Chapter 64 - A ROSE FOREVER AFTER
Kate watched her father walk away from the table to go to the rest room. She also kept watch on his partner who was at the counter. Once her Dad was out of hearing range, she turned to Castle.
"She's very nice, Dad's girlfriend."
"She is and she's good for him, Kate."
"She is."
He wriggled a little, "Kate, can I ask a question?"
"Personal or general?"
"Arrr, falls into personal."
She bit her lip and gave a nod.
"How was your life after your Mother died? You give me snippets…"
She drew a deep breath, "Well, one could say I turned feral for a while," she quietly told Rick then searched his face for a reaction. He stayed neutral, waited for her to continue. Feeling comfortable she did.
"I broke up with my boyfriend. Gave him no reason. Quit school. I was gone a lot, would go to bars, clubs. There were nights I didn't come home. Woke up in strange beds, places." She shrugged her right shoulder. "Would find my Dad in the mornings face planted somewhere between the living room and his bedroom. I was lost. He was lost. Couldn't work. The person who kept me grounded was gone. Dad was out of control. One morning I came home, found him in a bad state and that was enough. One of us had to be the responsible person. I guess it was to be me. I stopped running." She glanced between the doorway and Rick's face. She gently tugged the chain from beneath her clothing to present the engagement ring that hung from her neck most days. Rick took the ring in his fingers, studied it as Kate said, "I took possession of this ring. It meant a lot to my Mom. I lost her but somewhere it saved me."
Castle clenched the ring in his hand, leaned in and pressed his lips to her temple. "Thank you." He whispered. Her father was on his way back to the table, and his girlfriend met him on her return from the counter.
Castle released the jewelry that dropped against Beckett's chest. He quietly shared, "Your Dad is coming and I want to kiss you like I'm gonna die tonight."
"Not tonight," she murmured, her eyes flicking between his lips and eyes. "Please."
Rick pulled back, cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Kate."
She bit her bottom lip once again, put a finger to his lips, "Shhh. But I want the kiss."
He smiled, leaned back in and gave her a kiss. He then sat up as her father and Lisa rejoined them at the table.
"You two are still …"
"No, Dad." Kate replied smiling. She sat back, "We were just discussing something."
"Well, shall we get out of here?"
Kate nodded, glanced to Castle and began to gather her things. Castle went for his wallet but Jim held up a hand.
"Already done, Rick." He smiled, "Thank you for coming for breakfast on our anniversary."
"A pleasure," he replied as he reached for Kate's coat that hung over the back of a chair. He held it up and she slipped her arms into it. Ready to leave, they made their way to the entrance.
A half hour later Rick closed the door to Kate's apartment, thankful to be out of the cold. He pulled off his coat and hung it alongside Beckett's, took off his sweater so he was down to a shirt and jeans. Kate kept the apartment warm. Neither of them had plans for the day so they decided a quiet day in after a long week would be a great idea. With his laptop bag in hand he went to the kitchen to make a coffee.
"Want coffee?" He called out to Kate who'd gone to her bedroom.
"Please."
He prepared the coffee machine, then while it was brewing he made a grocery list for later. As usual, Beckett's fridge was absent of food. He wouldn't get much, as chances had it, they'd end up going out for dinner. She'd recently bought a dress online, which apparently looked good with a pair of boots she already owned. She required an excuse to wear it. Her hints had been as subtle as a sledge hammer.
"Would your new dress be suitable for Cirque?" He shouted.
"Sure." She appeared, dressed in yoga pants and a loose fitted woolen sweater. Her feet were deep in Ugg boots.
"You're in for the day," he commented.
"Too cold to go out."
"Cool. I will write. I'm in re-write stage, and have a twist I didn't see coming and Erin wants the book finished in four weeks."
Kate smiled, "Really?" She crept in closer as he raised his arms to allow her in.
"Yes." He saw her expression of seduction, "Don't get any ideas." It was a playful warning.
"When can I read it?"
