"I've tried talking to Matthias again, but he won't appear to me," the investigator said. "He's upset," she then added when the chief looked at her in obvious confusion. "And angry."
"Then it's better he's not around you," Brad said. When he noticed the other four looking at him in surprise he said in slight irritation, "I know how things work, Lils and the kids are fans of Ghost Adventures too." He turned his attention back to Skye and told her, "Then I'd like you to be here as a psychologist."
"Sort of," Skye said though she was nodding at the same time. She then said, "What would you like me to consider?"
"The notebook," Brad said. "I have it here since I made sure to copy the pages and I'd like the four of you to read what's in it but wait until you're finished to see what you think." He handed the pages first to Beckett and said to the other three, "I've read it, it's quick."
"At only three pages…" Castle said before his wife handed them to him. He read over it rapidly and gave it to Darnley, Skye reading last before he said, "Are we all in agreement?"
"They just happened to know the names? Most likely," Skye said. "But they were aware of the show since they wrote the thefts happening when Weller's sex performance was happening."
"Weird wording," Darnley said.
"Either they wanted to mention that part or they were trying to convey themselves as being Matthias," Skye said. "To be honest everything's too simple. Bracelet, my fake watch, makeup. They were trying to accuse the three of theft but didn't really put the effort into it."
"But why would Waller tell you he put that there?" Brad asked the investigator. He wasn't surprised when she walked over to one of the windows at the side of the room before they were waiting. When she turned to them, he was startled seeing she looked angry before she explained to them why with what she had discovered.
"I managed to coax him back," Skye said. "He says he remembers now someone begged him to hide the notebook."
"He can't remember," Darnley said instead of asking.
"No, he can't even remember a gender," Skye replied. "Just that they asked him to hide it since they were afraid what was inside was going to get them in trouble."
"He never read it?" Castle asked.
"Believe me, I asked him twice just now," Skye replied. "He said they asked them not to read it so he wouldn't get in trouble either, so he had no idea what was in it." She glanced at the windows quickly and then said, "He got angry and left so I'm going to refrain from calling him back for now."
"He's not going to Julia, is he?" Beckett asked while she took a quick look at her watch.
"I don't know," Skye said. "Right now I don't think I'll be able to stop him. But he knows she's a child, so he won't harm her."
"Do you want to go?" Brad said, checking the time himself.
"No," Beckett said reluctantly after glancing at her husband.
"But we'll want to go soon," Castle said since he'd seen the time himself.
"Of course," Brad replied before he saw Emerson was coming to the doorway. "You checked it out already?"
"I saw enough discrepancies," the officer replied, going to the desk. "I circled the differences."
"It's nearly the entire page," Brad said in surprise.
"Yeah, they had small marks that let me know they were forging but not very convincingly," Emerson replied. "They took the e's and ran with them."
"I see that," Brad said. "Thank you for clearing that up." After the officer had left, he told the others, "I might have to send you guys home for sure now."
"Are we stuck?" Castle asked in surprise.
"A little," Brad replied. "I'm going to have to go with the lozenges now."
"You have the box," Beckett said.
"I do, but that's going to take some time," Brad said. "And it's getting later so go home and I'll call the four of you by nine tomorrow." He looked at the investigator and said, "I'm including you too, don't worry. I'm sure the killer planted this for a misdirection," not surprised when Skye was responding to that immediately.
"Obviously, but why there and how they figured we'd look…" the investigator said.
"You would have been told," Castle said. When Brad looked at him, he said, "You got a hold of the landlord finally, he told you there was a basement."
"True," the chief said. "I should have thought of it sooner though."
"I don't think that would have mattered," Darnley then put in. "Everything was up in the warehouse."
"Okay, then I'll let you guys go. I'm also going to look into everyone related to Waller outside his work," Brad said. "So go, rest and make sure Julia's okay."
"We will," Beckett said, slipping her arms into her coat her husband was holding for her. She put on her scarf and tucked it under her coat once it was buttoned and she said, "Will you be here all night?"
"I'm going to try not to be," Brad said since she'd been asking him. "But remember, Lils understands."
"Just checking," Beckett said with a slight smile. She then turned to her husband as he was saying goodbye to his friend, Darnley and Skye doing the same. She let them leave the office first before she said, "I've had the same problem."
"I know, I did that a couple cases in Albany," Brad said. "Luckily I resolved it quickly and solved the case." He frowned for a moment and said, "Don't let Skye beat herself up about that."
"I won't," Beckett replied. She turned hearing footsteps and smiled at her husband before she said, "We'll see you tomorrow."
