Miracle at the 12th Precinct

Chapter 30

SHAKE UP CHRISTMAS (song by Train)

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the gang from Castle. But I do, however, enjoy messing with them.

A/N: Thanks so much for reading, and for the follows/favorites! Thanks to 41319always41319 for the beta!

XXXXXXXXXX

Down at the precinct…

After careful examination, the Feds were able to decipher the data on the credit card scanner found in Kris' Santa suit. The stolen information was downloaded by Bernie Balboa prior to Kris, Timmy, and Tommy even starting work at their Macy's jobs. It also matched up with records found in the treasure trove of incriminating evidence at BB's apartment. Balboa was then formally charged with credit card fraud, assault & battery, breaking & entering, racketeering, the murder of Timothy Jones, and the shooting of James Russo.

Beckett and Castle were at her desk finishing up the paperwork on Tommy Frost's statement when Ryan stuck his head out of the break room doorway. "Um, guys? Got a minute?" They stopped what they were doing and looked up, their interest piqued. "There's something you should see." He added.

They dutifully followed Ryan through the break room and then made their way down to holding. Beckett, who was not particularly in the mood for yet another mystery, impatiently asked, "Okay, Ryan….what's going on?"

"Well, I could tell you, but I'm not sure I'd do it justice." The twinkle in his eye was not lost on either Beckett or Castle.

Castle shrugged to Beckett and they continued to follow his lead. As they neared closer to the holding cells, the sound of shouting grew louder.

"Is that Espo?" Castle asked. They picked up the pace to see what all the commotion was about and stopped dead in their tracks, shocked to discover Esposito locked in the tank with one seriously inebriated, overzealous, Breanna Frost. The woman had more hands than an octopus, and Espo was doing a terribly unsuccessful job of fending off her sexual advances.

"Lady, I said knock it off! Now!" He yelled in a slightly soprano octave. He threatened to restrain her and tried to keep her at arm's length, but apparently she was stronger than she looked. The more he rebuffed her, the more enamored of him she seemed to become.

"Oh, you're so forceful! I like that in a man." She squealed with delight. "I've always had a thing for bad boys." She giggled, grabbing his ass and giving it a tight squeeze. "Come to Momma – you big, strong, red-hot tamale." She pulled him towards her and wrapped her arms around his neck like a noose.

Although the scene burned their retinas, Beckett, Castle, and Ryan were immobile, unable to turn away. Dead bodies, combat, water torture, staring down the barrel of a gun with his name on it…they knew Esposito had been through all that and much, much more, but until today they'd never seen him look quite this panicked.

"I promise I'll be gentle." Breanna assured him. "Just one little kiss?" She slurred.

Beckett was the first to break their silence. "What the…Ryan, let him out of there!"

"I can't." Ryan told her.

Breanna reeked of alcohol, and the fumes made him dizzy. "Dude!" Espo squealed once his so called partner came back into view. "Not cool, dude. Not cool. So help me God, when I get out of here I swear I'm gonna…Ah!" He yelped, when she pawed at him. His eyes frantically sought out Beckett. "Bastard locked me in here with her! Open the door."

"Ryan, why on Earth would you do that?" Beckett asked.

"I didn't…well, not intentionally. But she was playing grab ass and it was every man for himself." Ryan defended. "I barely got out of there with my virtue intact. Then the door slammed shut and I thought he was right behind me. I couldn't find the keys."

Kate rushed to Espo's aid by double checking the door which was indeed still locked. She looked around for the keys. "They have to be here somewhere! Hang on Espo." She searched the area in earnest while their newest detainee continued to grope her detective. Castle and Ryan stood quietly, side by side, riveted by Espo and his new paramour. It gave them time to catch up.

"How's Kris doing?" Ryan asked Castle.

"He's okay. Paramedics said he'll be fine, thank God. They just wanted him to rest. Castle bounced on his heels, hands in his pockets. "Is that who I think it is?" He calmly asked Ryan.

"Oh my God. Don't just stand there you two!" Beckett hollered. "Help me find the damn keys!"

