This "core" of this episode has been fun to blend with AU and I'm working on the immediate part to follow this. Interesting to iron out things between them. It's a core part of their story arc so it cannot be skipped. It began the whole story to find her mother's murderer. Also, the "Hey" text. Based on real experience to the word. I'm was the recipient. I also ignored it. Been delayed in posting, as installing new flooring and had the internet unplugged. Hope you enjoy it .. and the next will follow soon.
Chapter 50
The Precinct was bustling with activity when Kate walked into the bullpen the next morning carrying her laptop bag and a cup of coffee. She had a plan. A night of smelling flowers, hugging teddies and thinking it through had caused her to draw up a plan of action. She had been focussed since the minute she'd woken, determined to see it through. However, the unusual bustling of activity in the bull pen distracted her.
People, civilians she guessed, were present in a large quantity. Professional cosmetic bags and cases were scattered everywhere. Spotlights were erected and people were scattered all over the pen. All the cops were watching on. It was then she remembered that Montgomery had mentioned to her last evening that a magazine journalist was coming by to interview the homicide squad. She also recalled he told her she had to be nice. What the hell had he implied by saying that?
"Jesus Christ," she muttered under her breath as she dumped her bag on her chair. She placed a take away coffee cup on the table. She looked at the desk. There were two take away coffee cups beside the monitor. One was labelled Kate the other labelled Rick.
"What the..?" The eyes shot up and rapidly searched the bull pen. Her heart rate increased and disturbed the butterflies in her stomach. Esposito and Ryan were cautiously eyeing her off. She gave them a narrow-eyed stare down then continued her scan of the floor. There he was. A woman was applying make-up to his face.
Richard Castle.
The writer.
The ex-partner.
The ex-boyfriend.
Fuck he looked hot.
Kate pointed. Realised how rude it was and dropped her arm.
"What the hell is he doing here?" She hissed at Ryan.
The detective smirked and shrugged his shoulder, "Captain said he's here for a magazine article. Make a better impression of the NYPD on the public, and she…" he pointed to an Asian woman in a business suit who held a note pad, "…is waiting to interview the detective who inspired, him…" he pointed at Castle, "the writer to create Nikki Heat." He grinned and pointed at Kate.
"Shut up," she snapped, then seethed. She wanted to smack his hand out of the air but he dropped it before she had a chance.
Captain Montgomery had failed to mention that Castle was the key element to this interview. Had obviously slipped his mind during that little chat they'd had yesterday, or it had been his subtext to prepare her for today? She'd been tricked by the master of manipulation. Frustrated, and skating along the edge of being pissed off, she shrugged herself out of her leather jacket. She hung it up, then arranged the items on her desk so she was able to actually sit at it, continuously glancing over at the writer in his fancy expensive suit surrounded by women. She moved the two cups of coffee out of the way but kept the one she had bought within her reach. She needed more than coffee. She hadn't seen Rick since he had walked out of her apartment after their first real fight.
The journalist clip clopped over the floor boards in awkward heels to Kate's desk. Kate watched her, glancing between the woman and Rick who hadn't noticed her arrival to the Precinct. He was too busy joking with the women who groped him, two of which were barely dressed in police uniforms only fit for the bedroom.
The magazine woman arrived at Kate's desk and greeted, "Hello, Detective Beckett?"
Kate nodded. She had been ordered to be nice. "Yes." She smiled like a model.
"I'm Amy from Cosmo." She sat in Rick's chair, "Oh my God, it's so easy to know Rick Castle was talking about you. You are exactly how he described you."
Kate raised an eyebrow, "Really? Wait till I describe him," she replied. Esposito laughed. Kate reprimanded him with a dark glare.
Oblivious to the sarcasm, Amy remained seated on Castle's chair and organised her equipment to start the interview. Kate, frustrated with that too, glanced between the chair and Rick who had both arms full with two bimbo models. Rick was clearly happy with the situation. Too happy.
"What's so special about world-famous mystery novelist, Richard Castle? He's rich, he's handsome, and he's basing his next best seller on you. Tell me, Detective Beckett, what's it like being the inspiration for thrill master Richard Castle's new character, Nikki Heat?"
