Chapter 22

( )

The following day, Rick was seated at a table in a city restaurant waiting for his guest to arrive. While he waited he thought about what would happen if someone in the media got a shot of this oncoming scene. Snappy little article entitled something like, Richard Castle, dining with a high class escort in NYC. His mother would have a field day and his daughter would get plenty of flack about it at school. It was also highly probable his new friends at the 12th would get a whole lot of joy out of it. It was still a bit of a novelty for the detectives having a writer follow them, so any opportunity to stir him would be snatched up. That would be alright, because then Rick would feel like he was a part of their group; that he was fitting in. Beckett would definitely give him grief and he guessed she would be a little prickly because she'd already shown signs of jealousy. Healthy jealousy. She would understand how the article go to be but it wouldn't stop emotions. They had strong feeling for each other right now of there was a risk of disruption. He sighed, then sat up when he sighted the blond woman he recognized from the photographs approach his table. She was wearing a bloody tight dress and a smile full of white teeth. He stood up.

"Richard, I'm Tiffany." She greeted holding out her hand to shake.

He took the shake, conscious not to break her hand with a crushing grip. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Tiffany." He pulled out a chair, "Please."

"Wow, a gentleman." She remarked, sitting down as he pushed the chair in.

Rick had to smile, well aware Beckett would have heard that comment from the microphone concealed in his sweater, "We're a dying breed," he replied.

"Well, it's lucky I found you." Tiffany said as Rick returned to his seat.

"Actually," he replied, "It's lucky we found you."

He looked up as Beckett approached the table, showing her badge. She said, "Detective Kate Beckett. We need to ask you some questions regarding your relationship with Councilman Jeff Horn."

Rick gritted his teeth and squeaked, "Sorry," when Tiffany shot him a look to kill.

As Kate sat on a chair, Tiffany said, "He was one of my regulars, but I swear I had nothing to do with his death."

"How often did you see Councilman Horn?" Beckett inquired calmly seeing that Tiffany had become a little anxious. She already knew the woman had nothing to do with Horn's death but she might have information.

"Once, maybe twice a week. At first he just wanted to talk."

"Right. He paid you just to talk." Beckett glanced to Rick, her expression telling him what she was thinking.

"Detective, most men come to me because they are lonely, because the people in their lives don't listen anymore. The sex is just a way for them to feel connected again."

Accepting that information with a shift of her butt on the hard chair, Beckett pressed on, "OK, when was the last time that you and Councilman Horn 'connected?'"

"A couple of weeks ago, he came to me hysterical. He said that he couldn't see me anymore."

"What happened?" Castle leaned in interested, "Did his wife find out?"

"No, someone else, he said that he was being blackmailed. Someone had photos of us."

Beckett too leaned in, "Who?"

"He didn't know, at first he thought it was me. He got upset and then he panicked, he thought that I had told my friends."

"And did you?" Beckett asked.

"It may surprise you, Detective, but I have dreams of my own. Look, this just pays the bills; if our relationship ever went public he's not the only one that would be ruined." Tiffany replied her eyes shifting between her interrogators.

"You said he panicked?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, he was desperate to find out who was behind it. He wanted to cut a deal. He said that he couldn't keep making payoffs without the campaign finding out."

Kate sat back suddenly satisfied there was nothing to learn from the conversation with the escort. She'd seen him for whatever reasons and if there was information to share, Tiffany seemed like she would. "Thank you for your time Tiffany. If you do think of anything that might be useful even if you don't think it is would you please give me a call?"

Tiffany nodded, "I can't think of anything."

Kate stood up and Rick joined her.

"Nice to meet you Tiffany, and best of luck with the career you want." Rick said.

( )

"Politics, escorts, and blackmail, this just keeps getting better." Castle commented as they sat in the car on their way back to the Precinct.

"Councilman Horn was looking for his blackmailer. What if he found him?" Kate asked.

Rick shrugged and took a hold of the monkey grip as Kate was driving like a maniac that day, dodging in and out of traffic. "He gets violent. Blackmailer responds."

"And then tries covering what he's done by implicating Creason."

