A/N #1: To the guest reviewer who was asking about the prequel. I put the title down wrong when I posted Chapter 1. I wrote the story. It is called 'Breathe Again,' it was posted in May 2020. It is on the Fan Fiction site.
Just Keep Breathing
Chapter 7
This chapter takes place before, during, and after 'Headhunters.'
"Where is your better half tonight?" Martha walked down the stairs, where she was surprised to find Castle sitting on the couch, playing with his phone.
"She had a late afternoon meeting with the District Attorney. She said she'll come by after she's done. What are you up to tonight?"
"I have some things to do at the school. Now that the renovations are almost complete, I want to make sure that I have the materials that I need for my new students."
"How many students do you have signed up now?" Castle looked up from his phone.
"As of today, fifteen. But I have posted flyers at some of the local universities, so I'm hopeful that number will rise."
"I have no doubt that it will," Castle smiled. "I know that if I were a struggling actor, I would love to take a class taught by a Tony nominated actress."
"Why, thank you, Richard," Martha walked over and kissed him on the cheek. "That is a lovely thing to say."
"I meant every word."
When Kate walked into the loft later that night, she smiled at the sound of Castle's fingers tapping on his laptop keyboard. "Hey," he looked up and smiled when she walked into his office. "I didn't hear you come in."
"What're you doing?" She walked over and kissed him.
"Working on the latest chapter of my new book. How was your meeting with the D.A.?"
"Boring. I have to prep for an upcoming trial. He wants to be sure that I'm ready when it comes to my testimony."
"Is it one of our cases?"
"As a matter of fact, it is," she perched on the edge of his desk. "It's one of our very early cases. Teresa Candela."
"Teresa Candela? The one who had her daughter kidnapped?"
"One and the same."
"Wow, it's taken long enough to bring her to trial."
"That's the way it usually happens. Lawyers file motions to postpone the trial as long as possible."
"Could I be called?"
"If they haven't contacted you by now, no. Anyway, when I was leaving the D.A.'s office, Gates called. Since I'm not going to be in the precinct for at least the next week, she doesn't want you there, either. No dropping by, no hanging out with the boys. She means it, Castle."
"What if I find another detective to shadow?"
"Another detective? Castle, I am your muse!"
"I thought you hated it when I called you that," he smirked. "What if I promise that it won't be a female detective?"
"I'll tell you what," she straddled his lap, feeling his arms wrap around her, "if you can find a male detective willing to deal with your craziness, go for it. But everybody in the precinct knows you, Castle. No one is going to want you shadowing them."
***CCC***
Kate knew that Castle would try to find another detective that would be willing to let him tag along, but she didn't think he would succeed. Gates had already told her a while back that none of the other captains in the Twelfth would allow the writer to play amateur detective.
But when he had started asking her questions about Det. Ethan Slaughter, Kate was shocked. Slaughter had a reputation around Manhattan. And not a good one. But the severed heads homicide was right up Castle's alley. She would've been surprised if he hadn't gotten involved in it.
She was in the breakroom going over the files from the Candela case when Espo sauntered in. "Slaughter, Beckett? Really?"
"What was I supposed to do? I'm busy getting ready for the Candela trial, and Gates has already made it clear that she doesn't want Castle in the precinct if I'm not here. Hey, it's not like she's booting him out permanently."
"You are aware of Slaughter's reputation?"
"Very."
"I asked a buddy of mine about him. They worked together at the ninth. He has a nickname. Do you know what it is? The Widow Maker."
"The Widow Maker?" Kate looked up from her files. "Seriously?"
"His last three partners all died in the line of duty. You won't have to worry about Gates kicking Castle out of the precinct, because he probably won't live long enough to come back."
"Look, Javi . . . I get that you're worried. But Castle's a big boy. Nothing that I said was going to stop him from checking into this homicide." She looked around before lowering her voice. "I'll be seeing him later. I'll warn him to watch his back."
"He's already bribed us into assisting with this case."
"Bribed you how?"
"Knicks tickets."
"Just don't let Gates know that you're assisting a detective from another precinct."
"Well, lucky for her, Ryan and I don't have any active cases right now. When is the case going to trial?" He nodded toward the files on the table.
"Monday. The D.A. thinks it's only going to last four or five days. He is hoping to give it to the jury by Thursday afternoon."
"That seems like a lifetime ago."
"Yeah, it does," she smiled.
Later that evening, Kate texted Castle to see if he was coming to her apartment. It took almost half an hour before she got a reply. 'I'd love to, but I can't. I'm hanging out with Slaughter.'
