Playing Hard to Get
Chapter 18
"Are you kidding me? Is that a stake in his heart?" They were in a cemetery, and their dead body had a hunk of wood sticking out of his chest. "It looks like someone thought he was a vampire."
"So did he." Lanie showed her his teeth. "They aren't pop-in fakes, either."
"Are those...real?" Kate didn't believe in vampires, but those things looked real to her.
"That or veneers," Lanie confirmed.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
Rick walked in on Lanie, who had her hands on that stick and looked ready to pull it out. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! You pull that out, and he'll come back to life!"
"Oh, please," Lanie retorted. "If he comes back to life, we can all go home." No dead body meant no work for her and no investigation for him or Kate.
Lanie proceeded to yank it out, and lo and behold, that man did not come back to life. At least not yet.
"Any idea as to who or what he is?" Kate asked her.
"He's human, and those fangs are indeed veneers. But he does have two bite marks on his thigh. Someone with fangs clearly bit him recently," Lanie told them. "And I found these on his body. The hairs are synthetic. No ID and his prints are not in the system."
"But he has professional veneers. I know the best fang master in the city," Rick said. "And I can show you where his office is."
Kate rang the bell, and a man came out from behind a curtain behind the counter. "Richard Castle. Change your mind? I could fit you with a nice set of doubles."
"Not today, Doc. Kate Beckett, meet Dr. Barry Frank. He is the fang master himself. He did Brad Pitt's veneers," Rick informed her.
"So what can I do for New York's finest? The doctor is IN." He knew he was good at what he did and was proud of it.
"We're investigating a homicide and were hoping you could help identify him." Kate showed him a picture.
Dr. Frank recognized him right away. "That's Crow! I did his veneers about two months ago, I think."
"Crow?" His name was Crow. Really?
"No one in the Vampire World uses their real names for any number of reasons," Dr. Frank explained.
"You wouldn't happen to have a real name for him, would you?" Kate needed a given name to begin to dig into his background.
"I should, let me look." He disappeared behind the curtain.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
"Hot on the case, Castle?" Kate practically sat on his feet, knocking them off her desk, which was the point.
Rick showed her a page. "On the case of a good read. He's actually very talented."
Kate handed Castle a picture of a man in prison overalls, taken before he escaped. "Espo found Morgan Lockerbee."
"You mean Morlock." Rick turned to the page that showed him, and the two were nearly identical.
"I'll be damned." Kate almost didn't believe it. "If she's right, he really thinks he is a vampire, and what's the one way to kill a vampire?" Kate questioned him.
Rick responded with a question. "A stake through the heart?"
"Except he's homeless." How were they going to find a man that lived like that? He could be anywhere, including in the Metro tunnels.
"Maybe not that homeless." Rick showed her a different picture. "Does this look familiar to you?"
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
Rick started up the steps to the door and got pulled back by Kate. "Armed cops go first, Castle."
"Um, I think that way." Rick was looking at the drawings Crow had.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Right there in front of them was a casket, and a nice one too, not one of those wooden ones from a Wild West movie.
"You think he's in there?" Ryan asked hesitantly.
"It's daytime. If he thinks he's a vampire, he is." Espo wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibility.
"Together," Rick asserted since they needed to open it to see.
"Okay, on three." Kate took a corner while Rick took another. "One... Two... Three!" They both yanked on the lid, and the guys aimed their guns into the coffin, but all they saw was dirt.
Ryan burst out laughing. "Did you see Castle jump?" Then suddenly Castle was jumped on by someone.
"Get him off, get him off of me!" Rick and his opponent did a dance, and a window was broken.
Espo finally got him off Castle, and he ended up in the sunlight. The man started to burn, literally burn. Espo's jaw dropped and he backed away from him. "My God, he's a vampire!" Only vampires did that!
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
"He's not a vampire. He has a genetic disease, commonly referred to as Vampire Disease," Lanie said patiently. "Its symptoms include sensitivity to light. The skin blisters and burns. And those with it are also prone to hallucinations, paranoia."
"How contagious is it?" He had bitten him, after all.
"It's genetic, Castle," Lanie repeated. "Besides, I put enough antibiotics on that bite to kill a small animal. Now, if we're done here, I have to see a guy about a dead body." Lanie was more than ready to leave.
