been thinking about it this morning. And she was thinking about it now.
She had been angry at the man for interceding on her father's behalf. Castle had no idea what it had been like, the pain her father's drinking had caused. Unless someone had gone through it they never could understand it. As much as she did not want to she trusted him when he told her that he would not tell her father where she was living only that he had found her
As much as she wanted to stay angry at Castle she found that she could not. His words were weighing heavily on her mind, just like they always had. Maybe he was right, that she would eventually come to regret not seeing her father again. There had not been a day that had gone by when she did not miss her mother or for that matter Daniel, her husband. If she was being totally honest with herself there had been moments over the past few years where she did find herself missing her father despite all that had happened between them.
Kate could not change the past but she had it in her power to change the current situation with her father. She was not ready to forgive him. That would take time, however long or little that might be but she did owe him the courtesy of a meeting with him. One meeting in a neutral place. The more she thought about it the more she warmed to the idea. A moment later she resolved to call Castle and tell him to set up the meeting with her father. The sooner the better.
Kate picked up the first pile of half a dozen books from off the table and headed into the store. She would stack all the books on the front counter first which meant a couple of trips from the back room and then she would start putting the books on the shelves.
She was half way to the front counter when she heard Joe talking to whoever had come into the shop. She started to frown as she thought she recognised the other man at the counter. A couple of steps later the frown on her face changed to one of astonishment as she recognised the tall form of Richard Castle standing there engaged in friendly conversation with Joe Fox.
"Castle?"
Castle turned around. "Kate?"
"You two know each other?" Joe asked looking from Castle to Kate.
"Yeah." Castle said glancing at Joe for a moment before he turned back to Kate and started to smile.
"What are you doing here?" Kate asked.
Castle stepped forward and took the books Kate was holding from her. She was still too surprised to find Castle in the shop to protest his action. Castle placed the books on the counter and quickly turned to face her again.
"Kate what are you doing here?"
"I work here." Kate stated.
"You do?"
Kate nodded her head.
"But I thought..."
"You thought wrong, Mr Castle." Kate interjected, giving him a pointed look.
"Right...yes..."
"You haven't answered my question, Castle. What are you doing here?"
"This place was like a second home to Ricky when he was young." Joe explained, smiling. "He used to be here all the time."
Kate could not help but smile as she pictured a very young Richard Castle rummaging through the bookshelves of this store.
"I was walking past when I saw the sign, I just had to come in and say hello." Castle added.
Kate slowly nodded her head in understanding. It was almost exactly like her when she had first found this shop. She just had to come in and have a look.
Kate looked hesitant as she glanced over to Joe.
"Ah, Joe, could you give a couple of minutes, please?"
"Certainly my dear." Joe replied with a smile. "I'll just go and bring the other books."
"Thanks."
Kate waited until Joe had disappeared into the back room of the shop before she slowly turned and faced Castle.
"I was going to give you a call, Castle."
"Was it to ask me out?" Castle asked.
"Ask you out?"
"You know to return the favour?"
Kate rolled her eyes.
"I was going to call you to let you know I came to a decision about that other matter." Kate said.
"You have?"
Castle looked surprised. He had not expected her to reach a decision so quickly. He had thought it would be at least a couple of days before he would heard from her.
"I thought about what you said, Castle." Kate leaned against the counter. "And what you said made a lot of sense."
"It did?"
"Yeah it did." Kate nodded. "I don't want to live with regret."
"So you will meet with your father?"
Kate nodded her head again. "The sooner the better."
"Okay, consider it done."
"Thanks."
"Kate."
"Yeah?"
"You're doing the right thing." Castle said in a low voice.
"Yeah, well we'll have to see about that."
The bell above the door rang as the door opened. Kate looked over Castle's shoulder to the door. She saw the two detectives enter the shop and immediately the expression on her face hardened as her body stiffened. Castle saw the sudden change in her demeanour and turned around to look at who entered the book shop.
"Kate Beckett we'd like you to come with us." Detective McNulty announced as he approached her.
Castle eased himself off the counter and turned to confront the approaching detective, standing in front of Kate.
"And who might you be?" Castle asked.
"The name's McNulty, Detective McNulty."
Castle slowly looked the man up and down and nodded his head.
"You mind showing me some ID?"
McNulty stopped and stared at Castle.
"You want to be arrested along with her, bud?" He growled.
"All I'm asking is to see your ID, detective." Castle told him. "It's a perfectly reasonable request."
"I'm Detective Sullivan and this is my partner Detective McNulty." Sullivan announced holding up his badge. "We're homicide detectives out of the 12th Precinct."
