219. Chapter 219

After Dial M for Mayor, Again

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Just call me and I'll tell you I don't own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

Kate held Rick's hand tightly. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "You don't have to do this, Kate."

She shook her head. "Yes I do."

"You don't. It isn't going to make any difference at this late date."

She leaned her head against his shoulder, glad to have his strength there with her. "It makes a difference to me, babe. Just like it made a difference with us."

"It didn't make that much a difference to me, Kate. I love you. You're my wife, my always. You didn't have to do anything."

"Okay, it made a difference to me, then." She thought back to the night she lay in his arms crying and telling him how sorry she was for every lie, every mistake, every evasion and every insult she'd ever uttered. I've been in love with you for so long, Rick. And I've made so many mistakes because I was afraid. Afraid you'd never love me, that you wouldn't stay in love with me, that you'd never be my one and done, or that somehow if I loved you, it would affect my investigation of mom's death. And I not only was wrong about everything, but I hurt you terribly. I should spend as much time apologizing to you as I did causing the problems.

He had held her close and told her that he loved her and that she had nothing to apologize for, which she hadn't accepted, but was happy to hear.

Now she had another apology to make.

"Mr. and Mrs. Castle?" The secretary said, "The mayor can see you now. Please follow me."

They followed her into the mayor's office. Mayor Weldon shot out from behind his desk to greet them. "Rick! Good to see you again!" He shook Ricks hand vigorously and then stepped back to look at him. "Marriage is good for you, Rick. At least marriage to Kate is." He turned to Kate. "And how is the best and most beautiful detective in all of New York? Marriage agrees with you as well."

Kate smiled and thanked the mayor for his compliments, which, in fact, only made her feel worse. They sat down and the mayor asked why they had come to see him. "Your husband hasn't stolen any more police horses, has he?" Weldon laughed.

Kate blushed and shook her head. "No, it's something more serious, Mayor Weldon."

Weldon held up his hands to stop her. "Wait a minute. I'm not Mayor Weldon where you two are concerned. I'm Bob. Okay?"

"Okay…Bob." He wasn't making this easy for Kate.

She took a deep breath and began. "You're aware that Senator Bracken has been arrested for the murder of my mother as well as other murders and a whole laundry list of crimes."

Weldon laughed. "Kate, there may be some people in the depths of the Amazon or on the plateau of Tibet who've missed, that, but no one else has. Certainly no US politician has missed it."

"Bracken was behind the conspiracy to discredit you. He was afraid that you might take the presidential nomination away from him. He had Laura Cambridge murdered and hired Jordan Norris to help them embezzle funds from your charity and blame you. Norris was also involved in Laura's murder."

Mayor Weldon nodded. "This is not entirely unknown to me, Kate, but thanks for filling in some blanks."

"That's not why I'm here. I came here to apologize to you."

Weldon frowned. "Why would you apologize? You're the one who proved that I had nothing to do with either the murder or the embezzlement. You helped me."

Kate shook her head. "Rick believed from the beginning that there was a conspiracy against you. I didn't. I know Rick well enough, and I knew him well enough then, that I should have paid more attention to his ideas. I didn't, and because I didn't, I advanced Senator Bracken's plot against you and damaged your political career. Even though I eventually cleared you, I should have paid more attention to Rick. It might have changed things. I'm very sorry for what I did that and I wish I could atone for what I've done. If there's anything I can do, just tell me."

"Fine. In that case, just continue to be the best homicide detective in New York and we'll call it even."

"Thank you, sir. But that hardly seems fair."

Weldon laughed. "The FBI and the other agencies investigating Bracken have kept things pretty close, but I hear more than most people do. You probably know that Bracken's people have been deserting him in droves, trying to make any deal they can to stay out of prison."

"We know." Rick said quickly.

The mayor went on. "Have you ever heard of Orantis Solutions? That was Bracken's private assassination bureau. One of the executives, a Frederick Wenz, committed suicide just before the FBI came for him. But he intentionally left them a treasure trove of documents on Bracken. That started the dominoes falling like mad. One of Bracken's drug dealing pals took off with his drug money, his financial advisor blew the whistle on Bracken's PAC and where the money really came from. Oh, the FBI could hardly keep up with it all."

Kate was not sure where this was going. "I'm happy to hear that, sir."

Weldon wagged a finger at her. "You're happy to hear that, Bob. Remember, Kate?"

"Yes, Bob."

"Any way, I'm prominently mentioned in several depositions from Bracken's co-conspirators. I was the innocent victim of what is now one of the most hated and reviled politicians in America. My approval rating is through the roof. My name recognition is off the charts. And, people who were in any way associated with Bracken, and aren't under indictment, are offering me political support and financial help. They want to be identified with a winner. That's me, by the way, and not with the reviled Senator Bracken."

Weldon laughed at the shocked expression on Kate's face. "Kate, I'd have to try, and try hard, not to be elected governor in the next election. As far as the Presidency goes, we'll have to see. But it's not out of reach. So, all's well that ends well. Thank you, Kate. For everything you've done."

"You're welcome…Bob."

"Now, can I expect your votes in the election?"

They left the mayor's office together, with Rick's arm around Kate. "See," He said, "All you have to do is be Detective Kate Beckett and all will be well."

"Just Detective Kate Beckett?" She asked, slyly.

"At work. Otherwise, be Kate Castle."

"And in bed?" She whispered in his ear. "Who should I be?"

"Let's work on that some more."

"Lets."