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: Great receiving the feedback for the last chapters that I did so I'll start my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (Really pleased that you thought the first chapters I posted were a very good start!),
Mb (Really nice to see you thought the prologue had an intriguing start with a murder from 100 years before. Great you're looking forward to see how the story unfolds! You're welcome for the prologue!) and
Mb (Really happy to read you caught all the threads as you called them to this story. I had to mention the Lennoxes in their new home since of course they were there the last story. And of course set up the fact Skye and Mary are there with the GAC all staying at the house, lol, it's fun that way to be honest to have everyone there. And I wasn't surprised you mentioned the conversation between Skye and Beckett about their abilities. I figured it would happen that way for Beckett to be honest and then I wanted to explain about the others. I also wasn't surprised you mentioned Eliza being kept from the lockdown with her grandmothers warning about that. And I'm glad you find the story of the manor being interesting, I wanted to make it as much as possible, also to give a reason why it would be haunted. So I'm glad you like the avenues and threads as you called them! You're welcome for sharing the first half of the chapter! Really nice that you thought the second half was a great update. And I'm so happy reading that you're hooked already with the story with the twists and turns, lol, I really wanted to do that with this one! You're welcome for the second half of the chapter!).
Thanks for the reviews, I loved reading them and I appreciate 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 Downhearted Blues written by Alberta Hunter.
Trouble's Going To Follow Me To My Grave
"Do you mind if we do something?" Skye asked Zak once she saw the four walking into the living room on the screen.
"Who's we?" the lead investigator asked.
"Me, you and Mary," Skye answered simply.
"Do what?" Zak then inquired.
"Go over to the foundation of that out building," Skye explained. "And take the spirit box."
"You know what kind of emotions are going on there," Billy said.
"You don't think we should go?" Mary asked him.
"No, I'm just feeling uneasy," Billy said. "It wasn't this bad earlier."
"Because we weren't here, Kate wasn't here," Skye said, leaning back in the chair she was sitting on.
"What is it about her?" Aaron asked. "I thought it would be you."
"Good question," Skye said, frowning while she was thinking that over. Something came to her and she straightened up before saying, "You didn't mention the diary."
"I… I did," Zak said, frowning himself at that point. When he saw the rest of his crew were shaking their heads he said, "Why?"
"I don't think she wanted it mentioned in the house," Skye said. "What's the deal with it?"
"It's in the historical records at the public library," Zak said. "We went there first since I had to make an appointment and talked to one of the librarians. She said there had been a rumor Martin killed his wife because she might have been pregnant but-"
"She wasn't," Skye said. When the men were looking at her in surprise she said, "I think I know why she's showing more attention towards Kate. She wanted to be a mother and had been married for nearly two years. She thought she was but she was murdered so she thinks she the spirit of her child is out there somewhere."
"Are you going to help her pass on?" Jay asked.
Hesitating visibly, Skye said, "I would but without her body being found, it's not going to work. It's not going to work for Martin either; he needs her found and with him." She hesitated and said, "Damn, I wish I would have thought of it before. I need to know where she would go if they found her remains."
"Hopefully next to Martin," Billy said.
Nodding, Skye then said, "I just thought of something. Aaron?"
"Yeah?" the paranormal investigator asked.
"Come with us," Skye told him.
"Not me now?" Zak asked.
"Not exactly," Skye said. "Martin's left the house and is at that foundation, I think he wants to talk to you."
"Me?" Aaron said.
"It's either you or Zak," Skye said, frowning again before Billy was getting her attention before speaking slowly.
"You seem to be having some difficulties," the tech said.
"I know," Skye replied. "But I think it's because Anais isn't really interested in communicating with me. She thought she was going to be a mother so she's gravitating to the only woman who actually had children here right now."
"But Martin?" Zak asked. When the investigator visibly hesitated he said, "I get the feeling he thinks I'd be confrontational."
"Then it needs to be you," Skye told Aaron.
"Sure, at least it's outside," he said. Pausing, Aaron asked, "That's not going to be a problem is it?"
"Why do you think I said the Spirit Box?" Skye asked with a smile before she stood up. "Though we'll see who he'll want to speak to once we get there."
After her wife had gotten the device, Mary followed her and Aaron out of the tent and across the lawn. "Did Zak ever say why they put a wall around the property?" she asked when she saw the foundation for the building.
"I think I remember the librarian mentioning to all of us to be careful with it," Aaron answered.
"The last owner made it," Skye said. "In the sixties."
Nodding Aaron said, "He had to get permission from the council and explained he was leaving it for people to pay to stay at."
"Strange," Skye commented as she looked at the foundation they'd reached. "But at least it preserved the grounds, Martin can go back and forth between here and the house."
"But he can't go upstairs," Aaron stated.
