Chapter 9
Dented Armour
She had decided, with a neutral color band-aid and some makeup to hide the blackness around her eyes, she could pass at work. She expected plenty of grief about getting nearly cold-cocked, but there was lots to do. But most important to her was that finally there was some traction on the bank case. She entered the Precinct in her normal, all-business, fashion.
"Beckett, what happen to your face?" Ryan asked honestly.
"You should've seen the other guy," She shot back, like it was no big deal.
"Seriously Beckett what happened?" Before she could said anything Esposito jumped in.
"Yo, I hear your accountant buddy got his clock cleaned! You need to hang with some tougher people Beckett." He laughed. Beckett did not.
Ryan smacked Esposito's in the shoulder and just glared at him. They both followed her to her desk.
She just stared at them for a long moment. All the pretense of playfulness now gone. The tough cop thing wouldn't do today.
"It should have never happened, it was stupid...I was stupid."
"I told him to stay back but..." She was quiet again for a beat, pinning her eyes to a spot across the room. Neither of her partners said anything. When she spoke, she then told them the story, straight-up.
"Ouch! Remind me to shut-up next time," was all Esposito said.
"Man I hate even bruising a rib, let alone having a broken one." Ryan groaned,
"So how is he?"
"He's miserable. Breathing causes pain and, he's just exhausted." She was angry again, but this time for her show of emotions. Both Esposito and Ryan pretended not to notice.
At the same time Beckett knew it was more than a show of emotions. There'd been a major shift in her life and she was heading into uncharted waters. She'd left Castle's apartment late Sunday evening. She'd had a fitful night of sleep, waking several times, fretting over him. As she left home in the morning, she resisted the urge to go by his apartment on the way to work. In the end she decided it was too early and didn't want to bother him.
She made a promise to herself she would not call him until 9:00 am, meanwhile she had to focus on work.
XX
The three stood and studied the murder board. The re-searching had confirmed that six employees had taken the bank's advanced on-line training courses, Lilly Francine had been one.
But three others, Stephanie Robson, Clay Herbert and again Lilly Francine had submitted receipts for reimbursement for outside computer training after completing even more advanced courses. On its face this didn't seen like an important detail, until it was discovered that Lilly had taken her outside course from a Mark Wade. As they did searches on the three employees and Mr. Wade his name came up on a list they did not expect.
Mark Wade had been murdered, but not in New York. He died in Delaware. What caught their attention was the timing. Wade died six days after Lilly. This was the first connection between the two.
Clay Herbert remained with the bank but Stephanie Robson had moved away.
"How far away?" Beckett asked.
"She moved to Vegas." Ryan saw Beckett's eyes shift above her bandage.
"She told the people at the bank she was going to give it a try as a professional card player. One of the other tellers had received a post-card from her saying, 'luck was on her side', whatever that means." Ryan just laughed.
"When we ran financials, on them, neither Herbert or Robson are showing any changes in personal cash flow. Truth be told, Robson is working part time as a Meals-on-Wheels driver."
As the lines began to intersect Beckett rehearsed the rule of homicide, there is not such thing as a coincidence. "So Mark Wade and Lilly knew each other, and both end-up dead?" She leaned against her desk, arms folded and hand under her chin.
"So beyond the class is there a deeper connection? Why are they connected?
"Did it...did this bank thing get them killed?" She didn't move, just remained still and studied the board. She didn't have the answers, just hunches, but they were making progress, adding another face to the board. Sitting on a another clue. It felt good.
"This has always been Castle's idea. He used the old press line, 'Follow the money.' But what money? Why can't we find it?" Ryan paced back and forth as he spoke.
"OK, guys what did these two know or step into that get them killed?"
"She was a teller, barely, really a PR person." Esposito tossed into the ring.
"But he was an expert, had in-depth knowledge of computers, high-tech abilities, so how did that get him killed?"
"We need Castle to look at the next batch of bank records. See if there's money to follow. See if there's a smoking gun someplace."
