Here be Dragons!
Chapter 41
Kate felt bad about this but it was the only way. Espo left with Lanie while Ryan left with Jenny. Espo was driving Rick's Mercedes and sure enough, all the press that was mobile enough and recognized his car took off after him. The rest either suspected it was a decoy or they were on foot and couldn't follow.
Then Ryan and Jenny drove away after walking outside, going down into the garage after getting the number from Rick, then waited a couple of minutes and went back out. That had everyone else that was mobile enough to race off after them.
The car had very little trunk space, however, they were thinking at most a week so Kate didn't need that many clothes. Besides they had a washer and dryer. Rick put it into gear and drove out in his Ferrari and no one spotted it was them.
Kate had her laptop in her lap and the battery should last long enough to make the trip. Then they could plug it in.
"A Ferrari? You've been holding out on me, Castle. Just so you know I'm driving this home." Kate typed and glared at him after she was done.
"What's mine is yours right after we get married," Rick replied.
Kate thought for a moment that she should ask about a prenup. It was just that she had found him after she didn't know how long. Even if Castle did somehow manage to actually murder someone she would still love him and never divorce him so she didn't say anything.
"Don't worry, the service will be there in moments to pick up Alexis and Mother and bring them out here. All the mobile press should be gone by now," Rick assured her and just to make sure he looked in his mirrors to make certain they weren't being followed.
Moments later Rick, Kate, and Alexis who was still in the loft got a signal from their cell phones. Only Alexis and Kate could look since Castle was driving.
Kate, though, could show him who was at the front door. "Gina! What the hell is she doing there? Angry about how I went over her head to get those books, maybe?" It was about all Rick could think of at the moment.
He had at least sat there and signed books as everyone in the loft took a box and handed him books one at a time from each and every box then put them back into said box. With their help it actually hadn't taken him all that long. Everyone got a demonstration of how Castle signed books at his book signings.
"Please hold it up so I can talk," Rick asked her. Yes, it was cool outside so the top was up and it was as quiet as it was going to get for a Ferrari. "What do you want, Gina?"
"Open the door, Rick, we need to talk," Gina finally called out after looking around and not really seeing him or anything that resembled a speaker.
"Can't. I'm not home, Gina. You'll have to come back later," Rick said. Only to see her start pounding on the door.
"Open the damn door, Rick," Gina yelled.
"I'm telling you I'm not there, Gina. You're on camera. There's one in the door." Rick knew that wasn't the only camera she was on. "The only thing in there are the 450 signed books compliments of Black Pawn." That was technically a lie since Alexis was also in there and probably watching all of this on her cell phone.
However, that didn't pacify Gina who began kicking the door and shrieking at him to open the damn door.
"For the last time, I'm not home, Gina. Hang up on her." Rick looked Kate who killed the speaker and changed to watching her.
Eventually Gina stormed away and found herself surrounded by what was left of the press or paparazzi and peppered her with questions. Since she represented Black Pawn she answered two of them then stormed away.
"Is she always like that?" Kate typed out her question.
"Gina? I don't know what her problem is this time. She's a very good editor but as to what else is going on with her I have no idea. Maybe it's PMS," Rick suggested.
"That was not PMS, Castle, and since I'm pregnant you haven't seen PMS yet," Kate informed him.
"I look forward to the baby and your PMS." Rick glanced at her quickly and smiled then it was eyes back on the road.
Kate almost wanted to be angry at him, but she loved him too damn much for that. "9 weeks." Kate types out.
"I don't care if its a boy or a girl. Just that it will be ours," Rick told her.
Kate wasn't sure why but that went straight to her heart and was causing tears to start until his cell phone rang. She reached across to search for it and he giggled a little. She stopped for a moment and filed away that Castle was ticklish.
Kate pressed accept and held up the phone. She loved the Ferrari but it really wasn't very practical and was starting to be a pain.
"Hello, Henry." Rick knew who it was which was why he had accepted the call. Up until then all the other calls had been press or worse calling him. He was going to need a new number soon.
"You and Kate are certainly in the news. They aren't focusing on you but somehow they know you two are involved," Henry remarked.
"Well technically we were in the area so they aren't wrong. Is this why you are calling?" Rick's eyes moved as he checked all the Ferrari's mirrors. Still clear, thank goodness.
Henry cleared his throat. "No, I'm calling as you asked to remind you to go get your marriage license."
Kate took the phone away from Rick and slumped in her seat. Why did getting married have to be so damn difficult?
Rick reached over to lift up Kate's hand again. "We're driving to the Hamptons. Kate's doctor has ordered her not to talk so going now would be useless anyway. How much time do we have?"
"You have 24 hours to sign your marriage license before getting married. You can do the marriage but it won't be legal until you get one and sign it and have the minister sign it per New York State law," Henry advised them.
"We only plan on being in the Hamptons to get away from everything for a week so we still have time. Thanks, Henry." Rick was done and Kate started to take the phone away.
"One more thing," Henry called out which had Kate lifting the phone back up. "Katherine Beckett's paperwork for adopting Alexis after the wedding is ready. She just needs to come by and sign it then she'll have legal standing in the handling of Alexis until she reaches the age of 18." Kate was now smiling wide.
