A/N: Need to thank Xonze for editing this story and rkcaskett for being my sounding board at times. Also a shout out to the castletv chat room for answering my odd ball questions.
Sorry for the later than usual update but a second round of shoulder surgery sidelined me. I also didn't want to rush this chapter. Hope you enjoy it and feel free to leave a review.
Kate and Castle walked into the bullpen to see Esposito and Ryan hovered around Ryan's computer.
"What's up guys? Setting up your fantasy football rosters?" Kate asked.
"Nah, football season is over, haven't you noticed Beckett? It's time to get our rosters ready for baseball season now. Care to join in? " Ryan teased.
"I'll pass. Some of us work for a living and I wouldn't want to put you all to shame. Speaking of something you should be doing, any hits on the vic's cell yet?" Kate asked turning more serious.
"Uh, as a matter of fact, we just got a hit on it. Looks to be a few blocks away from where our body was found." Ryan said.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Go get me a suspect. " Kate said in exasperation.
"We thought you would want to do it since you usually want in on this stuff." Ryan stammered.
"Not this time, guys. I need to make a call to our vic's boss and see if they can tell me any more information on what she was working on before her death. It's connected to her death, I'm sure of it."
Ryan looked at Castle and asked, "You want in on this bro?"
"I'll pass on this, I want to stick around and see if Beckett finds out anything. Besides, she tends to get cranky without her caffeine and it looks like she is due for another cup."
"Whatever bro, your loss." Esposito said as a knowing smirk crossed his face as he walked toward the elevators. A fact that Kate didn't miss as she watched part of her team leave.
Kate glared at Castle as he quickly walked toward the break room and heard him say, "You said you needed some coffee right? I'll get right on that for you." before she let a small smile cross her face. He was right about the caffeine and it would give her a minute to mull over the upcoming conversation.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Kate picked up her phone and dialed Desideratum Ventures's main and what it appeared only line. Odd considering how big of a business it was and how many people worked for them. She knew it was just a cover for whatever they did but she also knew it was often best to leave certain questions unasked.
"Yes, this is Detective Kate Beckett, I need to speak to Katarina Footelli's direct supervisor please." Kate stated as she looked up and could literally smell the coffee that had just arrived at her desk. She looked up at Castle, put her hand on his arm and squeezed lightly as a way of saying thanks.
The phone call ended up being more brief than she expected as the supervisor wasn't exactly very forthcoming with information. She was able to get him to send over a file with her recent case load, provided it be kept in confidence within her team. Kate assured him that it would not leak out as they have worked with sensitive information in the past. She was on Agent Westfield's friends and family plan after all.
"Anything enlightening from her employer? An employee who just couldn't take the guilt and spilled the beans to him would be a nice start."
"No, I got nothing." Kate said with a frustrated sigh.
"We just need some piece of evidence. Something to give us a clue as to who killed her and more importantly, what tool was used. It just makes no sense." Castle said.
"Yeah, well, maybe the boys will bring in someone who will give us a break in this case because right now all we have is speculation and no solid evidence for anything. "
Kate felt Castle casually touch her arm in what she hoped was seen as a simple friendly show of support. Nothing was going on between them but she didn't want the entire precinct to think otherwise. It was bad enough with her previous boyfriend who she let her softer side show through some making, at least to herself, seem weak. With Josh, he had shown up twice now uninvited as she usually met him outside of work.
She allowed her mind to drift momentarily to Josh and then found herself thinking of the hurt she saw on Castle's face both times. She would bet that Castle saw the same look on her face the morning after she witnessed him kiss Natalie Rhodes. She felt Castle squeeze her arm bringing her back to the present and saw the concern in his eyes.
"You okay?" Castle asked, and she looked over.
""What? Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little distracted I guess. You know, the case and everything." Kate said with a small smile.
"Yeah, and everything. Look, it's getting late and I bet you need to be going to meet up with Josh soon. Why don't you tell the guys that we can interrogate this suspect tomorrow and call it a night?" Castle suggested.
"Not a bad idea, although I'm surprised you came up with it." Kate teased and reached out her hand to cover his briefly. "Seriously though, thanks for looking out for me. Some time away from the case might do us both some good."
"I've always got your back, Kate and what a nice back it is - so you got a hot date tonight uh?" Castle smirked.
"Hot isn't quite the word I would have used to describe my date tonight. Explosive or even eruptive could be said about the plan I have for my evening." Kate said as she leaned closer to him.
"Just don't get too close or you might get burnt." Castle said as he leaned in even closer.
