That was Yesterday
Chapter 3
"Bracken? I don't think I've ever heard the name before." Kate wracked her brain to try and remember if she'd ever heard of him. "And he killed my mother?"
"I don't know if he killed your mother or not, but he likely did. And he didn't do anything other than order that someone die. I know for a fact that he ordered your death," Rick said.
"Why me? I don't know anything. I never even heard his name until you told me about him." Kate didn't understand why she had to die.
"That I don't know. Maybe the man thinks you know or have something, but it doesn't matter now. There's no way we can fight him. Once he makes President, he'll even have more power, and there's no way we can fight that. He's just too powerful, Kate.
"They say that there's no one above the law, but this guy? He's above the law. Hell, he is or will be the law once he secures his place in the presidency," Rick told her. "That's why I'm dead, why Alexis and Mother are dead. Now you're just as dead.
"I'm sorry about your dad and Lanie; I truly am. But it would be too dangerous if they knew anything. He would use your dad and maybe Lanie and the guys against you. You would surrender yourself, or they would die. But they would die in the end. With you being dead and everyone believing it, they should be safe. You are dead, right?" Rick asked her.
"Yes, I'm dead. The only things they'll find are my police ID and my driver's license. I thought it all out. I'm dead," Kate assured him. "I didn't even leave a body behind, so there's nothing to use against me."
"But I know I love you." Kate got up from where she was sitting, slipped her arms around his neck, and kissed him long enough for him to return the kiss. She broke from the kiss. "I'll keep telling you I love you until you believe me, Rick. No matter how long that takes."
"I think that's my cue to leave. I'll be over with Grams for dinner in about an hour since it's now about 6:30 pm," Alexis told them.
"And it's time for me to start work on dinner. I'm thinking of homemade chili. Does that work for you?" Rick asked her.
"I like chili. Not too hot, but warm," Kate told him.
"Coward," Rick told her. He gave her a quick kiss, escaped from her arms, and moved into the kitchen to start work on the chili.
Martha walked into the kitchen. "Katherine, is that you?"
"Martha?" Kate wasn't so sure. "Wow, what a change. I can understand Castle – Rick – being a blonde, and Alexis being a bright redhead, I can see, but you?" Kate didn't have words to describe her.
"ME? What about you? You look so different," Martha told her.
Kate ran a hand through her very short hair. "I was told I needed a disguise, and this is what I came up with."
"Alexis—April— tells me you know why you're here. Why we're all here," Martha said.
Kate nodded. "Bracken, yes. I don't understand why he wants me dead. I don't know anything. I've never even heard his name before now."
"He must think you know something to have shot you. How do you feel? Have you fully recovered from your shooting?" Martha asked her.
"Yes, I'm better now. It was a struggle at first, though. My days were full with a lot of pain and a lot of pills."
"And your boyfriend wasn't there to support you?" Martha inquired.
"I broke up with Josh while in the hospital," Kate told her. "I heard what he said to Castle, and he was way out of line. It was just me alone, except when my dad came out with supplies."
Martha frowned. "Was that wise, dear? You should have had someone there helping you."
"Well, I tried calling Castle—Rick—after about a month, but he didn't answer," Kate tried to explain. "I found out later that it was because he was dead, but not truly dead since he was out here hiding."
"Bracken. That man has ruined everything," Martha huffed. "I've never felt ill of anyone in my entire life, but I wish something bad would happen to that man."
"I hear you, Martha, but I don't think so. As I understand it, he has too much power already and is about to gain even more."
"So what are you making, Richard?" Martha sighed and hung her head. She was never going to remember to call him his new name.
"I'm making homemade chili, Mother."
"All the restaurants are on the west side, and we're on the east side." Martha didn't care much for chili. "Alfio's Pizza place isn't far. They surely serve something other than pizza. I think I'll go there. Toodles." Martha waved a hand and left to head for the golf cart again.
"She has money, yes?" Kate asked Rick.
"Yes, Mother has money. Not a lot, but enough to buy whatever she wants," Rick told her as he kept working on his homemade chili.
Kate enjoyed the chili and had two full bowls. Now, she was in her bedroom unpacking, hanging up clothes, and putting things away in drawers. She stopped and sat on the bed. "What happens now?" Kate wondered aloud.
"For one thing, you get to live your life free of danger now. Well, hopefully," Rick told her from the doorway.
"Castle, Rick, come in and sit down." Kate looked around and saw the bed full of open suitcases. She noticed a chair in the corner and motioned for him to sit there while she moved around to sit on the bed. She watched as Rick did as she asked.
