138. Chapter 138

Chapter 138

Before Castle was dressed, Kate called Jordan Shaw to see if Castle needed to come in that morning. Alexis didn't have classes until later in the day, and JD was willing to cover Jamie's care for the rest of the day if Castle was needed. Jordan said they were close to finishing the operation in New York and she and Avery would be coordinating things in Portland for a couple of days. Then Kate sent a text to Alexis saying she and JD could sleep in that morning and thanking the young couple for being willing to help again.

The communication loop being complete, she turned to her husband and said, "Reprieved. You can go back to bed for as long as Jamie will let you. I'm jealous."

"So things went well in Portland?"

"It sounds like it did," she answered. "I didn't get any details, but she and Avery will be heading back to Portland for another couple of days. I guess they're closing out whatever they found there, so it looks like things will be getting back to normal around the precinct. I'll miss Jordan and Avery, but I'm really ready for all the drama to move out."

"I wish you could stay home today, Sweetheart. I know you're exhausted. You've been essentially doing two jobs for the past week, you haven't had a day off since last Monday, and the majority of it has been pretty stressful stuff. It's going to be good to see you have time to come home and actually relax again."

He held his arms out to her and she moved into his embrace, slipping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. "It's such a blessing to have family ready to pitch in and help with Jamie when we need them," she said. "I love them, and I appreciate them. I'd love having Alexis and JD around all the time. They're our children, too. It was nice having Alexis and John and JD last night. And catching up with Dad and Meagan was great. But the past couple of weeks have been a zoo, we're both tired, and I've missed having nights when the house is quiet, with us, our offspring, and Martha. Should I feel guilty and ungrateful about that?"

"No," he answered, nuzzling her hair and leaving a little kiss. "And since I don't need to go in today, we'll have that quiet evening tonight…or as quiet as it gets with a two year old in the mix."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Me, too."

Sounds of a waking son were heard from the baby monitor. Kate was already dressed for the precinct and told him she would go up and get Jamie. She returned with a snuggly, awake but not alert yet little boy, holding him close and kissing his head. She took the time she had left to sit on the sofa with him and cuddle him while he woke up.

"He wakes up like you," she said accusingly but with a loving smile for her husband.

"I refuse to take offense. I've seen you slap the alarm a little harder than necessary a few times yourself."

She chuckled, and Jamie looked up at her and smiled. She smiled back and kissed his head again. "I have to go," she mouthed silently to Castle, and he made a show of demanding that she share their son and took him from her.

He followed her to the door, and she kissed both of them before she left for work.

xxxxx

When Beckett stopped to check her box in the mail room, Patton was putting something in it.

"How are things going, Patton? Things went crazy around here and I didn't follow up on our last conversation."

"Getting better," the officer answered. Nodding toward the page she had just left for her captain, she said, "That's a request for some time off in October. I've been talking to my aunt, and I want to go and meet her. It looks like I can afford the trip if I stick to a budget and plan ahead."

"I'll make the schedule work. You should be able to meet what's left of your family. I understand how much you might want that."

"I know you do." She paused for a moment before blurting out, "I googled you, too."

Beckett chuckled. "I guess that's fair. And I can't say that I'm surprised."

"You've accomplished a lot, and you've been one of the best at most of it. And you did it while you were being dragged to hell and back….more than once. How can you force yourself to help people who go out of their way to make your job harder?"

"When you survive it, sometimes you need to help a fellow survivor. We talked about that. One day you'll have a chance to do the same, and I hope you'll take it. And remember, if you need help with any legal work for your mom's estate, let me know. If you aren't familiar with that sort of thing, it helps to talk to somebody who knows how it all works; and we can find you somebody."

"I'm just now getting my head around all that."

"Don't wait too long. Based on the circumstances, whatever estate there might be may still be available; but the longer you wait now that you have what you need to claim it, the more difficult it might be. There could be time limits. I'm sure your mother would want you to have whatever is there."

Patton nodded. "I'll get all of it together and decide what to do," she agreed. "I went by our old apartment building to see Mr. Chadwick, the super there, to thank him for saving those things from our apartment for me. I wouldn't have any of it if it weren't for him. He and his wife invited me for dinner and treated me like they did when we lived there…said they missed us. They gave me phone numbers and told me to call anytime I needed somebody to talk to, and they wanted my phone number so they could call me to come and visit again. It's been a long time since somebody just wanted to see me for no special reason."

Beckett gave Patton a brief touch on the arm and said, "That sounds like a good connection to have. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks. Gotta get to work."

"I'll look at the schedule this week and let you know about your vacation days so you can book a flight," Beckett answered as Patton headed for the door; and the younger woman gave her a quick wave as she hurried off.

