Homecoming: Chapter 12
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DISCLAIMER: Most of these characters are not mine at all, but they are memorable. Thank you, Mr. Marlowe. The others? Yeah, they're mine
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9:22 p.m. East Coast time, Monday Evening, April 23, 2012, at Martha Rodger's loft on Broome Street in New York City
The celebration turned debriefing has found its way to the sofa and chairs in the large living room, where four adults and Alexis Castle sit. Martha is beside herself with happiness, as is Alexis. Richard Castle and Kate Beckett are happy, of course, but somewhat guarded now after the things that Willie Crockett has shared with them.
And Kate, ever astute, has noticed that every so often, Willie Crockett seems to lose interest in the conversation, staring out into space. It is almost as if he has multiple conversations going on in his head, when it hits her.
"Switch with me, babe," she tells Richard Castle. Without hesitation, he stands and switches places with her, allowing her now to sit next to the large black man.
"You're listening in on someone, aren't you?" she asks.
His response is a smile, and a pat on the knee to his friend from the west coast.
"Hold on just a second," he tells her, and his eyes glaze again as his attention is elsewhere. Kate simply nods her head in understanding. A minute later, he taps her knee again, interrupting her conversation with Castle.
"As you surmised, I was listening in elsewhere," he tells her. "When I had Mrs. Simmons in my possession, I planted a bug on her purse. And on her coat. I have been listening in on Simmons' conversations."
"With his mother?" she asks.
"Not exactly," he remarks. "I've been waiting for him to get close to the docks, where I know he will be boarding his little cruise ship and getting out of Dodge, so to speak."
"Why do you care?" Castle asks. "I mean, I figure you let him go, so you're finished with him."
"Not entirely," Crockett chuckles, and once again he lets a bit of the familiar menace seep through.
"He wanted an earlier exchange," Crockett continues. "I asked him for an hour delay. That gave me time to go visit his ship, where Alexis had been held."
"And?" Kate asks.
"And I left him a small gift," Crockett tells them. "Actually three small gifts."
Kate places her hand over her mouth quickly, while Castle simply whistles in amazement.
"A message," Castle mutters.
"Indeed, a very loud one," Crockett laughs again, then holds a hand up asking both of them for silence as he listens in once more.
"Excuse me, my friends, but they are at the docks," he tells them. He takes out his telephone, and dials a phone number. It rings once, then goes dead. His laughter shakes the room.
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At that exact instant at the docks in New York City
The explosion knocks Vulcan Simmons and his mother backwards on the pier where they stand, some one hundred yards from his ship. The second explosion causes them to cower on the ground, covering their eyes, while the third explosion rips through the lower half of the craft. Screams are heard all along the docks as objects from the ship are airborne and hurtling through the skies in all directions.
"The bastard," Simmons whispers, half marveling and half crying at the sight of his magnificent ship in flames, docked at the pier.
Seconds later, his phone begins ringing. He pulls out the device. This cannot be a coincidence. He answers the call on the third ring.
"Hello," Simmons answers.
"Mr. Simmons," Willie Crockett greets him. "I apologize for not giving your beautiful craft the full burial at sea that it deserves, but I have done you a great favor."
"Please enlighten me in how the destruction of my ship is a favor to me," Simmons reacts bitterly. "And don't give me any insurance talk."
"You have an opportunity now, Mr. Simmons," Crockett continues without pausing. "The world thinks you are dead. Your ship is in flames. Word will get out from the police that you were behind the kidnapping. You have a chance at freedom, now."
"And why would you do me this favor?" Simmons asks.
"Because you were supposed to die at my hands tonight, Mr. Simmons," Crockett tells him. Simmons cannot see the smile on Crockett's face at this moment, as Crockett now knows he has the man's full attention.
"I noticed when you called your . . . partner, I will call him . . . or her . . . earlier this evening when we made the exchange," Crockett continues. "I noticed – even with the distortion – the element of surprise in the voice on the other end. A surprise that I believe came because this person expected you to not survive the exchange. I believe that whoever had you kidnap Miss Castle had dual purposes. One, they wanted Miss Castle for a few days. I have yet to figure out why. But I will."
Crockett pauses for a few seconds, noting the silence on the other end.
"Still with me, Mr. Simmons?" he asks, chuckling.
"Yeah, I'm here," Simmons responds, and his tone tells Willie Crockett that Simmons is buying the theory. It only makes sense.
