CH61
Kate had woken early the next morning and decided to wake Castle in her own special way.
An hour later they were both lying in bed completely satisfied with this morning's activities. Rick got up first and got in the shower only to be followed by Kate a moment later.
A little later while drying off a now happy and glowing Kate kissed him quickly. "I'll go get Alexis up." While slapping his still naked derriere on the way out.
"I'll start breakfast." Rick counters by whipping her retreating derriere with his towel.
Kate dropped Alexis off at school on her way into work. Where she immediately pulled up everything she could legally lay her hands on about one Gina Cowell.
Rick however had started working on his outline of his next book when there was someone at the front door. Taking a peek first, he opened the door.
"Mr. Richard Castle?" The younger than him guy asked.
"Yes?" Rick is wondering what this is about.
The guy shoves a piece of paper in his chest. "You've been served." Then pulls out a clipboard. "Sign here please."
Rick takes the pen. "What's this about?"
"I'm sorry sir, I only deliver them. I don't read them." And thanks Rick after he signs and leaves.
Rick closes the door and heads for the kitchen. If it was really bad he was going to need a drink, even if it was really early in the day.
It was a subpoena ordering his presence at a hearing for one Meredith Lee on Cocaine possession charges. Her lawyer had called him in as a witness for tomorrow morning at 10:00 am at the courthouse listed.
"Meredith! Why am I not surprised." Rick hangs his head. "Mother!" Rick yells out.
Rick was just stepping into the 12th Precinct after telling his mother where he was going. Just not why he was going.
Catching a break he found Kate sitting at her desk doing paperwork. "Kate."
Kate spins. "Castle!?" Excited and shocked. Then lowers her voice so only he can hear. "If you're here for round three you'll just have to wait."
"Kate! Really?" Rick sounds shocked but doesn't look it. "But since you brought it up." And Rick leans down to whisper into her ear. "I'll have the handcuffs all ready for you when you get home."
Kate can instantly feel her heart pounding in her chest and she knows she is blushing, big time. And is desperately searching for a response.
Rick straightens up. "However I came because I was given this this morning." And Rick hands her the paper he got.
Kate finds just enough voice. "What's this?" And opens it and starts reading. And Kate's blushing leaves her face quickly and is soon replaced by something else.
"That useless, sorry excuse of a …. If she thinks Alexis is going anywhere near this court room. I swear Castle, I'll …." And is interrupted by Castle.
"Alexis isn't going anywhere near this Kate. I promise. It's only addressed to me. However I want you to come with me." Castle tells her.
"Castle?" Kate is not so sure about this. For one if she sees her Kate just might really shoot her.
"You're my wife and I want her to understand that her place is in the past. And that's where she belongs, in the past. I want you there so she can see that she is the past and has no place in our or Alexis's future." Rick pleads his case.
Kate looks at him for a moment. "Fine I'll be there Castle. But if she so much as touches a hair on your head, I swear I'll shoot her Castle."
Castle just grins. "I think I like jealous Kate." Castle teases.
"I am not jealous Castle! I'm ,…. protective." Kate knows it's not completely true.
"I'll see you when you get home Kate." And then he leans down and kisses her forehead. If he really kissed her she might injure him. "I'm going to go see Roy while I'm here." Then kisses her again.
However as he pulls back Kate grabs him and pulls him down and kisses him soundly. "I'm protective Castle, not jealous." Kate whispers.
Rick leans into her ear. "We'll see about that once you are handcuffed to the bed." And quickly heads for Roy's office before she can hit him.
"Roy you old salt, how are things going in the land of the police?" Rick teases as he enters.
"Rick, you dropped your pen to slum with us for a minute?" Roy stands and shakes his hand.
"Actually Kate and I are thinking of planning a house warming with a few friends. Kate is likely to invite her dad and Lanie. I wanted to see if I could convince you and the family to come. I could use the support. Martha will of course be there." Rick tells him.
"We'd love to. I'm sure my wife is dying to see your new house. Just so she can grill me about ours." Roy laughs.
"There is nothing wrong with your home and you know it. And as soon as we know the date I'll send you the invite. Oh and brings your swim suit. It has a pool." Rick tells him.
"Likely to be a little cool for a pool. We're going to have to think like polar bears." Roy warns him.
"Won't be the first time." Rick reminds him getting Roy to laugh. "Besides it's heated. At least I think it's heated. I guess we're going to find out if it's heated." Rick laughs at his own expense.
"You pick the time and we'll be there." Roy tells him.
"Great, I'll see if I can find the good stuff. … On a side note. You are likely going to be getting some pressure soon." Rick warns him.