Castle glanced at the other man and saw the badge he was holding up. He nodded once before he turned his gaze on the man named McNulty.
"You lost your piece of tin, detective?"
McNulty's angry eyes narrowed as he pulled aside his trench coat to reveal the detective's badge that was attached to his belt.
"And who the hell are you, bud?" McNulty demanded as he took a couple of steps towards Castle.
"I'm Richard Castle."
"Step aside Richard Castle." McNulty ordered.
"On what charge are you arresting Miss Beckett?"
"On suspicion of murder."
"You must be crazy." Castle exclaimed. "Kate hasn't murdered anyone."
"Then she wont mind coming down to the station and answering some questions, will she?"
McNulty took a step and Castle moved a step towards him. Suddenly McNulty lunged and grabbed Castle by the lapels of his jacket and threw him against the counter. Castle winced at the impact of his back against solid wood.
"She's coming with us, bud." McNulty said angrily.
"Castle!" Kate called out.
"Now it's nice that you're sweet on her and all but if you try to get in the way I'll snap the bracelets on you too, you hear me?" McNulty said.
Castle ignored the pain that started to flare in his back. His clenched his fists ready to fight off this cop.
"Castle!"
Castle turned his eyes from the angry face of Detective McNulty over to where Kate was standing.
Her face was almost stone like but her hazel eyes brimmed with concern. It took him only a moment to realise that the concern was not for herself but for him. She had seen him clenching his fists in readiness to fight back.
"Castle, it's okay." Kate told him.
"No, it's not alright."
"I'd listen to sweetcakes over there, if I were you buster." McNulty urged.
"Are you sure?" Castle asked her.
"I'm sure."
Castle did not want to back down. He wanted to fight this heavy handed cop. Kate held his questioning gaze for several moments before she gave an imperceptible nod of assurance that she was going to be alright.
"Okay." Castle conceded but very reluctantly.
"Sully do the honours." McNulty ordered.
Sullivan produced a pair of handcuffs and walked over to Kate. She looked at Detective Sullivan and then at the handcuffs he was holding up. She then glanced over to Castle where he was still pinned up against the counter. Slowly she turned around and put her arms behind her back.
"Kate Beckett your under arrest on suspicion of the murder of Madison Queller." Sullivan intoned as he handcuffed Kate. Once the cuffs were secured he put his hand on her shoulder and turned her around.
McNulty nodded his approval as Sullivan led Kate towards the entrance to the shop.
"I'd forget this chippie if you know what's good for you, buster." McNulty warned.
"What are you going to do about it, flatfoot?"
Castle tried to push the man off him and as he did so he did not see the clenched fist that McNulty delivered to his stomach. The detective backed off as Castle doubled over over gasping for breath.
"Just a friendly warning, bud." McNulty said before he turned and walked out the door as well.
Castle wheezed as he slowly straightened up, clutching his stomach. He leaned against the counter for support as he struggled to get his breath back.
"Rick, what in the world?" Joe said worriedly as he came up to Castle.
"I've got to start working out again." Castle muttered, more to himself.
"Was that the police taking Kate away?"
Castle nodded his head.
"But whatever for?"
"Joe, can I use your phone?" Castle asked.
As much as he wanted to answer the older man's questions he needed to make a call first
"Certainly, certainly." Joe went around the counter and then placed the phone on it.
Castle reached for it. He picked up the handset and started dialling a number.
"Why did the cops arrest her?" Joe asked.
"They think she killed someone." Castle explained.
"Kate?" The shop owner exclaimed. He cast a look in the direction of the door and then turned back to Castle. "But that's preposterous."
Castle shrugged his shoulders and focused his attention to the ringing phone.
XXX
Kate rested her folded hands on top of the wooden table. She was sitting at the table in the middle of the interrogation room on the Homicide floor at the 12th Precinct. She had been sitting there on her own for some time now. There was no uniformed guard in the room standing by the door staring at her to provide silent intimidation but then this was not Occupied France.
For how long Kate had been sitting there and waiting she was not exactly sure. She did not have her watch, having forgotten to put it on in her haste to get to work. It was a little annoying not knowing the time but it was not the end of the world. If she was to guess it would have been around an hour since she had been placed in this room, perhaps a little longer.
The skin on her wrists had started to discolour with some bruising. Before Detective Sullivan had put her in the back of the car McNulty had checked to see that the handcuffs were secure. Not happy with what he saw, McNulty had tightened them to the point where the circulation in her hands had been constricted.
