Kate Beckett, Investigator Chapter 33

"The ping on your father's phone couldn't home in any closer than 1500 feet." Kap points upward. "But that puts him in this building somewhere. We checked the occupancy," he continues to Kate. "Only a few of the offices are leased."

"But in a place like this, they could be renting out month to month or even day to day," Kate points out.

"We can use infrared thermal imaging equipment to see where the people are," Kap says. "We have it in our van."

Castle claps him on the shoulder. "Good man!"

"It won't tell us who they are," Kap cautions.

"So how about calling Jim's phone when we approach an office," Castle suggests. "Whoever has him has been letting him use it. Perhaps we'll hear the ring."

"Not a bad idea," Kap acknowledges. "But there's no we, Rick. You're staying back. So is Kate. There's no way of knowing what kind of a hornets' nest we'll find. I'm not about to endanger my clients."

"Ex-cop, remember," Kate interjects. "I did hundreds of breaches. I know how to carry them out."

"And I was with her on a lot of them," Castle adds. "I know how to stay out of the range of fire."

"Look," Kap says. "I have the weapons, the equipment, and the people – all the stuff Kate had as a cop but doesn't have now. So if you insist on coming, you'll have to hang back – way back. And if you want to find Jim Beckett, preferably in one piece, we don't have time to argue about it."

"No, we don't," Kate accepts. "Go ahead."

"Someone is coming," Jim realizes as the sound of footsteps in the hall penetrates the room's thin walls. "My daughter and my son-in-law could have raised an army by now. And if I know Katie and Rick, they did. You'd better let me go out and talk to them before this gets ugly." Asi and Calen nod, and Dev unlocks the door. As Jim steps out slowly, his arms raised, his cell phone buzzes.

Kate rushes past Kap and his squad. "Dad! Are you are right?"

Jim embraces his daughter. "I'm OK, Katie. But we have a lot to talk about."

One of Kap's men checks his IR monitor. "There are still three people inside."

"Are they armed, Dad?" Kate asks.

"Not that I saw. And they didn't try to hurt me. They rescued me from someone in their circle who went over the edge. We've just been talking." Jim looks to Kap. "We all should go now. Please advise your people not to pursue this matter further."

Kap glances toward Kate, who points back the way they came. "Let's get out of here and get my Dad checked out."

"More coffee, Jim?" Castle asks as he joins Kate and her father in front of the fireplace at the loft.

"Just half," Jim advises. "Since we left the hospital, I've had enough for three lawyers – and that's a lot."

"I'm just glad you're really all right," Kate says. "Are you actually serious about helping the people who held you?"

The lines at the corners of Jim's eyes fan out as the corners of his mouth tug upward. "I have to be. Each of them gave me a dollar as a retainer. I'm their lawyer. But Katie, I may need your help in tracking down an attorney who knows how to navigate the immigration morass, especially one who'll work pro bono."

From her nearby highchair, Eleanor bangs on her tray. "Bo-bo!"

Castle grins at his daughter. "Close enough. Good thing for Deirdre that we didn't expect her to do her job that way. She had a much longer stretch today than she signed on for."

"She more than deserves every dime," Kate proclaims. "But about an immigration attorney, I should be able to get a lead off of Amal Mali, the professor who teaches immigration law," Kate figures. "I wasn't planning on taking her class, but now I think it may be a natural pairing with environmental law. It's the poor and others who can't fight back who get dumped on the most. Undocumented immigrants certainly fall into that category."

Jim chuckles. "I just got some very heartfelt and frustrated testimonials on that score. I'll make a few calls of my own tomorrow, and we'll see what we come up with. This may be the start of a new path for the Beckett Law Office."

"It may even overlap with Adley Rains' adventures," Castle considers.

"Don't get too excited, Babe," Kate warns. "Let's see how things go for – was it Dev, Asi, and Calen?"

"That's right," Jim confirms. "I'll have Callie start files for them first thing in the morning."

"What about Baz, the guy who cold-conked you?" Castle asks. "Are you going to press charges?"

"Even if I wanted to, I don't see how I could," Jim replies. "I can't identify him. I never got a look at him. And there's no chance that his friends will testify against him. The last thing they want is any interaction with the law – at least until there's a way to further plead their cases. But now that he tried to strike out, they will be keeping an eye on him."

"I suppose that's something," Castle says. "But if you don't feel like spending tonight alone in your apartment, you're welcome to stay. The guest room is all made up."

"After today, I'd rather go home," Jim decides. "I've got a lot to think about."

"I'll have one of Kap's guys take you and stand night watch in case Dev hasn't organized the eyes on Baz yet." Castle offers.

"And after being out the way you were, you should have someone around to check on you just in case," Kate adds.

Jim throws up his hands. "All right. I'll go along with one of Kap's guardian angels, but just for tonight."

Kate sighs. "Fine."

As Castle stretches out on the couch, Kate props herself against him. He gently strokes her hair. "I'm glad your dad will still be under watchful eyes. It's been quite a day. "

Kate's fingertip traces a pattern on a sofa cushion. "It has. And I can't help thinking what might have happened if Dev and his pals hadn't gone to get Dad out of that basement. I worked so hard to get the evidence against Nesgadol that I didn't even think about collateral damage like those men and their families."

"I didn't think about it either," Castle admits. "But from what your father told us, there wouldn't have been any collateral damage if our system wasn't so screwed up."

"Well, we'll see what we can do to fix it, at least a little part of it," Kate says, "starting tomorrow."

"Ready for bed?" Castle asks.

Kate rolls over to face him. "You might say that."

His eyebrows execute an enthusiastic wave. "Oh, I see. Shall I get the wine?"

Shaking her head, Kate pulls at the buttons on his shirt. "No, it might put me to sleep, and I want us both to be up for a while yet."

Castle shifts beneath her. "Just as well because I'm getting more up by the second. Shall we retreat to our wedded bower?"

Kate giggles. "You haven't called it that since Eleanor was born."

"Somehow, tonight, the nomenclature seems appropriate. So, shall we away?"

"Let's go."