"Soon. I promise." He lowered his arms embracing Kate who pressed herself against him. "I wanna make sure she has come to life out of the pages before I give it to you to read."
"Okay."
For a while they relaxed on the couch, one to each end. Rick was busy on his MacBook Air proofreading and rewriting and Kate was seemingly engrossed in a novel. They had music playing. Castle wasn't aware that Beckett was developing a bit of a plan. She rose from the couch and walked to the bedroom without saying a word. Not disturbed, Castle worked on. General noises emanated from the room for a few minutes before Kate re-appeared in a change of clothing. What caught his eye was her bare leg, skin quite white from the winter. She padded across the floor to the kitchen in a skimpy piece of clothing he hadn't seen before.
"What you doing, Beckett?" He asked, his eyes returning to the screen. He caught the scent of perfume freshly applied.
"Getting a bottle of water. You want one?"
"Yes please. I mean with the outfit?"
She glanced to her clothing. "Oh. Just going through my wardrobe."
He then looked at her, "Well I think you should keep that. Very sexy.'
"I will." She fetched a couple of bottles from the fridge, "I have a few things to clear out…" she paused in front of him, waiting for his attention. She held out the bottle.
As he reached for it she lifted it away. He frowned, saw the glisten in her eyes and immediately smiled. "Oh, I see. Beckett wants to play."
"Maybe." She smirked, passed him the bottle then strolled off to the bedroom. As she walked through the doorway she glanced over her shoulder at him. Castle momentarily raised his left eyebrow, but made the decision to not bite on the bait. He wanted to see her seduce him. With her gone to the bedroom releasing a disgruntled grunt, he resumed his work. The problem was, he was now partially distracted. His mind wandered, reminisced about intimate moments with his girlfriend. His body responded accordingly to the memories, the idea of making love quite appealing.
She was rifled through her belongings with the intention of gaining his full attention. The plan was to play hard to get for a while, wind him up. With that in mind she found a pair of stay up stockings, a short black skirt and a white sheer top. She dressed in the items and chose a pair of heeled boots. Her hair was tied up on top of her head, red lip stick applied and she found old black framed reading glasses she had for a fancy dress party. Her reflection in the mirror was satisfactory. Office girl in skimpy outfit. She giggled at herself.
"Beckett? What are you up to?"
Kate glanced at the doorway, "Nothing. Just doing a stock take on my clothes."
"What you wearing?"
"Nothing."
"Naked nothing?"
Kate grinned, rolled her eyes and squawked back, "No!"
She straightened up to her full height, chin poised. She imagined she was an office girl, sleazy office girl and with that thought she grabbed a novel from the floor beside the bed. Carrying herself with elegance she walked from the bedroom into the living room.
"Geezus."
Kate stopped when she heard Rick speak. She gave him a questioning look and tried not to laugh when she saw his keen expression. "What?"
"Look at you. Boyhood fantasy. No. I correct myself. Every man's fantasy." He shut his computer and placed it on the coffee table, "Come here."
"No." She laughed, "You said you have to work."
"With you walking around like that?"
She waved her right hand in front of her body, "Off limits, Writer Boy," she responded and continued on her path to the book shelf. She didn't hear nor expect Rick to creep up behind.
A hand snaked around her waist. She squealed, laughed as Rick pulled her into his embrace. He growled playfully into her right ear, nibbled at the side of her neck.
"You look so hot." He stated holding her firm.
"Get back to work." She squirmed and giggled.
"I cannot work with you strutting around like this." Using his strength, he turned her about and coerced her to the wall. They laughed hard and loud. Kate struggled to escape her boyfriend's grasp and Castle tackled her lean body until he picked her up. She squealed, gripped his shoulders, leaned in to kiss him. She got quite involved, kissed him deeply her fingers in his hair. He blindly began to stagger his way to the bedroom.
They parted for air. They looked to each other's eyes.
"Castle," she whispered.
"Bedroom?" He suggested.
"No. You're meant to be working." She stated matter of fact.
"Done working."
