This chapter ends with some darkness

Beckett, Castle, And Drake have returned to the first floor while the local Crime Scene units are sweeping the room looking for any evidence that might help in the investigation

On the lobby level they approach the manager "We are needing to interview all the people who are here for the class reunion. Can we utilize an office or some other space?" Beckett asks

The manager tells them that they could use one of the empty meeting rooms. They need to set up as an office to conduct interviews and discuss the case. They only need a table and a couple of chairs as they will be bringing in most of Beckett's classmates to find out if one of them is the suspect or what they know about Ivy's murder

While they are getting a table and some chairs Kate's phone rings. Caller ID indicates 'Kevin Ryan' is on the line

"Hey, Ryan"

"Hey Beckett. Listen we went to CI software and they had been pretty much trashed"

"Was the software compromised?"

"Not that we can tell. But the offices tossed and the computers stolen"

"Wouldn't that mean the programs were compromised?"

"No. The programmer we met with said the workstations did not have the program. The software is on the servers"

"Where is that?"

"In a bank vault"

"Have you checked on them?"

"We a are trying to get in but Charles Ivy and the Chief Technical Officer are the only two who can access the room"

Beckett makes the obvious observation "Well Ivy is dead. Can you get the CTO?"

"We have not been able to find her. We went to her apartment but she is not there and the doorman said she left yesterday early and has not been back. She is missing

"Do you think there is fowl play involved?"

"We simply can't be sure but we have put out an APB on her"

Kate takes out her note pad "Give me her name and description and if she shows up here, I will let you know"

Ryan's next words brings surprise to Kate's face "Nancy Hopkins"

"What did say? Did you say Nancy Hopkins?"

"Yeah, why?" Ryan does not understand Beckett's response

"She is here…or at least she was here yesterday. In fact I met her. She was vey,,, angry about something. She seemed to have a bitter taste about men. She kept ranting about how men only want one thing from a woman"

Ryan finishes that remark "And we all know what that is?"

"Yeah. Listen. She may still be here. Castle and Detective Drake and I will look into that and we will get back to you"

"Got it boss"

Beckett ends the call and then looks back to her husband who has been busy setting up tables and moving chairs

"Hey babe" Kate speaks loud enough for her husband to hear

Rick stops moving furniture and walks to his wife.

Stake also notices the pet name she called Castle and smiles. He actually finds it sweet that these two are so together. What he has not told them is that he not only was a fan of Derrick Storm, but Nikki Heat as well. Over the years he found information on the love story that surrounded Castle and Beckett and how the media had played the game looking for cracks in the romance but were never able to find any crack in the love

And their loving banter is so reminiscent of his younger years. And the loss he suffered back so long before.

He mentally rejoins the conversation as Kate continues telling about her conversation with her team in New York "The offices of CI were robbed but whoever did it did not get to the servers"

"Why not?" Drake asks

"They are locked in a bank vault in the building so they were protected. Outside the bank itself, only Charles Ivey and his CTO, Nancy Hopkins can get in the vault"

Rick reacts "NANCY HOPKINS? Really? She is his partner in the business?"

"Yeah" Kate answers

"Then what was that rant last night about men?"

Listening to the pair "What Rant?" Detective Drake wonders

"She came up to me last night ranting about men and how they only want one thing from women"

Rick fills in "And she had a few ugly things to say about my wife"

"Things that I never did. In fact I don't even remember her" She looks at Rick "Castle…they had a school annual out on the table last night. If it is still there, I want to go get it and see if I can find her picture? I would like to see if she really was in our class?"

"OK" Rick responds as she turns and leaves the room

Once Beckett is out of sight Drake looks over to Castle "You have a beautiful wife there"

"Thank you. She has been a god send to me. She came into my life when I was at a low point and brought me up. We have been married over ten years and have two children together and my daughter considers Kate her mom…so all is well in my world"

A blank look crosses Drake' features "I wish I had that"

"Maybe you will one day"

The detective moves to a solemn expression and he then has a blank look on his face in response

Kate re-enters the room almost immediately holding a well-worn school annual from her high school days. She rushes over to the table, sets it down, and opens the book. She starts looking from page to page trying to find the picture she is seeking, but to no avail "She was NOT in our class"

"So why was she on such a rant last night?" Castle asks

Kate looks up to her man "Maybe she and Ivy had a fight…"

Castle follows "And maybe, just maybe they had a fight that ended in his death"

"We found no indication of anyone else in the room" Drake states

"She would have cleared her stuff out…" Kate remarks

Castle finishes "and would be gone before morning:

"We need to check with the hotel and see if she came with him"

The three leave the room and head toward the desk. When they arrive, Kate approaches the clerk "Was Mr. Ivy alone when he arrived last night?"