Kate Beckett maintained perfect control her feelings, and calmly replied, "On behalf of the NYPD, it has been a pleasure to offer Mr Castle insight into the profession." She used the entire skill set of her limited high school acting training to carry this off.
Amy the reporter continued on, microphone bouncing about, "Given all his best sellers, it's obvious Mr Castle has tremendous insight into the criminal mind. I'm told on many occasions his participation was essential to solving your toughest cases." She reached over the desk to put the microphone closer to Kate's mouth.
Kate drew back, staring in disgust at the microphone, then looked at the reporter, "Really?" Beckett glanced at Rick, "You were told that? By who?"
The young woman bobbed her head, "By Castle."
Kate wasn't at all comfortable about where she anticipated this interview was going. She sighted Captain Montgomery come from the elevator. He paused to take in the activities in the bullpen. Not one element of surprise crossed his face, but he smiled at the sight of the two models hanging off Rick while continued to his office.
Kate scrambled up from her chair, "Can you excuse me for a moment?" She said to the journalist. She left her desk, and made a rushed beeline to the Captain who was on his way to his office.
"Sir? Could I talk to you in private for a moment, please?"
The Captain paused, "Detective Beckett, I have…"
"Now," she pressed, following him.
"We had a deal, Beckett."
Beckett rapidly shot back, "Then the deal is off." She swallowed, because she didn't want a recount of yesterday's discussion. Other cops at the 12th and neighbouring precincts had noticed and regularly queried her about the writer's absence. He had a large presence and people missed him when he wasn't around. She'd had answers prepared, excuses she used whenever she was asked where the writer was; that Rick had stayed up at the Hamptons with his daughter, was writing, or away on vacation It had even made the 12th Monthly e-newsletter that he'd taken a break. A heading had been created asking where the writer was and beneath that had been a mug shot of Castle and a rundown of the last place he was seen.
However, Montgomery had caught on to her excuses, and now had the advantage. It hadn't mattered what she told others. What had mattered was Montgomery hadn't challenged her until their conversation. Then Castle turned up that morning with his entourage of photographers, models and journalists.
"What's the problem?" Montgomery inquired.
The Detective wore a seriously worried expression, mainly because she heard his impatience. She remained silent, stewing about what to say or do to get Castle out of the Precinct for good.
"I thought we covered this yesterday," the Captain commented.
"Not this." Kate bit the bullet and blurted out, "Not only does he have the bachelor party cop twins using him as a stripper pole, while I make nicey-nice with the press, do you know what he said?"
The Captain was amused by Beckett. "No," he answered. As a seasoned homicide cop, he too could read between the lines. What was going on here wasn't about the party girls, nor the journalist. It was Castle being inside the bullpen.
Beckett pushed on even though she could see she was humiliating herself, "He said that he has been instrumental in helping us solve crimes."
The Captain raised his eyebrow, "Oh. Well, hasn't he?"
This was a painful experience for Kate. She could see Montgomery was pissing himself laughing inside, that he found this amusing at her expense, "That's not the point," she said, and winced at the tones of humiliation in her voice.
The Captain decided it was time to install authority. Kate Beckett needed to have Castle as a friend and partner, and occasionally, like right now, she needed a good kick up the ass to suppress that strong vein of stubbornness she could show. So he delivered. "Do you know how hard it is for NYPD to get good press? I mean in a magazine that people actually read? This article is very important to the Mayor, therefore we are going to cooperate. Do I make myself clear?
"About the three days," he further said, "Here's your opportunity to step up and clear with air with him."
"Yes, Sir," She replied then left the Captain's office. She made a beeline to the break room. She needed a coffee, even though there were two unfinished cups on her desk. Right up her ass were Detectives Ryan and Esposito.
"Hey Beckett. We should have photo shoots here more often."
She grunted her disapproval while secretly spying on Castle through the blinds. He was being fondled by the two female models in police type of outfits but short and showing way too much butt and boobs. Jealously raged within. She momentarily gritted her teeth. "Get off him," she hissed.
"Hey, Beckett, how come you don't wear a uniform like that?"
"Because I don't want to get paid in singles," she curtly replied glancing through the blinds again to see Castle with his arms still around the two models, gorgeous models. He'd probably be dating both of them tonight. She continued to make fresh coffee with the boys who were using Castle's machine. "Anyway, my boobs wouldn't fit those outfits," she muttered which caused the men to laugh. She focussed on the coffee to ensure she didn't burn herself with steam.
