Fate's Surprises
Chapter 9 - Working With Kate
"You asked to see me Det. Royce?"
"I sure did, take a seat. Seems your baby daddy, the celebrity author Rick Castle, has asked permission to do research with you on a new novel. Capt Montgomery left the decision up to me. How do you feel about that Beckett?"
"Castle told me about it, Royce. Seems the novel is to portray a rising young female cop as she becomes a homicide detective. He wants to make it an inspiration for all to go after a goal no matter how hard it may seem at the time. He especially wants to encourage the young female sector to challenge a male dominated profession like police enforcement and to go after their goals. I expressed my concern to Castle about this research being a distraction to me as I am still a probationary third grade. I want to make my probationary year a good one."
"Tell me 'no' right now and I will disapprove it. However, Capt Montgomery says the request is also supported by the PC and the mayor. Capt Montgomery knows the politics here and this request is in the favor of both men. That puts us in good standing for support for us in the future on matters that can be significant, such as budget, new hires, force reduction, and the like. This new novel could generate much good PR for the 12th and NYPD as a whole. If that happens you will distinguish yourself in your probationary year. That is a good result for a probie, Beckett. So consider that also as you decide."
"I realize that Royce, and there is a greater good involved here. If you think I can handle it, and for the reason of a greater good, then I would not mind if Castle did his research. Besides he did help on that one case he got involved with. His perspective on a case can be helpful as an out of box view as he had done in that last case. If not for Castle, we would have settled on our first suspect as it seemed like an open and shut case. Castle thought otherwise and did wisely convince us to look further at the first Vic's brother, who was the real killer."
"Kate, I have seen you as a uniform and you exceeded expectations. I think you can do the same as a probationary, so I have no doubt you will excel. From what I have seen since we learned of Castle, he has been good for you. You have always been an over achiever and workaholic. That is not good, leads to burn out, but with Castle now in your life you are more relaxed but still focused. He's good for you, I think that is what he contributes aside from his non-cop perspective of seeing a case. So, I will approve this. Have Castle come around to sign all the 'hold harmless' notices."
"Permission to speak freely Sir?"
"Out with it then, Detective."
"Thank you Mike, you've always have my better welfare in mind and I appreciate it".
Mike Royce smiles at her comment and then answers, "Get out of here Kate and go do your job."
"Yes sir."
Mike Royce was happy for Kate Beckett. She is a rising star in the precinct, but worked so hard at it that Royce feared she would burn out. Castle was indeed good for her and he hoped that situation would continue and grow even better. Mike knew the stress the job had and having someone to go to for comfort and relief was an added plus for the job. Too many detectives turned to alcohol or experienced a divorce due to the stress. He did not want that for Beckett.
At The 12th
Castle had come in to meet with the NYPD lawyer. Today he must sign the various documents that resolves any liability to the NYPD should Castle be harmed while doing his research.
The Police Lawyer says to the writer, "Mr. Castle, be advised if you get injured while following Detective Beckett to research your next novel, you cannot sue the city. If you get shot, you cannot sue the city. If you get killed-"
"My lifeless remains cannot sue the city?"
"Your heirs, Mr. Castle", the Lawyer clarifies.
Newly minted Homicide Detective Kate Beckett is anxious about the whole process and jokes with the lawyer, "Do I have to wait for him to sign or can I shoot him now?"
Castle laughs at Kate's remark.
"Mr. Castle, these waivers are a serious business. Perhaps you'd feel more comfortable by referring the matter to your attorney?"
"What, are you kidding? He'd never let me sign these. But fortunately it's his job to get me out of trouble, and not to prevent me from getting into it."
Kate, answering her phone, " Detective Beckett. Yeah, where? All right, I'm on my way." She gives Castle a look as she speaks over her phone. Once done with her cell conversation, she starts to head to the door.
Castle, upon seeing her leaving responds, " Oooh wait, where are you going?"
"I've work to do."
"What, we have a case?"
"No, I have a case. You have paperwork. Oooh ow", with that comment, Kate heads out the door.
Castle quickly tries to finish up with the NYPD lawyer in hopes of joining up with Beckett and Alpha for his first case researching with her. He finishes up and then hurriedly joins her at the crime scene.
Their first 'research' case together turns out to be a 'Jane shot Bill because of Jill'. A young woman who was a Nanny for a couple had an affair with the father of the child whom she was caring for. The father as it turns out was quite the womanizer, not just cheating on his wife, but also with the Nanny and concurrently with another nanny of yet another family. The two nanny's involved were close friends up until the discovery of the betrayal. When the one nanny confronted the other in the apartment laundry room, a argument broke out with a lot of shoving and physical contact was involved.
Unfortunately, the one Nanny took a fall after being pushed and hit with a plastic bleach bottle. As she fell, her head impacted the corner of one of the laundry tables and she died from the blunt force trauma to her head resulting from that fall. What transpired afterwards was a coverup by the guilty Nanny. When the cover up was found, the guilty Nanny took refuge in the laundry room of the apartment complex threatening to kill herself. Both Care Givers were just fresh out of college having taken the Nanny jobs while looking for a more suitable work fitting with their college educations. As such, the two ladies were closer to Kate's age and Royce felt she could relate with the guilty Nanny. So Beckett was tasked with stopping the guilty Nanny from committing suicide.
