A/N: Need to thank Xonze and Tycho657 for being my beta readers on this chapter. They both did a wonderful job on making this chapter better. Please enjoy it and feel free to leave a review.
As usual, the characters in this story belong to ABC and the brilliant Andrew Marlowe.
Just as they got to the doors of the precinct, Kate gave Castle's hand a slight squeeze and let go. She needed to put her game face back on and get to work. The faster they solved this case, the faster she could get back to exploring further what she started last night. As she opened the door though she felt a tug on her hand that pulled her backwards.
Kate looked up at Castle but before she could say or do anything, she felt his lips briefly touch hers in a gentle kiss.
"Needed to get my last touch in before we go face the boys and I didn't think you wanted me to kiss you in the elevator because of the cameras."
"You do realize the front entrance of the precinct also has cameras right?" Kate asked.
"Oh I know but if you noticed, I pulled you slightly backwards and out of sight of said cameras. This way I got my kiss but didn't broadcast it to the entire precinct."
"How noble of you. Just remember whatever is going on between us is to be kept under-wraps while we are at work. Now after work, that's a different story." Kate stated as a small smile crossed her face.
"As long as I get to write said story or shall we say, participate in it, I'll behave myself. At least I won't do anything I don't already do to you. Got to keep it real."
Kate just shook her head as she headed to the elevators with Castle right at her side. They stepped inside standing a touch closer than normal but she couldn't bring herself to move. She enjoyed this new closeness, however brief, of theirs as it reassured her she made the right decision. He was her partner and they worked well together. This closeness would only serve to make them even more in sync and work even better together. Just as she started to turn to look at Castle, the ding of the elevator sounded and the doors opened.
She scanned the bullpen and found Ryan at his desk with Esposito looking over his shoulder.
"You guys are here early. Not have a good night last night?" Kate heard Castle tease as he bumped hands with both of them.
"Oh please, I got plenty of action last night but someone had to be called into work early. I thought I would come in and get started on the background check of this Bobby character. " Esposito said.
"What about you Ryan? Have a good night?"
"Not as good as you appeared to have Castle. Care to share what's got you all happy?" Ryan asked.
Kate looked at Castle from where she was standing at the murder board and raised her eyebrow. She then shrugged her shoulders and smiled some before heading toward the break room for some much needed coffee. She trusted him to not share too much about last night but knew it was unrealistic to think he could keep it from them completely.
"Just had a nice night with someone completely amazing is all."
"This amazing person wouldn't happen to be Beckett now would it?" Ryan quipped.
"Now that is for me to know and for you to figure out on your own. You are a Detective. Besides, if you are so interested, why don't you ask Beckett ?
"In case you haven't noticed, Beckett isn't exactly considered a "sharer" type of person." Esposito chimed in as he stepped closer to Castle
"True but she has relaxed a bit since Castle started coming around. Maybe I will ask her." Ryan added.
Kate heard enough of the conversation between the boys as she walked back to her desk to make her smile. She couldn't resist baiting them a bit though.
"So Ryan, I heard you have something you wanted to ask me? I'm sure its related to the case as we're supposed to be working and we do have a suspect to pick up. " Kate challenged.
"Um, no-no question. We found out where Bobby Stinelli was crashing after he got out of Rikers. Here's the address. We were also able to get a warrant based on the information tying him to this case."
"Road trip?" Castle asked.
"Yeah, let's go." Kate turned to look at where the rest of her team was standing. "Guys suit up as well. This guy is dangerous and I want some back up in case he decides to run."
"Got it boss." Ryan and Esposito both stated.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
As they pulled up along Dave's Tavern in Hell's Kitchen, Kate looked over at Castle just as he turned his head toward her. They locked eyes for a split second but long enough for each of them to see the concern in their eyes. Unlike other take downs, more seemed to be at stake now. Kate reached out and squeezed his hand before she let go to get out of the vehicle. It was enough for now.
Castle and Beckett met the guys at the back of her car giving them enough time to size up the building.
"Castle, I don't suppose you would stay in the car if I told you to, would you? From what we've learned, this guy can be unpredictable which makes him more dangerous." Kate asked.
"What? And miss all the action? Not a chance. Beside, someone has to watch your back."
"And just what do you call the guys?" Kate quipped
"Partners, just like we are and two teams are always better than one or is it two is better than one. Not sure which one I like better really. "
"Fine but stay behind me and don't do anything stupid. Ryan, Esposito, let's go. " Kate commanded.
They walked up the flight of stairs toward where the suspect was supposed to be. Kate raised her arm and knocked on the door. She heard some noises coming from inside but no one came to the door so she decided to be a little more forceful. "NYPD, open the damn door!"
The door opened to show a rough looking guy with tattoos along both arms. Kate immediately reached for her firearm as a precaution. She glanced at the guys who did the same.
"What do you want? You can't just come barging into my place. I know my rights."
"We can when we have a warrant, Mr. Stinelli. Now turn around and place your arms behind your back. " Kate instructed as she pulled out her cuffs.
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense." Kate continued not willing to let this guy get off on a technicality.
She handed Bobby Stinelli off to Ryan and Esposito as she started to look around. She noticed Castle had wandered toward a corner of the small apartment, intent on looking at something. Just before she had a chance to question what he found, she heard: "What are all these World War II artifacts doing in a place like this? They should be in a museum or at the very least locked up somewhere nicer."
"It's highly likely they were stolen Castle. It would fit what our other guy told us. Don't suppose you see anything that could be used to strangle someone? We still don't have our murder weapon" Kate said.
"Oh ye of little faith, Detective. It's here, I'm sure of it. If this guy was dumb enough to keep these artifacts out in plain sight, he's dumb enough not to get rid of the murder weapon. It would have been too valuable to him."
