CH4
The lobby alone was magnificent. Kate's eyes were everywhere. The elevator even had an attendant. And when they got off on the 48th floor he even watched them go all the way down the hallway to door GH. Talk about security.
There was an F-117 Nighthawk "Fat Head" on the outside of Castle's apartment door. What they didn't see was that the peephole was hidden where the in-flight refueling nozzle attached.
"I wonder what he is trying to tell us." Roy ponders out loud.
Rick opens the door. "Roy!" And he embraces his old friend and pats him on the back. "Come in, come in.
And Detective Kate Beckett." As Rick takes one of her hands and lifts it to his lips and brushes them lightly over the back of her hand. "It is a pleasure to see you to. Come in."
"Something smells good Rick." Roy comments after Rick closes the door and locks it in two places.
"I had a lot of errands today so tonight's dinner is crock pot." Rick explains.
"Daddy!" As a tornado suddenly swirls out a side hallway.
"Pumpkin, this is Roy Montgomery, he's an old friend of mine, and this is Detective Kate Beckett, she works with Roy. Roy, Kate this is my daughter Alexis."
Roy kneels down to her level "Alexis it is a pleasure to meet you." And he extends his hand and Alexis takes it.
"Daddy hasn't told me anything about you. How old are you?" Alexis asks innocently.
"Pumpkin!" Rick is shocked.
"It's ok, I'm old enough that I'm not a child anymore and not yet old enough to be ancient." Roy tells her.
Alexis moves around Roy to stand in front of Kate. "Hi."
"Hi to you too sweetie. I like your hair. I don't think I've seen a color like it before." Kate tells her.
Alexis turns to look at her dad. "I like her dad, she's nice." Turning back to face Kate. "You're very pretty." Alexis tells her.
Kate looks shocked for a moment. "Why thank you. I think you're pretty to."
"Pumpkin why don't you show Kate your room while Roy and I talk for a bit. We have a lot to catch up on." Rick suggests.
"Sure dad. Come on Kate." And Alexis grabs Kate's hand and starts pulling. "It's this way." Alexis states all excited.
She leads Kate to the hallway she just came from. The hallway wasn't straight it had some bends to it. On the left looked to be where the washer/dryer might be. Then Alexis turned right. "Down there is dad's room." Alexis turns and goes thru an open door on her left.
"This is dad's study."
There was a Virgin Islands Beach: Instant Window "Fat head" in the Library/office over a writing desk that had a laptop sitting on it. Kate wondered if this was where Castle did all his writing. She couldn't help but slow down and run her fingers over the open keyboard. Was this where he wrote all the books she had read almost 8 or 9 times?
Kate could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she passed by then suddenly speed-ed up to catch up with Alexis.
"Down there is the spare bedroom, and this is my room." As Alexis passes thru a door just to the left.
It was HUGE. There were toys all over the place. Along with god knows how many stuffed animals. There was even a bike in her room. On the far wall was a kitchenette with a sink, dishwasher and a mini fridge with a microwave on the counter.
"My bed is in here." As Alexis drags Kate thru another door into a smaller room with a single double sized or queen sized bed in it that took up almost all the available space along with what was probably a closet behind the door on the far side.
There was a Merida and Angus "Fat head" on one wall of Alexis's bedroom. It was strange her red hair was almost a match to Alexis's red hair. Except Alexis's hair was completely straight instead of curly, but it was just as long.
"You want a beer old friend?" As Rick pulls two out and hands one to Roy and opens his. "Come on sit." As Rick motions for the great room.
"So you've made something of yourself. Captain of an entire Precinct. You were dreaming of that if memory serves." Rick starts off.
"Yea I had big dreams when I was a rookie. It's taken a lot of hard work and making the right choices to get here. I do the best I can. Now I get to teach and pass on what I have learned."
"Kate." Rick states not really a question.
"She's the best I've ever seen. She has so much potential. I'm still trying to get her to see that. She's so damn stubborn. She only sees black and white. Right and wrong. There is not much middle ground with her." Roy confides.
"I'll keep that in mind. So talk to me Roy." Rick looks directly at him.
"What would you like to know? Married with kids, nice house, good job." Roy deflects.
"That's not what I mean and you know it. Talk to me. You never were good at keeping secrets from me, why start now." Rick tries again.
"I don't know what you mean." Roy is now scared.
"Come on Roy, I always knew your tell. I can help if you'll let me." Rick tries to persuade him.
"I don't think you can old friend. Not this time." Roy gives in and sounds sad.
"I think you would be amazed at what I can do and the people I know." Rick is not exaggerating and Roy can detect some of this. "Start at the beginning. You can give me the short version. It's safe, this apartment is scanned daily and you and Kate were scanned when you entered. Talk to me Roy."
"This is a bad idea. It started when I was still just a rookie. I was partnered with a pair of detectives, John Ragland and Gary McCallister …."
As Roy told his story the lines in his face seemed to lift some. It felt invigorating to talk and lift some of the burden he had been carrying around for so long. He could only hope his old friend wasn't part of it and setting him up. And even if he was, he felt better.
Finally finished with his story. "Well?"
"Well what?" Rick responded back.
"No questions? Not going to slap me or kick my ass for being so stupid?" Roy looks like he would deserve it if Rick did.
