CHAPTER FOUR
Kate Castle was no dummy. She knew that she was going to have to deal with her friends soon. She had a backlog of messages and texts that she hadn't answered, and had been told by Eduardo that there had been some personal inquiries about her when she'd been out. She couldn't take the risk that they'd accidently disrupt what she was doing to save Rick.
She needed to take the time to salve their fears and send them back to their own lives.
After brainstorming with herself, she decided to contact them and arrange to meet over at The Old Haunt. She could pitch it as a catch-up get together on what was happening the past few weeks.
She felt the location would help to keep the topics more genial and light. She didn't want to tell them any more than she had to, given the dicey morality involved with what she was doing. But if it came down to it. She had the basement office for a private conversation.
Knowing only too well, the pecking order of her friends, she picked up her phone and dialed Lanie's number. It was evening, so she most likely would be home.
After a couple of rings a familiar sarcastic voice answered. "Well, it's been six days since I last called, and four more before that. All without any response from you. I think that's a new record, Kate."
Kate wasn't surprised by her friend's sass. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry Lanie but… I'm sorry."
Lanie immediately changed her tune. "No honey, I'm sorry for being bitchy. I can't imagine what you are dealing with, but Kate we're your friends and we just want to help however we can."
"I know, Lanes." Kate tried to lighten her tone. "I imagine you and the boys have had more than a couple of conversations about 'what's with Kate and why won't she let us help her'."
Lanie lightly chuckled. "That's pretty close. We do want to help in any way we can. We've got your back girl. Hell, even Gates told us to let her know if there was anything that she could do."
Kate was surprised by that, and immediately felt bad for that thought. Gates had proven herself to be a good captain, and even a good friend over the recent years. She had done a virtual 360 when it came to Castle and his being her partner both on and off duty.
Kate swallowed her hesitation. "Well, that's sort of why I'm calling. I was hoping that I could get you and the boys to meet me one night this week over at the Old Haunt. I could apologize, and we could all fill each other what's been happening."
"Oh honey, that sounds like a really good idea. I'll drop in on Javi, and Kevin tomorrow and we'll figure out a day and time that we can meet over at the Haunt." There was a brief pause. "How are you doing girl? And don't tell me you're fine."
That got a two laugh response from Kate. "I won't be fine for a long time yet Lane's, but I'm doing the best that I can."
"Good, that's all we can ask. Is there any day in particular that you are thinking about, Kate?"
"Just pick one that works for all you."
"Okay girl, I'll call you tomorrow once I've talked to the boys. But you'd best answer your phone."
Kate could almost see Lanie's finger wagging so she laughed at her friend as she hung up.
Kate was back at the most busy abandoned warehouse in the city. She now had a key to the side door, and she came and went as she pleased.
The lighting was dimmed in deference to the fact that it was evening. Kate walked quickly to the sheetrock wall and let herself into the pseudo hospital room. For one of the few times, Jackson wasn't there.
There was just a minimal overnight staff there. There was a single nurse, and an attendant there when Kate walked in. They each gave her a nod of their heads. She knew a doctor could be there in just minutes if there were any problems. But Castle was supposedly out of any serious danger.
According to the last report by the lead doctor, Castle was healing well and would wake sometime in the next few days. They had taken him off the medication that was used to induce his comatose state.
His EKG results showed that his concussion was no longer a worry, and they determined that there was luckily no indication of any skull fractures. His cuts and bruises had been seen to and they all seemed to be healing well.
Kate was almost giddy with the idea that he might be awake soon. It had a definite effect on her psyche. She had fewer nightmares, and she had begun to sleep more than just a couple hours at a time. She was now able to hold onto some hope.
Kate pulled one of the folding chairs over and sat next to Castle's bed. The staff that Hunt had hired for this had gotten used to seeing Kate around a lot. Especially in the evenings when there was nothing she could do about running the Castle Empire, nor deal with the myriad of problems that developed due to his alleged death.
One of the worst problems that Kate was forced to deal with were with Meredith and Gina. Kate had never had any respect for Meredith in general, but since the accident her level of loathing for the woman had reached heights not expected.