Beckett smiled, emptied her mailbox, and went to see Jordan Shaw.

"'Morning Jordan. Where do things stand after your trip?"

"We're tying up loose ends here today, we'll be in Portland for the next couple of days, and then Avery and I will come back here for the public announcement on Sunday. Gotta let the public know what their government is doing for them. This one was big, Beckett. You should be proud of yourself. Good eye for detail, good instincts, good leadership. I'd talk somebody into hiring you on the spot if I thought I could wrestle you away from NYPD and that family of yours."

"Not a chance."

"I know. Otherwise I'd be harassing you about new employment by now."

"Should I give the chief a heads up about Sunday and tell him to expect you to call with details?"

"Sure. That would save me a phone call this morning."

"Did you find anything new in Portland?"

"We verified all our suspicions and learned that Brock is a bona fide degenerate. Search warrants gave us all the evidence we need to dump that sorry excuse for humanity behind bars for the rest of his life, along with his two partners. I'm taking my team with me so I can be sure nothing is overlooked. There are a couple of agents there I'm not sure I trust on something this big."

"Well, unless you need me for something right now, I'm going to get back to my precinct job. I'll be in my office for a while. Keep me posted?"

The first order of business when Beckett sat down at her desk was calling Chief Dawson with the update. Then she settled into the more mundane tasks of her normal days at the precinct.

In the midst of her work, Ryan called, excitedly telling her that Jenny had the baby about an hour earlier. "Her name is Sarah Grace, and Castle was right. Holding her the first time was beyond awesome. She and Jenny are both fine."

"Congratulations, Kevin. I'll call Castle and let him know. Is there anybody else I can call for you?"

"I'm good, but thanks."

"If Martha is there to stay with Jamie, is it okay if Castle and I come by for a few minutes tonight…to see Sarah Grace?"

"We'd love it."

"Let us know if Jenny doesn't feel up to it. If not, we can always visit another time. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks. See you later."

By the end of the day, the FBI had vacated the fifteenth and it almost seemed that the building itself joined its occupants in breathing a sigh of relief at the calmer atmosphere.

When Kate returned to the loft, she was as relaxed as she had been after work in a good while. After being told about the new little Ryan, Martha offered to babysit if they wanted to go and visit; and Castle and Beckett went to share the joy of a new baby with their friends.

After speaking to the new parents, they asked to be introduced to their daughter. Ryan proudly picked her up from the rolling bassinet and proudly held her where she could easily be seen.

"Sarah Grace, meet your Aunt Kate and Uncle Rick." The baby blinked and yawned and seemed to be watching them,

"She doesn't look impressed," Castle noted with a chuckle. "May I?" he asked, holding out his arms. Ryan handed her to Castle carefully.

"Don't break her, Rick," Jenny teased. "She was an awful lot of work."

"Castle chuckled and tucked the baby girl into his arms, holding her easily, and Kate held her finger close to the baby's hand as she talked to her.

"You're so beautiful," she said, "and you already look like you're learning what's around you."

"We thought so, too," Ryan said, never taking his eyes from his daughter. "But we thought maybe it was just us being new parents."

"No, she looks alert to me, too," Castle assured his friends. "She's beautiful, Ryan. Absolutely beautiful."

"Thanks. Can I have her back? I have trouble not holding her."

"They do that to you," Kate answered. "Just learn how to balance between giving her enough love and you a little sleep." She paused a moment and said, "It's hard at first."

Ryan swayed Sarah Grace gently in his arms and put her back in the bassinet when she fell asleep again.

After whispering a few sentences back and forth, among the four of them, Castle told Jenny, "Get some sleep before she wakes up again. We're gonna go and let you rest."

"We're so happy for you," Kate told them before she and Castle left. When they were in the elevator, she glanced at a thoughtful looking Castle. Putting her hand on his arm, she said softly, "It hasn't happened yet, Rick, but we still have some time."

"I know, he answered, placing his hand over hers and kissing her forehead. "We'll just keep hoping…and trying."

xxxxx

It was Thursday. Excluding whatever publicity hell Jordan and the NYPD brass came up with for Sunday, Beckett would very likely have the weekend for family. That was, of course unless some unusual emergency arose at the twelfth while Captain Gates and her husband were vacationing in the Hamptons over the weekend. The likelihood of a major emergency that required more than Gates' in house backup at the twelfth was a pretty low percentage, but Castle had still voiced the opinion that prayers might be in order.

