Shared Obsession Chapter 183

After a quick stop to drop their bags with the doorman at the loft, the car service deposits Beckett and Castle at the crime scene. The ME van is still out front, parked not far from Ryan and Esposito's unit.

Lanie looks up from the body on the bed. "You made it!

Castle regards the victim. "People always say they want to die in their sleep."

"Then this guy didn't get his wish," Lanie replies. "What you would hope for is a good clean shot. He wasn't so lucky. The bullet missed the heart. It would have taken him quite a while to die."

"Looks like he was reaching for the phone to call for help," Castle notes.

Kate points to something looking like a vase. "Until the doer took that to his head. He probably didn't want to risk the neighbors hearing a second shot, so he grabbed the nearest thing and finished him off. There's blood spatter on the clock. It must have been knocked off the nightstand during the attack."

Castle checks the frozen numerals. "Ten thirty-four. At least we have timing for the assault."

"I don't see any signs of forced entry," Kate says, pointing to the window. "He probably left this open so he could get a breath of fresh air."

"Or the New York City equivalent," Castle comments. "I didn't see any security cameras on our way in. Did the guys say if there were any?"

"There weren't," Ryan reports, notebook in hand as he enters the bedroom. "The cleaning lady found him this morning. She said that usually, Wilder would have left for work by the time she got here."

"Wilder? Damien Wilder?" Castle inquires.

"Yeah, you know him?" Ryan asks.

"I know of him. I saw his ad campaign for a shaving cream that heats up when it comes out of the can. I was going to order some when Alexis read me the riot act. Apparently, the animal rights folks found out Wilder's people are using animal testing on their products, and are up in arms about it. That's one of Alexis's causes. She jumped on the bandwagon after she took care of her boyfriend's pet rat."

Lanie wrinkles her nose. "Ugh! I'd think twice about any guy who wants to hang around with rats."

"Actually, the little guy was kind of cute," Castle says. "But anyway, my daughter forbade me to purchase any Wilder products. Too bad. Shaving cream that gets hot sounds pretty cool. Ooh, bad choice of words."

"But it does sound nice," Ryan agrees. "And I'm always looking for a better shave. Jenny likes smooth cheeks."

"I assume we're still talking about your face," Castle teases.

Esposito strides in from the next room. "He better be."

"If you're finished discussing male grooming," Kate interrupts, "maybe you guys can check in with the neighbors, see if they saw anything."

"Yeah, I'm all over it," Ryan responds.

"On it," Esposito agrees.

"Come on, Castle," Kate urges, "let's see what the killer left behind."

Castle points to "MURDERDE" on the mirror in what looks like blood. "For one thing, bad spelling – unless the killer was French."

Kate leads the way to smashed-in glass-fronted showcases. "Something was stolen from these."

Castle's eyes flick over the destruction. "Beckett, look at the touchpad. That's a humidity control."

"Well, whoever took what was in there passed up the plasma TV and the Blu-ray player," Kate observes. "So it must have been pretty valuable."

Kate studies the writing on the mirror. "What I don't get is why a thief would take time to write a message with our vic's blood."

"Especially that message," Castle agrees. "I mean, we know it's murder. The dead body's kind of a giveaway."

"Hey!" Ryan calls from the doorway, "we're still canvassing, but I thought you'd want to hear this. A neighbor said she was on her treadmill last night listening to music."

"So she didn't hear the shot," Beckett assumes.

"No, but she did open her back door to let her cat in and she saw someone hopping over the fence on their way out of Wilder's yard."

"You get a description?" Castle asks.

"Yeah, a foot disappearing fast over the fence."

"Did you get a time?" Beckett queries.

"Ten-fifty-two on the button. It was still on her alarm box. She forgot she set it when she opened the door."

"All right. Have CSU sweep for prints and fibers and make sure they get the yard as well."

Ryan tucks his notebook into his shirt pocket. "You got it!"

"Beckett, if we're done here, I need to go back to the loft and check in with Alexis," Castle says. "Marlowe Prep has a teacher's in-service today, so she's home. And she said she was going to look over my latest chapter so I have something to calm Gina's ire at having to reschedule my reading. Are you going to the 12th?"

"Yeah, I can catch a ride with some unis. See you later?"

"I'll bring lunch."

Castle retrieves the luggage from the ever-efficient Eduardo and sticks it in the bedroom. After starting a pot of coffee, he joins Alexis at the table where she's finishing up her evaluation of his work. "So, what do you think?"

"I loved the part about Nikki and Rook on the aircraft carrier. Awesome. I do have a note, though. This new character, the robbery detective, Schlemming. It's like he came out of nowhere. And he seems like kind of a doofus."

"Yeah, well, I can't argue with that."

"I think you should lose him."

"Yeah, you're right. No reason to put a version of every ass… jerk, who shows up at the 12th in a book. The great thing about fiction is I can ditch any character I want to. Too bad NYPD politics aren't that simple. Thanks for your help, Sweetie, I do need to get this to Gina ASAP. The last time I talked to her, I could almost smell the smoke coming out of her ears."

"I know how you can put out the fire," Alexis offers.

"Besides doing the book reading she wants?"

"Yeah. Gram said she ran into Gina while she was shopping for a new dress for going to a play with Chet."

"The close proximity of Gina's name and the word 'shopping' sends chills down my financial spine."

"Well, this might warm you up – and chill her out. Gina apparently has her eyes on a particular Hermes scarf. Gram said it's a little dull for her taste, but she can tell you all about it."

Castle plants a kiss on the top of Alexis' head. "I will call your Gram right now."

"No need, Richard," Martha announces, sweeping through the door.

"Gram, I was just telling Dad about the scarf Gina likes."

"Oh yes, the Robe Legere. No panache at all. Personally, I prefer the La Reale. But fortunately for you, if this is a bribe, her choice is not the most expensive of the line."

"Thank God for small favors. What are you doing here, anyway, Mother? I thought you had a yoga class this morning.

"It was canceled. I'm just picking up the dress I bought for going to the theater with Chet tonight."

"What are you seeing?" Alexis asks.

"New Petrofsky play, the Edge of Awakening."

"Didn't you audition for that?" Castle questions.

"Uh-huh, yes. And that wonderful actor Madge Vance got the part, the way she usually does."

"Well, she's not even your friend. It's nice that you go and support her," Castle offers.

"I know. And I have to go soon because it's closing. The critics are saying," she lowers her voice to a husky whisper, "it's a train wreck."

Castle nods. "Aha! There's the Martha Rodgers I know. But Beckett is already hard at work on a case. If I don't bring her some lunch, I may have a train wreck of my own."

Martha waves him away. "Of course, Richard. By all means, go!"

"But don't forget to write out Schlemming," Alexis reminds him.

"Nothing I'd like better."