September 27, 2010

"Hey, Rick," Sadie says, "I didn't know you were joining us." The investigator assesses the pair as they climb into her Sedan. "Hold on, are you two back together?"

Beckett rolls her eyes with a smile. "Happy now?" she asks, sliding into the passenger seat.

"Are you kidding? Best news all week. Well, second best," the blonde says with a wide grin.

"You rank finding a break in your sister's case above our relationship status? I, for one, am offended," Castle says as he buckles up in the back seat.

"Don't listen to him," Beckett says.

"Have I ever?" Sade says.

"I'm right here," the writer says in slight protest.

"He likes it when you crack the window for him," Beckett says. Sadie opens his window a smidge, playing along.

"Again. Right here."

An hour later, they arrive at Montgomery's place in Westchester, a stately two story home with a wraparound porch.

The commissioner opens the door, laughing at a joke he'd just heard. When he recognizes the pair, he immediately sobers, and then quickly pastes on a polite smile.

"Madam District Attorney. Rick. To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asks. "Here for an afternoon poker game?"

"Sorry to bother you on the weekend, Sir, but I was wondering if we could have a conversation about a personal matter," Beckett says.

Montgomery hesitates. "You caught me at a bad time. I'm hosting a barbecue, and I have guests in the back. Could we talk tomorrow?"

"This kind of conversation can't wait," Sadie says, stepping forward from behind the couple.

The commissioner's eyes flicker slightly but his face doesn't betray any other emotion. He gauges the three of them, the air thick with tension.

"Why don't we take this to my office?" he asks, breaking the silent stand-off. They follow him as he guides them inside and shuts the door. He spots his wife heading to the kitchen.

"Evelyn, can you hold down the fort? I have to deal with a work thing real quick," he says.

His wife catches sight of the small group in the foyer, her eyes widening imperceptibly. "Sure, honey," she says nonchalantly.

In his office, Montgomery takes a seat behind his desk while the three of them remain standing. Sadie pulls Diane's file from her bag and plops it on the mahogany surface.

He leans forward, opening the folder. He skims the information and quickly pushes it away.

"What do you want?"

"An explanation," Sadie says.

Montgomery sits back in his chair.

"I don't have one."

"Then why bring us in here?" Beckett asks.

"What do you know?" he counters.

The trio glance at each other and nod, making a choice.

Beckett is the one to speak. "We know that you and your buddies, Raglan and McCallister, were running a ghost crew kidnapping mobsters and roughing them up back in the 90s. Until Bob Armen ended up dead and someone covered it up."

Montgomery straightens. "Where are you getting this information?"

"A little birdie in Rikers," Sadie replies.

The police commissioner's poker face falters.

"You don't know what you're talking about," he says unconvincingly.

"Then enlighten us," Castle pipes in.

Montgomery shakes his head solemnly. "I can't. You'll be a part of it."

"I'm already a part of it," Sadie says. "You know who I am, don't you? You know why I'm here."

Montgomery's silence is answer enough. Beckett takes a step forward.

"I'm here unofficially. Everything you say in this room is off the record," she says.

He shakes his head again. "I can't give you a name. You'll run right at him."

"I just want to know how she really died," the blonde says fiercely.

The commission rubs his forehead, contemplating.

"I'll give you immunity. You have my word," the detective says.

"Can you really do that?" Castle whispers very quietly. She shushes him away.

Beckett looks at Sadie. "Are you okay with this?"

"Do it."

The detective holds a hand out to Montgomery. "Can we shake on it?"

He appraises the three of them. "I'd prefer something in writing."

After a phone call to Beckett's assistant, an immunity agreement is faxed to Montgomery's office machine. The commissioner stares at it for a long moment, finally deciding something and scrawls his signature at the bottom. He flips it towards Beckett.

"I'd like to remind you that immunity only applies if you can provide evidence to prove your claims," she says.

"I'm aware," the commissioner says solemnly.

Beckett nods, adding her signature for authorization. As soon as she finishes her final flourish, Montgomery starts talking.

"I was a rookie when it happened. McCallister and Raglan were heroes to me. I believed in what we were doing. We were just going to snatch Pulgatti that night. Bob Armen wasn't even supposed to be there. Armen reached for my gun. That's when I heard the shot. I didn't even know it was my gun that went off until Armen went down. Then McCallister pulled me into the van. I remember him saying, "It's okay, kid. It's not your fault. Happens in this town every day." McCallister and Raglan tried to drown it. But I couldn't."