Ryan and Castle ignored her request, transfixed on the scene before them. She thought about strangling them both.

"Yup…in the flesh…Breanna Frost, mother to Thomas Frost." Ryan replied.

At the sound of her son's name Breanna went from amorous to enraged in zero to sixty. "Who said that? Who dare say that name aloud?" She demanded, becoming near hysterical. Espo, was beside himself, albeit relieved he wasn't to blame.

Ryan and Castle both jumped and instinctively moved backwards, leaving a wider gap between them and the cell.

"I never again want to hear that name uttered in my presence. He's dead to me! Dead, I tell you. I've no son!" Breanna wailed at the top of her lungs. "Not anymore!"

"Hmm…" Castle said. "I'm not seeing the family resemblance."

"Me neither." Ryan agreed. "So how'd the questioning go with…" He looked cautiously over at Breanna. "Um, he who shall not be named."

Castle didn't dare repeat Tommy's name aloud either. "He's cooperating with the authorities; gave a full statement. He confirmed Mommy Dearest here did in the mob boss. She's in for a rude awakening…once she sobers up."

Breanna continued her angry rant. "All the moron had to do was sit tight. Let me fix the mess he'd created. But did he do that?….No, of course he didn't. He's just like his father - worthless. His uncle can have him!" Suddenly she became grief stricken, and brought the water works. "And now, what will become of me? Locked up like some common lout. I'm ruined. Ruined I tell you. I can never go back now, never. How dare he ground me! The audacity!" She wailed, thrusting herself into a horrified Espo's arms for comfort, crying on his shoulder. "After all I've done for them both – the ingrates!"

"Wait, what do you mean, you've been grounded? Kris was here?" Castle asked her.

"Come and gone, the turncoat!" She shouted, angrily. "And good riddance!"

Castle, alarmed by her claim that Kris had visited her since she'd been arrested had him stepping away and reaching for his cell phone to check in with security back at the loft. If Breanna was right and Kris had left the loft on his own to see her, it meant he could be in danger. Until Beckett assured him that all threats to their lives had been extinguished, Kris and Holly were safer kept under police protection. Luckily, security picked up immediately and reassured him they were standing right next to both Holly and Kris. Relieved to hear they were alright, Castle relaxed and rejoined Ryan.

Meanwhile, despite feeling like a gerbil toy and having an undeniable urge to flee, Espo managed to get his bearings. At least enough to pose a question. "What exactly did you do for him, Breanna?" He asked, hoping to use their new-found friendship to his advantage. If he could wrangle a confession from her, his unfortunate predicament might actually be worth it.

She liked the way her name sounded on his lips. It made her heart flutter. "Only selflessly saved him from a horrible demise by running down that evil scoundrel, Carlos Mangosa." She said, proudly. "Killed him where he stood…"

So help me, if she says 'with a sled', Beckett thought, I will lose my shit.

"What's a mother to do?" Breanna slurred. Those monsters would have surely killed him. I did it all for him! All for him! And this is the thanks I get? You'd think the little halfwit would be more appreciative – but nooooooo." She looked up at Espo suddenly, disgust in her voice, and clutched at his collar. "Tell me you've no children!"

"Me? No, not me."

"Good, because once you raise them they become jackals and then desert you in your hour of need. Don't be fooled by them. Get yourself a dog instead."

Espo's eyes went wide, and he shot Beckett a look that asked, "You got all that, right?'.

Beckett nodded back silently. Unfortunately, Breanna followed his line of vision and was displeased to discover the presence of any possible female competition. "Who the hell is she?"

"She's just my boss." Espo nervously explained. "She's like a sister to me!"

Ryan shook his head and turned to Castle. "Luckily, it's Espo locked in there with her and not one of us."

"No kidding." Castle agreed, grabbing his cell phone, snapping a picture of Breanna and Espo, capturing the moment. He shared it with Ryan.

