Here be Dragons!
Chapter 24
"Castle?" the man standing in front of Kate questioned. Kate was holding a box filled with letter and turned to see two more people holding boxes just like hers filled with letters.
"His fans love him." Kate handed over her box to him.
Espo stepped up. "What about Tisdale? Any connection?" Kate asked him.
"Besides your boy there." Espo nodded his head behind her toward Roy's office.
"Detective Beckett." Roy motioned for her to join him and Castle in his office.
"Sir." Kate couldn't think of why Castle would be here. She had left his loft with both of them happy. Well, all three of them happy if you counted Alexis. She'd been noncommittal about joining them at his house in the Hamptons. A few more stories mostly about Alexis and she had excused herself and gone home.
"Mr. Castle has offered to assist in this investigation," Roy told her and saw a smiling Castle behind her captain.
"Really." Kate was going to kill him the next time they were alone.
"The least I could do for the city I love," Rick smiled at her.
"The mayor likes it and I think it's a good idea." Roy thought his word was final and moved toward his desk.
"Sir, can I talk to you for a minute? …In private," Kate asked him since she was sure this was not a good idea.
"Nope." Roy shook his head and headed for his desk.
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Rick found himself sitting at a table filled with letters. He and Kate were going through each and every one of them while wearing gloves. He kept peeking over this letter to look at Kate.
"What?" Kate wasn't a fan of being observed like he was doing.
"Alexis was insistent that I talk you into coming out to the Hamptons with us one weekend. She won't take maybe for an answer," Rick said with a hopeful smile.
Kate did like Alexis. She had learned a lot about herself and Castle during that one short visit. "We discussed this. I have a dead body and a killer to find," Kate replied.
"And I think I just might have found him." Kate showed him the new letter she had just picked up. It had a dead body with rose petals around it and sunflowers over the eyes.
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"System got prints off the letter." Kate hung up the phone.
"Who?" Rick queried as he was sitting with Espo and just talking.
"The system's backlogged. It'll take them a week," Kate declared.
"A week!?" That amount of time didn't sit well with Rick.
"Welcome to real life, Castle." Kate kept working while Rick took out his phone.
"I told you the major's a fan." Rick walked away while he talked to the mayor. When he came back he said, "You'll have your prints in an hour."
"Castle." Kate was going to give him a piece of her mind. Gold Dragon or not.
"Beckett, we got another one. Midtown," an officer called out which had all of them up and moving.
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"Death of a Prom Queen." Rick saw the dead body floating in a pool with a knife in her back.
"Found her an hour ago," Kate was told.
"Okay, get her out of the water." Kate had seen enough and they had pictures.
Kate with Castle right behind her walked past Lanie since she'd only just gotten to the body now that it was out of the water.
Then her cell phone rang and she listened to who was on the phone. "The prints are in. Kyle Cabot, he lives in Brooklyn." Kate strode to her car with Espo, Ryan, and Castle right behind her.
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"Stay here," Kate ordered since he was in her car.
"Have you lost your mind?" Rick got out of the car and followed the first officer into the building. Kate huffed out her annoyance and ran to catch up. Moments later she was kicking in the door and the team spread out to search the place.
Kate saw Richard Castle books and pictures of her victims and markings all over. An officer found something. "Beckett, you have to see this."
It was a closet filled with all things Richard Castle. "OH, that's creepy!" Rick looked past everyone to see inside.
A sudden noise got everyone going to a different door. Inside they found a man pounding his back up against the wall.
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Rick listened to Kate and Roy explain that they had their guy. "But the reader would never buy it. It's too simple. It would never even get published. The story makes no sense." Rick wasn't buying it and ended up alone looking at the guy, lost in space, banging his back against the chair back.
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Rick's writer poker buddies gave him an idea of just what to do. He didn't leave prints at the murder scene but offered up his prints in a letter. It wasn't adding up in his mind.
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"Castle?" He was sitting at her desk and the case was solved.
