Chapter 35

Castle, who was seated on the couch with an ice pack pressed to his jaw wasn't sure whether he was in trouble and if so what the extend of such trouble happened to be. A glass of red wine had been gratefully accepted, and he tipped the glass to his lips for the second time. It was a very nice drop. He had a sip, careful not to move his jaw too much.

Kate stood at the kitchen island, nibbled on nuts while she waited for the microwave to finish with the heat bag. She wasn't sure whether to be pissed or amused by Castle's late night antics. He was kind of paying for his actions with the pain he suffered in his jaw but other than that, he was proud as punch about his progress with the case. She understood his reasoning, but wished he would contact her first before he embarked on these late night adventures he enjoyed.

"What I don't know yet, Castle, is how you got to the crime scene…" She impatiently tapped her nails on the counter, the thought of going to bed quite attractive, "Like …"

"You want the story," he suggested, "Ka-." His jaw clicked quite loudly. "Ouch."

Kate's eyes widened, "I heard that."

He nursed it momentarily. "Yeah. Loud." He moved his jaw from side to side, then declared quite happier, "Actually, it feels better."

"Good."

"You want me to give you the story then?"

Kate pressed her lips together and nodded. "Yes, because I need to know."

"How far do you want me to go back?" He cautiously inquired.

"You can skip going home. How did you get to where you got smacked in the jaw?"

Castle smirked, "Shiner huh?" He sobered, "It still hurts, Kate."

"Well, good luck with that, Sherlock." Kate went to the microwave as it beeped its job as complete. "It'll hurt for a couple of days."

"Yeah, I know. Okay, well, Alexis was telling me about Owen."

"Owen?" She asked with an inquisitive smile, as she walked around the island to the couch. "A boy?"

"Uh huh," he replied, "Study group, just the two of them."

"How cute."

"Need to meet him but yes, she's all smitten with him like you are with me." He smugly smiled.

"In your dreams, buster. You liked me first." She took the ice pack from him and passed him the heat bag.

"Can't deny that," he replied, "Second I saw your face I was gone."

"Mmm." She smiled, "I know. So, continue, Castle."

"Alexis noticed the evidence photos, and had a go on me about pilfering evidence again."

"I see."

"I see?" Castle asked, "I was borrowing them as per our agreement."

"Alexis knows you well."

"She does." He gently placed the heat bag against his jaw where the cold pack had been. He grimaced, and went to take it away but Kate reached out and held it firm against him. He tilted his head away, "Fuck. Kate. It hurts."

"Stop being a baby," she patiently murmured, watching over him as while he passively continued to object for a bit longer before he began to accept the heat. From experience, she knew his jaw was going to smart for a couple of days. "So, what happened next?"

"My Mother entered the living room, a cocktail in her hand, and happened to see the pictures. We got talking about a panic room."

She stared into his eyes, "A panic room?"

"Mm, also air conditioners and the risk of death."

"I'm beginning to understand why you are who you are," Kate remarked, somewhat confused and amused, and willing to hear the tale unravel.

"Comprehension will make you run away," Castle warned, "But the conversation leads to Powell, the guy who went with me to the apartment, the one you didn't get to meet because he disappeared."

"The one who hit you?"

"Yes, as my mother said, when she had something going with Powell, I had to ruin it for her because I allegedly forced him into retirement, ruined his career, and he threatened to slit my throat."

"What on earth did you do?"

"I innocently thanked him in the acknowledgements of one of my novels and completely blew his cover."

Kate laughed, "Hope it was worth it."

"Best seller for me."

"So, you went to saw Powell tonight, with the photos," Kate confirmed and saw his acknowledgment as she continued, "And he was still mad at you?"

"Yeah, he was still mad." He sighed, "I went to see him, you know, see if he could shed any light on the case. I took the close-up pictures of the stolen high end jewelry, you know, the ones photographed next to a ruler for scale."

"Mmmhmm."

"Well, I knew I have to make contact with Powell, my old informant. I go to his place, well, where he lived when I knew him. He's in the same place. I entered this elegant, cozy little garret. You know the type. There were leather bound books on shelves, leather club chairs, reading lamps, antiques, you name it. There was a state of the art workbench filled with high end gems, uncut diamonds, and even a few showpieces. I was busy flipping through a leather-bound album on the workbench, glancing through yellowed news clippings of big jewelry heists from around the world. I happened upon a more recent Ledger clipping from the latest string of home invasions posted on a pillar. When I saw that clipping, Honey, I swear I thought this was a very bad idea."

She stroked his face with the back of her fingers, and said, "You should have called me."

He lowered his hand and the heat pack, "Maybe. So, I'm looking at the clipping, then BAM!"