"Thanks, Henry. Don't forget to come to the wedding," Rick reminded him.
"Got my invitation in the mail today, actually. Already sent back my RSVP. Have a pleasant time in the Hamptons." Henry hung up on them.
"Find him and call him back for me, please," Rick asked her.
"Richard?" He had just talked to him.
"Is the plan for Gina in place?" Rick inquired.
"All set, she won't know what hit her if she tries to interfere. Again have a pleasant trip." Henry hung up on him again.
Kate kept his phone and her fingers raced over the laptop's keyboard. "What did you do, Castle?"
"You'll be angry if I tell you." Rick didn't want her angry at him and he didn't want Gina interfering with his wedding.
"I'll be angry if you don't tell me." Kate turned to look at him.
"Gina is my editor and she's good at her job. However, she doesn't own Black Pawn. If she tries to attend the wedding without an invitation, and you can't sign the guest book without one, she has to answer to Sir Walter Bishop, President of Black Pawn, who has his own invitation. What he does is anyone's guess. Henry's involved because he'll have a formal complaint letter ready for me to sign if Gina does something," Rick explained. "He will then deliver it to Walter."
Kate thought about that and while she thought it was a bit too much, she didn't know Gina and hadn't ever met her. She only knew what she had been told so she kept silent.
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Kate's laptop was still working by the time they arrived and this time Rick put the car in the garage which wasn't connected to the house. Going inside they found the heat was on and Rick had already told her that he had arranged for a week's worth of food to be delivered.
"The perks of living in the Hamptons," was all Rick would tell her.
It looked the same as ever to Kate. The grass wasn't green any longer given that it was late October in the Hamptons. However, the beach and the water was just beyond.
"Alexis and Mother won't be here for a few hours. What do you suggest we do?" Rick was actually shocked when she showed him her little camera and was biting her bottom lip.
Rick quickly found out that Kate had a kinky side to her while making love.
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They were still both naked and in bed, though resting and looking at Kate's camera when the front door open and they heard Alexis calling out. That had both of them scrambling to find clothes and get downstairs.
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Alexis was sitting next to Martha and both were looking at the sonogram of Kate's baby. Alexis understood the concept of a baby well enough. Though seeing a picture of Kate's baby in her womb was something else.
"How big is it?" Alexis queried.
Kate was sitting in a chair since that was where there was an outlet for her computer. "Sixteen mm in that picture. Should be twenty-two mm by now or more. There's even a heartbeat." Her baby was alive!
"Why are you crying?" Alexis saw tears on Kate's face. That had Kate lifting a hand to check and sure enough she found tears. She had no idea why.
Martha leaned closer to Alexis. "Hormones, dear." Martha knew all about those. That was enough for Alexis to understand.
"A little cool to be outside. Dinner is hours away. Do we risk going into town? In a Ferrari." Rick hung his head since he had a plan to get out of the city but not for them being here and getting around.
"Hearts, spades…poker?" Kate offers as she types.
"I'll get the cards." Alexis jumped up after giving her picture of Kate's baby to Grams.
Soon everyone was at the table and waiting for Alexis. Kate even had her computer plugged in so she could talk.
Alexis came back and put a set of cards on the table. "I couldn't find playing cards but I found Boom Goes the Dynamite." Kate had already played the other card game.
"It should take about 3 minutes to learn the game. Basically you're using numbered cards to adjust the fuse time before the dynamite blows up on you," Alexis tried to explain.
THE MISSION: Ignite as many matches as you can by using special action cards, strategy, your memory, and a little bit of luck.
THE TWIST: The cards in the matchbox are constantly changing and sometimes everything explodes!
TO WIN: You will have to think fast as you race against the timer, outsmart your family and friends as you combine action cards, and hope that you're the one that gets to say, "BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE"
They played until it was time to make dinner. Alexis and Rick showed that they knew how to play this game. Still it was fun and Kate found herself liking the family concept of playing as a family. Something she hadn't done in a really long time.
Dinner turned out to be potatoes with asparagus on top and grilled salmon on top of that. Combined with Raspberry Limeade drinks.
After dinner Martha excused herself and went to her room while Rick, Kate, and Alexis sat down to watch a movie. After it was over that left Rick and Kate alone on the sofa. "Alexis and Mother need to go back since Alexis has school. The question is do we go back with them?"
Kate shrugged. "Do we really have a choice? I don't like hiding even if being here is nice. I'll still be on medical leave for weeks. We can't live here that long."
"Then I'll call for a car service tomorrow morning for Alexis and Mother. Sounds like Lanie will have to wait," Rick responded.
"She'll forgive me. Plus we still have a lot of wedding things to finish," Kate typed out for Rick to hear her.
"Shopping in town first? Just you and me or just go home?" Rick questioned her.
"Is there anything in town that we need?" Kate meant for the wedding.
Kate didn't get her answer since her phone rang. Rick saw who so he answered it for her when she handed it to him. "Kate Beckett's phone, Richard Castle speaking." Kate glared at him for that.