A rap on the front door had the pair abruptly fall silent and look to the entrance. Kate then looked back at Rick, her eyes wider than normal.
"Who is it?" He hissed, letting her to the floor.
They waited and seconds later the knocking sounded again. A voice followed with, "Kate? Are you home?"
"Oh my God." Kate whispered, her hands falling from Rick's shoulders. "Its, Lanie. Hide."
"You can't answer the bloody door. Look at you!" He glanced down at the skimpy outfit she was attired in.
"Fuck." She bit her bottom lip, then patted his upper arm. "Turn on your computer, go answer the door, we are working on your book and I am in the bathroom."
"Kate." He pleaded, gritted his teeth when she took off to the bathroom to the connected to her bedroom.
Rick opened his laptop, glanced to the bedroom to see her body as she grabbed clothing then shot into the bathroom, closing the door. She was certainly quick. He tidied his hair that had been ruffled by Kate's hands, tidied his shirt, all of which was done as he stepped across the living room to the front door. As Lanie timidly knocked a third time, he unlocked the door then opened it.
He smiled, then said "Hi."
Lanie's expression of surprise was priceless. He wanted to laugh.
"Richard?"
"Yeah?" He pointed over his shoulder. "Beckett's in the little girl's room. Come in." He stepped back allowing her entry and he closed the door behind her. That was when he saw a pair of his runners under the rack of Beckett's coats. He swiftly gave them a kick, shoving them until they were concealed. That had him scanning the apartment in search of any item that would provide an indication he frequented the small apartment as he followed the doctor the short distance to the living area.
Lanie turned about to face him, "You're here?" She couldn't help but ask, confusion written over her face.
"I am. Beckett's helping me out with getting a chapter right." He sat upon Beckett's sofa that was invitingly comfortable, dragged the laptop closer then waved his thumb over the pad. Lanie made her way to the middle of the room and sat upon a stool by the kitchen counter.
"Helping you write?"
"Getting the facts correct. Authentic."
"You'd think he would have learned something by now following me around like he does." Beckett said, her tone having quite the dig at the writer, who frowned and rolled his eyes at Lanie.
"She's a ball breaker," he muttered, a hand rubbed recklessly through his hair in an attempt to feign frustration, and to show Lanie how his hair had got messed up.
"Huh! I've been fixing-"
"What I don't get with you two-" Lanie interrupted, a hand waving between the two of them, "Is why you weren't in that bedroom fucking like crazy and ignoring my knocking."
Kate's jaw slackened her mind unable to instantaneously process the direct comment from Lanie. She glanced to Rick who seemed to remain non-fussed.
Then she snapped out of is and said, "Oh, Lanie," Kate approached Lanie to give her a hug. As she squeezed her friend in a warm embrace, she murmured, "That's because we were winding up when you knocked. We were almost in the bedroom." She then stepped back with a giggle that served to tell how amused she was at her own humour.
"Beckett." Castle warned, his eyes not leaving the screen, "Don't lead your best friend along. Tell her the truth." He then looked up at Lanie and saw he had her full attention.
"What's the truth?" Lanie asked.
"We were making out like mad when you knocked on the door." He raised an eyebrow. "We were just beginning."
Beckett calmly walked into the kitchen, "In your dreams, Castle." She unconsciously touched her full lips that still tingled from their kissing.
"You two." Lanie sighed in frustration, "I don't know what to believe."
"Believe me," Kate replied with a smug smile, "I'm not sleeping with a man who likes to show off his trophies on page 6."
Rick snorted, "Get over yourself, Beckett. Maybe those women are my agent's way of marketing my books."
"Whatever." Kate dismissed, then said to Lanie, "Writer boy got the process wrong for arresting someone in his manuscript, because he doesn't like paper work." She shot Rick a look.
"All I say is, you two look very comfy here alone, on a cold Saturday."
"Well, in all fairness Lanie, Beckett and I do spend a lot of time together when we're chasing murderers."
"The suffering I have to live through." Beckett commented then popped a sweet in her mouth, "We're nearly done with rewriting. You've given us a much needed break."