The desk clerk looks at the computer screen "He did ask for two room cards so I assume he was with someone"

"Can you check for activity on the card keys?" Drake questions

Once again, the clerk references the monitor "Both cards were used just after check-in. That is pretty normal. Usually one enters the room and the other goes for ice or beverages and enters once more, later" looking again at the screen "but that was the last time card number two accessed until about 10:15 when it was used to enter the room again. Card one did enter until about midnight, then the next room activity was when security entered this morning"

"Will you give me a printout?" Beckett asks and the clerk goes in to a back room to get the report. She looks aback at the two men "Nancy Hopkins did go in the room right after we saw her at last night at the party. She could have waited for him and then they had a fight and she killed him"

"She must have packed and left right after that"

When the clerk returns Beckett asks her "Did she come down to get another room?"

Another glance at the screen "No. She did not but we were full, so if someone came later they would be turned away"

"Thanks" Kate responds then the three turn to leave when Castle looks at Kate "Hotels always have a contingency plan" he looks back to the clerk "Some other hotel nearby that might have rooms"

He looks at the clerk "Where would you recommend travelers go when you are full?"

"Oh. The Best Travelers Inn. They are only a mile down the road"

Beckett steps back to the desk "Do you have their phone number?"

The clerk hands Beckett a card with the nearby hotels and the phone numbers "Thank you"

The three walk back to the meeting room where they have set up "Let's call and see if she might have gone there last night?" Kate remarks while looking at Detective Drake "You are local. It probably be best if you make the call"

"Not a problem" and the local detective takes out his phone, dials the number, and steps out into the hall

Just as he exits the room Beckett's cell rings. She look at the screen "It's Esposito" sliding her finger across the screen "Hey Javi. I'm putting you on speaker. You have anything?"

"We do have a problem…"

"What's that?"

"The computer servers were compromised and the hard drives stolen. When we got into the vault all the drives were missing"

"I thought that only Ivy and Hopkins were able to get in?" Castle remarks

"They were the only ones from the computer company but the computer were in the bank vault"

"So how did someone get in?" Beckett questions

"They are not sure yet but we are getting a warrant for the security recordings and should have more by the morning"

"That will be great" Kate responds

"How is your investigation going? I guess you have a lot of suspects?"

"Actually only one right now. Nancy Hopkins. She was here but did not stay in the room with Ivy last night. It appears they had a fight and she left and went to another hotel"

"I guess I better let you go so you can chase that lead down?"

"No. actually a local detective is working on that Detective Stanly Drake"

There is a long pause on the other end of the call "did you say Stanley Drake?"

"Yeah Espo…why?"

"Big…white guy. Over 6'5 well built?"

"Yeah"

"Do they call him Stake?"

Castle chime in "How do you know him Javi?"

There is another pause in the answer "I don't know him…exactly."

"Espo, you have been out for a long time"

"I have heard about him from some bar parties with my former Special Forces guys. He is well respected in the teams"

Another long pause occurs "Did you hear how he got the name Stake?"

"I assumed it was short for his first name and last names" Beckett answers

"Not exactly" Comes from the other end of the line "Is he near?"

"No. He is out in the corridor talking to another hotel looking for Nancy"

"Keep this to yourself…OK?"

"Sure"

"He and was a team leader and was sent to save a school of orphans from terrorists. He was dating and engaged to another Army officer. She went in to keep the children calm since women seem to be able to do that in stressful issues…well they were met with a larger force than they expected. There was a terrible fire fight"

"Well, he got out?" Beckett remarks

"Yeah…HE got out. The rest of his team were killed and Stake was down to two rounds of ammunition. He went into the orphanage to find one insurgent holding an automatic weapon on all the children and another holding a knife to his fiance's throat"

"That was not good" Castle remarks

"He could only shoot one of the two terrorists"

"I think I know where this is going?" Kate states

"Yeah. He shot the one with the automatic weapon on the children and the other murdered his fiancé. In a rage he picked up a tent stake and drove it into the chest of the other man. Giving him the name Stake"

Castle and Beckett are standing in complete shock when they hear Detective Drake re-enter the room "I found her. She checked in to the Best Teraveler Inn last night"

"We need to go pick her up" Beckett states as she looks at her husband with pain on her face

"Yeah" Castle answers softly

.