Author's note: I didn't intend to take as long a break between cases, but with the way the last two weeks went, that's just what ended up happening. So sorry about that. I'd like to thank DREAMWRITER08, TORNOTOSUN, and southerngirl1 for their reviews. southerngirl1: Quinnley was just a girl interested in knowing about an available apartment in New York. TORONTOSUN: Thank you! DREAMWRITER08: There is always a story.

This case seemed a bit disjointed in the first draft, so I rearranged the order of some of the scenes. Hopefully it flows a bit better now. Enjoy!

Chapter 9

Commissioner James Hardlowe had a love-hate relationship with official events. On one hand, he loved what they were for, at least usually, because the officers needed the morale boosts. On the other, he hated the cameras and attention. People often accused him of forgetting what "life in the trenches" was like. It might be somewhat true, but that wasn't on purpose. He hadn't become a media whore. He did still remember those trenches.

Today's event was the perfect example of that love-hate relationship. Today, they had honored a cop who had given his life to stop a school shooting. They had also honored that hero's equally heroic partner, a man who had been injured before he could shoot the gunman. Together, they had saved hundreds of kids. Hardlowe was proud of those men and he felt the media's presence at the event had been disrespectful and rude the entire time. Hardlowe hoped they would show more respect on the evening news tonight.

He was so consumed by his thoughts that he was stunned when the elevator doors opened on a blood trail. "What the…" He and his aids followed the trail and found it was leading to a body. Standing above that body was Deputy Chief Gates. "Victoria?"

She turned around and revealed bloody hands. "I promise, I found her this way."

Hardlowe turned to his secretary. "Hold that elevator. And call Captain Beckett."

Beckett had just gotten into the underground parking for home when the call came in. She was still in her dress blues and Castle was in a suit, but the location of the scene said speed was of the essence, so changing their clothes wasn't an option. She pulled into an empty space so she could turn around and they headed to 1PP with the gumball flashing. Beckett handed Castle her phone and told him to text Ryan and Esposito.

"Already done." Castle held up his phone. "They said they're on their way. So, what's the scene?"

"Woman was found dead on the top brass floor of 1PP. Gates was standing over the body."

"Wait, what? 'Iron Gates?' Do they think she did it?"

"They're holding her at the scene." Beckett stopped at a light until a cab got out of her way. "According to dispatch, her hands were covered in blood."

"Which M.E. are we getting?"

"Lanie."

Castle sat back in his seat and nodded. "Good."

Beckett pulled up in front of 1PP and handed her car over to a uniform who offered to park it for her. The couple then headed inside and signed into the crime scene at the front desk. An elevator had been held for them and they were whisked upstairs. Beckett performed her ritual of honoring the victim on the way up, so she was ready when the doors opened on the crime scene. She stepped out of the elevator while pulling on gloves.

There was an elevator that was stopped on this floor. A blood trail led from it to the body in the middle of the top brass' floor. Lanie hadn't arrived yet, so Beckett did a visual assessment without her. The woman was face down in a small pool of blood. She had also been on her side and back at one point; there was blood soaked into her clothes on almost every side. She didn't look familiar, so she didn't work in an area of 1PP that the Captain had frequented. It also appeared that her injures were all sustained on her front, so she had seen her attacker. Maybe she fought back.

"Captain, you didn't need to come down personally." The Commissioner was making his way toward her.

"No offense, but I'm more hands-on than my predecessors, Commissioner." She held up her gloved hands when he extended his for a handshake. "Can you tell me what you saw when you first arrived?"

"We haven't touched anything. The only thing we did was take Victoria to an empty office. We're waiting for CSU to process her." He noticed Castle walking around the crime scene. "You brought your husband?"

"He's crime scene trained. Do you know who this woman is, sir?"

"Are you expecting me to know everyone who works in this building? Or are you… suggesting… something else?" The Commissioner was bristling.

"I'm trying to figure out how she ended up on a secure floor, sir. Either she had access, or her killer did. Do you know her?"

The Commissioner relaxed. "Sorry, Captain. No, I don't know her. Perhaps your M.E. will be able to give you an I.D."

Lanie headed straight for the body. "Hey, Kate."

"Hey, Lanie." Beckett turned back to Hardlowe. "I'd like to talk to Deputy Chief Gates."

"You're sure you can be objective?"

"You wouldn't have called my team if you didn't think we could."

Hardlowe nodded and pointed to the office. "She's in there with a few uniforms. I'll make sure your team is given full access to the building."

"Thank you, sir."

Beckett and Castle headed to the office and were let inside. "Sir."

Gates looked up. "Captain. I'm not surprised they called you in. Your team is the best."

"We try. I need to ask you some questions. I'm assuming you've already been read your rights?"

"I have. Look, Beckett, I know you have a job to do, but if it's all the same to you, I'd like my rep. present. And I would like to have been processed first. I know you're the best, but…"

"I understand. I'll send CSU in when they arrive."

Ryan and Esposito, still in their dress blues too, were just arriving when Beckett and Castle emerged from the office. "Where do you want us, Captain?"

"Get started with the interviews and get Vikram on the surveillance footage when he arrives."

"You got it."

Beckett headed for Lanie. "I know you only just got here, but…"

"Her name is Evelynn Quick." Lanie held up the evidence bag with an I.D. badge in it. "According to this badge, she works in the call center downstairs."

"She's a 911 operator. I'll make sure to check in downstairs. What else?"