"Oooh, nice one." Ryan complimented, planning to get some mileage out of the photo. Ryan thought back to when they'd first brought Breanna in. "Man, I tell you…I haven't moved that fast in years." Half a beat later both he and Castle broke out laughing and then fed the birds.

"Really?" Esposito yelled, plotting their demise as he struggled to free himself from her clingy embrace. Breanna began to sob again. "Lady, please, I beg of you, please stop crying. Dear God, will someone please make her stop?" He shouted to the heavens. Apparently, Breanna had found his Achilles heel.

"You know what might make me feel better?" Breanna asked, drying her crocodile tears.

Too terrified to find out, Espo couldn't bring himself to answer.

Breanna hiccupped, a tiny smirk forming. "Just one little kiss…come on, be a sport."

Beckett, who'd looked everywhere for the keys to no avail, noticed Ryan's hand unconsciously in his pants pocket along with a suspicious jingling. "All right, that's enough, guys. Ryan, you've had your fun. Hand them over. Now." She demanded, holding out her empty palm.

The jig up, Ryan begrudgingly pulled a full ring of keys from his pocket and handed them over to Beckett. "Kill joy." He pouted, before turning to Castle. "Maybe this will teach him to stop calling Kris crazy?"

Castle concurred.

"No!" Espo's voice cracked as he scolded Breanna. "I said no, Breanna. No means no." He tried his best to restrain her.

"My, my, you mortals are really such prudish creatures. Not at all as I'd expected." Breanna slurred. Much to her chagrin Espo had managed to successfully untangle her digits from his hair. She struggled to put them back again.

"How'd you guys find her anyway?" Beckett asked Ryan as she fumbled to find the right key.

"Interesting story, actually." He replied, calmly over Breanna's alternating sobbing and yelling. "We didn't. Mike O'Leary did. Said he'd stopped into Sully's after his shift and there she was, alternating singing show tunes and drowning her sorrows. She had a bit too much to drink and things got out of control." He turned briefly around to Castle and grinned. "I heard there was table dancing." He turned back to Beckett and continued, seriously, "Once she became belligerent, he recognized her from the BOLO, but then she passed out on him. He poured her into his car, drove her straight over. Front desk alerted us she'd been picked up, and then they managed to get her processed and dumped her in the tank figuring she'd sleep it off." Ryan's brows furrowed, his eyes again transfixed on their prisoner. "I don't understand it. She was purring like a little baby kitten earlier."

Castle stood spellbound. 'Kitten' was so not the word that came to mind – he was thinking more…hellcat and that Espo should have worn a hazmat suit. "Purring? Really? So, then what the hell happened to her?"

Ryan furrowed his brows. "She woke up." He replied, unable to tear his eyes away. Breanna Frost was a one-woman wrecking ball.

Espo tried reasoning with Breanna again. "Lady, believe me when I say, it's nothing personal. I've got nothing against older women, but …you… are so not my type."

She tried another tactic. "Oh, don't be ridiculous. You don't know what you're missing." She teased.

"Beckett...hurry up!" He yelped.

"Hang on, Espo! I'm going as fast as I can. There must be twenty different keys on this thing!" She hollered back.

"You know what they say, don't you?..." Breanna asked Espo, daring to enlighten him.

Much to his own horror, he found himself answering. "No, what do they say?"

She fluttered her lashes, and struck, what he was certain was meant to be, a sultry pose before giving him a crooked smile. "…Why do it yourself - when you can go elf." She cackled, now laughing so hard at her own joke she fell over, landing in a heap on the floor. She sat there fanning herself. "Oh my, is it hot in here?" She slurred.

Realizing Espo was only seconds away from freedom, Ryan turned to Castle. "Is that the Captain? I thought I just heard the Captain calling me…" And then he was gone.

"Got it!" Beckett shouted, finally getting the door opened.

Making a break for it, Espo lunged through the door, slamming it shut tightly behind him.

"I'm gonna kill him." He said, hands grabbing the bars, knees bent as he stopped to catch his breath. "Yeah, you'd better run!" He shouted to a retreating Ryan's back. In his partner's wake, Espo searched out an alternate target.

