A/N : People who know me know for a fact that I do not own Castle, especially now. That honour goes to ABC.
WayTech Industries Factory – 7 miles outside Otisville
Detective Kaminski sits in the chair in the office that the secretary had directed him to and looks over at Investigator Gibson seated next to him. The young woman is looking around the office of the General Manager, who they are waiting to join them, with obvious curiosity and he regards her as she does so.
God, he thinks to himself, was he ever that young and eager? He'd looked on with amusement as Detectives Esposito and Ryan had played with the NYSP Investigator. He hadn't said anything because he, like the rest of the 'new' members of the team, are still leaning their place in the taskforce. That and he recognised that what the two detectives were doing wasn't mean but their own way of welcoming a new partner and getting to know the woman. He'd recognised that with their teasing of the woman that they were, in an odd way, showing their acceptance of her as a teammate.
Then again, for him, it is not just the taskforce where he is trying to find his place but also his place in a new city as he's moved from his home in Hartford to a small one bedroom apartment across the bridge from Manhattan in Brooklyn. While he'd preferred to find a place in Manhattan to be closer to the taskforce's headquarters, on his salary, there was no way he was able to afford a place on the island. Sure, when he was in the Corps he was used to moving from base to base, deployment to deployment but he'd been living and working in Hartford for a while now so upping and moving to New York was still taking some getting used to.
Then there was the fool he made of himself when he first met his new superior officer and her husband. He's tried to put it behind him, especially as Castle hasn't mentioned it since or appears to be holding a grudge but he can't let go of how less than an ideal of a way to start his time on this taskforce that was. His years in the Corps and as a cop have lessened the filter on his mouth sometimes, particularly where the fairer sex is involved. Being single, in a new city and starting a new job had reduced his filter even more and so he'd put his foot right in his mouth. Since then he'd tried to make up for it by working hard, because he thinks that while Castle didn't hold a grudge he's sure to have told his wife, Kaminski's new boss, all about the incident. He doesn't want that to be the Captain's first impression of him. But, he also admits to himself, Captain Beckett-Castle is one hot woman and Detective Castle is one lucky guy.
He's just lonely he knows. After getting out of the Corps and joining the CSP Kaminski had met and married Karen his now ex-wife. They'd had five years together until the thing that seemed to happen to a lot of cop's marriages happened. She got tired of taking second place to his job and being with a man who due to his upbringing and experiences in Afghanistan wouldn't truly open up to her.
He didn't blame her. Ok, at first he did. Couldn't understand why she couldn't accept him and his job because, in his mind, she'd known what he was like and what he did for a living when they married so why couldn't she just accept it. Now, after time has passed, he has learned to accept that while she might have had some unrealistic expectations about what life with a cop and former Marine might be like he hadn't helped matters. He hadn't given her or their marriage the attention they both deserved.
It was probably another reason why he'd found applying for the taskforce so appealing. A chance to get out of Hartford and away from Karen and to start fresh. It's just that as he's getting close to forty he realises that starting fresh isn't as easy as it once was.
Thinking back to his new boss and her husband he wonders how they do it. After his memorable introduction to the couple he'd taken some time to find out what he could about them and his other team mates. Something he realises he should have done before he stepped foot into the 12th precinct's bullpen.
Being from and living in Connecticut he'd barely heard of Kate Beckett and Richard Castle. He wasn't a fan of mystery novels so while he'd probably heard of Richard Castle, the novelist, he hadn't retained it as knowledge needed. He was more of a Tom Clancy or Matthew Reilly fan as it is. The fact that Castle has for the last seven years worked with then Detective Beckett and solved numerous cases with her was something he didn't know either. That they developed a relationship, got married and still work together surprised him as well. Not to mention at being surprised that the wealthy mystery writer has even gone to the trouble to train and qualify to become an NYPD Auxiliary Detective in his own right just so that he can keep working with his wife. Sure, they've been married less than a year but he wonders if his marriage with Karen would have lasted if they worked together or, at least, if he shared more about his job with her.
A lot of what he learned about the Captain and the Auxiliary Detective came from the young African American woman seated next to him. One lunch time, after watching Detectives Esposito and Ryan question the young woman in the precinct's breakroom about the book she was reading and hearing their discussion, he'd realised that the woman might be a good source of information about his new situation.
