505. Chapter 505

After An Embarrassment of Bitches

Episode 4.13

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: In reality, I don't own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

"If Kay Cappuccio pushes her boobs into Castle's chest one more time and tells him what a sweetie he is, I swear I'll cut them off of her and ram them down her throat."

Lanie shook her head slowly. "Sweetie, you can't do that. If Gates finds out that you and Castle are an item, she'll kick him to the curb so fast it'll make the curb spin."

Kate closed her eyes and nodded. "I know. I know. It's just so damned frustrating. I've been jealous of the women in Castle's life for years, at least since his ex-girlfriend Kyra showed up. And I always told myself that Castle wasn't what I was looking for. He wasn't for me. He'd just break my heart when he left, just like he did when he headed off to the Hamptons with his ex-wife. And so I could never say anything. But, now, when I want to grab that Stollywood Harlot, and tell her, "Hands off, he's all mine.", I can't. Not without Gates finding out."

"Are you sure Gates would find out if you just told Cappuccio to back off quietly?"

"Quietly? Kay Cappuccio never does anything quietly. She has dozens of people whose sole job is to see to it that every inane word out of her mouth is broadcast to the whole planet, along with photos of her boobs, her legs and her ass. And guess what? Castle's a famous writer, so naturally, everyone wants to know why the famous Richard Castle is shadowing her. And, even better? I'm famous, too. I'm the real life Nikki Heat. If I get within fifty feet of that woman, I'll end up on the front page of some supermarket tabloid."

"And what's Castle doing, Kate?" Lanie asked, knowing the answer.

"He's a perfect gentleman to Kay and all the other women on the set. And when we get back to the loft at night, he's a sweet and as kind as he can be. And that just makes me feel worse about feeling jealous, because I know…" Kate stopped. "I know that I said so many horrible things about him in the past, and then lied to him for a year, that he'd have every right to give Kate Beckett up as a lost cause and move on."

"You know he'll never do that, don't you?"

Kate smiled. "I do. Except for one small part of me that will always be afraid of losing him."

Rick stuck his head into Lanie's office and smiled at Kate. "Ready to go to work?"

She nodded. "Watching Kay Cappuccio make a movie is work, believe me."

"It's a shame they didn't cast you in the lead of Kay Cappuccio Goes Wild."

Kate rolled her eyes. "There's probably a reason they didn't cast me. My name isn't Kay Cappuccio, remember?"

"So?" Castle said. "How about Beckett Goes Bananas? Kate Conquers Cappuccio?" Rick kept the banter up all the way to where the movie was shooting that day. When they arrived, they found Ryan and Esposito already there.

"Anything on the murder vic?" Kate asked.

"Jackie Lane, age 24, graduate of the UCLA film school. Was from Southern California and hadn't been to New York until she got the job here."

"How'd she get the job?" Castle asked.

"A guy she knew from college, Hank Richter. But he's in LA and hasn't been in New York since forever." Ryan replied.

"As far as anyone knows, she didn't know anyone in New York."

"And still she managed to get her skull bashed in in Kay Cappuccio's dressing room."

"Obsessed stalker? After Kay and killed Lane because she was there? A nut job, killed her for no reason? Someone she knew from LA who followed her here?" Beckett asked.

"We've asked the LAPD for help at that end. There's a Detective Seeger there who says he knows you two."

Rick and Kate exchanged glances. "And…?" Kate finally asked.

"He said that Lane was workaholic. Had no social life that any of her friends knew about. No boyfriends, didn't use alcohol or drugs. Never did anything at all but work. Like some people we know." Espo added with a smile.

"Well, those kinds of people can change, too. Anything on phones or financials?"

"Every phone call was to someone connected with the picture. We talked to the people she called and they said she was all business. Her credit card shows she ate at different places each night near her hotel. Oh, and didn't use the hotel phone. Nothing out of the ordinary in her other financials."

"So we're nowhere?" Beckett asked, disappointed.

"Not quite." Castle said, pointing to Kay Cappuccio headed right to them.

"Ricky! It's so good to see you again." She threw her arms around Rick and ground her boobs against his chest, then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Kate jammed her fists into her coat pockets so no one would see how mad she was. Espo and Ryan looked carefully elsewhere.

To make matters worse, several photographers appeared out of nowhere and began taking pictures of Kay and Rick. Kate could just imagine the headlines in the tabloids. "Kay and Castle: New Heat Wave?" "Caspuccio? The next Brangelina?"

Kate took a step forward and got between Kay and Rick. "If you don't mind, my partner and I have a murder to solve?"

"Oh, of course. And Ricky is your partner, just like a real cop? Fascinating? Do you think I could shadow you like he did for Nikki Heat? I've been thinking of writing a book, you know."

After you finished coloring it? Kate thought. However, Kate smiled. "Mr. Castle is a world famous crime novelist with years of experience through the detailed research he does for his books. I don't think the NYPD would want another person on my team." Especially one who'd end up dead about five minutes into the shadowing. Kate thought.

Kay smiled at everyone, kissed Espo and shook Ryan's hand, and even thanked Kate effusively for all she was doing. And finally, she was gone.

"Thank god." Kate muttered to herself.

"Amen." Castle added, earning a smile from Kate.

The scenes being shot that day were of Kay Cappuccio shopping at one of Manhattan's more expensive and trendy stores. Kate was surprised that the few scenes took all day to shoot.

"A lot of work goes into movies that doesn't get onto the screen." Castle said. "And a lot of non-work gets onto the screen, especially if you were making Heat Wave."

Kate looked around, and seeing they were alone, kissed Rick quickly. "I thought it was the best film ever made. The plot and the main character were superb."

"What about the male lead?" Castle asked, smirking.

"Not as good as the original. I only accept the genuine Richard Castle, and not substitutes."

For two more days they watched Kay Cappucio shop and try on clothes, then the whole production was move to Florida for beach scenes. They wouldn't be coming back to New York.

Kay approached Kate Beckett. "Detective Beckett?"

"Yes, Miss Cappuccio?" She said as politely as she could.

"I want to apologize for coming onto your boyfriend like I did. It's just that's what the public expects of me. And I'm sure you know he was a perfect gentleman."

Kate was stunned. "You know about…."

"You and Castle?" Kay said. "Duh! It's obvious." Kay looked surprised, seeing Kate's expression. "You mean other people don't know?"

She shook her head. "No, and we thought we were being so discrete. If our boss found out…"

"I'll make sure I never mention it to a soul." Kay hugged Kate. "And thank you so much for all you've done."

"We didn't catch the killer."

"But you did keep everyone here safe. I won't feel nearly as safe in Florida."

Someone called for Kay to get in the limo to the airport and she was off.

"And people say she has no talent." Kate shook her head and went off to find a killer.