This chapter is a little more gritty
Richard Castle and Katherine Beckett are standing beside Jim Beckett's bed in the ICU unit of the hospital. Kate was initially taken back when they entered his room at all the wires and tubes and machines that were connected to her dad's body. She only thought he looked bad before the operation but there were even more equipment tied to him now. Add to this the fact he looked bad. Really, really bad.
But Castle had talked to one of the nurses who told him that this was normal. Patients look terrible after they have had open heart surgery and they have nothing really to be concerned about. So Rick is being positive to Kate and assuring her that her dad is fine.
Looking at his watch, Castle turns to Kate "It's time"
"No, wait Rick" she pulls his had back to her side.
"No Kate I have to go now. I will call you afterwards and let you know how it all went"
Beckett pulls Castle over to the opposite side of her dad's room and puts her arms around him "Castle. After everything we have been through together, you better come back to me. I waited all my life to get married" she looks to the ring on her finger "and you will not leave me. You got that?"
Castle looks at Kate and delivers one of his famous smiles "Got it"
After a kiss, that under different circumstances would have led to more fun activities. Castle pulls himself away from Beckett and leaves the room. He is replaced by a very large uniformed police officer who is now standing guard just inside the door. What Beckett does not see is another officer at the entrance to the ICU and a third at the main entrance to the building. These officers have been posted to insure Kate's safety until the other plan is accomplished
Castle leaves the hospital and gets into his personal SUV and takes a little drive to the building that was specified in the conversation with Senator Bracken. This is a part of town that Castle only traveled into during research for one of his books. Even when he was there in the past it was only during the daylight hours. This day, it is approaching dusk and the evening shadows bring an eerie glow to the walls of the buildings. Rick parks his vehicle behind the building in an ally and enters through a side door he finds open.
Once inside the large empty manufacturing structure, he proceeds toward the only lighted area he can see. Without placing himself too close to the light, Castle locates a concealed space behind a support column and waits.
Castle looks around the massive expanse of empty floor considering how this building was once an active center of rowdy buzz and manufacturing activity. Men and women rushing around producing tires for the benefit of their fellow New Yorkers. But today, it is just an empty shell collecting dust and giving the rats a dry place to live.
Castle arrived a few minutes before the specified time so he is not alone for very long
He hears the sound of an automobile entering thru an open overhead door on the opposite side of the building. He watches as a large black sedan enters and slowly approaches the one and only light inside the facility.
After the car stops the occupants wait for about a minute before Castle sees the driver door open and the man behind the wheel gets out. He looks around the floor as if checking for dangers. He then steps to the rear passenger door and opens it so the occupant can exit.
Senator William Bracken steps out of the vehicle and walks toward the front of the car. He stops and looks around be warehouse then proceeds toward the overhead light. Just before he fully enters the spotlight he loudly speaks
"Katherine Beckett! Show yourself. I know you're here"
Richard Castle straightens himself and steps from behind the protection of the supporting column
"Kate couldn't make it. She is tending to her father right now. I came as her representative"
Bracken quickly spins in the direction of Castle's voice
"Well, well! Mr. Castle! Fancy seeing you here. Actually I'm not surprised. I know you are always around when she is in trouble. You seem to think you are her guardian angel or something. But let me tell you. This time your angel wings are getting clipped. This time she is going down and there is nothing you can do to prevent it. As a matter of fact, you will be going down with her"
Castle walks closer to the lighted area before speaking
"Senator Bracken. I was under the understanding that this was a meeting to come to some type of a compromise concerning Detective Beckett and you and your involvement in the deaths of several police officers including Roy Montgomery. The murders of Johanna Beckett ESQ and her associates along with the attempted assassination of Detective Beckett and…well must I continue describing the crimes you have been the driving force behind?"
