At this point of the case I'm crossing paths with the TV Show. I hope you guys don't mind. But the relationships and other peculiarities are still on me.

CHAPTER 12

Gates rapidly came to meet the boys with some new evidence and information.

"Before we do anything we need solid evidence that the Senator is involved in any of the cases linked to Rob's murder. I've finished reading the file, but there was nothing on there that could incriminate the Senator. There is a missing page. Esposito, get Beckett see if she has this page. Ryan, where are you on Maddox?"

"I put his picture everywhere again. If someone spots him we'll know".

Esposito went to his desk and called Beckett.

"Yo, Beckett. Gates finished the file, but there's a missing page. Is this page with you or with Castle?"

"No, Espo, the day we were reading it you guys took everything".

"Ok, thank you".

"Espo, is there anything you're not telling me?"

Esposito didn't want to say what they'd found. First of all because they couldn't prove anything yet although they were sure it was the Senator. And second of all because she would lose again. But that was Beckett; she was like a sister to him. Esposito really tried not to say anything, but he promised that at the end of the day, all of them would meet at Castle's loft to discuss the news and she agreed.

Beckett filled Castle on what Esposito had called and he denied having the page too. But then, it occurred to Castle:

"Beckett, I remember the day we were here with the file and Mr. Smith called. He told me that it was my time to take the next step, he said: "It's time for the well-placed pawn to make its move". This is no coincidence; he said I'm smart. What if he wanted us to go through all the papers, he knew we'd see that there's a missing page. He said he was in great danger, this was his last shot. To give us the file so we could keep you protected".

"This means he was probably blackmailing The Dragon and we can do the same, but what about the missing page?"

"I think I know. Every time I write something to my books I keep a copy in my hard drive. I'm a novelist and I do this, what about a lawyer? Rob and Ted must have kept a copy of the case file. We just have to find out where. I say we start looking for clues on Mr. Smith's apartment, with him dead no one would look there, since Rob and Ted were killed".

Beckett had a plan; she called Ryan and said:

"Hey, Ryan. Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure"

"We are doing some research here to see if we can locate that missing page and Castle remembered he received a phone call from Mr. Smith the night he died. I know we were able to trace the phone call. I need the address".

"Beckett, I can't"

"Please Ryan. I promise everything will be ok. You know me."

"Yes I know you and that's why I can't do this"

"Ryan please; it's my only chance"

"Okay, but don't tell anyone. I don't know what you have in your voice, but it's very persuasive".

"Thanks"

With Mr. Smith's address in hands, Castle and Beckett left and just for precaution Beckett took her Sig with her. They quickly found the apartment and went in.

"Ok, what are we looking for Castle?"

"I don't know. Anything that could help us find the copy of the file".

They looked for hours and nothing, they went through everything in the apartment. Beckett was impatient. Castle didn't seem to stop even thought she asked him several times. They needed to leave the apartment. They were completely without backup and that was a perfect place to something bad happen. But again, Castle didn't stop looking.

"Castle, there's nothing left to find! This page could be anywhere. You're just grasping at straws!"

"Yes! I'm grasping at straws 'cause if that missing page is gone, that means they're coming after you and there's absolutely nothing I can do. So yes, if there's a straw… I'm- I'm grasping."

She could see the desperate look on his face, but they still needed to leave. She forced one more time, but before she could drag him, he opened a new drawer and found some papers. He looked at her almost begging her to wait a little longer. Fortunately it was worth the wait.

"This is a deed to an office in Manhattan. He owns an office in Manhattan. The file has to be there! Let's go".

While Castle and Beckett were investigating on their own, Esposito, Ryan and Gates were stuck in a puzzle. They needed to do something regarding the Senator, but any move they made could damage his image which in that situation was not a good idea. They needed to prove that he was involved somehow. But they needed the missing page to do so. That's when Ryan got a call from Beckett.

"Smith owns an office on the east side of Manhattan; we are heading there to see if we can find the missing page".

Ryan nodded to Esposito and they went to the break room to share the news with him. Ryan didn't want Gates to know Beckett and Castle were investigating on their own.

"Mr. Smith must have hidden that page from the file. He knew that Maddox had big chances to get the file and he wanted to make sure he wouldn't have the most compromising part"

"Yes, but if Castle is looking for a copy, than it means Maddox is on this too. There's no way Maddox would miss this".

"Which means that Castle and Beckett are in danger. Let's go after them, they need backup. If anything turns out wrong we make our move".

Everything was quiet at the building in Manhattan, something pretty odd since it was business time, but Castle and Beckett didn't seem to mind, at the entrance of the building they found the mail lockers, and written in one of them there was Mr. Smith's name.

"Apartment 332. Are you ready?" – Castle asked.

"You kidding me right? I've been ready for the past 13 years".

They slowly approached apartment 332, but they heard noises so Beckett pulled her Sig and stood in position. She nodded Castle to open the door on her mark. The door was half open so Castle opened the door very slowly while Beckett made her entrance. She saw a man sitting on the floor and she had no doubt that was Maddox.

Maddox realized Beckett's approach and said without looking:

"You don't seem to fear your closeness to death, right Detective?"

Beckett ignored that comment and said:

"Don't move. Don't even breathe. It's over Maddox. Give up".

"Hand the file" – Castle said.

"As you wish" – Maddox replied.

In a fast movement Maddox reached for a gun and turned, at the same moment a shot came from behind them, hitting Maddox. In their formation, Ryan and Esposito entered the room and immobilized him. Castle quickly went after the file and got scared when he saw little pieces of paper on the safe. The file was gone.