The comments were great. Thanks
The trip back to New York City is long, slow and tiring for the pair of detectives. Ryan and Esposito sit in silence with Lanie Parish leaning into Javi's side while Jenny is curled into Kevin's arms.
The car service drops the Ryan's off first then continues to the apartment of Esposito where Lanie gets out as well. She enters with Javier and the two set the bags down and drop onto the couch. The rest of the evening is spent in silence.
Esposito finally speaks up "I wonder if I should call the morgue and see how Perlmutter is doing?"
"He is fine" Lanie responds "He knows exactly what he is doing. He doesn't need your help" she pauses while point her finger between them, "Our help"
"I guess you're right" is his only comment
"Of course I'm right. I'm always right"
Jenny and Kevin are as quiet as the Lanie and Esposito. Neither couple knows what the other is doing. They only know about the silence issuing between themselves in their own private worlds
Down at the morgue, ME Perlmutter has moved the body bag into the storage cabinet and has closed the door to the refrigerated locker. After he closes the door he places a security lock on the latch
He steps away to his desk and sits down when he notices the main entry door open. Captain Victoria Gates steps up to the doctor's desk then sits down at a chair placed beside his work space exactly like the chair Beckett had for Castle for the last six years
The medical examiner looks up to the woman "Hello Captain"
"Doctor. Thank you for doing this. I know you really have never liked Mr. Castle but this is so very important to this entire team"
"Captain my dislike for Mr. Castle is only skin deep. I do know that he has been some help on cases over the last few years and he did bring Detective Beckett out of her shell in a large way. My participation in this is out of respect for her and the job she does solving crimes"
"For what very reason I want to personally thank you for doing this" Captain Gates stands to leave the morgue
"Yes captain. And please let me know whatever else I can do.
"Yes I will"
"And keep me advised to the outcome"
Captain Gates shakes her head and she returns to the elevator to go out to the street instead of going to the homicide floor. She gets into her cruiser and heads to the evidence garage where the Mercedes has been towed to allow CSU to examine it for evidence. When she arrives at CSU she places a call to the homicide division and asks for Detective Karpowski.
The woman answers "Karpowski"
"This is Gates, the car is here at the evidence garage. Can you come down and supervise?"
The response is solemn "Yes, of course"
"Then keep me informed on the findings"
"Naturally sir"
Captain Gates then walks up beside the unit sergeant "This car is special. I will have one of my detectives here for the examination. She is to be allowed full and unlimited access to any and all information"
"Understood" the officer replies then he finishes his statement "Captain, we understand that this car belonged to Richard Castle, the author and fiancé of Detective Beckett?"
"That's right"
"We will take care of this sir"
Thank you sergeant" The captain responds
Doctor Perlmutter is filling out paperwork at his desk when there is call from the lobby. The clerk advises the medical examiner that there is a doctor in the lobby wanting to come up and examine the body that was recently brought in
"What body?" he questions
Moments later the gate keeper responds "A Mr. Richard Castle"
A look comes across the face of the ME then he responds "Be sure to have him sign in"
"OH sir it is a woman. A Dr. Dr. Kelly Nieman"
"Verify her credentials and then send her on up"
He then turns to his recorder control and activates the recording system normally used to do autopsies. This system records both audio and video at given examination tables
A few minutes later the doors open and a tall attractive woman enters the space.
Dr. Perlmutter greets her with his normal attitude of 'Why are you bothering me?'
"Mr. Castle is a patient of mine and I want to see him" She says
"This is highly unusual. I never get an attending physician check in a deceased patient"
"Well Richard was also a friend and I want to pay my respects. I am leaving town in the morning and will not be here for a funeral" She comments
The medical examiner steps over to the storage unit and pulls open the drawer and slides out the drawer containing the cadaver. The remains are evidently the result of a fire. There is nothing left but some bones covered by what appears to be clothing or possible flesh
The woman does not flinch at the sight as if this is an every day occurrence for her. She turns to the ME "May I be alone with the body for a moment?"
"No I'm afraid not. I have not yet done the post mortem and rules require I be present until such time. It has to do with chain of evidence. You understand".
"Of course doctor" She answers
She seems to be looking very closely at the body then she looks at the ME "Thank you doctor. I have seen all I need to" And she turns and exits the building
Captain Gates then return to the 12th precinct and to her office where she closes her door to being herself into a silent place. She sits down at her desk and leans back into her chair. It is at that very moment the silence is broken.
She hears the chirp of a cell phone. It is not her phone as it is openly placed on the desktop. She is positive where it is coming from exactly. After the noise repeats she pulls open the drawer below the credenza behind her chair. Nothing is in the drawer but the repeated chirp brings her to look into the devices hiding place. After an additional chirp she locates a burner phone taped to the bottom of the box.
She quickly glances around to make sure no one is watching. She takes the phone from the hiding place then drops it into her pocket and returns to the tasks on her desk pretending to have no interest in the message being sent to her
In the apartment of Jenny and Kevin Ryan the couple has released the baby sitter from her duties and have prepared themselves for bed when there is the sound of a text being sent to a phone. Jenny looks around the bedroom seeking to locate the source when the next repeated signal directs her to their dresser and the phone located on the bottom of the drawer. She retrieves the noise making device and walks into the bathroom where Kevin is stepping out of the shower. She opens the message and the couple reads the text to together
In Javier Esposito's apartment there is a similar event. The brilliant Hispanic detective pulls out the device from its hiding place and shows the message to his companion for the night
On the homicide floor of the 12th precinct the captain is wrapping up her activities for the evening when the phone on her desk rings
"Captain Gates"
"Hello Captain. What can I do for you?" Gates asks
She listens for a moment to the statement from the Highway Patrol officer
The state police officer tells Gates that there seems to be a problem related to the witness to the accident involving the Mercedes belonging to Richard Castle. While attempting to enter the data, the name, address and phone numbers of the person witnessing the event seem to be bogus and they are unable to contact him for follow up.
Gates only response is
"Really?"