Beckett buckled down and worked on her reports for 1PP and then made her rounds that day through Vice and Robbery, taking time to talk with her detectives without the constant need to check in with the FBI. She mentioned the publicity to the three detectives who led the original work on the case that the FBI now owned.

"Do we have to be there?" The other two detectives chortled as Nixon whined like a little kid, "Can't you go without us? I hate cameras."

"Nope. The brass wants NYPD well represented, Ryan and Esposito can't be here, and Maguire can't, either. All of you did a fine job with this case, and you're going to have to stand there with me and take some credit. Besides, misery loves company. And I don't like cameras, either."

There was a collective groan, but it was obvious that the reason they were expected to be there was that their captain appreciated them.

The rest of Beckett's day was spent in catching up on scheduling, requisitions, etc. and restoring the feeling of a normal workday. That was followed by an equally normal night at home with her family, and again she and Castle fell into bed and slept soundly.

Gates checked in with Beckett before she and her husband left for the Hamptons on Friday morning, seeming just as antsy as Beckett about leaving her precinct in someone else's hands.

Friday ran smoothly; and when it was over, Beckett's long awaited weekend finally materialized. It was like being on call but much less likely to be called in. There was a quiet evening at home and less sleep for Rick and Kate than they'd had the night before.

As they lazily lounged in bed on Saturday morning, allowing themselves some leisurely time before Jamie was awake, Castle asked, "What do you want to do today? Barring a huge emergency at the twelfth or the fifteenth, we have the entire day."

"Something with Jamie. Something he'd be excited about. Any suggestions?"

He thought for a moment and said, "It occurred to me a couple of weeks ago that he's never seen a movie in a theater. I wonder if there are any kid movies showing now. I'll go and get my laptop."

Sounds were heard on the baby monitor, and Kate smiled at her husband and answered, "And it looks like I'll go and get the boy."

"We can probably get a little more lazy morning in if we tuck him in with us and stay here a little longer."

"Maybe. Be right back."

Kate went upstairs and got Jamie from his crib, letting him snuggle sleepily on her shoulder. When they got back and she tucked him in between them, the toddler's eyes closed as he snuggled against her warmth.

Castle reported quietly that the classic movie theater was showing Disney's Sleeping Beauty for the next two days through the four o'clock showing. "After that, it's Casablanca for the rest of the day."

"He likes Disney movies," she whispered as she gently rubbed her son's back.

"You think he's ready for Maleficent on the big screen?"

"I don't know. We'll need to sit him in the recliner with one of us anyway, so he should feel safe if something scares him."

"I've seen that movie so many times with Alexis, I should see the scary parts coming so we can distract him. If it's too much for him, we can always leave…find a park or a toy store or something."

"Sounds like a good plan. What time would you like to go?"

"How about after lunch? The two o'clock showing? That way the snacks won't ruin his lunch," he said with a little grin, knowing what was coming.

"You will not teach our children that you can't go to a movie without having twenty snacks while you're there."

"You're no fun," he answered.

"That isn't how you sounded last night."

Seeing the flirtatious look on her face, he agreed with a bit of a leer, "That was fun, especially when you…"

"Stop right there," she said softly but firmly, pointing at the sleepy boy tucked against her. "Little ears. We don't need him repeating things that shouldn't be heard from two year old lips."

"You're right, but it was still fun."

"Yeah, it was," she smiled back.

They managed to snuggle and doze another half hour before Jamie was fully awake and beginning to crawl up on his father, wanting to play. Kate watched them for a little while, laughing with them, and then let her men play while she went to get breakfast started.

That afternoon they took Jamie to his first movie in a theater. At first he was fascinated at how big the pictures were. Even in the scenes where Maleficent didn't appear too suddenly, she made him nervous, though; and he curled a little closer to Kate saying, "She's scary." After that, Kate held him tighter and nuzzled or kissed his head to distract him when the evil witch appeared. About halfway through the movie, Castle suggested that he take his son. "I remember where her…um…worst scene happens," he explained to his wife. "I know where it happens and I can be a distraction. So Kate handed him over to his father, who immediately offered him candy, of course.

When the car dropped them off at home, they walked to the little park on the next block instead of going inside. They watched him on the slide, pushed him on the swings, and let him play on a few other things with a couple of other children about his age, talking to their parents as they all kept an eye on their children. Then they walked home, Jamie holding Kate's hand. Now and then Castle would lean to take his hand, too; and on a signal between his parents, they would lift him off the sidewalk and into the air dangling and swinging him between them; and he kicked his feet and giggled and asked for more.

