CH66

Rick left him just before lunch to go get some sweats for Roy to change into while he put his clothes in the wash. Then went downstairs for some soup.

After Roy was done with the soup. "How do you feel?"

"Better actually. That concoction you gave me seems to be working." Roy admits.

Rick grins. "I've had a few years of trial and error to get it where it is now."

"Why am I not surprised?" Roy chuckles. "OWE!" As he grabs his head.

"I never said it was perfect." Rick points out a little late. And Roy just glares at him.

'I wonder if Kate learned that from him or the other way around?' "We need to talk." And Rick bends forward a little.

"I've recently found out that you are about to get leaned on heavily. They are likely to tell you to do things. Probably illegal things. And when you say no they'll put your wife on the phone." Rick tells him knowing the reaction he's going to get.

"EVELYN and the girls! I gotta get going." And tries to get up.

Rick easily pushes him back down. "I've already taken care of that. Your family is perfectly safe." Rick tells him.

"Where are they?" Roy asks him. Half pleading, half demanding.

"Somewhere they can't get to them. And I'm not going to tell you. That way you don't have to lie." Rick tells him sitting back down.

Roy just glares at him. 'Kate is better at it.' "Trust me they are fine. Probably having the time of their lives. Well the girls are anyway. Evelyn is probably trying to have fun half the time and worried the other half." Rick tells him smiling.

"Yea that sounds like her. You're sure their safe?" He knows these people have long arms.

"Perfectly safe." Since he bought the house in Hawaii under the name Martha Rodgers and not Castle. "In fact when this is over and if they still need to be there I'll send you out there so you can join them and see for yourself. I swear!" As Rick raises his hand.

Roy leans back. "Doesn't look like I have a choice?"

Rick shakes his head. "No, you don't. …. As for what they will ask you to do. Best I can tell you is to use your best judgment. Just know that if they try and use your family to sway you, they are bluffing. And don't be surprised if you hear her voice. It's just going to be a recording of her that they got earlier. They probably will not allow her to answer questions if you ask any. Since they will not actually have her for her to answer questions." Rick cautions him.

"And if they take me to get me to tell them where they are. Or if they get tired of hearing me say no to everything?" Roy asks.

"Does Kate know two people who would walk through hell for her if you or she asked?" Rick asks.

Getting a nod from Roy. "Good I'll be right back." And Rick gets up and leaves.

He is back in a few minutes with what looks like a Hypo Spray out of Star Trek. "Give you your arm." Rick tells him.

And Roy rolls up his sleeve. "Sorry old friend but this is going to hurt a little." And Rick places it against his arm just above the elbow and presses the trigger.

"OWE!" He wasn't kidding. As Roy rubs his arm where Rick shot him. Then looks at him for an explanation.

"That was a combination listening device and homer. I can listen to every conversation you have and trace you whereever you go.

I promise to forget what I didn't need to hear and only remember what I do need to hear. And as for the homer, well I'll only use it when you decide not to show up for work one day." Rick raises his hand again.

"Where did you get stuff like this?" Roy was amazed. He was just a writer, wasn't he?

"Oh that's easy. You know all those Derek Storm books? Well I do research. And not just Google on the internet. I've been escorted through the FBI and CIA and still have a contact or two. So long as I keep it low key I can ask for an occasional favor and then they do the rest." Rick hopes that makes sense to him.

"FBI and CIA, guess that explains how you know so much." Roy guesses.

"And I left out all the other organizations with letters that I have contacts with. You didn't actually think I made up all that stuff that Storm does do you?" Rick keeps it up.

"Actually, yes. I've seen your imagination, you're more than capable." Roy is not sure if he is complimenting him or digging for information. He is a detective.

Rick chuckles. "Yea I remember those times. Problem is once you have a child reality kind of intrudes on all that. Suddenly I can't even speak English anymore. The words I use are all baby talk and cooing stupid stuff that makes no sense. I go down to Home Depot to get a power tool and I embarrass myself at the checkout.

I'm a writer and all that comes out is 'woosie, boosie, ghooo'. Thank god we are past that stage now."

He has Roy laughing while holding his head because it hurts when he laughs.

"Laugh it up Fuzzball! Tell me you didn't do the same thing?" Rick challenges him.

Roy can only laugh and shake his head while holding it at the same time.

"Well since you're feeling better I'll go put these in the washer while you get your stinky ass in the shower then go back to bed. I'll check in on you from time to time then drag your sorry ass downstairs for dinner. If you're a good boy I'll let Kate do the cooking." Rick tried to make it sound like a threat. Problem was he knew Kate was actually a pretty good cook.

"Thanks. How far away is the bathroom from the table?" Roy asks.

"Too far." Rick tells him knowing there is a half bath not that far.

"Perfect." Roy groans.

"Just get your ass in the shower and then back into bed, OLD MAN." Rick gets up and leaves headed for the washer.

Roy takes the sweats back off and steps into the shower. He was going to owe Rick big time if this worked out. No, better make that WHEN this worked out. He wanted to see his wife and family again and he wanted to be free. LORD he wanted to be free.

