781. Chapter 781

After Famous Last Words

Episode 2.07

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I'm blue because I don't own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

Kate was checking herself in the mirror when she caught sight of Castle watching her. She could tell something was a bit off. "Don't worry, Castle. I'm going with you tonight. I just can't understand why you want to see Jerry Jordan. I didn't think country rock was your thing. I've never heard you listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Pure Prairie League, the Allman brothers or Gram Parsons." She teased. She looked down at her skinny jeans and black leather jacket. "Or should I be wearing a high heeled cowboy boots, a leather miniskirt and a Stetson?"

Castle said nothing, but looked away, then at the floor.

"Castle, is something wrong?"

"Um, no…yes…um, not really wrong."

Kate walked over to him and put her arms around him. "Okay, tell me what it is."

"Uh, I actually want to go to see the opening act, "Black Jack" Reynolds."

Kate frowned. "Black Jack Reynolds. That is an oldie. He must be in his seventies now."

"But he's still rocking." Castle said quickly.

Kate nodded. "With all the money he owes the IRS, he'll have to keep rocking until he's a hundred and thirty, at least."

"So, I'm a fan." He said quietly. "I mean he was there at the beginning of rock and roll. He knew them all, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Carl Perkins, Bill Haley, just everyone."

"And all of them were big way before you were born, Castle. And Black Jack Reynolds mostly opened for those acts. How did you get interested in him? Was it the drug busts in the sixties and seventies? The under aged girls in the eighties? Was it when he set that fire in his hotel room? Talk to me, Rick. You're not telling me something. You know I can always tell."

"It's not exactly about Black Jack Reynolds. It's….about his daughter."

Kate thought for a moment. "His daughter? You mean the one by that sixteen year old fan?"

"No."

"The one with that married country singer? What was her name?"

"No, it was the one with his backup singer."

Kate laughed. "The one who chased him through that parking lot in Detroit with a .357 Magnum?"

"No," Castle said, blushing, "it was the one who chased him through the casino in Vegas in the brand new pink Cadillac convertible he'd bought her."

Kate laughed. "I saw that on the internet. She ran through a whole row of dollar slots. There were silver dollars everywhere. What about her?"

"She was my first." Castle said quietly.

"Your first…?" Kate frowned. "Oh, I see. Your first." She ran her hand over his cheek. "Should I be worried about the state of our engagement?"

"No!" He said quickly. "Never. She have been my first, but you're my last. Always."

"Care to tell me about it?"

"Martha had a role on Broadway. It was Never Roses. It was never a huge hit play, but it ran for a long time and we were financially secure, but it was summer and I was bored. Black Jack was playing at a club near the theater and I snuck in. I met her, we clicked and we were together for the whole summer. Then her dad got that gig in LA and she left. I guess she remembered me, because she sent me tickets. I'm just …curious and I'd like to see how she's doing. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure. Just let me get my cuffs so I can cuff us together and we'll be off."

"Beckett!"

"Just kidding."

Once at the club, Rick and Kate were led backstage and were introduced to Rick's first.

"Rick, how are you?" She said, grabbing his hand.

"Great, Jenny. I'd like you to meet my fiancé, Detective Kate Beckett, the inspiration for Nikki Heat. Kate, this is Jenny Reynolds."

"Whoa, cowboy. I'm Jenny Carrol now." She turned to the band tuning up behind her. "Earl, get over here and meet my friends."

Earl, a tall muscular man with long hair and a huge mustache came over, shifted his guitar from his hand and shook Rick's hand when introduced. "Always glad to meet a fan."

"Sweetie, come over here." Jenny called. A teenaged girl dressed all in black with white makeup on came over, a sullen look on her face. "What?"

"Sweetie, these are my friends, Rick and Kate. This is my daughter Evie."

"Big fucking deal." Evie said and walked away.

Earl apologized. "I don't know what's gotten into her in the last six months. But ever since her grandma died, she's been like that. She used to be such a sweet and happy child, now it's like she hates the world."

"Were they close?" Kate asked.

"Not at all." Jenny said. "Once she got the money from Black Jack, we never heard from my mom again until she got cancer."

"Ten minutes, people." Someone called.

"We gotta get ready. You enjoy the show."

Once the show was over, they went backstage to talk. Kate made sure she got Black Jack alone. "So, what happened when Jenny's mother died?"

He took a step back. "You a reporter?"

She showed him her badge. "Cop, NYPD. I'm a homicide detective. My job is to put the pieces of the puzzle together so they make sense. Something happened when Jenny's mother died that's upset your granddaughter. I'm curious, kind of a job requirement. If I'm out of line, just tell me to go away and I will. But I'd like to help if I could."

Black Jack looked around to make sure no one could hear. "When Marla was dying, she asked to see me one more time. The bitch had one more knife to stick in me and twist. She told me that Jenny wasn't mine. See, back then they didn't have this DNA stuff. Marla said Jenny was mine and the judge agreed. Told me to pay up and I did. I was real angry, but I thought Marla might be lying. So I went to a doc I know and he told me how to get a DNA sample from Jenny without her knowing. Marla didn't lie. Jenny ain't mine. I got real mad and said some things to Jenny that I oughtn't. Told her I should kick her ass out and her little Evie, too. I calmed down the next day and apologized to Jenny. Told her that no matter what, I loved her and she was my daughter. Jenny accepted that, but little Evie heard us and she's scared I'll kick 'em both out some day. I won't and I've tried to tell her that, but she just don't believe me. I ain't been all that good with keeping to the straight and narrow, you know."

"You could adopt Jenny. Make her your daughter legally."

Black Jack frowned. "But Jenny's an adult."

"I think you can adopt an adult in New York, but you should talk to an attorney. There are other states where you can adopt, too."

Kate saw Black Jack go over to Jenny and whisper in her ear. Then Jenny came over to her and hugged her. "Kate, you're the best. Any time you need a good old time country rock band, you know where to look."

Back at the loft, Rick and Kate were having a glass of wine before bed. "You are remarkable, Detective Beckett." He said with a smile.

"No, just a good cop."

"A remarkably good cop, then."