Chapter 52

"I'm not flying down to Charleston, South Carolina for a goddam soup kitchen opening!"

Evan Howard, chief of staff to Senator William Bracken tried not to cringe at the Senator's sudden and angry outburst. For a moment he thought the Senator was going to throw something in his direction. This time he did not unlike last time.

"It's not a soup kitchen opening, Senator."

"I don't care what the hell it is, I said I'm not flying down to Charleston." Bracken shot back his voice rising in anger.

"But Senator..."

"But nothing!" Bracken shouted. "Cancel it!"

"It's been on your schedule for a month, sir."

Bracken glared at his chief of staff.

"I said, cancel it."

Howard stared back at his boss for a couple of moments before he let out a small sigh, shook his head as he looked down at his note pad and scratched out the item on the page. For the past week the Senator had been flying off the handle at the smallest provocation, shouting and screaming at staffers for errors real or imagined. Already he had fired two staffers for allegedly sending him to the wrong meeting and giving him the wrong speaking notes. Howard knew that a couple more staffers were on the verge of quitting unable to take the Senator's outbursts any more.

Howard himself had been on the receiving end of many tirades over the past week. He did not know what was going on with him and he certainly could not explain the sudden change in the Senator's demeanour.

The only thing Evan could think of was that the Senator might be feeling the pressure as the build up to his announcement approached. The pressure of such a momentous announcement could affect anyone. He had been around Capital Hill long enough to have heard more than a few stories of other men in similar positions to that of Senator Bracken. Whatever it was that was bothering the Senator, it had been a living hell for Evan and everyone else in the outer office. If things continued the way they were going, the Senator might just find himself without any staff.

"I can't be in Charleston that day because I'll be in Austin." Bracken added in a more moderate tone of voice.

Howard looked up from his note pad and looked over to the Senator. This was the first time he had heard about it and did not hide the surprise from his face.

"Austin? What's in Austin, sir?"

"A meeting with some potential campaign contributors."

"When was this put on the schedule, sir?"

"Last week."

"Why am I only hearing about it now?" Howard complained.

"I'm sure Frank Hardy must have said something to you but you forgot about it." Bracken said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Howard was certain that he had not been told anything about a meeting with contributors in Austin, Texas. Taking care of the Senator's calendar was his job. It was not the first time this had happened. Ever since Hardy had signed on to be the Senator's campaign strategist and manager he had been doing that, adding or dropping meetings from Bracken's schedule. The first couple of times he found it annoying but now he was beyond annoyed, he was angry about it. He had to cancel a long standing meeting because Hardy had Bracken in California shmoozing campaign contributors at the last minute, leaving Howard to make embarrassed apologies for the Senator's no-show at a long promised meeting in Atlanta.

"I wish Hardy would goddam tell me when he's going to change your damn schedule." Howard seethed.

Bracken raised his eyebrows as he looked across to Howard.

"If you can't handle the job, Evan, I'm sure I can find someone better qualified."

This was not the first time Bracken had made the suggestion to him about getting someone else to do the chief of staff's job. Last week alone the suggestion had been made at least four times. Howard gritted his teeth as he fought down the wave of anger that threatened to rise. It took a moment to get himself under control. He was not going to quit. If Bracken did not like the job he was doing then he could damn well fire him. The problem was that Evan was rapidly reaching the point where he had had enough.

Howard rose slowly from the chair he had been sitting on and looked at Bracken.

"I'll be in my office if you need anything else, sir." He announced calmly. "Don't forget you have that vote in the Senate in an hour."

Bracken did not acknowledge Howard's last remark he was more interested in staring out the window of his office. Howard shook his head as he made his way to the door. On opening the door he was startled by the sight of Lee Yearwood filling the doorway with his fist raised ready to knock on the door.

Without a word Howard stepped aside to let the other man into the office. Yearwood nodded to Howard as he entered the office. Howard departed closing the door on his way out.

Yearwood made his way to the Senator's desk and sat himself down in the chair that Evan Howard had just vacated.

"You're late." Bracken snapped after Yearwood had sat down.

"The plane had mechanical problems, we were delayed on the ground at La Guardia." Yearwood replied, shrugging his shoulders. "It happens sometimes."

"I don't want to hear excuses, when I say I want to see you at a certain time, I expect you to be here." Bracken said not hiding his displeasure.

"Yes, sir."

Bracken glanced at the other man and regarded him carefully to see if he was being mocked. Yearwood kept a straight face as he looked at the Senator. Bracken nodded his head eventually before he turned to look out the window again.

