876. Chapter 876

After Like Father, Like Daughter

Episode 6.07

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I am innocent of owning Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

"All rise." The bailiff announced. "This honorable court is now in session, Judge Raymond Hardman presiding. The People of the State of New York versus Richard Castle."

Officer Kate Beckett sat uncomfortably behind the prosecution table and looked over at the defendant. Castle was smiling and talking to the three lawyers he'd brought with him.

Just my luck. She thought. I bust some drunken idiot who stole a police horse and took a ride while naked and he turns out to be a damned millionaire author. Oh, and for good measure he plays poker with the mayor. And he has a whole damned law firm representing him. Dammit, the suits those lawyers are wearing probably cost more than I make a year.

"Relax, Kid." Her partner and training officer whispered in her ear. "This was a righteous bust. No matter how this turns out, you did the right thing."

"Yeah, I hope that makes me feel better when His Honor has me walking a beat in the South Bronx." She whispered back.

Both sets of attorneys approached the bench and spoke at length. When the lawyers went back to their seats, Judge Hardman glared at Kate. "Officer Beckett? Will you approach the bench?"

Surprised, Kate sat there for a moment, then Mike Royce prodded her to get up. She walked up to the bench. "Yes, Your Honor?"

"Did you read the defendant his rights?"

Kate nodded. "Yes, Your Honor, I read him his rights under Miranda."

"Do you have the card with the Miranda warning on it?"

"Yes."

"Give it to me."

Kate reached into her pocket and pulled out the laminated card showing the Miranda warning.

Hardman looked it over carefully. "This is the exact card you read to Mr. Castle?"

Kate had no idea where this was going, but answered truthfully. "Yes, Your Honor."

"Officer Beckett, this card has a misprint on it. This card says that if the defendant can afford an attorney, one will be appointed for him. Which is not what the Miranda rights warning says. It should say if he cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for him. If you read the warning directly from the card, then you did not properly Mirandize Mr. Castle. If you said it correctly, then you did not read Mr. Castle his rights, as you were legally required to. Either way, you did not properly advise Mr. Castle of his rights, and I am presented with another example of police bungling. I intend to see to it that you are properly disciplined for the sloppy and slipshod manner in which you have behaved. I intend to have your badge for this. Mr. Castle, the charges against you are dropped with prejudice. You're free to go."

Kate stood there in shock. She was even more shocked when a voice cried out, "I object!"

Whirling around, she saw Castle on his feet with a determined look on his face. "I object, Your Honor! It is a travesty of justice to punish Officer Beckett for a mistake made by some printing company and the NYPD in general. And besides, I'm guilty. That should count for something."

Hardman glared at Castle. "Mr. Castle, the charges against you are dismissed. You have no grounds to object to anything this court does. Leave, or I'll have the bailiff escort you out."

Castle left as did Kate and Royce. To her surprise, Castle and his lawyers were waiting for them outside in the hallway.

"Officer Beckett, "Castle began, "this will not stand. I'll take this to the Supreme Court if I have to. You should not be punished for doing your duty in ridding the streets of a drunken, naked horse…borrower. All of my legal resources are…."

"Mr. Castle, that's unnecessary. "Kate said, cutting him off. "I'm a big girl now, I can take care of myself." She tried to push past Castle, but was stopped by Mike Royce.

"Thank you, Mr. Castle. Officer Beckett and I are grateful for your help. I'm Officer Mike Royce. I'm Beckett's training officer." He held out his hand and Castle shook it.

"I remember you. You called me a jackass with more money than brains." Castle said with a smile. When Royce looked away, Castle grinned. "And you were right. That night, anyway. And call me Rick."

Kate interrupted them. "Mike, I meant it. I do not need his help!"

"Yes, we do, Kid. Hardman has been mad at the police ever since we arrested his idiot son for drunk driving, three times. Somebody has to stand up to him for all of us, and that somebody is you. And Castle."

"Mike, I don't think that…"

"Kid, listen to your training officer. Someday Hardman will let someone go who's a danger to the people we protect unless we do something. Okay?"

Kate nodded.

"So, why don't we all go to lunch?" Castle suggested. "Get our plans together, or something?"

"We're on duty." Kate said quickly.

