"Esposito! Can I see you and Ryan in the conference room?" Detective Karpowski states as she is fast walking by the two detectives' desks on her way to the meeting room. She is waving a NYPD case folder in her hands as she passes by the two
Esposito stands up and follows close behind the woman detective
"What's going on Karpowski?" Ryan says as he also stands and moves to get in lock step behind the other two.
"I got called from downtown about one of the cases you two worked a couple of months ago. The DA has some follow up they want done before the charges move to a grand jury"
The three enter the conference room, close the door, and sit at the table. Karpowski quickly looks out toward the bull pin to make sure the new female detective is not trying to follow then
She sets the file on the desk an opens it to a tab in the center then speaks to the two men
"Act like we are talking about this file. I need to tell you two about something that happened. This new lady detective has something up her sleeve. I overheard her talking to someone about Castle. It sounded like she is planning or has already planned some type of scheme against him. It has something to do with Beckett."
Ryan and Esposito both look at Karpowski
"Do either one of you know if there is something going on with her?"
Ryan leans over the table as if getting closer to the notes on the paper "Not concerning her exactly, but Castle got a text earlier about Beckett" He then points to the paper "It said Bracken forced her to go to DC But we don't know more than that right now. What did Roberts say?"
"I walked in the women's bath room just as she dialed a phone number. Whoever she was talking to, she told them that she had not gotten into Castle's bed yet but she would still try, and he must really be dedicated to Beckett"
Esposito takes the folder and turns it toward himself before speaking. "That is an accurate statement. Castle is still in love with her. He hasn't even looked at another woman since the two of them got together. In fact, thinking about it, he stopped chasing women other that Beckett long before Kate got shot.
"Do you two think he has been in contact with Beckett?" Karpowski questions
"No. But Castle has been in contact with her dad regularly ever since she left. Castle said that Mr. Beckett told him something about her not having a choice about DC" Ryan comments
"It sounds like this is escalating" Esposito says "Castle got a text message was from his father"
Karpowski looks at Esposito with a bit of concern on her face "His father? I thought he didn't know who his father was"
Both men know they are not supposed to tell anything about Alexis' abduction but Esposito thinks this might be a time to explain "This is top secret, Karpowski, but Castle's dad was the one who rescued Alexis earlier and he is connected. I mean well connected. So we think he probably knows exactly what happened to Beckett"
"Do you think this woman" pointing out the window at Crystal "is involved in Kate's leaving us?"
Ryan answers "Not involved in the actual relocation, but she may be working for whoever is responsible for Kate breaking off all contact with everyone back here. She maybe here to make sure Rick stays away from her"
"Well guys, I think we have a spy in our midst so lets be very careful in how we approach her" Karpowski responds
"Agreed Esposito states"
The woman closes the folder stands up and opens the door then steps into the hallway "All right, I will tell the DA that the information is exactly as written. Thanks guys"
She walks briskly down the hall and out to the exit stairs.
Ryan looks at his phone where he just received a text message then he looks at his watch "Look guys I have some comp time and you know Jenny is wanting to go to that maternity shop over on Lex so I am going to punch out and do some shopping. I'll see you guys tomorrow"
"See you bro" Esposito retorts. I am caught up too so I am heading out myself" he turns to the new detective "Roberts it looks like you have the ship until second shift come in later. I will see you tomorrow"
"See you later" Crystal says with a question in her voice, like she is not completely sure what she is expected to do
Once in the elevator, Esposito answers the text he also just got from Castle "I am on my way"
Richard Castle is in a taxi cab heading to The Old Haunt when he types a short message to his two best friends "OLD HAUNT ASAP" Within five minutes he has received answers from both of the two men
When he arrives at his place, he tells the door man that only Ryan and Esposito are to be let into his private office. If any other detective from the station arrives including the new detective that they are to be told the he is not there tonight. Then Castle tells the guard that there will be on other visitor later and she is to be allowed to enter the private domain. The bouncer acknowledges he understands the orders
Richard Castle opens the door to his private office in the basement of the bar. He turns on the lights and opens the cabinet and gets out a bottle of 20 year old scotch. He saves this for special occasions. He gets out five glasses and sets them on the table.
