Bear and I II
Chapter 6
Kevin and Javi were busy boxing her books. Jim, Jenny, and Roy's son Evan were in the kitchen while Lanie, Evelyn and her 2 girls were in the bedroom or bathroom boxing up things.
"I about had a heart attack when Roy came home and told me Kate had crashed in a helicopter," Evelyn admitted to Lanie as she emerged from the closet with clothes to be folded on the bed and boxed up.
"You're telling me. I pestered Javi with more questions than he had answers for. I literally wanted to know everything. I wanted Jim to sue whoever the helicopter pilot worked for. If the pilot wasn't dead I would've killed him myself.
"Then he told me an entire family died in that crash. Including their little girl." Lanie brought things from her dresser to either fold or just pack in a box.
"A five-year-old. I think I cried for at least half an hour after Roy told me. She was far too young to have that happen to her. There's one thing that worries me about Kate." Evelyn went back into the closet.
"Which is?" Lanie inquired as she turned back to the dresser.
"Survivors guilt," Evelyn said over her shoulder. "She's the only one who survived." Evelyn came back out with still more clothes.
"Knowing Kate she won't let it get to her. She's far too stubborn for her own good or maybe insensitive. It could be that's why she's so good at her job. Dealing with people that are only too willing to kill someone for whatever reason." Lanie didn't see it happening but in a sad way she wished it would. Maybe it would change Kate.
"Trapped in nowhere Alaska with someone she doesn't know." Lanie had fears about that. This guy could be doing anything to her. Beating her, raping her, not feeding her, forcing her to sleep on the floor. You name it she was worried about it.
"I don't think that'll be a problem. I had to threaten Roy to get him to tell me who had her." Evelyn kept folding and filling a box.
"You know who? You are telling me right now, Evelyn Montgomery! Javi teased me and said that I would parachute in so I could take care of her myself. Maybe take some guns with me so we could shoot this guy if he wasn't taking good care of her." Lanie stood there, glared at her, and waited for Evelyn to say something.
"You wouldn't believe me. You might not believe me after I tell you." Evelyn had been shocked herself.
"EVELYN!" Lanie knew she was teasing her but she didn't need this crap.
Evelyn grinned at her. "Just remember you won't believe me. The mystery man is Richard Castle."
"NO WAY! SERIOUSLY?"Lanie stood there frozen in total shock. "Her most favorite writer on the planet is taking care of her in the middle of Alaska?" Lanie gaped at Evelyn who just stood there smiling while folding some of the prettiest Lingerie she'd ever seen. Lanie still didn't believe it. "I thought he lived here in the city."
"Apparently not. Beyond that I don't know much else. For all I know he has this little one room cottage with no running water and an outhouse." Evelyn could never live like that. She was a city girl and knew it. She and her girls couldn't live without running water and a working toilet.
"Kate will kill herself." Lanie knew she didn't even want to do tent camping. "But he has money right?" Surely he had something better than that. "Hang on." Lanie left her and went into the living room. She stole a book from Javi and Kevin and went back into the bedroom.
Lanie showed Evelyn the back of the book. "He's handsome." All either of them could see was his head. Lanie suddenly had new hope for her best friend.
"He could be 5 feet tall and weigh 300 pounds," Evelyn said.
Lanie looked at the picture again and his face didn't say FAT to her. "No, my money's on hunk. He lives in nowhere Alaska. He has to hunt and cut wood to keep warm." Lanie liked that picture a lot better.
Evelyn grinned at her. "Trapped till the ground freezes and there's enough snow for snowmobiles to work so she can get out or someone can reach them."
Lanie began smiling. "She might be pregnant by then. Think about it. Her most favorite author on the planet who's a hunk, no condoms, and she won't have access to her birth control pills." Lanie was actually getting giddy and listened to Evelyn laughing.
Then Evelyn had a thought. "A single man in the middle of nowhere. No tampons, no pads, no douche." Then she looked at Lanie in horror. "No bras, no panties, no shoes, no clothes.".
Lanie considered that. "Kate's definitely going to kill herself."
"Or definitely end up pregnant." Evelyn started laughing and Lanie followed her.
"Mom?" Both of her girls came out of the bathroom since these two were laughing and they wanted to know why.
- :: - ::: - :: -
Javi and Kevin's backs were both broken since it had fallen on them to move the big heavy stuff which included all the heavy boxes other people had packed.
"My back's broken," Kevin complained as he and Javi loaded the very last thing into the truck that was, typical for New York City, double-parked downstairs. Javi pulled the door down and put a lock in place to keep it that way.
"I'll massage your back for you, babe." Jenny wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.
"We still have to unload it into a storage unit," Javi reminded him which had Kevin groaning and Jenny began laughing.
Evelyn offered herself, her son, and her daughters to keep helping. "We'll help unload it. Right after I get the kids something to eat."
"What about us?" Javi was starving. He and Kevin had done all the hard work.
"I'll stop and get everyone something. Probably pizza," Jim offered since they were all helping his daughter so he owed them.
"Don't forget the beer," Javi said, not really thinking till Lanie hit his arm.
