Title: The Postcard Murders, Chapter 9
By: greygoose70
AN: Okay everyone, last chapter, includes epilog.
Part 9, The Chase
Rick was speeding along the E04 at 320km/h (200mph). the highway had narrowed down to two lanes, one in each direction, but it didn't matter, he hadn't seen another vehicle of any type in the last twenty miles. Sharon, the helicopter pilot had passed him before he got out of Rotebro, where he needed to drive at a more respectable speed, and having to put up with multiple traffic signals didn't help his progress any either. But now that he was on the open road, he could release the R8s 602hp, V10 motor loose.
He had just passed through Härnösand when Sharon radioed in that she has spotted the SAAB 9-5, it was just on the northern outskirts of Umea, 100km (60 miles) ahead. From there it was clear sailing for the next 130km (80 miles) to Lulea and the Torne River Bridge into Finland.
"Time to see what this baby can actually do, Em," Rick said as he pressed the accelerator pedal to the floorboard. He watched as the speedometer inched its way to the 400km/h (250mph).
Fifteen minutes later he was on the E041 bypass around Umea, and six minutes after that he had the SAAB 9-5 in his sight, so he slowed down but kept enough speed to catch up to it.
"What you going to do when you catch up to them," Em asked.
"A trick I was taught in CSI pursuit training," Rick replied.
He was right behind the SAAB now, so he moved into the left lane giving the other driver the idea he was going to pass, bit instead of shooting on by Rick began to turn right at a point just ahead of the SAABs rear bumper, sending it sideways. The driver of the SAAB tried to compensate by turning right also, but it was of no use. Rick already had the SAAB completely at ninety degrees and accelerating. The SAAB began to come off its wheels, Rick gave the Audi a bit more speed sending the SAAB into a roll, then hit the Audi' brakes. The SAAB rolled over half a dozen times before coming to a stop, landing on its tires.
Rick and Em were out of the Audi with guns drawn when they saw a male figure getting out from the driver's seat with a gun in his hand. They shouted for him to drop the weapon and raise his hands, instead he fired at them. Rick and Em quickly sought cover behind the Audi and fired back, the man fired again, they returned fire.
"Come on, Simon, you've got no way out of this, give yourself and your sister up…"
"And let Dessie go," Em shouted contending with Rick' train of thought. The only answered they received was more gun fire. Em raised up from her position to shoot but suddenly yelled "ow," as a shot had come from the SAAB.
"Emily! You okay!" Rick shouted, worry in his voice for his colleague and friend.
"I'm fine, Rick. It's just a flesh wound!" she shouted in return telling him not to worry although the hit was slightly worse than what she had conveyed to him.
Rick basically knew this was a standoff, at least it would be until Simon, or he and Em ran out of ammo, he had to do something and fast, so he laid down on the ground hoping he could see where Simon was hidden. Fortunately for him he saw where Simon was hunkered down behind the driver side door, his shins and ankles exposed, so he took aim and fired off a shot, the bullet hitting Simon in the left ankle. Simon let out a blood curdling scream at the impact and collapsed to his knees.
Rick fired again this time putting a round into the right thigh of Simon. Simon screamed again. Simon instantly grabbed that part of the door where the window would have been had it not been shattered during the car's rollover. He got himself raised to chest level by keeping most of his weight on his forearms and some on his right leg, but just as his upper body became exposed a shot rang out and he felt the projectile hit him in the chest where his heart is located, and he fell backwards.
"Em, was that you," Rick shouted knowing it wasn't he who had fired.
"Yeah," she yelled back weakly as she sat down on the front passenger seat.
Rick not liking the sound of her voice as she answered him rushed around to her. The first thing he saw upon his arrival was the amount of blood around her left bicep. "Just a flesh wound huh," he said when seeing the pain etched on her face.
"Check the trunk there should be a first-aid kit there, I'll keep an eye on the SAAB."
Rick popped open the trunk, found the first-aid kit, which was more like an EMTs kit, and went back to where Em was keeping watch and holding her right palm over her wound.
"Okay, let me at it," Rick ordered.
Em started to shrug her coat from her shoulder but when Rick saw her face grimace in pain, he stopped he. "I hate to say this, but it looks like I'm gonna have to ruin this expensive coat of yours. Don't worry though I'll buy you a new one." He then removed a pair of heavy-duty scissors from the medical bag and cut the coat sleeve off, then pulled it down and off her arm. He then began to cut the sleeve of her sweater.
"And a new cashmere sweater as well," Em said as he started to cut.
"Of only the finest Italian wool," he reciprocated with a snicker.
After finished cleaning and dressing the wound, Rick wrapped her in a blanket from the medical bag telling her to rest while he went to check on the others in the SAAB. As he began his trek toward the SAAB he instantly stopped when he saw Simone getting out, she was pulling Dessie with her, and she had a knife at Dessie' throat.
"Stop right there, Simone, and let Dessie go," Rick shouted while taking a few steps closer, and raising his Sig Sauer P320, pointing it toward her.
"No!" she shouted, "you stop where you are and drop your weapon, or I cut her."
