It went like that for nearly two more weeks, with Esposito filling in only Lanie on details; Meredeth mentioned it to no-one but her grandmother - trying to keep secrets from Constance Dakkars was like trying to keep Wile E. Coyote from chasing the Roadrunner - which pleased them both. Despite his initial concern that he was acting like she was a 'dirty little secret', Meredeth rightly pointed out that in his job, information was as dangerous as dynamite and nowhere did rumours spread faster than a police precinct. And, she'd added as they'd debated the point over her homemade lasagne - much as it lowered him to admit, a woman who could cook was worth her weight in gold - they weren't having some sordid affair, it was simply a matter of keeping their personal lives personal.
Esposito did discover that the theory was much easier than the application, though, as neither could resist send each other texts stuffed with innuendo and double entendres during their work hours. As he had no private office of his own and he shared a ride with Ryan, he figured he deserved an Oscar for the way he was able to keep a straight face when she sent him notes like 'Just got out of the bath, i'm all wet and missing you'. He'd fielded some questions from all three of his colleagues and they'd bought his not-quite truthful answers, but he knew that his luck would run out sooner or later.
Things finally came to a head when he entered the squad room one afternoon after a pre-night-shift coffee with Meredeth. The Bodega Stalker case was still the priority, as he'd lain low for six days, and they were running short of time before the feds were going to step in. The quartet as well as Lanie stood around the murder board, tried desperately to figure out what Finch, Satipo and Weaver had in common that would make them targets.
'Maybe we're looking at another Redding Prep,' Castle suggested, yawning hugely. 'Friends covering for friends so they can't get screwed over.'
'Except Leia Finch was a regular customer because she worked in the neighbourhood. She lived on the Lower East Side, where most of her friends were,' Beckett replied as she studied each victim's profile.
'What if she overheard something going down between Brandon and Fredo?' Ryan chipped in. 'Fredo kills her, then Brandon kills Fredo and offs himself to make it look like we've got a stalker.'
'Fredo is allibied solid for Leia's murder. He was assisting in evening mass at Santa Maria on West Ninety-Seventh, leading hymns in the choir with his sister-in-law.'
'What if we're looking at it from the wrong angle? What if one of the men was the target and Leia was taken out because of some unknown connection? Maybe she was seeing one of them, or both and someone found out, didn't like it.'
Lanie slid her gaze to Esposito, tried not to smile. She was still the only one who knew about Meredeth, but held her tongue with some difficulty as Castle turned his 'c'mon bro' expression on Esposito.
'Since when are you an expert on love affairs?'
'It is worth a look,' Beckett suggested. 'If she'd been seeing Fredo or Brandon, someone might get jealous that he picked an outside from the neighbourhood.'
Esposito nodded along, distracted by the buzzing cell phone in his pocket. He pulled it out, gave a quick glance at the screen. Incoming text: Mere C, it read. He pressed the button to read it and felt the grin spread on his face. 'On my way to an early show review, with my very own big bucket of popcorn. xx M.' He gave a little laugh, stuffed his phone back in his pocket.
'Something funny, Detective?'
He looked up, saw Beckett drilling him with a severe stare. He cleared his throat, crossed his arms. 'No, ma'am, just a personal call. It can wait.'
Lanie bit her lip; she knew precisely who the personal call was from and thought it adorable that after he'd given Ryan such shit about Honey-Milk calling him, he was now doing almost the exact same thing. 'I can also confirm for you Spider-man poison was used and when mixed and dosed right, like this guy or gal did, it's very effective and very clean. The trick is getting the right mix so you don't send them on a daffy trip or knock them unconscious but still keep them breathing. Whoever did this knows what he or she is doing, so taking a look at any similar cases is going to be time consuming but necessary. Our killer has had practice, which means he or she has likely got a sheet of some kind.'
'Alright. Castle, you and Ryan take the backlog on possible similar cases, see if anything pops. Esposito, you're with me, we'll stop in at the bodega, re-canvass the neighbourhood.'
'Yeah, I'll meet you downstairs.' Without waiting for any of them, Esposito took off, praying no one would catch up to him and pry; in the privacy of the elevator he texted Meredeth back: 'You'd hold that poor popcorn hostage even if I was there. xx J.'
Back at the murder board, the remaining three stared at the little puff of dust Esposito had left behind in his hasty retreat.
'What is up with him lately?' Beckett pondered as she gathered her things. 'His phone has been going off all the time. That's not like him.'
'You don't think he's still sore about the whole Rachel gaff do you?'
'Oh get over it, Castle.'
Ryan gnawed at his lower lip. 'Maybe something's up with his sister's husband. He's still in Iraq and he's been taking a lot of personal calls on work time lately.'
This time, Lanie couldn't stop the snorting laugh from escaping. 'A room full of detectives, trained investigators of the law, and you can't sniff out what's going on with him?'
Three heads swiveled in her direction as she packed her medical files into her leather satchel. 'You know something?' Ryan asked, uncomfortable with the idea that Esposito had share juice with Lanie instead of him first.
'I'm just very disappointed in all of you, especially Castle.'
Castle narrowed his eyes at the petite ME, annoyed by her mocking. 'What's that supposed to mean?'
'If you can stand there and tell me you don't notice the difference between doughnut jelly and women's lip gloss, you're not the die-hard ladies man I took you for.'
'What are you...' Castle trailed off, thought back to the night when Esposito had shown up late to the morgue. The detective, he now remembered, had a shiny red smudge on his lip Castle had mistaken for pastry remnants. Since Esposito had said nothing about it, he'd assumed he was right. Sitting on the edge of the desk, he dragged a hand over his face, feeling like a total ass-hat. He prided himself on being able to read people, and this one had blown right past him. 'I don't believe it. He was with a woman. How could I have missed that?'
'Because you're so self-centred in your relationship and stuck on the Rachel mistake you barely noticed that he's been spending every free moment he has with this new girlfriend.'
Ryan shifted on his feet. 'Her name isn't Meredeth, by any chance?'
'Yeah, it is. Why?'
'Damn.' Ryan remembered the conversation he'd had with his partner the morning after the Rachel debacle. He assumed since Esposito hadn't mentioned Meredeth again, things had fizzled. Then again, he had called the girl crazy. Not the best way to get your bro to confide in your about his new lady, was it? 'He told me he was taking her on a date. I didn't think it was any big thing.'
'Apparantly it is. You got anything to add, Beckett?'
'He'll tell us when he wants to, so perhaps we can save the Gossip Girl moments until poker tomorrow night. Meanwhile, we've got murder to work, so let's move.'
Lanie smiled, hoisted her bag to her shoulder, ready to get one last little jab in. She knew Esposito would be a little cranky she coughed up a name, but Castle really needed something to get his mind of the Rachel thing he was blaming himself for. 'Oh, by the way, her last is Coleman.'
'Meredeth...Coleman? The Meredeth Coleman?' Castle sat ramrod straight on the desk at the mention of the name. 'Meredeth Coleman is hooking up with our Esposito?'
Lanie nodded, whisked herself off to the elevator with a sunny 'Toodles!', leaving Castle to stew.
'Javier Esposito landed the unicorn that is Meredeth Coleman.'
Beckett rolled her eyes as she tugged on her jacket. 'That supposed to mean something?'
'Meredeth Coleman is one of the most popular graphic novelists and film critics of the country, and she is known for being notoriously single, like Al Pacino. Looks like those late night interviews in a couple weeks won't just be about her book.'
R&R&Enjoy.
