527. Chapter 527

After Death Gone Crazy

Episode 5.12

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Are you crazy? Of course I don't own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above and below.

Author's note: You may notice that this occurs about ninety years before Death Gone Crazy and is a sequel to Chapters 395 and 477.

Policewoman Kate Beckett checked herself in the mirror. The blue serge uniform she wore did nothing for her figure, but as one of the first policewomen ever hired by the NYPD, she was determined to always look and act a credit to the uniform.

Her fiancé, writer Richard Castle, had other ideas, however. He came up behind her and cupped her boobs with his hands while kissing the back of her neck.

"Rick! Stop that. I have to get to the precinct. If I'm ever going to be the NYPD's first ever female detective, I have to be perfect."

Castle kissed her again. "Believe me, you are perfect, Kate."

She pushed him away. "I have to be going."

"We have to be going. Sergeant Montgomery asked me to come to the precinct with you today."

"Why?" Kate asked, suddenly worried. She knew that living with a man who was not her husband was looked down upon in some circles, even in the New York City of the Roaring Twenties. Could someone have complained about us? She thought to herself.

Feeling increasingly nervous, she allowed Castle to drive to the 12th Precinct in his new Pierce-Arrow, parking in a place reserved for police vehicles. Everyone in the precinct knew that Castle was friends with New York's mayor, Jimmy Walker, known as Beau James.

Once inside, Castle and Beckett were sent to Sergeant Montgomery's office. They found Detectives Ryan and Esposito already there. Sergeant Montgomery, the head of the homicide squad told them to sit down. Kate admired Montgomery. She knew that Montgomery was still only a sergeant while all the other squad commanders were lieutenants because of the color of Montgomery's skin. But Kate felt that if a man of color could advance in the NYPD, there was a chance she could too.

"Beau James is dead. Murdered." Montgomery said.

"What!" Castle cried. "The mayor is dead?"

"No." The other Beau James. The guy who owns University Flappers Go Berserk. Strangled with a…." He suddenly realized he was also addressing a member of the fairer sex. "…a ladies undergarment."

Kate spoke up. "What kind of under garment?"

Montgomery blushed, which wasn't easy for him to do. "A brassiere." He muttered.

"Did you ask me to be here because I'm an expert on female undergarments?" Rick asked, causing Kate to blush.

"James was murdered in his club, the University Club. No one there is talking, so we need someone to go inside. The University Club caters to the children of the upper crust, college kids, since only the rich have the money to go to college. The kind of place where you'd fit right in, Mr. Castle."

Kate felt a block of ice form in her stomach and start churning. Rick would be seeing all sorts of young, beautiful women from his own social class. He might soon realize that she was just some cop. Then what would she do?

"A fine idea, Sergeant Montgomery, but there's one problem. I'm not a cop. I should have a cop with me."

Montgomery looked at Detectives Ryan and Esposito. He couldn't see either of them passing for the college crowd. "I don't know, Castle. Where would we find…"

"Officer Beckett, of course." Castle interrupted.

"What? Send her in undercover? In plain clothes?"

"Exactly." Castle said with a smile. "And what kind of budget do you have for this?"

"Budget?" Montgomery asked.

"We can't have my girlfriend going into the University Club in some cotton frock from Sears or wearing jewelry from Woolworths, can we?"

That night, Kate sat in the Pierce-Arrow next to Castle. "Rick, this dress is to short, too tight, too low cut and too expensive. I can't have you spending money on me like this. It's like….Like I'm a kept woman, or something."

Rick stroked her cheek. "It's an "or something". You're my fiancé. I bought you a few nice clothes and…"

"A few? Rick, you bought me a dozen dresses, underwear, stockings, shoes, hats and jewelry."

"This could take weeks. You have to look the part, right?"

Kate agreed that she did have to look the part, but still felt bad about Rick spending that amount of money on her.

Arriving at the University Club, Castle paid fifty cents to have his car parked, an amount that Kate thought was extortionate.

Inside, they were greeted by "Big Willy" Sorenson. The name was somewhat ironic, as he actually had a small willy.

"Richard Rodgers, isn't it?" Willy asked. "Haven't seen you around for a while."

"The names Castle now. I changed it now that I'm writing again."

"Who's the dish?" Willy said, leering at Kate.

Rick slid his arm around Kate. "This is my girlfriend, Kate."

"Well, sweetie, when Rick here gets tired of you, come and see me."

"I'm not about to get tired of Kate." Rick said gallantly.

They headed for the bar and as they sipped their sidecars, a drink that soldiers had brought back from France after the World War, Rick told Kate about Willy. "He was Beau James number one boy, but he didn't have the talent or the intelligence to run an operation like this. He'll sell out after a while if he's smart. And the mayor liked to come here. He got a kick out of drinking with another Beau James."

Suddenly, a busty blonde threw her arms around Rick and kissed him. "Rick, darling. It's so good to see you." She slurred, somewhat the worse for drink.

"Gina." Castle said with a tight smile. "I'd like you to meet my fiancé, Kate Beckett."

Kate smiled and held out her hand. Gina ignored her. "Darling, why don't we go in the back? Do you know that Beau had movie cameras installed here? There are some hilarious scenes from last night. And it's dark, we can smooch."

"Rick is with me." Kate said coldly. "He's mine."

"He's yours for now, perhaps, but I'm sure…"

"She'll be mine long after I've forgotten your name." Rick said, equally coldly.

Gina glared at the two of them and staggered away.

"We should go see the movies, Rick."

"Why, Kate. Did you want to smooch?"

She blushed. "We need to see the film from last night. Something might be on it."

Indeed there was something interesting on the film and the next day a hung over Gina Cowan was brought into the 12th Precinct. Rick and Kate stayed out of the way in case they had to go undercover again.

"Miss Cowan," Ryan began, "we got a warrant for the film taken at the University Club the night Beau James was killed. The films showed he walked back to the restrooms and you followed him a few seconds later. You came out of the restrooms and no one went in for five minutes until a Miss Haas, who ran out seconds later screaming that Mr. James was dead. We've identified the murder weapon as your brassiere. A seamstress identified it as having been made for you by her. It even has your initials in it."

Gina turned white. "But I didn't kill Beau. I didn't even see him."

"Then how did your undergarment end up around his neck?" Esposito asked.

"It…it came off when I was with another man in the restroom." Gina blushed.

"For only a few seconds?" Ryan asked.

Gina shrugged. "That's all the time he used."

"We'll need a name." Ryan said softly.

Castle, Beckett, Ryan and Esposito pulled up in front of the University Club. Again, they were met by "Big Willy". "What can I get you boys?"

"A confession would be nice." Castle said with a smile.

"A confession? Of what?"

"Murdering Beau James." Ryan said.

Willy shook his head. "I was never anywhere near him. You can't prove a thing."

"Give it up, Sorenson. Gina Cowan rolled over on you. She said she had sex with you in the ladies room and lost her bra. I'm guessing that James was watching you and laughing. When you were done, he came out and pointed out your…shortcomings. That's when you killed him. Then you hid in the men's room and when everyone came running to see what had happened in the ladies restroom, you just walked out and mingled with the crowd."

Sorenson reached for his roscoe in a shoulder holster, but Esposito dropped him with a blackjack.

That night Kate snuggled up next to the man she loved. Rick kissed her. "I have one more piece of jewelry for you, Kate."

"Rick, please. You don't have to buy me anything else, ever."

"Yes I do. I got the advance from Black Pawn today for the Nikki Heat book and I spent it all getting you…" he pulled out a small jewelry box…"an engagement ring. Will you marry me, Officer Beckett?"

"Of course I will."