After stopping for dinner on the way home, their son wanted to 'swing in the air" again. When they reached their building, they told Jamie, "One more," and swung him up again before entering the building. The doorman was laughing along with the contagious laughter from the three family members as he opened the door for their grand entrance. The couple thanked him and put Jamie down so he could run over, stand on tiptoe, and push the elevator button; and then they finally reached home again…tired but happy.

Martha was in the kitchen when they got home, and Jamie told her about "the big, big movie", and the park, and Mommy and Daddy picking him up and swinging him, complete with hand gestures and lots of excitement. She picked him up and sat in one of the dining room chairs with him while he talked.

"I can certainly tell he's your son," she told Castle. "My poor Katherine is surrounded."

Castle kissed his wife on the head and answered, "And she loves it, Mother."

"I do." Kate agreed, leaning against him.

"And that's part of why I love you, Darling," Martha answered before turning her attention back to her grandson.

Later that night, Jordan called and told Kate to be available for a press briefing outside the fifteenth at three on Sunday afternoon. "I've already spoken to Chief Dawson and the FBI's publicity people. Be there about two-thirty in the conference room where we were set up last week and we'll talk through the order of presentation."

"I'll be there," Kate promised, and I'll let the three lead detectives know."

"Thanks. See you tomorrow."

"You heard?" Kate asked her husband, who was standing close to listen in.

"Yeah. That's not too bad. You still have the morning free…and most of the evening."

"Things should be back to normal after tomorrow."

"I'm looking forward to it," he answered. "Working with the boys again was nice, but doing that now and then is enough for right now. I like being here with my boy. A police captain doesn't really need a work partner, and publishing two books this year is a distinct possibility right now. Black Pawn will love it."

"I'll love it, too. Those little groupies can say it all they want to, but you know I'm your number one fan."

"And I'm thankful for that every single day," he answered, kissing her forehead.

"Speaking of our boy, we've washed off the playground dust and got him in his pj's. It's about time to tuck him in."

"Yeah, it is. Let's see if we can get him away from his Grams. They may both fight us tonight. They look pretty invested in whatever it is they're doing over there."

"Into the fray?" Kate asked.

"Right behind you."

xxxxx

At two-thirty on Sunday afternoon, a collection of people representing their respective law enforcement agencies were gathered in a conference room at the fifteenth precinct. Chief Dawson and Jordan Shaw had worked out the presentation they intended to give the press and were sharing their plans with the others who would be involved. The press members, with their camera people, were simultaneously setting up their positions around the podium, which had been set up outside near the entrance to the fifteenth.

The law enforcement personnel lined up in order and filed out of the precinct, Chief Dawson leading. The chief and Agent Shaw had agreed to keep it simple, so there were no extra officials there for gratuitous reasons.

Steeping up to the podium, Chief Dawson addressed the press. "We have told you that a drug and human trafficking ring has been broken up here in New York City, brought down through the work of three of our detective teams here at the fifteenth precinct. Seeing that the situation they uncovered fell into the purview of the FBI, Captain Beckett spoke to me and then called them to share the information she and her detectives and one of our tactical teams had gained from their work. I'll make this short and introduce you to Agent Jordan Shaw, FBI. We ask that you hold your questions until we have completed our presentation."

"I'm FBI Agent Jordan Shaw. The man to my left is my partner, Agent Shawn Avery. We've been working out of the fifteenth precinct with our team and Captain Beckett's former team from the twelfth precinct, NYPD. Our work was made easier by the captain's leadership and the excellent work of her detectives here at the fifteenth. As I understand it from the detectives, there were three separate cases in Homicide, Vice, and Narcotics. In keeping up with what was happening in her precinct, Captain Beckett saw a possible connection between two of the cases, and then to a third one. She asked the three teams to work together to follow up on that possibility. Through their combined efforts, it quickly became obvious that each individual case was part of a much bigger picture; and the operation they put together became the catalyst for a much larger one involving the FBI.

"Based on that work and a series of interrogations that led us consecutively to others who were running similar operations in other cities and states, we can announce that we have closed down a total of eighteen escort/prostitution services, a human trafficking and drug operation, and stopped a long series of kidnappings of well over one hundred young women. These crimes encompassed cities in most of the states on the upper east coast. Most of the victims were between ages seventeen and twenty-one, but some were girls as young as fifteen. They were kidnapped for the purpose of forcibly involving them in the sex trade. The three men who owned the company that franchised the sex businesses using those women and girls have been arraigned. Those three men profited from the kidnapping, transportation, and sale of the women to the services as well as from the royalties from the franchises they established. One of the owners will also be charged with sexual abuse. Along with the owners, there have been multiple arrests in other cities for involvement in the businesses and in the arrangement for and illicit transportation of people and drugs. Further details can be found in the information packets that were distributed to you earlier." Turning to Avery, she asked, "Agent Avery, is there anything you would like to add?"