"I was thinking you'd be alone today," Lanie focussed her attention on Kate, "I didn't want that on the anniversary." She stated.
"That," Rick replied, "Is the real reason I'm here. Turn it into a good day." He closed the lap top.
Kate nodded, glancing to the bunch of flowers. She reached out and touched a pink rose, "Castle gifted me with these beautiful flowers this morning."
Lanie smiled casting her gaze over them. They were prominently displayed in the middle of the kitchen counter. "They're lovely."
Castle quietly raised an eyebrow surprised Kate had shared that information with Lanie, when he knew how protective she was of their relationship. He usually gave her flowers without a reason, but today it was to bring pleasure to what potentially could be a gloomy day. "Thank you." He replied, then stood, "I'm going to leave you ladies to it." He pointed at the door, "I'll see myself out."
"No, no." Lanie held up a hand.
"Please stay. Beckett and I did more than enough on my script." He walked to the door, grabbed his coat on the way out and left closing the door behind him.
Immediately Lanie leaned over the counter and said to Beckett, "Why aren't you …"
"Lanie." It was followed with several shallow breaths in which Kate quickly contemplated whether she needed to share her secret, but 'no' emerged within her thoughts. She wasn't ready. They weren't ready. "I don't have feelings for him that way." She found herself saying, but struggled to look at the doctor's face for fear of being seen as a liar. "I mean I really enjoy his company but that's it."
"Well it's a start." Lanie said.
"We're partners." Kate confirmed and gave a nod, finally finding a place, a label, she was comfortable to admit to. She also simultaneously recognised Lanie was attired with yoga pants. "Did you go to yoga this morning?"
"No, I'm on my way but also dropped by to see if you wanted to join me."
Beckett glanced at the time. Lanie was aiming for the noon class they often attended together if time allowed. "I'm in. Let me get changed."
"Okay."
Kate grabbed her phone and headed to the bedroom. Before she found her yoga gear, she sent Castle a text to tell him where they were going. He tapped back he would grab a few grocers to prepare their lunch while she was at yoga.
The smell of cooking was in the hallway when Beckett returned to the apartment. She used her key to let herself inside and found Rick in the kitchen in the midst of a major cook. He had saucepans on the stove and the oven was going. It took her back a moment. She rarely had an apartment that smelt like home on a Sunday but here it was. Having Castle at her apartment on a Sunday was unusual because he preferred them to be at the loft for family time with Alexis. She closed the door.
"Hey!" Castle smiled and continued with cutting vegetables, "Enjoy your class?"
"I did." She dropped the keys in the bowl, shook herself out of her parka coat and hung it up. She hurried to the kitchen keen to see what he was preparing for their meal, "What you making?"
"Well, lunch is in the oven and I'm also preparing dinner. Do you mind if we invite my mother and Alexis over to eat with us?"
"Of course. They will get a chance to see where I live."
"Thank you." He shut up as he gave her a kiss. "Gosh, you're so warm."
"Yoga does that …" She smiled, "This smells awesome. Like a home."
"Of course. We make a home, Kate."
"Let me help," she washed her hands and returned, snatching the tea towel from Castle's shoulder to dry her hands. "What can I do?"
"Start chopping." He passed her a knife and cutting board.
With the chopping underway she asked, "How was the conversation about us with Lanie?"
"Very funny is what it was." He smirked, "Tell her the truth and make it a joke."
"Mm." She bit her lip, "I told her I thought I saw Espo this morning when I had breakfast with my Dad-"
"And?"
"She didn't know why he would be there."
"The woman he was with?"
"Nope. Nothing."
They momentarily fell silent. Rick wiped his hands, stepped to Kate and wrapped his arms around her, which caused her to let the knife down on the board. "You think we got away with it?" He asked drawing her body to his. She leaned against him loving his affection.
"We might have dodged a bullet," she replied, "Like Lanie didn't ask about us anymore, and we did class and I left her after that to run home," she smiled, turned her head and pressed lips playfully to his cheek, "To be with you, Castle."
