Life Goes On 2

Chapter 55

When he heard Kate call to him as she came through the front door, Castle looked up from his research on fraudulent religious leaders. He had changed the thrust of his book, making it a multigenerational saga of religious leaders and their flocks. That necessitated delving into a lot of history, which he found both fascinating and frightening. Even in Jesus' time there had been every reason to suspect that someone preaching salvation might be a false messiah. There were plenty of them running around. Things hadn't changed much. If anything they'd become worse. Two thousand years ago there had been no satellite feed and no social media. Now a talented mountebank could spread a self-serving message in a heartbeat, and in Castle's opinion, a number of them did. Toosmeyer had been a piker compared to some of the so-called ministries out there. It would be a big book, the longest and definitely the most controversial Castle had ever written. Curtis and Strom would be supportive, but with a project that long, they would want very regular updates.

He pushed back from his chair, stretching kinked muscles before he went to meet Kate. "How goes the hunt for the mysterious Vincent Jervis?"

Kate sighed and dropped her tote bag on a chair. "Going nowhere fast, Castle. Big Jake and Reese tried to tap into Franny Moskowitz's phone, but Vince is good. Franny told Julie that he put some new software on it for her. Whatever he did, that phone is secure. Our guys will just have to stay on her until she makes face to face contact with Vince, and God knows when that will be. Topher decided to make a run down here for the two days we're out of session, so I thought I'd come with him. Big Jake is going to give me a call if anything breaks. How's the book coming?"

"Slowly," Castle admitted. He pulled her in for a kiss. "But you've given me an excuse for procrastination, anyway. The kids won't be home for an hour. Care for a snack?" Castle wiggled an eyebrow. "Of one kind or another?"

Kate cupped his already roughened cheek. "Oh Babe, I'd love too. And we can revisit that after the kids are in bed. But right now I have a couple of constituents to call back, and that's as much a part of my job as working on legislation, maybe more."

"Revisit," Castle repeated. "Kate you really are starting to sound like a politico. But yes I understand that you need to do your job. And it looks like I no longer have an excuse to keep from doing mine. So later?"

Kate winked. "Later."

The twins tumbled through the doorway in excitement, even more exuberant when they saw Kate was home. "Latu's Trails is going to do a superhero extra - um - extra..." Reese announced

"Extravaganza," Lily finished.

Reese nodded enthusiastically and continued. "I'm going to work on the scenery!"

"I'm going to be super-doc!" Jake chimed in. "And Lily is writing the music," he added.

"I'm working on it with Kirk," Lily corrected. "The show's going to be about everyday superheroes: doctors, teachers, EMTs, a lot more."

"Ordinary people who do extraordinary things," Castle clarified.

"That's right, Daddy," Lily agreed. "Lagi says that everyone can make a difference in their own way, and that's what it's all about. So everyone in the school is doing something in it, even the real little ones. We're writing sticks and bells into the music so they can play them. Lagi said he's putting the details of what parents can do to help, on the website."

"Daddy and I will make sure to have a look," Kate said.

"Now go keep yourselves busy until dinner," Castle instructed. "I need some time to make Pasta Prima Bearded."

"Bearded!" the twins chorused and ran off to their room. Lily retreated more sedately.

"All right Castle, I'll bite, what's Pasta Prima Bearded?" Kate asked when the kids had disappeared.

"A happy accident," Castle admitted. "And bite you will. I was working on a new gluten free pasta recipe for the twins, with amaranth, tapioca flour, and arrowroot. Too much arrowroot for what I had in mind, I think. The pasta came out all raggedy and Reese said it looked like it had beards. Tasted good though. I put a sauce on it with little dots of pepper and herbs to enhance the effect. So from then on - Pasta Prima Bearded."

"Castle, you never cease to amaze me," Kate laughed.

"For the last eighteen years or so that has been my goal in life," Castle murmured, nuzzling her neck, "but I suppose I should get to producing my hirsute creation. We still have a 'later' coming."

Kate gave a little squeeze to his still firm buttock. "Yes we do."


Big Jake squirmed a little as he consulted his watch. Reese would be taking over in fifteen minutes. Just as well. He never should have had a second cup of coffee. He had a "HePee," but he much preferred to use a real rest room. A car pulled up down the street from Franny's small apartment in an aging brownstone. It wasn't one Jake had seen in the neighborhood before. He pulled out his folding binoculars to get a better look at the emerging driver. It was Vince Jervis. Finally! But now he really had to go. Fortunately Jervis was still in Franny's apartment when Reese arrived and Jake made a quick trip to a local convenience store.

Returning, Jake slid in beside Reese. "Anything?"

Reese shook his head. "Not a thing. Julie Choo was probably right when she told Kate that they used Franny's place to do the deed. It's been a while. I'd bet they're getting down to it. If we'd planted a bug, it could be picking up some interesting sounds."

Jake snorted. "I can do without listening in on that slime ball's fun time. With his electronics skills, he could pick up on a bug anyway, and it would be game over. Better to do it the traditional way, with a tail."

"A tail?" Reese smirked.

Jake rolled his eyes. "You're not acting much older than your namesake. When he leaves, we follow him. We use both cars and alternate so he doesn't spot us. We find out where he goes, who he talks to, and then we call the cops to pick him up."

"We could call them now," Reese suggested. "They could pick him up and sweat him."

"What if he clams up?" Jake retorted. "He'd hide behind some crooked lawyer and we'd have nothing. Kate would have nothing. It's better to get what we can, first. Besides, she'll be back in a couple of days and she may just want to do the sweating herself. From everything Hayley ever told me about her, she was very good at it."

"Yes, I heard that too," Reese conceded. "Alright. Traditional tag team tailing it is. Hm. That's a nice turn of phrase. Maybe I should see if Rick can use it."

"Don't give up your day job," Jake advised.


Castle stirred early, and slowly threw his legs over the side of the bed. "What are you doing Babe?" Kate asked, forcing one eye open.

"I just want to catch a shower before the kids are up. I got really sweaty last night. I should probably change the sheets too."

A catlike smile of satisfaction spread over Kate's face as she stretched. "Mm hmm. I'll help."

A/N It's a long time to remember from Life Goes On, but Jake and Reese Castle were named after Jake Pullman and Reese Perkins, after they saved Kate's life when Assange tried to kill her. Thus big and little Jakes and Reeses.