848. Chapter 848

After Secret's Safe with Me

Episode 5.03

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: The butler does not own Castle, nor do I. Rating: K Time: See above.

Author's note: This is a sequel to my chapters 623, 632, 702, 752, 776 and 793.

The explosion was strong enough to knock Rick and Kate Castle out of their bed in their rooms in the American Club in the International Settlement in Shanghai.

Rick quickly disengaged himself from Kate's naked form, while making sure she was okay.

"What are you doing?" She asked, not really minding as his hands roamed over her body.

"Just making sure my wife is all right."

"I've been working as an archeologist for ten years, mostly here in China." She kissed him. "I appreciate your concern but, Kate "Idaho" Beckett, PhD, can take care of herself." She reached for the 1911A1 Colt she kept by her bedside. "We should get dressed and see what the commotion was all about."

Not fifteen minutes later they arrived in the lobby of the club to find the Sikh's of the Shanghai Municipal Police under Sergeant Demming Singh were on the scene. Both Rick and Kate groaned when they saw him. Demming Singh was renowned for his incompetence.

Seeing the couple, he quickly approached them. "I have solved the problem, Sahib Castle. It was doubtlessly a gas main inside the safe in the lobby that exploded."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Why would anyone put a gas main inside a safe?"

Sergeant Demming Singh looked momentarily confused. "My cousin, Demming Singh, the plumber, always runs the gas mains through a convenient safe. Doesn't everyone?"

"You idiot!" Screamed a female voice. "The safe was blown to steal my diamonds. They're gone! Gone, I tell you. Ten million pounds in diamonds. And I shall sue the American Club for all of it!"

"And you are, Memsahib….? Sergeant Singh asked politely.

The redhead drew herself up to her full height. "I am Lady Meredith Innbread-Ffoppe, wife of Sir Algernon Innbread-Ffoppe, of the Bank of Shanghai, Hong Kong and Jersey City. And I shall see you and all of your incompetent men sacked for your incompetence."

Suddenly her eye lit or Rick and her anger was replaced by interest. She swept to Rick, pushed Kate out of the way and threw her arms around Rick. "Richard, Darling! I am so happy to see you. Shall we go to my room so that you may console me properly?" She glanced at Kate. "I'm sure your butler here can manage by himself. Although you always were terrible with the staff. You must be firm, Richard. I used to love to bend my nanny over father's desk and use my riding crop on her…"

"Meredith, may I introduce you to my wife, the famed archeologist Kate "Idaho" Beckett-Castle?"

"Certainly, dear. Where is she?"

"Right here, Meredith." He pointed at Kate.

Kate was smiling at Meredith only because she was having daydreams involving bending Meredith over a desk and using her bullwhip on the redhead.

"This skinny little thing is a female?" Meredith laughed. "How nice to meet you, dear." She then turned back to Rick and began telling him of her life since they had last met. The conversation consisted of how wealthy her husband was and long description of her possessions.

"Excuse me, Lady Meredith Innbread-Ffoppe?" A young man interrupted her. "I'm Charles Allnut of the American Club. I understand some jewelry was stolen?"

Meredith looked down her nose at the man. "Some jewelry! Young man, priceless jewelry was stolen! I demand full compensation."

"If you can come to my office, Lady Meredith?"

The two left, leaving Rick and Kate alone.

"You probably want to know how I came to know Meredith." Rick said.

"Not really. "Kate replied coldly. "Not at all, actually."

"We were engaged once. A long time ago. She was less…"

"Of an obnoxious, rude, wealth obsessed social climber?" Kate suggested.

"Good description. She broke it off when I declined a position at her father's brokerage firm on Wall Street. It was not my idea of how I wanted to spend my life."

"What was your idea of how you wanted to spend your life?" Kate asked, thawing just a bit.

"With you."

"Good description." Kate replied.

They turned to find a Chinese man standing behind them. "Mr. and Mrs. Castle. May I talk to you?"

"And you are?" Rick asked.

"Major Chen of the Government of China. And I'd like to talk in private."

Rick led Major Chen and Kate to a small garden behind the American Club. They sat with Major Chen.

"You are aware that the Japanese invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria earlier his month?"

"On September 18, 1931. I do read the newspapers, you know." Rick said.

