All Kate wanted to do is get out of the bookstore and into the station to peel off her uniform so that she could go home. But with the scent of fresh coffee pulling her in, she made a quick detour. Oh, it was just what she needed.
When she made it to the counter, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the crumpled ten dollar bill that she had planned on using for lunch tomorrow. It didn't even matter, this would be worth it.
Kate waited a full minute before she looked behind the counter and rang the bell, but nobody was coming. She turned around and looked into the bookstore to see if there was somebody around, but everything was hectic. The owner that had been nice to her earlier was walking around with his phone in one hand, plastered to his ear, and his other arm waving in the air in frustration. The two other workers that were there were busy setting up some racks to form a line and a table with multiple markers and refreshments for this author who hadn't shown up yet.
That was just great. She was supposed to get back to her precinct for her end of shift debriefing and she couldn't even get a cup of coffee for the way there. It was this guy's fault, too, she thought shooting a look at another one of the life-size cutouts that was sitting next to her. She had never heard of him, his book probably wasn't even that good.
After standing there for way longer than necessary, silently judging a piece of cardboard, Kate decided she was being ridiculous and it was time to get going. The way those fake blue eyes were smiling at her was starting to weird her out anyway.
It was then that she heard a lift in volume from the crowd outside. Leaving from the back door instead probably was not an option from this building. So she turned to face the front exit and was stopped in her tracks by the same pair of blue eyes that she had just stared down a moment ago. These ones were definitely the real thing.
. . . .
Rick exited his limo wearing sunglasses for two reasons. It would make the flashes less bright and would hide the bags under his eyes from not getting enough sleep last night. They also made him look great. But he didn't count things like that, because he always looked great in one of his designer suits anyway.
Right when they entered the building Paula pulled them off, though. Apparently his fans need to see his whole face when they come in to get a book signed. Not that meeting him and getting an autograph wasn't enough. He needed to look more sincere.
The little store owner crowded Rick right when he was noticed and shook his hand enthusiastically, rambling about something. Rick didn't really pay attention, now that the rush of being late was worn away he just needed coffee. He had plans to order a latte in the largest size he could get with plenty of mocha and an extra shot of espresso.
He was about to go over to the coffee shop in the store, when he noticed there was only one person in it. It was a cop, a really good looking cop, and she was grimacing. At what? It must be something bad to deserve a face like that. He peeled his eyes from the interesting woman to look over across the coffee store and it was him. Well not him, him. But a giant cardboard cutout of him holding his new book. He looked back over at the woman and her face was filled with even more annoyance.
Okay this shouldn't be funny, but it was. Rick laughed out loud and went over to her. What should he even say to someone so mad at the cardboard version of him. He was about to open his mouth when she faced him and his words left him. She wasn't just a good looking cop, she was gorgeous. The way her short dark hair framed her serious face and the way her eyes widened for a fraction of a second when they caught his and then narrowed. She wasn't to be messed with.
Rick had learned one thing in his life about women who weren't to be messed with. They were the funnest to mess with.
"Hi," he said, throwing her one of his more charming smiles. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Richard Castle. The actual Richard Castle."
She hadn't seemed fazed by his charming smile. In fact, her eyes were still slightly narrowed when she answered him. "Actual as opposed to what? Is there another one of you running around here I should be worried about?"
"Ha, no. As opposed to the cardboard me over there that seems to have wronged you in some way. Tell me, do you always come to book signings in your uniform or is it just mine? Quick way to get to the front?"
"Actually, I was just babysitting your groupies all night. The ones really in front over there actually want to meet you," she said, pointing out some rather unfortunate looking middle aged women in the front of the line with Rick's face plastered across their chests. "If there's nobody here to make me a latte, I'll be going."
"Well here let me make it up to you. You look like you order a boring drink," Rick said waving over the owner standing with Paula by the book display. "Could I get a couple lattes made up? One nonfat and sugar free, one with mocha and extra espresso."
Before his mystery cop had a chance to deny him, the owner was behind the counter working his machine. He saw the moment she gave up and tilted toward the counter. "Make the sugar free one vanilla, please."
With that small victory, Rick took a step closer to her. She followed up with a step back and leaned against the counter. This woman was not missing a beat, still completely unimpressed by him. He liked her. In his writer's imagination he could easily see himself putting her up on that counter and showing her how impressive he could be.
"So I guess you're not much of a reader then? Leaving without a book?"
"No. I am," she answered him with a hint of a smirk on her lips. "I just like good books. You know, ones that require a little bit of thought."
"That hurts. I think you might be surprised."
"You know I would, but I just don't have enough with me. Maybe next time."
Oh, Rick couldn't have her let him down easy. For some reason he felt a need to prove himself to this gorgeous cop standing in front of him that just seemed completely unimpressed. Since talking to her and getting her a coffee didn't do the trick, maybe his writing could. He was actually proud of this book, and she was going to get a copy whether she liked it or not.
"You know what? You've been here all night. I can get you one on me, and I'll even sign it for you."
Rick was on his way to Paula and the book display before she could finish her eye roll and respond. When he asked for one of the books, Paula was not amused. He was supposed to start signing in ten minutes and he hadn't even gotten everything ready yet. He convinced her that he would be in his seat in five, he just needed to get his coffee and finish up. The woman might be good at what she does, but sometimes she was just ridiculous.
When he hurried back over to the coffee counter, his cop was sipping her latte with his sitting next to her on the counter. The owner had gone back to the front of the display to start speaking to the mass of people waiting in line.
"Look thanks for the coffee Castle, but I really need to get going," she said with a quick glance at the clock on the side wall. "Maybe I'll buy your book another time if I get the chance."
"That's okay I have this one right here," Rick said, holding a book in one hand and marker in the other. "Did you just call me Castle? That's awesome. I didn't catch your name."
"That's because I didn't give it. I really have to go."
"Okay then," said Rick. He quickly signed the title page of the book and handed it to her with a wink. "Here, read it."
When she took the book and left, he went over to his table and sat down. He looked at the line that went out into the street and sighed. He was going to be here for quite a while.
By the time Rick had signed thousands of books and had gotten hit on by hundreds of women, things finally slowed down a little bit. It didn't even matter that his cheeks were sore from smiling and his hand was cramped from actually writing all day. He was still completely distracted by the fake image of his mystery cop on top of the coffee counter across the room, calling him over with expressive eyes and an easy smirk on her mouth that dared him to come and impress her with something.
This was supposed to be an easier day.
. . . .
Kate ran fingers through her hair in frustration for the hundredth time. Nothing made sense. How did her mom's war on drugs and gang violence end her up in an alley, stabbed to death. If it had something to do with drugs, they would've taken the money. If it was some gangster she had pissed off that much, there would be some sort of mention of the people she was working on.
There was nothing. No leads, no evidence. Nothing.
She had always had a little bit of respect for Raglan. He seemed to tackle the case head on before it went cold. But now all she saw of him was shitty paperwork. It didn't matter how many times she looked at the original crime scene report she had memorized. Nothing new materialized on it.
Maybe she just needed a break, she mused rubbing her eyes to keep them from drooping shut. She was too tired to focus on any details anyway. She didn't want to sleep, though. Both times she had laid down and closed her eyes all she saw was a cocky face and suggestive smile.
If she really wanted to think about Castle, all she had to do was crack open the book sitting on her coffee table. She looked over to it, still sitting untouched from where she put it when she got home. Maybe she should just see what it was about.
Okay so this chapter took me a while. A long while. But I also have the next one done so I'll get it out when I can. This one was tricky for me to get all of the dialogue how I wanted it, so please be gentle with me.