A/N: This one is early because the last one was soooo late: Enjoy!

XVII
The Waldorf
Everybody

"So Mister Dixon, You were having a problem with Eric Browning?" Esposito queried.

Miles Dixon was a graying fastidious man, who looked more like an accountant that a newspaper magnet. He had a thin worrisome face and weasel-ish eyes. His tailored suit probably cost more than a month's salary for the Detective. His spray-on tan was just slightly the wrong color giving him a jaundiced look.

"Of course I have a problem with Eric, he cost me five million dollars in a law suit and three times that in lost prestige. His hunt for vengeance for a perceived slight made the Ledger a laughing stock." Dixon complained.

"Do you know what the problem was?'

"Who the hell knows something that happened when they were kids. If it is really important you should ask Roxy. She and Eric were friends."

"The weather girl Roxy Blue?" Esposito asked

"Yeah, it was real strange, for awhile she wouldn't give him the time of day, but a about a year ago, they started going out. Apparently they hit it off because she became regular fixture at his side... Hell she sat with him at the last slander trial he was involved in six moths ago. If that is not love then I don't know what is."

"Did you ever talk to Eric about it?"

"Hell no, by that time he was someone else's problem."

"But you were seen threatening him tonight."

"Well of course I did, the idiot was groveling trying to get his job back. I told him no and he proceeded to try to blackmail his way back onto my staff. I told him I would see him in hell first. Then he tried to threaten my marriage, that's when I told him that I would personally pull him apart if he tried to hurt my family."

"So then you grabbed the knife off the cake table and stabbed him in the back in the west stairwell."

"What! No! I did no such thing. You can ask my associates I was in the ballroom all night."

###

"So, Martha," Ryan stated "of the roughly two hundred guests about fifty of them had some sort of run in with Rick?"

"That's right Detective."

"And you invite enemies, why… exactly?"

"For a variety of reasons, some of them you have to invite because of who they are or who they know, others are invited because of their position, various Board member and the like, and last there are some you invite so you can rub their nose in your success. Come to think of it, Richard doesn't do a lot of nose rubbing. Anyway Rene was in charge of the quest list, so you will have to talk to him about who invited and why."

"What, Mrs. R, you and Richard don't control the guest list." Ryan was shocked.

"Well to an extent. We give Rene the names of who we want to invite and who to definitely not invite, then we leave the rest to him. For charity events you have even less control, because you want lots of donors, lots of rich donors." Martha explained.

"Mrs. R, remind me to never get rich, it's too confusing." Ryan lamented.

###

Kate walked back into their makeshift interrogation room to see Rick sitting on the table in the lotus position. She smiled when she saw his mock serine face. The image of meditation was spoiled when Rick peeked open one eye.

"Rick what in the hell are you doing?"

"You told me to contemplate the evening to see if I could remember anything else and I did."

"Ok swami, I'll bite, what do you remember."

"I distinctly remember the two of us dancing together, I think we made really good dance partners, maybe we should try out for 'Dancing with the Stars'."

"Castle!"

"Okay, Okay, anyway as we were dancing I remember that you wanted to ravish me, you told me so… You said you wanted to show me one cop's appreciation."

"Richard," Kate blushed. Of course he would remember that, "that does not help me…. You…. Us." Kate was flustered.

"But I also remember that I saw Eric and Max Weller, the owner of the Daily Star, leave from the main doors and they did not look happy with each other."

"Well Castle that could be a lead, if it really happened and is not a figment of your imagination." Kate drawled

"Good, will you have your way with me now?"

"Cast….." Kate's phone interrupted her. "Beckett… Hey Lanie…. Are you sure? Will it hold up in court? Okay…. Sure… I'll tell him. Well Castle you have run into a bit of luck, Lanie says that there is no way you killed Eric. Apparently you are too tall for the angle of the blade in Eric's back, that and the blood on your clothes is inconsistent with the blood spray pattern that would have resulted in the stab wound. The bad news is that it is Eric's blood on your clothes. So somehow the killer put the blood on you. Castle that means that you saw the killer, you know who killed Eric."

###

Ryan stood at the edge of the Pool in the Waldorf, dazed as if in a dream. The service staff had told him the Roxy Blue and requested and was given a robe and towel for the pool. Ryan being the dedicated Detective and gone down to the pool to interview the weather girl. She was there gracefully swimming laps. Ryan stopped to admire her more athletic qualities. It was then that he realized that she was not wearing a bathing suit, but was indeed in her birthday suit. Ryan was …. Well Ryan didn't know exactly what he was. It was like he was in his own private scene out of a Derek Storm novel. If Castle had written this scene it would end with both Roxy and Ryan naked somewhere having hot sex. He tried to remember that he was dating someone and had been for about four months, but Roxy was unknowingly being a temptress. Ryan was ready to toss Jennifer or Ginger or whatever her name was for one night of lust. Of course he knew in his heart that such a thing would never happen. Kevin Ryan was never that lucky, besides if he did manage to seduce her or be seduced by her then following the Castle logic she would either be killed or be the killer and he would die. And one night of awesome sex would be worth nowhere near enough for his life. At last Roxy seemed to take note of his presence.