"We know how to say the right things, don't we," he commented.
"Mm. Thank you for making my day enjoyable."
"You're welcome. Now get cutting."
Beckett woke in her bed alone for the first day in a few mornings. She lay a while, not quite ready to get up but too conscious to fall back to sleep. No Castle to prod awake, to fend off, to make her coffee. Yesterday, after a very late evening of playing games with Castle's family, she and Castle had slept in until almost midday Sunday. They had then gone to a matinee movie. After a bite to eat, they had parted company and she had returned home by herself. He went home to spend time with Alexis. The team was on call that morning, three days off already gone and almost forgotten.
Awake only a few minutes, her work phone started to ring with Ryan's ring tone. She sighed. Unfortunately, someone had been found murdered. It was time to get up. She dialed Rick's cell phone to let him know but there was a murder but after six or so rings the call went to voice mail.
Forty minutes later, while on her way to the murder scene at a top end hotel, Kate called Castle a few more times but he didn't pick up. She hung up a final time on her way down the hall towards Esposito and Ryan who waited. They led her into a hotel room. By the end of the bed spilt backwards out of a wardrobe to the carpet was a deceased woman. The body was awkwardly positioned.
Esposito quietly spoke as he updated Beckett, "Victim is Sophie Ronson, thirty five. She's in from LA for the wedding."
Kate looked about them around the hotel room noting not much was out of place beside the usual, and that the dress the deceased wore was expensive.
She asked, "Was she a guest?"
Esposito said, "Mm-mmm. A bridesmaid. The bride came looking when Miss Ronson didn't show up for her hair and makeup. Found her stuffed in that armoire." He pointed at the piece of furniture.
Beckett momentarily scanned the armoire with its door open, the deceased's feet close inside it. She leaned over to speak to Lanie who was knelt on the carpet, preparing the body for removal. "Hey Lanie. What do you see?"
"Preliminary cause is asphyxiation. And from the way her windpipe is crushed, I'd say the killer choked her from behind. We've got contusions on her throat, one of her earrings is missing. It looks like it was yanked from her lobe." She pointed at the bloodied ear lobe.
Esposito added, "We searched the room. The earring is not here."
"Get CSU to print out a picture of the earring so that uniforms can start searching the hotel," Beckett said to Esposito who gave a nod.
"Yeah, will do."
Beckett returned her attention to Lanie, "Time of death?"
"Based on temperature and lividity, I'd say between 3 and 5 am this morning."
Beckett said, "Thanks you, Lanie."
"Mm-hmm."
Beckett walked with Ryan and Esposito into the hallway. She asked the boys to have a chat with hotel security, to obtain their surveillance tapes, records of key cards and, a list of all registered hotel guests.
With that sorted she asked, "And where are the bride and groom?"
Ryan pointed down the hall, "Bridal suite at the end of the hall. Uh, Greg and Kyra."
"Okay," Beckett said, "Have uniforms assemble the wedding guests in the bar to be interviewed to see if it's one of them we should be arresting"
"Sure," Ryan furrowed his brow, "Where's Castle? You two have been connected at the hips lately." He stopped short of telling her that he and his new girlfriend Jenny, had seen Beckett and Castle at the movies a couple of evenings after Christmas Day. They had seemed quite cozy which had created much speculation between himself and Jenny."
Beckett said, "I don't know. I figured the death of a bridesmaid would be right up his alley but he's not picking up my calls."
Ryan laughed, "Heard 'wedding' and probably got cold feet."
"Oh, I don't know Ryan, Castle seems quite the domestic type." Beckett replied.
"He might also be good at domesticating," Ryan retorted.
Kate paused, knotted her brow in thought. She could have sworn there was subtext in Kevin's comment. There was an urge to ask if he thought that Rick was working at domesticating her. After all, Rick was a man who wasn't afraid of commitment and in fact, he made her feel confident that she was one half of a secure relationship
"Domesticating," she repeated.