Once the other detectives had left he'd then plied her with his own questions which she seemed only too eager to answer. That was how he learned some of the history not only between the Captain and her husband but also about Detectives Ryan and Esposito. That they were both long time partners and friends of the Captain and that they, with Castle, have worked together for years putting away killers in New York. Then he'd done his own research both on-line and in the NYPD database that he now has access to and the number and scope of some of the cases that this team has solved has him truly impressed.
That's another reason why he is still finding his feet with his new team. It is obvious, particularly after witnessing the easy banter between Esposito, Ryan, Castle and the Captain at the Sheriff's station earlier, that he and the rest of the taskforce members have joined an already well established and close knit unit. Hell, apparently even that sassy ME, Dr Parish, has worked with the Captain and her squad for years and all of them are apparently close friends. When Gibson had told him that Esposito, Ryan and Dr Parish have worked with the Captain for years and that Castle had even based characters in his books on them, along with his wife, he'd received that news with some wariness.
Wary, about whether such a long standing relationship amongst some of the taskforce's members would mean that they would have their own little team within the team. That the only recently promoted Captain would play favourites with her friends and husband. That he, Gibson, Kent and Douglas would be kept on the outside while the Captain, her husband and her friends were on the inside.
At the very least they will probably have to prove themselves before they are accepted into this tight squad. He'd seen it before when joining a new unit in the Marines where the other members had been a part of that team for a while. There was always a period of transition but sometimes teammates that had been together for a length of time and had shared a lot of shit in that time stuck together and didn't let anyone new in easily.
Admittedly, so far, he hasn't seen or experienced anything that might confirm his wariness but this is only their first case and they've only just gotten all the team members together so, for him, it is still early days. He's watching and waiting to see if his suspicions are going to be realised while in the meantime getting to work and hopefully showing what an asset he is to the taskforce.
He looks over again at Gibson as she studies the items on the General Manager's desk that they are seated in front of, waiting for its owner. She's attractive but very young for him so there's definitely not going to be anything between them. That plus he well knows, despite his cringe worthy comments to Castle when they met, not to shit where he eats. Getting involved with a co-worker is a definite no, no in his books regardless of what he just thought about Castle, the Captain and his own failed marriage.
Like the Captain, Esposito and Ryan he'd seen the awe with which his New York State colleague viewed the Captain and her husband. Hell, the exited and almost reverent way she'd spoken about the couple when he'd asked his questions about them had told him that. From what he'd heard earlier between the Captain and the NYSP Investigator he hopes that the young woman next to him can get over her fan-girling and be an effective member of the taskforce. The Captain tried to set her straight and if he's got to work with her maybe he should add his own two cents worth as well. After all us newbies have to stick together.
"Gibson," he says getting her attention as her dark eyes turn from the desk towards him. "You know you don't have to try so hard to impress the Captain."
Gibson's eyes drop from his for a moment in embarrassment before she looks back up and says, "I know but I can't help it. In my head I know that she is just another cop like me and just my superior officer but another part of me sees her as Nikki Heat, the tough, beautiful, smart cop whose exploits I've followed for years both in the books and in real life in the press. Being part of this taskforce means so much to me. I just don't want to mess up and disappoint her or myself. This will sound silly, but I want to be just like her."
"Kid, look, the best advice I can give you is not to try and be like someone else. Just be yourself. The Captain said it earlier, you have to be a good cop otherwise you wouldn't be part of the taskforce but it's the cop you are that has got you here. Not the cop you might think you want to be. Believe you me if you try to be something you're not or keep trying to do things the way that you think will impress the Captain you might soon find yourself no longer part of this taskforce that being a part of means so much to you," he tells her frankly.
He sees her eyes widen in distress at that thought before they narrow and a look of determination crosses her face. Then with a look of gratitude she responds, "Thanks, Kaminski. I'll try to remember that."
"Ah, think nothing of it," he replies gruffly. Then with a playful attitude that mirrors Esposito and Ryan he says, "Besides, how will you have my back if you're all worried about getting Castle's autograph half the time."
The young Investigator looks at him sheepishly at that, "Uh, he already did that and I didn't even need to ask him. Seems Detective's Esposito and Ryan already told him and he was more than happy to sign his books for me."
Kaminski gives a little chuckle at that, "Humph, figures."