"Hello… Detective Ryan isn't it?"

"Ahem… How did you know?" Ryan stammered. He was waging a manful battle to keep eye contactand not let his eyes roan the golden expanse of her tanned body.

"I try to keep abreast of who is in Rick's inner circle. You are a very lucky man. Rick has many acquaintances but very few friends. I guess that is the price of fame."

Ryan was almost sure that she has emphasized the word abreast.

"Well I hate to bother your midnight swim but I need to ask you some questions about your relationship to Eric Browning." Ryan was proud of himself he did not stammer once.

"Ah, well I knew the police would come to ask me questions. That's why I stayed at the hotel and made sure someone knew where to find me…. And here you are."

"Ms. Blue…"

"Please detective, call me Roxy."

"Alright Roxy, could you get out of the pool so we can talk?"

"Of course Detective, would you be a dear and get me the towel over on the divan?"

Ryan automatically went over to get the towel. He was glad for the respite, he had been about to lose the battle with his libido and just ogled her. When he turned around she was out of the pool and just standing there. If she had been Medusa, he would have turned to stone right there. If he had been Lots wife, he would now be table salt, but my, what a beautiful way to go. She was all sensuous curves and no hard angles. She would inspire the night dreams of adolescent males or one very stunned New York Detective. The image of her just standing there water beading off her skin would be forever etched in his mind, Recovering he quickly he rushed over to cover her nakedness. Though it all she stood there unconcerned almost oblivious to the effect she was having on the Detective.

"Thank you Detective Ryan, you are a true gentleman" she whispered huskily

"Ahem," Ryan cleared his throat again. "Ms Bl.." he squeaked "Roxy were you involved with Eric Browning?"

"Yes Detective, Eric and I were friends with benefits." Roxy said forthrightly.

"Oh… Ahem… Oh, I see and how long had you been seeing each other."

"Well we weren't really seeing each other. We went out and had sex occasionally but we weren't dating, exclusively… You know… friends with benefits. If you don't mind me asking, what is you first name?" Roxy asked laying a warm if somewhat wet hand on top of Ryan's.

"My name is Kevin ma'am… I mean Roxy. Do you know of anyone who would want to murder Mister Browning?"

"Eric had a lot of enemies, he was a journalist after all, and if the truth is told he was somewhat skuzzy with his reporting. He was a gossip columnist after all. He said he wasn't doing his job if at least half of New York wasn't pissed off at him. Unfortunately he didn't vet his stories very well. So he got sued a lot. Do you work out Kevin?'"

"Oh, not much, my work keeps me trim, Ah was there anybody that he had angered, you know, recently?"

"You do look very fit. I guess the most recent person he had really hacked off was Benny Smythe. He was about to publish a very scandalous story about Benny. It was so bad the Ben had called and threatened Eric."

During the bulk of the conversation Roxy had been slowly getting upset. At last she began to cry. She wasn't a howler but a quiet sober. Her shoulders were shaking and tears started to stream down her face. Despite his better judgment Ryan put a comforting arm around her back. She leaned in and cried on his shoulder. She gripped the front of his shirt and pulled him close. They stayed close until her crying jag was spent. During this interval of time Ryan tried to comfort the scantily clad weather girl as best he could. He wished that he had paid more attention to Beckett when she was dealing with the grieving of the family and girlfriends of the deceased.

What was left of her perfume and the chlorine from the pool created a unique and intoxicating scent part clean and part sensuous. He really wished that this was one of Castle's books, not reality, then he would know what to do.

"I am sorry Detective but I guess the fact the Eric is gone has just started to sink in. Do you have any other questions?" she said trying to wipe away the damage the crying had caused.

For the life of him Ryan could not think of a one and told her that they were done for the moment.

"I want to thank you, for being such a gentleman. There are those who would have taken advantage of my grief and perhaps… well done things. I feel very safe with you."

'Great,' he thought 'I have just become Roxy's gay best friend'

"It's okay Roxy. It's part of my job." Ryan said.

"I have booked a room here at the hotel for the weekend. I was going to share it with Eric but, now…." She trailed off; she stood up and faced Ryan, who had unconsciously risen with her. She looked very sad and lost. "Kevin, I really appreciate the fact that you were gentle with me. If you have any other questions for me I'll be up in my room." She leaned in and gave him a soul searing kiss. All thoughts were erased from his mind leaving only a burning desire and a stark need.

"Kevin, would you be my friend…….."

A/N: Just trying to keep tabs, have I made it too obvious or is it sufficiently murky? let me know. It's kind of like Clue we know it was Eric stabbed with a knife in the stairwell but the who is interchangeable(at this point). As always your Reviews, Alerts and Favorites are truly heartwarming and make me want to write a better story for you. Just as a shout out GO RYAN. Peace out!!!