"What's happening with the investigation?"

Yearwood knew exactly what investigation Bracken was asking about. It was the only thing he wanted to talk about with him. He had been in New York gathering the latest information from his sources in the NYPD. Last night he had received the Senator's call summoning him to Washington.

"It's going nowhere fast." Yearwood said.

"What about the guy the cops are holding?"

"You mean Leith?"

"Yeah."

Yearwood shook his head. "He wont talk."

"Make sure."

"I'm telling you he wont talk." Yearwood insisted. "The guy is ex-Delta Force, they could stick electrodes on his balls and he still wont talk, Senator."

Bracken slowly swivelled away from the window and faced Yearwood. There was a hard expression on his face as he stared at the other man on the other side of the desk.

"I want you to make sure that he never talks." Bracken said carefully. "Dead men don't tell tales."

"But Sen..."

"He is not to talk, ever." Bracken said raising his voice a little. "Do I make myself clear?"

Yearwood had done plenty of things in the service of his country that he could never talk about and after leaving the service he had done many more things that equally he could not speak about. He had done quite a few things for the Senator that could see him land in a Federal Prison for the rest of his natural life. He had faced danger full on and was proud to say he had never blinked, never hesitated. He had been issued orders over the years he had found distasteful but carried them out all the same. The order he had just been given by the Senator gave him a moment's pause.

He understood that the Senator was ordering him to kill one of his own men. A soldier that he trusted not to talk. The more he thought about the order the more he did not like it. For the first time in a very long while he was not sure if he could carry out the order.

"Do I make myself clear, Mr Yearwood?" The Senator repeated when the other man had not answered.

"Yes, sir." Yearwood said eventually.

"Good." Bracken nodded. "And what about the other man?"

"Maddox?" Yearwood said.

Bracken nodded his head.

"He left the country the day of the incident in the cemetery." Yearwood reported. "They will never find him, ever."

The Senator did not look too pleased with that piece of news. The expression on his face changed a moment later and he allowed a humourless smile to settle on his lips as he nodded his head in understanding.

"That detective leading the investigation...Beckett, I still want her taken care of." Bracken ordered.

Yearwood paled. This was not the first time the Senator had mentioned it. He stared at the Senator in shock.

"No sir."

"What?"

"I said, no sir." Yearwood repeated in firm voice.

Bracken blinked as he stared at the other man. It was not very often that he was told 'no'. In actual fact he could not remember the last time Yearwood had ever refused to carry out one of his orders

"We are not going to take out a New York Police Department detective, Senator." Yearwood said firmly and carefully. "We had one shot at her. We tried and we failed. We got her husband instead. If we try again, do you have any idea the manner of heat that will bring down on us? We don't need that kind of heat and we damn well don't want it, not now."

Bracken did not response to what Yearwood had just said. He continued to stare back unblinking.

"Let the case die down and then we can look at the matter then, and maybe we can deal with her at that time...but we are certainly not going to touch her right now, sir."

Bracken continued to stare at Yearwood for a few moments before he spoke.

"What if the cops trace the shooting at the cemetery back to you?" Bracken said breaking the silence.

"As I said before, Senator, the investigation is going nowhere." Yearwood continued. "We don't need the NYPD on our asses. But if they do get a little too close then we will look at taking action at that time. Right now, we don't do anything. We don't draw any kind of attention to ourselves.

Bracken thought about what Yearwood had said.

"Okay." Bracken conceded unhappily. "We will do it your way, for now,Yearwood."

"Yes, sir."

"You better be right, though." Bracken warned.

XXX

It is like he is sitting in a darken movie theatre front and centre and there in front of him there is the large silver screen which is playing scenes on a continuous loop. Scenes he has seen over and over again.

She stands there at the podium in her uniform all neat and crisp, a black ribbon of mourning across her badge pinned to her chest. The peak of her hat is pulled low as if to shade her eyes from the glare of the sun but he knows better. She is shading her eyes from the rest of the world so they can not see the tears she wants to shed for the man they came to bury today.

She pauses in the eulogy she is delivering and looks across to the gathered mourners, family, friends, colleagues past and present, other assorted dignitaries that have come to pay their respects. Some are unashamedly crying, others maintain a stoic visage. He knows all of them are wondering how it happened. He is sure many of the gathered still find it hard to believe it has happened. That he is gone.

