Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC and the others who do own them.
A/N #1: It was great to get the feedback I got for the last chapter so I'll go ahead and get my thank yous started for that! TORONTOSUN (I was glad to see that you liked how everyone was getting involved in the case, I wanted that for this story so I'm glad you noticed it!) and
Mb (I was glad you thought the first half of the chapter was nicely done with setting up the investigation for the next day. And yeah, I figured with the case and the NTSB being involved there would be press since it does bring it to a federal level along with the victim's parents. I had to laugh at you saying that Alexis had 20 mother hens to keep an eye on her, but you're right and definitely right about them being loving too! Great to see you thought the first half was nicely done. You're welcome for the first half too! I was really glad you thought the second half of the chapter was nicely done too! And I wasn't surprised you were mentioning how it went from focusing on Alexis to the new theory about the parts being stolen and tampered with, lol, went all over with that one. Yeah, that spirit was the victim at the school trying to talk to Julia, and at the house Skye couldn't talk to her since there's the babies and Alexis. I wasn't surprised either that you mentioned when they were detoured as you put it from going to the station by the plane taking off that one of the fathers of the victims owned. I did laugh a little at your reaction to the plane losing altitude and stalling with their suspect at the moment being in that plane, I wanted it to be gripping so I'm glad I got that! You're welcome for the second half of the chapter!).
Thanks for the reviews, I loved reading them and am grateful for the time taken to write them out and send them my way!
A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Dead Man's Party written by Danny Elfman, from the Oingo Boingo album the same name as the song.
Leave Your Body At The Door
"I want to ask her."
"I wouldn't do it," Beckett told her husband though her eyes were on where Skye was standing with Nkosi. She then turned to Castle and said, "Stop."
"Stop… oh," Castle said before he realized she was talking about him pacing in front of her. "Sorry, I was trying to figure this out." Seeing she didn't react to that he moved to lean against the trunk of their car and asked, "You're not?"
"Not until Thayer gives us a time of death," Beckett said. Her husband frowned slightly and was about to speak before she quickly told him, "And we find out if he was a pilot in any way." Seeing he was wincing a little she told him, "I realize he still could have flown it."
"Maybe he was committing suicide," Castle said after a brief pause when she'd finished speaking.
"I thought that too," Beckett replied, nodding. "And it would let us all go back home."
"And maybe finish their investigations," Castle said, watching Skye and Nkosi again while they were talking. He turned to his right and said, "He told you?"
"I'd like to talk to all of you," Brad said, nodding towards the investigators. He then looked around and asked with a frown, "Where's Darnley?"
"Here, sorry I was talking with the Kanes," the carpenter said. "They've been clients."
"Are they okay?" Beckett asked him.
"They are," Darnley said. "Perturbed by the windows but I pointed out to them it would be good to replace them." At the blank looks he was getting he quickly explained telling them, "They're older windows which is why they shattered."
"In case this happens again?" Castle couldn't help saying. He coughed slightly when his wife touched his arm and then said, "But they'll be covered right?"
"I think so, they went to talk to their insurance," Darnley said.
Beckett was a little surprised at how fast her friend was speaking before she looked back to the investigators to find they were making their way over to them. "Is this your investigation?" she asked.
"Trevor's," Skye said. "Though I'm a co-IIC again."
"And it's only partially our investigation," Nkosi said, looking at the chief.
"I got the call while I was waiting for Thayer," Brad said, inclining his head once. "And the FBI is going to join us. Agent Aspinall."
"Aspinall?" Castle and Beckett said at the same time.
"Not related to the Beatles manager," Skye said quickly. "He's the one looking into the illegality of these parts."
"So it's better he's here now?" Castle asked.
"Yes, which would help us," Skye said. "Now what about Kipling?"
"Are you sure you're okay?" Brad asked her immediately.
"I think that's a yes," Nkosi said when his co-investigator's response was to give the chief a look. He was about to urge Brad to tell them what the ME had said before the chief was sighing and speaking obviously reluctantly.