XX
At 9:04 she phoned Castle, she 'd watched the clock, waiting for the time to arrive. She waited the four extra minutes so it wouldn't appear she was too anxious.
"Hey Castle, how ya doin?" She asked trying to sound as light as possible.
"Detective, as long as I don't breathe, I'm good." He sounded winded.
"But..." She interrupted before he finished his thought.
"But what Castle?"
She heard him breath in, "I always thought the train had a smoother ride."
"What train?" Her voice loud instantly. She rocked forward and put her elbows on her desk, squeezing the phone with both hands. Both Ryan and Esposito looked over at her.
"The subway Beckett!"
"You're in the City?" With a you-got-to-be-kidding-me tone of voice.
"Yeah Beckett, I have job. I have to go everyday, plus I knew you'd be at work, so..."
"So you had to come too?" Sounding even more shrill.
"Beckett, it's not about being as tough as you, I was just kidding." He paused again.
"Honestly, I've got tons to do. I need to be at work." He heard her huff.
"Castle, I'll be there in 10 minutes." The phone went dead in his ear.
She turned to Esposito and Ryan, "Hey I need to run an errand, I'll be back in 30 minutes or so. Cover for me, please."
They watched her high-speed exit, Ryan, turned to Espo, "Is it me? Or does it bug you when she says please?"
"It's just not right!" Shaking his head in agreement.
XX
"Good morning" the chipper receptionist offered up as Beckett walked in the lobby of Anderson & Webb, "Can I help you?"
"Hi," now suddenly nervous. She'd been thinking with her heart, not her head. This was clearly not police work and while she never felt awkward as a cop, she felt now. She stammered, "Ah, I'm here to see Mr. Castle."
"Do you have an appointment?" The receptionists tone sounding less friendly. But before Beckett could answer, she heard a voice she recognized.
"Well Detective! What brings you to Anderson & Webb today?"
She turned and looked at him, resisted the urge to embrace him, instead she just smiled.
Castle pointed his hand toward the receptionist, "This Detective Beckett is our 'junk-yard dog', I mean our receptionist, Monica Verduzco."
"Monica this is Detective Beckett, a friend of mine."
The receptionist stood and extended her hand. "Detective, its nice to meet you, we've spoken on the phone before."
"Nice to meet you too Monica."
Monica looked at each of them, "Neither of you look too good today. Did you guys beat each other up?"Followed by a big smile.
Castle started to laugh but winced. Beckett extended an arm to him, but pulled it back remembering where they were. Instead she smiled weakly, "No we didn't do this to each other. It's two for the bad guy and zero for us."
Monica smiled, "I thought Mr. Castle was moving pretty slow today."
After the exchange Castle led her back to his office. As he turned to ease himself into his chair, she spoke, "Castle, before you sit..." She closed the space between them and took his left hand in hers. She pulled it to her chest, bent her head downward and then kissed it.
"I was worried about you last night?' She said into his hand.
To the top of her head he said, "Kate, I'm not gonna break."
"That's true, you're already broken." She looked up and smiled, but sadly.
She heard a noise and turned to see Monica standing in the doorway. Beckett let go of his hand and stepped back, looking somewhere between embarrassed and busted.
"Sorry to interrupt. Can I get either of you a cup of coffee, or something to drink?"
"No thank you Monica, I have just a couple of minutes and then I need to get back to the Precinct."
"None for me Monica, but thanks."
As the receptionist walked away Castle mumbled, "Yikes, caught being kissed by the police. What will that do to my reputation?"
"You'll do just fine." She said with a happy contented smile again.
"By the way Detective, do you kiss everyone who gets hurt around you?"
She did not respond to his teasing. Instead she focused on her purpose in dropping in on him.
"Castle how long are you going to work today?"
"I was hoping until about 4, ish. I think I'll be done in by then." Without saying anything, she thought he already looked tired, and it was barely 10 in the morning.
"Tell you what, I'll be back at 4PM on the button. If you need me sooner, call!