Of course it was all about what she could get monetarily from the tragedy. She felt that, as Alexis' mother, she should be entitled to more than her divorce settlement had set forth. She felt that she would now have Alexis to worry about, since she was her mother. She conveniently forgot that Alexis was legally an adult, and that she had a step mother.
When Meredith showed up at the loft's door right after the funeral service. A service which she actually missed because of an audition for a supporting role in a day time soap opera. Kate summarily had the woman removed by the police and had the locks changed… again.
Gina was no picnic to deal with either. While Gina had no claim to Castle's family by being an ex-wife, she tried to use the contracts that Rick had signed to get back as much money as she could for Black Pawn. Which Kate knew would somehow become part of some bonus for her.
Gina had stormed in, after a couple of days in respect for their loss, and began throwing a bunch of legalese at Kate claiming that Black Pawn was owed back all kinds of bonus, and advance monies that were paid out for material that will now never be delivered.
Kate could understand if Rick had gotten advance money for books that hadn't been written yet that Gina would have a legitimate right to the return of those payouts. But Kate just didn't trust Gina. She had always reminded Kate of the slick, oily lawyer from all those old film serials. So Kate told Gina to deal with Henry.
As it turned out, Not nearly the amount that Gina professed was due was actually owed to Black Pawn. Bonuses were just that, bonus money paid for achieving certain levels of sales and notoriety. If a book was a best seller it would get so much over and above the normal payment. Other bonuses could kick in as different marks were met. Also, advances were usually paid out against the sales figures over a certain period of time. Given the jump in sales of all Castle novels, there was little chance that any of his books wouldn't reach the goals contracted.
Only money paid against a book not yet finished could be claimed by Black Pawn. And since Castle had already fulfilled the three book deal that had been covered by his last advance. He didn't owe Black Pawn anything.
While letting all those hassles play through her mind, Kate reached out and took Rick's one uncovered hand in hers. She could feel the warmth there. Tears began to slide down her cheeks.
Kate hadn't grown up in a religious household, but she decided that it wouldn't hurt to pray to any and all deities that may be out there to allow Rick to come back to her. If not for her sake, for the sake of all the people whose lives were made better by his being there.
As had happened several times before, she fell asleep in that hard metal chair, holding on to Rick's hand.
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Kate was walking into The Old Haunt for the first time since well before Rick's accident. She knew that everyone was going to be here. Lanie had talked to both Espo and Ryan and the three of them decided to get to get together after work this evening.
Being a week day, it wasn't very busy. Kate waved at Brian when she walked in and made her way over to the booth that was usually saved for people from the 12th.
She was obviously the first one there, but she didn't believe she would have long to wait. All of them needed to see each other. Kate was still unsure as to what she was going to say to her friends. She knew she could trust them if she had to, but it was just such a personal situation for her, and she wanted to make sure everything was copacetic before she risked bringing others into the whole crazy story.
It was only a few more minutes until she saw Lanie come into the bar. Kate waved and Lanie made a beeline to her friend.
"I see you came, and are even a little early." Lanie gave her some typical sass.
Kate rolled her eyes. "Come on Lanie, I said I'd be here, and I'm here."
Lanie reached over and took Kate's hand. "How are you doing, really?"
Kate pursed her lips, then allowed herself a bit of a smile. "As good as can be expected."
Lanie raised her brow. "Which tells me exactly squat."
Kate shrugged. "It's all I got right now."
Lanie nodded. "I understand girlfriend, but it will get better over time." Lanie saw the look on Kate's face. "Well maybe not better, but eventually you'll be able to carry it and live your life again."
Kate gave her a sad smile. "That's what I'm hoping for."
Suddenly they heard Esposito and Ryan come through the door. Espo went over to the bar and ordered a pitcher of beer, and Ryan brought over the glasses.
Once the beverage was brought over, Kate and Lanie moved over and allowed the boys to sit. Esposito sat next to Lanie and Ryan sat on the end next to Kate. Espo filled everyone's glasses and they toasted their friendship and drank their first couple swallows in silence.
Kate felt obligated to break the uncomfortable stillness. "I'm glad you guys could come. I've really missed all of you."
