The Cirker delivery guys were very efficient. They quickly uncrated the painting and asked Castle where he wanted it.
"Right over here close to the piano," Castle replied pointing at the wall.
The two men held up the painting letting Castle decide exactly where on the wall he wanted it. They quickly got it hung and took their leave.
Castle and Beckett both stood with their arms folded across their chests staring at the new artwork.
"It looks great there," Kate finally said.
"Yeah," Castle said slowly not at all as excited as he thought he would be.
"So what's wrong?" Kate asked.
"I just don't get it. There has to be a reason Craddock wanted me to have it." Castle sighed. "I'm going to check the internet. See what else I can find out about Craddock, the painting, and the artist."
"Well, I'm going to go to the store," Kate said with a smile. She threw her arms around Castle's neck. "I am going to make you a great dinner. I haven't cooked for you yet." Castle opened his mouth to disagree but Beckett put her finger on his lips. "Breakfast doesn't count."
Castle smiled at her. "That sounds wonderful, Kate. I can't wait."
When Kate arrived back home, Rick was still engrossed in his computer. She put the food away and decided to go upstairs for about an hour. She had discovered that she really needed some alone time and most afternoons she would spend an hour or two in the guest bedroom. She would read or do yoga. Sometimes she would do situps and pushups. Other times she might take a nap. It was a refreshing little get away for her.
Rick rubbed the heels of his hands against his eyes. He must have been researching things for 2 hours. He stood up and stretched. Then he went and stood in front of the painting just staring at it. It still surprised him how much he liked the painting. He liked the contrast of the purple and yellow in the sky. It was a great backdrop for the red poppies and prominent green stems.
Kate came downstairs and saw Rick absorbed in the painting. She went over and put her hand on his shoulder. Castle nearly jumped through the roof. "Geez, Kate. You just scared me out of ten years!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you didn't hear me. Did you figure anything out?"
"Emil Nolde was a famous German expressionist. His Poppy painting was painted near the end of his career in 1950. Craddock bought it 3 years ago for over 2 million dollars. I've read everything I could find about the painting, the artist, and who's owned it." Castle let out a breath and shook his head. "Maybe I'm making too much out of it. Maybe Craddock was just a crazy fan."
"You don't believe that though," Kate stated.
"No," Rick said. "A crazy fan would have to let me know that he was a fan. I'm missing something. I feel like it is a tiny idea in my brain that is just on the verge of taking shape but it won't. Maybe it's the poppies that are the clue to some heroin dealer. It's driving me crazy." The frustration was evident in his voice as he dragged his fingers through his hair.
"OK, you desperately need a break. Come to the kitchen, have a beer, and watch me make dinner. Don't even think about this painting until after we eat." Kate dragged him by the arm toward the kitchen.
"Great plan. I could be your sous chef or at least make the salad."
Castle relaxed with his beer. Kate let him make the salad but then made him sit on a barstool while she made everything else.
"Tell me a story about Alexis while I'm cooking."
"Like what?"
"Oh, I don't know. Hmm, OK, how about when she lost her first tooth and the tooth fairy had to come visit? That had to have been a big deal for you."
Castle smiled at the memory. "Yeah, I'll never forget that. We were eating breakfast. Alexis took a bite of her toast and the tooth just came out. Alexis was so excited. She was literally bouncing all over."
"It's funny, Alexis had a loose tooth for a while so I knew it would be falling out soon, but I never gave a thought as to what I would do about the tooth fairy part." He shrugged. "I guess it's because I'm a guy that I didn't have a plan. Later the moms at the park told me about how they had made special tooth fairy pouches to put the teeth in. Of course I wouldn't have done that anyway." He paused looking out into space.
"Well, tell me the rest," Kate said impatiently jolting him out of his reverie.
"After I dropped Alexis off at school, I went to the bank and got some Sacagawea dollar coins. I told Alexis at bedtime that the tooth fairy needed something shiny to help her find the tooth under the pillow. So I wrapped her tooth in a piece of aluminum foil and she put it under her pillow. It just made the tooth easier for me to find. The next morning Alexis found the Sacagawea coin. She'd never seen a gold coin before. She loved the picture of the young Indian mother with her baby. She thought for the longest time that you could only get those coins from the tooth fairy. I think she still has every coin the tooth fairy ever gave her."
Kate smiled, "That's a great story." It's probably not what a mother would have done, but he made it special for Alexis just the same. Even without a mother Alexis had been a lucky little girl.
The rest of their evening was easy and relaxed. Castle thoroughly enjoyed the pork chops that Kate marinated in orange juice and herbs. They weren't dried out like his always seemed to be.
The subject of the painting never came up again. Alexis came home around 11 after having dinner and a movie with some of her girlfriends. She told them a little about her evening then went up to bed. Castle and Beckett decided to scoot off to bed as well.
Castle glanced over at the clock again. It was nearing 1:45 and he still couldn't sleep. He was spooning with Beckett. His arm was draped over her. His face was almost in her hair. Her hair still smelled of cherries and although that had registered earlier with Castle, his brain was far away now. Everything related to the painting was swirling through his head including thoughts of Montrose and Craddock and the artist – and poppies. He finally slipped into a fitful sleep.
Suddenly Castle jerked awake. He sat up then threw the covers off and leaped out of bed. The commotion woke Kate up.
"Rick?" Kate said worried. Had Rick had a nightmare? He was already out of the room. She got up, found her robe and then followed him. As she emerged from the office she saw him in the kitchen. The painting was on the counter and he was grabbing a knife.
"Rick!" She called out alarmed. Was he sleepwalking? What was he thinking?
Rick looked up at her but didn't say a word. He flipped the painting over and carefully slit open the paper backing. He started tearing off the backing and there it was - a manila envelope.
"It's the file, Kate. The file that was keeping you safe. The file that has damaging evidence against the dragon. Craddock was Mr. Smith. I'd only ever seen him in the shadows in a parking garage and never really got a good look at his face, but I finally put it together," Rick's eyes were intense but his voice remained quiet. "Don't you see? We can end this, Kate."
Kate's eyes were wide with shock and concern. Her hand came up to her chest and fisted between her breasts. She looked at her partner, her lover. "Rick, I'm scared. He's killed again. I can't do anything to lose you now."
It was the last reaction Rick expected to get. She really was ready to give up the case. "Kate, I'm scared too, but we'll be looking over our shoulders for the rest of our lives if we don't end this. Come on let's see what we have."