"Hey." Castle said, leaning through the door frame. Kate's eyes shot to the door.
Ryan quickly said to Esposito, "Oh, hey, don't we have that thing?"
Esposito was blatantly interested in the interaction between Beckett and Castle. "No."
Ryan insisted, "Yeah, you know, that thing with that guy."
"Oh yeah, that thing with the guy."
"Yeah. Excuse us."
Rick almost crept up to Beckett, conscious she might just lash out at him. He carefully said, "I just wanted you to know I had nothing to do with this. I mean, it was the magazine, the mayor thought it would be good press." He bit his bottom lip and his blue eyes were like a scalded puppy. They had that expression that would melt the hardest of people.
Beckett continued with making the coffee, made all attempts to avoid eye contact so she didn't succumb. She nonchalantly replied, "You don't have to explain yourself to me."
"I don't?" He sounded surprised.
"No," she confirmed, "See? I don't care anymore. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an interview to get back to." She smiled, lips closed, then wait for him to step aside so she could pass.
Rick stood his ground, "Like, it's been weeks," he stressed and took a deep breath, his expression disillusioned and confused, "What did I do that was so wrong?" He asked with sincere frustration.
Kate paused, her face serious. "The one thing I asked you not to do," she answered immediately wondering why the hell he needed to ask that when it was what had caused a major fight and their split up.
"Okay, so you asked me not to look into your mother's murder, but look at what I found." He stressed and followed her out of the breakroom as she made her way back to her desk.
"It doesn't matter what you found," she said on the way, "I put that behind me a long time ago. We can get back to the interview now." She said to the reporter.
"No, you can't do that," Espo cut in, "You're going to have to re-schedule. We just caught a body."
Beckett couldn't hide her pleasure as she said to Amy, "So sorry to step out on you, Amy."
Amy stood up, excited, "Oh, are you kidding? It's perfect! A chance to see Castle in action. Our readers will love it."
The Captain who was overseeing what was going on his precinct said mainly to Beckett, "Well, we wouldn't want to disappoint your readers now, would we, Detective?"
"No Sir." Beckett said as she grabbed her gun, jacket and car keys. "Could agree more," she couldn't resist adding. She was on her way out of the bull pen to find a murderer. The boys hurried to catch up with her as she made her way to the elevator.
They all faced the door in the elevator, watching the numbers descent to the basement level car park. Beckett stood at the back in the middle. Everyone was silent aware of the tension. As the elevator came to a halt she said.
"You can ride with the Ryan and Esposito, Castle."
Rick sighed. "C'mon Beckett."
She raised her hand to shut him up. She wasn't in the mood.
"Don't." Esposito said, when Castle went to say something. "You're in the back." The doors opened, and everyone stepped out. Kate walked ahead alone to her car not looking at anyone.
Although she drove to the crime scene alone, the boys were behind her in their car, and the Cosmo gang followed up behind. Travelling in convoy, they made their way to the crime scene no lights flashing. There was no point in rushing as the victim wasn't going anywhere.
Reality set in quickly for Kate once she was alone in the car. Rick obviously had moved on from their fight and clearly didn't understand or had forgotten why she wasn't letting go of what he'd done. He was flippant with his comments. She pretended she'd put it into the past but she hadn't. There had been days during the last few weeks she had desperately wanted to see him, be with him but her own stubbornness had held her off. Then there were days she'd been pissed off at him for having delved into her mother's murder, for finding the links. She'd consequently spent nights going through her evidence trying to figure out why she hadn't found the information. She had years of searching and he found key information in a split second. She wanted to progress with her investigation, but experience caused her to not go there, not take the risk that she might end up obsessed again.
Waiting at a red light she stared through the rear vision mirror at the three men in the red vehicle. She could barely see them in the available evening light, but she could see that Castle was being animated and moving about in the back seat. Esposito, who was driving, had his eyes ahead but Ryan was looking behind him. She wiped beneath her eyes then wiped the tears on her pants. She sniffed.
She wanted Castle in her life, she wanted him completely out of her life.
Once she'd parked nearby the crime scene, Kate was straight out of her car and striding toward the police tape. Car doors closed and footfalls behind her indicated someone was running to catch up with her.
