A/N: This is a quick thank you to all the Readers. I always appreciate the feedback. It is for all of you that I write. As always try to ignore the typos and grammatical errors. Enjoy!!!!

Chapter 24

The Precinct

Ryan

Ryan was on the proverbial horns of a Dilemma with a capital D. Never in his life had he been faced with a veritable glut of women. On one hand there was Jennifer, faithful, funny, and pretty. On the other was Roxy, drop dead gorgeous, flighty, and incredibly sexy. He had never met two women so diametrically opposed to one another. He was the one chasing Jennifer while Roxy certainly seemed to be chasing him. Jennifer was predictable while Roxy chaos personified. He had just had to cancel his dinner plans with Jen because he was going to be keeping Roxy from harm from the unknown assailant again tonight. While Jennifer had been a little disappointed, she had understood his need to work. Roxy on the other hand had sounded very possessive when Ryan had explained that he had to call Jenifer to break their date. Ryan knew he was juggling fire when it came to the two women. How could he choose between the two and not get killed in the process by the other? His pondering of his conundrum was interrupted by his phone. A check of the caller ID showed that it was Javier.

"What's up dude?" Ryan asked.

"Yo, Ryan, you uh.. busy?"

"No man I am just sitting here waiting for the Uni's to get back with Roxy from her apartment. She had to go get some clothes for her stay at the safe house. From what the patrolmen said her place looked like it had been searched. Some of the lab boys are going to be going over there to see if they can get any prints. Where are you?"

"I'm back at Browning's. While the lab rats were doing their thing they found some more evidence. The scumbag had a camera hidden in a vent in his bedroom. Apparently he liked to take home movies. There was also a USB thumb drive and some digital tapes. Dude, your girl is really messed up."

"My girl? Jenny?"

"No bro it's Roxy… Look I'm going to bring the evidence in so you can see what's what." Esposito sounded somewhat sad.

"Okay man, see you in a few." Ryan replied.

Ryan wondered what could make Esposito sound so glum. Did they find evidence that Roxy was helping Browning with his blackmail scams? A quick call to the patrolmen escorting Roxy found that they were still at her apartment waiting for the CSU team and they were allowing Roxy the chance to look to see if anything had been taken. Ryan got up and checked to see if Castle was still asleep and fount the author still asleep. Checking in the bullpen found that Beckett was still at lunch. Ryan sat down at his desk and pulled the case file out and began to read through the interviews. Might as well get something done, he thought.

Before Castle woke up or Beckett returned from lunch Esposito came back in. He wordlessly handed Ryan a sub from the Deli around the corner. Ryan raised an eyebrow. It must be bad news if Javier was buying him food. Ryan imagined all types of scenarios that would call for some good old comfort food.

"Alright Dude, you are seriously weirding me out here. What is so bad?"

"Look Bro I know you are kind of hung up on Roxy, but like I said on the phone she is seriously messed up." Esposito paused, looked at Ryan and then went on. "It seems that Roxy was not a willing 'Friend with Benefits'. On the thumb drive we found a blackmail file on Roxy. When she was the weather girl for a Nebraska News station, she did a little 'Girls Gone Wild' stuff. There were pictures and a scandal. She was required to go into a drug rehab as part of the court sentence. Her record was expunged after she successfully completed the Court Mandated rehab and counseling. Somehow Eric got his mitts on the case file and was using it to make Roxy be his girlfriend."

"That Bastard, if he wasn't already dead I would definitely put a hurtin' on him."

"I agree, he apparently taped all of their 'encounters' for later viewing. I saw a little of what appears to be their first time, and Bro she was not having a good time. He liked it rough. As a matter of fact some of the sex stuff he was into had to be illegal. At least in some states it is."

"Well she is out of that relationship now." Ryan stated.

"Yeah but you did not see the video, Bro. I have seen some sick shit in my time, especially when I was with Vice, but I'm telling you, dude, I had to look away it was so bad."

"Show me." Ryan steeled himself for the worst.