As Beckett enters the laundry room she sees the one Nanny and addresses her using her first name, "I know you didn't mean to kill her, Chloe."
"Sarah was my friend, you know? But she didn't get it. he didn't get how we felt about each other. So when she turned around I just grabbed the bleach and I hit her with it and she fell and hit her head on the table corner. I was so scared, I didn't know what to do so I put her in the dryer. I was so angry. You know, so mad."
"Chloe, put the knife down, okay, and let me help you. Just put the knife down, come on."
Chloe realizes her situation. It had been too much for her, the betrayal by her friend and the cheating. Chloe simply could not handle it and exploded. She had not intended to end like it did. She finally drops the knife. Kate runs up to her and hugs her in consolation.
"I've been so stupid", Chloe says.
"It's OK", she tells the Nanny, "you did not mean what happened. It was a reaction to all that had happened. You were betrayed by the two people who were closest to you. You broke down and struck out in your pain. If nothing else, the man in the center of it all just betrayed all of you: his wife, Sarah, and you."
Once the suicide attempt is wrapped up, Castle and Beckett discuss the results once out of the laundry room while they observed Chloe being taken into custody.
"So, looks like I made it through the case without getting injured, shot or killed."
"Yeah well, for now, but what about tomorrow? Maybe then, maybe never. You dodged the bullet this time Castle."
"By the way, I really like that whole sisterhood routine thing you ran back there."
"I wasn't running anything, Castle. I was speaking as one woman to another having also been betrayed like that in a past relationship. Some men are so callous and clueless. They have no sense of commitment. What that guy did had consequences...only not for him. He'll just get to walk away. He leaves behind women who trusted him and did not return that same trust."
"Well, he won't go scot-free. I sense a pretty big divorce settlement in his future."
"Whatever it is, it won't be enough."
Their talk was revealing and Castle wonders if the past baggage in Kate's life had lead her not to fully trust the two men now in her life. As much as he knew there was something Kate had for him, he got a sense of Kate's reluctance to commit to a more serious union. Hurt from a failed relationship always lingers to color subsequent relationships. Rick realizes then he must work to grow her trust in him. That was a huge way to win her heart.
Just then head detective Royce appears, "Good job talking the young lady out of killing herself, Beckett. Even a more experienced Homicide could have failed where you succeeded. Happy ending to this first case with Castle as your tag-along."
"Yes, I guess that is one way to look at it, but Chloe is the one getting the worst here."
"It will go down as involuntary manslaughter and with time and good behavior, she will be out to try and restart her life. Even though she lost a lot here."
"I know what that is like to have your life change so drastically from just one very unfortunate event."
"And that is why you are made for this Kate. You can relate", says Royce.
Royce then turns to Castle, "So how was this first case in your research, Castle?"
"Enlightening, and I hope to bring that out in my new character. That empathy she will have for the victims. It is a compelling human interest point to her story. One that is from the heart, from the character's own experience, and that will distinguish her from just being a good cop to being a great cop. That aspect of the humanity from a cop, that caring, it brings out what I want to portray in my next character."
"Can you give the character justice as tribute for all the cops she will embody as represented by her thoughts and actions?"
"Don't worry Royce, this character will be smart and more than capable. She will depict competence and as the 'every man', or rather 'every woman' for the NYPD. It will paint the image of a caring and dedicated public servant. It will truly put the NYPD in good light."
"Great, just what is needed for the force. Got a name for her yet?"
"I was thinking Nikki Heat."
"Nikki Heat!?", the name catches Kate's attention, "That is not a cop name, Castle, that's a stripper's name. Change it", Kate rebukes Rick.
"It a great name Beckett, think of all the titles for the novels I can come up with. "Heat Wave", "Deadly Heat", "Rising Heat", and so forth. Titles that will attract and capture the reading public's attention."
"It's a stripper name Castle, change it."
"Will not!"
"Yes you will or so help me..."
They banter about the name as they leave the laundry scene, but Castle is not about to change the name. Kate is a bit put out by the newly created Nikki Heat. Her first research case with Castke as a homicide, and the character name is now this provocative, seductive, and down right suggestive name. Kate has enough of a challenge as a young female in a man's job. Not just a young female, but a very attractive young female. She hears all the talk about how her looks gains her favors on the job.
She knows she will have to cope with it even more once NIkki Heat is published. She has to remind herself that it is for the greater good that Castle's novels will generate for the police force. Besides, she will see Castle almost everyday now as she works her cases, and that is something that Kate is looking forward from now and into the near future. She wants to have more time with Castle, despite Demming concerns. So she takes the bad with the good here.
Kate knows, however, that Demming will not be pleased that Castle will be with her more than Tom would want. Truth be told, even with Castle as her baby's father, Tom continues to work at capturing her heart. That resolve from Demming has Kate still undecided despite her strong connection with Castle from their night together. It appears that with Castle's presence in her life, Tom has become even more determined to win her affections. What Fate has in store for her and these two men in her life will eventually be determined with time and due diligence on her part to come to a decision on this now complex triangular courtship. But what surprises may arise in that journey to a resolution is yet to be known. Kate asks Fate for a good end to it all. Fate's little surprises are bound to arise from this new dynamic she now has with Tom and Rick.