"Hey, can we talk about this, please?"
It was Castle.
She kept walking.
"There's nothing to talk about," she said.
"Well, then, at least let me know what I can do to make it up to you," he said, then whispered so no one would hear, "I miss you. What do I have to do for you to let me back in?"
"You could leave me alone," she replied.
"I really want to see you, Kate."
"I don't want to see you," she hissed, and then added, "And come and get all the flowers and teddies. Can't you leave me alone?"
Rick paused, because her last words had hurt, and he couldn't reply because the others would now hear him. "Well, yes, I tried to leave you alone and it didn't work for me. Hey! I could buy you a pony!"
For the first time, Kate looked at him, mostly in disbelief that he had suggested the purchase of a pony. She wanted a horse, but she lived in New York City. Beside the last teddy was the size of a pony. "Focus, Castle. A crime scene, okay?"
Rick searched her face for a glimpse that she was just playing him, putting on a show because they were in public, but he saw nothing, no compassion. There wasn't a hint she was messing about. Then just as she looked away he noticed she'd been crying. Softly, he said, "Kate?"
She ignored him.
Beckett stopped to take in the scene before her. Lighting had been set up and a cherry picker was perched under a tree, its bucket way up in the air inside the branches of the large tree. She sighted Dr Parish who stood inside the bucket and a man was drooped over a branch like a wet towel. Very dead.
"It's raining men," Castle said standing beside Beckett. He decided to pretend things were normal.
Lanie peered down to the ground, trying to block the bright lights from her eyes. She could see her friends standing below the tree in a line, all staring up at her in the bloody tree. What the hell? Castle was there. "Castle, what are you doin' here?"
"Don't worry, we're still mad at him." Beckett called back up to Lanie.
Ryan smirked and muttered to Esposito, "Guy in a tree, Mom and Dad bickering. It seems like old times."
Esposito smiled and nodded his agreement.
Beckett half shouted so she would be heard over the city noises, "How's it going up there?"
"I got tree branches poking my boobs and a spotlight shining up my booty," the Doctor replied.
"It could be worse, you could be wearing a skirt." Esposito couldn't resist saying. The guys had a quiet giggle until Beckett glared at them.
"When I come down I'm going to smack you," Lanie stated.
"I'm looking forward to that," Esposito replied.
"Here," she threw down the victim's wallet that Esposito caught. "Vic's a white male, late mid-thirties, judging from the cracked branches, I'm guessing he did a superman off the top of that building."
Esposito opened the wallet and slipped a licence card out, "Vic's name is John Allen. ID has him on the Upper West Side." He then found a small stack of cards, "Business card has him in insurance."
The Cosmo journalist piped up, "Is it a suicide?"
Simultaneously Castle and Becket replied, "It's not a suicide." Rick kind of smiled pleased they still had it, the ability to think together.
"How do you know?" Amy asked.
Beckett replied, "Uh, the building is too short. he'd want to kill himself, not cripple himself."
Castle further explained, "If he wanted to kill himself, he'd aim for concrete, not a tree. Judging from the angle of descent, I'd say the guy was thrown off the building."
"Since it's clearly not a suicide, how did he die?" Beckett asked.
Lanie gazed over the body she was standing over, "There are signs of strangulation, looks like his windpipe was crushed."
"Any ligature marks?" The senior detective asked.
"No." Lanie answered.
Castle looked to the journalist and said, "Ligature refers to anything that ties or binds, like rope or a belt, anything that leaves marks, suggesting he was strangled by hand."
Beckett rolled her eyes at his arrogance to answer something the detectives were better qualified to explain.
"You really know your stuff, no wonder they like having you around." Amy said which only caused Beckett's eyes to roll once again.
She said, "You know what, he's such an incredible resource it seems like a shame to waste his talents here in the field. Would you mind going back to the morgue with Doctor Parish to see what else you can find out about the vic?"
"Don't you think I'd be more use here at the crime scene?"
"Oh no. We're just gonna knock on doors and see what else we can stir up. You know, boring police stuff."
"Fine. But I was serious about the pony." Rick said and then turned his attention to Amy, "C'mon, I'll show you the morgue-mobile."