As tight as the handcuffs had been Kate did not give the man the satisfaction of showing he had caused her any pain. When she had been brought into the interrogation room and the handcuffs finally removed, circulation had returned to her hands and fingers. The onrush of pins and needles had been incredibly painful which was only now finally fading away and the warmth in her hands had also returned. Even then she did not show any sign of being in pain. As she sat now she resisted the urge to rub her bruised wrists.
Kate was seated facing the only door to the room. When she was not staring at the door she had taken the time to look over the room itself.
The interrogation room was small with little in the way of furniture other than the table and chairs in the middle of the room. A pair of drop lights were suspended from the ceiling and cast light on the table but rendered the rest of the room in shade. The exposed brick walls had been given countless coats of a pale green shade of paint. In some places the paint had started to flake revealing the dark red bricks underneath. The floorboards had long ago lost their polish and now bore the scuff marks of countless people who had traipsed in out of the room. There were several dark discolourations on the floor where something had been spilt. Kate would not have been surprised if that something had been blood.
Off to Kate's right there was a large mirror on the wall. It had taken her a glace when she had been brought into the room to realise what it was. A two way mirror. She had no doubt Detective McNulty or his partner Sullivan, or even both of them were standing on the other side of the mirror observing, watching every move she made or did not make, looking for any sign of weakness that they might use against her. If that was the case then McNulty and co would have been disappointed.
Next to the front door was a standard window that allowed people in the bullpen to look into the room and see what was going on. At the moment the blinds had been drawn cutting her off from the outside world.
The sounds of the bullpen, though muffled by the walls, still filtered through. The 12th Precinct was a busy place, Kate thought to herself.
She understood why she had been left in the room alone. Being left isolated for a period of time was intended to weaken her resistance to interrogation, or so McNulty believed. The thought amused her. McNulty had no idea the kind of training she had undergone for her mission in France much less what she had endured in France itself under the Nazi occupation. Sitting alone in a police precinct interrogation room was nothing.
Kate was more than content to sit there waiting as if she had all the time in the world.
Some ten minutes later the door to the interrogation room swung open. Detective McNulty came strolling into the room. Kate was staring at the blinds but out of the corner of her eye she watched the detective. He wore a confident expression on his face as he approached the table that almost bordered on the smug. It was the look of a man who thought this interrogation would not take long before he had her singing like a canary.
Reaching the table McNulty dropped the file he had brought with him onto the table. It made a soft plop and not the loud sound he had been hoping for. Kate slowly turned her attention to Detective McNulty. She watched him as he pulled out a chair and sat down.
Kate then shifted her gaze to the door to see Detective Sullivan enter the room. He closed the door and slowly made his way to the table. He he tried to keep a neutral expression on his face it did not escape Kate's notice there was a troubled look in his eyes. He certainly had not looked happy back at the book shop when he had to put the handcuffs on her and he was looking even more unhappier now. Could there be some disagreement between the two detectives, she wondered. If there was perhaps she might use it to her advantage.
Kate turned her attention back to McNulty who had opened up the file and took his time to peruse it before he slowly lifted his eyes to look at her. He held her gaze with a smirk and waited. Kate held the detective's gaze silently and patiently. She knew that he was expecting her to break the silence by speaking first. She was not about to give him the satisfaction. She would wait him out if she had to.
"So, Miss Beckett..." McNulty drawled finally. "Why don't you tell us why you killed Madison Queller?"
"Excuse me?" Kate responded.
"I said, why'd you kill her?"
"I didn't kill her."
"You expect us to believe that?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"I didn't kill her." Kate said calmly.
McNulty scoffed loudly.
"Listen sweetheart, if I had a dollar for every time someone told me that I could have retired a long time ago."
"The bribery money not enough for you?" Kate volleyed back.
Kate knew immediately that she had struck a nerve and she smiled to herself. The right side of McNulty's face twitched as he tried to control his sudden anger but his red face and glare gave him away. She watched him without blinking as he opened and closed his fists as if he was just itching to throw a punch. For half a moment Kate thought that he was going to jump out of his chair and lunge at her.
"You and Miss Queller had a falling out, didn't you?" Detective Sullivan stepped in, cutting off his partner before he said something or did something that everyone might regret.
Kate turned to look at Sullivan.
"Yeah, we did." Kate conceded. "It was back in high school."
McNulty's eyes lit up on hearing Kate's admission. He leaned forward in his chair.
"It was over a boy, wasn't it?" He said.
"Yes."
"A boy you both liked?"
"Listen, that was years ago, back in our last year of high school."
"You were angry at her for stealing your boyfriend, weren't you?" McNulty pressed.
