Two:
Rick had been silent the entire ride back from Remy's. Roz knew that Beckett's apparent indifference to the comment made by Collins had hurt him and truly felt sorry for him. Jennifer drove her cruiser and was trying to piece together what had happened at the restaurant. While she had only met the man an hour or two earlier, even she could see that he had been stung by his partner's lack of concern regarding him leaving. She couldn't help but wonder if the two had been in a physical relationship that for some reason went bad.
Pulling her cruiser up to a stop in front of the precinct, she and Roz exchanged pleasantries before Karpowski exited the vehicle. She looked back at Castle, who was just starting to exit the car as well and remarks. "I'm looking forward to our date. Give me a call if you just want to talk. Anytime."
Rick offers her a sad smile. "Me too. I'll give you a call tonight and you can tell me where you'd like to go." He gets out of her car, following Roz, as Jennifer pulls her cruiser back into the Manhattan traffic.
Rick stops at the precinct entrance, holding the door open for Roz. "I just remembered that I have a meeting with my publisher. If anyone asks, tell them that I'm taking the rest of the day off." He remarks and quickly walks back towards the street, hailing a taxi.
All Roz can do is give him a look of understanding as he walks away.
X-X-X-X
Upon her return to her precinct, she heads directly for her Captain's office. Roger Walters was a twenty-eight year veteran of the NYPD and was rumored to be considering retirement. Jennifer is immediately ushered into his office and asked to take a seat. She and her partner Walter Johnson had the highest closure rate in the precinct and she was concerned about finding a suitable replacement when he retired at the end of the month.
As she takes a seat, he begins. "Good news. I think we found a replacement for Walt. You know, and recently worked with her. When I saw that Roz Karpowski put herself on the transfer list, I thought that she would be a perfect fit. I wonder if Montgomery knows that she wants out of the twelfth. She's too good of a cop to let her go. Do you know why?"
Jennifer is surprised to hear that Roz was trying to get away from the twelfth and didn't tell her. She knew why, however. From what she was able to observe during her brief time there, it appeared as if there were two sets of rules. One for Kate Beckett and one for everybody else. Her Captain would have her ass if she tried the things that Beckett seemed to get away with. The fraternization between her and another detective in front of everyone and the verbal abuse of an unpaid consultant would get her suspended without pay at a minimum, if not fired. She couldn't help but wonder if Beckett had something on her boss that afforded her the special treatment.
"Honestly, sir, I had no idea that Roz had asked for a transfer. I just returned from lunch with her and she never said a word. I do understand why she would be upset. That's sort of why I wanted to talk to you." Jennifer offers, hoping to pique her Captain's interest.
"Go ahead. I'm all ears." Roger replies.
"Well, sir, I wasn't sure if you knew that the twelfth has an unpaid civilian consultant that works with one of their homicide teams. That team has the highest closure rate in the city and I think that we could steal him away from them..."
Walters gives her a skeptical look, knowing that she was only giving him half the story. He knew all about Richard Castle and the closure rate as he was reminded by the brass at 1PP nearly every meeting he attended there. Taking a close personal friend of both the mayor and the commissioner from Roy would quite a feather in his cap.
"What makes you think that you could lure him away from the twelfth? Rumors are, he and the detective that he's working with are more than partners." Her Captain challenges her, certain that there's more to the story.
"I thought so too sir, but after talking to Roz and seeing what I did, I think that he would be happy to go elsewhere. If you're serious about making him an offer, I can talk to him. I have his personal cell number..." Jennifer replies, not wanting to say any more about what she had seen there to her boss.
"What about Karpowski? Cops like her don't make themselves available very often." He counters.
"Why not get both of them? Roz can take Walt's place and Rick won't cost you a dime." She replies. The idea of her teamed with both Roz and Rick would make them formidable.
Her Captain could see no downside to her suggestion and replies. "You talk to Mr Castle and I'll speak to Karpowski. Is that okay?"
"Thank you sir. It sounds wonderful. I'll call Mr Castle tonight and let you know what he says tomorrow." Jennifer rises up from her seat and quickly exits his office, afraid that he'll change his mind.
X-X-X-X
Roz was wrapping up the last of the paperwork from the case that she and Jennifer had worked when she took the call from Captain Walters. The idea of working with Collins was appealing to her as they seemed to get along well. She had mixed emotions regarding leaving the twelfth. While she had many friends there, she could no longer accept the double standards that Montgomery seemed to have for Beckett when compared to everyone else. It was Kate's apparent indifference regarding Castle leaving hours earlier that became the deciding factor and she accepted his offer.
She took an appraising look around the bullpen and saw Demming seated beside Kate as the two acted like a couple of teenagers while what was left of her team sat at their desks angrily watching, but too afraid to say anything in fear of her running to Montgomery. Clearing off her desk for the night, felt as if a weight had been lifted from her and was looking forward to the move. She hoped that Castle would do so as well.