"The rose petals were Krenda Flora not Hybrid Tea," Rick told her.
"Meaning?" That meant nothing to Kate.
"The type of person you think Kyle Cabot is wouldn't make that kind of mistake. He's obsessive and has to get everything right. Everything should be perfect. Like the dress should be blue instead of yellow. If he's what you think, he wouldn't or couldn't make that kind of mistake," Rick explained.
This had Kate putting her murder board back together and looked at it again with Castle's new eyes.
"So he starts with a murder of convenience, then he murders someone he knows very well, and he goes back to a murder of convenience. It doesn't make any sense." Kate was missing something.
"Someone knew about Kyle. Knew what he was capable of and used him. Kyle was on drugs right, but you saw him. He was so out of it he didn't even know his own name. But he knows enough to kill like my books. …I think we're looking for a good old fashioned murderer," Rick asserted while he looked at the same board.
"If I was writing a story, our killer would have wanted one of these dead. The others would be to throw off the police. Besides he has a patsy that the police will love as their killer," Rick remarked.
"At one death you look for motive. At two you look for a connection. At three you are looking for a serial killer and serial killers are already unstable," Kate mentioned since she was following his thinking.
"Allison, out of all our victims is the only one that knew about his obsessive behavior," Kate said.
"So Allison's the target. The rest of these are dead to lead the police astray. So why would anyone want Allison dead? Who does she know that would want her dead?" Rick queried.
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"Mr. Tisdale, thank you for seeing us." Kate was happy he was in his office.
Rick fired off his first question. "Did Allison have anyone that would want her dead?"
"Mr. Castle, I may have money, however, my daughter did not. She insisted on doing things in her life her way. She didn't want a silver spoon," Tisdale responded.
Rick had another question. "You're listed at having a hundred million dollars. Who gets all that money if something happens to you?"
"Half of the money goes to my charitable institutions and the other half would go to my children," Tisdale divulged.
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Kate pounced on Castle. "What was all that about?" She hadn't seen anything.
Rick offered her a clue. "Did you see those pictures in his office? He's thin now, like sick thin. And the way he kept touching his hair. He's dying, Kate."
"You think it's a piece?" Kate hadn't suspected anything.
"It's a good one, but it's new to him and he's wearing makeup. My mother's an actress. I grew up backstage of more theaters than you've ever been in your life. What he's using is stage makeup, meant to hide anything." Rick informs her.
"He's trying to look healthier than he is. Chemo from cancer treatments," Kate said.
"But it's as much better story. Did you interview the brother since he gets half the money now instead of a quarter," Rick inquired.
"There was no reason to," Kate answered.
"Well now there is. …And I want a hot dog." There was a little corner hot dog stand right there and his stomach was telling him he was hungry.
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"He flies out on his own passport, flies back on the fake one, and commits murder. Then flies back to come home on his real passport," Kate said.
"Fake passports are incredibly easy to get on the black market. Especially in New York City. Trust me I know." He had had to do just that for a book.
"Perfect alibi, perfect murder. Even his credit cards will say he was out of the country." Rick still loved the brother for it.
Kate picked up the phone. "Judge Markway, please."
"Ohh, Markway. Tell him I said hello." Rick smiled at her. Kate still had a lot to learn about him.
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With a signed search warrant from Markway Rick and Kate raced to his home before the brother could destroy his fake passport and anything else he had.
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Kate saw him going down the fire escape. "Stop, Police!"
"I got him, I got him." Rick was running headlong down the alley after watching the brother come down the fire escape.
"Castle!" A bullet might not do anything to him as a Dragon but it would kill him as a human.
Rick put the brother on the ground and Kate had him cuffed. She was furious with Castle. Kate shoved him up against the wall. "What were you thinking? He could have killed you!" She had only just met a real shifter who also happens to be a Dragon. Worse, her Dragon was still yelling at her to kiss him.
"The safety was on the whole time. Besides I got a confession, didn't I?" Rick said smugly.
