The ride to the apartment seems too long. He wants to ask her millions of things, but every time he opens his mouth to bring up the topic, something happens. First, it's a call to the precinct. Then she has to call the boys, to let them know where they are, then a traffic jam that makes her all wired up. And snappy. Not that it's bad. He likes her when she is all annoyed and cursing at the drivers.
When they finally arrive in front of the small building downtown, he still hasn't said anything. He keeps silent when they enter the building. He is itching to just open his mouth and ask her. What it all means, what to do? Did he finally do something right? Or this is going to blow up in his face? His worrying mind is racing at full speed.
He sighs. There is a time and place, he reminds himself. Time and place for everything.
They arrive at the apartment building. The house looks old, but it's in good condition.
The deep red shade of the staircase is overwhelming at first, but by the time they arrive to the third floor, Castle decides he likes it.
Sliding the key she got from the landlord in the lock, she opens the door to Kalev's apartment. The door opens with soft creak and she steps into the tiny apartment. She tentatively steps inside, looking around, Castle at her heels. She fishes out purple gloves from her deep jacket pockets and gives the other pair to Castle.
The place looks like it had been hit by a hurricane. The clothes are lying in everywhere, his things are scattered around on all surfaces. Castle slides his fingers along the surface of one of the bookcases that lean against the light walls. Yellow shade of walls gives the illusion that the apartment is bigger than it is and the lack of furniture supports this as well
"Ugh, it's messy in here," he wrinkles his nose and raises one of his fingers to Beckett. His fingers are covered with grayish dust. Kate shakes her head in amusement and steps deeper into the apartment. Kalev seemed to have a really messy life in his little apartment.
"What are we looking for?" Castle asks, eyeing the books and documents in the bookcases.
"Anything that may be out of place," comes the short answer from Beckett, who is slowly making her way through the office area. Or what should be an office area.
Castle snorts. "Out of place?" he asks, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I think this whole apartment is out of place." He steps away from the bookcase and lets his eyes slide over the small apartment for the second time. "For a guy like him, I thought he would be a neat freak."
"Castle," she sighs, shifting through the papers on his desk. "Have you found anything yet?"
"Nothing important," he mumbles, relocating the victim's clothes with two of his fingers. Beckett eyes him with amusement and can't really suppress the smile that creeps onto her face. She unconsciously observes him. He is sifting through the pile of clothes in hope of find something on the sofa underneath the garments. He doesn't want to touch the clothes, so he is using only two of his fingers and making disgusted faces.
The bubble of laughter wants to surface within her, but she can't let it out.
She feels lighter than before, her heart still fluttering in her chest. The kiss they shared is still in her thoughts. She can't put it out of her mind no matter how hard she tries. It felt good, oh so good. She closes her eyes in memory of his lips sliding against her.
"Beckett?" she hears Castle's confused voice. She opens her eyes only to look at the face of his partner. He has come closer to the table and seems worried. "You okay?"
She looks down as she feels a blush creeping on her cheeks. She smiles and mumbles "Yes."
"Uhm, why...?" he trails off. He sees the blush on her face. She must have been thinking of something...
Oh... "Nevermind..." he finally mumbles out. She... was thinking... about the kiss? The blush looks just too adorable on her and he can't turn his head away.
She finally raises her eyes to look at him. He is staring back at her and he can feel the electricity again when their gazes cross. Power surges through his heart and suddenly it's beating fast.
After the kiss they shared, he can't seem to be able to look at her without this rush of new and incredible feelings. Especially now that he knows how she tastes, what noise she makes. Or how good she feels against him.
But... time and place, he reminds himself. Time and place.
He disrupts the flowing energy with a cough. Beckett's gaze slides off his features and she tries to find something to occupy her hands.
There is a silence in the room. Awkward silence for a moment. He breathes in deeply, cursing in his mind that he interrupted the moment between them. He should have gone for it, but instead he was a good boy and thought about the consequences.
She dares to breathe in too. For a few incredible seconds she was sure that Castle will come and kiss her. If only their intense gaze would have lasted longer. But he had to interrupt it. Why? Is... this somehow still... to do with Emily? Has he...?
He is just turning his head to the bookcase next to the kitchen door when he hears her question.
"Why are you not going to your date with Emily?"
He stops on his tracks. Turns around to face her. She is looking at him now, shy and tentative, looking like she is afraid of his answer. Oh Kate.
He takes few steps closer to her and stops in front of her again. She is staring at his chest, not daring to look up yet. He extends his arm and catches her fingers with his palm. He squeezes her hand gently.
"There was no date in the first place, Kate," he confesses, looking at her, searching for her eyes. She raises her gaze to meet his. She is utterly confused now, her brows knit up, questions beam from her eyes.
"What?" she asks, surprise peeking through her voice.
Castle sighs. She must know now. He has utterly messed this up. He needs to make amends. Now. He breaks their gaze and looks down.
"She didn't call about the date, today. She called me to ask if I could help to throw a surprise party for Kevin."
"Oh," she breathes out. She looks relieved for a second, smile flashing for a second. But then she realizes something else. He mouth falls open in surprise.
When he meets her gaze again, she squints her eyes and accuses "So, you were lying in the diner?"
Uh oh, trouble ahead. He opens his mouth to say something to his defense, but cannot form a sentence at the moment. Her stare gets more intense and for a moment he feels the urge to flee.
"I...I wouldn't put it like that..." he tries to defend himself, taking an unconscious step backwards.