Beckett asked Ryan, "Anything in the wallet?"
"Nope. Dry cleaning ticket, ID, two credit cards. Cash was missing though."
Amy asked a few minutes later as the body was rolled into the back of the van, "You mean we have to ride with the body?"
"You can take my seat up front." Dr Parish offered, giving Rick a dark look.
"You sure?" Amy asked.
"Um hmm. I'm used to hanging out with stiffs." Lanie said eyeing off Castle who waited for the bus to leave.
Castle cautiously looked at Dr Parish and meekly said, "Hi.
"Uh uh, you do not get to say hi to me. I'm just doing my girl a favour."
"Oh, you too, huh." Castle said in resignation he was in the dog house with Beckett's best friend.
"Well, what did you expect? Beckett spent the first three years of being a cop trying to solve her mother's murder. It took everything she had to put it behind her, so you couldn't respect that?" The doctor asked.
Rick replied, "What was I supposed to do? Not tell her what I found?"
Suddenly inquisitive to what the writer had found, what Beckett had failed to tell her, had her ask, "What have you found?"
Somewhere not surprised by the doctor's reaction, he replied, "Oh, she didn't tell you, did she? Three people were killed the same way her mother was right about the same time. One of them was a former law student of hers, another one, a documents clerk, the third one, a lawyer for a non-profit organisation."
"Wait, the ME didn't make the connection?"
"If he did, he buried it."
"Did you talk to him?" Lanie asked.
"He died four years ago. So, you see why I had to tell her."
With less annoyance, and more understanding, she asked, "What did she say?"
"That we were done. And then she just walked –"
The van came to a sudden halt disrupting their seating. The door swung open and men pointing rifles at them barged into the back of the van. They grabbed the gurney and dragged it out of the van.
"Is that just me, or is that really, really weird?" Castle asked looked to a ruffled doctor who was collecting herself.
"They just stole the body, Castle!" She screeched.
Castle made the call to Beckett to give her the news the ME van had been hijacked so the body could be snatched by masked and armed men. Once he got over the surprise she'd answered his call, he gave her the details as fast as possible so she didn't yell at him for letting them take the body. He was already in the shit with her and didn't want the depth of it to increase. Right now he needed all the help he could get to break her. Cosmo hadn't helped and now the body being snatched would put pressure on her job.
They met at the crime scene and once things were sorted out, the ME drove the van back to the ME's building. Lanie caught a ride home with Esposito, and Ryan and Beckett finally relented and allowed Castle to travel shotgun with her back to the precinct. They drove in silence for the first five or so minutes. Kate was clearly anxious about his presence in the car. He desperately tried to think of something to say in the short time frame he had alone with her, that would get her talking. She clammed up and she held a grudge better than anyone he knew. While she drove, he gazed about, still a little shaken by the hold up in the van. He noticed the used tissues, scrunched up in the middle console, wondering whether they had been used earlier. She had been upset by his return to the Precinct, regardless of the fact it was not his decision to be there.
He stared at the profile of her face, the lights of the city flashing against her pale skin as they drove on. He accepted he'd just gone through the slowest and loneliest five or so weeks of his life. Her absence had had a profound effect on his mental state.
"I've missed you," he quietly said, "every minute of every day I haven't seen you." He swallowed nervously and waited for the reaction. He felt vulnerable and didn't want her tearing a new hole in him. If not now, it would strike at him later. She glanced to his face, her eyes showing she was angry and upset with him. Her knuckles had turned white with her fingers gripping the steering wheel as though she was hanging on for dear life. It was a side of Kate he hadn't seen and he hoped not to see it again.
"We were great at being together," he added, "And I miss that. I miss us."
Her lips pressed together. "You should have thought about that before you stuck your nose in my mother's murder, after I asked you not to." Kate lashed at him.
Rick fidgeted, "Okay," he fumed. He stared out front. "Fuck, you can hold on to a grudge." He glared at her. A cold glance was shot at him.
And that finished the conversation.
They rode in silence the rest of the way. Rick Castle understood women and instinctively knew it was time for him to shut up. Kate needed more time.
He decided there and then with clenched fists and jaw that he would remain determined to break her down no matter how hard it got. He really had missed Kate Beckett more than words could say.