"My Captain was not to happy with my looks this morning and after I explained what happened and she wondered why I was at work today, so I can leave when I need to...or when you need to."
"OK, come back at 4, I'll be ready to go."
She turned to leave and then stopped, "What are you taking for pain today?"
"I brought Motrin. At least it helps knock the edge off."
"I just can't think clearly on Vicodin, not only weird dreams, but I end up with that medicine-head thing."
She walked back and took his hand again and kissed his knuckles, "I'll see you at 4PM Castle."
As she walked past the receptionist Monica looked up. "Detective!" Beckett stopped and turned to face the young lady, not sure what to expect.
"Thank you for checking on him. I could tell he was really hurting by the way he walked, and how he winced from the pain. He didn't say what happen but..."
Beckett waited, but the young girl had stopped.
"Monica, I'm concerned about him too," relaxing in the exchange. "He got hurt protecting me. Some guy tried to kick me and Rick jumped in between us. The creep kicked him three times." She stopped for moment.
"That seems like him to me Detective, it's the way he is."
"I feel responsible, I feel really bad. I need to help anyway I can in his recovery." Beckett was finding herself out of wits, edging again on the emotional side, which was not her.
"Monica if you think...or see that he's over-doing, will you give me call?" She handed her a card.
"My cell number is on the back."
"Will do!" The receptionist beamed.
"Oh...and Monica, don't tell him about our conspiracy."
"Never."
XX
She walked back to the Precinct wondering, what was happening to her. How had the switch in her heart been flipped so fast. She prided herself in her individuality, her lack of need for support, her self-reliance and it was all crumbling before her eyes. She told herself nothing had changed, but she knew that was a lie. Everything had changed and it had happened before the platform incident. The fight had just accelerated something she knew had been lurking in the shadows. She either was, or had, fallen for this guy and she was still stunned by the speed of it all.
When showering early for work, she shuddered to herself as she replayed her declaration of intent to marry him. She looked at herself in the mirror and, black eyes aside, wondered, who was this person staring back at her. She laughed at the thought of Cupid, such a ridiculous story, a fairy-tale, and now, it was her life. She'd been the one pierced by his arrow.
As she neared the building, she began to mentally force herself to focus on work. She had been scatter-brained before her visit to Castles office. That was simply not her. She didn't struggle at keeping her eye on the ball. Her problem had always been letting go. She'd fought with herself to not call him, but needing to hear his voice, to know he was OK. How lame was that? She'd spent a week-end with him, so wasn't a little break appropriate? Apparently not for her.
She entered the Precinct and made her way to her desk.
"So how is he?" Ryan asked matter-a-factly as she sat.
She glared at him, "How is who?"
"I think it's whom, not who."
"Fine, how is whom?"
"You know Beckett, it's a good thing you're not a criminal, you'd end-up busted in a heart-beat." He laughed.
"Espo, how long before she'd be busted?" Asked his partner.
"Next day, you know like UPS." Now he laughed.
She said nothing for second. " Are you two done with your fun?"
"No," Ryan said immediately, "Tell us, how's Castle?"
She looked at her partners, like two statues, frozen in time, blank faces, waiting, "He's OK, not great."
"Thank you, was that so hard?" Ryan returned to his paper work. The next thing he saw was her coat and pant leg at the edge of his desk. He looked up.
"How do you know I went to see Castle?"
"First, I'm a Detective."
"Second, you left stressed and then come back 35 minutes later smiling ear to ear. How hard is it to figure out? It's gotta be him." He paused and just waited, but she said nothing.
"Every night he comes in here you light-up."
"You know, that's not a bad thing Beckett, let your heart be happy, it's wonderful medicine for the soul."
XX
"This is my theory, somehow Lilly stumbles on to a problem in the records. She starts comparing old bills with current one. She sees the difference and does the math. It's small but based on the number a accounts, its big. Her discovery is uncovered by the people behind it and, she's killed." She paced during this spiel and then is back on the edge of her desk.