"So how about dinner?" Royce said equally quickly.

"Is Le Cirque okay with you two?" Castle asked.

"Le Cirque…?" Kate began.

"Just fine." Mike Royce said. "Say about six o'clock?"

At 5:30 Kate looked at herself in the mirror in the locker room. She wore stiletto heels, skinny jeans and a white sweater that she felt was too tight to let Castle see her in. She decided she was not well dressed enough to go to Le Cirque. In fact, she doubted she had anything that was nice enough for Le Cirque.

"Hey, Kid."

She turned around to see Mike Royce still in his uniform. "Sorry, Kid. I still have paperwork to do. You go on ahead and I'll be there as soon as I can. I have Doyle outside. He'll give you a ride in his unit. Hurry along."

Kate had dinner with Rick Castle and found that while he could be charming and witty, he was also occasionally immature. And it didn't hurt that he was her favorite author. Mike Royce never showed up, which Kate suspected was intentional. At the end of the dinner, she allowed him to kiss her cheek and he told her that he would keep her informed.

The next morning when she arrived at the precinct, she found newspaper clippings taped to her locker. The first thing she saw was a photo of her and Castle at Le Cirque. The articles speculated on who the mystery beauty was who had so captivated Richard Castle. One gossip columnist opined that she was a Russian underwear model recently arrived from St. Petersburg. She quickly tore down the clippings and looked for Royce.

"You never intended to show up at Le Cirque did you?" She accused him.

"And spoil your chance for a romantic dinner with a handsome millionaire who's your favorite author? Not a chance."

She waved the newspaper clipping in front of him. "And now everyone thinks I'm some Russian under wear model? Do you have any idea what kind of teasing I'll get from this?"

Mike smiled and shook his head. "Kid, you're beautiful. The cops out there who resent that will give you a hard time no matter what you do. Did you have a good time?"

She tried to glare at Mike, but smiled instead. "Yeah, it was nice. I'll never get to go to a place like that again."

"Did you two make out?"

Kate blushed furiously.

Royce laughed. "You did? On the first date, too."

"I let him kiss my cheek." This time she did glare at Royce, but it did no good.

Kate ignored the looks she got at morning roll call and headed to their unit with a grim look on her face. The day was busy and she was soon back at the precinct.

"Kid, Castle has something for you. I told him you like Chinese, so he's taking you to the Dragon Dynasty. He said he'll pick you up at your place at seven. That'll give you time to change."

"How does he know where my place is and…."Then Kate figured it out. "You told him where I live? Suppose he turns out to be a serial killer?"

Royce laughed. "He isn't. He likes you. He said you were adorable when you arrested him."

"Adorable? I'm a cop! I'm not adorable!" But Royce was laughing too hard to hear her.

Kate was waiting outside when Castle arrived shortly before seven in a Ferrari. Over the best Chinese dinner she'd ever had, Castle told her what he'd found out.

"Judge Hardman has political ambitions. And his anti-police diatribes have attracted the attention of certain people who like his ideas and they're not people I'd like to see get into city government. One such person owns a printing company. Guess what they printed up?"

In spite of herself, Kate smiled at Castle. "Those Miranda warning cards?"

"Correct. I gave what I found, well, what my lawyers found, to Bob. Um, that's Mayor Bob Weldon. He's no fan of Hardman or his backers. We found quite a bit of dirt on the good judge's backers. I think Hardman is going to be way too busy to bother trying to railroad a fine police officer."

Kate blushed. "Thank you."

When he took her home, she let him kiss her briefly on the lips.

"Kate, I'd really like to see you again. Would you like to go to dinner and a movie this Saturday?"

Kate thought for a second and decided it would be okay. He was Rick Castle and she was just some cop. This couldn't possibly lead to anything serious. "Okay, but nowhere that'll get my photo on Page Six."

On their tenth wedding anniversary, she told Castle that she hadn't thought their date would lead to anything serious.

Author's note: A long time ago, I carried a Miranda warning card in my wallet. You are legally required to read the suspect his rights. It bothers me that you almost never see an officer on a cop show, not just Castle, actually read a suspect his Miranda rights. But this time Beckett did read Castle his rights. Good for her!