Title: The Collector

By: greygoose70

Chapter Four

Summary: "Her name is 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.

Later at the Loft

Upon arriving home Rick went straight to the kitchen began preparing dinner, Kate to the bedroom to change clothes. When she returned she saw him standing at the stove, so she came up behind him wrapped her arms around his waist placed her head on his back, whispered "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for Kate."

"Maybe not but I should have shut Ryan and Espo up the second they started to laugh. We were so wrapped up in the girls we forgot about the person abducting them, the person we should be looking for."

Rick turned around in her arms, placed his hands on her hips, kissed her forehead, then her nose and finally her lips passionately, a kiss Kate whole heartedly returned.

"Rick, the chicken" she exclaimed suddenly pulling away. He immediately spun around turned off the burner saying, "nice sense of smell you have detective."

"So is it salvageable "she asks."

"Let's see" he answers poking the chicken breast with a meat thermometer. "165 degrees" he tells her. "A little more done on one side, but it should be okay. How about you start the linguini while I heat up the sauce and start the bread."

After dinner and dishes they are setting on the sofa sipping on a tumbler of Rick's favorite scotch, 12 year old Macallan and listening to Kate's favorite saxophone player, John Coltrane. They haven't spoken any more about the case their thoughts being elsewhere, Kate wanting to take their relationship to the next level; Rick wanting the same but not wanting to push.

"I'm tired" she said, "let's go to bed."

"Okay, you go get ready I'll take care of everything out here."

He flipped off the office lights, entered the bedroom noticing it was darker than usual the only light coming from the small lamp by the chair in the corner, that's different, he thought. He proceeded on to the en suite, stripped down to his shorts and t-shirt, brushed his teeth and returned to the bedroom. "You want this light turned off" he asked"

"No, leave it on" she replied.

He crawled into bed scooting over to the center where she already lays her back to him. He curled up behind her putting his arm around, but something felt different. Normally he would be feeling the soft cotton of one of his t-shirts, but this was bare skin. "Kate, what are you wearing?"

"Not much" she giggled in reply turning over to face him instantly taking his face in her palms and planting her lips to his.

Rick may be slow in some things but not when it comes to her, Kate Beckett, the love of his life. The second her lips met his he eagerly began returning her passion with his. Soon the open mouth kisses developed into a battle of tongues each tasting the other and the toothpaste they used. Eventually their need for air became apparent so they separated.

Kate flipped herself on top of him straddling him at the hips losing the bedsheet in the process. Rick's eyes became wide-eyed seeing her in her near nakedness, the tank-top that barely covered her breasts, the lacey bikini panties hiding very little as well. "Ka-Kate" he stammered.

Staring directly into his cerulean blue eyes she said in a soft authoritative voice, "I love you Richard Castle. I want you, all of you. I don't want to wait any longer."

"You sure Kate."

"Absolutely" she responded reaching up pulling off her tank-top revealing her perfectly formed breasts. "Now get out of those clothes" she told him as she undid the ties to her panties yanking them off tossing them aside.

Rick wiggled out of his t-shirt while Kate grabbed the waistband of his shorts pulled them down over his legs tossing them in the same direction as her panties.

She crawled back up over him, Rick instead flipped her on her back pinned her arms up above her head stared into her emerald, green eyes, said "I love you to Katherine Beckett and one day soon you're going to say yes when I ask you to marry me."

"I can hardly wait" she breathed out, "now kiss me."

"Oh, I'm going to do so much more than that detective," crashing his lips to hers.

Later as they laid with their legs entangled Kate's head nestled between his neck and shoulder her fingers tracing circles on his chest she whispers, "Rick."

"Hmm" he hums.

"Just don't make me wait too long."

"I won't" he answers visualizing the blue velvet box hidden in the back of his safe, "now sleep."

Day 4, Beckett's Cruiser

Beckett and Castle on their way to the precinct when it is being announced on the radio. The dead body of Stephanie Seamore was found this morning in an area of Hudson Woods known as Miller Pond. We as yet do not know how she was killed only that she was bond to a tree. Ms. Seamore is the daughter of United States Congressman Douglas Seamore, she went missing three years ago under mysterious circumstances. Federal agents were immediately called in by local authorities who have cordoned off the area with instructions from the agent in charge, Special Agent Jordan Shaw, that any unauthorized person that tried to enter would be arrested and charged.

Castle instantly pulled out his phone saying "let's go Kate, that's in Yorktown, Westchester County; call the boys tell them to pick up Lanie and get up there. Now."

"Who you calling?"

"Guess."

Supervisory Special Agent Jordan Shaw tapped answer on her phone when seeing his name show up on the caller ID, "I was wondering when you'd call."

"So you know about her case."

"Of course; I was the AIC when she disappeared."

"What can you tell us" Beckett asked now that Castle had his phone on speaker.

"Not much, naked, tied to a tree, strangled; waiting to hear when the local M.E. will arrive."

"Forget him, Lanie is on the way. We should be there in twenty," Beckett related to her.

"What's your interest in this case," quizzed Shaw.

"Will let you know when we get there," Castle injected then disconnected.

4 hours later, Remy's Diner

"So have you two consummated your relationship yet," Jordan inquired with a smirk before taking another bite of her burger.

"Jordan," Kate screeched silently as she started to blush then shooting a glare at Rick when he began to chuckle.

"I'll take that as a yes" she snickered, "I'm happy for you. Can't remember a time when I've met two people that are perfect for each other, that complement each other the way you two do."

"Thanks" they responded simultaneously.

The Precinct

"Wow" Jordan exclaimed when entering the conference room seeing the white boards the have been set up with pictures and info of all the missing girls. "And you believe all these girls are alive."

"Yes, I do except for Gloria and now Stephanie" Castle said.

"Who you believe were killed because they broke one of his rules."

Castle just nodded his head.

"So what do we do now? How do we go about catching this guy? Do you have any suspects?"

"We have a person of interest" Beckett announced entering the room; "Ryan and Espo are running background checks on him now."

"Okay, give me a name I'll run him through our federal database."

"Jonas Miller."

Somewhere in Hudson Woods

He took off work early claiming illness instead coming to check on his 'girls'. After the incident with Stephanie he needed to reinforce the importance of 'his rules' to them. First on his list is Ashley Morgan. He liked to think of her as the 'cream of the crop' and certainly his favorite. He spotted her a week after taking Rose, falling instantly in love with her. He researched her discovered she was a doctor and surgeon at the hospital on Columbia's School of Medicine campus. She took self-defense classes in kick boxing (she is good he'd need to subdue her quickly). He went through her garbage, found out what she liked to eat by what she threw away. He entered her house (she really needed to install better locks), learned her favorite lipstick colour, favorite rouge, what kind of clothes she liked, there size and colors and when there was nothing else to know he formed his plan.

TBC