CHAPTER 9

"See if you can pull the surveillance videos from the murder scene. They both died in the same alley, someone wanted them to die there so there must be something a couple of days before the murders that can help us. I'll call Castle". – Said Esposito.

"On it – I'll check everything again".

Esposito turned and took the phone to call Castle.

"Castle, we need to talk".

"Hey Esposito, what's up?" – Castle replied while he finished closing some boxes in Kate's apartment.

"It's about that man, Mr. Smith. You think you can give me his number?"

"Sorry Esposito, but the number he gave me to call him was from a burner phone. He's unreachable. He'll call you when he thinks you'll need his guidance and help".

"Then we'll have to make a situation where he'll have to call you".

"The guy knows what he's doing. He won't fall for our pretend. C'mon, you really think he'll just call me? He's smart; he knows the depths of this conspiracy"

They stopped talking because someone knocked on the door. Castle asked Beckett if she had ordered food and she said no so she took her position with her gun and post herself behind the door. They heard a noise and Kate nodded slowly to Castle open the door. They didn't know what was outside so they had to be prepared to whatever that could be, the only thing Beckett was afraid of was if Castle could get hurt again, but she was confident that this was just a misunderstanding.

When Castle opened the door there was nothing outside, just some files on the floor. He took it and closed the door. They checked any entrance that Kate's apartment had and blocked all of them, just in case. Castle put the files on the table and put Esposito on speaker.

"I guess you don't need Mr. Smith anymore, Esposito. We have his files".

Castle and Beckett looked at each other. Were those the files that could solve this case once and for all?

"Let me open this." – Kate said.

"No, Kate. I'll do it." – Answered Esposito. "As a murder evidence I think I should open first, besides you're off the case I don't want any trouble with Gates. I'll stop by and catch the files."

"Ok."

In a hurry, Esposito got the files and came back to the Precinct. He opened the files and found many leads involving Rob, Ted and Mr. Smith as well as with Maddox, but nothing on the Dragon. At least not with a superficial look, then he called Kate.

"Ryan and I will check every detail here and send you an e-mail with what we find. Let we handle this Beckett. I promise we'll solve this case for you if we get to a closure you'll have the honors to do it."

"Thanks Espo."

Castle held Beckett in his arms and said:

"I told you. We'll do it together."

"Thank you."

They kissed, gently but deep; after some moments they took her things put them in the car and left to his loft. On their way to his loft Beckett said:

"How do you do it?"

"What?"

"3 years ago after I shot Dick Coonan you almost quit. You told me you were leaving because you couldn't handle the guilty you were feeling because you had re-opened my mother's case and I told you that I'd like you around when I close the case. After everything I did, you're still here."

He didn't answer he just looked at her and smiled.

"Thank you, for everything." – she continued.

"You know why I'm here. And just so you know I'm not an easy guy to get rid of…"

"I know." – she interrupted and smiled."

Castle laughed and continued – "But I'm here."

Back at the Precinct, Esposito and Ryan started their list.

"So here we… go." – Said Ryan.

"Let's show this to Castle and Beckett."

While they were leaving the Precinct, Ryan told Esposito.

"I've been thinking… Now that Castle and Beckett are together I think they should have a couple's name. I mean a mix of their names so we don't have to say: Castle and Beckett all the time… We should call them Bestle" – He turned to Esposito and saw the look on his face. "Got it? BEckettcasTLE… Bestle".

"Really? Bestle?" – He looked at Ryan with a disbelief face and Ryan stopped talking, he got embarrassed, but Esposito continued – "Bestle is all you could come up with? C'mon bro… we should call them Caskett…"

They laughed and got on the elevator.

Castle and Beckett finally got to the loft and they were unpacking and putting everything in the right place with Alexis and Martha helping them.

"I'm so happy you are here kiddo, I must say you made the right choice. You followed your heart… it never fails. It's a huge step Kate, but you're not in this alone" – Martha said and hug Kate.

"Thank you Martha. My only concern is with Alexis, this may be…"

"Kate!" – Alexis shouted and ran to hug her. "I'm so happy you are here".

"I'm happy too Alexis" – Kate replied and took Alexis to sit with her in the couch while Martha helped Castle with her things.

"I thought very hard about moving in, and I must say you were the reason why I didn't say yes so promptly, but not because I didn't want to be around you, I was afraid how you were going to take this. I don't want to invade your space and most important, even though I try to help you I know I'm not your mother and I didn't want you to think I was trying to steal this spot…"

Before she could continue, Alexis said:

"Don't worry Kate, it never crossed my mind. I know the biggest reason you are here is my father and that's why I'm happy. I love my mom, but you are the one for him Kate. He's happy with you and I like you very much"

"You know what? Enough said." – Kate said and smiled – "My worries are gone".

"Good. Now let's unpack your things and arrange everything".

"Ok"

They hug, smiled and went to help Martha and Castle.

Esposito called Castle to know where they were, they got at Castle's loft very fast. Ryan turned to Beckett and started.

"So… Caskett…"

"What?" – asked Beckett.

"We made a list and we took a huge step in all of the cases, Rob's, Ted's and Johanna's"

"Let's go"

They all sat at the couch and started reading the list; Castle took his notebook to type everything in it so they could see in a huge screen, just like a murder board.

"Dick Coonan killed Johanna Beckett and her colleagues following the Dragon's orders to stop them from getting to him. They didn't know – and that's why it was never brought to subject at the investigation – but Rob saw the three cops, the mobster and Bob at the alley. He saw the shooting and told Mr. Smith about it."

"Mr. Smith was Montgomery's friend that's why when Montgomery got to him he protected his friend." – said Kate.

"Yes." – Continued Ryan – "That's why he knows everything about the conspiracy."

"Let me guess…" – Started Castle – "Rob took Johanna's files and gave them to Ted so they could work together on it. It means Ted knew what he was getting himself into, he must have known."

"I think that too. But why would Rob take Mr. Smith's files? Did he steal them? Did Mr. Smith give to him?" – said Esposito.

"Good questions. Something must have happened." – said Castle when his phone started ringing. "Castle" – he answered.

"Mr. Castle? Do you have a minute?"

"Yes I do."

"I'm calling concerning your girlfriend's case. I'm sorry to inform you, but I can no longer keep her protection, without me you'll have to do it by yourselves if you can."

"What? What do you mean without you? And why do we have your files?"

"I'm in great danger… You're smart Mr. Castle. It's time for the well-placed pawn to make its move."

"Wait! I can't…"

Before he could finish he heard a failing voice over the phone but he could understand everything that was being said.

"I've reached you before but you hid what I wanted so cleverly I had to look for myself a little more and I didn't like not finding them. WHERE ARE THE FILES?"

"You'll never touch it." – answered Mr. Smith.

"No, Mr. Smith. I'll find the files. And you and nobody else will ever touch HIM."

Then Castle heard a shot and rapidly turned the phone off, he knew that Maddox had just killed Mr. Smith. He didn't say anything for a moment, because while he was at the phone the detectives were focused on the files. When he finally decided to tell them, Kate said:

"Oh my God."

"What?"

"They're coming for me."

TBC