"We'll get the beer and Gatorade for Jim." Lanie glared at him for being so stupid.
"Honestly, bro." Now Kevin was glaring at him.
Jim loved these guys. Katie had some really good friends and he was definitely going to remind her of this and what they were willing to do for her for just the price of pizza.
The Montgomery kids looked at their mom for approval. "Pizza!" That sealed it for everyone.
- :: - ::: - :: -
Javi pulled the door down while Kevin put the lock into place and handed the paper with the code to Jim. Javi put his back up against the door. "Do we really have to go into the precinct tomorrow?" Javi asked Kevin.
Jenny offered some compensation for his hard work. "You can come with us to our place for more beer."
"Sold!" Javi was willing.
"Great! that means these four can come with me. Pizza for lunch and Chinese for dinner. I'm buying," Jim offered.
"Mom?" All three kids looked at Evelyn.
"Count me in." Lanie was willing.
"I have a big mouth." Javi was sure he had agreed too soon. Jenny was serving beer while Jim was serving dinner.
"Maybe if you stop and get Jenny a couple of bottles of wine she'll feed you." Kevin grinned at his partner.
"Then it's not free beer," Javi groaned since he was buying wine to get free beer, not really paying any attention to what the deal was.
"Let's go before I hurt him." Jenny started to leave. Jim was chuckling and shaking his head. They were still good friends if not a little on the weird side.
"So no Roy?" Jim asked Evelyn as they went in search of a taxi to go find dinner.
"These two are here so someone had to hold down the fort. Besides he needs to break in Kate's replacement. He hasn't told me anything about him so don't ask," Evelyn replied.
"It might be a her," Jim suggested then shook his head since he doubted it big time. Only his Katie would want to be a homicide detective.
"Jo has to be laughing her head off. Her favorite author is looking after Katie. I have to admit I never saw that one coming," Jim said as he flagged down a taxi van for them.
"Do you know anything about him?" Evelyn questioned him. "I only know he's a writer."
"Except for his books, I don't know anything. I'm not sure Jo did either. Just his picture on the back of his books. Ladies first." Jim said and let Evelyn and the kids in first and then told the driver where he wanted to go.
- :: - ::: - :: -
Kate was slowly adjusting to her new way of life. Rick's too-big-for-her t-shirt covered just about everything so when she needed to pee Castle didn't see anything for a change. Needing his help was embarrassing enough.
Thankfully those Pepto pills looked to have worked. Today she woke up to the face of Shadow who was sitting there staring at her.
"Hi. …Ball?" Kate asked him and grinned as he took off running, looking for a ball for her to throw. So far she had to admit he was a pretty good dog. She hadn't moved an inch when he was back with a ball and dropped it on the bed.
Kate found it and did her best to throw it out the door while not causing her bruised ribs to complain. Two throws later... "Ewww, yuk. Do you have to slobber all over it?" Kate questioned him and watched him take off even if she hadn't thrown it yet.
Just for that Kate kept it till she saw him come back looking at her wondering why she hadn't thrown it. So Kate sailed it over his head and watched him take off after it.
Then in walked Castle. He was still handsome, big, a hunk, and still sweet.
"You must be feeling a little better." Rick had watched from the kitchen as a ball came soaring out followed by Shadow and then back into his bedroom. Only to repeat time after time again.
"A little. So long as I don't pull something. May I ask questions?" Kate was full of them.
"Hang on." Rick left her which had Kate wondering where he was going. Then she saw him walk back in carrying what looked like a wooden dining room chair and sat down in it. "Ask away."
"This isn't a log home," Kate noted. It just didn't look like it belonged in Alaska.
"It's not. Two 2x6 walls so there's 12 inches of insulation in the walls so R60. Looking at the windows gives you a hint. There's no attic. You don't want one of those in Alaska. So roof joists with spray foam insulation, another R120 with tongue and groove wood.
"Triple pane windows. What you haven't seen yet is the wall of windows in the living room that faces south and has a nice view. We have 2 bedrooms with a Jack and Jill bathroom. Large living room with those same wood ceilings. Dining room, kitchen. It sits 2 feet above the ground so more spray foam in the floors and another R60 insulation.
"Just out back is a boiler that feeds hot water into tubing in the floor to keep the floors warm and heat the house. Next to it is a shed holding the wood that it burns.
"Next door is a workroom. If something breaks in Alaska it's up to you to fix it so there's lots of tools out there. Leftover building material and anything else you can think of. it's also where I store the quad, snowmobile, and trailers for each. I used the quad and sled to get to you and get back. I use it to make trips into town. Next to that building is the real wood shed. It has space for 18 cords of wood. I even have a new wood chipper so I don't have to use an axe any longer." Rick shook his head. "Chopping wood is not fun."
"No phone?" She doubted it since it sounded like they were in the middle of nowhere.
"I have a satellite phone for emergencies. So far I haven't had a big enough emergency to use it. It's expensive even for me," he told her. "I do have a CB radio with a nice big tower just outside, though. It's how everyone outside of here knows you are here."
"So my dad knows where I am?" Kate liked the sound of that.