"Hey Beckett we got a body drop. Two actually." Espo calls out.

Great, nothing for a couple of days. Kate should have known it was too quiet.

They all arrive at the scene and Espo and Ryan move on to talk while Kate stops at Lanie who is at the car. The car had slammed into the back of a truck that had some long wood boards hanging out the back. Those same boards were now in through the car's windshield on the driver's side.

"Hey Lanie what have we got?" Kate walks up.

"Hey girl, how is married life?" Lanie needs her fix first.

"It's great Lanie, I don't know why I was so, … so, …. I don't know." Kate can't find the words.

"Yup you're in love. …. Male, late teens maybe early 20's. No ID, cause of death is kinda obvious but I'll know for sure once I get him home."

Kate bends down to look inside. The wood had crashed through the windshield and hit him square in the face. It had practically removed his head which was now hanging by skin over the back of the front seat.

"He was alone in the car?" Kate asks.

"He's all we found in it when we got here, but he's not alone." Lanie tells her and Kate sees sadness in her eyes.

Kate sticks her head back just inside the driver window and sees what looks like a chain around his neck. Kate reaches in to lift it up with gloved hands to look at it and the back of her hand rubs across his chest when she does.

After I fail yet again at this stupid jewel stacking game on my phone, I notice the time at the top right of screen. It's 9:37. Fishy. He said he only needed 30 minutes, tops. Reclining in a car seat is nowhere near as comfortable as a La-Z-Boy. I'm getting antsy now. He said this would be an easy first job. When will he be finished in there? "In and out, like a fast food restaurant" is what he told me. I'm not the guy in there, why I am so nervous? Whoa; was that a cop car? I lean up from my seat and look around. There's nothing in sight. This street is dead tonight– almost eerily so. My chest pounds so hard it feels like I have a mini-Mike Tyson treating my heart like a speed bag. What if he gets caught? What if he has to get rid of that innocent, old lady? It's not her fault she lives in the nicest house on the block. I bet she had a husband, once. Yeah, I'd wager he was a good guy, too. Like a War veteran who came home and started a car dealership. He positively contributed to society, unlike my "friend", who coaxed me into this. I'm just as guilty. I'm just as guilty, unless I sit back up, turn the key, and get the Hell out of here. No, I can't do that. That would make me a flake. I can't leave him hanging like that. Even if what we're doing is so messed up. Ugh… I hate this honor amongst thieves B.S. Why am I even here? Is the score really worth it? I don't know. I mean, I guess it's better than wearing a stupid visor, flipping burgers in a greasy kitchen. How about an orange coverall with a shovel in hand? It's 9:40 now. I'll give him 5 more minutes. If he isn't out by a quarter-to, I am gone. I don't care what others will think of me. This was such a bad idea. I hear a knocking.

"Hello Mister," the little girl outside my car window asks, "What are you doing?"

"Taking a nap, kid." I say. "What are you doing out here so late at night by yourself? Shouldn't you be inside right now?"

"Are you the boogeyman?"

"No. Why would you ask such a silly question? If I was, I would be hiding under your bed. Duh. Now run along."

"But you wouldn't wait there all day. Surely you would have better stuff to do. You would only need to come here at nighttime. I thought you'd rather wait in here than in my house. You can smoke, and pick your own music to listen to in there. Mommy tells me the boogeyman doesn't like the music I play. But one time, I thought Daddy was the Boogeyman because he told my mommy that hearing pop music hurt his ears. Soon after, he left us."

"Oh, man." I can't tell if this girl is too dumb, or too smart for her own good.

"Then sometimes, I would see him outside during the day in his car. He'd wait until mom left for her night shift. Then he would come inside, kiss me on the forehead, and would say, "I'm not the bad guy." And then he would leave. I asked mommy about it, and next thing I know, I haven't seen him sense. The last couple days, I look out the window and saw this car parked outside for a few hours, and then it would drive away. I wondered if Daddy had been too afraid to come inside. Tonight I looked out, and the car was empty. I look around my house, and he's not there. Not even under the bed! Then I wondered if he went to the wrong house because I see a light on over there, and I saw a guy wearing a mask, like Spider-Man 3, and he was looking for something. Maybe the mask blocks what he can see. Are you helping daddy? Because I live in this other house over there; Not that one."

How did I not notice? How did she? I thought he was a professional. I ask her: "You're home alone?"

"Yes. Are you helping daddy?"

"No, sweetheart. I'm the boogeyman. Now go home, or else I'll have to spook you!"

"But, then you'll just wait until I go to sleep, hide under my bed and scare me anyway."

I scramble for words. I hear a loud noise from inside the house. Too loud for the type of heat I thought he was packing. He must have taken care of the old lady. This girl isn't safe. God, he better grab the stuff, and get back here right now. I say to the girl, "Get out of here, now." I look back at the target house, and the front door bursts open. That's not my partner. Crud! Crud! Crud! It looks like Judi Dench holding Bambi's worst enemy.

The old woman says to me, "Hey you! Yeah, you in the car. You must be the getaway driver. Get your stupid butt out here, and let's wait for the cops together. Slowly, or else."