"Oh, I can take care of myself don't you worry about that one bit." Kate let her pointer finger graze the bottom of his chin lifting it up to slightly. "Besides, I know who could help me lick my wounds if I do crash and burn."
Kate took a moment longer to stare into Castle's eyes before she backed away. She was trying to read him, to see if there was something there that he couldn't say to her out of respect for her relationship with Josh. She just had this inkling that there was more to his feelings than just friendship. She could almost feel the deep connection, dare she admit love, for just a moment before he reigned himself in and looked away.
If she was honest with herself, she felt the same but was too scared to act on it. Maybe it was time to change that and start believing in some of the magic offered by Castle.
"Anyway, I should get out of here and you need to get some of your own writing done. Don't let Nikki and Rook get themselves into too much trouble." Kate said as she headed toward the elevator.
"Why not? It's definitely more fun to see just how much trouble they can get into and how they end up shall we say connected afterward." Castle said.
Kate chuckled at the thought and waved her hand at him as she stepped into the elevator. He planned to wait until the guys got back to the precinct before he left for the evening. It was a nice, if unnecessary, gesture considering she had already informed the guys of her plan. Just as the doors closed, she leaned back against the back wall taking in a slow breath in order to steady herself for what was to come. It was not going to be an easy night.
XOXOXOXOXOX
Beckett walked toward her desk the next morning with an air about her that sent even the most fearless person scurrying away. Her night was definitely explosive but not in the way she would have liked and she hoped Castle fared better.
As soon as she sat down at her desk she heard the familiar ding of the elevator and saw Castle come bearing gifts for her in the name of much needed coffee. Sure, she could have gotten herself some but this was their thing and was something she valued. She looked up at him as she took a sip of her coffee with a weary look in her eye. She saw no point in trying to hide anything as he would be able to see right through her with the connection they have with each other. Unfortunately it was that connection that often complicated things, especially last night.
"You're here early this morning, Castle. I didn't think you got up before the sun unless a body dropped."
"Now you know that isn't true, Detective. I always get up if I think it will be worth my while, especially if you're involved." Castle flirted.
Kate shook her head and had to smile. In her head she completed the thought for him of it sounding more dirty than intended but chose not to voice the comment. She still felt the effects from last night's thing with Josh but found herself relaxing more now that Castle was here.
"And just who said I was involved in anything this morning? I just sat down so not much has happened yet." Kate said with her eyebrows raised.
"That is where you are wrong. I don't recall ever saying anything about this morning now did I. I believed you assumed that fact when I could have been referring to the events of last night."
"Just what do you know about last night exactly?" Kate said sharper than she would have liked.
Kate felt Castle lean in a touch closer than normal and just barely touch her face with his fingertips while he looked deep in her eyes again. Almost like he was reading her and wanted to get the story behind the story.
"I know by the look in your eyes and how tense your shoulders are that you didn't get much sleep last night. The way people are staying clear of your desk in the short time I have been here tells me you have been on a war path and no one dare come close, except me of course but you knew I wouldn't let you push me away so you didn't even try." Castle said and added in a softer tone, "Thank you."
"Yeah well. Don't flatter yourself. I haven't told you anything yet." Kate said.
"Yet, being the operative word here, Kate. I won't push you though, so tell me, don't tell me, it is entirely up to you. Just know I am a good ear when I want to be. I also give kick ass massages should your body need one later. If you think you can handle the heat that is Detective." Castle teased.
"Oh, I'm sure you do and it's something I will definitely take under consideration. For now I believe we have a date in the observation room with a suspect." Kate said. "And for the record, I can handle the heat just fine if you bring the fire."
Kate noticed it took Castle a minute to respond but he eventually regained his senses and asked the next logical question.
"Observation room? I thought we usually handled most interrogations. What's changed?"
"I thought I would be nice and let the guys handle this one since they did the leg work to pick the guy up last night. " Kate stated.
"Well, aren't you turning into a softy or is it the fact that you want to finish your coffee and wonderful breakfast I brought you... uh, never-mind. Forget I mentioned it."
Kate just glared at him but chuckled some to herself while she walked toward where the guys were without even a glance over her shoulder. She knew he would be right beside her as he always seemed to know exactly what she needed at any given time.
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
Kate felt Castle catch up to her and walk a tad closer to her than what would be considered normal. Not that anyone would notice as his normal behavior would be considered abnormal on any given day anyway. As Kate reached the room, she flipped the switched so they could hear them but they could not hear any conversation that was bound to happen between Castle and herself. It was that impending conversation that had her tensed up more than anything that occurred the night before with Josh.
