The quiet of the area is broken by the sound of crying. Not just any crying but the crying of a newborn infant breathing his first breath
Richard Castle standing with Mark Blankenship along with several other hotel staff are outside the office listening to the events transpiring inside.
No one could miss the happy sounds of both Robin and Barry as they experienced the birth of their newest child. A girl
Kate Beckett is holding the newborn and she has a relieved smile on her face since there have been no problems with the delivery. Maddie is helping her by tying off the cord with a nylon zip tie they had found and sterilized in advance
Kate looks at her phone "Lanie we have a girl"
"I can hear her. She sounds like her lungs are strong and healthy. How is her color?"
"She is the prettiest shade of pink you have ever seen" Maddie answers "She is beautiful"
"Well, you two ladies have now delivered your first baby and it looks like you did a good job of it. How is the mother doing?" Lanie continues to check on everyone's condition
"She is good" Kate responds she then looks at Barry who has an appearance complete happiness on his face "And the dad is good too"
"Well then you two probably don't need me anymore. Be sure to keep the baby warm. She might just want to eat something so let her nurse if she tries"
"Thanks Lanie" Beckett hangs up on the call
Kate stands up and walks to the sink and washes up then moves to the door of the room. Opening it she sees Rick just outside wide eyes and actually smiling
"So you can add midwife to your resume?"
Kate lays her head down on Castle's shoulder "That was quite an experience"
He touches her chin and pulls her face up to look at him "I am so proud of you"
She drops her head back down "Thanks but we still have another job to do" She raises back up and whispers to Castle "We have to go arrest a killer"
"Yeah I know. But do we have to pull Barry out right now?"
Kate is looking in the room at Maddie who has just taken the baby away to clean her up a little "I would like to have this all worked out before the police and paramedics arrive"
Castle steps into the room "Barry…can I talk to you a minute?"
The man is admiring his baby girl then looks at Castle "Sure" he turns to Robin and kisses her on the head "I love you…I will be right back"
She responds "Hurry"
"I will"
The man walks out of the room and joins Castle and Beckett who have now begun to move away from the room with the mother and child.
When they have reached a safe distance Beckett turns to look at the man "Mr. Blankenship, what can you tell me about the death of Kirk Green or as you knew him Carl Riley?"
The man seems very nervous before responding "Nothing. I mean nothing at all. Why?"
Beckett starts up "You were overheard arguing with Lillian Woodley. Some things were said that makes me believe that you knew her and Kirk were romantically involved"
This seems to catch Barry unplanned "They were seeing each other?"
Castle continues "You know full well they were seeing each other. I talked to some of the other staff and they confirmed that it was open knowledge among the workers here"
Beckett then lowers the hammer on him "Were you two having an affair?"
Barry immediately goes on the defense "NO! Why would I do that? Why would I take a chance on ruining my marriage? Robin and I have been happily married for fifteen years"
Castel goes on the offensive "You had a pregnant wife. She was talking about being miserable. That could not have been very romantic"
"NO! You don't understand. I love my wife. I would never cheat on her"
"Barry. You are a healthy red blooded male. In need of a little female companionship! Your wife is no longer attractive to you or in the mood for love and you are needing some love?"
"Now I know you don't understand! Robin and I have a great love life. Even with her expecting it is still great. I mean really great. I could not ask for more and I definitely would not cheat on the most beautiful woman who is the love of my life"
This statement makes Rick stop for a minute then Barry points between Kate and Rick "How much do you love your wife? That is how much I love mine. She is my everything"
Beckett is not completely listening to the interchange between the two men. She has her mind caught in the things that Robin told her earlier about how her desire for her husband had gone super nova
"OK! Let's say that we believe you" Kate starts up "why were you and Lillian fighting about her seeing Kirk?"
Barry looks down at his hands "I was not telling her to not see Kirk" He looks back up at the Castles "I was telling her to stay away from my brother"
"Your brother?" Beckett asks
Barry seems truly upset. "Mark has some history. I hired him to get him away from his old life"
"What did he do in his old life?"
"He…"
"He what?" Beckett asks firmly
"He has a temper. When things don't go his way he gets mad"
"Mad enough to kill?" Castle asks
Barry looks back down the hall "I don't know"
Beckett begins the next line of questions "What is his job here?"
"He works in landscaping. Keeping the outside of the hotel looking nice. Trimming the grass and trees. Keeps them cut back so we don't have landscaping break due to snow or ice"
"Is that all?"
"He also drives the shuttle van"
Kate looks at Rick "That is why Kirk got upset when he saw the van pull in. He was afraid if Mark"
Beckett turns to Barry "We need to talk to Mark. He is now a person of interest in the case"
"I understand. I will go get him" Barry turns then stops and looks back "And detective… Thank you"
"For what?"
"Taking care of my wife and new daughter"
Beckett nods her head back to the man
Kate turns to her husband "That would explain the argument Maddie saw…"
"And the discussion I witnessed between Mark and Barry"
They look and see Barry walking beside his brother. Mark has his head down. When they step up beside Castle and Beckett she looks at Mark "I need to read you your rights" she proceeds and repeats the words she has spoken so many times in her career
When she finishes Mark looks up at "I did it"
"Are you confessing to the murder of Kirk Green also known as Carl Riley?"
"Yes. I killed him"
"What happened?" Castle asks
"I went to his room to tell him to stay away from Lillian…we fought and I took a lamp from the side table and I hit him with it"
"Mark Blankenship…you are under arrest for the murder of Kirk Green" Kate reaches into her pocket and brings out and extra zip tie she had "Turn around" and she uses it as restraints
/\/\/\/\/\/\
It is only about an hour before they hear the sound of a snow cat pulling up in the front of the hotel. Very quickly the paramedics are surrounding the mother and baby. One of the medical team come out to the corridor where Kate and Maddie long with Rick are standing
"Someone did a great job in there. Which one played doctor?"
Kate and Maddie both raided their hands
"Well. Good job both of you. Mother and baby are doing great because of you. Thanks"
The focus on the newborns swiftly shifts to the suspect and the local police officer who also arrived with the medical team
"Who detained the suspect?"
This time Beckett and Castle raised their hands
He looks at Beckett "I am being told you are a New York police officer?"
"A detective in homicide"
"Well thanks for solving the case. I understand actually arrested him and restrained him and read him his rights. I guess you left only the paperwork to be done? Would you like to come to the station to do that?""
Kate gives out a little chuckle "No. I think for once I will join my husband and not hang around for the paperwork"
"Very well detective. And thanks again. The officer moves down the hall escorting his prisoner out to the snow cat
Castle turns to step in front of his wife "I thought you would want to go finish the arrest report and see the prisoner being locked up"
Kate's face actually turns a little red "No. I have other plans for the rest of the day. I have spent all day suppressing what I desire the most and none of them involve police work"
She takes him by the hand and begins pulling him toward their room
I originally planned this to be the last chapter but decided to finish in an Epilogue that I plan to post this weekend