She shoves a finger to his chest. "You were lying... for what? You wanted to make me jealous?"
She can't believe he actually did it. She can't believe that it actually worked. He made her feel totally jealous... Over nothing.
"You..." she wants to throw something at him. Anything.
He backs off from her reach and smiles to her. He catches her wrist when his hand comes for a second shove into his abs. He stops her, his empty hand reaching for her other arm. He manages to grin at her when she throws furious glance at him.
"But it worked," he grins like a Cheshire cat. It totally worked.
She tries to wiggle out from his grasp, but he is holding her tightly, his strong surrounding her. In his tight embrace she is all worked up now, her eyes shooting fire and daggers. She is mad at him for lying. For making her feel like that. But, she is madder at herself - she let him get under her skin.
"Castle..." she tries to sound authoritative but fails.
"Nuh, uh, you are not going anywhere," is the only answer from him and he tries to pull her even closer.
Oh no, he is not getting away with that. She tries to wiggle more, she isn't going to give up that easily. He thinks he is clever, but that stunt he pulled, it was enough.
"Castle," she tries again, when his face comes closer and closer to hers. She sounds breathy. Her actions calm down and she stops wigging. She doesn't look into his eyes, because she knows if she does look, she will stop resisting. His blue eyes have always the power to break her, make her breathless and make her feel loved at the same time. She looks away from his face, averting her eyes elsewhere.
And that's when she sees it. Silvery shiny object peeks under the ugly yellow sweatshirt. Bingo!
His face is almost touching hers in anticipation of another kiss when she sharply turns her face back to him again. Her cheek collides with his and he whispers "Ouch."
"Castle," she tries for the third time, now her voice begging for attention. "The computer!"
What!?
"Um, what?" he asks confusedly, opening his eyes.
She pulls her arms free from his grasp now when his attention is elsewhere.
She points at the shiny object underneath the clothes. "Computer."
Oh, that's what she means. He let's her go completely, releasing her from his embrace. She turns around and takes few hurried steps towards the computer. He follows her closely.
The computer powers up and opens with no problems. From there, it's too easy to access to his files. The look through several folders but so far nothing. Nothing that could point to his shady deals or his potential killer.
She sighs. She was hoping to get at least something. And now nothing.
Suddenly Castle remembers the piece of paper they found in victim's pocket. His face beams of excitement as he turns the computer to his direction and opens the browser. He types in the IP from the paper and follows with the password. The directory opens with no problems.
"We got in!" he exhales excitedly.
"Nice work," she beams a smile to him and turns computer back to her.
They both turn their attention back to the computer. She opens a few files in the browser and they start reading the first document. Their mouths fall open in unison.
"Son of a..." Castle starts while gazing the screen.
"Yeah," Beckett finishes, "We need to call Esposito and Ryan, now."
Ryan is driving back to the precinct, his partner too busy devouring another hot dog beside him to take the reigns of the wheel. He looks over at his partner with a hint of amusement.
"You know your diet is terrible. Seriously, do you ever eat anything remotely healthy?"
Esposito merely grunts, "And this coming from a guy who drank juice for a week before he was married. I am in prime shape. Don't knock the muscle of this dynamic duo."
Ryan laughs at his friend's good humour. "By that admission, I am the brains of the outfit?"
"Pfft, you wish" he muffles out swallowing another bite of his hot dog and chuckles along with his friend.
They are interrupted by a call on Esposito's phone. He pulls the phone from his jacket, checking the caller ID.
"It's Beckett again."
Ryan watches his partner as he hits the answer button, noting his expression suddenly change from curiosity to deadly serious. "Yeah...OK. Got it. Heading there now."
He puts the phone back in his pocket and says, "About face bro. We are heading straight back to the CG's."
Ryan does a quick u-turn on the road and heads back towards the park. "So it is the Consulate General? They have a tip?"
"Possibly. Castle and Beckett managed to read Kalev's computer files. She didn't tell me much else, other than to pick both him and the bodyguard up."
"The bodyguard? Hmmm." Ryan thinks back to the earlier incident where Igor initially saw them both as a threat. His size and professionalism suggested hinted he knew how to use his firearm. He was lean and muscular, and most probably very agile despite his bulk. Not a man to take lightly.
"You thinking what I am thinking?" Esposito asks, pulling his gun out, checking the clip.
Ryan nods "I think so. This could be an interesting day."
"Hey Kevin, lets not play around here. This guy looks ex-military. A dangerous man. We'll get him cuffed quickly and then take care of the CG."
Ryan merely nods in agreement again and weaves through the traffic, travelling alongside the park and turns back into the side street where they were not half an hour before. They cruise slowly up the apartment block, housing Kaarel's place and park just outside the front entrance.
"Ready?" Kevin unstraps himself, and opens his door.
Esposito is already out of the car, gun in his hands, "Yep, lets do this."
This is it, guys. Next chapter. We hope you guys like it. We are so so so so sorry that we haven't updated in weeks. But both of us were in vacation in Los Angeles, attending the Castle Converntion 2012. During those weeks, neither of us didn't have ANY time to write at all. But now we are back and trying to tie this fic up. Hopefully it won't be long anymore.
Let us know what do you think of the fic. Where this is going. Who do you think the killer is? Is there any more twists coming? How do you like the fic so far? Is it too messy, too complicated… OR too easy for you? Tee hee. Im just kidding. Send us some reviews. We like them VERY very much!
Thank you for reading, folks, I really do love it when you read our stuff. Thanks for Kimmiesjoy & lv2bnsb for betaing!