Kate jumped in surprise giving him a quizzical look.

"A punch sent me sprawling. Clean knocked me to the ground." Castle rubbed his jaw with his free hand, until Kate pushed the heat bag back against his skin. "Keep it there. I will go get another cold pack. Continue with your story." She patted his shoulder.

"After a drink and a quick catch up I showed him the insurance photos, the stolen jewelry from the home invasions. He examined the photos of the jewels, their luster and curves, as if he were admiring a beautiful woman."

"Really?" Kate threw the packet of frozen mixed vegies in the freezer, wondering how they hell they had got there, and grabbed a bag of frozen peas. Seriously, Rick must have bought the frozen vegies because she never bought that type of frozen food. "Did he know anything?"

"He did say something interesting."

"What was that?"

"That seeing comes before wanting, Kate. He believes the thieves may actually live amongst their victims and move through their world."

Back at the couch, Kate gave a nod of agreement as she picked up Rick's wine and took a sip of it. "It could be the case. We desire things we see and like. So, I know how you got hurt. How did you end up at the crime scene?"

Castle continued, "Powell said that without seeing the scene of the crime, anything more would be mere speculation."

"And so that's why you took him there."

"Well, I did say that the crime scene was all locked and sealed and I didn't think I could get him in there and I was too …. Well, I didn't think you would let me take him there."

"If you thought that then why did you take him there?"

"Because he persuaded me that we let that be the least of our concerns. It being locked up and you."

"So, dismissing me, and the fact you were compromising a crime scene, with flashlights you broke into the apartment."

"We were talking about old style crooks verses todays, we heard the wood creak. Powell just disappeared and you came through the door, holding your gun at me, again." His eyes fixed on her face and she glared right back.

"As I said before, Castle, you brought a thief to a crime scene."

"I reiterate, it was very helpful."

"It was criminal trespassing.

"And like I said, to-may-to, to-mah-to."

"I could have shot you." She warned, as she checked the heat bag.

Non fussed about that, Castle asked, "Did Mitchell make bail yet?"

Beckett smiled, amused by a thought then said, "Paperwork's not done yet. I'm holding him out of spite."

"You should have cut him loose. However, I want to talk to him, Kate."

She furrowed her brow in question, "Why? We already know he wasn't involved."

"It's something that Powell said. I think Mitchell knows more than he's saying."

"And what makes you think he'll share it with us?"

Castle said, "Not us. Just me."

"Okay, then. Why you?"

"I will come at him from a different angle. A writer, wanting a hall pass into his life."

"Okay. But first thing in the morning. We'll have you talk with him before we cut him loose. But not tonight. It's too late."

"Deal." He glanced over her face. She was tired, had paled off somewhat in the past five or so minutes but she remained attentive and caring of his injury. She fussed with the heat bag and held it to his jaw, her left hand resting on his shoulder.

'Does it hurt?" She asked mainly to break the silence between them her eyes drawn to something that was on TV.

"It's gonna be sore tomorrow," he answered giving her a smile, "Do you know how beautiful you are, Kate?" He impulsively asked. Her eyes shot from the TV to his, her cheeks colored up. She looked away again giving him a smile of purse shyness.

"I sometimes see it in your face," she replied, her voice high but soft. "How much have you had to drink tonight?"

"Oh. Way too much to go home."

"Convenient." Kate nudged his right thigh with her leg, which he then adjusted, and she then gently sat upon his lap. "Will swap." She said, took away the heat pack and replaced it with the cold pack. "You won't be able to kiss me tonight," she murmured, putting her left arm to his shoulder.

"I will still kiss you," he said and wrapped his arm about her hips.

Kate smiled, then pressed her lips softly to his. "We go to bed?"

He nodded. Kate pulled away the frozen vegies, "My hands are freezing."

"I know. Thank you. Powell might be of senior years but he can throw a blowing punch."

"You will have a stiff jaw tomorrow."

With the packs, Kate returned to the kitchen to put everything away. It was gone midnight when she followed Rick to her bedroom. She was ready for bed. It had been a long day.

And then it was barely after 7.00 am when Castle found himself seated across from Mitchell who looked a little worse for wear having spent the night in holding. The man needed a shower, a shave and a change of clothes. Having dropped by the loft that morning Rick had been able to change into the fresh clothes. Once Castle would be done with his talk with Mitchell, the uniforms would let the man go. Rick had introduced himself, and then allowed the Mitchell some time to get comfortable with his presence.

Mitchell shifted on his bench seat, as he inquired, "So what are you, a forensic psychiatrist? Some kind of profiler?"