He looks down, his hands trembling.

"I put everything into the job. To be the best cop I could be. But then someone figured out what we had done. He could have turned us all in. Instead, he demanded the ransom money. He took that money to become what he is and, God forgive me, but that may be my greatest sin," he says, looking up at Sadie. "Until your sister started coming around asking questions."

"She was your chance to atone."

Montgomery nods.

"She had heart and grit and wanted to uncover the truth. Our blackmailer—he calls himself the Dragon—he knew she was trouble. I got him on tape putting a hit out on her. I mailed it to her. Told her to keep it safe."

"If she had it, then…" Sadie trails off, confused.

"They found out I sent it. If I didn't fix it, then they were going after my family."

"Did you kill her?" the investigator asks, tears welling suddenly in her eyes.

A heaviness falls over the commissioner. "I might as well have," he says, "I told Diane I had more evidence and asked her to meet me by the docks. Raglan and McCallister were there. They held me at gunpoint while they knocked her out and held her underwater. Afterwards, they said they wouldn't kill me if I kept my mouth shut. The Dragon orchestrated my promotion to ensure my silence."

"You sat on this...all these years and you did nothing," Sadie says in a shocked stupor.

"I was protecting my family," he says, standing up, indignant.

"What about my family?" she shoots back.

"Sadie," Beckett warns.

"She was all I had left!" the blonde shouts.

Montgomery's anger fades. "I'm sorry. I wish—I wish she never met me."

"So why don't you do anything about it?" Sadie asks.

"The Dragon's too powerful. And we don't have enough evidence," he says simply. "Are you sure you've never come across a tape?"

"Why do we need it if we have you? You're the evidence. Your testimony is enough."

"If they suspect I'm going to talk, they'll kill me and then you'll have nothing," he replies.

"What happens when they find out about this little chat?" she asks.

"I trust your discretion," he says.

"You don't deserve my discretion," Sadie says, her eyes flashing.

"Castle, get her out of here," Beckett orders.

The writer moves to shepherd the investigator out but the blonde shakes him off and instead levels her gaze with Montgomery. "You should've tried harder to protect her." With that, she turns on her heel, the writer trailing behind. Beckett waits until the door shuts before turning back to the commissioner. She gives him a moment to recoup as she retrieves the file on Diane.

"I know you have something. They wouldn't have kept you alive this long if you didn't have some sort of leverage," she says.

"You don't know what you're getting tangled up in," he rasps.

"This may not make sense to you, but I've been chasing this thing a long time. I know exactly what this is and what the stakes are. What I don't get is why you never took a stand. That's not who you taught me to be."

"Taught you—?"

"You're better than this. Tell me what you have," she insists.

He gazes at her for a long moment.

"Bank statements," he says finally.

"Why not come forward?"

"They don't tie him to the murders."

"It's a start."

"If you open an investigation against him, it's a death sentence," Montgomery says.

"Give me a name."

"Not until you find that tape."

Beckett drives them back into the city with Sadie sitting in the back, processing.

After twenty minutes of silence, the blonde finally leans forward and asks, "What's our next step?"

"We regroup," Beckett replies curtly.

"He just confessed to witnessing a murder and covering up another and all we can do is regroup? Can't we arrest Raglan and McCallister?"

"Not without opening a whole can of worms. We need more proof before we make a move," the detective says.

"All we have is a story," Castle adds.

Sadie scans their profiles, her eyes narrowing.

"You know something. What aren't you telling me?" she asks. When they don't respond, Sadie tries again. "What did you say to him when we left the room?"

"I asked him where the tape might be," Beckett supplies easily.

"He told us he sent it to Diane. What more could he know?" the blonde asks, not buying the detective's lie.

"Thought he might know where she hid it. Bus locker. Safe deposit box. That kind of thing."

"And?"

"Nothing," Beckett says, "Sound like something she might've done?"

"I don't know. I'd have to look into it," Sadie says begrudgingly.

"Sounds like you have your next step."

"Sounds like it," the blonde grumbles, falling back into her seat and crossing her arms defensively. She's silent for the rest of the ride back into the city.

When they arrive at the loft and exit the car, the detective turns toward the investigator. "Take some time today, kay? I'll call you tomorrow." Off Sadie's doubtful look, Beckett adds, "I promise. Please don't do anything rash and reckless in the meantime."

"I thought that's what you liked about me," the blonde replies cheekily.