"I haven't turned her yet. You might want to move."

Beckett backed up and Lanie set out a tarp. With the help of an assistant M.E., Lanie rolled Quick's body onto the tarp. The front of her shirt was saturated in blood, but the cuts where the knife had penetrated the shirt were visible. She had been stabbed at least six times. Lanie would be able to provide more details on the wounds later, but Beckett could tell that the attack had been brutal. Quick's attacker had been enraged.

"C.O.D. will probably be sharp force trauma. I count six right now." Lanie looked up at Beckett. "I'll be able to tell you more later."

"Thanks, Lanie." She crouched to whisper. "Look, this case is going to be under a lot of scrutiny."

"I'll keep you posted. Don't worry, girl. I've got your back."

CSU finally arrived and Jo Danville went straight to Beckett. "Captain. Where do you want me?"

"Deputy Chief Gates needs to be processed. Can I put you in charge of that?"

"You got it."

Castle stopped by Beckett. "I'm not sure the killer had legal access to this floor. Follow me."

Beckett followed her husband to the elevator Quick had been in. "What'd you find?"

"When we arrived, there was a sign in front of this elevator that said it was out of order. But she got up here using that elevator. I think the security of this elevator was bypassed. Look."

Beckett looked at what Castle was pointing to. The panel with the keycard scanner on it looked like it was loose. Beckett reached out with a gloved hand and pulled on it gently. The panel came off the wall of the elevator a bit more. The Captain called over a Crime Scene Tech and had them examine the panel carefully. They took pictures, dusted it for prints, and then peeled the cover off completely to get a look inside.

"It looks like someone installed a bypass to this elevator. We'll take it apart and let you know what we find."

Beckett nodded. "Thanks." She pushed the elevator call button with Castle at her side. "That means the suspect pool got a lot deeper."

Castle nodded. "Anyone who had access to this building is a suspect. Where do we start?"

"Let's let Vikram do his job before we start figuring out who did what and when. I'm going to talk to Quick's supervisor downstairs. Coming?"

"Lead the way."

"This is just awful." Supervisor Washburne shut the door to his office. "The whole building is talking about it. We can't believe something like this happened here."

"What can you tell me about Evelynn Quick?" Beckett took the offered seat.

Washburne sat down. "She was very normal. She worked hard, made friends easily, was nice to everyone. I couldn't have asked for a better 911 operator. She always managed to keep callers calm."

"Did she seem different lately?"

"You know, now that you mention it, a little. Nothing major, just… I don't know. A little off, I guess. I don't know, maybe it had something to do with her boyfriend."

Castle glanced at Beckett. "Her boyfriend?"

"She helped him get a job here. Tech support. I don't really know him. I think his name was Frank."

"Do you have any idea why she was killed on the fourteenth floor?"

Washburne shifted in his chair. "I can only guess. She didn't have clearance to go up there."

Castle leaned forward. "If you had to guess…"

"Look, Captain, Mr. Castle, I didn't know Evelynn well enough for her to tell me everything. Maybe her boyfriend could tell you?"

Beckett stood. "Thank you for your time."

"No problem. I just wish I could be more help."

They shook hands with Washburne and headed back to the elevators. "We need to find the boyfriend."

Beckett looked at her phone. "Let's talk to Vikram first. He thinks he might have something."

The elevator arrived. "Which floor?"

"Eighth."

Castle pressed the button. "Is it just me, or did Washburne seem nervous when you asked about Evelynn being on the fourteenth floor?"

"It's not just you." The elevator stopped and the doors opened. "We'll figure out why that is later."

"Captain, Gates' rep. has arrived." Esposito fell into step with Beckett. "Danville is also done processing her. You want us to talk to her?"

"No offense, Espo, but I think that's one interview I should take."

"Copy that. Where do you want us then?"

"Evelynn's supervisor said she had a boyfriend who works in tech support. Name might be Frank. Track him down?"

"You got it."

Beckett and Castle entered the security room. "Hey, Vikram. What do you have?"

"Hey, Captain. Check this out." He hit play.

On the screen, Evelynn Quick stumbled onto the elevator. She was clutching at her chest and gasping for air. Blood dripped on the floor from her wounds despite her efforts to stem the bleeding. Evelynn could tell she was dying. She hit the button for the top brass floor and leaned heavily against the wall until the car reached the fourteenth floor. Now they just needed to know what floor she came from.

"Do you know where she started?"

"No. The cameras on the floors weren't working. And the angle for this one was different from the others. I'm trying though."

"I know you are." Beckett patted Vikram on the shoulder and headed toward the door.

"Captain Beckett?"

"What's up, Vikram?"

The analyst hesitated. "I've been offered my old job with the Attorney General's Office in D.C. I'm pretty sure going back would be safe enough now that LOKSAT is gone. I'm going to take it. I'd like to head back as soon as this case is done, if that's alright with you."

Beckett was surprised and took a minute to think about her answer. "It'll be a shame to lose you, but if that's what you want to do, I'm okay with that. Promise you'll keep in touch?"

"Absolutely."

She shook his hand. "It's been a pleasure to work with you. You'll be missed, but I know you'll do great." She turned and headed back to the elevator. "We need to go talk with Gates."

Castle nodded. "Is there a chance she'll know what Evelynn was doing up there?"

"I don't know." Beckett slid her I.D. and hit the button for the brass' floor. "We'll have to ask her."

A/N: This case was very fun to write overall, so I hope you guys like it. Stay tuned!