"Him, your boss, probably your friends. By now everyone in town." Rick was betting word had spread like wildfire.
"Thanks." Kate didn't know how to thank him for saving her life.
"I've got a greenhouse with a number of things growing in it. But no flowers. Can't eat flowers. Next to it is a garden that's closed down now since it's going to be getting really cold outside soon. OH and at least 50 feet from the house is an emergency use outhouse." Rick wasn't really done but she made a face at the outhouse that showed disgust.
"Not a fan of an outhouse I take it?" Rick questioned her.
"Not even a little. I'm a city girl." Kate told him. "No running water and no toilet, then I don't want it."
"So camping is out for you?" Rick wasn't really guessing.
"Not unless it's an RV," Kate replied.
"Duly noted. We have a well for water and filters in the workshop. We have a septic system and there are solar panels that feed a bank of batteries. Certain items like the refrigerator and freezer are dual electric or propane so I have a propane tank if necessary. It's not very big and so far I haven't had reason to use it.
"Oh and solar for hot water for the electric water heater. So no long showers, please." Rick was just about done explaining his home.
"I can't even walk yet so I don't think that's a problem. It sounds like you have everything. What about tampons or at least pads?" She was going to need those soon.
"I'm still working on that. I have an idea but it's going to cost me." Rick had suddenly thought of something. "But not till it stops snowing." It was still snowing hard but not really sticking too much.
"I have money. In what's left of my pants. What about my clothes on the cruise ship?" Kate suddenly thought of that.
"Money isn't the problem. That's not what she will charge me. As for your cruise ship, that ship's back in Seattle by now. And where your clothes are now I have no idea. Storage somewhere comes to mind," Rick said and shrugged.
"They wouldn't throw it all out or sell it would they?" All her best clothes were at home so not really much to lose. "MY APARTMENT! I won't be there to pay rent or my bills. MY JOB!" Kate was more awake now and was suddenly seeing nothing but disasters happening.
"Let's see. I doubt it, and your dad and your boss know where you are," Rick reminded her.
Kate tried to stop freaking out. Her dad would do something and her captain would do something.
"So why are you way out here in middle of Alaska with no neighbors? I thought sure you lived in New York City." Kate didn't see him living way out here.
"That's a whole 'nother story and it's a long one. But I have to get Alexis up from her nap and mop the floors. Someone was throwing a wet tennis ball full of dog slobber," Rick reminded her and got up and picked up his chair.
"Sorry about that. So no TV?" She was going to get bored soon if she stayed awake longer.
"No, no TV. How about a book instead?" Rick offered.
"Anything, thank you. One of yours maybe? Something new?" She meant what he was writing now.
Rick stared at her. "Are you fishing for what I'm writing now? I thought you said your mother was the fan?"
Kate tried to talk her way out of this. "She was but I'm here so I should read one of yours."
"Right!" Rick wasn't sure he believed her but he would find her a book anyway.
"Here's your book." Rick handed it to her and then immediately took it from her. "We need you sitting up for this," he warned her since this was going to hurt.
Sure enough Kate hissed as now her left leg was on fire but it would fade enough that she could ignore it eventually. Then she got her book.
"Derrick Storm!" Kate looked it over. "Wait, I've never heard of this one."
"It's not out yet. That's my copy before being sent to the press. And you do read my books. I knew it!" Rick pointed at her since Kate had just ratted herself out at being a fan.
"Just go away so I can read in peace." Kate waved him off so she could ignore being caught admitting that she was a fan.
"Yes, ma'am." Rick left her so she could read and went to get Alexis up so she didn't sleep the day away. "Potty?" Rick questioned her and got her into the bathroom and then helped her wash her hands after pulling out her step to stand on so she could reach.
"Now go play with your toys I need to make a call." Rick headed for his CB radio equipment and called for the letters of the person he wanted to talk to and waited and did it again till he heard back.
"Aaron, I need a favor. I need Jenny to fly out and drop me something when it finally stops snowing," Rick told him.
"You know Jenny, this is going to cost you," Aaron warned him.
"I know, I know but I need this item." Rick knew it was going to cost him and he didn't mean money. Jenny wouldn't need reimbursement for the cost of the tampons.
"Okay. What do you want delivered keeping in mind it better not be too big or weigh that much." Aaron would do it so long as Rick understood the cost.
"I need her to pick the best tampons she can find, then fly them out, and drop them." Rick tried to close his ears at the response he was going to get for this.
"How old is Alexis again?" Aaron asked him.
"Not her, you goof. These are for Kate, my guest. That and anything else she can think of that doesn't weigh too much for her," Rick said.
"Figured as much. Couldn't resist teasing you, though. I'll tell her. This might be a few days. Do you have that long?" If he didn't he was going to have a problem.
"About two weeks, I'm told," Rick replied.
"Got it. Sounds like that's doable. I'll tell her. Just don't shoot her down." Aaron laughed and then used his call letters and signed off before Rick could say something back. He wanted to get in the last word.
"Ha, ha, funny man." Rick used his call letters and signed off. They both knew there was no way in hell he was going to shoot down a Bald Eagle. No one in their right mind would do that.