"No, but… short of stripping the house down to its foundation to find Anais…" Skye said before she shrugged. She turned to her wife and said, "I know who he'll talk to." When her wife tried to give her the box she shook her head and said, "Have fun filming grá."
"Thanks," Mary said wryly. She and Aaron traded before he was turning on the box and she remained where she stood, watching the pair stepping onto the cement.
"Mr. Lindt," Aaron said. Before he could continue, a slightly faint male voice said, "Martin."
"He wants a first name basis it looks like," Skye said though she was looking at the house as she'd spoken.
"Skye," Mary said, watching her wife.
"Yeah?" the investigator said, turning back to the others.
"You don't want to ask something?" Aaron asked.
"Martin," Skye said. "What's going on in the house right now?" When there was nothing but static she said, "I had to give it a shot."
"Do you know where your wife is?" Aaron asked. There was a faint response and he said, "Did that sound like he said lost?"
"Yeah," Skye said grimly. "Why can't you find her Martin?" she then asked, not surprised at the response to that. "Stuck," she said to the other two before she began rubbing at her arm. "Do you mind if I-" she started to say before she felt the Spirit Box slipping into her hand. She was about to speak when a sudden yell of, "Find me!" came from it.
"Was that Kate?" Mary asked, immediately recognizing the voice.
"It was," Skye said, turning and heading back to the tent. "What's going on in there?"
"In where?" Jay asked first, he and Zak having jumped at the investigator bursting into the tent.
"The house? When was the last time you looked at the living room?" Skye said, nearly slamming the Spirit Box down on the table next to Zak. "Wait… she's not there," she said, having been scanning the camera view in the living room.
"Who?" Zak asked with a frown.
"Kate," Skye said before she was running out of the tent and towards the house, hearing a yell from behind.
"Do you know what you're going to do?" Castle asked Julia once they'd entered the living room.
"Not yet," the teen said. "I mean… I have to try and see who's going to talk to us." Making a face Julia said, "It feels empty in here now," not surprised when her friend was responding to that.
"Does that mean we need to go upstairs?" Mari asked.
Shaking her head before she realized her parents couldn't see her, Julia said, "No, but I think we need to go over to the entry."
"What about the camera?" Mari asked. She smiled when the camera moved towards the entry and then said, "Never mind." She followed Julia up the steps to the entry and said, "What do you want?"
"The Puck," Julia replied immediately. "We've had good luck with that."
"Where do you want us to go?" Castle asked as he watched the two getting the devices ready.
"Wherever you want," Julia said. She watched her parents walking up to them before Mari was touching her arm. "Ready?" she asked. At her friend's nod she said, "Okay, here we go," before she began saying and typing her first question, asking Anais if she was there and could talk to them.
Beckett, watching them, suddenly felt as if the room was growing wider while her hearing was suddenly muffled. Before she could realize it, her legs were turning and she was walking to the kitchen. She tried to resist the door to the basement, turning from it at the last minute to her relief. But a moment later she was entering the first room off the kitchen and though she again tried to stop herself she found she was unable to as she stepped up to a bookshelf.
Reaching up to the second highest shelf, Beckett touched the side before she felt something press in and jumped back from the bookcase when the entire thing swung open. Though in the back of her mind she knew she needed a flashlight for the darkness in front of her, she stepped into a hallway before finding the first step. Descending down into the basement, she felt a rush going through her entire body and she moved forward again at the end of the staircase.
Unable to see anything, Beckett soon found herself stepping up to a brick wall before she took one step backwards. Kneeling, she felt to her right and finding the familiar shape of a brick she picked it up while she stood before she was reaching in front of her.
When asked by her husband later, Beckett would never be able to explain why she shifted and then brought the brick in her hand down on the wall. She nearly jumped back at how easily the brick there crumbled but was focusing back on the small space that had been opened. She was hitting as much as she could until she realized the brick wasn't needed. She dropped it and pushed at what was left, waist high on her. But it was soon collapsing and she stepped over the pile of debris before she froze, seeing something white in what appeared to be a small room. Since it was in the corner she started to walk towards it when she hit something with her feet and was falling to the ground, hands out to protect herself.
The clatter of Beckett's flashlight she had been pulling out of her pocket mixed with the thud of running above her before she pushed herself up. "Skye?" she called out moving out of the way of whatever had tripped her.
"Kate?" the investigator called out before she found the demolished wall. "Did you do this?" she asked once she was looking into the room and could see her friend since she already had a lit flashlight in her hand. When Beckett wasn't responding and she could see the grim expression appearing on her face Skye asked, "What is it?"
"Call the police," the writer said, not taking her gaze away from the form behind her. "It's a body."
Looking down at her left hand, Beckett slightly curled her fingers but didn't continue since the wrapping around it was rubbing against her scrapes. The flaps of the tent moved and she relaxed seeing it was Skye. "Can you explain it at all?" she asked the investigator while she was turned away to secure the flaps in place.
