Shared Obsession Chapter 81

Will Sorenson grins as Beckett stands in the doorway of his cubicle. "Well, this is a nice surprise."

Kate hands him a bag from Catalano's. "Yeah, well hopefully this is a nice surprise as well."

Sorenson peers into the bag. "Sprinkles. Am I really that predictable?"

Kate swallows her immediate thought. Compared to Castle, Sorenson is predictable as hell, not to mention boring. But needing his help, she fixes her face in a smile. "Well, maybe I know you too well. We did date once."

"Being together for six months is not just dating, Kate." He breaks a doughnut and hands her half.

Kate shakes her head. "They're all for you. I'm not into sprinkles anymore."

The grin fades from Sorenson's face. "Right. So is this the part where you ask me to bend the rules to help you on your case?"

"Am I that predictable?" Kate asks, maintaining her smile.

"Maybe I know you too well," Sorenson responds. "So what do you need?"

"I need to talk to Jimmy Moran."

Crumbs fall on Sorenson's pristine tie as his mouth falls open. "Jimmy Moran the mobster?"

"Yeah."

"What makes you think I can help you with that?"

"The FBI and the U.S. Attorney have him in witness protection."

Will's eyes narrow. "And you know this how?"

"Word on the street."

"That must be a pretty loud street," Sorenson replies. "One occupied by a particular writer known to use unsavory sources?"

"As if you feds don't," Kate retorts. "Why do you think Jimmy Moran is in WITSEC? He's your source, and about as unsavory as you can get."

"Even if that's true," Sorenson replies, "I don't work organized crime cases."

"Right. You wait for writers with unsavory sources to come up with the clues you need to solve nice white-collar kidnappings."

"That's low, Kate."

"Low or not, I read your report. You and your team took credit for solving a case you never could have broken without Castle's insights – and mine. So it's time to give a little back, Will. You and I both know how this works. You reach out to the agent in charge. He takes it to the U.S. Attorney running the case, and then I get to talk to Jimmy Moran."

"As you pointed out, I like getting credit for solving cases. So what do I get out of it, Kate?"

"Look at it this way. The Spolanos know that Jimmy is cooperating with the government. We know that they want him dead because they murdered the surgeon you feds hired to change his face. You guys put the doctor in harm's way. So now, I'm trying to give his family and fiancée some closure – and cleaning up your mess. You can at least hand me the mop."


Castle studies the bookshelf of Steven King novels in his office. They're rife with what's most terrifying to teenagers. The poor fellow taken over by Christine even has a bad case of acne – enough to drive many teens into a tailspin. There's the creepy clown and of course blood, lots of blood. He digs into the box he usually only opens for Halloween and grabs his supply of sticky red liquid. He could dab just enough of it in the right places, and Owen will answer anything he asks.

Alexis sticks her head in the doorway. "Dad, what are you doing?"

Castle drops the fake blood back into the box. "Just visualizing a scene. You know how I like to do that. And shouldn't you be upstairs getting ready?"

"Gram is going to help me with my hair and makeup. She's making one of her youthenizing smoothies and said to come to get her. And she thinks you're going to try to interrogate Owen."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you love me and want to protect me. But Dad, you have to let go a little."

"That goes both ways, Alexis. I can't have you look at Beckett like she just emerged from hell because you think you're protecting me. I'll make you a trade. I will be polite and welcoming to your Owen if you'll stop sending killer stares at Beckett. Deal?"

"Deal."


At a tentative knock, Alexis shyly opens the loft's door. "Hi."

"Hi," A young man awkwardly holding flowers returns. "You look really nice."

"You do too."

Owen extends the flowers. "These are for you. They go on your wrist."

As Alexis slips on the corsage, Martha nudges Castle. "Get the camera!"

Castle grabs his video camera from a nearby table. "Find the lens, Baby."

Alexis sighs. "Dad…."

"Just pretend I'm not here," Castle urges.

"Dad, Gram, this is Owen," Alexis unnecessarily explains.