Kate turned to watch Esposito and Ryan lead their suspect in and make sure he understood his rights as was read to him the night before. Her guys may screw around a lot but when it came to interrogating a suspect, they were all business. She smiled as she watched Esposito change his posture to look more intimidating than he already was.
"It really is like watching actors on a stage, isn't it?" Kate heard Castle say before he continued, "This guy didn't do it by the way."
"Oh really, and you can tell this how, considering they have barely started the interrogation?" Kate challenged.
"Look at the way he's fidgeting and shifting his eyes around the room. He also just admitted that he found the cell a few feet from the body, but insists she was dead when he found it. "
"Ever consider he could be lying? Criminals tend to do that you know. " Kate said but was thinking the same thing he was at this point.
"Maybe but I don't think so. So, tell me about this explosive date you had last night? I can just picture you in a hot dress like the one you wore to the Heat Wave release party. I have to admit, Josh is one lucky guy."
"Yeah, well... He probably wouldn't have considered himself lucky last night. As far as what happened on the date, let's leave it at things went according to what I had planned but not necessarily what he wanted." Kate said as she lifted her eyes to meet his for a brief moment.
They both turned their attention back toward the interrogation in time for them to hear the guy yell out in frustration, "Look, I didn't kill the chick. She was dead when I got there but I noticed she had what looked to be a brand new Droid. Do you know what those sell for on the streets? I couldn't pass up making some quick cash. Not that I made any as you can see I still have this damn phone." The guy looked down at the table just as his hands started to shake.
As the guys took a moment to let the guy compose himself, Kate turned to Castle again.
"So how did the writing go last night?" Just as she heard Castle say, "I'm sorry about your date last night."
They both laughed for a moment and Kate motioned for him to go first, but he shook his head. "No you go first."
"I just wondered how your date with Nikki Heat went last night. I know you have a deadline coming up."
"And just how do you know that might I ask?"
"Haven't you figured out by now, Castle, that I have my ways of finding out all the details." Kate said as she inched closer to him.
"Do you now? Maybe you can share some of share some of those techniques when we aren't so exposed to prying eyes. Nikki and Rook did get themselves into a rather compromising position last night so we could compare notes."
"Somehow I don't think comparing notes is all you have in mind..." Kate teased. She wasn't sure where this was headed or where she wanted it to head but she knew this felt more right than anything last night.
"Try me and find out. I can be a perfect gentleman when prodded enough or when someone important to me needs time to figure things out."
"No funny business or at least none that I don't initiate first. Wait, that came out dirtier than I intended it to." Kate said with a smile on her face voicing what she wanted to earlier.
"Just let me know when you're ready." Castle said and then paused, turning his attention back to the suspect. "Did you notice the suspect;s hands shook? There is no way he was able to subdue our victim with all the training she seemed to possess."
"I was thinking the same thing. The way he's been shifting his eyes... it goes beyond nervousness. Almost to the point of fear. " Kate said.
"Oh he is definitely afraid of something but of what or whom is the real question. The guys are doing everything they can to break him but he is holding to his story."
"He may just need some more time to think things over now that the guys have made it clear we are on to him. We can hold him on possession of stolen property so another night in a holding cell may convince him to come clean with us." Kate said.
"We have broken suspects before together, even fearful ones, uncooperative ones."
"We do make a good team. Maybe a better team than anyone thought possible." Kate said as she tapped lightly on observation window. She leaned her head closer to his for a brief second and whispered "Patience is a virtue. One that is richly rewarded given time."
"Are we interrupting anything?" Esposito asked as they stepped out of the room.
Instead of immediately responding no to the nearly daily question, Kate decided to throw everyone off and reply "Maybe," while she walked back toward the murder board. The guys just looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders while they headed back her way.
Kate glanced over to find Castle slowly making his way back toward her, just slightly behind the guys. She caught his eye and saw him wink at her. She had to smile as who else but Castle would think to wink at a girl. Talk about old fashioned, but she did kind of like it, in a deep down, never admit kind of way.
"So, what's next?" Castle asked
"I want to know everything we can dig up about this guy. He's involved somehow I'm sure of it. They key is putting enough pieces of the puzzle together until a picture emerges." Kate stated.
"Quoting Jordan Shaw now I see. Interesting considering your past history with her."
"She gave me some good advice that I wasn't ready to hear at the time but may be now. Let's get to work. Ryan, Esposito, you take the guy's financials while Castle and I start looking through the case load that just came in from our vic's work."
"You got it." They both replied.
Kate turned her monitor slightly so both herself and Castle could get a look at the files that were just sent over. Getting wrapped up in what she was reading, the next thing she heard was
"Now that's interesting..."
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