Castle held his hands up. "Hey, don't look at me. I had nothing to do with this." He defended, grinning. "However, I'm oh so glad I had the opportunity to witness it firsthand."

Breanna surprised Espo by reaching for him through the bars. He jumped at her touch and quickly moved behind Beckett where he hovered. "Oh, don't leave me now, mortal!" Breanna cried. "Come back to me! I was only just beginning to see the appeal."

"Don't worry, Espo." Beckett told him, hiding a grin. "I'll protect you."

"I feel so violated." He shuddered, wiping off invisible cooties. "Oh, and just so we're clear, I am going to have to go kill Ryan now."

"Understood." Beckett nodded, understanding completely. There would be hell to pay, and Ryan deserved it, but then just as quickly it would all blow over. "So, Espo, I'm curious. Besides a confession that she killed Carlos Mangosa and a date for Saturday night …did you get anything else out of her?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Esposito and Ryan put aside their differences, and, together, worked with Agent Barnes, along with a team of federal agents, to track down and bring in Salvatore Ianuzzi, their suspected bomber. He was being held on suspected domestic terrorism as well as homicide. Jordan and her agents got first dibs at questioning him, but came up empty, other than taking his alibi which turned out to be thinner than the paper he'd written it on. Once they obtained a warrant to search his home CSU matched trace amounts of explosives found there to samples discovered previously at Henry Jenkin's apartment after the bombing. Salvatore was, indeed their prime suspect, and it looked as though Vinny had come through as promised. Ianuzzi was dumped in one of the interrogation rooms at the 12th Precinct and was currently awaiting further questioning by Beckett and Castle, who were asked to have a go at him.

Beckett, Castle, the boys, and Gates studied Ianuzzi from the observation room. He was only mid-thirties, but his slicked back hair and receding hairline made him appear about ten years older than his actual age. Stripped of the cheap black suit he'd been wearing when first picked up, he now wore a bright orange jumpsuit, compliments of the FBI. He seemed to stare back at them through the glass like he knew he was being watched and could give a rat's ass. He smiled at his own reflection, ran a hand through his greasy hair, slicking it back.

"Go get him." Jordan told Beckett and Castle.

They entered the interrogation room, Beckett slapped down his files on the table, and they each took a seat across from him. "I'm Detective Beckett. This is my associate, Richard Castle." She opened one of the files and began to read aloud. "Salvatore Ianuzzi. Did a dime, '85 to '95, for arson, assault & battery, and possession of illegal substances."

He shrugged. "Old News." He tried to appear bored. "I'm reformed now."

"And yet, here we are again, today. You're in some serious trouble, Sal."

"That's what they keep saying, but I don't know what anyone's talking about."

She narrowed her brows and pulled out another report. "How about this then - something from the way-way back machine. Possession of explosives and arson, setting fire to a car belonging to one Joseph Deluca who, it states here, you believed was stepping out with your girlfriend at the time, one Patrice Vannelli. You have quite a notorious temper on you, Sal." She was pleased to see him swallow hard. He hadn't expected them to unseal his juvie records.

"Signs of a misspent youth, I guess." He said. "I'm a changed man. I've come to see the error of my ways, so to speak."

Beckett wasn't in the mood for BS. "So, why'd you do it, Sal?" She asked. "Why'd you blow up the building?"

"Lady, like I told the feds…I don't know what you're all talking about. I don't know nothing about no bomb."

She stared him down. "Then maybe you can tell me why the building manager ID'd you from your photo and verified that you posed as a delivery man a few days prior to the day of the bombing? Also, your alibi wasn't quite the lock you'd hoped for seeing as your new girlfriend cracked under questioning. She's admitted that she, and I quote, 'hasn't seen his scrawny ass in over a week'."

"Jesus, the yap on that broad." He growled under his breath, shaking his head.

"Face it, Sal, you're screwed. Care to revise your statement?"

He remained silent.

"Who paid you to set the bomb?" Beckett asked.