But she knows what happened as does he. So do Kevin Ryan and Javier Esposito. They all know the truth of the man they came here to bury today. All have vowed that the truth will not see the light of day. They will carry the burden of what they know with them willingly. They will take the secret to their graves. It is the least they can do for the man who was their captain, their leader. The man each of them called, friend. All four who had the honour of carrying him to his grave. They will not let him down nor his family.

She returns to the heartfelt words for the man she looked upon as a mentor and father figure, the man whose guidance and help has gotten her to where she is today. He knows the words she speaks because he has heard them before.

He too has been asked to say a few words. He accepted the request but the task scared the hell out of him. Even though words are his stock in trade, and he has the skills to find the right words to say for any occasion but he found it hard what to say today. But the words he found and he now looks forward to speak them before the assembled mourners.

She pauses in her eulogy again and turns look at him. Her eyes silently tell him that she has found that someone who would willingly stand beside her. He gives her an almost imperceptible nod of his head in acknowledgment and encouragement. She almost smiles before she turns back and resumes speaking.

His gaze shifts past the gathered mourners to the headstones in the distance. A flash of light catches his attention. Before he can recognise what it is he is starting to move. He is shifting towards her, warning bells are ringing in his head and she is in danger. He reaches her but not before the bullet. He hears the soft thud as the bullet finds its target.

Blood...blood...blood...so much blood. The words...those desperate words pour forth from him as he cradles her head in his hand providing a soft pillow, urging her to stay with him, to hang on. Then the words come from the depths of his heart to let her know how he truly feels for her. He can't tell if she has heard him. Her hazel eyes stare up at him full of confusion and fear and then they close slowly. The last thing she sees is his face.

He is standing at the edge of some trees at the cemetery standing beside him is Mr Jones. Directly ahead a short distance away is man prone on the ground behind a grave stone. A long rifle is in his hands and is aiming it in the direction of the mourners in the distance. He doesn't hesitate, running for the gunman. The only thought in his head is to stop the gunman at costs before the trigger can be squeezed. As he is running he knows that there is a second gunman a little further on. He can take out one of the gunmen but not both. He lunges at the first gunman landing heavily on him. The gunman does not get the chance to fire his weapon. It is only once he has dealt with the gunman that he hears the commotion and screaming coming from the grave site. The other gunman has fired his weapon.

The scene changes to an abandoned office building in the process of being demolished . He is by Kate's side as they begin the search for the documents that will lead them to the man who had ordered her shooting, the man responsible for the death of Captain Roy Montgomery and for many others. His body still thrums with the memory of her naked body from the night before, the night they spent together for the first time. She had been right, he had no idea. That one night together was enough, if he ever really needed confirmation, for him to know that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

She confronts the man who had shot her. Maddox. He is crouched over an open safe in the floor, his hand reaching down for the file that was hidden in there. Esposito who had managed to find them here because of his own investigation is the first to hear it. Esposito, ever loyal, ever vigilant hears the click and orders them out of the room. They barely make it through the door when the booby trapped file explodes. Maddox is dead and the file they had been after has been reduced to confetti...

XXX

Castle awoke from the dream with a startled cry and almost immediately was reacquainted with a world of pain. He let out a gasp and closed his eyes, clutching his ribs, desperately trying to control his breathing and banish the dreams that had caused him to wake up suddenly.

After some moments his breathing had returned to normality and the sharp lancing pain in his ribs had subsided to something a little more manageable. Opening his eyes he found himself alone in bed. As the last tendrils of the familiar nightmare ebbed away he remembered waking up through the night and Kate's soothing words and gentle kisses had chased away that bad dream. Her gentle ministrations had sent him back to sleep. He also vaguely remembered Kate kissing him goodbye before she headed off to work some hours ago.

He wished that she did not have to go to work but he could not ask her, could not make that demand of her. He knew that nothing in the world was going to get in the way of her finding out who had hired the hitmen in the cemetery. Of finding the man who had shot him.

Truth be told he was a little concerned for her that she might be working herself a little too hard. He was annoyed that he was stuck at home recuperating when all he wanted was to be down at the precinct standing by her side, helping with the investigation, keeping an eye on her to make sure she did not push herself too hard.

Esposito had assured him that he would watch out for her. Ryan too had promised to look out for 'Mom'. He trusted both men to keep their word and keep a brotherly watch over her but it was not the same for Castle. It was his job to look after Kate.

The pain in his ribs had subsided sufficiently enough for Castle to make the effort to get out of bed. As much as he enjoyed staying in bed all day he found that it was not so much fun when he had to spend it alone. He wanted to get out of bed.

