690. Chapter 690

After Under the Influence

Episode 5.11

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I could ask someone to steal Castle for me, I suppose. Rating: K Time: See above.

Policewoman Kate Beckett sat in Sergeant Montgomery's office with her fiancé, Richard Castle. Castle wrote mystery novels about a lady NYPD detective named Nikki Heat. Although Kate wasn't happy with the name, feeling it was a lewd name, she was happy that her fiancé had left behind the wild ways he had fallen into after his exploits as a pilot in the Great War. However, just as Kate was one of the very first policewomen in the department, she aspired to be the very first female detective. There were many in the department that swore that no woman would ever be a detective. However, they were the same men who had sworn that no man of color would ever rise above the rank of patrolman, and yet there sat Sergeant Roy Montgomery. Kate knew that one day she would be a detective.

Sergeant Montgomery came into his small office. "Thank you two for coming in. I have a special request for you."

"Certainly, sir. What is it?" Kate said eagerly.

Rick was more careful. "If we can, of course."

"The mistress of ceremonies at a local speakeasy has been murdered. Of course, we had to shut it down once we became aware what was going on there. So the Federal Bureau of Prohibition is there now destroying the alcohol. Not that it'll do any good."

Castle, who had Scotch whiskey delivered to his door by a friendly sea captain who also provided a few bottles of rum for Castle's friends who were so inclined, nodded. "I certainly don't see that prohibition is working at all."

"But it is the law." Kate said at once. While Kate didn't approve of Rick's imbibing, she could not bear to turn him in. Which caused some problems for the lass.

"But what is it you want?" Rick asked.

"The MC had an assistant to help her set up her microphone and the speakers. A young lad named Tommy Demming. The lad has had a hard life and I was hoping that the two of you might take him in. A little care might loosen his tongue. We're sure he knows something about the murder of the MC, a Miss Rhodes."

"We'll be happy to." Kate said. She then realized that while she did live with her fiancé, it was his home and not hers. "Um, that is, if Rick will…."

Rick smiled. "Of course we will. I'm always happy to take a troubled young man and turn him to the path of righteousness.

Somehow, neither Kate nor Montgomery laughed at that.

"We should introduce young mister Demming to you." Roy said.

Demming was short, grossly obese, with acne and hadn't washed his body or his clothes in a long time. Perhaps never. The smell of alcohol was palpable about him. He rose and looked about him through thick lensed glasses. He walked over to Roy, stumbling twice due to his inebriation. "You must be the lady cop. Wowsers! You're a babe. What do you say you and me go get hammered?"

"Only if you can be the nail." Castle muttered.

"I'm policewoman Kate Beckett." Kate said, holding out her hand. Demming ignored it. "You're a babe, too. Better than the first chick, but not as cute as this honey." Demming put his hand familiarly on Rick's shoulder.

"My new Pierce-Arrow is outside." Rick glowered at Demming. "He can ride in the trunk."

They stopped at Rick's tailor and purchased a ready made suit for young Demming as well as underwear, which Demming had never had, some shirts, socks, ties and a pair of sturdy shoes.

Once back at Rick's brownstone, he took Demming and gave him his first bath ever. Then Rick helped his dress and eventually decided that the young lad looked almost human.

"How would you like some dinner?"

"That'd suit me just fine. I bet they have real good food in the trashcans around here, honey." Demming said, reaching for Rick's ass.

Rick slapped the hand away. "We don't eat out of trashcans. I have my cook, Mrs. Cowan prepare dinner. And I'm not a woman so keep your hands to yourself."

Demming stared in Rick's general direction. "I like women who are feisty. Let's chow down, sweetie."

Mrs. Cowan, a stout lady who obviously enjoyed her own cooking had provided a feast for the three. It took a while for Demming to catch on to how to use a knife, fork and spoon. However, he refused to use the soup spoon, using his hands for that. Rick quietly told Mrs. Cowan that she could go ahead and destroy the tablecloth once their guest was though straining his meal through it.

As Mrs. Cowan was cleaning up, using a blowtorch on Deming's chair, Rick turned on his Victrola. While Kate was partial to light operas, such as The Student Prince or Desert Song, he preferred jazz. He got out some records by Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band, Jelly Roll Morton, and King Oliver's band which featured an up and coming trumpet player called Louis Armstrong. He decided they'd listen to King Oliver.

As soon as the music started, Demming grabbed Mrs. Cowan and began dancing with her. Or more honestly, dancing on her feet. As Mrs. Cowan screamed in pain from the abuse her feet were taking, Demming began groping her. Regrettably, from Demming's perspective, Mrs. Cowan still had the blowtorch in her hand and set fire to Demming's greasy hair.

Once the fire was out and Mrs. Cowan had retreated back to her kitchen and barred the door, Demming asked Rick to dance. Rick accidentally struck Demming in the head with a fire iron. Seven times. While Demming was passed out, Rick got a bottle of 151 proof rum that a friend had sent him from Cuba. "You should have a drink, Tommy lad. Here, drink up."

He inserted the bottle in Demming's mouth, tipped his head back and held the young fellow's nose.

"Say, who was it that shot that woman at the club the other night?" Rick asked casually.

"I'm no rat." Demming said, causing several rats to run out and confirm that statement.

"So, how about another bottle?" Rick asked jovially.

"If you insist, gorgeous."

The next day, Rick and Kate entered the 12th Precinct with Demming in a wheelbarrow propelled by Detectives Ryan and Esposito.

"We got him to talk, sir." Kate said. Then she added, "Well, Rick got him to talk."

"We found out who shot Rhodes." Ryan said. "T'was the Big Sore himself."

"Sorenson?" Roy said, gleefully. "We've been trying to nail him for years. Are you sure we can pin it on him?"

"A dead cert. "Esposito said. "Demming told us where he hid the gun. It's got his fingerprints all over it."

Montgomery smiled at his protégé. "I'll make sure that the Chief hears about your work on this, Kate. You'll be a detective yet."

Alas, the Big Sore did not go down for the murder of Holly Rhodes as he was found in the East River wearing a cement overcoat soon after. The police suspected his right hand man, "Slick" Davidson but were never able to prove anything as Davidson was killed "accidentally" while cleaning his pistol, being shot seventeen times, pausing twice to reload. The police arrested a crime busting Assistant District Attorney named Bracken for the murder of Davidson. Apparently Davidson was setting up his gangland rivals for Bracken to prosecute, but had run out of rivals. He threatened to rat Bracken out, so Bracken killed him. Bracken was sent up the river. His cellmate was one Tommy Demming who thought that Bracken was the hottest dame he'd ever met. They lived happily ever after.

Author's note: Wow! A million words.