Too Close
Chapter 101
Three and a half years later:
The Journal of James Beckett
Dear Johanna,
Tonight I went to a party at Katie and Rick's place. It was a double celebration, and it was wonderful. The reasons for the gathering were Alexis' acceptance into Columbia Law School and Katie's promotion to lieutenant. Katie will be heading up the precinct detective squad now. I suspect it won't take her long to rise to captain if a slot opens up. That would make it even easier for her to spend time with Lily, but she and Rick seem to be managing fine.
She tries to keep her hours as regular as she can. It's taken her more than a little effort for her to let go and send others out to do the nuts and bolts investigation she used to do herself, but according to what Rick tells me, she shines as brightly as ever in the interrogation room.
Rick brings baby Lily to visit with Katie at the precinct as often as possible. He also still serves as a consultant on many murder cases. The two of them continue to build theory together, and a lot of what they come up with ends up in Rick's books.
Nikki Heat was pregnant in his last one, "Growing Heat." He plans to make some mention of a Lily character, with a name change of course, in the next one. He may even change the baby's gender.
Martha's husband, Ken Bruderlin, is always pointing out security considerations. Lily is never photographed by anyone outside a close circle of family and friends, and the pictures are never posted online. Ken is an interesting fellow. Supposedly he and Martha go way back and rekindled a long-banked flame. I got a glimpse of him at Katie and Rick's wedding but didn't think much of it, as he was running security for the event. From what I understand, he used his presence there as an opportunity to reintroduce himself to Martha.
They didn't have a very long present-day courtship before tying the knot. I suppose that at our age it doesn't make sense to waste time. As I know all too well, everything can change in the blink of an eye. What you put off may never happen.
As flamboyant as Martha can be, I would have expected a big ceremony, but she and Ken were married at the City Clerk's office, with just family and a few friends. Rick served as Ken's best man, and Katie was Martha's matron of honor. She was touched that Martha asked her.
Ken stays out of the limelight. I suppose that's normal for someone in security, to hang back and survey the crowd, but he seems to take pains to avoid the camera, waiting out of range while Martha struts red carpets and poses for photographs. From all appearances, the arrangement works for them.
Ken gets along well with both Rick and Alexis. At times he almost seems to be taking the place of Rick's mysterious father, rather than being the third in a line of stepfathers. It's nice to see.
I'm genuinely proud of Alexis. She's been serving in my office for years now as both an official and unofficial intern. That relates directly to my big news. I've been writing to you about the pesticide maker responsible for the die-off of so many bees at a high cost to farmers and the environment. Alexis jumped in with both feet and has been working tirelessly to help bring the corporation to account. Yesterday they finally agreed to a half-billion-dollar settlement. I don't know if the firm could have done it without Alexis' efforts. I expect her to be at the top of her game in law school and succeed in her goal to use her legal skills to fight for environmental causes.
I also think Alexis may have picked up a boyfriend recently. I can't tell if it's serious or not, but there was a young man named Max at the party last night. Rick was giving him the kind of looks I used to give Katie's boyfriends. I gathered that he graduated from Columbia in environmental sciences and will be going on to graduate studies. If he stays in the picture, his interests should mesh well with Alexis' plans.
The fee my firm will be receiving from the pesticide case will enable me to expand our offices and take on new associates. It's been a long road back from the dive into the bottle I took after losing you, but I finally feel like I can make a difference for the better in this world again. I'm still going to meetings, and it continues to be a struggle to keep from reaching for a drink, but so far, so good. If there's anything that gives me strength, it's family, particularly the newest addition.
As her grandfather, I might be accused of bias, but Lily is a beautiful and brilliant baby. She has the soft angel hair that I remember Katie having at that age, and her eyes take in everything. I suspect that she gets that from both parents. I always thought that Katie was highly observant, but Rick consistently notices obscure details that even she misses. That's one of the reasons they work so well together.
I'm enjoying being a grandfather more than I thought I'd enjoy anything since I lost you. Lily is life, all of life, in one tiny bundle. Even when she's sopping wet and screaming her head off, she fills my heart. I can't wait for her first steps and her first words. I want to soak it all in.
The Castle household is far from traditional, but I wouldn't expect anything else from either Katie or Rick. He became used to keeping the home fires burning, so to speak, when Alexis was growing up. Much of the time, he's still the stay-at-home parent. He loves experimenting in the kitchen, with mixed results, and walks the floor with Lily singing silly songs. She doesn't just have Katie's hair; she has her smile. I can see you in Lily as well. Those tiny eyes light up, and the world lights up with them.
Given Katie's ambitions, it's probably selfish of me to hope for more grandchildren, but I do. I can see taking a group of kids to stake out seats behind home plate. I'd love to see the little ones in their costumes ready to trick or treat. As I recall, a heroicly arrayed young Katie brought in quite a haul. And I can imagine the wonder of Christmases with little ones wrapped in the joy of the season. Every flower that pushes through the earth in spring will be a new discovery, and the warmth of summer an explosion of newfound freedom.
Whatever happens, I know that Katie will be there for her family, and her family will be there for her. I wish you could be with me to see it, my dearest, but I can feel your spirit. For every love-filled glance that passes between Katie and Rick, through Lily's happy burbles and stubborn bawling, you are there for it all. You could never be too close, and I believe that you will never be too far away. You live in Katie, in Lily, and will in whatever gifts there may be to come. That connection is unbreakable. So, for now, and forever:
All my love,
J.B.
Finis
A/N Thanks for hanging around, gentle readers. I hope you enjoyed the journey. In my next AU story, a murderer will have an obsession with killing mystery writers. Kate Beckett's favorite author could be a target. Join me for "Poison Pen." Happy New Year! Love, Sally