Ryan nodded and Esposito spoke up. "Well, you knew where to find us. Any time you would have needed us, we'd have been there."
Kate reached over and took both boy's hands in hers. "I know that, I do. And I appreciate that. I'm sorry that I shut you guys out, but I was having trouble dealing… with everything."
Lanie set her glass down. "We understand Kate, but any time, day or night you need one of us, or all of us. Just say the word and we'll be there."
Kate nodded. "I have never doubted that but…"
Kate stopped and looked at her three best friends that weren't family. Should she share her secret? It was looking more and more each day that Castle was about to wake up. Of course there still was the heart surgery. But maybe Lanie could help explain things to her. And it would help to have them on her side when she had to confront Martha and Alexis with what she had done.
Kate set her mouth in a hard line. "Guys, let's go down into the office, there are some things I want to share with you."
Each with a similar confused look on their faces, Lanie and the boys got up out of the booth and followed Kate over to the section of the bar that had the access to the downstairs office.
Kate set the empty pitcher on the bar. "Brian, fill us up again. We're going down to the office to discuss a few things. Please don't let anyone down while we're there."
The young man whom Castle had made the manager of the bar nodded his head in acknowledgement.
"Sure thing, Mrs. C."
The four friends took the steep stairs to the basement. Ryan was carrying the pitcher.
The boys sat down in the overstuffed sofa, while Lanie took a matching chair next to it. The pitcher of beer was placed on the coffee table in front of the sofa. Everyone refilled their glasses and Kate walked over and sat her butt down on the top of the desk. She gave her three close friends a hard stare for several moments. Enough to cause a little discomfort in their manner.
"What I have to say to you cannot leave this room. It's imperative that this information does not get out until it's ready to be known. I know I can trust all of you, but you have to agree to this before I tell you."
Lanie frowned. "You know you can trust us Kate. After all the four of us, five with Castle, have gone through over the years you should know that."
Kate nodded. "I do. I'm just working up my courage to tell you what I've been doing these past few weeks."
Esposito set his glass down on the table. "You know you can trust us with anything, right?"
"I do." Kate took a deep breath. "Castle's alive."
Suddenly there was a loud crash. Everyone looked over at Ryan who had dropped his glass.
"I'm sorry, Kate. I'll get some towels from the bathroom and clean it up."
Javi slapped him on the arm. "Forget that, just sit down and let Kate tell us what the hell is going on."
Kate waved her hand. "I'll take care of it later." She took another steadying breath. "That day I came back to work, you remember the call I got after we came back from the crime scene?"
The boys nodded. "Well it was a call from Jackson Hunt, Castle's infamous father. He called to tell me that Rick was alive."
Lanie looked confused. "When did you get this call?"
"The day I came back. The Roselee Martine case?" Kate offered.
Lanie shook her head. "But that was…"
Kate held up her hand. "Yes, I know. It was a couple of weeks after the accident."
Ryan shook his head. "I'm confused. We went to his funeral."
Espo glared at Kevin. "Shut up and let her explain."
Kate scrubbed her nails across her head. "Apparently, Castle had been thrown out of the car, and the body found in the car was someone who was bringing Rick to see his father. Because of the complete destruction of the Ferrari it was just thought that the mass of human flesh that was mashed together with the completely crushed car was Castle. There had been nothing criminal about the crash scene. It was just an accident, so no DNA tests were done."
"But where was Castle?" Espo asked.
"He was thrown out of the car. And apparently was taken to the same nearby hospital as all the other people injured in the accident. But Hunt heard about the accident because he was waiting for Rick so he went to the hospital and took Castle from the hospital and took him to a secret facility that he'd already set up."
Lanie gave Kate a strange look. "He took an injured Castle from a hospital and took him somewhere else? How'd he manage that?"
Kate shrugged. "I wondered that too, but he just said, 'don't ask'. He's a pretty scary guy at times, but now he's being a father."
Lanie was shaking her head. "But Castle was hurt, why take him out of a hospital?"
Kate dropped her head, missing the usual fall of hair that would hide her for a few moments. She lifted her head back up and faced her friends.
"Hunt told me that Rick was coming to see him. Apparently my husband was keeping a secret from me. According to Jackson, Rick had a heart problem that was worsening and would soon kill him."