"How would she detect something that small? What would it look like on a bill? Could you even see it?" Ryan was not convinced.
"It's like you'd have to be a computer to ever know?"
"Maybe, the geek told her something, explained the thing to her. She was in his class, maybe he had the hots for her, and wanted to make an impression." Espo added to the discussion.
"Maybe the geek was part of it. Remember he had that strange coding on his laptop."
"OK guys, what do we have on the management at Lilly's bank? It's Smith and …?" She paused as she searched for the name.
"The assistant manager is Morris?" Ryan wrote his name on the board.
"So, Jack Smith is the manger, the assistant is Eric Morris? We need to look into those two, with new eyes."
XX
Monica never called, she was at his office at 4PM on the dot. She entered and walked up to the front desk.
"Hey Monica, how's he doing?"
"Detective, I don't think that great...if he was a phone, he'd need to be re-charged."
"You didn't call, I'd have been here in 10 minutes." Her brow furrowed.
"After you left he came up and said you'd probably asked me to call if I thought he was wearing out." She looked embarrassed, "He said he needed to work until 4."
"I'm sorry, Detective Beckett, he seems to know what you're thinking." She was both embarrassed and pleased that he guessed what she'd do.
" It's OK, my concern was him. Can I go back and fetch him?"
"Sure, you know the way."
Beckett leaned against his door frame of his office. He was absorbed in something on his computer screen and didn't hear her. She watched him for a few moments.
"Hey Castle." Her voice was warm.
"Beckett, back so soon?"
"Castle you look like hell." She groused.
"Well you on the other hand, look beautiful, even with the not-so-well-hidden shiners." He smiled.
"Let's go big-guy, I'm taking you home."
As they neared the subway station she asked, " When did you take your last pain med?"
"About an hour ago?"
"Was it Motrin?
"Yeah, but I've got a couple of Vicodin in my coat."
She pulled a small bottle of water from her purse and handed it to him, "Down the hatch. Our train will be here in about eight minutes. The sooner the medication start to work the better you'll feel."
Ten minutes later they slipped into the last car of the Flushing Line. They decided it would be best if she was on his right side, to protect him from anyone bumping into this painful ribs. He carefully put his arm around her waist holding on at her hip. She tried to maintain a space between them so she didn't hit his side. There were no seats.
He was exhausted and rested his chin against the top of her head. She tilted into the crook of his neck. She was delighted at the contact.
"Hey you two?" Castle did not have to turn. Then Orletha came around behind them and looked at them with loving bright eyes.
Together they said, "Orletha." She smiled even wider.
"I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see you two together."
" I heard through the grape-vine about the incident on Friday night. You guys OK?" The smile had faded to genuine concern, they didn't look that good.
Kate spoke first, "We're doing OK." She paused and looked up at Castle, "He really got the worst of it. My knight here." She gently placed her hand on his chest, "Jumped between the me and the thug. He's got a broken rib."
"Rickie, you are so the man." Orletha said gently rubbing his shoulder.
"Orletha, please don't make me laugh, its one of my greatest fears." He smiled at her.
"Plus, she got nailed pretty good on the nose, it's affected her reasoning...she's starting to embellish the story."
"Castle, you are so full it!" Beckett took his hand again and kissed it.
"He's still my knight in a blue blazer, I don't care what he says."
"Listen to this woman Rickie, she knows what she's talking about." The train lurched as it began breaking for the next station. Castle winced and held tightly onto Beckett. Orletha was pained just looking at his face.
"I am getting you a seat." Orletha turned and started working toward the back or the train. In thirty seconds she waived to Kate and a couple vacated a pair of seats.
"Thank you sweetie," Orletha said as she patted the woman on the shoulder.
"Katie, come on and park him here," pointing to the seats.
He sat, closed his eyes and leaned slightly against Beckett. She held his hand in hers. Orletha just smiled at her.
XX
At 5:30 they arrived at his apartment. Kate took his keys and opened the door and led him to the sofa where he collapsed. Fortunately the Vicodin was working. She fixed some hot tea and sat it before him.