"Okay, he says he needs to test but he gets the feeling Kipling was dosed with the same thing our first four vics were," Brad began with. "And he's placing time of death between eight and eleven last night."
"Last night?" the others said at the same time.
"Yeah, so that APB really wasn't prudent," Brad said, making a face.
"I mean… it could have been controlled remotely," Skye said when the chief turned to look at her and Nkosi.
"Likely was," the investigator said with a nod. Glancing at the field when the sound of the water stopped, Nkosi said, "Which we should be able to check now… I hope."
"I'll go with you," Brad said. He paused and then asked, "You don't need to wait for the agent, do you?"
"No, we'd lose precious time," Skye said.
"Are you in contact with him?" Beckett asked.
"Of course, I sent him a text and he's fine with us starting since we're here, but we'll have to transport the wreckage," Skye answered.
Since his co-investigator was looking pointedly at him Nkosi said, "I can make some calls."
"Are we staying here?" Castle then asked.
"That would be appreciated," Skye said.
Watching the three leave, Darnley said, "I feel so left out."
"At least they'll be able to get pictures," Castle said since the forensics team had arrived. He turned to his wife and said, "I forgot to ask if you can do those maneuvers remotely."
"Unless someone saw a second person parachute out then I would say yeah," Darnley commented. He saw the way Castle was looking at him and said, "Oh, that wasn't directed at me."
Shaking her head, Beckett then said, "I have to agree with him."
"And it's a smaller plane," Castle said. He thought of something suddenly and turned before he said, "Do they have a camera?"
Turning at the same time Beckett had, Darnley said, "Yeah, they do… let me go talk to them again."
"What if they're on the phone?" Castle called to him before he was looking at his wife when she touched his arm.
"He'll take care of it," Beckett replied. "I want you to do something though."
"Okay," Castle said in slight surprise.
"Look at social media and see if there's anything at the Report," Beckett said.
"The Report or about this?" Castle asked her.
"Either," Beckett said with a shrug, watching him getting his phone out of his pocket.
"Okay, there's nothing about this yet," Castle said after he'd been looking for a little. "Just some comments about the Report being… well messing up again. They're saying they can't hire a person without a background for anything."
"Anything?" Beckett asked, glancing at him from where she was watching the field.
"The s word, did you want me to curse?" Castle asked. He wasn't surprised when she shrugged and said, "You're okay."
"I'm more worried about her," Beckett said.
"Did she tell you what she'd seen?" Castle asked since Beckett had stayed with the investigator on her own while Skye was resting in the back of their car at his wife's insistence.
"She didn't see," Beckett replied. "He tried to jump her." She wasn't surprised when he was looking at her in surprise before he was speaking in concern.
"Then why is she still walking around?" Castle asked.
"Because she's fine," Beckett said. When she saw he was putting away his phone she asked, "Nothing?"
"No, I can look later," Castle said before he turned around to look at the house. "What about the airport?"
"Skye and Trevor might have to take care of that," Beckett said. "Or the agent."
"Or him," Castle said, nodding in agreement. He then leaned against the car with her again and said, "Did you text Julia at all?"
"I want to, but I can't," Beckett replied, not surprised her husband was looking at his watch. "And I'll ask Skye."
"If we get the chance," Castle said, glancing behind them at the house to see where Darnley was.
"Okay, they're going to send Brad the footage," the carpenter said since he'd been walking up to them. He paused and said, "I have no idea how Skye should get it."
"I think that's alright," Beckett said, having turned around when she heard him.
"I hope so," Darnley said before he looked past the two. "Are we supposed to just stand here?" he asked them.
"For right now," Beckett said.
"I can go to the edge of the field, ask if we should go to the station or… brunch," Castle said, shrugging.
"Brunch," Darnley couldn't help saying laughingly.
"You mean lunch but wait to see if he doesn't want us to go to the Report," Beckett told him when her husband pushed himself away from the car. When he stopped and turned to her, she said, "You don't think we could?"
"No, I forgot about it," Castle said. He then glanced at the field and asked, "Do you think we should? They've probably heard about it by now."
"Should I get Brad?" Darnley asked, watching them.