Kate didn't know what 'hanging out' meant, and she wasn't sure she wanted to know. Slaughter had already managed to get Castle involved in a bar fight while trying to apprehend a suspect. In return, Castle had volunteered the Twelfth's interrogation room to the rogue detective.
"What're you doing, Castle? Why is he using our box?"
"I invited him to."
"Castle, that's not your place."
"I didn't think you'd mind. Besides, guys like Slaughter, they just float around from precinct to precinct. They're like nomads. Wandering the streets of New York City. Kicking ass and taking names. He's really going to help me shake up the next Nikki Heat book."
"Yeah, if you live long enough to write it."
***CCC***
Kate had an appointment that afternoon with her therapist, Dr. Carter Burke. She had been seeing him since shortly after being cleared to return to duty. She saw him two afternoons a week, more often if the need arose.
Today, the therapist could see that something was weighing heavily on his patient's mind. "Is there something that you wanted to talk about, Kate?"
"I've been busy preparing for an upcoming trial, so . . . Castle has decided to pair up with another detective."
"A female detective?" The doctor inquired.
"What? No! Why would you even ask me that?"
"Because I'm aware of how you feel about your partner. Are you jealous of this new partnership?"
"No. Not exactly."
"Which is it? No or not exactly?"
"I'm not jealous. Okay? I'm worried."
"About what?"
"This detective doesn't have a great reputation. His last three partners all died in the line of duty. Right now, Castle thinks the guy is exciting."
"And you're worried for his safety?"
"Yes."
"Have you told him about your concerns?"
"No. I haven't had a chance to. Do you think that I should say something?"
"You're obviously worried, Kate. What do you think?"
When Kate left her session with Burke, she pulled out her cellphone and sent Castle a text. 'Plz call me when you get home. I don't care what time it is. I just want to know that you're ok.'
***CCC***
When Kate walked into her apartment, she decided to call Lanie. "Hey, do you want to hang out?"
"What did you have in mind? And why aren't you getting your freak on with Writer Boy?"
"Because Castle is 'hanging out' with his new BFF, roaming the streets of New York, kicking ass and taking names. I have a bottle of wine that Castle gave me."
"An expensive bottle of wine?"
"Very."
"A good, expensive bottle?"
"Definitely."
"I'll be there in 20."
Half an hour later . . .
"When you see Castle, tell him that he has excellent taste in wine," Lanie said, swirling the dark liquid in her wine glass. "Javier was telling me about this gang cop. Aren't you worried?"
"Of course, I'm worried. But I can't act like I'm worried when I'm on the job. As soon as I heard about the headless corpses, I knew that Castle would be all over that case. Hell, if I didn't have this trial, I'd be all over it, too."
"Do you know anything about this gang cop?"
"Slaughter? Just by reputation. I've never met him personally. I know that he has more than a few excessive force complaints filed against him."
"Well, I did some digging of my own," Lanie put her wine glass on the coffee table. "Laura told me that he's a sexist pig."
"You've never met him?"
"Luckily I've never had the 'pleasure.' Javi also told me about the guy's last three partners."
"Yeah, he told me about that. Lanie, I can't stop Castle from tagging along with Slaughter. All that I can do is hope that he stays alive long enough to return to me and the boys."
"Just tell him to watch his back."
"I will."
***CCC***
Castle stumbled into the loft at a quarter to three. He knew that there was something that he was supposed to do, but in his intoxicated state, he couldn't remember what it was. He staggered his way over to the sofa, where he fell face first. That was where Martha and Alexis found him later that morning. "Why is dad in here?" Alexis looked at her grandmother. "Why didn't he just go to bed?"
"He was probably so inebriated that he couldn't make it that far. Alexis, I have something to show you."
"What?"
"I learned that your father was hiding these from you," Martha held out several envelopes. "Please don't be angry with him. He was worried about you being rejected by other schools."
It was the loud shrieking that woke Castle up. He instantly shot up, regretting it when his head pounded in protest. His mouth felt like it was full of cotton and his stomach was churning ominously. "What's going on?" In his head, his words sounded like he was screaming, but right now, his daughter was the only one doing any screaming. And he really wished that she would stop before his head exploded.
"I got in! I got in!"
"You got in where?" Castle struggled off the sofa.
"Everywhere. Oxford, Sarah Lawrence, Princeton."
"That's great, sweetie. I'm happy for you."
"Really, dad? Some of these came last week. Why were you hiding them?"
"I just didn't want you to get your hopes dashed again, sweetie."
