THE QUEEN OF HEARTS

CHAPTER THREE

Previously: Suddenly Kate heard the sound of two gunshots, then a crunching sound and the connection was lost.

Kate stared in horror at her phone. Then her training snapped into action. She quickly dialed a certain number.

"This is Detective Kate Beckett, badge number 41319. I need an immediate trace on a number that had just called my phone." She went on to give them her phone number and the time that the connection had been lost. She also requested a GPS location of the call.

She had her ear pressed to the phone while Rick looked on in complete confusion. She turned toward Rick and mimed a pencil and paper. He ran into his office and brought her a pad of paper and a pen.

She scribbled the information being conveyed to her then thumbed off her phone. Then she quickly redialed. "She was greeted with a calm 'dispatch'. This is Detective Kate Beckett, badge number 41319. Please dispatch some patrolmen to," She consulted her note. "437 West 89th Ave. Shots were fired." She disconnected and ran to the coat closet to grab her coat.

Castle grabbed her. "Whoa, hang on for a second. What's going on?"

She took a breath. "That was Tom Demming. Someone was after him, I heard shots. I've got to go."

Rick reached in a grabbed his own jacket. "Let's go."

She used the lights and siren as she sped through the streets of New York toward what she feared. Even at this late hour there was plenty of traffic to negotiate as she sped toward her destination. She cursed as she lost time detouring around road repair, and building repair scaffolding reducing her chosen streets by a lane or two.

Finally they reached the spot. There were two patrol cars, lights flashing, parked alongside a rundown store front. As she stepped out of her car she saw another unmarked cruiser pull up. She saw Roz Karpowski and her partner Hank get out of her car.

"Beckett, what are you doing here?"

Kate fell in step with the detective. "I called it in." Roz shot her a strange look as the four of them moved past the crime scene tape. A medical examiner van was already on site.

Kate made it to the side of the body first. She didn't say anything, she just stared at the body of Tom Demming lying on a dirty vinyl floor with two large bullet wounds in his chest.

Kate stepped back and allowed Roz to question the M.E. on site. It was some new kid that she didn't know. She turned her face into Castle's chest and let some tears sneak by her detective mask.

Roz came over and let Kate compose herself before she had to ask the questions that she knew Kate didn't want to answer. "So, Kate, you said you called this in?"

Kate nodded. "About 30 minutes ago, I got a call from Tom. He claimed someone was after him and he needed help." Kate drew in a large breath. "I heard two shots, then it sounded like someone smashed his phone and we were disconnected."

Kate stared over at the body of another former boyfriend and forced herself to continue with her story. "I then called to get a trace on the call. Took down the information then called dispatch to have some uniforms sent to this location." She shrugged. "Then Rick and I came here." She looked from Tom's body to Roz's concerned face. "You got here pretty fast."

Roz nodded. "I was on the late shift and got the call." She put her hand on Kate's arm. "Why don't you two head home. I'll be in late morning and I'll get your official statement then." She gave her arm a squeeze. "And Kate, I'm so sorry."

Kate just nodded and pulled Castle along with her as she headed back to her cruiser.

Castle watched her as she pulled away. "Do you think this could be related to Sorenson's murder?"

Kate shook her head. "I don't know. It is pretty coincidental though don't you think?"

Castle shrugged. "You were only with Demming, what, three or four weeks?"

"About four weeks, yeah." She stared out the windshield.

"That was about five years ago. I don't think I've even seen him around anywhere since then."

Kate shook her head. "He transferred back to the 54th, then a couple years ago he moved to the private sector. From what I heard from Javier, he got a job with some big shot security firm. Mostly corporate and political stuff."

Castle was trying to fit the pieces. "What was he doing down in a neighborhood like that?"

Kate wiped another tear away. "Well hopefully, Roz will find out." She turned toward Rick. "Maybe this had been job related. Maybe it had nothing to do with Will's murder."

Castle shook his head. "Then why did he call you for help?"

Kate sighed. "Yeah, why?"

Rick and Kate were laying back in their huge, sinfully comfortable, bed. Kate had her head on his chest, every so often a stray tear would escape from her eye.

She spoke to the darkness in the room, knowing that he hadn't fallen asleep either. She reached over and took his hand in hers. "Do you think that I'm the cause of this?"

