Last Chapter. An Epilog will follow
"You are not Jerry Tyson" Kate speaks with a loud voice
"No! I am Not" is the response
"How did you get here?" Beckett asks
"A lot of hard work from my friends and companions"
"You are in prison. Federal Prison"
"Not anymore, Nikki"
Katherine Beckett is sitting on the couch in the downstairs office of the Old Haunt face to face with Scott Dunn. A man she arrested with the help of Agent Jordan Shaw several years ago and put into prison. A serial killer that has, in the past had committed many previously unsolved serial murders scattered across the United States and possibly all over North America. During his rampage in New York he claimed that Nikki Heat was a failure in not being able to capture him and so he kept killing
"Nikki! Nikki! Nikki! Did you miss me?" He begins his taunting
"Miss you like I would miss a bad case of the stomach flu" Kate is showing no signs of illness at the moment
"I tricked you into believing I was Jerry Tyson. I am good you know?"
"Oh not that good" Beckett responds
"You know I met him in prison"
"Who, Tyson, when was that?"
"I was in transit between local and Federal and I spent a week at Rikkers. He was there awaiting transfer upstate. That is when I decided to learn more about 3XK"
Then with obvious appreciation in his voice"You know he is a talented man"
Dunn is pacing the room very proud of his ability to pull this off
"Talented at what? Murder? How is that a good thing?"
"Oh Nikki you are missing the beauty of the man"
"There is nothing beautiful about murdering innocent women and dumping their bodies I an alley"
"Oh Nikki, the beauty is in how easily we got away from the police. How he fooled the police just like I fooled you and your so called friends"
"How did you get out of federal custody? I thought you were in maximum security?"
"Oh that is where my woman here comes in" Pointing at the good doctor
"She located a man who was a willing disciple. He saw the beauty in our plan. He joined us willingly. He is proud to be a part of our plan. He allowed her to surgically change him into me. She performed plastic surgery just like she did to those two others. You know the two that became you friends. That Hispanic cop and that African American doctor. The only difference is that this man became me"
Dunn is still walking around the room proudly telling his story
"Then he put on a prosthetic and makeup to look like one of the guards that we did have to remove from the equation. Then dresses as the guard he simply came in as the guard and went to work. We changed clothes then I put on the makeup I just walked out in his place. No one even knew I was gone. In fact the prison still thinks I am rotting in my cell"
Dunn is totally into his own story when he suddenly turns toward Beckett and with determination in his voice "Nikki, you should feel ashamed how I've tricked you. You thought I was Jerry Tyson and he was the one following you and your former now dead fiancé"
"Who says you fooled me?"
"Well you are here in my trap. Your lover is dead on a slab in the morgue and I am out of jail"
Kate begins to stand up "What makes you think I am in your trap? Maybe you are in mine"
At this very moment the bookcase slides open and Agent Jordan Shaw along with Special Agent Deacon Paul enters the office with weapons drawn.
The two criminals turn to rush up the stairs only to come face to face with Detectives Ryan and Esposito also fully armed.
The two are trapped between local police and FBI
"Nikki! You surprised me" Dunn says." But you are still not smarter than me. Someone had to die. Someone always has to die and this time it was you fiancé"
"Oh I think I have a few more lives left" Castle comments as he enters the room from the secret passage bringing the two criminals to silence
The crowd up in the main level of the bar are all abuzz talking about how they captured Dunn and Nieman and especially that Castle is still alive.
The assembled group are all cheers as the officers escort the two suspects are taken out and placed in awaiting squad cars and taken down to the Federal Courthouse for lock up
Rick and Kate finally arrive at the main floor of the bar and are again cheered and congratulations are given all round.
The next hour is spent in telling and retelling the story of how they pulled this off. How they passed notes between themselves like a bunch of junior high school kids talking about who was into whom in the classroom
"So Richard, now that this nonsense is over can we move on with the missed wedding" Martha asks
Castle looks at Kate and smiles "I'm ready"
She return the love "Me too. When?"
Rick looks around the room. "All of our friends are here. This booth is where I wrote my first book that hooked you in the beginning. How about not letting anything else get in our way?"
"OK Perfect" Kate says with a giggle. Then they both look around for someone to perform the ceremony only so see that due to commitments the mayor and judges have both left
"Rick there is no official that can do the service"
"Excuse me you two, but actually I am a member of the clergy" special Agent Deacon Paul comments to the pair
"What?" You are a minister?"
"Actually I am a deacon at my church and because of that I am authorized by my church to perform weddings"
"Wait! You are Deacon Deacon Paul?" Castle asks causing a few laughs to occur in the room
He looks at the crowd. Yeah I guess you could say that" he responds
Kate looks at Rick and the two lock eyes "Let's do this" they both say in unison
The couple stands in front of the booth where 'In A Hail of Bullets' was born and listen to the agent recites words of love and commitment. Admonishing the couple to dedicate their lives to one another. Not realizing that the couple in front of him have dedicated themselves to one another totally for the last six years. To ask them to continue that promise is not in question
Katherine Beckett is able to say her vows to Rick without the fear she had over doing it in front of a lot of people since they are in front of so many fewer people than originally planned. Kate chokes thru her promises of love for the man before her. The man that saved her from her ghosts. The man who helped her find a killer and closed that chapter in her life
Richard Castle, as a public figure, accustomed to book readings, should have been able to speak without issue, but looking into the hazel eyes of the woman, that he has fallen so deeply in love with, he can't help but tear up and his voice trembles as she says the words of dedication that simply repeat what they have meant to each other for years
The friends and coworkers that have watched this relationship grow from less than nothing to one of the greatest love stories of all time are enjoying witnessing the culmination of that love
And now everyone else present can see the undying connection these two have for one another
The evening ends with the departure of Mr. And Mrs. Richard Castle.
Instead of rice, the patrons of the bar are throwing peanut shells, since that was all they have access to.
Kate and Rick head to the loft to grab their bags then to the airport for the much delayed honeymoon
In the cab ride to the airport, Kate keeps looking at her left hand and the wedding band that she now has added to her ring finger. She continues to touch it and roll it around and around
"It that bothering you?" Rick asks
She never looks up "No, just I never thought this day would happen for me"
"I am glad it did, and more than that, I am glad that I am the one who got to put it there"
"Me too"
Finis
Time to put this one to bed. Thanks to all my readers. you make me love doing this
II wish I could actually write for a living, but it is not in the cards.
I will try to do more of this instead