"Mr. Castle you are treading on some very dangerous ground here. I have not personally killed anyone. Nor can you find a witness who will testify I ordered anyone's death. So Mr. Castle I don't see what you think you and I need to have a discussion about "
Castle walks to a cluttered dusty work bench that is standing in the center of the illuminated area of the building
"Mr. Bracken, do you honestly think I came here without something to use as a negotiating tool? You know that I am a writer. I write for a living"
Castle picks up a manuscript from the table "Let me present to you a copy of my latest writing"
"Mr. Castle you are a mystery writer. You live your life in stories of fantasy. Stories made up of Fiction. I honestly can say anything you bring here today is in fact just more of your fiction or fantasy from your mind"
Castle steps away from the table while opening the document in his hand
"Well Mr. Bracken if you will allow me to read a few excerpts from my latest work of…what did you call it? Oh yes, fiction and let us just see if it rings any bells of truth with you "
Castle flips to a page in the document and clear his throat
"City Supervisor, Walter Brookston is meeting with his staff concerning his need to raise money for his upcoming election campaign. He is working toward a seat in congress but the only way to get there is CASH. The staff has presented the usual list of fund raising ideas from telephone soliciting, mass mailers and high priced dinners, but Supervisor Brookston has one other idea. A few years ago he came to the knowledge of a few corrupt cops taking protection money from the drug pushers and pimps in their police district. He considers the idea of taking protection money from the cops so he devises a plan to make them pay him to keep quiet so they can keep their jobs.
The first officer he approaches is a young African American officer just recently out of the academy named Rex Morrison. When given the choice of paying or being arrested and charged with his actions, Officer Morrison and his colleagues decide to pay up.
Castle stops for a moment and looks up to Bracken
"Senator? Does this ring any bells?"
The politician stares at Castle. He knows silence is golden "This is a refreshing piece of fiction. Please continue and I might be inclined to write a review for your readers"
"I will fast forward a few years" Castle flips a few pages
Jolene Bronson an attorney who is always worked hard for her clients is once more digging for the truth about why a man is in prison for a crime he did not commit. She has traveled to a warehouse the third ward of the city. An area known for its mostly unsolved crimes. She has come upon information that indicates no hard evidence was found against her client but he was charged and convicted anyway.
She has come to this dock with a camera before and photographed the scene and reviewed the evidence trying to make sense of his conviction.
Today, she is there alone just looking around and taking notes when she is approached by a man. The kind of man that seems friendly and non threatening.
"Good evening ma'am. What is a lovely lady like yourself doing here in this neighborhood? It is not safe here alone"
"I am a lawyer looking for evidence to try to get my client exonerated on a crime he did not commit. My name is Jolene Bronson" she holds her hand out to the man
He looks down before saying "My name is Rob Jackson" He takes her hand then "And I am the one here you should have been afraid of. Walter Brookston wants to know why you are really here?"
She looks at the hand that Jackson is holding in a death grip and with pure fear she starts screaming. Jackson he asks again "Why are you really here?"
"I am trying to help my client. That's all"
"Sorry, but your client will need to get a new lawyer" Rob Jackson pulls a knife from under his coat and thrusts it into the woman repeatedly until her body slumps to the ground.
Richard Castle stops his reading again and steps closer to the lighted table "Well Senator. How do you think my story is progressing so far? Have I captured the essence of what happened all those many years ago?"
Senator Bracken is visibly irritated by the writers arrogance "Mr. Castle I'm growing very weary of all this. If you recall there is no proof of ANY kind that these things you are describing have anything to do with me. And, even if you had someone telling you these things, it is just hearsay and not something that will be proved in court"
"Senator, the court of public opinion is actually a very good place to have these things put on trial. The people have a very strong desire to dig into any story that seems to have conspiracy in its basis. Just look at the people who believe the CIA killed Kennedy or we never went to the moon. All I have to do is get this manuscript published and you will be answering questions on Meet The Press for a very, very long time"
Bracken chuckles and he turns toward his driver and shakes his head, Then he turns back to Castle
"Mr. Castle when these types of books are published, the main thing that keeps them going is the talk show interviews conducted by the author. But if the writer is not around to spread his nonsense, the conspiracy usually dies a quick painful death. Sort of what you will be experiencing very soon "
"And just what are you saying, Mr. Bracken?"
"Mr. Castle I suggest you look at your chest right now"
Castle looks down to his jacket where he sees two very distinct red dots near his heart. They are virtually unmoving
"Mr. Castle. There is a reason I selected this location for this meeting. And what you see on your chest is the proof that you have messed with the wrong person. You and Ms. Beckett should have gotten married before you came here today. Because that way you could have been buried together as husband and wife. Now instead, she will be buried in her plot and you in yours. Separated forever."
Echoing in the building are two distinct pops. The sound of two rifles being fired simultaneously.