Florida Heat
A/N: :)
Chapter 14
Esposito was shouting orders into his phone as he spoke to the sheriff on the other end. Ryan's fingers were flying over the keyboard of his laptop as he typed in the license plate number and any other information he could think of. Castle let out a shaky breath and pressed his foot further down onto the accelerator causing Beckett to grasp tighter onto the bar above the passenger side window.
"This is why I never let you drive, you know," she snapped as she sucked in a deep breath of air. "You're a maniac."
"I am not a maniac. I am trying to keep up with the maniacs," Castle shot back before giving her a glance, realization dawning in his eyes. "You're car sick!"
"Am not," she defended before sucking in another gasp of air.
"Yes, you are," Castle laughed, looking back at the road as he raced after the red pick-up truck.
Kate rolled her eyes and let out a slight groan. "Okay, yes, fine. I'm carsick. Now, aren't you glad I insist on driving everywhere so I don't barf all over you?"
Castle let out another laugh and shook his head. "And here you made me think it was all because of me. I am just glad to know it is your problem, not mine."
Kate rolled her eyes again before bracing an arm on the dashboard. "Castle slow down. They're turning!"
"Oh, great," Castle grumbled. "And you're a backseat driver."
"Castle," Kate growled out in response. "Now is not a good time."
Castle let out a smug grin. "Just glad to have you back, Katie girl."
"You call me that one more time, I swear to God I will make sure Alexis is an only child."
"Oh, and idle threats. You really are better," Castle quipped as he swung the wheel around to make a hard right, the car swaying slightly as it drifted in the road.
Kate was about to respond when Ryan yelled triumphantly from the backseat. "We've got them."
"Pull back. Castle, pull back," Kate ordered and Castle glanced over at her with a confused look.
"What? Why?"
Kate sighed as she sucked in another deep breath. "Ryan has their information. If we back off, make them think they have lost us they will head home. We can catch up with them there, when we have back up and lower chances of dying in a flaming pile."
Castle nodded reluctantly as he eased off of the gas, trying to make the red truck's getaway seem as natural as possible.
As soon as the truck flew out of sight Castle eased the sedan into the parking lot of a gas station and the group let out a collective sigh of relief. They listened as Esposito rattled off their current location to the sheriff. Castle gave a quick nod before he unbuckled his seatbelt and swung himself out of the door, walking towards the convenience store without another word.
Kate stared as the door to the building swung open and he disappeared inside only to reappear moments later with a bottle in one hand and bag in the others.
Silently, he got back into the car and handed her the bottle of ginger ale and pulled out a box of crackers.
Kate cracked a small smile and shook her head. "Thank you."
Castle's mouth twisted into a half smile as he stared back at her. "It's not every day you let me take care of you. Figured I would milk it while I could."
A loud sigh came from the back seat, effectively breaking the moment that had been building and the pair swiveled around to find both men staring at them with hurt expressions covering their features. "What about us bro? Your driving isn't exactly spectacular. Did you ever stop to think that maybe we were a little nauseous back here as well?"
Castle sighed as Kate let out a small chuckle and took a sip of her drink.
"Fine. What do you want?"
Castle listened as the two detectives rattled off a list of demands, including but not limited to, a blue slushie and Twizzlers, before once again opening his door and grumbling. Nothing they had listed in any way helped an upset stomach.
It was completely dark by the time the sheriff pulled into the station, two more squad cars on his tail.
"Mr. Castle, Detectives," he greeted as the group huddled in the warm evening air. "Do you all always have this much excitement, or is it just my luck?"
The group chuckled as Kate piped up. "Oh, no, Sheriff, normally we are a lot more exciting than this."
The sheriff shook his head in amazement and listened as the group filled in the locals on what had just happened.
The sheriff nodded his head. "We've got it from here, we'll contact the other districts, coordinate a meeting. You all should go home."
Castle opened his mouth to protest as Ryan and Esposito shared a look and Kate took a step forward. "I'm not going anywhere until these sons of bitches are caught."
Sheriff Hunt was not a small man and, combined with the wall of men standing behind him, he made a pretty intimidating picture. That didn't stop him from taking a small step back as Kate Beckett stalked into his personal space.
"You saw that room they kept me in Sheriff. You have heard what they did to me, not to mention those girls in New York who are dead and were left to rot in an alley. I am not leaving until I know that they are in custody and are singing like songbirds about their associates. You got me?"
The sheriff gulped slightly and nodded his head. "Fine. You all stay."
All four of them let out small smiles and Castle forced himself not to reach out and grab Beckett's hand. He couldn't be all mushy when she was being a badass. It would ruin the image.
That would be rule number one.
Kate took a step back to join her group but paused as the sheriff began to talk again, pointing at her. "But you aren't coming with us to the house tonight."
"But, I…"
"No, Detective. You are a victim and possibly our only witness. You aren't getting anywhere near this arrest."
Castle could practically see the steam coming out of Kate's ears but she took another step back and nodded her head in agreement. "Fine, but Castle and Ryan go with you. Esposito will stay with me."
The other three exchanged a glance and Espo shrugged. He didn't know what was going on either.
The sheriff glanced between the three men and let out a defeated sigh. "Fine. They can come."
Sheriff Hunt and the other Jacksonville police officers turned back towards their squad cars and Castle caught Beckett's arm, guiding her a couple of steps to the side.
"What's going on, Kate?"
Kate shook her head. "I'm not sure. I have a funny feeling. You two need to be there. Espo will stay with me. You think the most like me, Rick. You know everything that I know. If there is a clue there you will see it. Partners, right?"