"Oh, anything I need to be concerned about?" Roy asks as a heads up.
"They are just likely to ask you to keep your eyes on Kate and remind you to keep her out of it." Rick tells her.
"I take it you are making progress?" Roy wonders if there is light at the end of the tunnel and hoping it's not the light of an oncoming train.
"If I'm right I may need your help for the finale in the not too distant future." Rick hints.
"You're that close?" Roy is shocked since he hasn't been leaned on at all.
"It may be a month or two yet. Have you got a couple of people that you trust, completely?" Rick asks. He or they may need the help.
Roy looks out the office window at Kate. "I can think of a couple of people that might just follow her through Hell if they thought it would help. And her them." Roy is pretty certain.
"You may not get much notice." Rick cautions.
"We'll be there. It'll be good to feel free again. It's been a long time." Roy thinks back.
"We'll get there old friend, just have a little more faith for a little longer." Rick offers.
"I should get going before Kate ties me down when she gets home and grills me over what we are talking about in here." And Rick stands.
This gets Roy laughing knowing that Kate would do just that if she thought she needed to. And shakes Rick's hand as he leaves
Rick walks over to Kate and leans down. "And I'll see you when you get home. Alexis is spending the night with Paige on another sleep over and mother is out on a date. So you better be naked and on our bed when I find you, or else." And Rick walks away.
They didn't get a body drop all day and that only left Kate to think about what Castle was going to do to her tonight when she got home. Just thinking about it had her shifting in her chair the rest of the day.
Kate drove home practically on auto-pilot she was paying so little attention to where she was going.
Kate entered through the front door with still no gun safe so she took it up to the bedroom with her. Once there she didn't see Castle but she did see that the bed was turned down and one of the cuffs was already attached to the head of the bed.
Then she sees Castle stepping out of the bathroom wearing only his boxers.
"I see you failed to obey the rules. You are not naked and on the bed. There is a penalty for this. Now strip and get into bed." Castle tells her.
Kate has been trembling all day long and now she is barely standing. If she has to strip she's going to give him a show.
It takes her close to half an hour to remove all her clothes and finally get into bed. Where Castle steps over to the bed and cuffs her hand, then moves to the other.
Then he steps over to the dresser and opens a drawer and removes something. Stepping over to Kate with it behind his back. Then moves to sit on the bed.
"You need to pay the penalty Kate." And Rick pulls something out from behind his back and starts to run it up her leg and across her stomach until he circles her chest.
"Castle, is that a, …. is that a, …." Kate can't finish because she's about to explode from the excitement and anticipation of what Castle is going to do with what he has in his hand while handcuffed to the bed.
"This Kate is a whip." As he allows the multiple strands of the whip to lightly strike her thigh.
"It's a beat me eat me whip." Castle tells her.
"C_a_s_t_l_e?" Kate barely gets out. As she starts to shake from the anticipation.
"When you don't scream we eat one of the strands. It's made out of licorice." Rick grins at her.
It was after midnight and Castle was in the shower and Kate was standing naked in front of the full length mirror. She had marks on her body all over the place except her back, as she twists trying to look.
Just looking at all of them had her replaying how she got them in her mind. And the more she traced each mark and remembered she started shaking from excitement all over again. There was only one thing to do about it.
She opened the shower stall and stepped into Castle's embrace.
Kate woke in the morning first and found she was using Castle as a pillow. So she started doodling with her finger across whatever piece of his skin she could find.
"Good morning gorgeous." Rick whispers out still sleepy.
"Castle, I'm not sure I have words for last night. That was, …. was simply amazing." Kate can't get her mind off of it.
"I didn't hurt you did I?" Rick was worried he had gone too far.
Kate just shakes her head. "Where did you find it?" Meaning the licorice whip.
"I know a place." Castle tells her.
"Was that the only one you bought?" Kate asks him.
"Should I buy another?" Castle asks smiling.
Kate snuggles in closer so she can hide her face. "Yes, … please." Kate knows she is blushing.
Rick is grinning even wider. "Black again or red this time?"
"Black was tasty but I prefer red licorice." Kate tells him blushing even more.
Kate was going to be a wreck at work thinking about last night and when the next time was.
They shared a shower which took forever due to extracurricular activities, which was going to make Kate late this morning. While Castle had to go get Alexis and get her to school before the weekend.
Castle reminded her of the 10:00 am appointment at the courthouse. Kate again said she would be there.
Kate sat at her desk trying to do paperwork but her mind just wouldn't get off of last night. It was a whip and yet it wasn't. And it hadn't really hurt any. In fact it had the exact opposite effect on her. It might have been what Castle had done before whipping her or after. Kate just knew she had never experienced anything like it before.
