Title: The Stranger

By: greygoose70

Chapter Eight

Castle save his work and went out to join his sleeping wife on the couch. He picked up one of her feet giving it a rub. "Hmm,' she mumbled, "don't stop."

After a generous foot rub to her feet, she called to him, "Come here." He moved up to where she could reach up and pull him down for a kiss. "Thank you for that," she said when they separated.

Just then his phone rang. Pulling it from his pocket seeing his daughters picture he hit answer greeting her. He listened for a few moments then said, "hold on let me check with your mother. Its Alexis, wants to know if we'd like to join the Mattson's for dinner, they're having Lasagna."

"Love too, what time?" Kate responded loud enough so that Rick wouldn't have to repeat it. "Be here around six-thirty," they heard Lexi say since Rick had put his phone on speaker. "See you then," they replied in unison.

It was almost ten when they got home, Rick carrying a sound asleep Lily to bed, Kate changing her into her PJ's, afterwards getting themselves ready and crawling into bed, meeting in the center of it just like they always have since Kate moved in with him nine years ago.

Next Day

Today after breakfast they loaded up the Range Rover and headed for the Sag Harbor Windmill and Historical Museum. "You know Kate, I bought our place here fifteen years ago and I've never been to see most of the attractions here on the island."

"So, this is all new to you as it is to me," Kate replied in return. "Yeah, it is," Rick responded with a smile.

Upon their return home Lily went straight to her room, surprising her parents. "That's new," Rick uttered. "Yeah," Kate simply responded.

"You going to take your nap now?" He asked.

"No," she answered, "it's still a little early, think I'll get in the hot tub."

"Want some company?" He gleefully returned. "I'm just going to read," she told him with an eye roll.

"Me too," showing her the book he purchased at the museum. "Go get ready while I go get the tub going and bring down my robe."

An hour or so later they exited the hot tub, toweled off, headed up to the en-suite. Kate slipped on some pajamas and got in the bed, Rick put on a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt, went over, and gave Kate a kiss to her cheek then headed down to the study.

"Take it easy and go back to the bar," Marlowe calmly said, I don't have a quarrel with you, and I don't want one. I'm not pushing you, and I won't."

"Like hell I will. You may not have a quarrel with me but I sure as hell have one with you." Wiley yelled loud enough for all of Baskerville to hear. "And you don't want to push me. . .so I'll have to push you."

Wiley Grusome's features suddenly contorted as if he had crossed some kind of line, his voice taking on a measured growl as he spoke again. "I've never shot a man in the back," he growled, and I ain't starting now."

Without a warning Wiley gave the barber chair a shove with his boot causing it to spin, stopping it when Marlowe faced directly at him. "I'm giving you a fair chance now for you to leap out of that chair at me, do you agree?" Wiley's right hand resting on the pistol in his waist.

"Yeah, I guess that's fair enough except completely unnecessary," Marlowe replied keeping his voice stoic.

"What's that supposed to fucking mean!" Wiley shouted his forehead taking on a scowled look.

"It means there's a twin-barreled pistol-shotgun under this newspaper pointed right at you."

Wiley's jaw dropped his mouth flopping open. "You're lying," he said his voice barely above a whisper.

"Twenty-gauge, Magnum shotshells," Marlowe continued his expression never changing.

"You're kidding me," Wiley clamored.

"Not kidding, go for that gun stuck in your waist and I blast you right through that picture window."

"Let me see it," Wiley bawled, "if you got it, I want to see it."

"It's right here," Marlowe said as he lifted something under the newspaper.

"Huh, how do I know that ain't just your arm and fingers making that paper move"

"You don't."

"That's right I don't," Wiley still bawling, "I don't know if you're bluffing."

"Believe me, not a bluff."

Wiley had caught the sudden change in the stranger's voice, as if he were surrendering to the fact he has tried and fail to convince him he had a weapon hidden under the newspaper. If this were a bluff and he backed down he would be the laughingstock of Baskerville, if not he would be dead.

Wiley Grusome lifted his head, he wanted a good look into the stranger's eyes, see if he could get the measure of him, maybe finally getting a feel for his menace.

Wiley stood there stiff with tension, the sway and swagger gone from his body. His choices having floated around in his mind long enough. An impulse came over him blotting out the risks and chances of success or failure.

Ding, ding, ding.

TBC