Title: The Collector
By: greygoose70
Summary: "Her names Gloria Simpson, instantly seeing Kate and Lanie whip their head toward him saying his name, at the same time, "she disappeared four years ago" he added.
Day 2, The Loft
Rick was just finishing making pancakes as Alexis descended the stairs. "Morning pumpkin," he said as she approached the kitchen counter where he was placing her plate.
"Morning Dad," Alexis replied sitting down. "And how is Detective Beckett this morning?"
Rick almost choked on the bite of pancake he had just taken, swallowing it with a big gulp. "Wh…why would you ask that?" He spluttered out.
"Let's see, maybe because you just got home an hour ago, or maybe because you're still in the same clothes you had on yesterday, or…"
"Okay, okay young lady, that's enough. Yes, I spent the night with Kate but nothing inappropriate happened, we're taking it slow."
"I think that's great Dad. She's perfect for you, keeps you in line and I like her."
"Like whom dear." They heard Martha say as she was coming in the door. "Kate," Alexis replied to her grandmother.
"Oh yes, a wonderful woman. She's exactly the kind of woman you need Richard. Doesn't take any of your bull…"
"Mother!' Rick voiced sharply before speaking normally, "Okay now that you two have agreed on whom my next wife should be can we just slow down. Kate and I just agreed to start dating and we want to take it slow."
"You don't want to go too slow Richard. Katherine strikes me as the type of woman that likes to know where a relationship is headed. Now if you'll excuse me I need to get some rest. With that she headed up the stairs to her room.
Later after Alexis was off to school, after the breakfast dishes had been washed and put away, after he had showered and shaved, Richard Castle sat at his desk working on the next 'Nikki Heat' book. He was already well ahead of his current dead-line which made his publisher and ex-wife happy. Just as he was putting a period to his final thought his phone started ringing. Picking it up he saw Kate's picture, pressed answer and said, "What's up Beckett?"
"We have a case, will be there in fifteen, need coffee." She answered.
"Will be waiting for you when you get here," he replied then disconnected the call.
Approximately fifteen minutes later Beckett pulled up to 595 Broome Street and just as he promised Castle was waiting there with a 12 ounce travel mug filled with that glorious vanilla flavored liquid she desired. He handed it to her through her window then went around to the passenger side and got in.
"So where is the body located?" He asked as he secured his seat belt. "51st and Lex," she responded. The rest of the ride was made in silence, a normal occurrence when they were headed to a crime scene, both preparing themselves for what awaits them.
Beckett was able to park right outside the yellow crime scene tape. As her and Castle approached the uniformed officer standing there raised the tape for them. "Hey Murph, how'd the boy do last night?" She heard Castle ask him. "Pinned in two," was his response. Beckett just shook her head and moved on, that man knew everybody.
"Hey Lanie. What we got?" She asked the extraordinary medical examiner and her best friend.
"Female, 20 to 25 years old, strangulation, temp and lividity put time of death between 10 and midnight."
"Any ID?"
"Nope."
"Her name is Gloria Simpson," the two women heard him say, their heads spinning around to look at him. "Castle…" Beckett started but he stopped her.
"She disappeared four years ago, was last seen leaving her dorm at Fordham University. She attended a creative writing lecture I gave there, stayed afterwards so I could sign her book. We went for coffee and talked, she wanted to be a mystery writer."
"Did you stay in touch?" Beckett asked.
"No that was the only time we saw each other. It was a month or so later that I read she went missing,"
"Yeah, I remember that case now," Beckett said. "Fred Tomlinson, down in Missing Persons was the lead detective, he retired not long afterwards. "Come on Castle, let's see if the boys have discovered anything. Lanie, I'll check in with you later." She shouted as they were leaving.
Catching up with Ryan and Esposito was not that easy. 51st street and Lexington Avenue was a pretty busy area. They were almost to 52nd street before they caught up with them. "Anything?" Beckett asked.
"Nope," Espo retorted. "Nada," Ryan remarked right afterwards.
"Probably a waste of time anyway, this was probably just a dump site. Castle was acquainted with the victim; said she went missing four years ago. Let's head back to the precinct, pull the old file and start a new investigation."