"Yeah, but the chances of recognizing it in this pile are slim to none. We don't even know what it looks like exactly." Kate said skeptically.
"No, but we do know it is a tool that could be used to strangle someone. It would also be something that would only cause a small, thin line across a neck. By looking at all the metal artifacts, you would have to conclude it would be made out of some kind of loop shaped wire."
Kate walked closer to where the stuff was found laid out on a small table and scanned the artifacts. She could feel Castle slightly close to her but not close enough to raise any questions. At the same time, they started to reach for the same piece of metal.
"I think I just found the murder weapon!" Kate and Castle said at the same time. Kate let a smile cross her face as she picked up the tool and placed it in an evidence bag.
"Lets get this down to the Lanie. See if she can match this up to the marks left on our vic. I'll have CSU sweep this place in case anything else can be tied to this murder. Looks like our Bobby Stinelli is going to have some explaining to do."
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
Kate and Castle walked down the long hallway to the morgue with their fingers just barely laced together. It felt comfortable to her and put her in a good mood. The fact that they found what they think was the murder weapon, didn't hurt matters either. As she reached the door, she glanced at Castle and let go off his fingers. This case needed to solved soon, for the victim and for herself.
"Hey Lanie."
"Hey girl. I hear you found me a murder weapon?" Lanie said.
"Yeah, I did in fact. Found it in our suspect's place. Think you can run it against our vic?"
"Sure thing. Hand it over and I'll get right on it. In the mean time, I hear, you two had a nice night." Lanie teased.
"We might have. No more than what you had from what I hear." Kate quipped back.
Kate watched Lanie take the artifact out of the evidence bag and swab it before putting it under the microscope. Just when Kate thought Lanie had dropped the subject, she smarted back.
"Oh no, baby. My night was much hotter until I got called in to work at least. Got to take it when you can I guess and be very grateful when bosses call it an early night."
Kate laughed some but quickly focused back on the body in question. She wanted to know if they had a match and she wanted to know now.
"So, does this match the marks found on the neck?" Kate asked.
Lanie leaned over the body once more and compared the suspected murder weapon to the marks found. From what Kate could tell, it was a perfect match.
"Looks like a perfect match to me. Case solved!" Castle chimed in with a smirk on his face.
"Since when did you get an ME liscense. You got somewhere better you want to be, Castle?"
"I'm right where I want to be, Dr. Parish. Who wouldn't want to be in a room with two beautiful ladies." Castle said.
"Always the charmer, Castle. You are right though. It appears what you brought me matches the mark found on her neck and is the tool used to strangle her. We'll have to wait for test results to come back for a definite ruling on it though."
"Thanks Lanie. Let us know when they come back. I'll let our suspect stew in a holding cell until you get back with us. "Kate said and then turned to Castle. "In the meantime, lets get back to see if CSU came up with anything else that may help us with this case."
XOXOXOXOXO
As they walked into the bullpen, Kate put the guys on digging up any reports of stolen World War II artifacts in the area while she headed toward the murder board. She felt Castle slide next to her as his hips just barely touched her own.
"So we know that Bobby was involved in some kind of theft ring targeting World War II artifacts and we now know the method used to strangle our victim. What makes no sense is how she managed to uncover this in the first place and why, when she did, didn't she come to the police?" Kate heard Castle debate.
"We may never know that answer. Her job dictated a layer of secrecy that may have prevented her from coming to us. It's possible as a target analyst, she was looking into something else as a matter of national security and stumbled upon this operation."
"Yeah, I guess. Just wish we knew for sure. Would make for a better story."
"What? Having a murder surrounding all this classified information isn't enough for you? Not sure how much more intrigue could be involved in this case to satisfy you." Kate teased.
"Ooo...International Intrigue, the rise of a sleeper cell in Manhattan. I kind of like it. Anyway, CSU come back yet with anything useful?"
"Came back, yes. Anything more useful to our case, no. Ryan, you get any hits on stolen World War II artifacts in the area?" Kate asked as she looked toward the guys desks.
"As matter of fact yes. I'm passing on the information to our robbery department now. I kind of figured they could handle the cleanup once we get this case solved. "
"Good call. Where'd Esposito go? He was here a minute ago."Castle asked.
"Oh, Lanie called with the results on the murder weapon and he went down to get them. "
"I bet that's not the only reason."
"What, Castle? You jealous he might be getting more action than yourself?" Kate asked as she stepped right into his personal space.
"Jealous? Please. She's not my type anyway. I prefer tall brunette's with long hair and a quick wit who gives as good as she gets."
"Oh I give alright. In ways you could only start to imagine." Kate whispered in Castle's ear. Kate stepped back slightly before saying "Cat got your tongue Castle?"
"Look, Esposito has returned from his rather quick trip to the morgue and he brought us a gift. Did you get the brush off from your girl?"
"Boy, you better step back. No, I figured the quicker I got back, the quicker we can get this guy's confession and close the case. I'd like to finish what I started last night before work got in the way." Esposito said as he handed the file over.
Kate opened the file and confirmed what had already been suspected. The weapon found in Bobby's apartment was definitely the one used to strangle their victim.
"Okay, get Bobby brought up to interrogation. I want to see what this guy has to say for himself. We need the confession to make this an airtight case for the DA."
As Espositio called down to holding, Kate felt Castle lean in next to her and whisper in her ear.
"So, got any plans after this case gets wrapped up?"
"What do you have in mind, Castle?" Kate asked knowing he was up to something.
"Dinner at my place as a celebration for closing the case with Alexis? She has a date with Ashley later but I know she would love to see you again. Afterwards, we could have a more private party, one that involves a lot of give and take."
"I think that can be arranged." Kate said, a small smile flashing across her face as they headed toward the interrogation rooms.