Their discussion is then ended by the arrival in the office of a dark haired man in his mid-forties wearing a navy blue suit. The man takes a seat behind the desk they are seated in front of and looks at them expectantly.
"I'm James Aitken, General Manager here at WayTech. I understand you want to speak to me, umm, Detectives?" asks the man pleasantly but with a hint of caution in his voice which Kaminski puts down to the usual careful reaction people have to police officers seeking them out to ask them questions.
"Yes, Mr Aitken, I'm Detective Kaminski and this is Investigator Gibson we are part of a taskforce that has been called in to investigate the murder of Arthur Roggenkamp," Kaminski tells him.
"Arthur Roggenkamp?" Aitken asks them cautiously giving the impression that he isn't familiar with the name.
"Arthur Roggenkamp," repeats Gibson. "He owns a farm that is on your facilities' southern border…..There is an outstanding court action between him and your company regarding alleged pollution of a creek that runs through both your properties," continues Gibson in a tone that tells Kaminski that she doesn't believe that Aitken doesn't know who they are talking about. Seeing the slightly shifty look on the man's face Kaminski doesn't believe him either.
"Ohh! Yes! I remember now," Aitken exclaims just a bit too obviously for Kaminski further strengthening his suspicion that the slick business man knows exactly who their victim is. Hell the man wouldn't be a very good General Manager if he didn't know the name of a man who had an ongoing suit with his company.
"So what, WayTech here has so many injunctions against it that you don't know the name of the man responsible? Nice try, Mr Aitken, but that flag won't fly," scoffs Kaminski calling the man out. He wants the upper hand in this interview and this suit wearing jackass is making it easy for him.
He sees Aitkens cheeks flush slightly at Kaminski's words and when the man talks again his slightly vague tone is gone, replaced by annoyance, "Ok, yes, I know of Mr Roggenkamp but as his claims against my company were so spurious I honestly don't waste my time thinking about the man so it took me a while to recognise his name. No deception was intended by me towards you."
Kaminski glares at the man to let him know that he won't tolerate any more 'deceptions' during this interview.
"So, Mr Roggenkamp's claim that your factory is dumping toxic chemicals into the creek that runs onto his land were false?" asks Gibson beside him.
Aitken turns his attention to her and responds in his own scoffing tone, "Absolutely false. If it wasn't for the fact that we are waiting for an independent lab to complete some tests on the water in the creek in question the case would have been thrown out already."
"However, with the injunction still in effect while those tests are being carried out you've had to stop work, costing you money every day. Now with Mr Roggenkamp dead the injunction can go away without waiting for those lab results. Results that might not go your way and either shut you down for good or cost you a ton of money in damages and fines from the EPA. Sounds like a motive to kill to me Mr Aitken," challenges Kaminski.
As he and Gibson had been escorted by a security guard to Aitken's office he had noticed that what he could see of the factory floor was standing very idle. Fortunately the guard that escorted them was not the silent type so when Kaminski had asked him if it was normal for the factory to be so quiet the man had supplied the information that work had been suspended ever since the injunction had been filed.
"No!" rebuts Aitken forcefully. "This company is not dumping in that creek and I can assure you that neither I nor anyone else employed here killed Mr Roggenkamp."
"Where were you between 8pm and 10pm last night, Mr Aitken?" asks Gibson.
"I was working late here at the factory," responds Aitken.
"Can anyone verify that?" pushes Kaminski.
"Yes, the head of design and development, Bill Jackson, and I had a meeting during most of that time. My assistant, Jolene, was there as well taking notes so you can ask both of them," supplies Aitken.
"Oh, don't worry, we'll be sure to do that," Kaminski tells him pointedly while he makes a note of the names in the notebook in his hand. Convenient, he thinks, that both the people giving the man an alibi work for him and therefore owe their jobs to him.
"You said, 'for most of that time.' What else were you doing here during that time frame?" asks Gibson and Kaminski nods in agreement while also pleased that the young woman picked up on the opening in the man's statement.
He watches as the man's eyes move from side to side as if searching for an answer. There is a pause for a few beats before Aiken responds, "I..uh.., made some phone calls."
"To who?" pushes Kaminski again.
"To a supplier in California and an investor in New York. If you ask Jolene for their numbers you can call them yourselves to confirm," responds Aitken quickly. A little too quickly for Kaminski's liking.
