Chapter 125: Friends

King took Castle's subtle warning to heart and then turned his head to his silent confidant. "Charlie, you've heard what Rick said. I'm putting you in charge of this. Any problems?"

Charlie, a man of few words, simply nodded and requested a photo of Kate from Castle. After Castle handed over the photo, Charlie left the room to arrange the search for Kate, leaving Castle and King alone to continue their casual conversation.

In just a few minutes, Charlie returned to the large room, reporting to King that the search for Kate had been discreetly set in motion. He assured them that if Kate was still in New York, she would be found within a week.

Castle, impressed by his Uncle Powell's efficiency, politely expressed his gratitude once more. He then stood up to take his leave.

King didn't insist on Castle staying longer. As Castle was about to leave, King, in a teasing tone, told him that if he needed any information on cases to impress that female cop Beckett, he could just ask. It was an elder's way of making things easier for him.

With his thick skin, Castle accepted his Uncle Powell's offer without any embarrassment, laughing and joking in response. This easygoing nature further endeared Castle to King, who saw it as a sign of a bright future for Castle.

After bidding farewell to Uncle Powell, Castle casually strolled through the late-night streets of New York, waiting for a taxi. As he waited, he reflected on his recent encounter with his cunning uncle, checking for any mistakes or slip-ups. Finding none, he finally caught a cab and ended his eventful day, heading home for a good rest.

Starting tomorrow, he had to focus on finishing the first book in the Nikki Heat series. His publisher and ex-wife, Gina, had been impatiently waiting for it and would not hesitate to bring a knife to his door if he delayed any longer.

Back home, Castle found his daughter already asleep. Exhausted from the day, he decided not to look for more trouble and quickly took a shower, ready for a good night's sleep.

However, while Castle intended to rest, Neal Caffrey was eagerly awaiting news from him about the meeting on Bary Street. Just as Castle was about to sleep, Neal called, unable to wait any longer.

"Oh, Neal, sorry about that. I forgot to let you know, buddy. Don't worry, King agreed to help and has already set the search for Kate in motion. He assured me that if Kate is still in New York, we'll have an answer within a week… Yes, you stay with the FBI for now… No need to thank me, it's what friends are for… Alright, talk to you later. Oh, and have Mozzie call me tomorrow; I have something for him."

Neal, hanging up, couldn't hide his excitement. "Mozzie, Rick said King agreed to help and even gave a rough timeline. I'm so relieved. Rick is truly a good friend!"

Mozzie, still leisurely sipping Neal's treasured wine, responded calmly, "I told you, Rick is a good guy, and we're his friends. I also mentioned he's going to have me handle that Tutankhamun staff. You heard him say to pick it up tomorrow. Think about it, Neal—the value of that staff, and Rick is casually handing it to me. That shows how much he trusts us. Such a friend wouldn't make false promises."

"Then we mustn't betray Rick's trust in us!" Neal declared firmly to his friend Mozzie.

"Of course not. You know how rare it is in our line of work to find someone who genuinely considers us a friend. I wouldn't risk losing a friend like Rick over a staff. Besides, Rick already promised me a ten percent commission, though even without it, I'd still help him."

Neal, focused on finding his missing girlfriend, was more concerned with her whereabouts than with Castle's and Mozzie's dealings. Castle's willingness to help had filled Neal with gratitude. Under normal circumstances, Neal could have found Kate using his own methods, but his movements were restricted by the FBI's tracking anklet, limiting him to a two-mile radius.

Furthermore, the sudden disappearance of Kate had an ominous feel to it, suggesting a conspiracy aimed at Neal. Finding Kate was not just about their relationship but also about uncovering the truth. Neal believed that once they found Kate, even if she didn't talk, he would have enough time and opportunities to uncover the truth.

Castle's help was invaluable to Neal. It not only bypassed Neal's movement restrictions but also utilized Bary Street's extensive intelligence network, which had no direct ties to Neal. This meant that even if someone was plotting against Neal, they wouldn't suspect him. Neal would have ample time to observe and identify who was targeting him, giving him a perfect opportunity to prepare.

For a mastermind like Neal, finding Kate and understanding the motives of those targeting him was crucial. It would determine who was the prey and who was the predator. Knowing the target's plan would ensure Neal would not let the person threatening Kate off easily. This was why Neal felt so grateful for Castle's proactive help.

Castle, unaware of Neal's deep gratitude, saw this as an opportunity to complete a task assigned by the system. Being friends with Neal originally, and having liked Neal and Mozzie from the show in his past life, Castle despised the FBI agent Fuller who was using his position to manipulate Kate and Neal. Helping a friend, completing a system task, and thwarting the scheming Fuller was a win-win situation for Castle.

For Castle, the day's myriad events finally came to a close as he drifted off to sleep after Neal's call, awaiting the dawn of a new day.

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