"Castle? I was calling for Kate," Joanne told him.
"Kate can't speak right now so I'm answering. Can I help you with something?" Rick asked her.
"We need to talk. I need to tell you something. It's about Smith," Joanne said nervously.
Rick sat up straighter. "Are you in trouble?"
"Possibly." Joanne was actually a little scared.
Kate took her phone from him and put it on her computer. "What has he done, Joanne?"
"Kate? You sound funny," Joanne commented. "It's not so much what he's done as who he is."
Kate watched Rick take out his phone and saw him scroll until he found what he wanted and showed it to her.
"Joanne, I want you to call this number and have her come get you. Tell her I said for her to. Her name is Jordan Shaw and she can protect you. Here is her number. Have you got that?" Kate questioned her.
Joanne breathed a sigh of relief. "I've got it."
"Do it now. Right after we hang up. She doesn't know anything about what we are so be careful," Kate warned her.
"I'm always careful about that unless they're like us," Joanne confirmed.
"I'm hanging up now. We'll be back in the city tomorrow. Call her." Kate ended the call.
"What was that about?" Rick inquired since having Joanne involved in this mess was a new twist.
"So much for going into town. We need to get back to the city. Call Espo and Ryan and warn them," Kate asked since she was still typing out her words.
Kate sat back and listened to Castle call Espo and Ryan and warned them that events were forcing them back into the city.
"I want out of this rabbit hole. What is going on?" Kate had about enough of this.
"We're missing something. With Roy gone we should at least not be two steps behind all the time now. So what are we missing?" Rick queried.
"The guy behind all this. What is he trying to gain?" Kate questioned since what he was doing wasn't inexpensive.
"He has access to a Lockwood. He has access to men willing to break him out of a courthouse. Willing to steal a helicopter and know that it's available. Pay Riker 50k then kill him to silence him. That money came from banks in the Middle East. Even Lockwood showed up with three men willing to kill," Rick pointed out all this.
"We need everyone's financial records," Kate stated since she had an idea.
"The three cops kidnapped mobsters to ransom. So where did all that money go? They could have spent it all in Vegas or Atlantic City," Rick suggested.
Kate wasn't buying that even if it was possible. "I want to see where they lived. What they drove, what they spent their money on."
"If Jordan will let us. In her mind we're suspects now," Rick reminded her.
Kate arched an eyebrow. "Who says we ask her?"
"Get arrested while we're getting married. Good thing I love you." Rick leaned across to kiss her.
Kate turned off her computer and followed Castle up to their bedroom so they could make love.
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Alexis and Martha were gone and Kate was sitting in the passenger seat of the Ferrari. Rick had won the argument. She still needed her computer to talk for at least another few days. That meant she couldn't talk if she drove.
Kate typed as Rick drove. "I can't help but wonder what Joanne needs to talk to us about so badly."
"We should have done a background check on him." Rick brought it up again since he'd argued for it just after meeting him.
She kept the same argument as last time. "We didn't have cause to then."
Rick had new ammunition for his argument this time. "The guy who knows every shifter in the city including us now along with other shifter groups. The guy that could try and blackmail us or others and now Joanne wants to talk to us about him without him."
Kate remained silent for a moment since she knew he was right. At least he was right now. "You think he has something to do with all this?"
"That's something we need to find out. Right now the question is can we even live in the loft?" Rick stated as he began to drive into the city.
Kate couldn't believe it. "Forced out of my own home by the press."
"If we can't we'll need clothes. You have a little in the car while I have none," Rick mentioned.
"Could be fun. Forced to go naked all day," Kate teased him.
"Call Alexis for me. They should be home by now," Rick said since Kate had both phones.
"Hi, Dad." Alexis was happy to hear from him.
Kate held Rick's phone close to his face. "Tell us about the press; we're headed into the city. Something came up."
Alexis grimaced. "It's bad, worse than last time. We only got in thanks to Espo and Ryan. I'm not sure how I'm going to get to school like this."
"We need a plan." Rick glanced at Kate and she nodded. "Pack the largest suitcases you and Mother have. It looks like we may need to live somewhere else for now possibly. Kate and I will talk about it."
"Okay, Dad." Alexis hung up on him.
Rick and Kate remain silent until they weren't all that far away from the loft.
Kate tried to think this through while she typed. "You know if I'm still a target they can't risk it as long as the loft is surrounded and I'm still on medical leave. Plus we have your security system."
"The more they know where we are the sooner the press will get bored and go find something else to talk about. We just need food mostly to outlast them." Rick agreed to her idea. "But we're still doing a background check on that Smith guy."
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Rick saw an opening and took it. He drove down the ramp, and input the code to get into the underground parking garage, and parked the Ferrari. Both of them were soon up in the loft and being hugged by Alexis.
"Why are they so interested in us?" Alexis didn't see the appeal.
"It's still in the news. Once something else rears its ugly head they'll go away," Rick said hopefully.
"The FBI is involved and that makes it a story. Maybe if we could convince Jordan to make a statement?" Kate types out for all to hear.