"Thanks, Lanie. Castle was totally freaked out," Kate told her.
"You bite me, you buy me dinner," Rick stated and got Kate to smile wide, and then they headed for Lockerbee.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
Kate's phone rang. "Beckett." It was perfect timing since it got Castle to shut up.
"We showed his picture around the neighborhood and got a lead on Daemon. We found him. But you're never going to believe this. He's dead, and he's a werewolf." Espo and Ryan stood there looking down at a dead, very hairy werewolf.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
"Castle, these were drawn by Crow four years ago." Kate showed him the date.
"But this says she was found only two years ago," Rick pointed out.
"Well, either he's psychic, or he knew her before she died." Kate now had a new lead.
Then Rick's phone rang. "Castle." He put it on speaker since he wasn't concerned that Kate might hear.
"Dad, it's Paige. I think the punch is spiked, and she had far too much to drink. I'm afraid something's going to happen to her," Alexis said as fast as she could manage.
"I need an address, Alexis." His daughter blurted it out, her voice quavering. "I'm on my way." Rick jumped to his feet but froze just for a moment.
"Go, Castle, go!" Kate had heard everything, and suddenly her case no longer mattered. Only Alexis mattered now, and her friend, Paige.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
"Hi, Martha." Kate walked past her into the loft and looked around for Castle.
"Upstairs, Katherine." Martha watched Kate, carrying Lilly, climb the stairs.
Kate stopped in the bedroom doorway and saw Castle, and Alexis, who was in some kind of green costume. "How is she?"
"Still conscious. I think she'll be fine. Her parents are on the way to pick her up," Rick replied.
"How much did she have to drink?" Kate inquired, looking at Alexis.
"I don't exactly know. She was swapping drinks for kisses. When I tried to get her to stop, she pushed me away. All she does is speak drunk talk. It's sort of a mumbling of the words," Alexis explained.
"I know what it is, Alexis. I'm well versed in drunk talk. Have you gotten her to drink any water? Has she been throwing up?" Kate queried.
"A little, and no," Alexis answered.
"Well, that's something." Kate was somewhat relieved. Then, Lilly wanted down. Dahlia was on the floor, and she wanted to play. So Kate put her down. "Okay, you two go play."
Kate kept an eye on Paige. Then it hit her – she was upstairs. "Stairs!"
"It's okay, Kate. They both know how to use the stairs," Alexis told her.
"They do? When did that happen?" She had missed something in her puppy's life and wasn't going to get that moment back. "Never mind." Kate waved her hand at her.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
Paige was gone, and everyone, including the puppies that were so much bigger now but still puppies, was in the living room enjoying their drink of choice.
"I was so scared, Dad. Not of the boys but for Paige. She...she wouldn't listen." Alexis very responsible and had barely touched the punch after that first swallow.
"You did great, Pumpkin, and as promised, there will be no punishment or anything. I'm just glad you're okay." Rick hugged her since he was sitting next to her.
"You're wonderful, Alexis. I wish I'd been that responsible when I was your age." Kate knew the redhead was just starting her Rebel Becks phase. Not something Kate was proud of today.
"Do tell, Detective Beckett." Rick smiled at her, and Kate could see even Alexis was smiling at her now.
"Not a chance in hell, Castle. I'm keeping my secrets. And since the crisis is over and I know Alexis is fine, I'm going home with my ever-growing puppy. Come on, Lilly. Let's go home. Lilly!?" Kate watched as Lilly came bounding in her direction and got picked up.
"Thank you for coming, Kate. It means a lot," Alexis said.
"You were there for me, so I can be here for you. If you can't reach Castle, you can call me anytime. I might even bring Lilly." Kate was up and ready to leave.
Rick stopped her at the door. "Thanks, Kate, you really didn't have to come."
"Maybe not, but it was the right thing to do. See you in the morning, Castle. Unless you turn into a vampire overnight," Kate teased and watched Castle slap the bite mark on his neck, which made her grin again. "But if you bite me to turn me into a vampire with you, I will kill you," Kate promised him and opened the door.
She was ruining his vision for them as usual. "We could be vampires together. A crime-fighting duo of vampires."
