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Office of the Police Commissioner
14th Floor
NYPD Headquarters
1 Police Plaza Path,
New York, NY 10038
Monday, 13 May 2013, 7:25 A.M
"Uncle Frank," Alexis Castle gives him a look, "Whenever you deflect with snark, I know you're hiding something. It's where my dad picked up the habit."
"I think Martha should get some of the credit," Frank Reagan counters.
"Grams' is more dramatically dismissive than snarky," she smirks.
"Fair enough," Frank concedes.
"Uncle Frank, I want answers, "Alexis glares, "You guys owe me."
"For what?"
"This," holding up newspaper again.
"I thought your generation got your news off your phones," Frank rolls his eyes.
"I'm old-school, like my Godfather," she smirks, "I like to read books made out of paper I can hold in my hand. I like doing crosswords in ink, and I especially don't like learning my family's secrets at the same time as millions of Larry's readers.
"You guys always told me that you and Uncle Roy met my dad and Uncle Bob on the same day when they were nine after they'd gotten into a scrape. Growing up, I loved hearing that story. I thought it was so sweet how two of my Godfathers met my third and my dad."
"And what we told you was true," Frank replies, "Minus a couple of details involving said scrape so you wouldn't have nightmares."
"And let's go over those details," Alexis narrows her eyes, "Like my dad delivering a fastball to a serial killer's family-jewels to save Uncle Bob.
"And then as they ran away, the maniac tried to chase them down with his van, but he crashed which is how he was caught. True as well?"
"Yes," he sighs, "Bobby almost became Bradley Hindley's ninth victim. In our defense, Larry covered it at the time. It's not like we told him and not you."
"And when did my dad play baseball?" she asks confused, "He only talked about playing Basketball with Uncle Bob in the Police Athletic League with you and Uncle Roy coaching them."
"He never did," Frank replies, "He worked really hard to try out. He could pitch at 45-mph with incredible control, impressive for a nine-year-old, but Baseball turned out to be too rigid for his nature."
"This I believe," Alexis rolls her eyes, "But let's get back to the point."
"Shouldn't you be grilling your other Godfather," Frank asks, "Experience shows that if you want to know what Doc Holiday is doing, ask Wyatt Earp."
"Doc Holiday?"
"You've seen your father shoot and play poker," Frank Responds.
"Fair enough," she concedes, "But you're the top cop, Wyatt Earp. Uncle Bob would be John Clum, Mayor of Tombstone. Whoever he is in the metaphor, I think Mayor Weldon is hiding from me."
"Bob was always a smart kid."
"Quit stalling Uncle Frank," Alexis scolds, "I want to know where my dad is and why he's been acting so strange?"
"That second part could take years to explain," Frank tries to make light until he sees the glare in those blue eyes, "Okay, maybe you should be more specific about acting so strange."
"Now I know you're hiding something," Alexis smirks, "Get the interrogator to give up what they know first. You taught me that when I was ten."
"And now I'm having flashbacks to when your dad was that age."
"Fine," Alexis huffs, "He's barely been home since Wednesday, spending most of his time at his office in the Old Haunt. He said the place inspired him for some new plot, I know we've seen this before. When he's in the zone, he loses all track of time.
"But he still called me every morning to check in so I wouldn't worry except today which I didn't think much about until I read Larry's column, so I called him, but he didn't pick up on his cell or the land line. I even called Brian the manager and he says dad wasn't there."
"You think your dad lied to you about being at his bar?" Frank asks.
"No, I know he's been there," Alexis explains, "But he's also made some interesting trips. That Wednesday, he visited Uncle Roy's grave at Cypress Hill Cemetery. He usually visits on a Sunday, and he made multiple visits to City Hall and 1PP."
"Wait, wait," Frank raises his hand, "Have you been tailing your father?"
"Well," Alexis replies reluctantly, "I may have put a tracking app on his phone without him knowing."
"Alexis!" Frank tries to look stern but is laughing inside.
"Hey, don't give that look," Alexis Huffs, "He did to me."
"And you gave him hell for it," Frank replies, "And when you got tired, you had Nicky take over."
"She volunteered," Alex counters, "Fine, I'm a hypocrite, but that's not important now because I lost track of him this morning. I think he turned off his phone. My instincts tell me that something is really wrong, and you say never to ignore it."
"I do and you certainly have the Reagan instincts," Frank nods proudly, "And what are they telling you?"
"To find out what Beckett did to him?"
"She's at the top of your list of suspects then?" Frank asks.
"She is the list," Alexis sighs.
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Delta Airlines Flight DL5711
Enroute to Washington D.C.
"When will this damn plane get there," Kate Beckett leans back, taking a breath try and calm down. At least the well-dressed executive sitting next to her is both very petit and emersed in her own reading, business reports it seems like.
"Freaking out about the possible fallout over Larry Brown's little column?" The voice in the back of her mind teases.
"Damn him, he makes me sound like some clueless damsel in distress who'd be dead if Rick wasn't around to save her," She curses to herself as rereads the column for the fourth time.
"It's not like he lied in the piece," The voice counters, "Specially the part about how in her reports Gates doesn't credit Rick for his contributions because he isn't a cop while Roy always did, cop or not. I guess you're just lucky Larry didn't mention that you resented that at first."
"I came around," Kate reminds herself.
"After he saved from a being blown up in your own apartment," The little voce reminds her, "And Gates' policy is no big secret, but you never fought her on it."
"I have only so much leeway with her," Kate counters, "I have to pick my battles, and Rick never complained. He never cared."