"I'm 18, dad. I think that I can handle—" she stopped speaking as she began reading the enveloped that she had just opened.
"What's wrong?" Castle asked, watching her face.
"Stanford. I got in."
"Hooray!" Martha shouted, as Castle grabbed his head. "That was always your first choice!"
"And yet, I suspect, not so choice now."
"It's just—"
"They rejected you for early admission, so you're angry."
"I don't know what to do, dad."
"You'll figure it out," Castle stood and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I need to shower and change."
Walking to his bedroom, he suddenly remembered. He was supposed to have called Kate. He pulled his phone from his back pocket and called her. "Hey," he said when she answered.
"Castle, what happened to you last night? You were supposed to have called me."
"I'm sorry. Slaughter wanted to go out, and I've noticed that he doesn't take no for an answer. I didn't think you wanted me drunk texting you at three in the morning."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm just very hungover. I don't remember all the details of last night, but I know that there was a massive amount of tequila involved. I have to get in the shower. I'm meeting Slaughter in 45 minutes."
"Castle, please be careful."
"If I survive today, I'll come over later."
"That isn't funny."
"I wasn't trying to be funny."
"I'll see you later."
Kate had no sooner ended her call with Castle when her phone rang again. This time she noticed that her caller was Little Castle. "Alexis, is something wrong?" She answered.
"I could be asking you the same thing. What in the hell is going on with my dad? I found him passed out this morning on the sofa. I don't think I've ever seen him not make it to his bedroom when he's been drinking. Who is this Slaughter that he's hanging out with?"
"He works in the Gang Unit. Alexis, I'm working on another project right now. When I'm done, I promise that things will return to normal. Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Have you ever met Slaughter? Has he ever come into the morgue when you've been working with Lanie?"
"No. At least I don't think so. His name doesn't sound familiar. Why?"
Kate remembered Lanie's comment from the night before about Slaughter being a sexist asshole. She wanted Alexis to be careful. "I've just heard some things about him."
"What kind of things?"
"That he's not a nice guy around women."
"Believe me, Kate, I can handle guys like that. I just worry about him getting my dad hurt or killed."
"Me and the boys are going to make sure that your dad survives his stint with him."
"Thanks, Kate."
"Anytime."
***CCC***
Over the course of the next couple of days, Castle began to tire of Slaughter's particular brand of police work. He learned that Slaughter's tactics didn't follow the rules of good police work. Instead, Slaughter tended to run toward excessive force, and threats. He'd even gone so far as to put a suspect into the back of a garbage truck and had started to bring the compactor down on the young man's head.
Esposito was working on five's when Castle suddenly materialized beside his desk. "He's insane," were the only words he said.
"Well, you were the one who decided that you wanted to ride along with him. What happened to 'kicking ass and taking names?'"
"But he's insane," Castle repeated.
"Sorry, bro. I can't help you out," Espo got up and walked away.
Castle knew that he had to talk to Kate. He took out his phone and sent her a quick text. 'Can I come over tonight?'
In the other room, Kate felt her phone vibrate. She took it out and read Castle's message. Looking out the office window, she could see him sitting beside Espo's desk. 'Come in here. I have something to show you.'
Castle got up and walked into the room where he found Kate surrounded by boxes of material from her upcoming case. "Kate, he's insane. I don't know how to get away from him! What do you need to show me?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to answer you in person," she smiled. "Come by at six. We can order in and talk. Okay?"
"Okay," he nodded.
"You're going to be okay." She glanced at his phone when she heard it chime. "Slaughter?"
Castle looked down at his phone and nodded. "He's downstairs. I'll see you tonight if I survive the rest of the afternoon."
***CCC***
After arresting Glitch's father, Brian, for murdering his son, Castle was finally able to end his partnership with Slaughter. But not before the gang detective delivered one final veiled threat toward Castle.
'That's for not having my back,' Slaughter punched Castle in the stomach, causing the writer to crumple to the floor. 'And if I ever see a character in one of your novels like me, we're gonna have words. So, I'm gonna see you at the hearing on Tuesday, right?'
'You got it,' Castle slowly pulled himself to his feet.
'Outstanding!' Slaughter smiled when he saw Beckett walking toward them. 'Detective, if you ever want to go on a date that ends with a drunken fist fight, you know where to find me.'
'Yeah. In 'never gonna happen' land.'
"Congratulations, Castle. You survived Slaughter. I was worried there for a little while."
"Yeah, that makes two of us. Does this mean that I can come back here?"
"Not quite. I have this trial and Gates is adamant about not wanting you here. Please go home. I will talk to you later."