"You know, you could have told me." Okay, she wasn't as angry, but she was still upset with him.
"Where's the fun in that," Rick smirked.
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Kate knocked on Roy's door and entered. "You wanted to see me, sir?"
"Apparently you have a fan," Roy told her.
"A fan, sir?" She didn't have a fan.
"Rick Castle. Seems he has found a character for his next novel. A smart, tough, and savvy female homicide detective."
"I'm flattered?" Kate said uncertainly.
"We'll see. He says he has to do research," Roy mentioned.
"Sir?" He wasn't about to say what she thought he was, was he?
"He did help solve this case and when the mayor's happy, the commissioner's happy. And when the commissioner's happy, I'm happy," Roy informed her.
"How long, sir?" Suddenly finding her first shifter who also happened to be a Gold Dragon just like her wasn't quite as appealing any longer.
"That's up to him." Roy nodded his head at Castle who was right behind her.
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Kate had wanted to ask him just what he thought he was doing the rest of that day. However Castle hadn't stayed all that long and she had a lot of paperwork to do to finish up her last case.
Her next trip to Castle's loft wasn't nearly as scary. Mostly because she was going to give him a piece of her mind this time. Instead of softly knocking she pounded on his front door, maybe hoping no one answered. This time she wanted Castle right in front of her so she could start on him.
Instead of getting Castle she got… "KATE!" Alexis was really happy to see her. "Come in, come in." Alexis closed and locked the door behind her. "Dad's in the kitchen cooking. You are staying for dinner," the teen informed her. Kate got the impression that she wasn't being asked but being told.
"Dad, Kate's here." Alexis walked into the kitchen and collected a plate, silverware, a glass, and a napkin to go on the table. Kate was joining them for dinner.
"Detective Beckett," Rick beamed. "Your timing is excellent. I think I have enough for four. Hope you like Spaghetti Bolognese. The sauce is homemade. None of that jar stuff."
Kate saw Rick cooking and Alexis was setting her a place at the table. She'd come there angry and yet suddenly she wasn't angry any longer. She really didn't understand how that had happened.
"Five minutes, pumpkin," Rick called out.
"I'll get Grams." Alexis walked to the stairs and hurried up them.
"Pumpkin?" Since she wasn't angry any longer she had a question.
"When Alexis was little she was this little bundle of baby with an amazingly full head of orange hair. Reminded me of a pumpkin so I started using it. Now it's sort of a code for I love you. Alexis doesn't seem to mind so long as I don't over use it. Especially in public. I'm not supposed to embarrass her in public," Rick explained.
Kate could actually see that. Being called Pumpkin in public, especially in front of her friends would be so very embarrassing.
"Katherine!" A new voice had Kate turning away from Castle to see a thin older woman who had seriously red hair come walking down the stairs followed by Alexis. She was wearing a wild pant suit the likes of which Kate had never seen before. The print itself was wild enough. However, her pants and the jacket that she was wearing were both the same. Under the jacket was an aqua top. She had a massive necklace on that matched the colors she was wearing. She also saw a huge green colored ring on her finger. The sound of heels had her looking to see black high heels.
Kate watched her walk right to her and before she knew it she found herself in a hug she hadn't felt since before her mother had died. It had this woman was a mother written all over that hug. If it lasted much longer she was going to start to cry. Kate even found herself hugging her back and suddenly missed her arms when she stopped.
"Mother, this is Detective Beckett. Detective, this is my mother, Martha."
"I am so happy to finally get to meet you. These two have not stopped talking about you. I just had to meet the woman that has captured these two's hearts," Martha stated.
"Mother!" Rick was embarrassed by his mother yet again.
"What? It's true. Just listening to you two talk about her I was expecting a goddess and she's gorgeous," Martha countered what her son was thinking.
"Well I'm off. I have a date," Martha announced.
"Grams?" Alexis took exception to this turn of events.