Castle nodded and brought his forehead down to rest against hers. "Partners. You still willing to let me take you out to dinner when we get home? I know this awesome low key place with burgers and the best shakes known to mankind."
Kate let out a small laugh. "You want to take me on our first date to Remy's?"
Castel pulled back his head slightly, "Beckett, you wound me. This would in no way be our first date. We have been dating for years. This would merely be our first date with benefits."
He let out small chuckle as she slapped him lightly on the arm and turned back towards the sedan. He caught her hand and pulled her back towards him.
"No regrets?" He asked softly as his fingers squeezed hers.
She shook her head as her green eyes met his blue ones, turning grey in the artificial light. "Never."
His face cracked into a wide smile as she stretched up onto her tiptoes and brushed a soft kiss along his cheekbone. She pulled back and made her way over to the sedan, slipping into the passenger seat as Esposito started the ignition.
"Come on, man," Ryan said as he came up beside him and clasped a hand down on his shoulder. "We have some traffickers to catch. The sooner we do, the sooner you two can get to that date."
Castle sighed as he followed the shorter man towards the squad cars. "How much of that did you hear?"
"Enough for Espo to justify giving you the big brother talk later."
Castle let out a small laugh. As intimidating as Javier Esposito could be, an actual date with Kate Beckett was definitely worth it.
"Let's go get ourselves some bad guys."
The car ride back to the hotel was silent except for the soft music drifting from the speakers. Kate was picking at the hemline of her shorts as Javi weaved through traffic, attempting to make the long drive as short as possible. Even after the sun set they had the air conditioning blowing full force and Kate pulled her hair up into a ponytail to cool her neck.
"You want to tell me what's going on, chica?" Esposito questioned quietly as they walked down the hall towards the hotel rooms.
Kate glanced over at him. "What do you mean?"
Javi let out a sigh and leaned back against the door to her hotel room, blocking her access to the lock and therefore her escape from the conversation. "Back there, with the sheriff, you back down with barely a fight. You asked me to take you back here instead of Castle. You've been quiet; too quiet. You're never this lost in your own head."
Kate shook her head and let out a sigh as she rubbed a hand over the back of her neck. She shifted slightly as she looked both ways down the deserted hallway.
"What happened with Montgomery? I remember that it was bad, and I remember the funeral, but everything else is blank. I need you to tell me, Javi."
Esposito nodded silently as he clenched his jaw and pushed himself off of the door. "Let's go inside."
Kate let out a breath of air and nodded in agreement. She couldn't wait until this was over and everything was back to normal.
The house on the river was quiet and Castle and Ryan shared a knowing look as they pulled up the long driveway. They had been right.
The group filed out of the cars and Sheriff Hunt put a hand to Castle's chest. "You two stay back here."
Castle sucked in a breath and Ryan straightened up next to him, puffing out his chest in the process. "We need to be up there. What if we see something you all would miss? We can help."
The sheriff glanced between the two men, weighting them carefully. "Fine, but you stay behind us."
The pair nodded in agreement as the group made their way towards the bright red door.
A dog barked on the inside and a tall man with a shaved head and a collared shirt answered the door. "Officers? What can I do for you this evening?"
The man's soft accent was pleasant enough and his smile was disarming, charming in a way.
"Mr. Luke Greene?" The sheriff questioned and the man nodded in agreement.
"Yes, sir, that's me. May I ask what this is about?"
"Is that your car in the driveway, Mr. Greene?"
Luke Greene nodded in affirmation. "Yes, sir, it is."
"Were you driving it earlier this evening down Route 12?" The sheriff continued and Castle shifted, sharing a look with Ryan. This was not going to go well, the man was too smug.
"Yes, sir, I was. Is this about that car that started chasing me, sir? Because I was just driving, minding my own business, when a silver sedan pulled out behind me and started tailing me."
The sheriff shifted as Luke leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest, completely relaxed.
"May I ask what you were doing out there?" The sheriff continued.
"I was visiting a friend."
The sheriff nodded again. "Do you have any business at the Jefferson's farm?"
Luke green frowned and shook his head. "I never even heard of it. Now, if you don't have any more questions for me officers, it is late and I would like to get back to my evening."
The sheriff sighed and nodded, taking a step back as Greene lifted his arm to shut the door.
Castle looked up at the man, studying his face for any sign of recognition when something caught his eye, a flash of light. He felt his eyes widen and he took a step forwards, pushing through the cops as he held a hand out to stop the door from shutting.
"Mr. Castle," Sheriff Hunt started but stopped his protest as Castle held up a finger, gesturing that he only needed a minute.
"Can I help you?" Greene asked, a hint of annoyance and exasperation in his voice.
The smug son of a bitch actually thought he was going to get away with it. Castle shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Greene, I was just admiring that watch you are wearing. It is a very unique piece. I swear I have seen one just like it before."
Castle trailed off, a small smile covering his face as he saw Greene's eyes grew wide.
"That is a crazy coincidence," Greene managed to agree.
"In fact," Castle continued. "I have a friend who had one just like it. It was custom made for her father. Unfortunately, she lost it a couple of days ago when she was being held against her will out at the Jefferson's farm. Now, isn't it just a crazy coincidence that you happened to be out there in a red pick-up truck today? One exactly like the one she said she saw her captors driving. Isn't it also amazing that you fit her description of her captor almost to a T and you happen to be wearing an exact replica of her stolen one-of-a-kind watch? Now, tell me Mr. Greene, if we talked to your wife, would she happen to be wearing my friend's stolen ring on her finger, as well?"