Castle steps behind his desk and sits down and takes out his cell phone and turns it off. Placing it on the desk he reaches for the bottle then stops. He will wait until everyone is there
It only takes ten minutes before there is a knock on the door and the two detectives arrive.
Esposito starts up first "OK! Castle what is going on? What is the big secret?"
Before Castle can answer, there is another knock on the door. Lanie is waiting outside to enter. Once she has been admitted, Rick walks behind his desk and pours the drinks into the five glasses. He picks up each glass and hands them one by one. First to Lanie, then to each man.
Castle raises his glass. "I have a toast to my friends."
Ryan notices the glass left on the desk "Castle? Who is this one for?"
Castle picks up that glass and holds it out toward the bookcase "And also the one we thought we had lost forever"
The three turn around to where Castle is pointing to see Kate standing quietly. She has arrived thru the secret passage that they discovered while investigating the murder of the bar's owner.
Lanie jumps first to grab Beckett "Sweetie! What is going on? How did you get here? Where have you been?"
Beckett is in a bear hug "Lanie! Please let me breath"
Ryan and Esposito have both sat their glasses back down and followed the good doctor to where Kate is standing and all three are trying to hug her.
Castle steps up to the group and takes Beckett's left hand and pulls her toward the desk. After getting her back to his side of the room, he holds her left hand up for everyone to see the ring she is sporting on the third finger of her left hand.
Lanie is the first to see the diamond "OH MY GOSH! Kate is that what I think it is?"
Kate looks up to Rick's face "Yes everyone! This is my fiancé, Mr. Richard Castle"
Esposito is the first to respond "So Beckett what is going on? You leave us all high and dry then come back and you and writer boy here are engaged?"
Castle answers for Kate "You both saw the text from my father. Bracken got his name off the bank account we found in the shredded papers. So he told Beckett she had to leave all of us and go to DC or he was going to have us all killed. Kate had no choice but to comply. But my father is in town along with Smith and we have devised a plan"
"Smith is alive? I thought he died at the hands of Maddox?" Esposito asks
Kate responds "Rick's father and Smith go way back and they have both been guarding Castle and me for years."
"In fact, they have been gently pushing us together. We just didn't know it until now" Rick adds
"I am glad they are bringing you two home. I did not want to see Castle with that other woman's fangs into him" Lanie comments
Beckett looks at her best friend and comments "What woman?"
"Ryan responds "Oh yeah. That woman.
Kate asks again "WHAT WOMAN?" Then she looks at Rick
"Sorry, Kate, but the new detective at the precinct. Her name is Crystal and she is just a little pushy"
Ryan laughs "A LITTLE? She did everything but jump him at the station. But we believe she is tied to this somehow. Karpowski overheard her talking to someone and telling them that Castle would not accept her advances"
Castle smiles at Kate "I belong to this one"
"All right you two. So where do we go from here? Isn't Bracken still threatening you?" Esposito questions
Castle steps back to his desk "He won't for long. Smith has a third copy of the file"
"So why didn't he just let us have it before now?" Ryan wonders
"He thought I had Bracken on the run and it was not going to be necessary. You know he wanted to hold it in reserve for another time. That is until Bracken told me to leave all of you and move to DC."
"That, guys is why Kate left all of us. And why she didn't answer my proposal when I asked her to marry me" Castle looks at Kate when he says this
"Rick, I so wanted to say yes, but…"
"I know" Castle pulls her to his side
"Will you two either stop this or go get a room somewhere?" Lanie comments
"Sorry" Beckett responds
"So, we let Bracken know we have the file again?" Esposito asks
"No, we are going to put him on the spot. Here's the plan" Castle reaches down to his desk and picks up some papers and passes them out to the group
"What kind of plan?" Ryan asks as he starts reading
"OH! That kind of a plan"
Notes and comments
Watching 3x24 It looks to me like Montgomery placed three copies of the file in the envelope.
So maybe there really is another copy