"Only that we appreciate the willing cooperation of the NYPD."

Jordan Shaw took over again. "Captain Beckett?"

"I'm Captain Kate Beckett, NYPD. I'd also like to introduce the three team leaders who, along with nine other detectives, worked on the original three cases. We also worked with Captain Maguire's tactical team. It was a sensitive and potentially dangerous situation, and they led their teams efficiently and effectively. She introduced each of them and asked if any of them had something to add. All of them shook their heads to indicate they didn't, Nixon looking like he'd rather be shot, so she continued. "After our initial operation, it was clear that most of what we found fell into the category of federal crimes. Having worked with Agent Shaw on several occasions, I spoke to her about how to proceed. She brought her team in, and the scope of the investigation expanded considerably, and rapidly."

Chief Dawson offered the opportunity for the press to ask a few questions. A few were fended off by stating that the answers could be found in their press packets; others were answered. Eventually the question came up as to why, if the detectives at the fifteenth were so good, the detectives from Beckett's team at the twelfth had been called in and why they weren't present. It was directed to Beckett, but Shaw took it.

"We worked with then Detective Beckett's team on a case back in 2010, and developed a lot of respect for her team and their abilities while we were there. After working with them again later, we asked Chief Dawson if our team could designate them as our liaison with NYPD when we're assigned here. That team and ours work well together, so we always immediately ask for them. We have benefitted from the work of some of the fifteenth's detectives and have nothing but good things to say about their work. There was no slight intended. And the others aren't here because they have other obligations."

"Wasn't Richard Castle working with Detective Beckett's team at the twelfth precinct?" one of the reporters asked. "Was he involved in this case as well?"

"Yes, and yes," Jordan answered.

One of the male reporters whose attitude left something to be desired, asked condescendingly, "Is a mystery writer actually helpful to an FBI case?"

When Jordan took a deep breath and looked extremely annoyed, Avery took over. "Sir, step back for a moment and take stock of the absurdity of the question you just asked. Can you even imagine that FBI agents would repeatedly request the assistance of a man who would be of no use to them? Richard Castle missed his calling as a detective, but his original occupation pays much too well for us to lure him away on a permanent basis. He has a proven track record both with our team and the NYPD."

"Then why haven't we heard more about that? It would certainly have been good publicity," one of the women asked.

Appearing to take a cue from Beckett, Chief Dawson answered that one. She looked a bit uncomfortable at the more personal shift in the direction of the questions from the much more serious topic. "Because he carefully avoided publicity about it, and we have appreciated that he didn't want to cause distractions to the work. It can never be said that Mr. Castle doesn't enjoy attention," he said with a smile, "But he keeps it in its proper places. He isn't quite the publicity hound you seem to think he is. Now, since we have begun to stray from the original intent of the press conference, I believe it's time to stop. We appreciate your being here."

With that, the law enforcement presence filed back into the precinct building and relaxed as reporters called out questions until they were gone.

"Does this mean it's over?" Beckett asked.

"Except for court testimony when we get to that," Jordan answered. "But that won't be right away. Enjoy the calm while it lasts." Picking up her things, she said, "I'm going home to my family now. You ready to go home, too, Avery?"

"Absolutely."

Beckett, her three detectives, and the chief remained, and the chief shook their hands. "You did a fine job here….made NYPD proud. I'll let all of you get back to whatever was interrupted by the news conference. Thank you. Keep up the good work."

Once the chief left, Beckett told her detectives, "Go home and enjoy the rest of your day. I'll see you tomorrow."

xxxxx

Beckett returned home to find that Martha was out on the town, Alexis and JD were there, and Castle was setting things up for an early dinner followed by a movie marathon. As soon as she entered the door, Castle and Alexis began to put food on the table.

"Dad thought you might be okay with just vegetating with all of us for a while tonight," JD said, walking to her with Jamie perched on his arm.

Jamie leaned for her, and she took him, kissing his cheek and then his head, and answered, "And Dad was right. Let the vegetating begin." She gave JD a one armed hug and then went for Alexis. Castle had let the three children choose the movies, and Disney had won a big share. Large floor pillows were already strewn around, and snacks were ready for later.

"You were a busy boy while I was gone," she told her husband when she finally got to him.

"Is this okay?" he whispered as he leaned forward to kiss her.

"This is perfect." She whispered back.

They had dinner and watched one of the movies, complete with traditional Castle family interaction. They broke out the snacks for the second one, and all of them successfully ignored any thoughts about the precinct, just laughed and playfully enjoyed family.