It was telling that he didn't answer immediately. "The cause, no. Are you a part of this, I'm not sure. Two ex-boyfriends are murdered. If both weren't in law enforcement, or in Demming's case formerly in law enforcement the coincidence would be too compelling. The fact that they were allows for old enemies or past cases to factor in."

Kate was drawing circles on the arm that Rick had across her waist. "But they 'were' two of the few men I'd been intimate with. And Demming called me for help specifically. That has to mean something."

Castle knew that her mind was going a hundred miles an hour churning the events of the last day and a half and how it related to her. He needed to break that concentration or she'd never get a wink of sleep tonight.

He reached over and combed her hair with his fingers. "So, the new haircut passed master at the precinct?"

She chuckled softly into his chest. "I think I could have booked you with several of the women there."

"I hope you told them I was exclusive."

"Oh yeah, but some of them might be persistent." She looked at his darkened form next to her. "But it's nice to know that you have something to fall back on if this writing thing ever falls through."

"Oh, that was just mean." He carded his hand through her hair again. "Just for that don't be surprised if you wake up with a crew cut."

She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "You would never do that."

"Oh, and why would you say that?"

She giggled. "Because you like playing with it at night." She reached up and held the hand that had been combing through her hair."

He chuckled. "Guilty as charged, officer."

"And…" she added with a somber voice."

He rolled his eyes. "You'll shoot me."

She slapped him on the chest. "Correct, and I'm a detective, not an officer."

They were silent for several minutes. She was playing with the hairs on the arm that was around her waist, while he continued to card his other hand through her silky, shortened hair.

Castle finally broke the silence. "Supposing that you aren't some sort of factor in the killings. Is there any other connection to these two murders?"

She shook her head against his chest. "No. I'm pretty sure Tom had never met Will. Unless they crossed paths in the last couple of years I can't see how they're connected except through me."

Castle gave her a squeeze. "Of course, they still could have nothing to do with you."

Kate continued to rub her hand up and down his arm. "God, I hope that's true, but I keep coming back to, why would Tom call me for help?"

His frown couldn't be seen in the dark. "Well, he was murdered within your precinct. That can't be a coincidence."

Kate rolled over in such a manner that she was facing him. Even if she couldn't make out his features. "No it can't be. I suspect that he was leading his killer here. But again, I haven't seen him in years, why would he choose to involve me?"

"Maybe it already does involve you?"

"What do you mean?"

Castle took a deep breath. "Well, two men whom you had intimate relationships with are murdered for no reason."

She shakes her head. "We just don't know the reason yet. We don't even know if they are related. One happened in D.C. and the other in New York."

Castle switched to petting the back of Kate's head. "But the only connection between the two men is you. So if the murders are related, the only connection they had was you."

"That's not a comforting hypothesis. Taking it to its logical conclusion that would mean you could be in danger too."

She felt him nod. "And any other former boyfriends."

Kate turned again. Now she allowed him to spoon her. She wiggled herself as close as she possibly could. "Not sure if you would find this a surprise or not, but I really haven't had a lot of serious relationships in my dating past, and you know about all of them."

"Really?" He pulled her in even tighter. "Only Will, Tom, and Josh?"

"And you." She added. "And, I told you about my high school crush. I dated Brent Edwards for much of my senior year. Right up to when I caught him banging Maddie in the hotel room we had planned as an after Spring Break private party."

He felt her head shaking. "I thought I was in love. It was my first dose of reality. I eventually forgave Maddie, though I'm not sure why, but I never forgave Brent. I spent the rest of that night crying, alone, in 'our' supposed love nest."

Kate sighed. "So, aside from a few drunken one night stands during my college years there had only been you five who had meant anything to me." She huffed. And, truthfully, Tom barely counts."

Rick gave her a playful hug. "Oh, I don't know. It' looked pretty hot and heavy to me."

"I think it was a matter of perception, babe."

"You ever see, or hear from Brent again?"

"I think at our five year reunion someone mentioned he went into the service and last anyone knew he was stationed up in Point Barrow, Alaska watching weather satellites. Ah, first love. What a croc."

Castle chuckled and pulled her tighter. "This may be reaching, but your number two and number three boyfriends have been murdered. Do you think you should try to check up on Brent?"

In Kate's mind that was an absurd thought, but was it really? "I wouldn't have the slightest idea as to how to contact him, and that was so many years ago."

Castle ran a hand down her arm. "Well, do you think you should give Josh a call and warn him?"

