Emma's gaunt face and forlorn expression conveyed more than words were capable. The light in her eyes extinguished, no longer matching that of beautiful woman in her wedding photo. It was in this moment that Kate realized that Emma had been captive since the night of her husband's murder. But it was those dejected eyes of hers that resonated a haunting familiarity that Kate could relate to; that of profound loss. After her mother had died and in the two months that Castle was missing, Kate had seen the same agony in her own eyes. She was now certain that Emma not only knew that Wyatt was dead, but she had most likely watched in horror. I helpless spectator as the life drained from the one she had loved most.
"How bad are you hurt?" Kate asked, her heart aching for this poor woman.
"Not too bad, I don't think." Emma managed to answer in a trembling and labored voice.
"Do you know how long you've been here?"
"I would guess a few days…" She paused to catch her breath and muster enough energy to continue. "…but I'm not sure due to the lack of natural light."
Before Kate could ask anything else she heard a familiar sound filling the hallway beyond the door. The ominous click of heels meeting the floor grew closer, an inordinate confidence with each step. Kelly Nieman. The door opened revealing the unmistakable silhouette of the sadistic doctor.
"Hello, Detective. I see that you've managed to slip out of your gag." Nieman said with a sneer. "I told you we'd meet again."
With those words Dr. Nieman switched on the dormant lights, closing the door locking it behind her. The harsh escalation in brightness from the auxiliary light caused Kate to squint as her eyes fought to acclimate. "So, I know why I'm here. But, why Emma? She doesn't fit yours or Jerry's M.O." Kate spat now seething.
"I…" Emma's effort soon curtailed by an imperious backhand propelling her face rightward.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk…It's rude to interrupt, Emma. You'll have your turn." Kelly jeered fastening duct tape over the semi-conscious woman's mouth.
Kelly cocked her head returning her attention to Kate disregarding the intrusion. Her face adorned with a mien of amusement as if she were a child with an inane inquiry. "Patience, Detective, the mystery is what makes this so fun." She then advanced toward Kate. Proceeding to glide the backs of her fingers down Kate's cheek with a disturbing sense of admiration. Nieman's hand paused gripping Kate's chin, "Such a striking face." She hummed while constraining the warmth of Kate's hazel eyes to intersect the frigidity of her own. "Although, imperfect."
Kate withdrew her face from Kelly's hold, her expression riddled in disgust. "I hate to break it to you, Kelly, but true perfection is an illusion." She stole a glance in Emma's direction. Her face painted crimson where Kelly's ring had carved deep into the skin along her left cheekbone.
"We'll see about that." Kelly returned with arrogance, thrusting the gag into Kate's mouth once again. The deranged laugh resonating from the doctor made Kate's stomach heave. She found herself combating the rise of bile in her throat. Kate writhed against her restraints as Dr. Nieman grabbed a syringe and drove it into her shoulder. "Now, now… It's time to relax, detective."
'No, no, no…. stay awake, Kate! Stay awake!' Kate thought to herself as the obscurity began to overtake her consciousness.
She was gone. His wife was gone. It didn't take much to know who was responsible. "This was a part of the plan…" Castle whispered to himself in distress. He dove back into Kate's battered cruiser seeking out his phone in a panic. He didn't pay any mind to the fact that his brow was releasing blood in a steady stream. "Come on!" He growled as he fumbled between the seats. "Where are you…? Aha!" Gratitude filled him upon finding his wife's phone unscathed. He unlocked it and dialed.
"Yo, Beckett, where are you guys?"
"Espo…Kate…They have her!" Castle managed to choke out.
When Kate came to once again she was no longer bound to a chair. She was instead lying on a surgical table with her wrists and ankles secured by restraints. As she moved to test her restraints a wave of dizziness overtook her and the nausea returned with added intensity. Kate fought to regain her composure, the last thing she needed was to draw the doctor's attention to her. Once she had a handle on stomach, Kate surveyed the room locating Dr. Nieman fixated on the computer in front of her. Much to her discontent she could see Emma still trussed by her wrists to a galvanized pipe overhead. Her fragile form limp with a cloth covering over her head. The wound from Kelly's rebuke had stained the material a tragic crimson. Kate didn't know whether to feel relieved or sick that this poor woman's hitched breathing gave sign of life. It was evident that she was both starved and dehydrated. The bruising around her wrists had grown darker while she'd been unconscious. Even more heartbreaking were the handcuffs biting into her flesh from the stress of her dead weight.
Nothing about this made any sense, it seems deeper seated, almost personal. Kate's heart sank when she realized that Kelly was aware of her return to consciousness. She noticed her pick up her phone to type something then placed it on the desk.
"Good, you're finally awake." She lulled placing an affectionate hand on Kate's shoulder. Kate wanted to protest, but her overpowering dizziness had returned. Startled by the sound of the door opening and a second party sauntering over, Kate's head shot up. Kate didn't need to guess who it was – she already knew.
"Well, well, well…If it isn't the tenacious Detective Beckett…oh, I'm sorry, Castle. My mistake." Jerry Tyson chided. "It seems you two have been quite busy since we last met." The echo of his conceited voice made Kate's stomach turn. She battled to show only the innate tenacity she employed so well, not wanting to reveal any weakness for Tyson to exploit.
Tyson's attention went to the extra body in the room, which he had neglected to notice until now. It surprised Kate to see him shoot Dr. Nieman an expression of bewilderment. "What is this?" He demanded approaching Emma to remove the sack which masked her identity.
"It's your surprise." She crooned, gliding seductive palms down his torso.
What Kate observed next voided everything she thought she once knew about the notorious Jerry Tyson. Upon removing the shroud from Emma he dropped the sack. His appearance give way to torment which compelled him to recoil. "Emm…" he breathed struggling to blink away his disbelief. His shock transitioned to wrath as he propelled himself at Kelly. "What do you think you're doing?!" he roared through clenched teeth.
"Oh, stop being so dramatic. I'm helping you get rid of loose ends." She countered in nonchalance, pushing his rigid frame away from hers.
"No, Castle and Detective Beckett, they are loose ends." His rage escalating, "Resurrecting ghosts from my past was never…"
"I was testing your vulnerabilities. It's clear you still have some." Her intonation exuded disappointment.
Kate was realizing that Emma was in this quandary more out of Nieman's envy than anything else. Insecurity was an interesting look on her, one that Kate had never before seen. More unbelievable was the fact that Jerry Tyson, the sociopath, was capable of caring for another person at some point. The question nagging Kate was at what point did these two negations intersect in their lives?