"True, but now it's in print," The little voice points out, "And while Larry doesn't come right out and say it, people will put two and two together. They'll think that Javi, Kevin, and especially you have been taking credit for his share of the work."
"What do I care what the public thinks?" She rationalizes, "I had one of the highest case closure rates even before I me Rick Castle."
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that," The little voice responds, "And you used to think how lucky you were to be assigned to the 12th."
"I still feel that way," Becket counters, "Even in the academy I heard stories of how the place turned good cops into great ones like some kind of graduate school, handing out 'Masters' and 'Doctorate' degrees in policing."
"Sure," The little voice agrees, "Two commissioners. Both Henry and Frank Reagan began there and commanded there. A vast number of current Chiefs, Inspectors, and Captains went through there. They call themselves the 'Graduates.' They were all hostile to Gates' appointment since she came from IA, and never served there.
"Now, Larry Brown has informed you that those same high-ranking offices helped raise both Rick Caste and Mayor Weldon. What do you thin might happen if Taskforce asks The Commissioner or anyone of them about any of this."
She makes herself stop thinking about that possibility, but her mind just races back and forth between various parts of the column.
"I can respect the mayor and Rick not grandstanding about what happened with Hindley out for the victims' families. I do, but that's strangers. Why didn't he tell me!"
"You're one to talk about keeping things," the little voice inside her head says to her.
Then she rereads a part towards the end.
As they feel Gates isn't using Castle's investigative skills to their full potential, several high-ranking NYPD Officers have on several occasions asked Rick to work directly for them, or as some kind of roaming trouble shooter.
Then something occurs to her, that should have some time over the last two years.
"How the hell DID he know?" Kate asks herself, "The glare off of Maddox's sniper scope could have been anything, but he just tackled me. We never had a case involving a sniper until after that. Even when Lockwood killed Raglan, Rick was facing the opposite direction of the shot."
"Well, apparently he had a life before you," The little voice snarks.
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Office of the Police Commissioner
"Let me ask you this," Alexis frowns, "Do you approve of Beckett, for my dad I mean."
"As the Police Commissioner," Frank replies, "I'm not supposed to know that they are anything more than work partners."
"Come on Uncle Frank," She replies, "Everyone in the entire Department knows, even Captain Gates. For Beckett, I don't think it was ever about some regulation that, for them, doesn't even really apply."
"Then, what was it about? "Frank asks.
"What people think about her," Alexis replies, "It's like she's still in high school, obsessed with maintaining her image. The idea of people talking about her behind her back would drive her crazy. Now, please answer my question.
"I've loved Rick like son since he was a kid," Frank continues, "I only care about is how the other person treats him and you. And given her record with him, I'm not a fan."
"Did you tell my dad?" Alexis asks.
"I did," Frank responds, "I also told him it's his decision and I'd respect it as I did when Erin married Jack Boyle and you father married Meredith."
"You called that respecting?" Alexis replies with a sarcastic tone.
"Yes, but of course my parents and Mary were a different story," Frank says shrugs, "Besides, we got both you and Nicky out of both deals we can't regret it."
"Now who is trying to butter up," Alexis chuckles while blushing.
"Your dad was in a really dark place after Kyra when he met your mother.," Frank explains slowly, "We were really worried about him as was, but the look on his face the first time he held you told us he'd be okay, but right now, to be honest, you're the one I'm really worried about."
"Me?"
"You're worried something is wrong between them," Frank explains, "It worries me what even the thought of that does to you after Meredith and Gina…"
"I'm not a little girl anymore," Alexis responds bravely, "I'm not crying my eyes out over why mom or Gina left because they had better things to do. I've gotten over it."
"No one should ever have to get over something like that," Frank replies taking and squeezing her hand.
"It is what is," Alexis states, "Besides, I came to talk about my dad, not me. Copy?"
"Copy that," Frank nods, "So why did you think this has something to do with Beckett?"
"Nothing solid," Alexis admits, "But a lot of clues lead me to her."
"Like what?"
"Okay," Alexis takes a deep breath and continues, "On Saturday, dad let it slip he hasn't seen Beckett since Wednesday either, just quick calls or texts. I called Beckett on Sunday. Normally, she'd help getting him to take a break, but not this time, like she was avoiding him.
"And when I couldn't reach him this morning, I tried her, and her phone went to voice mail this morning also, no answer. So, I called the precinct, and they told me Beckett was off this morning and didn't tell anyone anything other than she said it was personal."
"Sounds like all you have is a bunch of coincidences," Frank deflects.
"What is it you always say," Alexis recalls, "Sometimes, coincidences require a lot of planning."
"A line for which your father never gave me credit," Frank mocks irritation, "Even though he had Derek Storm use it in almost every book."
"When are you going to let that go?" Alexis says smiling.
"Not as long as I can tease your father with it," Frank chuckles lightly.
"Sorry to interrupt, Sir," Baker pops her head in detective says, "But Yosemite Sam is here."
"Please tell her to wait," Reagain instructs as he and Alexis to suppress their laughter.
"Of course, Sir," Baker smiles and closes the door.
"Gates is early," Frank Reagan replies, "She must've set a new record getting here."
"She's never going to live that nickname down," Alexis shakes her head.
"I forgot to tell Larry that comparison was off the record, oops," he replies.
"You just forgot, huh," Alexis gives him a look.
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For those unfamiliar with my style. If two scenes are happening at the same time, I divide them with a line of thirty-four "X" characters.
If the next scene moves forward, I use a line of sixty-eight "X" characters.