Then, before either he or Gibson can continue their questions Aitken looks at the expensive looking watch on his wrist, rises from his seat and says with faux pleasantness, "Look, Detective, Investigator, I have a meeting with some potential customers in about ten minutes. Could we wrap this up? Feel free to speak to Bill and Jolene to confirm my story. If you have any further questions let me know and I will be sure to have my lawyer present."
As Aitken gestures towards his office door in dismissal Kaminski looks at Gibson. She looks at him and gives him a small shrug of her shoulders as if to say they might as well go as they're not likely to learn anything more from Aitken. He agrees with her. There is something off about Aitken, he can feel it, but they aren't likely to learn anything more from the business man. As nice as it would be to tell the man that his meeting can wait to put him under pressure and show him they won't be pushed around all that's sure to do is for the man to lawyer up even quicker. No, they won't have another crack at him unless they can break his alibi or come up with some solid evidence linking him to Roggenkamp's murder.
With that in mind they might as well go and speak to his assistant and this Jackson guy and see if they'll corroborate the guy's story. As their jobs are at stake they'll both probably confirm it but they might yet let something slip that will help them. Regardless, they might also be able to tell them what they know about the court action between the victim and their company. Before he and Gibson go, however, he's not going to let Aitken think he's out of the woods yet.
"Alright, Mr Aitken, thank you for your time," Kaminski tells him in his own fake pleasant tone as he and Gibson rise from their chairs. Just before he turns to go he fixes the man with a steely stare and says strongly, "As this is an ongoing murder investigation we ask that you don't take any…um…business trips without letting us know. You wouldn't want us to think that you were running away now would you?"
Aitken narrows his eyes at that and through gritted teeth replies, "Of course not, Detective. Now please leave, I am a busy man."
Kaminski gives it a beat before giving a nod of compliance and he and Gibson turn as one and walk out of the office. As the office door closes behind them Kaminski thinks again that there is something off with the man they just talked to and it's a good bet it has something to do with why they are here.
Conference Room – Otisville Sheriff Station
Castle sits at the conference room table looking through the file that one of Sheriff Hogan's deputies has given him. Inside are listed the numerous instances that members of the Otisville Sheriff's Department have had to intervene in disputes, many physical, between their victim and Silas Southwick. From the number of times that the two men had come to blows it would seems obvious that, as if they already didn't know, the two men hated the sight of each other. To him it means that except for the alibi supplied by the man's wife they have a very promising suspect in Silas Southwick.
Such obvious animosity coupled with the out of place SUV that he and Kate had seen at the man's property means that Southwick remains an obvious suspect despite of his alibi. Then again that obviousness might just mean the man is innocent because in Castle's experience it is rarely the obvious suspect that did the deed. That's not to say he's ruling Southwick out. There is just something at the back of his writer's mind that is telling him to search from more of the story regarding this murder.
He closes the file and looks across the table at Kate who is sitting there talking on her cell phone to Tory back in New York. He then takes a moment to look around the table at the others present in the room. Esposito and Ryan are both at the other end of the table, sitting side by side. Ryan studying a laptop while Esposito reads through a sheaf of papers.
When he and Kate had returned from their interview of Southwick, Esposito had told them that Douglas' warrant had come through so he was looking through a print out of the victim's phone records. Ryan informed them that CSU had identified the tyre tracks at the scene as being from two distinct vehicles and the tread matched tyres used on recent model GM SUVs. He he is going through the only traffic cam footage in the area, from an intersection on a main road a couple of miles from their crime scene, looking for any matching vehicles. Perhaps not so coincidentally the SUV that he and Kate saw at the Southwick's farm was a Black GM SUV.
The rest of the team are absent. Again Esposito had told Kate, when she asked, that Kent was following up something relating to his talk to the friend of Mrs Roggenkamp and that while Douglas had been with them, going through the vic's financials, she had stepped out to take a phone call. Kaminski and Douglas haven't yet returned from their visit to WayTech.
"Ok, thanks Tory," says Kate as she ends the call with their tech analyst.
Castle gives her a questioning look and she responds, "Tory checked the plates from that SUV we saw at Southwick's and the registration has the owner listed as WayTech Industries."
Castle's eyebrows raise at that bit of news as he posits, "So our feuding neighbour is in bed with the shady tech conglomerate."