They took the elevator to the homicide floor with continued silence, both facing the front with a good foot of space between staring at the numbers ascending. Rick waited for Kate to leave the box ahead of him and as he stepped out, he smiled and commenced to act as though everything was fine.
Lanie cornered Castle to examine him, aware he had taken a knock to the head when the van had been stopped. He obliged and sat on the edge of a desk to let the ME undertake her job.
"I thought you only dealt with dead patients," he said to the doctor.
"The way Beckett is with you right now, you might be my next patient," she quietly replied.
"Yeah, about that," he murmured, "You notice how fucking pissed off she is at me."
"I did. I'll talk to her. Calm her down."
"Would help. I've invested about a grand on flowers and soft toys apologising for helping her. I now have to break down that wall she's erected."
Lanie paused and stared at him, obviously confused by his comment. His bright blue eyes looked right into hers. "A grand? She didn't tell me…" She glanced at Beckett who was on her way to the ladies. "Is there something I'm missing here? You spent a grand?"
"Yes, her home is or was full of flowers and teddy bears." He said, his eyes large and innocent.
Dr Parish was finding it difficult to process the information. She and Beckett had been out a few times while Castle had been absent. "She never told me that."
"And she won't."
The doctor took his jaw in her hand and positioned his head to ensure he looked at her. "Richard, have you two been-"
"Lanie." Rick cut in, "I don't kiss and tell about my sexual life or lack thereof."
She let him go, glancing over the room to see if Beckett was on her way back then said, "You and I are talking later, but don't you give up on her. She needs you even if she doesn't know it."
"This thing with her mother runs deeper in her than even I thought," he muttered.
"It was bad, Castle, and she still grieves her loss," Lanie whispered. "Don't give up,"
"I won't."
"She's watching me now."
"She'll be jealous," he replied but didn't search for Kate.
Lanie held back a smile, "Mmm hmmm that she is."
"It's cute, the way she does what she's probably doing right now," he smiled.
Captain Montgomery approached the group, "Well?"
Lanie flicked Castle on the cheek, "He'll live."
Ryan asked, "What, no brain damage?"
"If he has some, it happened way before tonight and was probably self-inflicted," the doctor commented packing medical instruments into a bag.
Rick grinned, reflecting, "Ahh, good times."
"How's Lois Lane?" Montgomery asked.
"Who?" Ryan inquired, "Oh, the reporter chick? We took her statement and we sent her home. We got an APB on the sedan. CSU is combing the rooftop and we got unis looking for surveillance footage of the crash site."
Esposito nodded, "You know what I don't get, is who would steal a dead body?"
Castle quickly became excited, "Oh, plenty of people. Organ harvesters, cadaver-less med students, Satanists, mad scientists looking to create their own monster."
Beckett, who returned to where everyone was gathered, circled the group. She brought logic back into the conversation, "Or the guys who killed him might have left some evidence behind."
Castle thought about that then said, "Boring," dismissing her. "How about a spy having swallowed a top secret microchip that the enemy forces murdered him over before the CIA could get a hold of him.
Kate who had observed the doctor and Rick together, was feeling quite jealous about the situation, particularly Lanie touching Rick. Although she knew it was unnecessary to be threatened by her friend, the feeling remained, which kept her occupied with trying to understand. As much as she despised him right now, she hadn't enjoyed it one bit seeing her friend touch the man. She didn't like feeling jealous but she couldn't help it. The feeling was present and she had to deal with It, and how would she do that? Gain his attention of course. She challenged him.
"As much as we all appreciate your insightful and incredibly believable theories, Miss Cosmo is gone so I believe you can go home now."
Rick immediately turned at the sound of Beckett's voioce. "Oh no. Listen, this case just got good. And I'm a witness." Rick objected seeking support from their friends who circled them. She was there, directly in front of him staring up at him with those gorgeous, angry hazel eyes.
"All right, I'll let you work this one case with me,' Beckett said, "If you promise to leave me alone when it's over and not to weasel your way back in."
Rick shifted his weight from one leg to the other and tilted his head really focussing on his opponent. "Deal. But fair warning, Detective, I will make you change your mind." He sounded determined, which caused their spectators to mumble between themselves, making bets. Money shuffled from hand to hand.
"I won't." Kate firmly replied.