Snorting Skye said, "To be honest, no. I never realized that you had disappeared, no one did." She sat next to her friend and asked, "How is it?"
"Just scrapes, I'll take this off at home," Beckett replied, shaking her head. "I just… walked away."
"You didn't walk away," Skye said firmly, studying her. "Hopefully this helps," she said, wrapping her arm around her shoulders. " Déjà vu?"
"Yes," Beckett replied with a slight smile. "Though it was mainly you I was doing that to wasn't it?"
"I did it to you too," Skye said in mock annoyance after letting her friend go. She quickly became serious and said, "I knew Anais was connecting with you once we had more of her story." Looking at the screen, which was still on, she sighed and said, "At least you found her."
"Along with someone else," Beckett said. "I hope they're not connected to the crew."
Shaking her head Skye said reassuringly, "They've said a few times they didn't recognize him."
Realizing something her friend had said, Beckett asked, "They identified the bones?"
"They did," Skye replied. "Well, the bracelet she was wearing, it had Anais engraved on the plate with the sapphire and diamonds. Brad said the police report about her back in 1923 mentioned that specifically. I think he wants to test the bones but that will take time."
"Is there any family?" Beckett asked.
"Not sure, he said he would take care of it," Skye said. "Is he telling me to go away?"
"No," Castle said, opening the flaps then and walking inside. "They're talking to the crew."
"Taking their statements," Mary added, entering behind the writer. After she had closed the flaps she asked, "The girls get back to your house okay?"
"Yes, I got in touch with David but when I reassured him they were nowhere near the basement he said they'll try to talk to us in the morning," Castle answered. He paused and then said, "Try being the operative, there's a meeting about some necessary infrastructure on the roads." He had made his way to his wife and was about to ask her about her hand when the chief was calling to the McDouglas women outside. Once they were alone, he turned to Beckett and gently took her left hand saying, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"I'm going to have to," Beckett said with a brief smile. "Since you weren't here."
Nodding Castle said, "Brad has all our statements so we can go home soon."
"Not yet," Beckett replied. She smiled again when her husband was looking at her in surprise before she told him seriously, "I'm not finished here, if I leave…"
"Anais?" Castle said. When his wife nodded he pulled her to him and they were kissing gently before he said as he leaned his forehead to hers, "Do you need to talk to Skye again?"
"Just to get some answers," Beckett said honestly. She smiled a little and then said, "Though I know the answer to one already."
Since she'd been looking at her hand Castle said, "I asked Brad if there was any mention of Anais being left handed and he said that was used in the report so she could be identified if she was found and had amnesia."
Nodding Beckett said, "Then I think the only thing is to ask if she can take Anais from me."
"Do you sense her?" Castle asked in slight concern.
Hesitating for a moment Beckett said, "Not like Skye and Julia do." She glanced at her husband and said, "It's uncomfortable," not surprised at his immediate reaction.
"I can imagine," Castle said. "Do you want me to go get her now?"
Shaking her head Beckett said while they were letting each other go, "Let her finish so we can go back to the basement."
Nodding, since he had realized she was right, Castle sat down with her while they were waiting. He couldn't help looking over at the screen and said, "I'm sorry?"
"Everyone was affected," Beckett said, seeing where his gaze was.
"Yeah, that's why I'm a little worried about you going back inside," Castle said. He looked at his wife and said, "You're not sure."
"How could I be?" Beckett replied simply.
"Sure about what?" Skye asked, entering the tent with her wife.
"Is Anais attached to her right now?" Castle asked.
"Yes," Skye said simply and without hesitation. "I'm guessing you want her to remain here?"
"I can't can I?" Beckett replied with her own question as she studied the investigator.
"She wants justice," Skye said. "But I think we can convince her to stay with me."
"And she'll stay there," Castle stated.
"It's why I made you wait before you took the girls back," Skye explained. "She'll be careful." Turning her attention to Beckett she said, "Are you ready?"
"We can do that now?" the writer asked, obviously startled.
"Now that Anais is out of the house she won't need that," Mary said.
"And the fact that she was found," Skye added. She then turned to the side and said, "I know you find her better to be around, you're comfortable. But I'm a mother too and I wish you'd had the chance to be one yourself. It's not going to help find your murderer if you're with someone whose ability isn't developed fully."
"Okay?" Castle asked when his wife was gripping at his hand tightly.
"She's fine," Skye said, moving to sit in another chair before her wife was taking her hand. "She's left."
"She has," Beckett said. "Though I still have that uncomfortable feeling."
"Yes, but it's faint isn't it?" Skye replied. At the writer's nod she then said, "Who's going to take care of this case?"
"We could," Castle said slowly as he was looking at his wife.
"I think you might want to wait for Brad to answer that," Beckett said firmly. "But what about lockdown?"