Kate shrugs her shoulders, "Not Mr Southwick directly but his son Jimmy. Tory ran a search on a possible link between the Southwicks and WayTech. Apparently Jimmy Southwick is a part time security guard at the factory."
Castle leans back in his chair and strokes his chin in thought, "So we have a family and a company both with a motive to kill our victim and they both happen to be connected to each other, interesting."
"It's a connection, certainly, but we're going to need more than that to link either the Southwicks or WayTech to the murder. Plus I'm not quite convinced that an injunction is motive for some company to kill someone," says Kate likewise leaning back in her chair and stretching her arms behind her head.
All thoughts of sinister companies killing to protect its practices and a family willing to do the same to fulfil some generational vendetta momentarily leave his mind as he is distracted by the sight in front of him. The sight of his wife's bra clad breasts clearly outlined as her white blouse stretches tautly over her chest. Somehow he drags his lustful gaze from the display to look up to his wife's eyes only to see her looking at him with an arched eyebrow and a distinctly teasing look in her eye. Then she bites her bottom lip and he knows she's playing with him. That minx, he thinks. It's not the first time she's done this to him in the middle of the workplace.
Even before they got together she would do this from time to time. Make a display of her very fine assets to him to either frustrate, tease or dare him to say something while everyone else around them is working. She'd become a bit more brazen about it since they got together and especially since they got married. She knows that her punishment for teasing him so will be something they will both enjoy when they are in the privacy of their motel room tonight.
Now his thoughts of what pleasure awaits him at the end of the working day are interrupted by the arrival of Kaminski and Gibson. Kaminski, who must have heard the end of Kate's statement, speaks as he and Gibson walk over to the murder board, "Oh, I think that injunction is motive enough for someone at that company to be responsible for our vic's murder, boss."
Kate drops her arms and leans back forward in her chair as she regards the Connecticut Detective, "How so?"
"Well, apparently, while the injunction is in place all production has had to cease. They are losing thousands, maybe millions, every day," supplies Kaminski as he starts writing details on the murder board.
"We spoke to WayTech's General Manager, a James Aitken, and he tried to play that he didn't know of Roggenkamp but he knew who our vic was. He wasn't very helpful but another employee told us that WayTech has had to stop production ever since the injunction was filed. My guess, with Roggenkamp dead, WayTech's lawyers are this minute petitioning for the removal of the injunction," suggests Gibson as she stands next to Kaminski at the board.
"Ok, so they have a motive," acknowledges Kate. "What about this Aitken guy? Is he the type to get his hands dirty? Could he have done it?" asks Kate as she stands and walks over to the two standing at the murder board.
Kaminski sorts in derision at that, "No, Aitken definitely isn't the type to get his hands dirty."
"Besides, he has an alibi for the time of the murder. That is if you believe people who work for him that he was in a meeting or on the phone at the factory during the kill window," supplies Gibson.
"That doesn't mean that he couldn't have paid someone else or had one of his employees, a security guard whose family has a long standing disagreement with the victim say, to kill Roggenkamp," suggests Castle at this point from where he is seated.
Kate takes a step towards him at that and he sees that familiar eager gleam in her eye when one of his theories seems promising. She then looks over at Esposito, "Espo, we'll need to expand Douglas' warrant to include the Southwicks and WayTech. I want to see if there is a communication or money trail that links them more than what can be explained by the son working as a security guard."
"I'm afraid we can't do that, Captain," comes the cautioning voice of Agent Douglas from the doorway of the conference room.
They all look towards the agent as she steps further into the room towards where Kate is standing. Douglas holds up her cell phone at the questioning look she is getting from Kate and everyone else in the room, "Sorry, Captain, but I just got a call from my Deputy Director in DC. He told me to tell you that this taskforce is to suspend all investigations into WayTech industries."
"What! Why?" demands Kate taking an aggressive step towards Douglas and putting her hands on her hips.
The FBI agent actually looks slightly embarrassed as she replies, "All I can say, Captain, is that in the interests of national security we have been asked to stand down from any investigation of WayTech. As such the warrant I got through a federal judge cannot be expanded to include that company or its employees."
Castle watches as Kate gives Douglas a hard look and he starts wishing he had some popcorn handy because what he is about to see is going to be good.
