A/N): I cannot believe how long it has been. You guys and this tale have never been far from my thiughts. As always I hope you enjoy! D.

Chapter 28

Safe House

Ryan and Esposito

Ryan expertly wove his car through the early morning traffic. He had been up late with his girlfriend Jenny but he was feeling rested and refreshed. He and Jen had talked late into the night. Ryan had been stressing about the situation. He and Jenny had not pledged to be exclusive so when he had confessed about Roxy she had been ok with it, and glad that Ryan had told her. They both decided that it was time to move the relationship to one of exclusivity.

Ryan was dreading his encounter with Roxy. He knew that Roxy would take the news badly. She was kind of like a the blown glass swan that he had purchased at Coney Island for his mother back when he was still in grade school. It was a thing of exquisite beauty but very fragile. Like the swan if he did not handle her with care she would break just like that swan did. Ryan would never forgive himself if he hurt her, but his relationship with Jenny was more important to him than anything else.

Ryan was also concerned that he had not heard from Esposito since late last night. He had expected a call earlier this morning but has not received one. He and Javier usually touched base with each other first thing in the morning regardless of whether they were going to work or not. Ryan half hoped that Roxy had decided to fixate on his partner and that they were in the midst of great sex and Javi was too preoccupied to call, but his gut was churning and that usually meant trouble.

His heart sank as he pulled up to the safe house and saw the door was ajar. One of the uniformed cops was laying half in and half out of the door. Keven called for backup pulled his gun and moved cautiously towards the door.

"Javi" Ryan half screamed and was greeted with a pain filled moan.

Keven moved up to the door and called again but with no response. Ryan knelt over the fallen cop and while still trying to scan for danger felt for a pulse. The cop, Mathers, Ryan believed was his name was still among the living. Ryan saw a bloody lump on the back of his head and vase shards on the floor. Ryan called his partners name and was again awarded with a groan. Ryan pinpointed the sound cautiously moving towards the kitchen. Esposito was face down his cellphone was just beyond his reach. There was blood pooling around Javi's head and as nasty gash on the top that was still oozing. Keven called dispatch and ordered a bus to their location. As he was ending his call he heard the shattering of glass from the back room. Keven almost sprinted that way and was calling out Roxy's name.

Ryan burst in to the room and saw a half-naked Roxy gasping for breath. Her clothes were torn and there bruises and scratches all over her torso. The cord from one of the shades was wrapped tightly around her neck. Her fingers futilely grasped at the rope, her face turning a torturous shade of purple. Keven leapt forward and began to unwind the cord. With an almost explosive cough she began to suck air back into her lungs.

Where did he go? Ryan asked.

With a shacking arm she pointed at the window that lead to the back yard. Ryan moved closer to the window and noticed it was shattered. He scanned the area but saw no movement. He looked back at Roxy and tried to assess her state of mind. She was still gasping but the nasty purple shade of her face was quickly changing to a dark red as oxygen was returning to her blood stream.

"Can you talk yet?" Keven inquired?

Roxy shook her head and her choking gasps turned to wracking sobs. Ryan's heart broke at the sound of utter hopelessness he heard.

Ryan heard the sounds of the backup arriving. With a brief word to Roxy, he moved back out to the living room. He heard the sounds of sirens that heralded the approaching EMT's as well. Officer Mathers was sitting up with someone's handkerchief pressed to the back of his head. Ryan moved to the kitchen to see another office keeping Esposito still. Seeing that the situation was under control, Ryan moved back into the bead room to check on Roxy. He had a brief sensation of fear. What if the assailant had returned and finished what he had started? Mentally kicking himself for his stupidity he rushed back to Roxy. She was still alive and still quaking with sobs. Ryan slid down to the floor and wrapped his arms around Roxy and did his best to comfort her.

The Apartment

Beckett and Castle

Castle stood looking out of his office window still in a pensive mood. He and Kate has agreed that it was now time to put their fears and problems on the back burner and concentrate on the case for the rest of the day. Castle had gotten a grudging promise from Beckett that they would return tonight for some more time together. He could tell that Kate was getting back into detective mode and that meant putting her feeling back behind her walls. He knew it was necessary for her to function in her job but it pained him that she had to be so guarded. Sipping his coffee he made a note to order some Italian roast because he knew that it was a guilty pleasure of Beckett's. He had also jotted a note for Alexis to order from the new Thai restaurant for dinner. He felt in the mood for some robust food. He smiled a private smile and began to review the case in his mind.

It was good to get back on the case even in the limited capacity he could play. It had been too long since his last case with Beckett and he decided that it was time to get back in the swing of things. His spirits began to lift as he pondered the evidence. His mind had something to do and he chose to no longer brood over the past couple of months and focus on the present.

His musings were pleasantly interrupted by the fragrant smell of Kate's perfume and her arms wrapping around his waist, his spirits buoyed even further with the contact.

"A penny for your thoughts she whispered then she kissed his shoulder and pressed her cheek in to the fine silk shirt he was wearing.

He turned to face her and pressed a kiss onto her lips. "I am just trying to make sense of this case. It doesn't have any reason to it."

"Do you remember when you told me that these cases always make sense."

"Yes I Detective. It was the first full day of our first case. I stand by my statement. There is something we've missed. There is some detail we have yet to find that will make this mess make sense."

"Maybe this was a random crime?" Kate opined.

"I would say maybe if it weren't for the rather sloppy attempt to frame me. I called and talked to Lanie who had talked to the CSU. She said that it looked like someone just smeared my clothes in Eric's Blood. So it really had to be someone who knew that Eric and I had a history. If it were random attack then they could not have known that Eric and I were enemies."

"Granted" Beckett stated glad to see Castle back in the thick of things. "But the lawsuit would have been public knowledge."

"That is old news it's certainly not front page stuff.." Castle rubbed his chin." It had to be someone who saw me wig out and knew what it meant."

"Maybe, but I'm not convinced. They could have had a grudge against both you and Eric and decided to try to take you both out. It could have been someone from your childhood that knew the two of you back then."

"Kate, love of my life, it's not Bricks. I promise you. Besides you, he's…."

"….Your best friend, I know." Kate finished.

"Besides he alibied out, didn't he?"

"Yes one other person has vouched for his whereabouts at the time of his murder. But that is only one person how could lie for him"

"I will grant that's a possibility, but I am willing to bet that the key card swipe time stamp will back up Bricks Alibi."

"Ok that is worth a check, if that holds up then we have two other suspects. The two newspaper moguls." Kate conceded." Weller and Dixon."

"Yes, that's true but both of them have multiple people who can put them elsewhere".

That leaves you Rick" Kate's heart began to sink.

"Well we know I didn't do it. Besides there is the whole black book of Eric's Blackmailees."

"Yes that's true."

At that moment Beckett's and Castles phones both rang…

A/N0: Thank you all for you kind support just a couple more chapters and we will be done.