156. Chapter 156

After Ghosts

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: There isn't a ghost of a chance that I'll ever own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

After an hour of hard fought Texas hold 'em, Kate was up exactly two Gummi Bears. She had to admit that Castle was a very good poker player. Of course, she was a very good poker player, too.

Castle pushed his way away from her desk and stood up.

"Too much for you, Castle?" She said sarcastically. "Quitting already?"

"I have to go pee. And I've counted my Gummi Bears. They'd better all be there when I get back."

"What exactly are you suggesting?"

"Beckett, you've been known to make…unorthodox moves while playing poker. That makes me wonder exactly what you're capable of."

"You will never know all of the things I'm capable of, Castle. Never."

"Assuming I want to know." He replied as he walked towards the bathrooms.

Kate sat there considering Richard Castle. There was a great deal about him that she still disliked. But she had found out that he was more than the arrogant, self -centered playboy she had met on the Tisdale case. Not that he wasn't still an arrogant, self-centered playboy. It was just there was more than that to him. She wondered sometimes just how much more there was.

He was quickly back at her desk.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question, Castle?"

"Sure. You can always ask me a question. But I might not answer."

She shrugged. "Fair enough. When Lee Wax left here, she looked angry. And she left alone. I had thought you two might get together. I mean you're both writers, you deal in crime and she seems like your type."

"My type?"

"Good looking? Available? Don't tell me you didn't think about it."

"I think about it all the time, Beckett. But thinking about it and acting on it are two different things. Now, let's consider the first part of your question. Lee Wax left looking angry. Now, why do you think she did that? You are a detective, after all."

Kate shook her head. "Oh, I have an idea as to why she left. What I want to know is what you think. You tell me your theory and then I'll tell you mine."

"Oh! No fair, Beckett. You might let me win for some reason. We can't have that."

She nodded. "You're right. God forbid that I deprive you of that awful display of ego if you won fair and square."

"Display of what?" Castle asked, feigning great puzzlement.

"Tell you what. I'll write down my theory and then when you're done, we can both check my answer. Fair enough?"

Castle nodded and Kate pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil, and made a quick note. She folded it and put it between her and Castle.

"Lee Wax managed to let everyone with an interest in the case know that Cynthia Dern was alive and, obviously, writing a book. A book her publisher was on the verge of cancelling because they didn't believe Cynthia was being honest. The solution? Let everyone know, and sooner or later, someone goes to the cops and Cynthia is arrested. The contract would be cancelled and Wax could write a best seller as a true crime book, but using all of Cynthia's information. I told her it was slimy and that I wasn't going to help her with any of the information I had. In fact, I told her I'd use this little episode in a book, real soon." He nodded to the note on the table. "May I?"

"Oh, please do."

He picked up the note and read it aloud. "You knew Lee Wax was setting Cynthia up so she could write a book without all of Cynthia's lies in it. You told her you wouldn't help her." Rick shook his head. "Mine is so much more detailed and colorful. I'm afraid your prose is too spare for a modern audience, Beckett."

"I'll survive. My audience is mostly district attorneys anyway. They like factual, not colorful."

Castle nodded dismissively. "Their loss. But, as to the second part. It's very hard to have a good relationship with a woman you've just called slimy. So few of them take it as a compliment."

"You don't say?" Kate said with just the right amount of faked disbelief.

"Secondly, attractive, available writers, especially very available writers, invariably want something from me. "Oh, can you put in a good word for me with your publisher? I have a great idea for a crime novel." It doesn't work out."

"So you won't take advantage of a woman then? In that situation?"

"No. Oh, it's not entirely altruistic. It's not like I can't attract enough women without taking advantage of them. It's just a lot easier that way."

Not exactly what I expected from you, Castle. But then, your way makes sense. She thought. "Can I ask you another question?"

"Sure."

"Why did you really let me win?"

Castle thought about that answer. I can't tell you the truth, Beckett. I can't say that every once in a while I get a quick look at the terrible pain you live in every day. The pain that's there each and every day since your mother died. I can't tell you that I can't add to that pain in any way. I don't know you well enough to know if losing that much money would cause you some kind of pain and I don't want to find out. I decided I'd rather lose a few dollars that I can easily afford rather than see you lose money you may or may not be able to afford. Better safe than sorry.

He smiled at her. "Like I said. I don't like to take advantage of women. Or men, little children or little lost puppy dogs. Why did you let me win?"

"I don't like to be patronized. I'm a big girl, Castle. I can take care of myself. And you wouldn't be taking advantage of poor, helpless, little me. Got that?" And your answer is partly true, I think. What is it you're not telling me?

"Duly noted, Detective. Can we play cards now?"

Two hours later Kate was still up by two Gummi Bears. They decided to call it a night. They both went home with something to think about.