"Special Agent Douglas," starts Kate in that clear and venom dripping tone that Castle does all in his power to not hear from his wife. "Need I remind you or your Deputy Director that this taskforce does not answer to the FBI? As such they cannot just call us up and tell us to cease an avenue of investigation at the drop of a hat. Now if they want to go through the proper channels and supply us with more than the usual line about 'national security' I will consider, only consider mind you, holding back from investigating WayTech. In the meantime this taskforce will pursue every lead no matter who is involved. Do I make myself clear?"
Douglas holds up her hands to placate the ire of the woman in front of her, "Absolutely, Captain. I did try to tell the Deputy Director that you would probably still continue with your inquires regardless. He told me to remind you that the bureau has supplied funding for this taskforce so he feels that does give them some say in your decision making."
The red tinge of anger that floods Kates face at that statement has Castle now fearing for Douglas' safety and he decides to intervene. Suddenly this isn't quite as funny as he thought it was. It wouldn't look good for Kate to deck their FBI liaison on their first official case. He springs from his chair and puts a gentle yet restraining hand on Kate's arm as she takes another aggressive step towards Douglas.
"Kate, we don't need the federal warrant," Castle tells her soothingly. "I'm sure Gibson knows of a state or local judge that can give us the warrant we need. Failing that I'll just call Judge Markaway in New York. I'm sure he knows someone in this jurisdiction that can help us. There's no need to blame Douglas. She's just the messenger."
Kate takes a deep breath and then looks at him with gratitude and just a hint of chagrin at how quickly her anger rose to the surface. In a much more calm tone she responds, "You're right, Castle. What about it Gibson? Can you get us the warrant?"
"Yes, ma'am," responds a wide eyed Gibson who had been watching the exchange between the two women with surprise. "I know a state judge with responsibility for this county that I can get a warrant from."
Kate gives a nod of thanks over her shoulder to the NYSP Investigator and then turns back to the FBI Agent in front of her and says much more calmly but just as clearly as before, "So, as I said, regardless of what the FBI may think their money buys them this taskforce will continue to investigate WayTech or anyone else we find linked to this murder. You can tell that to your bosses in DC, Douglas."
The woman nods her head several times in agreement and Castle can see that for all her confidence the young agent is feeling the effects of being on the receiving end of the ire of Kate Beckett-Castle.
"Yes, Captain. I will pass the message on," says Douglas and the young woman almost runs from the room obviously to tell the bad news to DC.
As she passes through the doorway she almost runs into Kent as he enters at the same time as she is leaving. The New Jersey Detective looks surprised as the FBI Agent hurries past him and then takes in the looks on the faces around the room sensing the unusual atmosphere present.
"Uh, where's she off to in such a hurry?" Kent asks the room.
"Oh, she's just off to tell the feebs that they can't butt into our business. They should have known better than trying to tell our Captain what to do," supplies Ryan with pride from where he is seated next to Esposito. Castle can tell that both he and Espo had, like he had at the start, been watching with glee the confrontation between Kate and Douglas.
At Kent's quizzical look Esposito adds with equal pride, "Yeah, apparently the feds don't want us looking into this WayTech bunch. The Captain just told Douglas where they can stick it. After she's told DC I think Douglas will then have to go change her shorts."
"Ok, guys, enough. Castle's right. It isn't Douglas' fault she was just passing the message along," reprimands Kate but then she turns to Gibson and says quickly, "That said, Gibson, get moving on that warrant. I want all those records to go over before the FBI can convince the Governor or the Commissioner to shut us down from investigating WayTech."
With a brisk nod Gibson moves to one of the landline phones on the conference table to make her call. As she does that Kate looks back at Kent expectantly and asks, "How did your interview with the friend of the wife go, Kent? Learn anything useful?"
Castle sees the man give a very definite nod to Kate's question and he answers as he walks over to join Kaminski at the murder board, "Oh yes, Captain. I could tell there was something the woman wasn't telling me when I spoke to her with the Sheriff. I went back and spoke to her again without him there and she told me something very interesting."
Kent then makes a dramatic pause that Castle thinks his mother would well appreciate before writing a new name under persons of interest on the murder board. Castle reads with a fair amount of surprise the name that Kent has written there.
Sheriff Hogan.
A/N: Lots and lots of suspects and a bit of drama between Kate and the FBI. I hope this keeps everyone interested. Thanks to you all that take the time to read and review. It motivates me to keep going with this story.