"If you want to," Castle said. When they were alone, he said, "I figured he'd-"
"Tell Brad about the camera," Beckett said with him then. She then smiled briefly before she said, "I'm surprised you're not theorizing by now."
"I think it's obvious," Castle said. "A secret collection of bi-plane pilots are trying to eliminate modern jets." He wasn't surprised when his wife rolled his eyes before he heard a groan and looked with her to find it was Skye before the investigator was speaking.
"That's terrible, you're lucky Trevor can't hear you," Skye told him.
"What is it?" Castle and Beckett asked her immediately.
"Nothing," Skye said, frowning. "Well, Brad told me-"
"Bull," Beckett interrupted. "You need to sit," she said.
"She's right, you're incredibly pale," Castle said, not surprised when the investigator was shifting slightly. "So Kipling did jump you?" he stated when he suddenly remembered.
"Yes," Skye said with a sigh. "I had no chance to prepare for it." When Beckett took her arm she groaned and said, "Don't tell Mary."
"Are you heading back home?" Beckett said.
"No," Skye told her firmly though she was allowing her friend to help her sit in the backseat. After she was set, facing the others to talk to them she said, "But Trevor noticed what you did."
"Where do you need to go?" Castle asked.
"The station," Brad said, he, Nkosi and Darnley walking up to them.
"She's going to look at all the footage…" Nkosi started to say before he trailed off.
"I can do that," Skye said in obvious annoyance. "But at least I found the most important thing," she added.
"The added avionics?" Castle asked. "A guess," he said to the others when they turned to him.
"Right, but it's a clue at least," Skye said.
"Pictures are being taken and I'll guard that," Nkosi assured his co-investigator.
Watching Skye cover her face with her hands, Beckett said to him, "When will you be moving the wreckage?"
"Not for a while," Nkosi said.
"The rest of the team needs to get here," Skye said before she was looking at her watch. "Forty minutes?" she asked.
"About that, they're from the city and surrounding," Nkosi explained to the others. "I asked for them for that reason specifically." He then turned back to Skye and knelt next to her saying, "I know you want to help but you've found the black box and the suspect avionics that controlled everything. I want you to see what this camera got and the other footage we have alright?"
"I'm going," Skye said. "I have to, Mary wouldn't let me work on the case again."
Nodding Nkosi said, "I'm telling her how much I insisted."
Laughing briefly, Skye shared a short embrace with him and told him, "I'll tell her, but if I find anything I'll let you know."
"I'll call you," Nkosi replied.
"Are we going too?" Castle asked the chief.
"We are," Beckett said, looking pointedly at Skye when the investigator was turning to her.
"I would prefer if you did," Brad said. "But I'm going to ask if you'll watch the footage with her and let Darnley stay."
"Why are we deciding for him?" Beckett asked.
"Yeah, I can do that myself," Darnley himself said.
"Okay, if we're not back at about twelve I would go to lunch," Brad said.
"Unless I need to go to the airfield," Skye said swiftly.
"Ask one of my officers… no?" Brad started to say before he was asking the question in surprise at the writers' looks.
"We'd like to join you," Beckett said.
"Okay," Brad said simply. "Though I don't know if we'll be there too."
"You will," Skye and Nkosi said at the same time.
"Then we're all set," Brad said.
After they'd said goodbye to the others, Castle and Beckett entered the car while Skye was closing the back door. She turned to put her seatbelt when she paused and said, "Really?"
"Really," Beckett replied, sitting in the back with her.
Sighing Skye said, "I guess Mary would have insisted if she knew," startled when Castle commented from the front while he was driving away from the wreckage.
"I would suggest you tell her," he told the investigator. "Since she's going to guess something happened. She got a feeling that something did earlier, didn't she?"
"She usually does," Skye said. "And yes, I'll tell her."
Studying her friend Beckett said, "Are you feeling any better?" When the investigator shrugged, she said sternly, "Rosie."
"Okay, okay," Skye said instantly, holding up her hands. "I'm better now that I'm sitting. I hope you'd make me a cup of tea while I start looking at the videos."