Kate saw the distress and concern on her friend's faces. "I imagine the man figured that his wealth would be able to take care of you, Martha and Alexis after he was gone." Lanie added.
Kate swiped at a stray tear. "That was probably his plan, thinking that the probability of finding a suitable donor in time was slim. But Jackson had a better idea. He was going to offer Rick his heart."
Their expressions showed they heard what Kate had said, but not knowing Hunt, they didn't know how to react to it.
"And then there was the accident." Ryan was nodding his head.
Kate mirrored the nod. "Yes, then there was the accident. So everything was put on hold until Rick could be treated and healed from his injuries."
Lanie was still confused. "So why take him out of a hospital if he needed treatment for his injuries?"
"From what Hunt told me, if left to modern medicine, Rick would have been a paraplegic at best. Doomed to live what life he had left in a wheel chair. The accident destroyed the bones in both his legs and in his left arm."
Lanie spread her arms and hands. "And?"
Kate sort of half-chuckled. "You have to understand. Rick's old man is the definition of a spook. He has spent his life serving his country in ways that we probably couldn't, or wouldn't want to understand. He has had access to technology that is beyond classified, and known to very few. To say he has connections is a laughable understatement."
Lanie looked like she was trying grasp what Kate was telling her. "Are you saying that Castle's father is going to use unknown, top secret procedures to repair Castle's injuries? And then allow some unprincipled doctor to perform an illegal heart transplant on him?" Kate nodded. "That's crazy." Lanie just shook her head.
Esposito stared hard at Lanie. "Is it? I think I can safely say that there are few fathers who wouldn't give up their own life to save their child." Javi looked over at Ryan. "Kev?"
"Not to sound facetious, but, in a heartbeat."
Lanie looked over at Kate. "And you are okay with all this undercover, illegal, mad doctors performing secret procedures on Castle."
Kate was laughing as tears poured from her eyes. "Lanie, I'd die to save Rick, but I was not in a position to make that sacrifice. But I am in a position to help." They all looked at her. "I am now the head of Richard Castle Enterprises, so I'm paying for all this. Sixty million dollars so far. And I would spend every nickel that Rick has and that I have in an effort to save his life."
Both Esposito and Ryan's mouths dropped open. Then Esposito's lips curled into smirk.
"Does this mean Writer Boy is going to become the Sixty Million Dollar...?"
"Don't say it!" Kate held her hands up.
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Kate found herself back at the warehouse. As she walked toward the alleyway door. She waved at the security guard that Hunt had hired. He was dressed as a street person, complete with tattered clothing, and a bottle in his hand as he leaned against a battered dumpster.
Her thoughts drifted back to the meeting she'd just had with her closest friends. She was glad she told them. She had needed to unburden herself of the crushing responsibility she had accepted when Jackson had laid it at her feet.
She wouldn't have made any different choice. There was no choice. As she told Lanie, and the boys. She would spend every nickel she could lay her hands on to save Rick, it was just nice to share the burden of knowing.
She closed the door behind her, waiting to hear the click of the lock before she moved over toward the make shift medical unit that had been cobbled together for the express purpose of 'fixing' Richard Castle.
Hunt was there talking to one of the doctors. Kate was surprised to see one of the surgeons here this late in the evening. She hoped that there was nothing wrong as she took her seat next to the bed that held the love of her life.
Kate gave him a big smile. He looked pretty good. His color was good. Many of the bandages had been removed. The seams where his human skin met the polymer sheathing covering his new titanium skeletal parts were barely noticeable where they showed out from under his gown.
She reached out and combed her fingers through his tangled hair. It calmed her to do so.
Suddenly she was distracted by a twitching of his eye lids. It continued for several moments. Kate's glance was riveted on Rick's face.
A couple more twitches, then abruptly she was looking into those beautiful, deep blue eyes.
Kate couldn't speak as tears began to flow in earnest. He was awake! He was alive!
His voice was a barely there croaking from not being used so long. A slight smile crossed his features when he noticed her.
"Hi," he coughed out. He tipped his head a little to one side. "You changed your hair."
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