The Precinct
When the four of them got back to the precinct Beckett and Castle headed up to Homicide while Espo and Ryan made their way down to Archives to retrieve the old case file.
As Espo and Ryan stepped off the elevator each carrying a box filled with interviews they witnessed Beckett setting up her murder board and Castle watching her from his chair. "Yo Castle," Espo shouted, "You want to help us go through these interviews."
"Sure thing," he replied rising up from his seat to join them in the conference room.
As they opened the boxes Ryan commented, once he saw the number of folders, "Wow, is there anyone at Fordham that Tomlinson didn't interview?"
"Tomlinson was very thorough," Kate said as she entered. "And this case seemed to have bothered him a lot."
"Why do you think that was?" Castle asked. "Don't know," Beckett answered.
"Maybe it was because his daughter was a friend or classmate," Espo responded as he pulled a file from the box with the name 'Sarah Tomlinson' on it and handing it to her.
Beckett opened the file and scanned through it. "Not much here, just that her, Gloria and another girl, Tara Reed, had a linguistics class twice a week and would usually go to lunch afterwards. Who originally reported her missing?"
"Her roommate, Alice Fleming," Ryan answered reading from the Missing Person Report.
"Let me have that Ryan," she requested. "Okay here's what we need to do," she began. "Ryan you and Castle start going through the interviews..."
"I've got a better idea," Castle interrupted. "We can transfer these interviews into a database program then do queries looking for any abnormalities."
"Castle that would take too long and..."
"No it won't because I already have a database setup, use it when I'm creating characters. Might have to make minor adjustments to it but can do that on the fly." Castle then left to retrieve his laptop.
"Kay, Espo, Let's see what Alice Fleming is doing now, I'd like to talk to her."
After half a dozen phone calls each, Beckett and Esposito finally discovered the whereabouts of Alice Fleming. Seems upon graduating from Fordham with a degree in medicine she was now continuing her education at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine majoring in Women's Health and living in the Student Housing building next to the Falk Center, a gym for students and faculty.
That's where they were at now, waiting in the reception area for Alice Fleming to come down from her fifth floor room. Seeing her as she stepped off the elevator they walked over to greet her. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with us Miss Fleming. I'm Detective Beckett, this is Detective Esposito. Is there somewhere private where we can talk?"
"Sure, follow me," she replied then let them to a small conference room. Once there and seated Alice asked; "What's this all about detective? June said it had something to do with Gloria. She disappeared four years ago."
"Yes it does Miss Fleming. I'm sorry to tell you this but Gloria Simpson is dead. Her body was found in an alleyway earlier today."
"Oh my god, no." Alice gasped a hand immediately covering her mouth and tears beginning welled up in her eyes. "I was afraid something like that happened," she began as she lowered the hand from her mouth; "but I always had hope she was still alive. How do you think I can help?"
"We just have a couple of questions concerning the Missing Person Report you filed." Beckett said.
"Okay," Alice responded.
"Beckett, I didn't want to say anything before but Castle right. There is definitely something wrong with this seat. Something been poking me in the back this whole trip. How does Castle put up with it?"
"He just fidgets a lot. I tell him to sit in the back if it's that bothersome."
"Yeah well if we ever have to go someplace ever again we take my car."
"Oh don't be such a cry baby Espo, it can't be that bad," Beckett responds just as she pulls into the precinct underground parking garage. She pulls into her spot and Espo can't get out the car fast enough. She just rolls her eyes, shakes her head and says "babies".
"What'd you find out?" Ryan ask them when they entered the bullpen. "Not much," Espo replied.
"So how is the database coming along?" Beckett asked.
"Done and I've loaded it onto everyone's computer," Castle answers; "and it's set up so that any additions or changes are made to everyone automatically."
"Excellent, so what do you say we call it a day. Come back fresh in the morning." Beckett remarked.
"So who's up for dinner at Remy's? I'm buying." Announced Castle.
"I'm in," Espo declared. "Me too," Ryan added. "Beckett?" Castle spoke turning to face her.
"Of course. Let it not be said it that I should pass up a free meal," she proclaimed.
And with that they headed out for an evening of fun, food and drink.
TBC