"Detective are you trying to spoil me?" He smiled at her.
"Absolutely!"
"So I need to fix you something to eat Castle, what will it be?"
"Kate, you don't have to do that. You're tired you need to go home and rest."
She ignored his comment and headed into the kitchen. She called to him, "So are you OK with, breakfast for dinner?" as she stood in front of the frig and scoped the contents.
"Beckett, are you listening to me?"
"Yeah, I'm waiting for you to say yeah or nay to breakfast."
"Not that, about you going home...and, you know taking care of yourself."
"Oh I forgot to tell you. I have a slumber-party tonight, so I'm not going home anyway." She laughed at how ridiculous she sounded.
"He lifted his head and twisted to look into the kitchen, " A what? A slumber party. Aren't you a little old for that Beckett."
"I am, but when a man asks me to spend the night at his house, I find it hard to resist."
His eyebrows flared up, "What man?"
"Are you jealous Castle?"
"No but you confuse me at times." He looked a bit distraught at the news.
She immediately felt bad since she was only teasing him. She thought to herself, it's probably not fair with him half-loaded on Vicodin.
She walked over and sat near him, "Castle! I'm teasing you. I'm spending the night here with you."
"Beckett, you don't have to do that. Really I'll be OK. I'm already getting better." He doubted it, in fact he really hurt, knowing full well he'd overdone.
"You're just lying to me." She sat up and turned to face him, gently shaking her head.
"You are not even getting out of the door, until you pass the Beckett test!"
"The what? What's the Beckett test?"
"You'll just have to wait until the morning to find out." She smiled wickedly at him.
They were interrupted by the front door opening. Alexis walked in and smiled at he pair on the sofa. " Well, what do we have here?"
"Hey Alexis," Kate stood and hugged her.
"And how is the patient today?"
"Pumpkin I'm fine."
"Then you need to tell your face, and the bags under your eyes."
"Dad you look terrible!" She moved to the sofa and leaned down to kiss his cheek.
"Did you know he went to work today?" Beckett said incredulously.
"Honest Detective, I mean Kate, I tried to stop him. He said you'd be at work so, why shouldn't he."
Beckett turned and glared at Castle, "You lied to me again?"
"Beckett you're not a good listener," trying to defend himself.
"You're a terrible liar Castle." She turned to Alexis.
"I told your Dad I would fix him breakfast for dinner. You OK with me crowding in again?"
"Kate, you're never crowding here."
XX
After dinner they cleaned up. Kate showered and ended up in a pair of Castles sweats.
Castle took awhile to undress and shower but finally got through the ordeal.
Alexis brought out a pillow, sheet and blanket for the sofa for Kate to sleep on. Castle was whipped from the day and was fading fast.
"Castle, lets go tuck you in before you fall over."
"Beckett its only 8:30, I never go to bed before 11." He protested.
"OK, then let's go set you up to read for a while, but you need to lie down. Like now. " She stuck out her hands to help him up. He scooted to the edge of the sofa and stood up, pulling on her hands. He winced from the pain, her face mirrored it by just watching him.
Laying down on the bed was not much easier. Pulling. bending and breathing were all difficult. Once he was down she patted him on the shoulder, "Isn't that better?"
"Its nice, thank you."
"I'll come check on you in awhile, if you need anything let me know."
"Beckett," she turned back as she was leaving the room.
"I really do appreciate all you've done, really."
She came back and sat on the edge of the bed. "You're welcome my wounded knight."
"You're going to make me gag Beckett." She just smiled and pushed his hair back.
She stood again and started to leave. "Beckett, will you come and sit for a bit?"
She turned, again and made her way to the other side of the bed and laid down beside him, " I would love to Mr. Castle."
At 10:15 Alexis stuck her head in the door and could see they were both asleep. She returned to the front room, retrieved the blanket and used it to cover Kate. She turned off the light and tip-toed out.