1057. Chapter 1057

After A Deadly Game

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Would anyone believe it if I said I did own Castle? Rating: K Time: Episode 2.24 but a little AU. Okay, a lot AU.

Kate noticed the looks on Alexis' and Martha's faces when Espo said that. "That may be a good thing. Four known shooters broke in here and were killed. There's absolutely no evidence that Castle was injured in that. And we have evidence that five men were seen running to the helicopter. The witness didn't think any of the five men were injured or being coerced. Four men may have saved Castle and are taking him someplace safe." Kate wasn't at all sure that was what happened, but it did reassure the redheads.

"Now, everyone finish your breakfasts and we'll take one final look around the property."

When they got to the master bedroom. Kate saw a shopping bag sitting on the bed. "Alexis, where are the pajamas? I folded them and left them on the bed."

"I put all of your clothes in the shopping bag, including the pajamas. Please take them. Otherwise, they'll just sit in my closet until they rot away."

"Oh, Katherine, dear, do take them. They're just perfect for you. You can wear them the next time you come out here." Martha added.

Kate didn't want to get into an argument with the redheads and picked up the shopping bag. She raised an eyebrow when she saw where it was from. "When I come into the locker room at the precinct and take my clothes out of a Chanel shopping bag, all the other women will be very jealous."

Once back at the precinct, they got updates from both Lanie and One PP from Captain Montgomery.

"Lanie has given us a time of death for the four vics as between midnight and two AM. Bad news from One PP. They contacted the manufacturers of the submachine guns in Germany. They were part of a shipment of one hundred weapons sent to the Portuguese police from Germany. Only ninety arrived in Portugal. No one has any idea where they went missing."

"Beckett, are you going to try to contact the people on the list on Castle's computer?"

"First I want to try some people closer to home."

She put on her sternest face when she entered the bar. She was surprised to be greeted by a smiling waitress, and by name.

"Welcome, Detective Beckett. Mr. Tenor has been expecting you. Follow me, please."

Sal Tenor stood up and waved Kate to the other side of the booth. She was surprised that there was no goon standing guard.

"Some wine, Detective?" Tenor asked.

Kate shook her head. "I'm on duty."

Tenor laughed. "Please, Detective. You can't talk to an Italian and not drink wine. A glass of white wine?"

Before Kate could say anything, the waitress put a glass of wine in front of her.

"We've heard about Rick. Everyone thinks it's terrible. Believe me, we have nothing to do with those Albanians. They're one hundred percent trouble."

"What about the Spolanos?"

Tenor shrugged. "The Spolanos are running scared. Both Jimmy the Rat and Carla Coldblood have turned states' evidence. There's word that some of the Spolano's top people are putting feelers out to the Feds. You know how it is, Detective. The first one to rat gets into witness protection with no jail time. The second gets the same as he corroborates the first guy. After that, the Feds have less incentive to be nice. Junior Spolano is really scared. He could do very, very hard time. If they tried anything, it would be against Jimmy Moran or Carla Dante. However, the Feds have them wrapped up tight. No, no one I know would be interested in Rick."

Kate sighed. "I didn't think so, but I had to ask." She got up to leave but Tenor stopped her.

"I like Rick. For a millionaire playboy, he's okay. He a good family man." Tenor laughed at Kate's expression. "Not our kind of family, his mom and his daughter. So, I'll ask around, see if anyone knows anything. But don't expect much. This doesn't look like something someone in my line of work would do."

Kate thanked him and left for her next stop. Her welcome was chillier this time, with everyone in the bar scowling at her. But the man she'd come to see walked towards her.

"I don't usually approve of the police in my establishment, but I'll make an exception for you, since you did me a favor."

"I didn't kill Dick Coonan for you." She snapped.

Finn Rourke nodded. "No, you didn't. But that doesn't mean you didn't do me a favor. I wish I could do one for you to even up, but I can't. I have no idea what happened to your boyfriend."

Kate didn't have time to explain her relationship with Castle to Rourke. "What about the Latin Kings. They must have been unhappy to have had their heroin source cut off like that."

Rourke shook his head. "They had people offering them product before that bastard Dick Coonan was even cold. It's an occupational hazard, Detective Beckett. But, if I hear anything, I'll let you know. Now if you could leave? My customers are getting a bit nervous."

When Kate got back to the precinct, she briefed Montgomery on what had happened.

"Do you think they can be trusted, Beckett?"

"No, but what they say makes sense. The Spolanos would go after Moran and Dante if they could. Killing or kidnapping Castle won't keep Junior Spolano out of prison. And we know there's been no shortage of heroin since the death of Dick Coonan. Like Rourke said, having your source of heroin killed is just another day at the office for the Latin Kings."

"What now?"

"I'm going to start contacting Castle's "guys" and hope one of them knows something."

By the end of the afternoon, Kate was tired and discouraged.

"Find out anything?" Montgomery asked as he got ready to go home.

"With the law enforcement people he knows, I can identify myself as Detective Beckett, NYPD and admit that I'm the real life Nikki Heat. I get cooperation, but no one seems to have any information that would help us. With some of Castle's other "guys", I'm Katie or sometimes, Nikki, a friend of Rick's. Even so, I get a lot of no answers, hang ups, that number is no longer in service, no one by that name here, and answering services who'll forward my message. And I get some odd ones."