It had been five days since he had been shot and four since he had been released from the hospital. There were times when it felt like it seemed a life time ago and other times it felt like it only just happened yesterday.

For the past couple of days to occupy himself he had been writing. The work had nothing to do with Nikki Heat. He had already submitted the latest Nikki Heat book to Black Pawn a couple of months ago and it was currently in the galley stage before it was sent to the printers. Even now he was a little surprised at himself for having killed off Captain Montrose. He felt a little guilty at that but after what had unfolded at the hanger he knew that it had been the right thing to do. He just could not remember where that idea had come from.

The writing he had been doing for the past couple of days had to do with the dreams he had been experiencing since he had been shot and long before that. But as he was Richard Castle, his writing was not some hodgepodge of thoughts and ideas. He put it into story form. And the story he was writing was about a time travelling author and his partner.

It was a story that he had started some years back but had put aside. He doubted that Black Pawn would ever publish the story, he wasn't sure if he wanted it published. Whether the story was published or not did not matter to him, the compulsion to write was overwhelming and he obeyed the compulsion. He liked to think that the writing was helping him in his recuperation.

Castle swung his feet out of bed and planted them on the floor and sat up. So far so good, he thought to himself, there had only been a slight twinge of complaint from his ribs. Slowly he rose from the bed and moved towards the chair where his robe had been left. Gingerly he reached for it, careful not to bend or put pressure on his ribs. Slowly and carefully he put the robe on. He had not realised how much for granted he took just in the simple act of getting dressed. The first time he had tried to get dressed he almost collapsed from the pain barely able to breathe. He left the robe open and then slowly walked out of the bedroom.

Castle stifled a yawn as he shuffled towards the kitchen. Before he sat down at his desk and started writing he needed a caffeine shot to give him a kick start. Since he had started writing again he had tried to keep off the pain killers only taking one when the pain in his ribs became too excruciating. Sometimes he found the pain sharpened his mind and forced him to concentrate on writing, though it was not something he would recommend to budding writers as a writing method.

As he neared the kitchen he was startled to find Johanna sitting at the counter leafing through a magazine with one hand and holding up a mug of coffee with the other.

"Johanna?" He said with some surprise at finding his mother-in-law sitting at the kitchen counter.

"Good morning, Rick." Johanna replied with a smile. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Better." Castle replied.

"I'm glad to hear it."

Castle moved towards Johanna.

"Not to be rude, dearest mother-in-law of mine, but what are you doing here?" Castle inquired.

"Can't I stop by to visit my son-in-law to see how he's fairing?"

Castle smiled at Johanna as he reached her. He leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek. Johanna returned the smile and watched him as he shuffled around the counter and head for the coffee machine. She could see that was still pale and in a little pain but she was pleased to see that he was looking a lot better than when he did when she last saw him a couple of days ago.

Even though five days had passed Johanna still shuddered at the memory watching him diving at Kate and dragging her to the ground. In the ensuing mayhem she had heard her daughter's scream. Her first thought had been that Kate had been hit. It horrified her to think that Castle was forced to witness seeing Kate being shot all over again and worse she had to witness her daughter being shot.

Then Johanna heard Kate screaming again, screaming for her husband who had taken the bullet that was meant for her. In those few horrific minutes that seemed to last an eternity, Johanna had an inclining of what it must have been like in that other time and place. She was not a very religious person but that day in the cemetery she did offer up a silent prayer of thanks that her daughter was safe and that her son-in-law would be okay.

"You're not on babysitting duty by any chance?" Castle called over his shoulder.

"What?" Johanna muttered shaking off her reveries.

"I said, you're not on babysitting duty?"

"Now why would I be babysitting you?"

Castle picked up his mug and brought it up to his mouth. He blew on the coffee a couple of times before he took a sip. He cast an amused look in Johanna's direction.

"Well, mother has a master class at her acting school."

Johanna nodded her head. She knew all about the master class and who was conducting it, Lance Hastings who would be discussing the joys and sorrows of appearing on a long running soap opera. Martha had invited Johanna to come along and watch. Johanna had been eager but because of what had happened to Castle she had to make the sacrifice and give up meeting Lance. For that sacrifice Martha had promised that she would meet the actor another day.

"Alexis is at school, studying for her final exams." Castle continued.

"Yes."

"And, Kate of course is at work."

Castle slowly walked towards the counter.

"All three of them don't want to leave me alone at home because they know I can get up to mischief when I'm alone and bored." Castle said as he reached the counter.

"You? Never." Johanna scoffed, shaking her head.