Jennifer had ended her call to Rick about the same time as Roz had hers, but she never mentioned him leaving the twelfth. The primary focus of her call was to secure the date she really wanted. She assumed that the job offer could be discussed during the dinner he'd asked her to Saturday evening. Her primary concern was finding the right outfit that would make him forget Kate Beckett.
X-X-X-X
Rick had called Ryan and said that he wouldn't be coming in today as he was taking Alexis down to Princeton where she would be for the next eight weeks. The summer program there would give her both college and high school credits. Enough to enable her to graduate a year early, something that he wasn't able to accept. He was proud of her drive and desire, but worried that she was missing out on the things that most teens her age enjoy. The thought of her moving to either England or California had him seriously considering leaving New York to be near her regardless of her choice.
As it was a three day weekend, Kevin asked if Rick planned on returning on Tuesday after the holiday, to which he responded with an evasive 'we'll see'. Ryan ends the call with a sigh of resignation that morphs into a frown as he sees Demming sitting in Castle's chair beside Kate's desk laughing about something. He wondered if she even noticed that her partner' was AWOL.
Roy Montgomery was not having a good morning. Upon his arrival, he learns the Roz Karpowski has accepted the offer from the One Seven and would be leaving the twelfth at the end of the month, which was next week. He'd seen her transfer request a few days earlier but never thought that she'd actually follow through with it and leave. He hated the idea of losing Roz, as her team's closure rate was second to only Beckett and her team.
He had planned on talking to Roz as soon as she arrived and try to dissuade her decision to leave, but those plans were scrapped when the call from the commissioner came. It appeared that Richard Castle had tendered his resignation from the NYPD to both the commissioner and the mayor, citing that he felt that he was no longer an asset to the team. He was not a cop and would never be truly accepted. The mayor wanted to know why his friend would quit with no warning, which meant Roy better have the answers.
Roy knew that things had been off between Castle and Beckett for a while. He'd said nothing as Tom Demming began to act as if he was her partner instead of Rick, trusting that she would not let things go too far. He had trusted her to behave as a professional and now he would pay for it. For all of his bluster about the twelfth being 'his' precinct, he knew that one call from the mayor could have him busted back to foot patrol and could only hope that wouldn't be his fate. Especially after the commissioner learns that he lost one of his best detectives.
An impromptu meeting was setup between between the mayor, the commissioner, and Montgomery at 1PP for 1:00 pm. This would provide him with enough time to provide an explanation for Castle's abrupt departure. He ends the call, having no idea what he will be able to tell them that won't make appear that he had mishandled the entire situation.
Glancing out of his office, he sees Demming sitting at her desk laughing about something, which only adds to anger he felt at the moment. He'd always given her the benefit of doubt for reasons only he knew and up until recently, nothing bad had happened. She put in more hours than any of the other detectives and her closure rate spoke for itself as justification for special rules he seemed to have for her.
Unfortunately for her, those days were over.
Rising up from his seat, he walks to his door and barks out in a loud enough voice that everyone on the floor could hear. "Detectives Beckett and Demming, my office now!" He turns and walks back to his seat, silently counting to himself, his anger growing with each passing second he has to wait for their appearance.
The count was up to 44 when the two entered his office. Kate gives him a puzzled look, having no idea why her boss appeared to be so angry as inquires. "You wanted to see us sir?"
"Close the door behind you and take a seat." The tone of his voice clearly indicating that he more than a little upset with her. The two sit down as he begins. "Detective Demming, the last time I checked, you were assigned to the robbery division, not homicide. Is that correct?"
"Yes sir." Tom quietly replies, having no idea where this line of questioning is headed, but fairly certain he will not like it.
"So you were working a homicide case?" Roy counters, his anger growing.
Tom starts to say something, but Kate tries to jump into his defense. "Sir, Detective Demming was helping me work on a theory..."
Montgomery cuts her off before she can continue with her excuse. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that why Mr Castle was here?"
"But he wasn't here this morning sir." Kate quickly responds, hoping to lessen the tension in the room.
"He was here yesterday, the day before, and the day before that, yet I clearly remember seeing Detective Demming sitting where he was this morning. Were you working theories then as well?"
Kate knew there was nothing she could say in response that wouldn't make things worse than what they were at the moment, but couldn't stop herself. "Detective Demming was simply trying to help on our case sir."
Montgomery arches his eyebrow in surprise at the sheer gall of her reply and immediately pounces. "So his helping included playing tonsil hockey with you by the stairwell for everyone on the floor to see? I've let you get away with too much for too long. It's time to end it." He turns to look directly at Tom before continuing. "Detective Demming, you are suspended for three days without pay for conduct unbecoming of a NYPD officer. You are banned from this floor unless there is a specific case assigned to you by your lieutenant and agreed to by me. You may appeal this suspension, but for the sake of your career, I suggest you don't as I will certainly find other charges to bring against you. Am I clear?"
