After finally making her selection of a very elegant dress that can be worn two different ways, Rick and Kate are heading to a coffee shop across the street to wait for the hotel shuttle to come back and pick them up
Castle orders their drinks and Kate finds a quiet table away from the door for them to wait.
After Rick places his order he then moves back to the table with his wife. As they are waiting for the order to be filled they are looking at the television above the counter. It is tuned to a local station where a newscast is currently in progress. The banner headline crawling below the reporter is describing a winter storm heading their way.
"Looks like we may be in for a little winter weather while we're here" Kate comments just as the barista announces their coffees are ready
Rick claims the cups from the counter then returns to sit beside his wife.
They move their attention back to the television where the TV report continues to describe an incoming storm with predictions of very heavy snowfall beginning later in the night and continuing for the next couple of days.
The local weather reporter then appears on the screen with detailed description of the size and force of the approaching changer in the weather
After the storm report is completed Castle smiles to his wife and reaches out to take her hands "It looks like we might get snowbound here for a few days"
"It does look that way" she responds as she squeezes his fingers into hers
"You know if that happens we will need to find something to occupy our time. You know an activity to help pass the hours trapped in our room for several days" he begins
Her million watt smile covers her face "Yeah. You know we could read"
"We could watch TV" he continues
She finishes "we could get something to eat" and leans across the table to kiss him
"We could do that" she finishes her comment just as he kisses her
When they pull back from the kiss Castle sees that the hotel SUV is pulling up in front of the coffee shop
He pulls her hands gently "Time to go" they both stand taking their unfinished drinks and he takes the dress. She picks up the bags containing his other tourist purchases and he made and the two go to the get into the ride waiting outside
Once settled in the back seat, Kate leans into her husband and whispers "Is having a baby what we need?"
"Do you WANT a baby?"
He feels her head nod
"Then having a baby IS what we need"
"Are you excited?" she slides her hand up his arm
"Yes. Very much excited to have a baby WITH you Kate"
She almost whispers into him "Me too"
He feels her snuggle into his side even more where she remains unmoving for the rest of the trip back to the lodge
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
In New York, at the 12th precinct two detectives are working over fresh reports relating to their current open case files.
Just after Castle and Beckett left for their trip to Colorado a case came in from midtown and
Detectives Ryan and Esposito head to the crime scene where it appears to be a home invasion gone wrong.
When they arrive, they find Lanie standing over the body with a clip board in her hand making notes.
Two men walk into the room "Hey Lanie, what do we have?" Kevin Ryan is asking before even coming completely into the apartment
"Meet Mr. Joshua Clements. Recently arrived in his apartment"
Esposito asks the question "As in just came home from work?"
"No. Just moved in yesterday. It looks like he finished unpacking, the boxes are folded beside the door ready to take to the trash chute" Lanie points to a neat stack of folded cardboard beside the entry
"You sure he was moving in and not getting ready to move out?" Ryan asks
"I got that information from the super. He said that Mr. Clements moved in two days ago and had just come down and asked what to do with the trash. The super told him about the trash pickup. It was only about three hours later the super came to check on his new resident when he found the body"
"So we have a very tight time window for the murder. Does the building have security cameras?"
Ryan answers "No. Not here but uniforms are checking with other businesses nearby"
"Let's go talk to the super and see what else we can find out about our victim" Esposito states
The two detectives go to the first floor looking for the building manager. They find him in the lobby working on the building directory
"Excuse me…Detective Ryan and I am detective Esposito. Can we ask a few questions about the murder victim?"
The superintendent stops in his task "Sure. The name's Wally, what do you need to know?"
"Out victim…what do you know about him? Has there been any problems with him? Anyone looking for him?"
"No. He just came here two days ago. He is new to the city. He moved here from Oklahoma. He said he just finished school and was offered a job at one of the cities accounting firms. He asked me about places to eat. Buy groceries and even dry cleaners. I can't'' imagine anyone being after him"
Ryan is taking notes as Espo is asking the questions when Javi notices the directory that the super is working on does not have the victim's name on the list"
"What is the name of the previous occupant" he points to the board
The superintendent laughs a little. The man that was living here gave me a false name but I put it on the board anyway" The super points at the apartment number and beside that is the name listed as 'Barney Fife'
"Are you kidding me?" Ryan asks with a chuckle in his voice
"That's the name"
"How long has he been gone?" Ryan then askes
"That is a good question. He moved in a couple of years ago. He paid for a full year in advance, in cash, then paid another year, again in cash"
"When did he move out?"
"I have no idea. Before the lease ran out, I went and checked on him and found the apartment empty. It looked like it had been vacant for a long time"
"How long ago was that?"
"Three months, I think. So when the payments ran out I leased it to the new tenant"
Ryan and Esposito step away from the manager and Ryan speaks first "I wonder if the other man might be the intended victim?"
"Probably not. He has been gone for too long" Then Esposito turns back to the super "Hey Wally, has anyone been looking for Barney Fife?"
"Well, now that you mention it two guys came by about two hours ago looking for him"
"So you don't know where he is?"
"No. They just asked if I knew where he worked. I gave them that information and they left"
"Can you describe them?"
"Yeah. Tall, business suits. Well dressed"
"Where did you tell them Barney worked?"
"He worked at the Sweet Temptations Pastry shop over on 47th"
"Thanks" Ryan comments as he and Esposito walk out the door and head top their cruiser
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Kate has spent a little extra time getting ready for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Making sure to get her hair just right. Applying the exact amount of makeup needed. Perfect eye shadow to compliment her dress.
When she is satisfied with her own appearance, she finally notices the man standing behind her with a smile from ear to ear
She turns around and walks toward her husband "Do I look OK?"
"Kate…I don't have words to use to tell you how amazing you look"
"I thought you were a world famous writer"
"I am…and that's what makes you extraordinary. You leave me without words"
She feels her face getting warm
He pulls her to his chest "I wish we had a little more time"
"Me too, but this time, we cannot be late. They can't start without us"
"Sure they can. They just need the bride and groom and preacher"
She puts her hand on his chest "The bride cannot walk the aisle during rehearsal. Bad luck, you know. So I have to be a stand in for her"
"Oh this is good. You get to walk down the aisle WITH the guy from school you had the hots for. And who was your first kiss"
"Are you jealous Castle?"
"Not as long as all your after wedding rehearsal activities are with me"
In her best sexy voice "You just wait until I get you back to this room"