"You will," Brad said. "Goodnight Kate."
"Night," Beckett said before she went to her husband. She wasn't surprised when he wrapped his arm around her and said, "We have time to pick her up."
"We got lucky," Castle replied.
"We have to drop them off," Beckett said.
Shaking his head Castle said, "They're coming with us. Trevor should be there with Keo and Maddy and Skye said Mary wouldn't stay alone at the house."
"Okay," Beckett said, squeezing his hand that was on her shoulder before they made their way out to the car.
"See you later Julia!"
"Bye Dawn, Ava," she replied, waving to her friends though the latter had called out to her. She turned to the stairs and waved to Mari who was coming down them before she said, "Ready?"
"Yeah, think your sister is?" Mari asked. She wasn't surprised when Julia nodded before they left the building and walked to the quad. They were both quiet as they were working their way through everyone leaving or standing to talk when she noticed some familiar people and was about to point that out to her friend when she was crying out to them.
"Mom, Dad!" Julia said, running to her parents. She threw her arms around her mother first, squeezing her as tightly as she could before she let her go and said, "You're here."
"We didn't have to stay at work," Beckett replied. She kissed the top of her head and whispered, "Are you okay?"
"I am," Julia said before she went to her father and hugged him.
"You're sure?" Castle asked. "We've been worried about you."
"Yeah," Julia said with a nod before he was turning her slightly. "Skye?" she said in surprise.
"Hullo," the investigator said with a smile before she reached for her hand. "Has Matthias come back?"
Shaking her head Julia said, "But I feel like he's mad… he's hurting."
"Your parents will explain," Skye said.
"And you," Castle said. When the investigator looked at him in surprise he said, "We need you there too, to fill in the gaps."
"Mommy! Daddy!" Eliza was crying out when she walked to the quad and saw them.
"Okay, we have to go," Beckett said with a smile. "You three are going to be late for dance class."
Walking to the high school building, Julia said to Skye and Mary, "How long are you going to stay?"
"I'm helping your parents and Brad with the case-" Skye began. When Darnley loudly cleared his throat she smiled and said, "And Patrick of course. So we'll stay on until that's complete. Hopefully you won't mind."
"I don't!" Eliza quipped, smiling when the others were laughing. They were entering the studio by then and she hugged her mother before racing to the dressing rooms, not hearing her father speaking jokingly to her mother.
"Should I be insulted?" Castle asked.
"I'm not holding Josie," Beckett said, smoothing down some of the baby's hair.
"No, but I wanted a hug too," Castle said before Josie was doing so to him. He laughed and said, "I love you sweetheart."
"Love Dada," Josie said.
Kissing the top of her head, Castle turned to Skye and Mary and said, "You really didn't have to stay."
"We needed to help," the investigator said simply since she and her wife had been watching them with the baby.
"She didn't tell you we talked to our girls about this?" Mary asked in surprise.
"No, when?" Beckett asked.
"As soon as I'd seen Matthias and we decided to come here," Skye replied. "And though they wanted to see us, they understood when I explained about Julia."
"Marie and Kath said they'd talk to their little sisters," Mary said. "But they understand."
"They're good kids," Skye said.
"What're you two doing for Valentine's Day?" Nkosi asked.
"We wanted to spend it all with the girls, after school of course," Mary replied. "But they were nearly revolting against that and we're heading to dinner that night since I don't have to go into work the next day and we're hoping Skye's off."
"I will be, I had two investigations in a row and I lost my vacation time with the one just now," Skye said.
"What about being here?" Castle said in surprise.
"I called my boss and he's not counting it. But I'll be on call the day after Valentine's Day though Feith will pull someone else if it comes to that," the investigator replied. Skye smiled and then said, "But if he calls me in, I'll go. Though the weekend before that we're going to Downtown Disney with the girls."
"You're going to Disneyland, aren't you?" Beckett asked her wryly.
"Oooh," Skye said in mock annoyance. She smiled and said, "Yeah, we're staying into Sunday and going to both parks."
"You're going on a Friday?" Jim asked.
"After school; they have a minimum day," Mary replied. "And we'll have our passes of course though it shouldn't be that bad."
"That should be fun," Darnley said.
"I hope so," Skye said in amusement before she looked at the dressing rooms before Julia was coming out and walking up to her, speaking in some concern.
"Are you okay?" the girl asked.
"I am," Skye said. "Just a bit of a mess up with the case. And like I said I'll explain to you later." She looked at the dance floor and told the girl, "Better go, I think your lesson is about to start."
Though she wasn't sure about that, Julia nodded and went over to the dance floor where her friends and sister were.
