Chapter 23: Vanessa’s Unexpected Capture

As Castle walked out of the police station with Beckett, he made a show of pulling out his phone. "Bell, remember the issue I consulted you about the other day?"

Bell, eager to please her patron who had paid her to play this role today, responded enthusiastically, "Yo, Mr. Castle, how are you? Of course, I remember your consultation. I heard on the radio that they struck again today?"

Castle quickly interrupted the chatty Bell, "Bell, I need your consultation again today. Are you free now? I'm at the 12th Precinct entrance with the detective in charge of the case. Could you pick me up? I need you to share some information with this detective as well. I'll pay for your consultancy services!"

"No problem, Mr. Castle. Please wait a few minutes; I'll be right there!" Bell replied, motivated by the prospect of earning more money.

"Alright, Beckett, please wait a moment. My friend will be here shortly. But let me say in advance, whatever you see, please don't be surprised. And considering she's coming to help you, I hope you can turn a blind eye to some minor infractions, okay?" Castle felt it prudent to prepare Beckett.

"What do you mean? Is your friend a criminal?" Beckett asked, somewhat puzzled.

"No, no, no, she's not a criminal, but her car might not exactly be up to standard. You'll see what I mean soon!" Castle chose not to elaborate, thinking it better for Beckett to experience it firsthand.

Bell arrived quickly, driven by the prospect of payment. Castle and Beckett had been waiting outside the 12th Precinct for less than ten minutes when Bell's 'Super Taxi,' marked with the number 313, pulled up beside them.

"Hello, Mr. Castle, and this beautiful detective," Bell greeted them, dressed in a bright yellow top that matched the color of her taxi, nearly blinding Castle.

Once seated in the taxi, Castle immediately turned his attention elsewhere. "Bell, this is Officer Beckett, in charge of the bank robbery cases. Beckett, this is Bell, perhaps the best taxi driver in New York. And, she's also very well-informed."

Castle then posed his long-prepared question: "Bell, this morning, Officer Beckett and I were chasing the robbers' car. During the chase, the police shot at the robbers' tires, but it had no effect. I suspect the robbers might be using specially made bulletproof tires. So, we wanted to consult you: where in Manhattan can someone purchase or replace such custom tires for a BMW?"

Following the script rehearsed with Castle days earlier, Bell hesitated slightly before responding, "Bulletproof BMW tires? Hmm, I only know of one place in West Sicaco that might have such tires."

Grateful for the 'consultancy fee,' Bell stuck to the script and finally revealed the crucial piece of information about where the robbers might have modified their car and hidden the stolen money.

"You mean, these tires are rare? Only available in West Sicaco? Can you take us there?" Beckett's eyes narrowed, sensing an opportunity.

Bell looked at Castle, puzzled—this wasn't in the script.

"Right, Bell, could you take us there?" Seeing his financier speak up, Bell smiled, "Of course, shall we go now? I'd suggest we take my taxi, so we don't attract attention with your police car."

Always keen to make a bit more money, Bell was not about to let this opportunity slip.

"Okay, then please take us there. We'll pay the fare!" Beckett decided promptly.

"Oh, and Bell, don't drive too fast. We're not in a hurry." Castle, who had endured a 'wild ride' that morning, suddenly remembered Bell's aggressive driving style as she started the car.

"Ha ha, Mr. Castle, you're quite the comedian. I am a law-abiding driver, you know!" Bell laughed heartily, thinking, Did he really think she would speed with a police officer in the car?

Beckett internally speculated, combining Castle's earlier words with Bell's behavior, that perhaps Bell had some issues with speeding.

But regardless, she was here to help, and Beckett was not a traffic cop. The priority was to locate the place where the robbers might have purchased or changed their tires.

Despite her efforts to restrain her speed, Bell still drove nearly half as fast as Beckett's usual driving pace, quickly bringing Castle and Beckett to the auto repair garage in West Sicaco.