"Getting women into relationships …"
"I thought he messed them up," she replied when in fact she was the one who was more likely to fuck things up. It was after all known by most of her friends that she only dated for a while before she would break up. This one she wanted to remain in.
"Don't bet money on it, Ryan." She replied as she walked away.
"I'm pretty sure, Kate." He called after her.
During the time Beckett interviewed the bridal pair, Greg and Kyra, her mind used a lot of the time and energy wondering why Rick hadn't called her back or shown up. She also noted to herself she wasn't particularly happy she fretted about is lack of response.
Beckett asked, "When was the last time that you saw Sophie?"
The bride to be immediately answered, "At the rehearsal dinner last night." She glanced between Greg and the detective, "I don't even think I talked to her. She came all this way for us, and I don't think I even said hello."
"It's not your fault, Kyra. It was a crazy day," Greg comforted.
"Did you talk to her after I went up to bed?"
"No. You know how Uncle Teddy is. He wouldn't let me leave without doing tequila shots. I escaped up to my room around one. I'm not sure if Sophie was still at the bar." Greg replied.
Beckett said, "The two of you weren't in the same room last night?"
"No," Krya replied.
Greg added. "It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding."
Kate pushed herself to focus, thought about questions to ask as she glanced about the bridal suite the bride and groom were in. It was quite plush but some of the hotel rooms Rick had taken her to during the time they had been dating were far nicer.
She asked, "Is there anything else you can tell me about Sophie? Like, was she in a relationship? Did she have any enemies?" Her phone vibrated with an incoming text.
"I don't know. She lived in LA and we were never super close," Kyra answered.
"Sophie introduced us. She's the reason we're together." Greg added, giving Kyra a moment of comfort with a smile and squeeze to her shoulder.
Kyra nodded, "So, when we were planning the wedding, we thought she should be there. But the engagement party was the first time we'd seen her in a couple of years. And now she's dead. Who would do something like this?"
Beckett said, "That's what we're here to find out." She checked her phone. Rick hadn't tried to call her back so she assumed he'd got busy writing. "We'll continue interviews. Best to remain in the hotel room with your guests."
Once the man at the hotel security desk handed Esposito some papers they'd been waiting around for, he and Ryan commenced to make their way to the lift well to meet up with Beckett who was in the bridal suite on level 6. While they waited for an elevator Esposito scanned the paper work.
"Did he give you the staff security papers?" Ryan asked as they walked.
"Yeah." Espo replied, "He mentioned they do background checks on all their employees. He seemed pretty sure there wasn't a killer amongst them, but he gave me the list. He's also pulling surveillance tapes. Good news is the elevators are all wired. Bad news is the stairwells and hallways aren't." He waved at the elevator that tinged and lit up.
The door opened on it and Castle stepped out of the elevator. He looked from right to left and smiled when he recognized his friends.
Ryan smiled, "Oh, look who it is."
Esposito greeted, "We were about to send out a search party, Castle. Where you been?"
"I got a little tied up with work." Rick replied as he glanced about in search of Beckett, "Which way to the crime scene?"
"Sixth floor."
"Thank you."
Esposito smiled, "Mm-hmm." He watched Castle turn about and walk back to the elevators, "Hey, bro. Is that duct tape on your pants?"
Castle bent around and lifted his foot up where he saw a piece of duct tape stuck to his jeans. "Hmm. Yes. Yes, it is." He ripped it off and threw it in a nearby trash can then hurried back into the elevator.
A minute or so later Castle, Ryan, and Esposito exited the elevator on the 6th floor. Ryan kind of led the way. Rick was busy playing catch up and Esposito was scanning the police checks as they walked.
Castle said, "So, bridesmaid, huh? What happened? Wouldn't get caught dead in that dress?"
"They're actually not that bad." Ryan replied, "A subtle mauve chiffon."
Esposito ceased to read, "Dude, really? Mauve?"
"What? I have sisters. You should have seen their dresses." He pulled a look of disgust, "Hideous."