The look of disgust on the Captain's face spoke volumes and he knew the best thing to do was simply accept his punishment. He looked at Kate, who appeared to equally stunned by her boss's tirade and quietly replied. "Yes sir. I understand."
"Good. Now get out of my office. Detective Beckett and I are about to have a long overdue conversation about being a professional." Roy nearly growls as Demming jumps to his feet and nearly sprints out of the office.
Thinking that a half hearted apology for her behavior over the last month might cushion the blow, she starts to speak, but is halted immediately by the angry look from Montgomery. "I guess I should apologize to you detective. By trusting you to act as the professional that your job title implied, I failed to do my job. For that, I'm sure that I will be punished later today." Roy offers with a sigh.
Now Kate was really confused. Why would her boss be punished for something she had done? "Sir, I don't understand?"
"Of course you wouldn't as you assume that the world revolves around you." Roy replies, nearly growling as he speaks. "The little show that you and Demming have put on for the last month did not go unnoticed by everyone on the floor. My inaction to address the issue made it look as if you were getting special treatment... which you were. While I turned a blind eye to your shenanigans with the detective, others decided they could no longer work for a Captain that clearly showed favoritism towards one of his reports over everyone else."
He pauses for a moment to see if any of what he has said is registering with her. "Did you know that Roz Karpowski requested a transfer and is leaving the twelfth?" He pauses again to see her reaction to the news and sighs. Of course she had no clue as it didn't directly involve her. "I don't need to ask her why she is leaving. I know why. I failed her and everyone else that reports to me by letting you get away with your childish behavior."
"Oh, and here's the cherry on the shit sundae that has been my morning. I just spoke with Commissioner Fowler before calling you in. I guess congratulations are in order Beckett. Richard Castle tendered his official resignation from the NYPD, citing the fact that he felt that he was no longer an asset to you and your team. He also went on to say that he wasn't a cop and would never be accepted. Do you know why he would say something like that?" Montgomery asks, his anger reduced to a simmer at the moment.
She was as stunned as her boss was to hear that Castle was leaving. Sure, things had been off between them since Tom appeared, but he never seemed to be bothered by the robbery detective spending more and more of his time with her. No, Kate was sure that there had to be another reason for his leaving. Something that had nothing to do with her or Tom.
"Sir, I have no idea why Castle said what he did. I've always treated him as a professional." She replies, honestly believing it to be the truth.
Roy frowns and looks directly at her. "I'll tell you what Beckett, are you so sure that you are totally blameless in this mess that you'll offer up your career as collateral? I'm going to conduct my own investigation, assuming I still have a job after my meeting later. If I find out that you are not telling me the truth, the least of your worries will be the three day suspension that you'll be serving with your boyfriend. Last chance detective. Are you really that sure of your innocence?"
Having no idea how to respond, Kate sits there wondering how things had digressed into this mess. She and Tom were supposed to go away this evening for a romantic getaway at the beachfront cottage he had secured for weekend. The last thing on her mind was Castle, especially after seeing him with Roz and that skank detective from the one seven.
"Sir, I don't know what you want me to say. Castle started to withdraw from us during the case we were working with Detective Demming. He stopped offering his theories and seemed to find reasons to not be around us. That was why I started using Detective Demming as a resource to run ideas with."
Montgomery can only respond with an incredulous look and a shake of his head. "If you believe that to be the truth, then I feel sorry for you. It also makes me wonder about your fitness to lead a team of detectives. If I find out what I'm afraid I will, your days as a lead may be coming to an end..."
His ominous warning should have scared her to death, but she was so confident that Castle's leaving had little, or nothing to do with her that she ignored it. Kate was more concerned about how her three day suspension would look on her personnel file and as much as she would like to blame Castle for it, she knew that it was her fault. She had let things get out of hand with Tom and everyone in the precinct had seen it.
Montgomery waits for a response from her and after she offers nothing, he points to the door. "Get out of here and don't come back until Thursday when T three days are up. If I'm still Captain by then, I'm sure that we'll have another little talk like this about your future with the NYPD." He looks down at whatever was on his desk, dismissing her.
Kate pushes herself up from her chair and exits his office, gently closing the door behind her. Walking back to her desk, she begins to shut everything down, preparing to make a quick and quiet retreat.
Ryan and Esposito approach her just as she locks her desk. Javi offers a grin and asks. "Getting a head start on your weekend getaway with Demming?"
"Something like that." She replies, too embarrassed to tell them the real reason for her early departure.
The two detectives had watched as a visibly shaken Demming had exited the Captain's office and made a bee line for the stairwell without a word. They both assumed the Captain had finally seen enough of her and Tom acting like a couple of teenagers and read them the riot act. They were honestly surprised to see Kate leaving early like this and her vague response only piqued their curiosity.
"Well, have fun Beckett. We'll see you on Tuesday." Kevin remarks with a grin.
"Yeah, see you Tuesday." She replies, unable to tell them the truth and quickly walks towards the elevator. The two men exchange puzzled looks and a shoulder shrug before returning to their desks.