During this time the card games continued, and she went from a frequent sub to a steady regular. She won a few, lost a few, participated in the conversation, relished the whisky, and noticed the banter with Castle was less and less cumbersome. These events led to frequent invitations to Castle's almost constant string of social events where almost anything justified another function. At these events, Martha was civil, and Alexis was not totally dismissive. Kate incorrectly surmised that the lack of outright hostility from the two redheads was at least tacit approval of her regular attendance.
At the table she learned he was not missing his writing one bit. The breakup with Black Pawn had been a battle with Gina spitting venom at every turn. In the end, money into seven figures was the punishment Gina settled for. The only good to come of it was Alexis severing all ties with Gina because of her vindictiveness. Having her in Alexis's life no matter how limited would have been a recipe for more conflict he did not want.
Inevitably the substantial hit to his net wealth prompted letters from his long time lawyers, accountants, and financial advisors. All basically reiterated the same theme. It was great while it lasted, but it was time for him to seek out other partners. Castle correctly surmised that Gina trashed his literary potential to anyone who would listen, and these vultures wanted clients with potential - not the other way around.
When Castle casually mentioned these abrupt changes one poker night, the wealthy at the table let the revelation drop without comment. Kate, on the other hand, had a lot to say. "My dad is getting into that kind of role for some of his clients. His firm provides the legal, and he farms out the accounting and investments to honest guys he has known for years. You want me to have him give you a call. He always liked you; you know."
"Sounds like a plan, Kate, thanks." It was another baby step towards normalcy, she thought. That week Jim called, and they met for lunch. Castle's main concern was taking care of his mother, Alexis, and any future family she might have. With the chemistry feeling right, Castle met with the proposed accountant and financial advisor, while Jim presented the plan to both Martha and Alexis. All were comfortable with the details, and after an audit demanded by Jim, papers were signed, files transferred, and trust accounts renamed.
When all the forms were signed, he invited Kate to Remys which he teased was all he could afford since her dad had put him on a strict budget. Kate teased right back that her new little black dress would have to wait for another day for its first unveiling. She wore jeans and a shirt; he somehow finagled to reserve their old regular booth. It was a comfortable dinner because neither overthought it.
Meanwhile back at the precinct, Kate and her team were settling into a hectic, but effective case routine. Meetings with Kevin were not placid, but nowhere near as contentious as with Stocker. Kate did not take second guessing well, though she understood Kevin was just doing exactly what he promised. Dr. Burke linked this attitude to her upbringing as a single child. Her parents were always supportive, and she assumed authority figures in her professional life would follow suite if she was doing her job.
The new normal in the bullpen was shattered one day with the arrival of Agent Jordan Shaw and a bunch of dark suits. The presence of a know FBI agent and her entourage reverberated through the bullpen in minutes, and most callously assumed Kate was the cause without any justification. The meeting with Gates and Ryan was long, and the inclusion of the Chief of Detectives only heightened the palpable anxiety felt by everyone.
When the meeting was over, nothing was announced, but all eyes watched as Agent Shaw made a very public point off stopping at Kate's desk in the middle of the bullpen. "Hello Kate. I hear there have been some changes since I last saw you. You are a good investigator, someone I respect, and the NYPD is lucky to have you."
"Thanks Jordan. I am adjusting to things to be a better a cop. What are you doing here?" Suddenly, you could hear a pin drop.
"Just a courtesy call with the local constabulary. No serial killers - this time around. Gotta go. The suits need me." As Kate watched the elevator doors close, she could feel the palpable anxiety in the room slowly dissipate.
A few weeks later she was home on her day off tidying her apartment with the morning news on when a startling newsflash came across the screen. Senator William Bracken of New York had just been arrested by FBI agents in Washington on charges of using campaign funds as a personal piggy bank for outlandish lifestyle choices. The Senator's response was to say this is all a misunderstanding. Some campaign flunky just didn't fill out the form right. This is a witch hunt with no witch. Kate poured another cup and watched as loops of the Senator making public denials flooded the screen.
One clip in particular drew special attention. There in the background was Jordan Shaw. Now the overt visit to the Twelfth made sense. For once, the FBI was playing nice in the sandbox, but the unusual shout out was something else. Perhaps Jordan knew of Kate's difficulties and orchestrated that display of cooperation as a pretext for providing an opportunity to show support for her beleaguered friend. Yes she thought, that vote of confidence in the bullpen probably wasn't a spontaneous act.
The truth was a tad bit darker. Yes, Jordan was aware of and sympathetic to Kate's unfortunate circumstance, but she was prompted to do this at the behest of an older woman. When she arrived for their meeting, the deference shown by her superiors was shocking. All their usual swagger melted into a puddle at her feet. Jordan entered the meeting knowing she was going to acquiesce though a little push back might clarify the motivation. Without any introductions, the mystery woman demanded an update on the Bracken investigation and a side trip to the Twelfth to publicly compliment Kate. Jordan countered that normal procedure did not allow for that discussion or blatant shows of support for maligned fellow officers. Her superiors around the table were remarkably silent, and Jordan understood that an unspoken exception was about to be made.