"Why don't you hold on before you start?" Castle suggested, aware his wife would want him to say that.
"I can't, the team is going to be here, and I'll have to join Trevor," Skye said though she made a face.
"And your investigations?" Beckett asked.
"I was just thinking that," Skye admitted. "And I'll see what the footage gives me." She glanced outside for a moment and then said, "And I should call and see if they've started the tests on the iron."
"We can look at the footage for you if you need us," Beckett told her.
"I might call first," Skye replied. "I wonder about lunch."
"You're hungry?" Castle asked, glancing at the rearview mirror though he could just see her.
"No, I want to see my wife," Skye replied. "But don't call your parents," she said swiftly. "I don't want to interrupt their plans. We could head back to the house, right?"
"She'd need to know," Beckett said. "She told us she was going to make something for the three of them."
Nodding, Skye then said, "I'll treat." Something came to her, and she asked them, "Were they supposed to go to the market?"
"They're going to on the way home," Castle said. "I texted my mom just when we were leaving earlier."
Seeing they were nearing the station Skye said, "I'll tell her now to expect us."
Once he'd parked, Castle turned to look at the investigator and said, "You're going to scare her."
"Not with the way I worded it," Skye replied simply before she was pocketing her phone. She got out of the car and turned to look at Beckett across the roof when the writer was getting her attention.
"You think that's honestly going to make her think everything's okay?" she asked.
"No, but I don't want her racing here," Skye said. She was about to speak when her phone rang and she said, "Better."
"I would head inside," Castle told her when the investigator was answering her phone. She merely waved at him, and he glanced at his wife before she was shrugging and taking his hand.
"I would just leave her," Beckett explained while they were walking together to the door leading in.
"Great, you can explain to Mary why Skye's freezing," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when his wife glanced at him over her shoulder and said, "I'll start the tea."
"Good idea," Beckett said, letting him go to open the door. After she was inside, she said, "I'll meet you in the breakroom." She had half expected her husband to comment on that, but when he merely nodded, she walked a little faster to Brad's office. Sitting behind the desk she quickly opened the computer and went to the chief's work e-mail where she saw the e-mails Skye needed were. She was just opening them when a whistle made her jump and look over the top of her screen.
"Look at you, breaking into a police chief's computer," Skye said jokingly.
"I'm guessing by that your phone call went alright?" Beckett responded.
"Sort of," Skye said, hesitating for a moment. "She heard about the plane crash and guessed somehow I was involved… why that word she wouldn't explain. But she just had a feeling something went wrong."
"Besides the plane crash?" Castle asked, entering with two mugs. He handed one to Skye and said to her, "That comes from all those years of marriage."
"Of course, but I managed to explain what happened and she ordered me to sit down," Skye said. "Thanks," she said after she had the mug in her hand.
"You better sit," Castle said. When the investigator gave her a look he went to the desk as quickly as he could before he told his wife, "Should we look into the murders?"
"We will," Beckett said, giving Skye a pointed glance while she stood up.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," the investigator said in mock annoyance before she walked around the desk. "I thought you two were going to watch with me?" she asked them.
"Did you want us to?" Beckett asked her in surprise.
"Up to you," Skye said simply before she was sitting at the desk.
"Feeling better?" Castle asked, watching her take a couple sips.
"I am," Skye replied with a nod though her gaze was on the computer. She then said, "He's okay with this?"
"Why wouldn't he be?" Beckett replied with her own question. She squeezed Skye's shoulder briefly before they were watching Castle leaving and telling them at the same time not to start without him. "We have to get the chairs anyway," she said wryly. "Oh and he forgot about the footage from the plant…"
"Forge, either one," Skye said. "Or plural since there are three I need to watch for sure." She opened the first video and said, "As soon as we finish this I want to go home."
"I don't blame you," Beckett said before they watched her husband entering the room again.
"Okay, go ahead and start," Castle said.
"I thought you needed chairs?" Skye asked in amusement, looking on while the writer was rushing to grab one.
"We do," Beckett said, moving around to get the other.
