Chief Gates arrived just before lunch, and her absence was noticed by all in the bullpen. She was dreading the day and her quick word with Beckett. She ate at her desk and around 2:00PM, asked Kate to join her in her office. With door shut, she started, "I have heard from Senator Bracken over the weekend that he is in for some rough sledding with the press for the next couple months as his wife is filing for divorce any day now. He is expecting a PR nightmare, and his advisors have suggested he needs some added NYPD security provided so he can continue serving his constituents."
Gates paused seeing Beckett's puzzled look. "He wants you to lead that team. It wouldn't be a full-time thing and probably last no more than three months. He was very complimentary of your skills as a police officer and thinks your steady hand will keep this from becoming the public debacle he is trying to avoid."
"Captain, I think this is crazy. I suspect he knows the root cause behind my mother's murder. I can't imagine a more repugnant assignment. Unless it is an order, I won't do it."
"Kate what you say about the Senator are just accusations. Without proof which you have never presented, he is entitled to our protection like any other citizen. If you need an order, I am sure 1PP will be more than happy to oblige, and they will remember this little temper tantrum long afterwards. Do you really think that is a wise career move?"
"Captain, this is about my mother and a lax NYPD investigation of her unsolved murder. It had driven me since the academy and now you expect me to protect the very person who I think is somehow behind it?"
"Kate, I know this is far from an ideal situation for any of us." Gates paused trying to keep her anger at the Senator in check as she offered the the carrot she was dead set against giving. "If you accept this without grumbling, I will put the word out that you have paid enough of a price for your screw-up with Ann, and it is time to move on. It won't placate everyone, but it will tell them command is satisfied you have learned your lesson. You can't be happy with the status quo?"
Kate had to admit it was a tempting offer. Working with people who resent you everyday was not an easy thing to do. She had hoped the verbal slights, funny looks, and fleeting interactions would subside with her reinstatement, but there was still a clear undercurrent of contempt she could do without. She opted for a coy response. "Let me sleep on it, and I will give you an answer in the morning." Gates nodded her approval, and Kate immediately headed to her desk.
Kate's team got no new case that day, and all were surprised to see the whole group disperse right on time. Kate had agreed to meet Rick at her place, and he was waiting outside with a bottle of her favorite red when she arrived. Inside the conversations immediately turned to Gate's proposal and her response. She was rightly suspicious of any interaction with Bracken. Castle saw it differently. He had experienced just how the press mercilessly dig into any celebrity divorce trying to find any salacious detail to give the story new legs. The Senator was being just prudent trying to insure things did not go off the rails even further. In the end, Gate's offer to vouch for her won the day. No matter what, she was all about finding justice for victims, and any semblance of better cooperation with her coworkers would certainly help.
The next day, Vicki was a happy woman. The Senator was pleased, and Kate noticed an immediate change in the demeanor of her coworkers. That was all the good news; the bad part was she would be seeing Bracken that afternoon at his private office. When she arrived, she was surprised by one of his aides who did an electronic sweep before allowing her to enter the office. Once inside, Bracken began, "Well detective, we meet again, only this time the power has shifted once again."
Kate had no clue what he was talking about until his phone chirped to life with the voices of Castle, Ryan, and herself discussing her brief, but contemptuous run-in with him. He let it play for just long enough to hear her admit that her threat was rooted in a bluff. When he paused the replay, she remained mum wondering what would come next. In that moment Bracken did not disappoint. "You see Detective, all you really have was an account number and the name of a defunct bank that lost all their records in a fire. Your fanciful allegations against me are just the pathetic rantings of an obsessed family member who can't accept the professional conclusions of the NYPD."
Kate was dumbstruck and waited for the terms of the new deal she was sure were coming. "Now Detective - you need to keep me happy or bad things could happen. It will start with you making sure to keep the media vultures and their associated drama out of my way while this whole divorce thing plays out. So far, things have been amicable, but my lawyer expects that to change soon. These things apparently have a playbook, and the litigants must play their parts. I will announce the news at a presser next Monday, and you and your team need to be there. My aide, Alice, will be your point of contact going forward. She calls; you jump - got it!" Kate just nodded and exited the office without offering any reply.
Returning to the precinct, she opted to don her best poker face and report to Gates that everything was under control. When she returned to the bullpen, Gates was relieved, but Kate was seething. Castle could tell something was off, but Lara and Kevin did not catch on until Kate began her highly agitated explanation of their new assignment. Next Monday would be a busy day, and nothing better go wrong. When Kevin asked how they drew the short straw, Kate shouted that it didn't matter; their job was to salute and not bitch about it. They would be there most of the day to contain any foolishness that might ensue. After that, it would be up to their liaison, Alice, to decide when and where their services would be needed. Kevin left the box confused; Lara, on the other hand, hoped Alice would call quite often.
On the way home that night, Castle got the full rundown of her very galling chat with Bracken The news broke the detente he was quite content with. The good news was he had been through the celebrity divorce gauntlet before and assured her his need for her would be short-lived. It did little to placate her fury, and that night, friendly banter and cuddling were not on the agenda as they ate in silence. Much to his chagrin, a perturbed Beckett was not receptive to any of his amorous advances.
When the time came, her whole team was already checking the layout and getting an update from Alice of how she would run the event. It should last about an hour, and she had some ringers in the crowd who the Senator could call on if he needed to cool the room. After that, she wanted one of them to stick around in case some idiot decided it was time for their ten-minutes-of-fame moment at the Senator's expense. Lara quickly volunteered, and Kate and Kevin were fine with that.
Four hours later, Lara and the Senator were in his residence without any aides or clothes. Her report to him was brief and hardly memorable given what else he was doing. After his little performance with the press, she had been especially accommodating earlier, and he had repaid her with a final round for the record books. Lying there, wistful thoughts of being his actual girlfriend danced in her head. It was a brief bit of whimsy, but one certain to enhance her prospects at the NYPD.