"So," Kate began.
"So," Rick told her.
"You know I love you, right? And I'm so very sorry for how I treated you. I did all I could to keep you close but not too close. You scared me, Rick."
"So you told me. But here's the thing, Kate. What you did is still front and center in my mind. I can't just make it go away. You kissed Josh for all to see, including me. We survived blowing up and freezing to death. And I found you in his arms. Then you got shot, and I knew it was all my fault."
"But it wasn't, Rick." Kate knelt in front of him. "It wasn't your fault. I knew what I was doing."
"But I sent you there, so yes, it was. Josh was right when he confronted me in the hospital," Rick insisted.
"Josh was an asshole. That's why I dumped him when I found out what he had done. He was so very wrong, Rick. I went out to my dad's cabin alone to recover. I didn't want anyone to see me like that.
"I was hurting and in an incredible amount of pain. Then my dad called me out for being so stupid. That I should at least call you to tell you I was okay. Eventually, I did, but you were long since gone by then.
"That hurt almost as much as being shot. I went to the precinct that first day back and found Gates as the new Captain. Then Esposito told me you were dead, you, Alexis, Martha. It was like being shot in the heart all over again.
"It hurt so very much because I knew I loved you, and you were dead. After I woke up after fainting, I ran out of there and never looked back. I went to the Loft and pounded on your door again and again. I went home and cried.
"Then a miracle happened. I got that flash drive from Alexis, and my life changed.
"I love you, and I'll tell you I love you until you believe me." Kate got up, bent down, and kissed him long enough for him to kiss her back.
"I should let you finish unpacking and get some sleep." Rick got to his feet, walked around the bed, and headed for the door, where he stopped and turned around. "I'll see you for breakfast. I'll have coffee waiting for you," Rick told her, leaving her standing there.
"I love you," Kate told him. She finished unpacking and got ready for bed. She was wearing panties and a sleep shirt. "Damn period." She would have to start bleeding now.
Kate was up. She showered, brushed her teeth, and got dressed. Then, Kate started walking down the stairs. But she stopped, returned to her room, and removed her clothes. She was having her period, but that didn't mean she couldn't tease Rick, so she put on a bikini and then went downstairs barefoot.
"Hi, Castle—Rick," she corrected herself. She noticed he had eyes only for herself and her tits, so she went to the coffee maker, found a coffee cup, and filled it up. She stood there sipping it while smiling at him.
Rick managed to take his eyes off her and focus on something else. "Um, breakfast? I have eggs, sausage links, and maybe some toast and orange juice."
"Sure." Kate stood there with her coffee, happy that she had his attention. "What is there to do around here?"
He thought about it. "There's horseback riding, parasailing, Rainbow Beach, Botanical Garden, and Fort Frederik. There's a lighthouse. And there is Christiansted Market, where Mother probably went. Divi Carina Bay Casino. There are a couple of golf courses and several beaches. That's about it.
"Unless you mean here. There's the pool and media room with a few movies," Rick told her as he cooked breakfast.
Kate frowned. "Just a few? I seem to recall you had a lot of movies."
"About that. We came out here with most of our clothes, shoes, and other things. Most of the movies we have now we got locally. Same for the books. Everything else is in the Loft, which I still own, but under my old name," Rick told her.
"That reminds me," Kate said. "I'm Katrina now. I know Alexis is April, so what's your new name?"
"Robert." Rick went on the defensive. "It was a nice UK name, and I was in a hurry."
Kate raised an eyebrow. "Robert, huh? I'll try, but no promises."
Rick shrugged. "That's okay. I doubt anyone is out here looking for us. Just try not to use Castle for obvious reasons."
She used it like she was teasing him. "I'll try…Robert."
"So, breakfast. We can eat it inside or outside, and outside, you can choose either out back or at the pool," Rick told her.
"I'll take the pool," Kate decided. She drank all her coffee and took her plate, silverware, and glass of orange juice outside.
"Mind if we join you?" Alexis asked them. "You're eating on our side." She didn't wait for a reply and sat her breakfast down, as did Martha.
"Any plans for today?" Alexis inquired.
"Robert told me several locations where I could go, but I think I'll just hang around the pool," Kate said.
"Robert, huh?" Alexis questioned her.
"She's just teasing me. I told her my new name, and now she's using it almost always." Then Rick used her new name. "Katrina."
"If you call me April, I'll hurt you," Alexis told her, getting Kate to chuckle a little. "Just don't forget to use sunscreen. This sun will bake you in minutes. Trust me on this, Kate."