"I can't do that, Simone. This is the end of the line, so just let Dessie go and let us take you in, you don't want to end up like your brother." By now Rick had moved closer, to right at fifteen feet, a range where he knew if he fired his weapon that the sound of the shot and the impact to the target would appear to be simultaneous. He also knew that if his shot were accurate, which at this distance normally was, that the 9mm lead round would penetrate directly through Simones' frontal lobe, that her body would lose all feeling, that the knife would fall from her hand without doing harm to Dessie, and Simone would fall to the snow-covered ground instantly dead.
Castle tightened his hold on the grip of his Sig Sauser. Instinctively he adopted the posture he had practice so many times. He closed an eye, focusing his aim, slowed his breathing. He studied Simone' ice-cold expression next to Dessie' terrified face. There was the woman who had killed his friend and Vittoria' brother, and she is holding a knife to Dessie's throat.
Suddenly Rick felt his pulse relax.
"Put the gun down!" Simone roared. "I'll cut her throat! You don't want her to die!"
So much for all her talk and conceptual creation, because when it came down to it, Simone just wanted to save herself
Rick squeezed the trigger: a cautious click, then the explosion as the firing pin struck the 9mm shell.
Dessie screamed, and screamed, and screamed some more. 'Oh god, no, he'd missed!' ran through her mind.
Dessie was covered in blood, and still screaming. But then Rick realized it wasn't her blood after all. It was Simone'. It was also pieces of Simone' brain that were splattered across Dessie' face and jacket. It was Simone who sank to the ground, who dropped the knife.
Dessie had staggered away, was leaning against the hood of the Audi. Emily was out of the car comforting her.
Rick stared down at the dead bodies of Simon and Simone Branson, it was over, the Postcard killers had met their maker, and their names are Richard Castle and Emily Prentiss.
Epilog
There was a crowd there to meet them when the G650 pulled into Interpol' private Hanger at Madrid-Barajas International Airport. The first persons Rick and Emily sought out were Eduardo' parents who with tears in their eyes thanked them for their efforts in bringing justice to their son and his wife. Afterwards there were hugs, kisses and handshakes from those remaining.
Two days later
Kate rolled over, situated her naked body atop her husband. It was a position she has adopted now that she was beginning to show. It wasn't a very large bump, but Rick has been adoring it ever since returning from Sweden. Always rubbing it gently or whispering to it and planting it with kisses.
"I want a girl," she declared staring into Rick' cerulean, blue eyes. "But I won't be disappointed if it's a boy. I just want whichever it is to be healthy."
"Me too Kate," he replied as he felt his member beginning to stiffen from its location nestled against his beautiful wife' core.
"Are we feeling a bit horny this morning Babe," Kate rising slightly taking him in her hand and stroking him until he was hard, then slipping him inside her.
Later as they lay cuddling, Kate on her back, Rick pressed into her side, his hand making gentle circles on her bump, he said, "I think next time we should try for twins, name them Romulus and Remus."
"The founders of Rome," Kate declare rising up on her elbows glaring at him. "Castle, we haven't even gotten through this pregnancy yet, and you're already talking about another one, and where did this idea about twins come from."
"You remember Simon Doyle?"
"The guy who said he was from the future."
"Yeah, also remember he mentioned we'd have three kids."
"He also said I would be a United States Senator."
"Well, there's still time for that. Anyway, as I was chasing him down the hall to give him back his device, and before he just disappeared, he said it would be one girl and twin boys."
"And you believed him."
"Well, he was right about some other things." Rick then perched himself up on his elbows, leaned over and pressed his lips to Kate', in a passionate kiss, which she gratefully returned.
"Come on let's go get cleaned up, we have to be at the Sanchez' in an hour for breakfast," Kate said when they separated.
"So, no time for shower sex," Rick sorely retaliated.
"Sorry," she said rolling out of bed and heading for the ensuite, Rick in hot pursuit after her.
Iglesia De San Pedro el Apostol
(Church of Saint Paul the Apostle)
The service for Eduardo Sanchez Junior and Sofia Valentina Reyes Sanchez were being held at the Iglesia De San Pedro. The pews were filled with families and friends of both families. The service began with a traditional catholic ceremony. Afterwards the priest gave a tribute to the couple, how he had watched them grow into young adults, then into the perfect pairing, and then how happy he was to have presided at their sacrament of marriage, but most of all how proud he was that they through the years they kept and nourished their faith.
Following the priest' tribute Rick along with Eduardo' sister, Vittoria, and Maria Reyes, Sofia' sister took the pulpit. Rick had been persuaded by the mothers of both families, Encarna Sanchez and Consuela Reyes, to give a Eulogy at the church as opposed to the cemetery. Eduardo and Sofia were big fans of his books, and Eduardo had even done the drawings for the first two Derrick Storm graphic novels.
The sisters read statements praising their siblings and thanking all those in attendance for their well wishes. Rick then gave the Eulogy, also praising Eduardo and Sofia, and the friendship he and his family had developed with them. The priest then came forward and led the congregation in a closing prayer.
Los Cementerio Moraleja Parcesa
The Maroleja Parcesa Cemetery
The gathering at the cemetery was much smaller at the gravesite for the Rite of Committal, mostly just family and relatives. When all that came were assembled, the priest stepped up to the head of the casket and read from the bible, the Twenty-Third Psalm, then administered the Rite to Prayer. He then stood back allowing the family members to come forward and place a single red rose on the top of each casket. When the procession was completed, the priest stepped forward again, blessed the gasket as it was lowed into its final resting place, then dismissed those in attendance telling them to "Go with God."
End of Story