"Are you okay?" Eliza whispered.
"Yeah just… unsettled," Julia replied, trying not to frown.
"Who's that man?" Eliza asked.
"Man?" Julia asked in response as her sister was whispering. She saw her sister was looking over to the entrance of the studio and followed her gaze, just managing to control her shock. Matthias was there and she asked him mentally, 'What's wrong?'
I'm sorry, I wanted to see if Chloe was here, the spirit replied.
'She isn't, just us,' Julia replied. 'But you can stay if you want.'
Tell Skye I'm sorry, Matthias said.
Julia was startled when the man suddenly disappeared and she hurriedly got up, going to Skye and whispering to the investigator what had happened.
"Eliza," Skye called, "Come here." Once the little girl had rushed over, she said softly, "What did he tell you."
"He just said hello and that his name was Matthias," Eliza said. "He wanted to speak to Jules, but he didn't think she would talk to him."
"Okay," Skye said with a brief nod. "Then he just wanted to make sure I wasn't mad at him."
"Are you going to try and talk to him?" Julia asked.
"Class," Ms. Grey called.
"Later, go," Skye said, watching them do so. She looked at Beckett and said, "I suppose I shouldn't feel that bad."
"I don't think so," Beckett replied before she took Josie since the baby was fidgeting. She kissed her temple and then whispered into her ear, "Watch your sisters sweetie, they'll be dancing soon." She was relieved when Josie seemed to calm down, listening to Grey talking to the students about the steps of the Quickstep they were going to be reviewing that day. While the students were beginning to dance in pairs, she was dismayed when the baby started to move on her lap before Grey was talking to Eliza and Quentin.
"You two listen to my direction," the teacher said to the pair as they were getting into hold. "I'll yell but if you have any trouble hearing me then just let me know."
Castle smiled while the pair were dancing to the song Julia and Peter were going to have for their next possible competition in March. He wasn't surprised when the two made a few mistakes, and Grey used that to teach the other kids before she called Julia and Peter up last.
"Are you two ready?" Grey asked the pair while they walked up to her.
"Is this practice or are we pretending it's the competition?" Peter asked.
"First will be practice," Grey replied with a smile since she wasn't surprised he asked. "And then we'll pretend we're in the theater."
Nodding with her partner, Julia turned to him so they could get into hold and start dancing once the song was starting over again. She was relieved they only had a little misstep and she and Peter listened to the teacher explaining what had happened.
After the pair had practiced twice more, they danced as if it were their competition and Grey was complimenting them but warned them they'd practice that dance more in the future. She dismissed the class and the kids all hurried to the dressing rooms before Skye was turning to Castle and Beckett.
"You guys are going to drive back?" the investigator asked them.
"Of course," Beckett replied. "It's too cold for Josie. Why?"
"I was thinking of walking," Skye commented.
"Grá," Mary said firmly.
"What?" Skye said. "I felt like I need to."
"We're not mad at you," Beckett told her friend while she was studying her.
"I know that, but…" Skye said, shrugging her shoulders. She wasn't surprised when her wife wrapped her arm around her shoulder and she said, "We'll go back in the cars."
"Are you feeling unsettled?" Castle asked.
"Because of Matthias," Skye said, nodding her head.
"Maybe you should talk with Julia," Mary said.
"That's alright," Beckett said.
"It's not that," Skye said quickly. "She's going to need to know what's going on to understand what's wrong with him."
"Then we'll talk to her back at home," Beckett replied as Castle was watching her.
"Ready to go?" Julia asked her little sister in the dressing room.
"Yeah, but are you gonna talk to Skye?" Eliza asked.
"I have to, it's really uncomfortable," Julia said. "I just hope I can help her."
"You didn't help her hugging her?" Mari asked, standing with her friend.
"No, which is so weird," Julia said, shaking her head after thinking for a moment. "Let's go." She led the way back outside and they went to their family before getting their coats on and walking back to the cars. She went to Mari, hugging her tightly before she said, "I'll see you tomorrow."
"I hope we walk," Mari commented before they were glancing at her mother who was laughing before she spoke.
"We'll see, you know we need to check and see how the weather is," Rebecca replied. "But for now we're going home."
"See you," Mari said to her friend since her mother's tone of voice was firm.
"Bye," Julia said before she went to her car and got into the backseat. She waved to Peter and Clive while they were leaving with their mother and then looked out the window for the short drive home. When they pulled into the garage, she was startled to find the door to the house opening and Martha stepping out.
"Gram!" Eliza cried out happily.