"The second part of the plan, though, was to get rid of you. Somehow, you have outlived your usefulness to this person. They figured I would get rid of you. And now, through your perceived death on your beloved ship, I have done so. To prove my theory . . . let me ask you a question, Mr. Simmons. Does it strike you as odd that you were told to give Miss Castle up so quickly? Why take her in the first place?"
"Why would you do this? Why help me?" Simmons asks, and his questions confirm that he is, in fact, fully bought in now.
"Because my boss will – someday – have use for you," Crockett tells him. "And I suspect that day will come sooner than you think. Keep this number handy, Mr. Simmons. And when I call again, answer. If I have to come looking for you, it will end differently."
With that, Crockett hangs up the call, and turns his attention back to a now incredulous Kate Beckett and Richard Castle.
"I suppose an explanation is in order," he laughs.
"You could say that," Castle replies, confusion on his face.
"Mr. Simmons, indeed, did not act of his own accord during the past day," Crockett begins. "He answers to someone. I suspect he knows who that someone is, but today – even in my presence – he was too afraid of this person to give them up. I have beaten down his crew, terrorized his mother, and now destroyed his beloved getaway. In the next few days and weeks, he will tell me everything I need to know."
"And then what?" Kate asks.
"And then, it is up to Mr. Carlos, as I told you already," Willie responds. "But Mr. Carlos likes having as much information at his disposal as possible."
"Yes . . . but you told Simmons that you would have use of him," Castle reminds him. "Which means Sam will have use for him."
"That is true," Crockett replies. "One can never have too many sources."
"But this source took my daughter!" Castle exclaims, trying to understand what has just transpired.
"No, Rick," Crockett corrects him. "This source just returned your daughter. Normally when someone is taken, it ends badly. That did not occur. I am convinced it did not occur because it was never intended to occur."
"They always meant to return her," Kate nods her head appreciatively.
"Yes, Kate," Crockett tells her. "But the question is why?"
"You don't know," she asks.
"I do not know," he confirms. "And that is the missing piece that bothers me . . . and will bother Mr. Carlos."
"By the way, we should call the police precinct now," Castle reminds the others. "Let them know Alexis is home safe and sound."
"Yes, do that now," Crockett agrees. "And thank you for agreeing not to call the police until I got here. That will also be my cue to leave."
"Where are you going?" Kate asks, glancing at her watch.
"I have a plane to catch at the airport," Willie smiles. "With a bit of luck and little jet stream, I can be back in bed before 1 a.m."
Crockett stands, and suddenly the weight of all the hours and all of the activities finally takes its toll. Both can see how exhausted their friend is.
"You will be in bed, but not your own," Castle tells him, standing and leading the larger man toward the stairs.
"There is a guest room upstairs and that is where you will sleep tonight," Castle continues. "You need rest, your pilot needs rest, and I am not taking 'no' for an answer."
"Let's go, Willie," Kate states firmly, as she, too, now pulls the larger man along. A genuine smile breaks out on this face as he considers the friends in this room. He is a man of few friends, but he considers those in this room – save Martha Rodgers – to be exactly that.
Friends.
He raises his hands in mock surrender, still smiling.
"I will go willingly," he tells them, bringing smiles to their faces as well.
"And understand, Willie, I will consider it an affront, an insult to wake up in the morning and find you have left during the night."
"Understood," Crockett replies with a military salute. Alexis chuckles as she runs up to the man, catching him at the stairs, and pulling herself into another grateful hug.
"Thank you, again, Willie," she tells them man, holding him a little longer before releasing him and running up the stairs to her room, her emotions taking over.
"Finally hitting her," Crockett tells the duo.
"I know," Kate says, squeezing the hand of her fiancé who is only now putting it together.
"Let's call Javi and Kevin," Kate tells him. "Let's tell them the good news. We have a wedding to go to."
"We can't tell them everything," Castle tells her.
"We won't," she agrees. "They will know we are hiding something. I wouldn't be surprised if Gates wants to keep us an extra day, just for questioning. They won't like this."
"I don't care," Castle tells her.
"Oh, neither do I, babe," she agrees. "Just understand, they aren't going to buy the whole 'they just returned her without getting anything out of it' story."
"No, I can't expect they would," he agrees.
"Good night, you two," Crockett tells them as he begins to climb the stairs. "I will see you both in the morning."
"Good night, Willie," Castle calls out, watching the large man lumber up the stairs. It is the first time either of them have seen the big man show anything but strength.
"One day," Kate marvels. "All of this in one day," she continues as she dials the familiar number for Javier Esposito. The phone rings twice.
"Javi," she begins. "I have great news."
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A/N: One more chapter. A climax that resets things considerably for our friends once they get back home.