"So all you need to do is find your blackmailer." He said glancing to the time, seeing the day was passing quickly. "And Beckett?"

"Mmm?" She braked for a red light then glanced at him.

"I'll give you a thousand dollars spending money for LA if you can close this case before tomorrow evening."

"What? Why?" She creased her brow then looked forward, pressing her lips together.

"Because I want you on that plane with me. If we don't close this case, I am certain you won't come with me."

Kate went to say something, but closed her mouth. She thought about his offer. "A thousand dollars?"

Rick pressed his fingers to his temple, "Okay. Two thousand. You drive a hard bargain, Beckett."

"Two thousand? Cas-"

"Alright, five thousand but that's it," he replied and looked at Kate who appeared quite surprised and he assumed flattered. But then he thought about that and decided she was flattered at all. He returned her a look of confusion. "What?"

The hazel eyes shot forward out the front window and her foot pressed on the pedal as the traffic started to flow again. The lip was bitten, then she gave him a cautious glance. "Fucking hell, Castle. The women in your life really have you by the balls."

He glanced to his groin then her, bundled up in a coat and scarf her brow deeply furrowed. "What are you saying, Kate?"

"I will get the case closed before tomorrow night because I want to go to LA to be with you and not because of the spending money."

"Are you saying you don't want the money?"

"Do I have to spell it out?" She glared at him.

"I think so." Rick nodded, "Yes, I'm lost here."

"Geez. I earn my own money, Rick. My Dad is a partner in his law firm, so he gives me money every month to a trust account. I do okay."

Rick silently stewed on that for a bit as Kate drove the car. Then he nodded. "Ok. I understand. Not many cops could afford to live alone in your apartment in Tribeca."

"My Dad, well my parents set me up financially when I was little and I've worked since I was fifteen."

Rick was utterly taken aback by her response, "You always surprise me, Kate."

Kate looked at him, confused. "What are you thinking, Castle?"

"I'm not accustomed to independent girlfriends like you, that's all. In fact, you're the first who had refused to accept money from me. May I ask something?" He asked keenly.

"Sure, go ahead."

"Am I allowed to buy you surprise gifts?"

"Modest, yes. Knock yourself out. But I will be allowed to do the same back."

"For sure. I love receiving gifts." He smiled and planted a hand on her thigh.

"Cool." She replied as she turned into the parking garage, "The chair was a good one, Ricky. A fine gift for both of us."

"Yes. It was. It's something really special to you though, isn't it."

She gave him a single nod and put her hand over his. "It is. Thank you for getting it."

"You're welcome."

"And the tie was a nice touch." She said with a cheeky smile, "They make good binds, don't they."

"Smart ass." He said, catapulted back to the hour he was flat on Kate's bed, bound to the bed head at the wrists by the pink tie, with her riding and tormenting his body and mind. "You certainly like to be dominant."

She laughed, "Now, may I ask a question?"

"Sure." Rick waited for it, as she turned the vehicle into her allocated car space. She killed the engine then turned to face him, unclipping her belt.

"What is your pen name on fanfiction?" She asked very sweetly.

He stared into her hazel eyes, the surrounds of which narrowed ever so slightly, pushing him to answer her, "Not telling."

"Castle!" She growled.

"Did that have an exclamation mark? It certainly sounded as though it did."

"Yes! And that did too." She stated trying not to giggle. "I should have got it out of you last night when I had you tied up and submissive."

"Ooh. Nice. Next time maybe."

"Tell me, Castle."

"You've read all the Derek Storm fanfiction stories?"

"Not answering."

"That's a yes. Then you have read my FF collection."

"Collection?"

"Mm, and some stories are rated M for when Storm gets lucky."

"That would be all your stories then. I'll get it out of you, Castle."

"No. You won't. It's under lock and key. Sealed."

She paused in thought, "Castle, if Bollinger kept those photos of Horn and Tiffany under lock and key."

"In his desk drawer, you mean."

"Mmm. And Nesbitt said he had no idea about Horn's affair…"

"Someone did, Kate."

"Blackmailer did."

"We need to get Ryan and Esposito to cross-reference Horn's campaign payouts to the volunteers & employees at Bollinger's office."