"OK, lady. I don't want any trouble. I don't have any weapons. Just let me take the keys out of the ignition, and I'll walk over, with my hands up." Not a chance, grandma.

I turn the key, shift the car to drive, and stomp the pedal. As I peel out of there, I hear her fire a couple times. Nothing hit the car. She's obviously a lot better at close range. She yells. I look in my rear-view to make sure I'm not followed. She's across the street now… kneeling? Weird.

Forget that guy. If he couldn't handle a senior citizen, I have no sympathy for that lowlife. I just hope that little girl got away in time.

Wait. Oh, no.

Kate snaps out of it and jerks upright and looks down the street. "Oh god no!" As Kate starts walking down the road as her eyes start to water.

She is approaching something small with a cloth covering it in the road just off to one side. She is almost there.

"Beckett, Ryan and I have got this. You don't need to see this." Espo tells her but she takes another step anyway.

Suddenly Ryan is standing in front of her. "Espo and I have got this Beckett. You have Alexis, you don't need to see this." Ryan tells her. However Kate doesn't listen and starts to move around him.

However Ryan grabs her arm. "Beckett, go back to the car, we've got this." Kate looks at him and can see the pleading in his eyes.

Kate relents. "Thanks guys." And Kate turns around and starts back.

"We've got your back Beckett. Always." Espo tells her as she passes.

Beckett was standing there when a Beagle came up to her and started barking at her.

"Shush, go away." Kate tells it.

The dog walks away just a little bit then comes back to bark at her.

"I said shush, go away." Kate tells it a little more firmly.

"You ok there Kate?" Lanie asks her just a few feet away.

Kate looks between Lanie who is looking at her and the dog that is barking at her. Kate starts walking for her car and opens the trunk. The dog follows and when she stops at the trunk it starts barking at her again.

"Yea, yea, I heard you. I'm coming." As Kate pulls out her vest and straps it on.

As Kate starts walking back to the car with their vic the dog takes off running, then turns around and comes back to Kate and starts barking at her.

"Espo, Ryan, grab your vests and come with me." Kate yells at them.

Espo and Ryan show up next to her strapping their vests into place. "What have we got Beckett?"

"Just follow me." Kate tells them and pulls out her weapon. Getting the boys to do the same.

"Ok boy, let's go." And Kate starts walking while the dog takes off running. With Kate half jogging and striding to keep up.

The dog runs down to a corner and turns and keeps running. Kate with the boys behind her are trying to keep up. When suddenly it turns and seems to disappear into the ground in front of a semi-detached house. Confusing Kate for what to do now.

So she walks up slowly only to see the dog suddenly come back up and bark at her and then turn and go back down.

Kate comes up to the space and sees a set of stairs going down to below the house where there is a door. The boys come up behind her. "What are we doing Beckett?" Expso asks her.

Kate points. "See if there are any windows to look in on the side." And Ryan heads down the side looking.

Ryan comes back shortly shaking his head. "All the windows are covered. Looks like it's just the front door though there may be one in the back."

"Front door it is then." As Kate goes down the stairs.

"Beckett we don't have a warrant." Espo points out.

They are all down by the door now while Espo hunches his shoulders.

"You hear that?" Ryan points out.

"I don't hear nothin." Espo counters. Kate however can hear the dog barking madly nonstop just the other side of the door.

"Just listen. There it is again. Sounds like "Help me"." Ryan points out.

Espo just looks at him funny till the light bulb goes on. "Yea, there it is again. Definitely sounds like "help me"". Espo tells them.

Kate is just smiling wide. 'God she loves these guys'. And motions for Espo to kick it in.

Espo steps back and moves forward and kicks the door open. Kate and Ryan are the first ones in. "NYPD!"

Inside were two men who were suggested not to pull out their weapons. While Espo and Ryan put them on the floor and cuffed them Kate moved into the next room and found a young boy tied to a chair with the dog sitting next to him looking up and wagging his tail.

Kate moved over and removed the gag and started to untie him. "My name is Kate I'm with the police, are you alright honey?"

After Kate has him untied she hugs him close. "Can you tell me your name honey?" Kate pulls back to look at him.

"Shawn." Looking scared and had been crying.

"Are you ok honey." Kate asks him.

Shawn nods his head. "They killed my dog."

Kate looks down at the dog sitting at their feet looking at the boy wagging his tail. But when Kate looks back up at him, he is looking in a corner of the room.

Over in the corner Kate can see a small box with an obviously dead dog in it.

"What's his name honey?" Kate asks him.

"Sparky."

"Sparky was a brave dog. I'm sure he loved you a lot." Kate looks down at Sparky sitting there wagging his tail.

"You're a good dog Sparky. Shawn will be fine now." Kate tells him.

Sparky gets up and tries to lick Shawn but it doesn't work out. He whimpers instead and walks over to his dead body. Turns and barks then runs thru the wall and is gone.

"Well that was different." Kate talks to herself. "That does it. We're getting Alexis a dog." As her eyes start to water.