"Good night Castle." Kate left him, secure that he wasn't a vampire since real vampires didn't exist.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
"Elizabeth McGinty, maiden name Dryden. ...Dryden?" Rick knew that name but from where?
"You okay, Castle?" To Kate, he looked lost.
"Road trip, let's go." Rick was up and taking Kate with him.
"Why are we in the cemetery again?" Kate didn't get why they needed to come here again.
Rick led her to a gravestone.
Elizabeth Dryden
December 3, 1962 – ?
Your Family Will Never Forget You
Kate was beginning to catch on. "Crow came here for a reason. He was just two years old when he likely saw what was his real mother being murdered, and his real father has just lied to us."
"Fresh flowers on this grave but not any of the others," Rick noted. "What if Crow brought his father here to confront him?"
"And killed him, so he lied to us. ...Let's go, Castle." Kate was ready to confront him herself.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
Kate had nothing. Everything the father said made sense, but she still had to hold him and check everything.
Rick had an idea. "Spots!"
"What?" Kate was sure she had her killer.
"Spots all over I should have buried you then you wicked boy," Rick told her.
"What are you talking about?" Kate suddenly wasn't following Castle, and for a reason she couldn't explain, that actually bothered her.
"Morlock's crazy talk. Just like Paige's drunk talk, you have to translate it." Rick got nothing from Kate. "Is Morlock still in holding?"
"Yeah." She still didn't know what he was talking about.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
Morlock erupted the second he saw her. "MURDERER! BLOOD ALL OVER! MURDERER! MURDERER!"
"What a small world that you two should meet again," Rick commented as Mrs. Freeman recoiled at meeting Morlock again.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
Rick watched a broken father take his crying daughter away. "I hope this doesn't destroy her."
"It will for a little while, and then one day she'll wake up, and it'll just be a part of her life," Kate said. "Who knows, maybe one day she'll become a writer."
"Or a cop. Maybe you should check-in and give her some pointers as she tries to make detective," Rick offered.
"I think she'll be just fine without me, Castle." Then Kate glared at him. "You know, I found something in my mail earlier."
"Did you now? Let me guess – Playgirl magazine. They do make one of those, right? One for guys and one for girls?" Of course, Rick knew exactly what she had gotten in the mail.
"It was an invitation to a Thanksgiving dinner at La Goulue," Kate informed him, thinking he was behind this.
"So you got it. That's great! You are going to come, aren't you?" Rick asked her.
"I haven't decided yet. A lot like your Halloween party at the loft." She was still working on that one.
"You have to come to Thanksgiving. I invited your father," Rick revealed.
"You invited my dad!?" Okay, now she was shocked.
"Of course. Besides, Mother insisted. Something about both of you being family now or something," Rick told her. "Your dad has already said yes, so you have to come."
"How could Dad have said yes already? I only just got my invitation." Kate didn't understand that till a thought hit her. "Castle?"
Rick raised his hands. "I didn't have anything to do with it. Mother called him. Said she wanted to make sure he got his invitation. Then she wouldn't take no for an answer."
Kate sighed and shook her head. "And what if I don't have that day off? Have you thought of that?"
"Of course, I did," Rick told her. "That's why Roy, his wife, and his children will also be there. They got invitations too."
"You invited Captain Montgomery?" Now Kate was even more shocked.
"He's a family friend. He hasn't said yes yet, but he will. I have to get ready for the party." Rick was up and ready to leave. "I can't wait to see what you wear." He pointed at her as he walked away.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
Kate finally showed up to the party. "Hey, Poe. You looking for me?"
"But, you're you! I said costumes were mandatory." Rick was totally bummed.
"Well, I was going for sexy." Kate reached for her belt and watched where Castle's eyes instantly went. She couldn't help but smile. Men were sooo easy! Kate yanked on her belt, and out popped her little green monster, which had everyone watching jumping out of their skin. "Now we're even, Castle."
"I'm giving you the bird." Rick was ready to hand over his stuffed bird to her that he had been petting the entire time.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
Kate was all dressed up, answered her door, and saw her dad standing there, wearing a suit. "I can't believe you agreed to this, Dad."
"Why wouldn't I? Given what the Castle family did for you after what Rick found, of course, I said yes. You look lovely, Katie." It wasn't the dress she had worn to that charity event, but it was very nice.