Once the pair were sitting on either side of her, Skye opened the first video and put it on full screen before playing. She leaned back, watching the footage before she said, "I'm going to have to fast forward."
"I was going to say," Castle said. "And this is everything this… plant has," he said, looking at the name of the company.
"It is, I thought smaller companies would make more sense," Skye replied, setting the video on fast forward. She glanced at the time in the corner every so often but wasn't surprised when there was no sign of anyone until the first shift at five in the morning.
"How many days are you looking at?" Beckett asked.
"Just one," Skye said. She wasn't surprised when the others were looking at her and said, "Looking at the metal this one day would be the most likely. But if we see nothing then we're going to have to widen that."
"How can you know that?" Castle asked.
"The iron, I had originally asked for a week's worth of footage," Skye said, opening the same night from another company. She pressed play before Beckett was speaking and turning her attention to her.
"Are you completely sure?" she asked.
"Completely? No, but I have to go by what I know of metal and what Trevor suggested," Skye answered before she began to fast forward the footage at its slowest speed.
Castle was going to ask about them needing more footage but stopped himself when he saw the expression on the investigator's face. He looked at the screen, right when a figure slipped out of the shadows and he said, "Is that it?"
"That is," Skye said, stopping and going back a little. She watched with the writers as the figure strode up to the shelves the camera was pointed at and dumped something from a box before they ran out. "I need to make a phone call," she said, reaching for Brad's phone.
"Is there anything you want us to do?" Castle asked. "Leave?"
"No, you're fine here," Skye said, dialing swiftly.
Listening to the investigator's end of the conversation, Beckett wasn't surprised when the woman on the end assured her that they'd seen the same footage and were getting the box out. After Skye had hung up, she said, "Okay?"
"Yeah, but I need to get that box," the investigator replied. Seeing Castle and Beckett exchanging a look Skye said, "Oh no, now what?"
"I think we're thinking the same thing," Castle said, glancing at his wife again.
"You might want to call Trevor," Beckett said.
"No," Skye told her firmly. "This is from my case, and I'll handle it myself." She then looked between the two and said, "I didn't tell you where this was did I?"
"No," Beckett said. "If it's in the city-"
"Calverton," Skye interrupted.
"Oh… well that's doable," Castle replied. "But what about Agent Aspinall?"
Looking at her watch Skye said, "Let me text him, if he could meet us there that would be great," before she got her phone out of her pocket and began texting. She glanced at the two briefly and said, "I hope I have no protests," before Beckett was responding.
"No, but you should tell Brad and Trevor," she told her.
"Of course," Skye said. She was about to speak when her phone rang and she said, "It's Aspinall, let me get this…"
"Anything?" Beckett asked her husband when they were alone in the office.
"Not really, though that answers my question of why a company here in New York would affect planes in three different states," Castle said. When his wife nodded, he then said, "Do you think we should let her go?"
"Are you going to try and stop her?" Beckett asked in obvious amusement. When her husband frowned at her, she squeezed his arm before she said, "I don't think I could to be honest. And I know you're thinking about Mary, but this case… these investigations-"
"She wants to wrap them up," Castle finished for her. When his wife nodded, he said, "It was a thought."
"Speaking of thoughts, you wanted to go home for lunch," Beckett said with a slight smile.
"And you didn't?" Castle asked. He wasn't surprised when his wife, appearing serious, opened her mouth to answer but was taken aback when Skye was speaking instead.
"We might have to change those plans," the investigator told the two. "Believe me I didn't want to, but I think we might be hung up at Riverbank."
"That's the company?" Beckett asked.
"It is," Skye replied. "And it's at an abandoned airfield."
"Have you been there before?" Castle said, he and his wife standing up.
"No, but I looked into it before," Skye said. "It was one of my possibilities for black market parts."
Seeing the grim expression on the woman's face Beckett said, "What's wrong?"
"It's my theory," Skye replied. "With this confirmation I think we can let go of them as possibly doing something illegal. The killer is the one doing that."
"Then do you still need the FBI?" Castle asked.
"I think so, I'll tell Aspinall after we get those parts," Skye replied before they were heading to the door.