Kate Beckett, Investigator Chapter 9
Kate fumbles to turn off the alarm on her phone, then presses herself into the warmth of Castle's body. "I don't want to get up. When we finally did go to sleep last night, it was the best I've had in a long time. And with no Alexis getting ready for school and no early morning trips to the dock, we could enjoy just being here together."
Castle draws Kate close. "A truly appealing prospect. However, unfortunately, the Hall of Fame opens at nine a.m., which is exactly when the Lindens expect our little expedition to make entry. And we promised to meet them for breakfast at seven, to allow adequate time to do so."
Kate groans. "Why did we promise that?"
"Because if we didn't go along with the wishes of Ashley's beloved parents, Alexis would emulate an ice queen for at least the next month. And the heating bill for the loft is high enough already. But we could sneak back here later for a nap. Or maybe even sneak somewhere more interesting. Museums often have all kinds of intriguing nooks and crannies. Remember that Oriental rug exhibit at the Met?"
"Mmm, I do. But didn't you get a rug burn?"
"It was totally worth it. And who knows what interesting discoveries this day may bring? So, up and at 'em?"
Kate pushes back the covers. "Yeah. Sure."
"What are you staring at so intently?" Castle asks as Kate studies the exhibit on women in baseball."
"This is the story of Maria Pepe. She was the test case for the National Organization of Women when they went to the Supreme Court to keep girls from being banned from Little League. They won, but by then she was too old to play on her team."
"But she opened the door for a lot of other girls, didn't she?" Castle asks.
"She did. Still, the whole process is too damn slow. I mean, assuming that Dad can take Nesgadol to court, by the time we get through all the appeals, hundreds, maybe thousands of people could have their health compromised by what Nesgadol did. Or the next firefighters into one of their buildings might come off even worse than Chase Marwick did. At least he's still got a life."
"How about Waterhouse? Can't he move faster?"
"Maybe, but he may have to use some of what I turn up for Dad's civil suit for any criminal prosecution he brings. And getting all that together may still be a drawn-out process."
"The wheels of justice grind slowly, Kate. It took 12 years to put Bracken behind bars, and he was responsible for so many deaths besides your mother's."
"That's exactly it, Castle. There's got to be a way to speed things up."
"What you are saying sounds a lot like a superhero origin story. Bruce Wayne sees the official powers that be fail to nail his parents' killer, so he becomes Batman. When Dick Grayson's parents are killed, he joins the fray as Robin. Shall I have Mother's favorite seamstress run you up a costume? In the dark of night, ace detective Kate Beckett becomes – da, da – wait who do you become? The Toxic Avenger is already taken and you're way too good-looking. The Purple Peacemaker, Pee, pee, for short? Ugh! That's awful. But there must be something…."
"Castle!" Kate interrupts. "I'm serious."
"So was I. Finding the right moniker for a superhero is no laughing matter. But really, Kate, how do you propose to give the justice system a kick in the ass – or somewhere more sensitive?"
"I don't know. Maybe as acting as some kind of go-between or facilitator to get criminal charges brought based on evidence uncovered in civil cases."
"How are you going to do that?"
"Like I said, I don't know. I need to talk to my dad."
"Where is he?"
"He and George Linden went off together. I think they're checking out the baseball card exhibit. Dad's a collector and George is apparently interested in patterns of appreciation – how something that sold at five for a nickel, including a piece of gum, could be a million-dollar industry. And why some cards are worth so much and others practically nothing. I think George is looking for some formula that can be more widely applied to collectibles."
"Good luck to him on that. Comic book collectors, myself included, have been trying to figure out that collectors' conundrum for years. But as I recall, his obsessive precision in regard to schedules has us all meeting for lunch at Booper's Barn at 1:30 p.m., which according to his calculations is when the tables from the lunch rush start emptying out and we can be comfortably seated together. Maybe you can take your father aside then."
Still staring at the exhibit, Kate nods. "It's worth a shot."
"You and your Dad took quite a walk while the teens were digging into seconds of the 'American as Apple Pie' pie," Castle notes when he and Kate are finally back in their room for the night. "Was he able to share any wisdom about your idea?"
"He wasn't sure I could make a thing like that work. But he said if anyone could, it would be me."
"A truly fatherly thing to say but also most likely correct. But did he say anything about how you could accomplish your ambitious goal?"
"He said I'd have to be able to talk to Waterhouse and any other prosecutor in the terminology and case law that they would have to bring to court. That would mean…."
"Going to law school."
"But he thinks I'd be able to manage some investigative work while I do that, enough to keep tuned in on the nuts and bolts of putting together the kind of cases that would bridge the gulf. And I'll keep investigating while I prepare for the LSATs and apply to law school. So nothing's going to change for me that fast."
"Which lends a certain irony to your vision of moving things along more quickly. But Kate, how about what you said we'd discuss after you ditched Velma and settled more into your straight investigation gig? I'm no George Linden…."
"Thank God!" Kate mutters.
"But," Castle continues, "by my calculations, the time you spend preparing to go to law school and even the time you're there, if I do my share of the parenting, would provide a window of sorts – that is if you want to open it."
"Castle, even if we do view that time as an opportunity for us to make a child together, those things don't always happen on schedule."
"You're telling me? Meredith loves Alexis, but God knows she didn't plan on having a baby at that point in her career. Still, it worked out. We can try. I mean, if you want to, we can try. And you know I'll be there for you every step of the way."
"The process usually does take two, Castle," Kate teases.
"Although the thought is highly pleasurable, that's not what I meant. I'll be there, for you and for a child if we're lucky enough to have one – whatever it takes."
"I know you will, Castle. I'll need to get my implant removed. And then we'll see what happens."