"I'm sorry, dear, but I have plans. I'm sure you and your father can make Katherine feel like this place is home. My purse!" Martha turned and went back up the stairs.
"Dad?" Her father had to try and stop her from leaving. They were going to have dinner with Kate now that she was here.
"My apologies. My mother has a very free spirit and bashful is something she is not," Rick told Kate knowing he stood no chance at stopping her.
Kate watched as Martha came back with a black clutch for a purse.
"It has been a joy meeting you, Katherine." Kate got a mini hug and a kiss to her cheek.
"Please call me Kate," Kate asked her.
"Nonsense! Someone as regal as you is not a Kate. Far too simple a name. Don't wait up for me. I'm off." Martha waved her arms wide and headed for the door. "Toodles!" She waved a hand without turning around and exited the loft.
"That was Mother," Rick stated.
"She didn't say anything about having a date." Alexis was hurt. Now that Kate was here she wanted a full family dinner.
"That's your grandmother, you should know that by now." Rick hugged her with one arm. "Grab a plate and dish out what you want to eat. We're not really very formal around here," Rick said mostly to Kate.
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"So tell me your version. Dad told me his for his first case with you," Alexis asked Kate when they sat down with an unused space that had Martha written all over it.
"You don't really have to tell her anything," Rick said while looking at Kate.
"She does, too. I know you, Dad. Your grandiose story about the case contained virtually no facts. It was all story seen from your eyes so I want to hear Kate's version." Alexis fought back and stared at Kate, waiting for her to start.
GREAT! Where did she begin? "Well first, I have met your father before. I was just a 15 year old teenager." Kate left out the flat chested part since she wanted to forget about that part. She had wanted to be a woman and that meant breasts and she had nearly nothing. At least in her eyes.
"REALLY!" Okay this was better than their first case and Alexis was all in.
"What?" Rick stopped eating and stared at her. That wasn't possible. He would remember meeting a shifter that was a Dragon prior to this.
"My mother bought one of your books." Which was a lie since her mother was a huge fan and had bought all of his books but she wasn't going to tell him that just now. "Then she dragged me to one of your book signings here in the city. I was a normal teenager who didn't want to go and didn't care. I never left the front door and waited for her to get in line and get her book signed and then we left. So I suppose you could say we've met before even if he never did see me. Even I from where I was didn't see much of him."
"I met your mother?" Rick couldn't believe it. If Kate had just come a lot closer their past could have been so much different.
"You should have gone inside!" Alexis couldn't believe this. Fifteen years ago meant she would have been maybe a year old at the time. If her dad had met her back then she might have had a mother and it would have been Kate. An actual real mother! Two shifter Dragons for parents growing up! That would have been so very cool.
Okay, so maybe a fifteen year old kid wouldn't have made much of a mother, but they could have dated for years and she could have grown up thinking Kate was her mother instead of Meredith. So much time lost. Maybe that was the part that hurt so much.
"Don't think about it too hard, Alexis. When I was fifteen I was a nobody doing nothing. I was a year shy of my really horrible teens. I did things that were incredibly stupid. I might have done something even more stupid if I'd met your father then." Kate remembered those years. She would have been even more scared, probably gotten pregnant, maybe on purpose just so nothing happened.
Rick, however, couldn't believe he came that close to meeting a shifter that was a Dragon and missed her by a few feet.
"So where are your mom and dad now?" Alexis was interested in meeting them. If she had missed growing up with them she wanted to meet them now.
"Dad's in the city. He's a lawyer. Mom's gone now." Talking about her mom still hurt and this was about as far as she was going with these two, for now at least.
"NO!" Suddenly Alexis felt like she had been stabbed and didn't understand why. It wasn't her mother but for some reason Kate's mother meant a lot to her.
Rick had thought earlier that she was hurting over something. He just hadn't thought it was because she had lost her mother. He was betting she'd been murdered. Her story made sense to him now. She was a homicide detective because of her mother. He was betting there was a really big story in there somewhere.