She knew that he had heard Espo's words on the other line, saving her precious time in not having to repeat them.
An ambulance, actually two.
Their rogue killer had just single-handedly disabled her experienced team of detectives and was now on the loose again. What had gone wrong that he'd managed to not just take out Kevin, but also an ex- special forces soldier? Who was this man?!
As if to sense her somber surprise, Castle met her fierce gaze with cautious hesitation, one hand reaching for his cell phone, the other one stretched out as though he was preparing to hold her back.
Suddenly, beneath his façade of genuine caring, she could sense something else - defiance.
Had the failures in their current plan raised a primal instinct within the writer, causing him to protest now, when his cooperation was of the utmost importance? Had he chosen this inopportune time to debate her approach to this situation once again?
"Kate, you shouldn't take him on alone.", he finally said, each word carefully annunciated, his jaws clenched in undisguised tension.
"Castle, we don't have time for this. Call in the ambulances, I'll keep an eye on the exits. If he's hurt, he'll likely choose the front door…"
"Didn't you hear what Javier just said? Danny took down two guys. Two of our guys. And there's only one of you."
With the pitch in his voice rising, he took a step closer, his shoulders squared, his breathing coming in short, powerful bursts.
Narrowing her eyes, Beckett shook her head, then turned to face the apartment complex again, ready to approach the entrance while keeping the fire escape in her peripheral vision.
"Did it ever occur to you that this could have been a setup from the beginning?", Castle continued behind her back, "That he…that he wanted for us to split up so he could take us out easier? He neutralized the threat that Ryan and Esposito posed and now he is coming after you…just like his text said."
Letting the desperate words sit out in the open for a brief moment, she tried to refocus on her task, determined not to let Castle's skepticism undermine her stance.
So close. She could sense him nearby, sensing the incredible hatred he carried within.
And it would come to an end now.
"Please, Kate, I am begging you. Sit this one out. Let's call in backup and…and get the boys the help they need and we will try to catch him again once this is under control."
"I can't, Castle.", she replied stubbornly and marched toward the building, "If I stop now, whatever…whatever it is that went down upstairs will be in vain. Danny needs to be stopped."
"What about you? What if you get hurt? Or killed?"
She heard his voice break, causing a flicker of hesitation in her swift move toward the sidewalk. But she couldn't let it deter her, not now, not when she was closer than ever.
Castle would understand in the end, she reassured herself, then pointed her left hand toward the front entrance.
"There he is."