"I'll call Ryan." She replied, "Shall we go get something to eat? I'm starving this morning."

"You're always hungry after we have sex."

"Oh. Hadn't noticed."

"I have." Rick replied and stepped out the car. He walked with her to the exit as she called Ryan to get started on the research. She took their orders for lunch as well, verbally relaying it to Rick so both of them would remember the boys' orders.

( )

By the time they arrived back at the Precinct Ryan and Esposito had done the research and found the victim Horn had paid off Bruce Kirby, the PI that took the photos. He was the obvious blackmailer.

A background check found Kirby had lost his PI badge for excessive force and was on probation for criminal intimidation.

The poured over the information while they ate lunch in the meeting room. Once their meals were done with Beckett asked the detectives to go collect Kirby and bring him into the Precinct for a chat and ordered they cease drinking so much coffee from the new coffee machine Castle had bought for the homicide squad. They were acting all jittery.

Kirby was the blackmailer, but he never saw Horn with the money to make the photographs go away, so the team booked him for black mailing and flung him into the holding cell to think about things, while they searched his home and office for the weapon used to murder Councilor Horn.

On Montgomery's instructions, the team started on a hunt to find the missing money. Two hundred and fifty thousand in cash was missing and was presumably with Horn when he was killed.

Castle and Beckett chose to make a follow up visit with Nesbitt with the hope they would get a list of contributing supporters of the political party Horn had lead.

( )

In the night, when it was approaching that time of being too early to go to bed but it was also a little too late to start anything for the remaining time, Rick was in his office winding up the last of the itinerary for his trip to LA. Almost six days away and it was going to be hectic. Alexis had usually come with him on these book launch trips but her schooling was too important to interrupt and she was bordering on being too old to travel with him on business trips.

On this occasion he had negotiated with his agent to be in LA longer but he had more spare time, so he and Kate could spend half a day everyday doing something together. Before bed, he would email Kate the latest version of the itinerary so she could make plans, do things she wanted to when he was tied up with signing books. She had mentioned there was a place where she could go rock climbing for instance. He had no desire to do that, but with Kate's physical form it was something she was good at and seemed to enjoy. He also needed to tell her how many evening dresses she needed and how many luncheons she might attend with him. She had muttered something about taking the one dress and wearing that to all the evening dates because she liked to travel light. Rick made himself a note to ask his agent to find a contact in LA where Kate could hire dresses.

"Hey." Alexis greeted standing at the entrance to his office.

"Hey. Finished your homework?" He asked not looking up until he completed what he was doing. He then hit save. It was a stupid question but he was her father.

"Yeah."

"Wanna finish mine?"

"Well, that depends, what you offering to pay me?"

"Ahh, I taught you well."

"Gina called, she wanted me to remind you about the reading and book-signing at Broadway Books tomorrow night."

"Well, that was nice of her." He said with a good dose of sarcasm.

"Yeah," Alexis agreed, then continued, reading from a post it note, "and if you don't show she will: 'Drip honey on your eyeballs and let loose a hundred fire ants'." She looked at him with a smile.

Rick gazed across the room thinking, "OK, what's worse? A hundred fire ants on your eyeballs or reading to a crowd, prose so bad it sent me screaming out into the snow?"

"You know, if you really want to feel sorry for yourself you should read the review in The Ledger."

"Really? What's that damn liberal elite saying about me now?"

"Richard Castle's stirring finale reminds us what good pulp fiction is all about. It makes us desire a world of startling imperfections so we can rise above and become the heroes we always imagined ourselves to be."

"It used to be such a good paper; to see it fallen so far... it's sad, really."

"Shut up." She smiled, "I'm proud of you."

"Oh, you remember that the next time I sing the peanut butter song in front of your friends."

"Have you caught the killer yet?"

"No. Hey, if you were in a lot of trouble and you needed a quarter of a million dollars, where would you get it?"

"I'd just ask you. Night!" She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave his cheek a kiss. He smiled blissfully happy he had a teenage daughter who was still talking to him.

"Good night." He said then pondered on what Alexis had said, "I'd just ask you..." He echoed watching her run up the stairs.