"You will." Rick persisted, then released the tension by looking to the others, "So, what's the next step? Victim's family?"
Ryan handed Esposito money. "I didn't think she'd take him back."
"Easy money." Esposito replied.
The Captain leaned in and handed Ryan a twenty, "I'm in that he will break her down."
"I can't believe you lot," Kate said to the men. "There's a chance in hell he will win this. He will be out on his ass when this case is solved." She glanced at Rick, saw the flash across his face that she'd hurt him, that he understood she had been serious. It happened in a second, so fast she questioned whether she'd imagined it. He concealed his thoughts and laughed.
"I can't bet against myself," he said.
"Kate, come join me in the break room a minute. Get away from these boys." Lanie invited casually and hooked her arm through Kate's.
"We need to leave."
"It can wait a minute," the doctor replied as she guided Kate to the breakout. She gave the men a stay there look, saw them gather around.
The door was closed and the two women stopped at the coffee machine. Kate went to the sink, grabbed a glass and filled it with water. "You don't drink coffee, Lanie," she said after she had drunk half the water.
"No, I don't. What is going on with you and Castle? I thought he was busy writing a book."
"He was."
"He said you two had a fight about your mom's case."
Kate immediately rolled her eyes. "He told you?"
"Only after I had a go on him because of what you told me. You didn't say he'd found more evidence."
"I told him to stay out of it. He ignored me," Kate replied, then swallowed nervously, folding her arms over her chest.
"He's been sending you flowers and soft toys?"
Kate's eyes rolled. "He told you?"
"He did." Lanie studied her friend, the brow knotting. She glanced through the window to see Castle chatting actively with Esposito and Ryan. The Captain had returned to his office. She saw the writer's eyes momentarily look over and their gaze met. She looked back at Kate.
"There's more to it than just your mother." Lanie stated which caused Kate to shake her head in denial. "Kate?" Lanie pressed.
"No. I let him in too close, Lanie."
"Okay. You know he really likes you, don't you, Honey."
Kate dropped the protective stance and slumped on a stool. Her whole demeanour changed in an instance. Sad eyes looked at the doctor, "Captain Montgomery has ordered me to make things right with Castle, that he is to return to the Precinct as my partner."
"What?" Lanie furrowed her brow and placed a hand to her hip.
"Mm." Kate nodded, "I have to make amends with him. No choice."
"Montgomery is making you have Castle as your partner."
"Yes." Once again, Kate nodded, staring through the window at the three guys mucking around. She knew that Castle enjoyed the company of the detectives and there was a large part of her that felt bad for keeping him away. The three of them laughed and joked. The body being stolen had sent the boys into a little bit of a frenzy.
"What will you do?"
"I have no choice, Lanie."
"You have a choice. He adores you."
"Yeah," she replied turning her eyes down, then she looked up through the window at Rick talking with the guys.
"Kate." Lanie said. "Please don't be someone you're not. Don't push …"
Kate stood up, "We have to go see the deceased's wife before it gets too late."
"Sure. You do that, Kate. Continue to hide in your work."
"Love you Lanie." She called back as she walked away.
"Don't talk to me." Kate ordered over the roof of the police car with a glare that could possibly kill him.
"I won't," Castle said right back, then got in the car. The doors closed simultaneously and both reached for their seatbelts at the same time. Their eyes happened to also lock. Kate looked down first, to ensure she had the buckle in its slot. Clicked in place, she faced the front windscreen and slipped the key in the ignition. Rick sat still and quiet, for once.
Both maintained a stare straight out the front window as Kate drove out of the parking garage. They completed the drive in seven minutes and were quiet the entire trip. They gained access to the apartment building via a buzzer directly to the residence of Mrs Allen. Kate walked ahead along the hallway until they came to a doorway at the end.
Kate tapped on the door. Seconds later the door was opened to a woman in her early forties. Two kids were on the floor in front of a flat screen.
Beckett spoke first. "Mrs. Allen?" She held up her NYPD badge.
"Yes?"
"It's about your husband. We need to talk somewhere private." She said then directed her gaze to the children so Mrs Allen would understand she didn't want them hearing their conversation.
The woman acknowledged and opened the door for Castle and Beckett to enter the home.
"He was just right here, just a couple of hours ago. And now he's dead," Mrs Allen stated clearly upset by the news her husband was deceased.