"Fine. I have some writing to do anyway. Can I ask you one thing before I leave?"
"What is it?"
"What did you say to Vales?"
"I'll tell you about it later. I'll text you when I'm leaving the precinct."
"Okay."
***CCC***
Castle arrived at Kate's apartment later that afternoon. "I brought some wine," he held out a bottle toward Kate.
"Fine. We can toast to your survival," she took the bottle into the kitchen. "Are you going to tell me why Slaughter gut-punched you?"
"Oh, you saw that?"
"Uh-huh," she nodded.
"When I first met him, Slaughter didn't want me doing a ride-along with him. I kind of had to bribe him."
"Bribe him how?"
"I gave him my brown leather jacket. But he still refused to let me come along. I told him in passing that I just happen to be friends with the mayor."
"Castle, what did you do?"
"It seems that Slaughter has to face a review board at 1PP next Tuesday regarding an excessive force complaint. I'm his character witness."
"His character witness? Castle, you knew the guy for three days!"
"Yeah, and I learned a lot about his character in just that short amount of time. Kate, I don't want to do this, but I don't know how to get out of it. In case you didn't notice, he's not exactly warm and fuzzy."
"I know one thing. There's no way in hell that you're acting as a character witness for that guy! I'll figure something out, but you're not to go to 1PP next week."
"Okay. What did you say to Vales?"
"I told him to leave my city. He didn't like that 'suggestion.' So, I told him that if he and his boys don't leave, then I'm going to make their lives a living hell. They'll be getting visits from Narcotics on a daily basis."
"Did it work?"
"I don't know. I hope so. Vales is a dangerous guy. I agree with Slaughter on that point."
Later that night, Castle was staring at the ceiling. "What're you thinking about?" Kate's voice was drowsy. "I can practically hear the wheels turning."
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" Kate struggled to sit up beside him.
"I should've walked away from Slaughter when I had the chance. How is he still on the job?"
"Luck. There are some cops that are like that. He gets results, so 1PP turns a blind eye. I don't agree with his tactics, but sometimes it's whatever works."
"How is coercing a confession out of a scared kid good tactics?"
"I'm not saying that it is."
"I meant to ask you if you got called by the Chief about interfering in Slaughter's case."
"No. I doubt that Slaughter said anything. He might've been worried that I'd say something about him coercing a confession out of that kid. I could've also brought up the fact that he almost got a civilian killed by going to a scene without backup."
"The boys told you about that, huh?"
"Did you think that they wouldn't? Castle, I might not let you take down suspects, but I also won't try to get you killed when we're together. No more hotdogging, okay?"
"Okay," he smiled at her.
***CCC***
Tuesday morning, Kate stepped off the elevator on the fifth floor of the main police headquarters at One Police Plaza, otherwise known as 1PP. Slaughter was sitting on a bench outside a closed door. She couldn't help noticing that he was wearing Castle's brown leather jacket. "What're you doing here? And where is your partner?"
"My partner has another engagement this morning. I came by to tell you that you're on your own, Slaughter. You know that one day you're going to go too far. And instead of another suspension, they'll be taking your badge."
"I do whatever needs to be done to keep the streets of my city safe from the Vales' of the world. Same as you, Detective."
"Wrong. You and I, we're nothing alike. I will never resort to scare tactics to garner information, and I will never coerce a false confession from a terrified witness. A couple more things and I'll be on my way. That jacket you're wearing?"
"What about it?"
"Castle wants it back."
"We had a deal."
"A deal that consisted of you getting Castle's jacket and his testifying for you at this hearing. Do you see him anywhere around here?"
"No."
"Then, the deal has been broken. The jacket, Slaughter. Now."
"Here," Slaughter shrugged out of the tight leather jacket and offered it to Kate. "It didn't fit right, anyway."
"Oh, and one more thing," Kate added once Slaughter had given her the jacket. "I had better not ever hear of you making any more sexist comments about any of my female friends. I doubt you'd like having to attend a sensitivity class."
"Fine. Are we done here?"
"For now. Good luck in there, Slaughter."
Kate turned and walked back toward the elevator with a smug smile on her face. She knew Castle would be happy to get his jacket back.
A/N #2: I'm sorry it took so long to post this. I have chronic health issues that interfere with my everyday life. I also have a cat who thinks that she has to sit on my keyboard while I'm writing. Chapter 8 will be posted next week on time.
Follow Me:
Facebook: Wylie dot Cindy at Yahoo dot com
Twitter: Caskett1960