He felt he head shake again. "I don't know. It's still very circumstantial that I even play any part in these murders. Both murders could just as easily be completely unconnected and could the result of cases that each had been looking into at some point."

"But still…?" Castle wouldn't let go.

She nodded against his chest. "I don't even know if he is in the country." She paused for a few moments. "I'll give him a call and let him know the situation. Of course there's no guarantee that the number I have for him is still valid." She winces in the dark. "We didn't exactly end on the best terms."

Castle snorted. "That seems to be a common trait in your breakups. I'd better be extra nice to you from now on."

Her smile was lost in the dark, but her attitude was obvious. "Well, I can think of a way that you might be able to convey that to me." She climbed up on him and began to pull her shirt off.

"Kate Beckett-Castle, I like the way you think."

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Kate walked into the bullpen and dropped her bag in her desk drawer and sat down to boot up her computer. She wanted to try and clear some stuff off her desk before she talked to Roz, when she got in.

She glanced down at her phone. It was too early yet to cold call Josh. If he wasn't on staff somewhere he'd be asleep yet. That is, of course, if he was even in country. She was just about to read any of her emails when Gates poked her head out of her office.

"Detective, could I see you for a few minutes?"

"Certainly, sir."

Kate strode confidently into her captain's office. She was pretty sure she wasn't in any particular trouble at the moment, but with Gates you couldn't always be sure.

"Please sit down, Kate." Beckett double clutched for a moment because Gates had used her first name. She wondered what was up as she sat down.

"As you know, there was a problem with that Bad Santa, mobster doctor murder your team just closed. The detective from the organized crime unit who was found to be the killer was gunned down as he was being transferred from holding."

Kate nodded. "Yes sir, I heard something about that." Kate saw the look in Gates' eyes. "You can't believe that Castle had anything to do with that, just because he knew the mob boss. It was his 'in' that allowed us to solve the case."

Gates waved her hand. "Oh I do believe that Mr. Castle had nothing to do with that shooting, or even that he might have passed information to his mob friend. But, the DA is furious and she blames Mr. Castle for what happened. She thinks it's unseemly that someone working with the NYPD has those sort of connections with a mobster. She wants him banned from the precinct."

Kate jumped up. "But sir, that's ridiculous. Castle didn't have previous knowledge of the where and when the suspect was being transferred. That information could have come from a dozen different sources."

Gates held up her hands to calm down her best detective. "Calm down, Kate. I told the DA the same thing and I then pointed out that Richard Castle was a civilian consultant with the NYPD because he was basically appointed by the Mayor. I told her that my hands were tied. If she wanted Mr. Castle out, she would have to clear it with the mayor."

Kate smiled. "That was brilliant, sir." Beckett nodded. "Being that madam DA supports a different political party from the mayor, I assume her request wouldn't be given much consideration."

Gates actually smiled too. "You may be right. All I know is that I haven't gotten any directive from the Mayor's office to suspend Mr. Castle's access."

Kate wanted to hug Captain Gates, but didn't think it would go over very well.

Gates' smile quickly turned to a frown. "Now, what can you tell me about these murders that seem to have you in the middle of? These were men you previously had relationships with?"

Kate sat back down with a thud. She ran her hand through her hair, which took less time than it used to. She then began to fill her captain in on all that had happened in the past two days. Once she had finished she stood up as a signal that she was done.

Gates fiddled with her glasses. "Okay," she said. "You know that because of your connection to the victims you can't actively work the case, but I have no problem with you giving Detective Karpowski any information you have that might help her with her case."

Kate nodded. "Thank you, sir." She moved to leave the office when Gates stopped her.

"Oh, and detective, I really like your hair. The shorter style suits you."

Kate smiled. "Thanks sir." She quickly moved out of the office.

On a chance that Roz might be in already, Kate walked over to her desk on the other side of the floor. Luck was with her because she saw her sitting in her chair arranging things on her desk. Her partner Hank wasn't in yet.

"Hey Roz", Kate walked over and sat in her side chair. "Do you want to take my statement now?"

Karpowski just nodded and waved toward the small conference room. Beckett stood up and walked over with the only other female lead detective at the 12th. They quickly settled. Kate took the couch and Roz the chair opposite. She pulled her note pad out and looked up at Kate.

"Whenever you are ready, Kate."

Kate nodded. "Okay, Castle and I were just about to call it a night when suddenly my phone rang. It was Tom Demming. He just kept shouting into the phone that he was in trouble and that he needed my help."