"Thanks. Let me get my purse and scoop up Lilly, and we can go." Kate retreated to find her purse.
"Hi, Lilly." Jim bent down to pet her. "Just how big do you plan to get?" But Lilly didn't answer him.
Kate came back in the room and Jim straightened up. "How old is Lilly? She's getting big."
"You're telling me! My little puppy is almost six months now. She shouldn't get too much bigger, I hope. At least we're past the need for puppy pee pads, finally. I need her leash." Kate retreated yet again and came back with a leash for Lilly.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
Kate practically knew the way by heart now. She had been there so many times that she almost lived here. Kate pressed the buzzer, and Dahlia came running, barking the entire way. That naturally got Lilly to bark back.
The door opened, revealing a well-dressed Alexis and an excited Dahlia, who instantly went for Lilly. Kate leaned down to unhook her leash, and those two took off, running.
"Kate, Mr. Beckett, please come in." Alexis closed the door behind them. "Grams will be down soon, and Dad said something about inspiration, so I don't know what he's doing."
"You can call me Jim, you know," Jim told her and smiled.
Alexis blushed the tiniest bit. "I'll work on that," she told him.
"So who all is coming? Castle's been really tight-lipped about it." Kate was ready to hear this finally.
Alexis began to go through the list. "Let's see. Roy, Evelyn, their two girls. And I think their baby boy has a sitter instead. Mayor Weldon and his wife."
"The Mayor's coming?" Color Kate shocked because she was.
"Well, he is partly why Dad gets to follow you around, remember?" Alexis reminded her.
"Oh, I remember, alright," Kate remembered that well. "Who else?"
"Just one other. Someone named Joanne Delgado." Alexis didn't know her and hoped Kate did.
"JOANNE IS COMING!?" She hadn't heard from her since that case where her mother was killed. She had thought surely she would at least call her.
"You know her?" Alexis was happy about that.
Kate nodded. "Yes, I do. Her mother's murder was why Castle bought me that dress, and I bought him at that charity event."
"Oh, so that's her! Well, she RSVPd that yes, she would be there," Alexis said.
"You bought Castle?" Jim stared at his daughter; he hadn't heard about that before.
"Long story, Dad." And not one Kate was ready to go into just yet with him.
But Alexis went ahead and gave him the short version. "Grams tried to auction off one of my dad's books and him along with it. Dad talked Kate into buying him instead of some strange woman or maybe a guy. Grams told me there was a guy that had bid on him. Anyway, Kate won, and Dad took her on a date."
Jim was catching up. "OH, that date. Now it all makes sense."
"I'm glad it makes sense to you." Kate wasn't so sure about herself still. Then the door buzzed again.
"That will be the dog sitter for Dahlia and Lilly," Alexis said, overhearing Dahlia and Lilly barking and rushing for the door. It was their job to announce any unwanted visitors to their pack.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
"Let's go, Dad. We're all waiting on you. The food will get cold." Technically, that was a lie. It wasn't even cooked yet because no one had ordered.
Kate had hold of Rick as they walked into the restaurant from the two taxis it took to get their families here. "Do I want to know what this cost you, Castle?"
"It was just $82 per person for the meal." Rick thought Kate would be okay with that. But what he wouldn't tell her was what it cost him to reserve a room just for them. Thankfully, she didn't ask about that.
"Oh, alright." She was okay with that.
"Joanne!" She was sitting just inside, waiting, and stood up. "It's good to see you." Kate hugged her and was hugged in return.
"I was somewhat surprised when the invitation came but thought I should attend. It's good to see you, Detective," Joanne said.
"Kate, my name is Kate. How are you doing?" Kate had wondered, of course.
"I've managed to get to the point where I can wear the locket. I'm not really sure what comes next." Joanne showed it to her since it was on a chain around her neck.
"Sadly, neither do I." Kate fished out her mother's ring, also on a chain, to show her. "And you didn't call."
Joanne stared at the floor. "I didn't want to be a bother."
"You wouldn't be." Kate reached out and touched her hand. "I gave you that card for a reason, Joanne." They were interrupted when the restaurant staff told them their room was ready.
ɸΞ [|]ʘ[|] Ξɸ
Just like Alexis had told her, the room was filled with people she knew and might be able to call friend.