"Yeah, sure." Kate shrugged her shoulders.
"Really angry."
"I got over it."
"Did you?"
"Yeah, I did."
"You didn't tell her you were going to kill her for stealing your boyfriend?"
"What?"
"You said you were going to kill her for stealing your boyfriend."
"No."
"Really?"
Kate started to frown a little as she tried to think back. She remembered that at the time she had been very angry at Madison for having stolen Brent from her. A lot of angry words had been said both by her and by Madison. She could not remember exactly what had been said. It has been a long time ago.
Looking across the table she saw that McNulty was grinning.
"Well, sweetheart, I got witnesses who state you threatened to kill Miss Queller for stealing your boyfriend." McNulty stated.
Kate shook her head and looked at McNulty. She regarded him coolly for some moments.
"Now that's quite a stretch you're making Detective." She said slowly. "Something that a school girl said in the heat of anger, is proof that I killed Madison? Yeah good luck with that."
"Why'd you kill her!" McNulty shouted.
Kate did not flinch at McNulty's sudden angry outburst.
"Is this the part of the interrogation where you start shouting, trying to frighten me into confessing, Detective?" Kate challenged. "Or do you prefer to get in their faces?" Kate paused a moment as if she was thinking something over. She cast a glance at Detective Sullivan before she turned to the angry McNulty. A thin smile spread across her lips.
"Do you know what I think?"
"No, what?" McNulty said.
"I think you're the kind of guy who likes to smack people around to get a confession out of them. Am I right, Detective?"
"You think you're so damn smart." McNulty spat out.
"I'm smart enough to know that you don't have any evidence against me."
This time McNulty did get to his feet. He placed his hands on the table and leaned towards Kate.
"I have evidence against you, sister. Enough to send you to the chair."
"I don't think so." Kate replied coolly.
"Why'd you kill her!"
"I'll tell you one more time, Detective, I did not kill Madison Queller."
The door to the interrogation room opened suddenly. Kate looked in the direction of the door and saw a middle aged man of average height with a receding hairline standing there. He was dressed in a conservative dark blue three piece suit the kind that was not bought off the wrack. The briefcase in his left hand was hand tooled black leather. She recognised him immediately for what he was, a lawyer. A lawyer of the very high priced variety.
McNulty saw Kate looking in the direction of the door. He turned to follow her gaze and saw the lawyer standing in the doorway.
"Who the hell are you bud?" He yelled.
"Miss Beckett, I strongly advise you to not say another word." The lawyer announced, ignoring the detective.
"I said who the hell are you, goddamit!" McNulty repeated.
The lawyer cast a contemptuous glance at McNulty before he strolled to the table coming to stand beside Kate. He faced the two detectives.
"Henry Browning, attorney at law." The lawyer stated. "And I have been retained as counsel for Miss Beckett."
"You're what?" McNulty muttered as he sank down on his chair.
"I'll put it in words that you can understand, Detective." Browning said. "I'm her lawyer."
Kate saw the stunned look spread across McNulty's face. Detective Sullivan too looked a little surprised. She allowed a triumphant grin to reach her lips. While she did not think that she needed the services of a high priced lawyer to deal with these two detectives, having a lawyer come walking in certainly did not hurt. She enjoyed seeing the consternation on the faces of the detectives.
Browning placed his hand on Kate's shoulder, silently signally that this interrogation session was over.
"As much fun as this might be, detectives, I have to inform you that it is over." Browning announced.
"Wait a goddam minute here." McNulty jumped to his feet. His chair tipped over as he rose, crashing to the floor. "This ain't over till I say it's over."
"I beg to differ, detective."
"You can beg all you want Mister Hot Shot Lawyer but she stays and answers my questions."
"Has Miss Beckett been charged with anything?" Browning inquired.
"She needs to answer my questions." McNulty said angrily.
"No, Mr Browning." Detective Sullivan interjected. "Miss Beckett hasn't been charged."
Browning looked to Detective Sullivan who still was still seated. He nodded his head.
"Then my client is free to leave." Browning said. "Good day, Detectives."
Browning motioned Kate towards the door. Kate shot McNulty a smirk before she walked out the door with the lawyer right beside her.
Stepping into the corridor, lawyer and client started to make their way down the hallway. A furious looking Detective McNulty and Sullivan emerged from the room and followed them a few paces behind.
"Who sent you?" Kate asked in a low voice. "Was it Castle?"
"He was most insistent that I drop everything and get down here." Browning replied.
Kate nodded her head. She glanced at the lawyer and gave him a smile of thanks.