It was time to head for the courthouse. She walked through security with her weapon and showed them her badge and ID. She went in and found Castle and sat down next to him. She also saw Meredith and having to be here because of her was starting to make her blood boil.
Rick placed one of his hands of hers to try and calm her down a little.
"The defense would like to call Mr. Richard Castle."
Rick got up and got sworn in and then sat. "Your full name for the record."
"Richard Edgar Castle."
"You are familiar with the defendant? Ms. Meredith Lee, your wife?"
"My Ex-wife. We were divorced some years ago. And yes I'm familiar with her." Rick counters.
"Rickey?" Meredith interrupts. And the Judge bangs his gavel.
"And how long were you and your wife married Mr. Castle?"
"I was married to my Ex-wife just over a year." Rick counters.
"I understand that there was a child as a result of this marriage and that you do not pay alimony to Ms. Lee."
"Her getting pregnant was the reason for the marriage in the first place and no, I do not pay alimony. She was paid a lump sum as part of the divorce agreement." Rick explains.
"And yet Ms. Lee is not allowed access to this child and you do in fact continue to give her money."
"Meredith refused any custody rights of any kind as part of the divorce agreement. It was her stipulation actually. As for paying her money, she shows up at my apartment roughly once a year crying that she is dirt poor and that since she's my wife she insists that I pay her. When I initially refuse she starts yelling at me while Alexis is in the house listening to every word." Rick explains.
"Rickey, Kitten, I'm your wife." Meredith refuses to keep quiet.
The Judge pounds his gavel. "Ms. Lee if you cannot keep silent I will have you removed."
His witness was not helping him, it was clear Ms. Lee was not telling him the truth. It was time to cut his losses. "No more questions."
"Mr. Castle you indicated that Ms. Lee has no custody rights. Does she have any rights at all concerning the child?"
"Except for sharing DNA test results she has no legal standing of any kind."
"And you were not married to Ms. Lee at the time of her pregnancy?"
"No, it was only after I convinced her not to get the abortion that she wanted so badly that we got married." Rick responds.
"So she was going to terminate the pregnancy until you intervened. Was the marriage part of the deal to not terminate the pregnancy?"
"I don't know. It is possible. You would need to ask Meredith." Rick responds.
Kate had her hands clinched. It was all she could do not to leap on her and scratch her eyes out. Shooting her was too good for her.
"You're aware that Ms. Lee has been arrested for possession of a controlled substance?"
"Yes, I've been informed."
"Did you at any time know that she had a controlled substance in her possession while in your apartment?"
"No! If I had known she had cocaine anywhere near Alexis I would have thrown her out on her ass." Rick replies with venom in his voice.
"Rickey?" Meredith replies softly. Only getting a glare from the judge this time.
"And who informed you of her possession of the controlled substance?"
"By my wife." Rick responds. Getting a large smile from Meredith.
"You have told us Ms. Lee is not your wife."
"And she isn't. I was told by my wife Katherine." And Rick points to Kate. And all heads turn to look at Kate.
"What the hell is she doing here? You stole my husband! She stole my husband!" Meredith yells out while standing.
While the Judge starts pounding his gavel. "Ms. Lee you are fined $500 in contempt of court. Bailiff, remove Ms. Lee from the court room." Going back to pounding his gavel.
Once order is re-established. "You were informed by Katherine Beckett, the arresting officer?"
"It's Katherine Castle now, but yes."
"Did you at any time know Ms. Lee was in possession of a controlled substance?"
"No. I may have suspected something years ago, but no. And I only see her roughly once a year as it is since the divorce."
"And when Ms. Lee does come see you what is her reasoning for the visit?"
"Money." Rick comments.
"And after she gets this money she leaves only to return roughly a year later?"
"Correct."
"And do you know what she does with this money you give her?"
"Not at the time. Though I can guess now."
"No further questions." And Rick gets up and goes to sit with Kate and hold her hands since they are shaking.
"The defense and prosecutor will both rise please." The Judge tells them.
"I find sufficient reason to hold Ms. Lee for trial. Bail hearing is set for, … (looking at his paperwork) one week from today. Until then Ms. Lee will be remanded in jail." And pounds his gavel.
An arrest for possession of 1/8 of an ounce or more of cocaine or a cocaine mixture is classified as criminal possession in the 4th degree (New York State Penal Law § 220.09), a Class C felony punishable by 1 to 5½ years in prison. Second time offenders may face up to 8 years in jail, and a previous violent offenders could face 9 years.