"Odd ones that might be useful?"

Kate shook her head. "I talked to a woman who Castle identifies as a dealer and expert in valuable coins. She's in her late seventies, according to Castle's notes, but she accused me if trying to take Castle away from her. She described in pornographic detail what she and Castle liked to do. But the worst was one guy in Mexico who wouldn't talk to me unless I sent him a topless picture of myself. So, I…" Kate stopped, noticing that Montgomery, Ryan, Esposito and LT were staring at her. Even Karpowski seemed interested. "That's what the internet is for. I downloaded a photo of some girl with big boobs and sent it off to him. Turns out he runs a charter boat service in the Mexican Riviera. He said he provides all the extras, by which I assume he means girls and drugs. But he hasn't seen Castle in years."

"Good work, Detective. Good work." Montgomery headed for the elevator. "And go home yourself." He called over his shoulder.

Kate did go home in a bit, ate take out, had a glass of wine and read for a while. When she was ready for bed, she saw the Chanel bag sitting by her bed. After a moment's hesitation, she pulled out the silk pajamas and put them on.

Once in bed, she thought. I thought I was right when I told Castle that given a choice between someone who'd upset the applecart, but make you feel alive, but would then leave, and someone who was safe, I'd pick the safe option. I just didn't realize how much I'd miss Castle, even though I know he'll break my heart. Eventually, she got to sleep.

The next morning, she got more bad news from Eposito. "The Israelis sold the armored vests to the Saudi Arabians, of all people, who gave them to a friendly Iraqi militia. Nobody has any idea what happened after that."

"Go ahead, make my day." Kate grumped.

"Organized Crime got a lead on the dead Albanians and got a warrant for their apartments. Absolutely nothing, except for fifty thousand in hundreds in each apartment. They had no cell phones or computers and they found no record of them having a bank account or any friends. These guys were really careful not to leave any kind of trail we could follow. They were good."

"Not good enough to not get killed." Kate shot back.

"There's that."

Kate got to work on Castle's list of guys. She was more than halfway through when someone screamed at her.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Kate looked up to see Special Agent Rebecca Knowles heading for her.

"I'm investigating a murder. That's what homicide squads do." Kate said as faux sweetly as she could manage.

By this time Captain Montgomery had come out of his office to see what the problem was. Knowles turned on him. "Do you know what she's been doing?" She yelled.

"Yes. Detective Beckett and all of my detectives keep me apprised of their activities."

"Did she tell you she's had contact with two criminals? Sal Tenor and Finn Rourke?"

"Those men are suspected criminals. Nothing has been proven against them, and police often deal with criminals. It comes with the job." Montgomery was trying very hard to be polite.

"And do you know she's been calling all sorts of people, many of whom are criminals or are on the fringes of legality."

"Just following up leads, Captain Montgomery." Kate put in.

"Do you know that we haven't gotten a ransom call? I suspect that it's because your detective has let everyone know that the police are involved."

"I would think that after leaving four dead bodies in plain sight, whoever took Castle away would have probably figured the police might have noticed."

Knowles glared at Montgomery. "That's it. I'm going to file an official complaint about the actions of the NYPD in this case." And then she stormed off.

"I wouldn't worry about this, Beckett. Keep doing what you're doing."

"I intend to, sir."

Kate got back to calling the people of Castle's list. She was almost done when Roy Montgomery came out of his office. "Beckett, we have a VIP coming to see you."

Before Kate could reply, the elevator door opened and a tall, very well dressed, silver haired man stepped out, followed by an entourage who were not quite as well dressed.

"Detective Beckett?" The man asked. "I'm Hugo Sperrle. May I assume you've heard of me."

Kate nodded. "I know of you by reputation, sir."

"From my place in the Hamptons, I can see Richard Castle's house. Although we've never met, Mr. Castle is a neighbor and I was shocked to hear of what happened. The Attorney General advised me that there has been some problem with the FBI on this case. I believe that has been resolved. I may have certain contacts that are unavailable to the NYPD and the FBI. I've asked them to look into this. In the meantime, if you need anything, please contact Perkins."

Someone, Kate assumed it was Perkins, handed her a business card.

"Are we clear?"

Kate nodded as did Montgomery. Sperrle and his entourage left.

Kate was almost all the way through the list of guys when she left that evening. She had gotten absolutely nowhere.

She finished off the list the next day and began to get some callbacks from people she'd left messages for. Still nothing.

The next day was worse. With no new leads she was reduced to going over the evidence they had in hopes of finding something they missed on the first go through. No luck.

This is getting to be like my mom's murder. She thought. I can go over absolutely nothing over and over and find absolutely nothing.

At five o'clock she grabbed her things and got ready to go.

"Leaving, Kate?" Montgomery asked. He was used to Kate staying to all hours on a case.

"Yes. I'm getting nowhere on this. Just going around in circles. Maybe a good nights' sleep will give me some perspective."

"See you tomorrow, then."

She headed for the subway, so deep in thought that she almost missed someone calling her name.

To be continued.

Author's note: Since tallcajun and Trude have reviewed as guests, I'll take this opportunity to thank them for their kind reviews.