Castle took a sip of his coffee and set the mug down on the counter.

"Well, are you bored, Rick?" Johanna asked.

"How can I be bored when I have the pleasure of your company, Johanna?" Castle grinned.

Johanna smiled warmly as she raised her mug in silent acknowledgment of his compliment.

The smile faded a little from Johanna's face.

"After everything's that happened, I haven't thanked you Rick, for what you did..."

"No thanks needed." Castle interjected, shaking his head.

Castle reached across the counter and placed his hand over Johanna's. Johanna looked up from her coffee to see Castle's blue eyes looking solemnly at her.

"You should know by now, there is nothing I wouldn't do to keep Kate safe." He said in a low voice. The smile suddenly returned to Castle's face. "Besides, a broken rib is a small price to pay."

Johanna did know that. She had always known that but she had never seen it for herself until now. She smiled and nodded her head slowly.

"So what are you going to do today, Rick?" Johanna asked, changing the subject quickly.

"I'm going to do some writing."

"Would you like me to make you some breakfast?" Johanna offered.

"That would be nice, thanks."

"Anything in particular you would like?"

"Surprise me."

"Okay."

Castle took a sip of his coffee and as he was setting the mug down his attention was drawn to the large padded envelope sitting at the end of the counter.

"What's that?" He asked nodding at the envelope.

"The doorman brought it up a little earlier." Johanna replied. "It's for you, I think."

Castle frowned a little with curiosity as he shifted across and reached for the envelope. Picking up the envelope he found it a little heavy. He saw that it had come from his lawyers. His first thought was that it must be some contract they wanted him to sign.

He opened up the envelope and removed another envelope, this one was discoloured with age. There was a letter attached to the second envelope. He picked it up an unfolded the letter and read it quickly. It was a letter from his lawyers advising that they were following his instructions and sending the old envelope to him. He put the letter aside and attacked the second envelope.

On opening the second envelope he reached in and pulled out a sheaf of papers. On closer inspection he saw that they were photo copies of bank account statements. These statements looked familiar to him as if he had seen them before.

He picked up the letter that was with the statements and read it. The look on his face darkened as he read the letter he had written long ago. After a moment he set the letter down and stared at the statements. He remembered where he had seen these statements before and whose account this was.

"It's William Bracken isn't it?" Castle said in a quiet voice.

Johanna looked up from the magazine, startled.

"What?"

Castle turned to look at his mother-in-law.

"The Dragon, the man responsible for all of this, is Senator William Bracken."

Johanna did not respond to what Castle had just said. She was too shocked to speak. Castle saw the colour drain from her face and that was answer enough to his question.

XXX

Castle sat at his desk in the office. In front of him were the bank statements he had received and beside them was the file that Johanna had given him not all that long ago. He had been staring at them for some time now and slowly formulating a plan of action.

"Rick, what are you going to do?" Johanna asked. She was standing in the doorway staring at her son-in-law.

Castle lifted his gaze and looked at the worried looking Johanna Beckett. It never failed to amaze him that both mother and daughter were so alike with their facial expressions.

"I'm going to put an end to all of this." Castle said.

"You don't need me to tell you how dangerous that man is."

Castle nodded his head grimly as his hand came to rest against his injured ribs.

"I know Johanna, I know." Castle said grimly.

Johanna nodded her head slowly as she regarded her son-in-law.

Castle reached for the phone on his desk. He picked it up and quickly punched in a number.

"Paula, I need you to organise some things for me immediately and not ask any questions." Castle announced when his call was answered. "Okay, see you in an hour."

Castle set the phone down and leaned back in his chair. Lifting his eyes he saw Johanna staring at him.

"What are you up to, Rick?"

"Like I said before, Johanna. I'm going to put an end to all of this."

"Okay." Johanna said carefully. "Are you going to tell Kate?"

Castle suddenly made a face at the mention of his wife's name. He knew immediately that if he told her what he was going to do she would try and stop him. He would have to come up with a plausible cover story.

Castle slowly rose to his feet. If he was going to meet with his agent, Paula in an hour he had to get ready.

"Will you protect me from the wrath of my wife, if it comes to that?" Castle joked.

"I'll try and do my best, Rick."

"Thanks, that fills me with such confidence, Johanna." Castle laughed.

Johanna smiled softly as she watched as Castle made his way towards the bedroom.

"Do you want help in getting dressed, Rick?" She called out.

"I think I can manage but thanks."

"Okay."

XXXXX

Your thoughts would be appreciated, Dear Reader.

Con