Rick just shook his head. "I know you. You've probably been doing that for years now. And any questions I have I don't want them from you. I said I could help and believe it or not I can and I'm going to.
So if I get answers from you it might lead back to you, and I can't have that. So all my answers are going to have to come from a different source than you." Rick tells him.
"You shouldn't get involved Rick. It's not safe. He's a powerful man with connections, and you have a family to protect too. A wife and a daughter, … What?" Roy sees the look on Ricks face.
"I was divorced not long after Alexis was born. And as far as my Ex is concerned, I'd consider paying him to get rid of her. And Alexis, I can protect my daughter. You let me worry about my family you just watch after your own."
Roy is silent for a moment. "You knew didn't you? You knew before I even came over here. How?" Roy has one of those light bulbs go on over his head.
"I heard rumors. Knew you were involved in these rumors. I just needed your side of the story. He is going down Roy. Not sure yet just how, but he is going down." Rick looks serious and Roy can see it.
"You just be careful old friend. I don't need you or your daughter on my conscience too. These people play for keeps. No Marquess of Queensberry Rules with these people." Roy warns.
"That's quite all right, I don't play fair either. I won't keep you from your family any longer. And not to worry, I'll see that Kate makes it home safely." And Rick escorts him to the door. "You just kiss your wife and hug the kids for me. This may take some time." As Rick pats him on the back.
"I'll do that. Say goodnight to your daughter for me. She's a cutie Rick, you lucked out with her."
"Yea, she's the only good thing that came out of that marriage." Rick watches his friend leave. Then goes into the kitchen to finish dinner.
A little later Kate and Alexis are standing at the kitchen entrance. "Hhmm, smells good. He writes and he can cook." Kate tells him.
Rick turns to look into her eyes. "Well, If you count crock pot food cooking, than yes I cook. I try not to bring up my daughter on take-out. Though she complains about some of the things I cook." Rick looks at her sternly.
"He puts funny things in it sometimes and it comes out all YUCKY." Alexis explains with a 'It tastes bad' look on her face. Which gets Kate to smile and chuckle a little.
"Where's Captain Montgomery?" Kate can't bring herself to call him Roy. He is her boss after all.
"We finished our talk and he went home. You are staying for dinner?" Rick looks at Kate and opens his eyes wide.
Alexis adds her 2 cents by taking Kate's hand in hers. "Please Kate?" And looks up at her with what is probably a patented puppy dog look sure to melt anyone.
Kate was all set to decline and then her stomach turns on her and takes that moment to growl. However looking at Rick's big blue eyes that she is swimming in and then down to Alexis's blue eyes and that look she is giving her.
"Sure, what the hell. This better be good Castle." Kate however warns him. It was an afterthought from what Alexis had said.
"YES!" Is Alexis's response while jumping up and down while still holding onto Kate's hand.
"You want to set the table pumpkin, this is almost ready. Just a couple of more minutes for the rice."
Slow-Cooker Pepper Steak
2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2 inch strips
garlic powder to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cube beef fouillon
¼ cup hot water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup chopped onion
2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
"Sure dad. Come on Kate you can help." As Alexis tells Kate what to take out of the cabinets and which ones and helps set up the table.
"This is actually pretty good Castle. It's been a long time since anyone cooked for me." Kate confides. Which surprises her. Why is she letting these two in?
"Well we'll just have to invite you over more often. Right pumpkin?" Rick looks for reinforcements.
"It'll be great Kate. Take-out is bad for you. It's got chemicals in it. Well except for pizza." Alexis adds. "Please Kate." And doubles up her puppy dog eyes look that could shatter diamonds.
"Well we'll see." Kate however does not give in so easily.
Alexis however looks happy. "That means yes dad."
"Pumpkin?" Rick questions.
"I know a yes when I hear a yes Dad. And that was a yes." And Alexis nods her head to show the matter is now closed.
"Why don't you go play in your room while Kate and I clean up?" Rick asks her.
"Ok. Are you going to stay and tuck me in Kate?" Alexis whispers out, hopefully.
Kate however looks like a deer caught in headlights. "Uhm, sure." I am soooo dead.
Alexis hugs her quickly and heads off for her room. Meanwhile Rick and Kate pick up the plates and head for the kitchen. Kate rinses them and puts them in the dishwasher while Rick puts the leftovers into Tupperware and then into the refrigerator.
Then he opens a bottle of wine and hands Kate a glass while Rick pulls a beer from the refrigerator.
Sitting in the great room with the bottle of wine on the coffee table. "Roy seems to have high hopes for you. Says you're the best." Rick confides a little of what Roy had to say.
"He's a good teacher and he's being kind. I'm not that good." Kate is not so sure.
"Pretty, good at her job and modest. Just who are you Kate Beckett?"
"Thanks." Kate answers blushing and drinks down her wine and then re-fills it.
"I take it you have a good team around you to help you?" Rick questions.
"Yea, Espo and Ryan are a good group. Even Lanie down in the morgue who is the ME. I couldn't do it without them." Kate gives them credit.
"And what about Jill? Has she been helpful too?" Rick asks with a poker face.
Kate practically spits out her wine, and then drinks the entire glass down. "Who's Jill?" Kate whispers out while re-filling her glass.