Major Chen smiled. "There is little chance of my government's troops stopping the Japanese. And, we fear, that the Japanese intend to invade China itself. We have heard that the Japanese are planning a series of incidents that will make it appear that our government is attacking Japan and the international community. That would give the Japanese an excuse to attack us."

"Not that they seem to need an excuse." Kate said.

"I have no authority inside the International Settlement, but if two Americans should happen on a plot to discredit China…." Major Chen smiled.

"What do you want us to do?" Rick and Kate said together.

"You might wish to go to a warehouse 22 Avenue Edward VII near the Dollar Line building. You might wish to wear dark clothing and carry your weapons." Major Chen bowed and walked away.

That night, dressed in dark clothes and carrying side arms, the two left the American Club.

"You should wear pants more often, Kate. You have a magnificent…"

"Shh!" She warned him. "The warehouse is just up ahead and I can see a light inside. There! Someone's moving inside. Be careful now and don't make any noise."

The door to the warehouse was open enough for the two of them to slip inside and move towards the light in the back. As they peeked over a bundle of raw silk, they saw Lady Meredith Innbread-Ffoppe in the arms of Mr. Charles Allnut of the American Club. Meredith broke the kiss.

"Do you have everything, Darling?"

Allnut nodded. "I have your jewels, which I took out of the safe before the explosion, and a check for ten million pounds from the Club to recompense you for your loss. We can be free of your husband and live a life of luxury far from China."

Rick slid his .45 from his shoulder holster and stepped into the light, with Kate right behind him. "I'm afraid your life of luxury will have to wait until the two of you get out of prison."

Meredith pushed Allnut away. "Get your hands off of me, you cad!" She turned to Rick. "He forced here, Richard. You know I only love you."

Rick frowned. "You used to be a much better actress, Meredith. Now shall we all got to the police?"

"I think not." Said a voice from behind them.

"Algernon!" Cried Meredith. "Thank God you've rescued me. These three have stolen our jewels and planned…"

A burst of submachine gun fire over Meredith's head stopped her from talking.

"Yes, I have one of your wonderful American Thompson submachine guns. Drop your weapons. Now."

Rick and Kate dropped their pistols.

"You knew about this." Rick said.

Sir Algernon laughed. "My wife is an idiot and Allnut isn't much smarter. I'm afraid between Meredith's spending and the recent Wall Street crash, I'm skint as they say. Busted as you Americans would put it. Once I kill the four of you and grab the jewelry and the check, my Japanese friends will get me out of Shanghai and they'll have a nice "spontaneous" riot going to cover my departure."

Sir Algernon was unused to women wearing pants, and he was also unused to women having legs as long and toned as Kate's. He had never met a woman who could kick hard enough to break his jaw. That night he did.

Sir Algernon landed on his back, spitting teeth out of his mouth as Kate slammed his head against the concrete floor of the warehouse.

Rick retrieved all of the weapons and then asked his wife to stop battering Sir Algernon.

"Richard, you know I've only loved you." Meredith said."

Rick just laughed.

The next morning Rick woke to another explosion, but this one was caused entirely by his wife.

"What an alarm clock."

"You liked it?" She asked, shyly.

"I love it. And you." Rick leaned back and sighed.

"Something wrong?"

"The police stopped the riot last night before it even got started, but I have the feeling that things are only going to get worse."

Kate rested her head on his chest. "Then we'll just have to work at making them better again."

Author's note: Okay, baseball fans, about the prior author's note. The Napoleon in the first book title would be Napoleon Lajoie, often described as baseball's first superstar. In 1901 he led the majors with 14 home runs. Hey, it was called the "dead ball era" for a reason.

Stealing first. In 1913 Herman Schaefer of the Detroit Tigers stole second, trying to set up a timed double steal, hoping that when the catcher threw to second, the Tigers' runner on third base could steal home. However, the catcher didn't throw the ball. Schaefer then ran back to first so he could try again. The umpires stopped the game and determined that there was no rule against what Schaefer had done, and so ruled he had stolen first base. The majors added a rule that should prevent that. Although see Jean Segura of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2013.

The Leland Giants were a team from the old segregated Negro Leagues and were as good as any all- white team.

See? UCSBdad's stuff is educational.