"What time was this?" Roz asked.

"I don't remember exactly, but right after the call ended I called in a trace so it will be in those records." Kate adjusted her position. "I tried to get Tom to tell me where he was but said he didn't know. He said someone was after him and he needed my help. Before he could say anything else I heard two shots, then something that sounded like it could be the phone being crushed." Kate noticed Roz nodding. "Then the connection was lost. I called in the trace. Got the information from them, and called dispatch. I requested some patrols to go to the address I had." Beckett, paused to catch a breath. "Then Castle and I left. I got there the same time you did."

Roz nodded. "Okay good, Kate. Is there anything more you want to tell me?"

Kate thought about it for a few moments, but felt that anything, even something a specious as Sorenson's connection to her might pop something.

"Yes. You might not have heard yet, but I found out earlier yesterday that an old boyfriend of mine, Will Sorenson was murdered in his garage the night before."

"He was FBI, right?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah, he was." She adjusted her pant leg. "I was visited yesterday by an FBI agent named Michael Westen, and a DC detective who had caught the case, a Charles Connors." Kate pulled out his card and handed it over to Roz. "He says to call him Chuck."

Roz looked down at the card, then back up to Kate. "You're kidding."

Kate shook her head. "Nope."

Kate continued. "Now, the odds are that these two murders aren't actually connected. I mean the only connection between them is me. Neither knew each other and I haven't seen either one of them for years. Probably just a weird coincidence, but I thought you should know."

Roz shrugged. "Not like we haven't had weirder." Roz stood up and pointed her pencil at Kate's hair. "Nice cut, by the way."

Kate smiled. "Thanks." It was a good thing that Rick wasn't here. If she got anymore compliments on her haircut his head was going to get so big it would explode. Also, with each new compliment she began to wonder, what was wrong with her previous hairstyles.

She got back to her desk and checked her emails wondering if the lab reports they needed had come in yet. She couldn't understand what was taking so long.

The boys were in so she mentioned the missing reports to them. Esposito had an answer for her. "Yeah, we got a call just before we left last night. I think you and Castle had gone off to get some coffee or something. Anyway, there was an accident in the lab and they have to redo all their results. It won't be till near end of day before they can recreate their data."

Kate slumped back in her chair. "Great."

Gates came into view, getting the detectives immediate attention. "Ryan, you and Esposito take lead on the case you are working on. Kate will be around to help out, but I want her to be available to help out Roz in the Demming case if she needs it." As quickly as she came, she left.

The boys turned toward her. "What's the Demming case?" Esposito asked and Ryan turned his chair toward her.

Kate put on her stoic face. "Tom Demming was murdered last night." Both her partners shook their heads in grief for a lost comrade.

Ryan frowned. "Why are you involved?"

She spread her hands in a helpless gesture. "He called me just before was killed. I heard the gun shots." She proceeded to fill the boys in on what had happened last night. Both were solemn when she finished.

"Do you think it is connected to Sorenson's murder?" Espo breached the subject they both were thinking.

Kate shook her head. "I don't know. I don't know how they could be, but it can't be ruled out. They both knew me."

"They both knew you very well." Javi added with a raised brow.

Which had reminded her that she had something to do.

Kate got up and walked over to the break room. She made herself a cup of coffee and took a sip. She grimaced. Why couldn't she make herself a cup of coffee as good as Castle could?

She walked over and took a seat toward the back corner of the room. She pulled out her phone and brought up the old number she had for Josh Davidson. There was a distinct chill of dread that was making it hard for her to punch the numbers.

She took a calming breath and quickly punched the seven numbers. The phone rang several times but there was no answer, it just went to a generic message. Kate tried three times more before she gave up. This didn't tell her anything. She didn't even know if he was in the country, or at work, and just out. She'd left a message but didn't feel confident that he'd return her message. They hadn't ended well.

Kate pulled up an emergency contact she still had for Josh. She hoped that he would be available to answer his phone. After three rings it went over to voice mail. Kate sighed.

After the message she began. "Dr. Kovacs, this is Detective Kate Beckett. I'm sorry to bother you but I need to get in touch with Josh Davidson as soon as possible. I don't even know if he is in country. Any help you can provide me would be a great help. I can be reached at…" She then gave him her number, then hung up.

She didn't know why. But she was having one of those uncomfortable feelings. The ones that tell you something is wrong even though there is no reason to believe it. She hated that feeling.

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