Castle smirked at the mention of a psychiatrist, "Actually, I'm a writer."

Mitchell chuckled, "Embedded reporter, huh? What, you gonna make me famous?"

"Not that kind of writer. I'm a novelist." Rick replied and saw the change in his expression.

Mitchell leaned forward, a little interested. "Yeah? Anything that, uh, I might have heard of?"

Castle mulled over his novels for a moment, "Uh... Storm's Last Stand? Storm Season?"

Mitchell's demeanor changed. "Derrick Storm?"

Castle smiled, "Yeah."

"I love that guy. Why the hell did you kill him?"

Castle waved it off, "Geez, it's a long story. But I'm working on a new one and I gotta tell you, it is very cool. But I want to get the details right."

"They never get the details right." Mitchell replied, "Not in books, movies. They always write us as clowns and thugs. They never stop to think that maybe we got mortgages, families..."

"Exactly." Rick agreed, "Okay, so, in the new book, it's about this crew of home invaders, based on the crew we're looking for right now. I got this one scene where a guy just like you, runs into these guys by accident. In the middle of a job."

Mitchell shook his head, "Wouldn't happen to me. I'm not doing residents. Not at least until you catch these guys. These guys are dark."

"What, you know them?"

Mitchell looked around, then leaned in conspiratorially. "Their shot caller came into the bar a few months back, looking to put together a crew. Wanted to bring me on. Said he had eyes inside, working up scores for him, feeding him the Glengarry leads, items, names, addresses. Said that all he needed was one of my bump keys."

"Did you give it to him?"

"Yeah, I gave it to him." Mitchell replied, "But just to get rid of him. I wasn't about to join him crew."

Castle said, "Why not?"

Mitchell said, "Like I said, these guys were dark. And I'm a two-minute man. In and out. That's my one hard-and-fast. But this sadistic whack job? Whoa. Said he liked to play with his food before he ate it."

"Whoa. Alright, this, um... This shot caller, if I put him in the book, I want it to feel authentic. How would you describe him?" Rick wasn't sure whether Mitchell would reply but the man scratched his day old growth, thought about then stated describing the guy he'd met. Rick sat back relaxed well aware Beckett was upstairs listening to every word. She would be rapt with their progress.

After the police sketch was completed, Beckett arranged for the victim's daughter, Joanne, to attend the Precinct to view the sketch.

Disappointment followed the hope they might have cracked open the case, when Joanne announced to Beckett and Castle that she didn't recognize the man in the sketch. Frustrated, Castle made coffee, stewing over what Mitchell had said to him earlier. He was missing something. While he enjoyed his coffee, he got this idea in his head that it was someone on the inside, but someone who saw the jewelry on show, perhaps when women were adorned with jewels at events. While Kate was sifting through paperwork, Rick ran off to find white boards and lists. He repeatedly echoed special events for anyone who might be listing, then gathered the team, handing out white board markers and lists of social calendar events and groups associated with them.

As she was brought into the fold, Beckett asked, "What kind of special events are we talking about?

"Fashion shows, gallery openings. Fundraisers. My mother loved her causes. Opera companies, environmental groups."

Castle, Beckett, Ryan, and Esposito work on four different whiteboards, writing out charitable organizations below a list of the victims' names: Pastori, Bruner, Kesler, and Delgado.

Ryan said, "Why are we doing this, again?"

Beckett said, "Well, according to Mitchell, the shot caller who wanted the bump key had someone feeding him inside information about our victims."

Castle continued, "And Powell says the pieces of jewelry being stolen are the kind you save for special occasions."

Ryan said, "Special occasion like a charity event."

Esposito said, "So we find an organization that all of our victims supported..."

"...and we find our guy." Beckett finished.

They all stood back in a line and stared at the boards for a connection in their lists.

"Delgado and Pastori both gave to the Manhattan Opera Society."

Beckett said, "But not the last two victims, Espo."

Ryan said, "I got three families that donated to AIDS America: Delgado, Bruner, and Kesler."

Castle scanned the list, then said, "But not Pastori."

"Maybe Pastori was a guest of one of the other three victims." Esposito suggested.

"Mm-mmm. No. None of the families knew each other." Beckett replied.

Castle scanned the Bruner list, "Wait a second. M.A.D.T. That's the Metropolitan American Dance Theater."

Beckett who had the Delgado list replied, "Metropolitan American Dance Theater."

Esposito said, "Pastori has Metro American Dance."

Ryan said, "Under Kesler we have M.A.D.T."

"That's the non-profit our invaders are profiting from." Castle commented.

Beckett put down the marker, "Find out who's in charge and how I can find them.

Esposito said, "Right on.