Rossi's

Kate and Alexis

"So there we were, already late for Dad's first Edgar Award Nomination Dinner. My Dad was in a rented Tux and I was in this beautiful jade green gown. We were crossing this little walled garden trying to save time when the sprinkler system cuts on. I tell you we had to be dead center of the saturation zone. Before we got to the gate we were absolutely drenched. My nice hairdo was wrecked and water was pouring off Dad in sheets…"

"Oh no!" Kate responded to Alexis' tale.

"You know Dad, undeterred marched us right up to the hotel and into the dinner. The ladies at our table were absolutely aghast. My Dad sat there with a straight face and wove the tale of the freak thunderstorm that caught us unawares. The ladies looked out the French doors that led out to the Patio and saw the clear sky and beautiful sunset and then back to Dad with incredulous looks on their faces. Of course, Murphy's Law, Dad won the Edgar and had to walk up and accept the award soaking wet. His shoes made this sort of bubbly, sucking and slurping sound as he walked. Our table was near the back of the room so he had to walk through the entire room, but he did it with a straight face and like there was absolutely nothing amiss. Fortunately his acceptance speech was in his inside coat pocket so that wasn't ruined."

"What I would have paid to see that." Kate exclaimed

"That was the night he met James Patterson for the first time. Needless to say Dad was a little worried about his first impression, but Mr. Patterson called the next week and invited Dad to his poker game, so all's well, I guess. When we got back to the apartment Dad took off one of his patent leather shoes and poured about half a glass of water out. The worst part came the next day. It wasn't just water that we got sprayed with; there were also chemical fertilizers or something because Dad's tux and my gown both had these ugly splotches."

"Oh that's horrible." Kate said but could not stifle a chuckle picturing Castle in a splotchy tux." I'm sorry Alexis but I can't help but picture you Dad in his ruined tux."

"That's okay Kate; enough time has passed that I can laugh about it. Truthfully it was funny at the time. I know you have been able to deduce by this time that I have my dad's sense of humor. It seems to be a genetic trait of my family to be able to laugh at ourselves. It had to be from my Dad's Dad 'cause you know Gram."

"True, your Grandmother is very serious." Kate agreed.

"I really want to thank you for letting me ramble but I don't want to keep you from working…."

"Alexis," Kate interrupted. "Until my phone rings letting me know that my next interview is at the station, I'm free and clear. Besides you are important to me. I want you to feel free to talk to me when you need to. I mean it, whenever you need to talk day or night, and it's something that your Dad can't help with, then by all means call me."

Alexis simply nodded. She was too emotional to find her voice. Mutely Alexis embraced Kate trying to express the gratitude she felt.

"Thank you." Alexis whispered, finally finding her voice.

###

The Precinct

Ryan & Esposito

Ryan came back to himself feeling pain. He remembered sitting down to watch some video of Roxy and Browning. He had thought that he has steeled himself for what he thought he would see, but it had been far worse than he had anticipated. Roxy had been the star and chief victim of what could only be called torture porn. Ryan was able to watch about five minutes before some circuit snapped off in his brain and he saw red. The pain that brought him back to himself emanated from his hands. He looked down puzzled. Blood was dripping down from split knuckles. He gradually became aware of Javier talking to him.

"Hey Kevin….. Earth to Ryan….. Bro can you hear me." Esposito shouted.

Ryan looked over at his best friend and partner stupefied. He blinked owlishly and tried to comprehend what he had just done. He had just tried to punch out a cinderblock wall. Two bloody smudges were the mute evidence of his foolishness. Ryan was astounded by the vehemence of his anger. It was not just that it was Roxy that this demon had been torturing, but that Browning had gotten away with it for a year. The scumbag had made a woman his slave and now he could not be brought to justice. His body still shaking with the after effects of his blind rage, Ryan tried to suppress his anger.

"I'm sorry you had to see this Bro. I did know that you would go all Conan the Barbarian on me. I guess Roxy kinda go to you, huh?"

"What that scumbag did to Roxy… No one should have to endure such treatment. As far as I'm concerned what happened to Browning was justifiable homicide."

"You know this means that Ms. Blue is now a suspect."

"Yeah I know" Ryan lamented.

A/N: More intrigue and Caskett