"Hello kiddos," Martha said with a smile to her granddaughters. She then looked past the car and said, "Imagine my surprise when I returned and spotted the guest bedroom open with luggage in it."
"At least you know why," Mary said with a smile before she and her wife greeted the woman.
"You did wonderful at the Grammys and Oscars," Martha told Skye. "Both of you. And congratulations."
"Then you're talking about the Grammys," Skye said in amusement since she had been on her own at the Oscars which had been the Sunday before she and her wife had left for Sydney.
"Both ceremonies," Martha said firmly. "But come inside, you must be freezing."
"Very, at least in DC we weren't so far north," Skye said jokingly. "Again, not sure how you handle this weather, but you'll see ours next year." She then said to the family as they were taking off their outer layers, "I need to unpack so I hope you'll excuse me."
"And me," Mary added before Castle was replying to them both.
"Go ahead, the girls need to do their homework before we do anything else," he said.
"Are you going to make dinner?" Mary asked.
"That's what we're going to talk about," Castle said, glancing at his wife.
"Can I do my homework in my room?" Julia asked her mother.
"Yeah," Beckett said quickly. "But I'll be upstairs to check on you."
"Sure," Julia said, turning to head up the foyer stairs. When she'd reached her room, she was taking off her backpack and getting her textbooks out before she started on her math homework. She had already worked on it a little in Study Hall which led her to finish quickly. She read her history book and answered the questions before she was putting her things away just as she felt the air in the room change. "Matthias," she said with a smile. "Everything's okay right?"
It is, the spirit replied.
"Then you'll go to Skye now and tell her that right? She feels unsettled," Julia said quickly.
She does? Matthias asked.
"She-" Julia started to say before the spirit was disappearing. "Whew," she said to herself. "Hopefully that helps," she added before she heard someone coming up the stairs.
"I appreciate you not unpacking everything for me," Skye told her wife when she closed the door to their room.
"I didn't think you'd want me to," Mary said in amusement. She moved to sit on the side of the bed while her wife began to move around and told her, "How're you feeling?"
"A little better," Skye replied. "I think Matthias is starting to calm down, but he's been telling me he wants Julia to help."
"But…" Mary started to say slowly before her wife was nodding and she started to speak.
"I explained to him she's only a kid and he seemed to take that in stride," Skye started to say. "But he wants her help once they solve the case."
"You mean once you," Mary corrected her.
Shrugging Skye closed the lid of her suitcase before she paused and looked to the side of the room.
Watching her wife, Mary was startled for a moment when she was turning away but soon relaxed knowing what she was doing. She smiled as Skye relaxed and waited for her to look back at her. "Matthias?" she asked her.
"Yes, he spoke with Julia and was worried about me being so unsure, but he's reassured me saying he'll tell me where that notebook came from as soon as he remembers," Skye said. "We both agreed we're hoping it's soon."
"Hopefully," Mary said. "Are you still going to talk to her?"
"I need to," Skye replied, nodding. "Let's go down and see if Julia's finished yet." They headed down the hall before the girl was peeking her head out of her room and smiling at them while she spoke hurriedly.
"Mom's in here, she told me about the case already," Julia told the two women. "Did Matthias talk to you?"
"He did, so I'm feeling much better," Skye said reassuringly. She squeezed her shoulder and then said, "He also told me about you needing to help him when this case is solved."
"I had a feeling," Julia said.
"Are you sure she needs to?" Beckett asked with a slight frown.
"She does, I asked him since I knew you wouldn't want her to go through the process," Skye said. "He said he wants her to do it since she knows his cousin; Chloe."
"I don't really know her too well," Julia said quickly before she explained to them what had happened at lunch.
"I think I know why he wants you there now," Skye commented when the girl had finished. "He'll want her there."
"Like the last time I helped?" Julia asked. When Skye nodded, she said softly, "It'd have to be at the school."
"Or Brad and Lily's," Beckett said. When the other three looked at her she said, "Chloe can go to play, and Skye can be there, along with us."
"And Mari," Julia said rapidly.
"And her, if her parents will let her," Beckett replied.
"Alright, I'll be here but you'll need to take charge again," Skye told her.
"I'll be ready," Julia said with a nod though she wasn't totally sure about it. She shook herself when she heard her father calling to her mother before she talked to the McDouglases.
"I think we need to decide on dinner," Beckett said.
"You didn't yet?" Mary asked in amusement.
"No, we need everyone there," Beckett replied. "So let's go," she said, reaching out to Julia and taking her hand before they led the women out of the room so they could head downstairs and rejoin the rest of their family to see about their dinner that night.