"Do you know of any reason why he'd be in that part of town?" Beckett gently asked and then gave the woman time to process the events and the questions.
"No. His office is in midtown, it's nowhere near ninth." She replied.
Beckett asked, "What time did he leave the apartment?
"Around six. He had just gotten back from his trip and he said he needed to catch up on some paperwork. He said he'd only be gone for a couple of hours."
Castle noted, "You said a trip?"
Mrs Allen nodded, "He was in Albuquerque on a training seminar. It was just two nights."
"Did you notice anything unusual recently? Any strange behaviour?"
"He had to work late a little more often than usual, Detective Beckett. But in this economy, who doesn't? He had to lay off half of his department last year.
Castle asked, "And you're sure he was working late?"
Mrs Allen looked questioningly at Castle, "What are you saying? That he was cheating? Every night he would walk through that door and the kids would just race into his arms, okay? And now he's gone. So, don't ask me if he was really working late, tell me why he was killed."
Beckett glanced at Rick with a caution glare, "He didn't mean to imply—"
Castle continued, "What about phone calls, maybe late at night?"
Beckett whispered, "Castle!"
Her eyes lit up, "Yeah. Yeah, one of the guys that John fired, Max Haverstock, he would call him up late at night and he would yell at him... all sorts of things. I guess he was hurting, he needed money. I told John he should just hang up on him. John said no, he couldn't do that.""
Beckett asked, "Did he ever give him money?"
"My husband didn't believe in handouts. He believed that a man should make his way. Where is he? I'd like to say goodbye."
Beckett pressed her lips together, physically hinted at Rick to now speak up but he remained buttoned up, "About that, umm..."
The door of Mrs Allen's closed on Castle and Beckett. They paused in the hallway.
Castle quietly stated, "That was awkward."
Beckett started to walk, "It's just...it doesn't make any sense. The guy has a stable, middle class life, a good job, good family," she said having forgotten that she wasn't talking to Rick who fell in beside to make their way out of the apartment building.
"Maybe his friend Max was jealous."
She shrugged, not dismissing Castle's suggestion, and pulled her cell phone out, "Maybe enough to kill him, but to steal his body?" She dialled a number, "Hey Esposito, I need you to look up a friend of the victim for me." They waited for the elevator. "Max Haverstock."
Rick held the doors open and stepped into the elevator ahead of the Detective.
"Yeah." She replied to Esposito, "Okay, find him first thing and bring him in." She leaned against the wall as the elevator descended. "Bye." The phone was put away and she fell silent. She went to sneak in a look at Rick, but when she saw he was gazing at her, she looked down. Her cheeks coloured.
Rick checked the time, "I'm calling it a night," he stated.
"Mm. Me too." She confirmed, shyly casting her eyes to his face.
"I won't bite, Kate," he reassured.
She instantly shot her eyes to check the floors they were passing. Level two. Nearly at ground. "I know," she whispered.
"You got the flowers." He stated even though he knew. But right now she seemed more willing to talk a little.
"Mm. And teddies." She thought about the giant bear, that she'd spent quite a few nights sleeping against. The flowers were mostly gone now but she had a collection of soft toys she also sat on her bed each morning after she made it.
"Will you go for a coffee, shake? Maybe something to eat?" Rick asked cautiously as the elevator doors opened.
Kate was out of the elevator and she walked across the small foyer to the entrance. She paused, glanced over her shoulder to ensure Rick followed, then pushed open the door. Outside she inhaled fresh night air and let go of the door once Rick was through it. Her head was spinning and the cool air was refreshing. She then looked at him as she found the car keys. Drawing on her detective persona, she replied, "I don't think that's a good idea." She swallowed, trying not to show him how anxious she felt. She wanted to be with him, wanted to run away. The expression changed, the look his in eyes hardened. He gave a single nod.
"Okay. Well, I'm gonna head off home."
She pointed nervously at the car, "I can drop you there."
"Thanks, but I can walk. I need to clear my head," he paused, swallowed, "Kate. Good night."
"Good night, Castle." She watched him turn and commence his walk home, a journey of about 15 minutes on foot, she guessed. She remained where she was, waiting for him to turn back and tell her he was joking, but he didn't.