"Ah, bridesmaid dresses are supposed to be hideous." Castle commented, smiling when he saw who they were approaching.
Esposito said, "Really? Why?"
Beckett replied, "So that the bride looks more beautiful in comparison." She cautiously glanced at Castle.
Castle said, "Ah, see? Not a woman alive who doesn't think about her wedding day, not even Kate Beckett." He scanned her from head to toe, longing to say how pretty she looked that morning. They hadn't seen each other a couple of days and he'd missed her. He so wanted to say it, but instead he faced her and said, "Tell me you never tore a picture of a wedding gown out of a magazine."
Beckett stared right back as she affirmed, "I've never torn a picture of a wedding gown out of a magazine."
Castle who had carefully observed Beckett, pointed a finger at her, "You're lying." He glanced to Ryan, "She's lying." He reinforced then followed Beckett who continued on through a doorway.
Ryan smirked, shrugged his shoulders, "Mm-hmm."
They entered the bridal suite. Castle soon sighted the back of the bride with her bridesmaids standing close by.
Castle leaned towards Ryan and mumbled, "So, who's the unlucky bride?"
"Uh, her name is..."
Castle saw the woman turn and immediately recognized her, "Kyra?"
The woman immediately turned about to find the man who had spoken. It was the woman he knew. "Rick?" She said, "Rick Castle?"
Beckett glanced between the bride and her boyfriend. "You two know each other?"
Castle sobered realizing where he was, who he was with. "That would be an understatement."
Rick and Kyra stepped away from their respective groups after they greeted each other with a polite hug. Kate watched on, not sure what had just happened. She wanted to know how Rick knew the woman, and at the same time, she understood by the way they had looked each other they had history.
"I read somewhere that you were working with the police, but I- I never would've expected to... How long has it been?"
Castle replied, "Too long."
"You look exactly the same," Kyra remarked.
Castle smiled and commented, "And you've improved."
She smiled warmly, "You always did know how to turn a phrase." She paused. "This is so surreal. It's my wedding day and you show up."
Beckett hesitantly interrupted, "Excuse me, Castle, Lanie's got something for us."
Castle said without looking away from Kyra, "I'll catch up."
Beckett pressed her lips again, "Hmm. Okay." She stepped away and quietly headed out of the bridal suite back to the room in which the deceased woman had been discovered.
On the way down, she tried not to think about how well Rick knew the bride. Not that it mattered. The woman was in town to be married to the love of her life. But it still managed to bother Kate that Rick had stayed with Kyra to catch up with her. Alone, she walked in to the hotel room to find Lanie still working on the body.
Beckett asked, "What'd you find?"
"Once I turned her over, I saw these abrasions across her upper back." Lanie pointed at the wounds, "They were definitely made before she died, probably during the struggle."
"Any idea what made them?"
"No, but there's an odd shape to the wounds. I'll have a better idea once I get her back to the lab."
"Okay."
"So, how's everything going in the bridal suite? Not the day they had planned."
"Yeah, or the surprise guest." Kate paused, thought about what she was about to say and then just said, "Apparently, Castle has a history with the bride." She bit her lip.
"Ancient, modern, or sexual?" Lanie asked suddenly interested.
"Seems like all of the above," Beckett answered.
Concerned, Lanie inquired, "You okay with that?"
"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"
Lanie gave her a look. "I've seen how you look at Castle, Kate."
Beckett frowned, "Just keep me posted on the labs."
"Mmm-hmm." She replied, "You know where I am if you need to talk."
"I won't need to," Kate responded, "I will talk to you later, Lanie."
She walked out the room and back to the elevator foyer all the time wondering about Castle and his relationship with the bride. It was what it was and given time, she was confident he would tell her about his past with Kyra. That didn't stop her feeling very uneasy. Castle was publicly known to be a playboy with the ladies, but privately she hadn't been witness to any misbehavior with women with the exception of herself. He was devoted to his family and committed to her more than any man she'd date. It didn't stop the insecurity she felt.