Shared Obsession Chapter 7
Castle shifts restlessly in the passenger seat of Kate's unit. While he's begun to develop an appreciation for Detective Beckett's perception, he's not at all convinced of the NYPD's general competency. And how long does it take to arrest someone? It's been a long time, too long. His peripheral vision just catches the motion as a man emerges from a nearby alley. Damn! It's Harrison Tisdale! Castle could call Beckett's cell, but by the time she gets to Tisdale, it will be too late. He shoves open his door.
At first, Tisdale is just strolling down the sidewalk. Castle figures he must be trying to look like a casual pedestrian. Too casual. New Yorkers don't stroll, they hustle to get wherever it is they're going, surging across intersections at the earliest possible opportunity. Not entirely sure what he'll do when he catches up, Castle walks swiftly after the suspect.
Glancing over his shoulder, Harrison takes off at a run, with Castle picking up the pace behind him. Rather than continuing on the sidewalk, Harrison darts into another alley, pounding through garbage strewn around a dumpster. "Dead end, Tisdale," Castle shouts as a wrought iron gate blocks Harrison's path. "A squad of police will be here any minute, and you've got nowhere left to run. After the Castle fanatic show you put on, you could probably plead insanity. You might even get away with it."
"He's not getting away with anything," Kate declares as she enters the alley, training her gun on Harrison. "Give it up, Tisdale. I've got this whole area surrounded."
Grabbing his weapon from his belt, Harrison jerks Castle in front of him and points the gun at his head. "I'm leaving here, right now, or I'll blow your writer pal's brains out."
"And who are you going to blame that on, Harrison?" Castle demands. "You already tried to pin three murders on an innocent man, one you thought couldn't fight back. And you killed your own sister. How much lower can you go?"
Harrison's face flames as his hands tremble with anger. "You don't know anything about it. It was always about Allison, Daddy's perfect little girl. Allison was selfless. Allison was kind. Allison was doing something for this world. Well, I was trying to do something too, build a business like the old man. But was he proud of me? No! And when I needed a little help, just a little help, he told me I had to make my own way, like he did. And then he let his little girl fuss over him, trying to get him to eat something, to beat his disease. He doesn't deserve to beat his disease. He deserves to go to Hell. So I sent him there, by taking the one person he actually loved." Harrison pokes Castle's temple with his gun barrel. "And I'll send this guy there too if you don't get out of my way."
Castle butts the back of his head against Harrison's face and grabs the gun, while Kate tackles the stunned murderer to the ground and cuffs him. After cursorily reading Harrison his rights, she pushes him off to two uniformed cops for transport. Her eyes flash as she turns to Castle. "Were you crazy, baiting him like that? He could have killed you too."
Castle grins, shaking his head. "He could have tried, but he would have screwed that up the way he did his murder scenes. The safety was on the whole time."
"And how did you know that, Castle?"
"My mother had a run as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun. She went through a tutorial on guns. She didn't have anything better to do with me, so I went with her. And I picked up more along the way as background for my books. It would have been hard to write "In a Hail of Bullets" without at least knowing how guns work."
"I guess so," Kate acknowledges. "How about that move of yours? More research?"
"I learned some stuff from the stunt guys on Mother's sets. I just had to make sure this blow would actually connect." Castle rubs the back of his head. "And it did. Ow!"
"We'll get you some ice at the precinct."
"So I'm coming with you?"
"You're a witness. I have to get your statement. I'm just glad that asshole didn't shoot you."
"That makes two of us."
From a stool at the Castle loft, Alexis stares skeptically at her father. "So you really got the murderer to confess and helped Detective Beckett arrest him?"
"That wasn't my original intent," Castle confesses, "but I did."
"So now what, Richard?" Martha questions. "Your copycat is in custody. Are you finished with following Detective Beckett around?"
Castle takes a swig from a bottle of beer. "I don't think so. After I killed off Storm, I wasn't sure I'd be able to find a new character. I mean, he was my alter ego of sorts."
"Except that he was taller, a PI, a spy, and could press 400 pounds," Alexis points out.
"Except for that. But I needed someone new and intriguing. I didn't think it would be a cop."
"Given the way you feel about cops, why would it be?" Martha queries.
"Because not all cops are uncaring incompetents. And I think behind that hard shell, Detective Beckett has a softer, sweeter, center. That makes her interesting."
"That and a face that could grace a magazine cover?" Martha presses.
"That doesn't hurt, but I know tons of beautiful women, including the ingenues you take under your wing, Mother. There's just something about Beckett I connect with."
Martha lays a hand on her son's arm. "Richard, you have two ex-wives. You've been hurt a lot. Are you sure you're not setting yourself up to be hurt again?"
"Mother, I just want Detective Beckett as a muse, not as the next Mrs. Castle."
Martha strikes a pose. "This above all: to thine own self be true."
"Said the man who got stabbed hiding behind a curtain," Castle retorts. "I've already talked to Bob Weldon. He's going to arrange it so I can shadow Detective Beckett as long as I want to, or at least long enough to get a book out of it. I'll see what happens."
"Dad, I don't want you getting killed," Alexis worries.
"I'll be fine," Castle declares. "Beckett won't let me get anywhere near the line of fire anyway."
Martha snorts. "Like she didn't today? While you're watching Beckett's ass, look out for your own."
"Please, Dad," Alexis chimes in.
Castle cups his daughter's cheek. "I will. I promise."
Kate looks questioningly at Montgomery as he hands her his flask. "What's this for?"
"You're not going to like what I tell you. I just got another call from the mayor. He said Castle is going to stay on to research his next book."
"Stay on for how long?"
"As long as he wants."
"Captain, I can't do my job if I have to play nursemaid to a civilian," Kate protests. "He already almost got himself killed."
"The mayor is having the lawyers put together a bunch of paperwork to free the city of any responsibility for what happens to him while he follows you around."
Kate takes a gulp from the flask. "Whether the city gets sued or not doesn't help me."
"But Castle might. He already steered you away from Kyle Cabot and towards Harrison Tisdale," Montgomery reminds her. "And he got the confession out of Tisdale. He could up your clearance rate, the precinct's clearance rate. That would mean more money in our budget, which would make life easier and probably safer for everyone around here. And we're already getting better press. Give him a chance, Beckett."
"Do I have a choice?"
"No, Detective," Montgomery returns, "you don't."