"I tried asking Brad if they could continue, without going to the basement but he wasn't able to answer," Skye said.
"They might not," Castle warned her. "Evidence might be in the house."
"Which we just walked through for a few hours," Mary commented.
"They're aware, luckily they're also experienced so they'll know where to find something relating to… the more recent victim," Beckett said.
"He's with me," Skye said at the writers' turning to her. "He's just been murdered so he can't tell me much since he's in shock."
"Not even a name?" Mary asked gently.
"No, but I'll be fine," Skye said firmly. "He and Anais are… joined for lack of a better word in the fact that they were found here."
"Not murdered here?" Castle asked slowly.
Shaking her head Skye said, "I get the feeling it's only Anais who was. I didn't see any blood in the basement once we turned on the lights," jumping with the others when the chief's voice suddenly filled the tent.
"She's right, Thayer agrees and said our vic was brought here once he was dead," Brad said. "How're you doing?" he then directed to Beckett.
"Fine," she replied, looking at her husband. "What about the house?"
"I'm afraid we're going to have to shut things down," Brad said. "The house needs to be searched and it's an active crime scene." Looking at the equipment he said, "Sorry about that."
"I have an idea," Skye said. "But you're not going to like it."
"In our house?" Beckett said, frowning at the investigator.
"Your house? I'm not that foolish," Skye replied. "We need somewhere quiet but not in public."
"And where would that be?" Mary asked her.
"Here," Skye said, nodding towards the screen, not surprised when Brad was responding to that first.
"The house-" the chief started to say as he was frowning.
"Not the house," Skye was quick to interrupt. "Here in the tent." She wasn't surprised at the slight frown on the chief's face and explained, "Nothing happened in here that relates to the crime. There weren't any cameras in the house when the body was brought… whenever that was. It's the perfect neutral zone… for lack of a better word."
Obviously considering that, Brad finally nodded and said, "Alright, but whatever you're going to do has to remain in this tent."
"Thank you," Skye said seriously. "Can you let Zak and the others know we're remaining here?"
After Brad had nodded and left, Mary said to her wife, "What're you going to do?"
"Talk to the three of them," Skye replied.
"Three, Rose-" Mary started to say before her wife was stopping her.
"Maybe three," Skye said firmly.
"Maybe?" Beckett asked in surprise.
"Like I said, he's gone to the foundation and I don't know if I'll be able to get him to join us," Skye explained. She was about to say more when the flaps opened and she said, "We're going to have to speak to Anais and the victim here." She paused and then said, "Though I don't have a name for him."
Before anyone could respond to that, the Ovilus device that was on the table suddenly said, "Duncan."
"Duncan?" Skye asked.
Since the investigator was looking at herself and her husband Beckett said, "I'll ask," beginning to stand before her husband was stopping her.
"I'll go," Castle said. "He didn't really tell us much," he added.
"No, I'm assuming he will tomorrow," Beckett said. "At the station," she then added. She wasn't surprised when her husband nodded and said, "Is that his name?"
Since that had been directed towards her, Skye said, "He became a little more interested hearing that, so it may be." She furrowed her brow briefly before she said, "Maybe his middle name." Shaking her head she then said, "But I'd like to speak to Anais first."
"Probably for the best," Zak said.
"Did this ruin the episode?" Mary asked him.
"I don't know," Zak said honestly.
"I know that look," Beckett said. "On all four of your faces." When the men looked at her at the same time she couldn't help smiling before she said, "My husband was the same when we first met."
"And after that summer I was here in the Hamptons," Castle said himself, entering the tent. "His name was Duncan Cobb and Thayer put his time of death…"
"Turn off the camera," Zak said quickly since the writer was looking at the one filming the inside of the tent.
After he saw Jay doing so Castle said, "Just for this. He says he was likely killed about twelve hours ago."
"So around noon," Beckett said after looking at her father's watch.
"And he'll tell us more tomorrow," Castle added. "But no cameras."
"I don't think we had the idea to do that," Zak said slowly.
"Too bad we couldn't though," Aaron commented. He wasn't surprised when the others were looking at him and said, "Think about the house now. A body left here, that wall…"
"I think it was broken into and then rebuilt," Beckett said. "You guys didn't see the wall with the lights on, I did."
"The man who owns it?" Billy suggested.
"That would be too obvious," Castle said.
"But he's still going to be looked at," Beckett added. "Would you like us to keep you guys up to date on everything?"
"That would be nice," Jay said. "We wouldn't put it on the show, we've come across that before."
"But for now," Skye said, standing up and going to the camera. "Let's try and get a little more for your episode." When she was sitting in her chair she turned it and said, "I'd like the Puck, there's been a lot captured from that."
"Here," Billy said, turning to get it. He turned it on and gave her the tablet before he was setting the other half on the table behind her.
"Question," Skye then said. "Do you necessarily have to ask questions on this?"