"Duly noted," Kate replied. "I never did thank you for the flash drive, Alexis. It saved my life. How did you get it to self-destruct like that?"
Alexis grinned. "Liked that, did you? Dad isn't the only one who does research."
"It fried my entire laptop, not that I'm complaining, mind you," Kate told her. "It served its purpose."
Alexis blushed. "Sorry about that."
Rick stared at his daughter. "You sent her a flash drive with information on how to get here?"
"You loved her, Dad. What was I supposed to do, let you suffer quietly? So I sent her a flash drive, with her signature required. It took me a while to get everything together and then weeks to deliver it. It sounds like it arrived just in time," Alexis commented.
Kate nodded. "That it did."
"I think I'm going to go read. It's nice to have you here, Katherine." Martha excused herself and started inside with her now empty plate.
"Thank you, Martha," Kate said and smiled at her. "I think I'll search for the sunscreen and spend some time at the pool." Kate excused herself, taking her empty plate and glass into the kitchen.
"So, are you mad at me, Dad?" Alexis asked him.
Rick shook his head. "No, I'm not mad. Surprised, technically, but never mad at you. It just might work out."
"OH, AND I STILL LOVE YOU!" Kate yelled at Rick.
After hearing that, Alexis chose to smile at her dad. "Fine, it'll work out eventually," Rick said, and Alexis's smile grew.
But she stopped smiling. "I'm still mad at her for how she treated you, Dad." Alexis got up, took her empty plate and glass into her kitchen, and cleaned up after breakfast.
"Mind if I join you?" Rick asked her, wearing his swim trunks.
"Please, Castle…Rick, Robert. Kate sighed and shook her head. "I hate this."
Rick moved his chaise lounge closer to her and lay down on it. "Hate what?"
"I hate all of this. I hate hiding. I hate having someone trying to kill me. I hate having to call you something else. I hate being weak," Kate told him and began to cry. "And I hate my new name, Katrina."
Rick got up, sat on the side of his chaise lounge, and held her hand in his. "I know you do. But what choice do we have? You tell me. What can I do, Kate?"
Kate got up and took both of his hands in hers. "I don't know, I just don't. I wish I didn't have to do this. I love you but didn't think I would have to love you in hiding." She sniffed and wiped away some of her tears.
"Just don't call me Castle. Call me anything else. Call me a jackass, call me a jerk, call me an ass, call me…" Rick had to stop talking when Kate put a finger on his mouth.
"I haven't thought of you as being a jackass for a while. At first, I did. You stuck your nose in my personal life, and I fought against that. But then you scared me. I was afraid that you were making it past all of my walls. Scared that you would leave me. So I fought against that, taking up with Demming and then Josh. All while trying to keep you close simultaneously.
"I failed miserably until I finally realized I loved you. It took me getting shot in the heart to realize that. That and a song," Kate told him.
Rick leaned in closer and kissed her long enough that she kissed him back. He broke from the kiss. "We'll survive, Kate. We only have to be careful with what and where we say it. Loose lips sink ships sort of thing.
"Right now, I have a bigger problem. Alexis wants to attend college. How do I do that living here in St. Croix?" Rick asked her.
That got Kate to start smiling, and she wiped away the last of her tears. "You're such a good father, Rick. Have you got a laptop and WiFi?"
Rick rolled his eyes. "You forget who you're talking to."
"Come on, Rick. Let's solve that problem." Kate got up and led him to his side of the house to find his laptop.
"Well, that was easy. There's the University of the Virgin Islands. It has a college of Liberal Arts and Social Science. College of Science and Mathematics. College of Agriculture. College of Business. College of Education and College of Nursing. What do you think she would be interested in?" Kate asked him, then changed her mind. "Let's see what it costs first." She changed the screen. "$2,700 isn't much, but look at all those fees. A property fee? Really?"
"Then, let's ask her. It's her choice, after all." Rick got up, brought the laptop, and went to the other side of the house, where he found Alexis.
"We found a University here in St. Croix. Here are the colleges they offer. Is there one of these that interests you?" Rick asked her.
"It's called the Albert A. Sheen Campus – St. Croix," Kate pointed out. "It looks nice. It's a modern-looking building surrounded by palm trees."
Alexis took the laptop, settled it on her lap, and started looking around. "It's June, so the school year will start early or late September.
Alexis happened to notice what they were both wearing. "And why are you two wearing swimsuits? A bikini, no less."
Kate defended herself. "I was laying out at the pool. I put on sunscreen." There was no way she would tell Alexis she was wearing a bikini to drive Rick mad.