Seeing Bell sweating nervously, Beckett chuckled, "Hey, Bell, don't worry. I'm not a traffic cop, and you haven't broken any laws. Besides, you're helping me with an investigation, so relax!"

"Uh... ha... ha..." Bell awkwardly laughed in response.

Just as Beckett was

 about to step out of the car to check the garage, Castle stopped her. "What are you doing? Are you planning to just walk in there? Are you sure no one is inside? What if we startle them?"

Beckett looked at Castle incredulously. "Why do I get the feeling you're quite sure the robbers are here? Do you know something I don't?"

"Darn, too hasty, almost blew it!" Castle inwardly panicked, quickly denying, "No, no, no, I'm just saying we should be careful not to alert anyone. What if the robbers' hideout is really here?"

As Castle was scrambling for excuses, a bright blue BMW 760i sped past the street corner, catching Beckett's eye.

Seeing the four stylish women get out of the BMW and enter the garage, Beckett couldn't help but exclaim in an excited voice to Castle, "Whether it's luck or deduction, you're amazing, thank you, Mr. Castle!"

Completely baffled by the turn of events that foiled his planned scenario, Castle heard Beckett thank him in a tone of unprecedented gentleness.

"...," Unsure whether to cry over his spoiled plans or laugh at Beckett's acknowledgment of his role, Castle could only maintain a poker face, suggesting to the excited Beckett, "Beckett, shouldn't we call for backup now? Surely you don't plan to just burst in there with just us three, do you?"

Beckett was already on her phone: "Esposito, quick, gather the team. I've located the hideout of today's fleeing robbers, and they are under my surveillance. Hurry, call in E.S.U, and get to West Sicaco.

Be quiet, don't use the sirens; we don't want to alert the robbers!!!"

After swiftly arranging the details of the capture, Beckett finally leaned back relaxed in her seat.

"Bell, thank you as well. If it wasn't for you bringing us here, we wouldn't have caught the robbers this quickly. Thank you, and if you ever run into trouble, feel free to call me." Beckett handed Bell her business card.

"Oho ho ho, thank you, beautiful Officer Beckett..." Bell laughed heartily, thrilled that her cooperation in a staged play had earned her the friendship of a powerful NYPD detective.

A large contingent of police quietly surrounded the garage.

Castle, wearing a bulletproof vest emblazoned with 'WRITER,' followed an armed Beckett and Esposito, his eyes gleaming with anticipation for the upcoming arrest.

"N.Y.P.D, don't move..." As the door was blasted open, Beckett charged in first.

Inside the garage, the four stylish women and a mechanic, plus two hostages tied up and gagged on a sofa, all looked bewildered by the sudden explosion.

Beckett burst through the door and immediately spotted Vanessa, who had outdriven her that morning. Pointing her gun, Beckett shouted, "Don't move, hands on your head, kneel down..."

Seeing no chance to escape, the five robbers obediently raised their hands.

Police flooded in behind Beckett, swiftly taking control of the situation.

Participating in a police operation for the first time, an exhilarated Castle followed behind Beckett, darting around the scene.

"It's you..." Vanessa recognized the man who had ogled her two days ago in his flashy Ferrari.

"You've met before?" Beckett detected something amiss.

"Oh, after their first robbery, I went to consult someone as I left the police station. The next day, I heard this place was suspicious and drove here to check it out, just as they were driving away. I didn't know at the time they were the robbers!" Castle hastily explained.

Though his explanation was full of holes, now was not the time to quibble with Castle. The robbers were caught, and the next step was to recover the stolen cash. But where was the money?

"Search the area thoroughly, find that money!" Beckett ordered.

"There... here!" Castle, buzzing around the garage, went straight to a car that had been dismantled in the middle of the garage and opened its door.

Inside the door's compartment, which had been stripped, lay the stolen cash.

"..." Beckett looked deeply at Castle again, realizing this man might be hiding many secrets.

But for now, she wasn't in a hurry. With the case nearly closed, she would have plenty of time to figure him out.

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