The boy's head bobs in acknowledgment. "Hi."

Martha smiles her welcome. "Delighted."

"Hi, a pleasure," Castle responds trying his best to mean it.

"Um, my dad has the car downstairs," Owen says.

Something more genuine suddenly flows into Castle's smile. Owen may be a junior, but like Alexis, he's still only fifteen, too young for a driver's license. Castle's got time before he has to worry about a hanky-panky-mobile. "Then you don't want to keep him waiting. Have a good time."

"Bye. Enjoy yourselves," Martha adds.

After the door closes behind Alexis, Castle continues to gaze at it. "My little girl's growing up."

Martha lays her head on his shoulder. "Your daughter, my granddaughter. I need a drink."

"Your youthenizing smoothie?"

"With some vodka in it."

Kate's ringtone blasts from Castle's pocket. "Listen. Sorenson's on board. He pulled some strings and got someone at the U.S. Attorney's office to cave."

"They're going to let you question Moran?" Castle asks.

"Yeah. But we gotta be there in an hour. Are you in?"

Castle had planned to try to distract himself during Alexis's momentous outing with a Star Trek marathon, but knows he'd end up pacing a track in the floor. As distractions go, a meeting with a mobster beats that all to hell. "I'm in."


Castle regards hard walls and a concrete floor. "A parking garage? Seriously?"

"What?" Kate asks.

"Isn't it a bit cliché?"

Kate shrugs. "Yeah, well no one said the feds are original."

"Next they'll be pulling up in a black Suburban with tinted windows," Castle quips. A black Suburban with tinted windows pulls up. "Oh, someone's been watching way too many Bruckheimer films." He and Kate exit her unit and approach the other vehicle.

"You get five minutes," Hard Candy warns.

"Thanks for your cooperation," Kate responds, sarcasm edging her voice.

"Want me to watch the monkey?" Sorenson offers, inclining his head at Castle.

"Castle stays with me," Kate replies.

Will shrugs. "Suit yourself."

Beckett and Castle climb into the Suburban to find a man in a black mask sitting in the back seat.

"Mr. Moran, I'm Detective Beckett. This is Richard Castle."

"Richard Castle, like the novelist?" Moran asks.

"Exactly like," Castle says.

Moran retreats slightly into his seat. "I thought you guys were cops."

"Castle's consulting on the case," Kate explains.

"Well look, I already told the feds everything I know. You want info on the Spolanos, ask them," Moran advises.

"Actually we're not here about the Spolanos. We're here about Dr. Leeds, the surgeon who operated on you. He was murdered by someone who smothered him with a plastic bag and duct tape. You know anyone who kills that way?" Kate queries.

Moran starts knocking wildly on the window. "Get me out of here!"

"Mr. Moran, who kills that way?" Kate presses.

"That was my M.O. Don't you get it?" Moran demands. "The Spolanos were sending a message to me. And if they could get the doc – I'm not testifying." He starts banging even more loudly. "Take me back, now!"


Castle checks his watch as he follows Kate into the bullpen. He probably has at least another hour before Alexis comes home and he figures he should face the music with Kate. Montgomery beckons them into his office. "Sir," Kate begins, "You probably got a call from the D.O.J. I know we made a real mess and…."

"This isn't about the Leeds case, Beckett," Montgomery interrupts. "I got a call from Forensic Accounting. They finished their traces on the other murders you two have been pursuing. They sent over a file."

Castle strides forward. "And what did they….?"

Montgomery's phone rings. "I understand," he says solemnly into the receiver. He looks up at Kate. "That was the F.B.I. "It's Sorenson. On the way back to the FBI safehouse with Moran, someone pulled up next to him and opened fire. He was in the back with the witness and they were both shot."

"I need to go to the hospital!" Kate declares.

"I can't go with you …. Alexis, she'll be coming home from her first big date and…." Castles stutters.

"Hey, I know, Castle. Take the file the forensic accountants sent. We'll talk later."