XXX
Castle was standing in the hallway near the bullpen forcing himself not to start pacing the floor. When had had arrived at the precinct it had been not long after Kate had been brought in. he had wanted to get up to the homicide floor but had been warned in no uncertain terms by the desk sergeant that he would be arrested if he tried to get upstairs. No amount of threats or name dropping would change the sergeant's mind. Castle was forced to wait the arrival of his lawyer an hour later before he could go upstairs to find out what was happening to Kate.
After Henry had gone into the interrogation room Castle tuned his attention to the activity in the bullpen. A number of detectives shot him curious looks but did not approach him. The only man who questioned his presence on the floor turned out to be the head of the homicide squad. After Castle told him what he was doing there the Lieutenant let him remain.
Castle turned his gaze in the direction of the interrogation rooms at the far end of the hallway when he heard one of the doors open. Almost immediately he felt a wave of relief sweep through him when he saw Kate emerge from the interrogation room walking alongside his lawyer.
Kate walked down the hallway looking a little pale from experience of being on the other end of an interrogation. Castle was concerned for her but he saw the defiant tilt of her chin that seemed to say to all the world 'you may bend me but you wont break me'.
Following close behind her was an angry looking Detective McNulty. Castle could imagine what had transpired the moment Browning had walked into the interrogation room. He had asked the Lieutenant if he could go into the observation room but the lieutenant had ordered him to wait in the hallway.
Castle started walking towards Kate. She and his lawyer came to a halt.
"Thanks, Henry." Castle said but his eyes remained on Kate.
"Not a problem, Rick." Browning replied with a smile. "Very happy to help out."
Browning nodded his good byes to both Castle and Kate and continued on his way to the elevator.
Kate lifted her eyes and held Castle's inquiring gaze. Castle saw her lips curve into the briefest of smiles.
"Are you alright?" He asked her.
"I'm fine." Kate nodded.
Castle stepped closer to her and took her arm ready to lead her to the elevator.
"Must be sweet having a sugar daddy with bags of moolah, eh sister?" McNulty remarked. "He can get you the fanciest of lawyers?"
Kate stiffened at the remark made by McNulty. She turned her head and glared at the smirking detective.
"Still, I don't think you'd mind the cost, eh? Having to put out every now and then? You'd be used to that, right?"
Castle slowly released Kate's arm. He turned and looked at the detective. Suddenly he moved swiftly, stepping up to McNulty and in one fluid motion wound up and threw a punch. His fist landed hard, smack in the middle of the detective's face. The sound of bone and cartilage breaking reverberated around the hallway. The force of the blow sent McNulty staggering backwards, blood pouring from his smashed nose. He crashed to the floor with a loud thud.
For a couple of seconds everyone in the bullpen looked stunned at what they had witnessed. Not quite believing what had just happened. Even Kate looked at shocked. She opened her mouth to say something but no words came out of her mouth.
The next moment Detective Sullivan and two nearby uniformed offices recovered from their shock and apprehended Castle. They grabbed him, pinning his arms behind his back as they pushed him forcefully against the wall.
"Let him be." Lieutenant Montgomery called out.
Sullivan and the other cops holding Castle looked in surprise at Lieutenant Montgomery who was approaching. They made no move to obey the Lieutenant.
"I said let him be." Lieutenant Montgomery repeated, loudly. He came to a halt and looked down at the unconscious Detective McNulty. He shook his head. "I keep saying these floors are too slippery." He muttered. "But does anyone listen?"
Montgomery turned and looked at the cops holding Castle and saw that they had not obeyed his order. Her glared at his men. Sullivan and the other cops reluctantly released Castle and stepped away.
Castle smoothed out his rumpled suit. He bent down and collected his hat off the the floor and set it on his head. He turned his attention to the unconscious detective laying on the floor.
"You're mother should've taught you some manners, McNulty." Castle said angrily.
Turning away from McNulty Castle walked over to Kate. The expression on her face indicated that she still did not quite believe what had just happened. She looked at Castle and then over to Lieutenant Montgomery. The Lieutenant nodded in the direction of the elevator. Kate nodded her acknowledgement then reached out to Castle taking his hand and quickly leading away from the cops that were gathering around the still unconscious Detective McNulty.
Lieutenant Montgomery watched as Castle and Kate stepped into the elevator. Slowly he turned his attention to McNulty, who remained motionless on the floor.
"Someone pick up this bum and get him out of here." Montgomery ordered. "And clean up the floor."
Sullivan and a couple of uniforms bent down and started to lift McNulty off the floor.
XXXXX
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Con