"You can't prove squat. I know my rights. I want a lawyer." He said, pursing his lips.

Beckett and Castle shared a quick mind-meld. They'd hoped for more time before he requested council. It was clear what she'd need to do to finish this; she conjured up her best poker face. "Fine." She replied, casually. "I'll see that one's assigned to you."

"Thanks, but don't go to no trouble. I'll just take my phone call now. I'm sure I can come up with one on my own." He gave her a smug grin.

She tilted her head. "Yeah...about that...If you're planning on calling your boss, I'm afraid I have some very bad news for you. The Mangosas are currently "indisposed" at the moment. They've both been arrested and claim you acted alone. They denied even knowing you." His grin took a hike. "Oh, but don't worry, the State of New York will be more than happy to provide you with council."

"Yeah." Castle interjected, smiling at the man's mounting panic. "And you're in luck too. They just hired a new bunch of them last week – fresh from grad school."

"This is an easy win for us, Sal." Beckett said, radiating confidence. "We can place you at the crime scene, and I think we can both agree, your reputation speaks for itself. I'm willing to work with you, but unless you have something further to say right now, I guess we're done here. Good luck with your lawyer." She made a show of gathering her files, preparing to leave, and Castle followed her lead. They stood and slowly headed towards the door.

It didn't take long for him to come around to their way of thinking. He held his face in the palms of his hands and then ran them through his hair. "Wait a minute, hold up here. Maybe I do got a few things to say."

They both stopped in their tracks and turned to face him. "I'm listening." Beckett said, sternly. "But make it fast. I've had a long day."

Sal cracked his neck then sighed heavily. "First off, none of this was my idea. You gotta believe me."

"Sure it wasn't." Castle replied.

Beckett returned to her seat while Castle leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed. "Unless you tell us everything, you're taking the fall for this." She said. "There's more than enough evidence..."

"Not for nothing, lady, but do I come off like some kind of mastermind to you?" He asked.

"Not so much, no." Castle answered for her.

"No kidding." Sal laughed, nervously. "Truth of the matter is…I, am but a lowly employee. Me, I was just following orders. None of this was my idea." He said, appealing to her sense of reason.

She looked over at Castle then back to Sal. "How about you tell me about these orders?"

"Fine. But what do I get out of it?" He asked, hoping for a break. "How about a little one hand washes the other, kinda thing."

"That all depends on what you give me. The Feds are ready to charge you with domestic terrorism and murder so if I were you I'd start talking, fast. If your story pans out and I'm satisfied with your level of cooperation, I might be persuaded to put in a good word for you."

He stared at the ceiling, weighing his options. "What do you want?" Sal asked.

"A name." Beckett replied. "Who paid you to plant the bomb?"

He hesitated. "I don't know...these guys, they don't forget so easy." Even with the Mangosas behind bars, he knew how far their reach could extend. There was legitimate cause for alarm. He went silent and rubbed at the back of his neck, mulling over his limited options.

Beckett decided he needed prompting; conquer and divide. She went with her gut, took a chance she had the right Mangosa. "Look, in all fairness you should know it was Edmondo Mangosa who gave you up in the first place. As a matter of fact, he's the one who pointed us to your misspent youth." Lies flew from her lips despite neither Mangosa having uttered barely a word at the insistence of their council.

"Jesus." He said, his voice an octave higher.

"We've heard his side, but I'm open to hearing yours. Cooperate. Or it's all on you – your choice. Eddie's got himself a high-priced lawyer and what's looking like a decent alibi, but he's who hired you, isn't that what really happened, Sal?" She watched the color drain from his face, basked in the sweet smell of victory on the horizon.

Frustrated, he pounded his fist on the table. "…back-stabbing son of a bitch." He cursed under his breath. He tried to pull himself together, straightened his posture before speaking again. "Look, I talk - I'm a dead man."

"I can offer you protection." She promised. "It's your ass or his, Sal. What's it gonna be?"

"The protection…Give it to me in writing." He agreed. "Then I'll talk."

XXXXXXXXXXX