"Sadie."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be perfectly docile and await your call," she says, throwing the detective a salute as she gets into her car.

Beckett shakes her head as the blonde drives off.

"She's going to do some digging on her own, isn't she?" Castle surmises.

"Like I said. Rash and reckless."

"Reminds me of someone else I know."

"Shut up."

"What did he really say when we left?" Castle asks as they shrug off their coats.

"I knew he had something other than the tape," she says, heading into the living room.

"Yeah?"

"He has bank statements that prove blackmail," she says, taking a seat on the couch.

"And he won't come forward?" Castle asks, settling next to her.

"He wants to nail the Dragon for the murders. And he needs the tape."

"Wonder why he never approached Sadie on his own," Castle says.

"They probably have eyes on him," she posits.

"You think they know about our little meeting today?"

"He let us in, didn't he?"

"Safe for now, then," the writer guesses.

"Safe for now," Beckett parrots back, doubt creeping over her face.

Castle puts an arm around her shoulder and she automatically leans into him, tucking her feet under herself.

"You okay?" he asks softly.

Tears prick the corner of her eyes, the enormity of her mentor's betrayal hitting her. "I don't know," she whispers.

"You think he did the same thing in our time?"

Her fingers trace a mindless pattern on his pant leg. After a while, she says, "My gut's saying he was involved in the kidnappings but not her murder. Not directly. We know Coonan killed her."

"Still can't believe he's involved at all."

She grows quiet, her head falling onto his shoulder. He strokes her hair, dropping a kiss on her dome.

"You ready to talk to our families?" he asks eventually.

"Got any vodka?"

"Thank you all for coming," Beckett announces to everyone gathered in the living room later that evening, "We appreciate that you're open to hearing us out. Castle and I would like to apologize for this morning."

"We could've handled it better," he says.

"You could've told us from the start," Alexis lobbies at the pair.

"Would you have believed us?" Castle volleys back.

"With those two backing you up?" the redhead asks, motioning at the elder Becketts. "I've always trusted their word over yours."

Castle opens his mouth to respond but Beckett puts a consoling hand on his arm.

"We should've told you sooner, so you weren't blindsided when we decided to leave," she says.

"To that end, Kate is taking off from work this week so we can spend some time together before we go," Castle says.

"And when will you be going?" Martha asks.

"The 29th."

"That's in two days!" Alexis exclaims.

"I don't know if I'm on board with that," the elder redhead says.

Castle analyzes Martha's stony expression and guarded stance.

"You'd rather live with a version of the son you didn't raise?" he asks.

"Better that than a son who might never come back," she says bitterly.

"Gram," Alexis chastens. "I believe them. They're going to bring Dad back."

"It's really a matter of being intentional. And we absolutely intend for them to return," Castle emphasizes.

Martha glances over at the elder Becketts. They nod at her.

"Fine," she says with a sigh of surrender. "What's the first stop on this goodbye tour?"

xxx

June 28, 2010 - Castle and Beckett arrive in another timeline where Johanna is alive. The next day they discover Espo was killed in action and resolve to be happy.

July 2010 - They settle into a new life.

August 25, 2010 - They break up.

August 28, 2010 - Castle visits Alexis in Connecticut and reconciles with her.

September 25, 2010 - Sadie brings Beckett information that sends her into a tailspin, Fitz gets an ear infection, Beckett meets Sophia Turner, Castle and Beckett go over Diane's case, leading to a kiss between the two, and Beckett talks with her mother, deciding she wants to go home with Castle.

September 26, 2010 - Castle and Beckett meet at the New York Public Library to switch parent-duty (it's Beckett's turn). Castle runs into his father, who seems to know about time travel. Sadie discovers a new lead in Diane's case, so her and Beckett visit Rikers to question Pulgatti, uncovering a cover-up and a kidnapping scheme involving mobsters and three cops (Raglan, McCallister, and Montgomery). Castle learns about the TTB, exchanges stories with Beckett, and the two of them have a talk about their relationship.

September 27, 2010 (Present) - After reuniting, Beckett tells Castle she wants to go home. Later, at brunch, Martha and Alexis learn the writer and detective's true identities. After brunch, Castle and Beckett confront Montgomery with Sadie and learn the truth about Diane's death. In the evening, Castle and Beckett make amends with their families and ask for a proper goodbye.

A/N: Will have the final update before the New Year! Appreciate any and all thoughts and comments.