Capítulo 145: Chapter 145: Trust
Neal and Moz's underlying concern stemmed from Castle's recent display of abilities, which had genuinely unsettled them.
Finding Kate through people on Barry Street wasn't unusual since Castle was a New Yorker with a wide network. Neal didn't think much of it at first. However, Castle's subsequent demonstration of intelligence gathering and hacking skills—skills he had never mentioned before—caused the cunning Neal and Moz to feel uneasy.
Moz, known as the "Detroit Dentist" since he was twelve, and Neal, who wasn't exactly a saint, both had their guard up. Initially, when Castle offered to help Neal find Kate, Neal and Moz didn't take it to heart, thinking Castle was just being his usual helpful self. But when Castle returned the next day with information from Barry Street and brought Kate back to Neal that very night, Neal began to suspect it might be another of Vincent's tricks, using Castle to get close to him and obtain the music box.
Moz, who had a decade of tacit partnership with Neal, also noticed Neal's subtle distrust towards Castle. However, Moz didn't believe Vincent could afford to hire Castle for such a scheme, especially after Moz had just helped Castle profit from the Tutankhamun's staff deal. Despite this, he couldn't fathom why Castle was so enthusiastic about helping Neal this time, so he decided to watch from the sidelines to see what Castle was really up to.
It wasn't until Castle disclosed his secret information that Neal and Moz finally understood Castle's intentions. He had his sights set on the treasure within the submarine that Vincent was after. Vincent's phone threat the previous day had only cemented Castle's resolve to teach him a lesson. This poorly conceived and crude plan reassured Neal, dispelling his suspicions about Castle.
Neal was aware that Castle had recently made a fortune through Moz's connections, a sum Vincent couldn't possibly afford to pay for Castle's services. Additionally, Castle had just shared the secret of the music box and its hidden contents without hesitation, showing genuine intent to share the spoils with Neal and Moz. Neal, being a master con artist, could easily discern Castle's sincerity in wanting to share the treasure with them. This made Neal genuinely smile and mock Castle's flawed plan.
"Rick, your plan is indeed 'preliminary.' Have you thought about how we can confirm that Vincent has completed the salvage operation once we help him get the music box? And have you considered that such a massive fortune could drive anyone mad? Even with the FBI hampering Vincent, the three of us might still struggle against his numerous associates."
Neal held back his disdain for Castle's crude plan and discussed its merits seriously.
Castle, however, had no intention of getting into a detailed discussion: "I've already told you, I'm just here to give ideas. Perfecting them is your and Moz's job. In general, I provide the concepts, and you fill in the details. You both know I'm terrible at detailed planning. Isn't this exactly what you and Moz excel at?"
"Ha ha ha..." Neal and Moz finally burst into laughter, with Moz nearly in tears from laughing. "Rick, your self-awareness is impressive. Yes, you are indeed only good for brainstorming... ha ha ha..."
Castle, undeterred, hummed, "Didn't you both always brag about your strategic and planning skills? This way, we complement each other perfectly. I dig up hidden secrets you might not know, then hand them over to you for planning. I follow your steps. Isn't that great?"
Castle's carefree attitude in shirking the entire planning process to Neal and Moz completely erased Neal's lingering doubts. His demeanor and attitude became serious. "Rick, from what you told us today, your goals are: first, to take revenge on Vincent; second, to use him to draw the FBI's attention and make him spend his resources to find the treasure-laden submarine, then we swoop in and take it all; and lastly, to use this opportunity to have the FBI arrest Vincent, eliminating the threat permanently. Am I right?"
Castle nodded: "Yes, but Neal, you got one thing wrong. My main goal isn't revenge. Initially, I just wanted to help you get rid of Vincent's threats. But when I learned he was after a priceless submarine, my goal changed. Now, I aim to track Vincent closely, wait for him to salvage the submarine, and then rob him."
Castle's frankness earned Neal and Moz's favor. After all, no matter how high-sounding one's words, the core motive was still the treasure. Castle's honest approach won the approval of these two cautious con artists.
Moz joined the conversation with a smile: "Rick is right. Regardless of our previous thoughts on Vincent, now that we know his aim, the best way to strike back is to rob his treasure after he salvages it, then let the FBI capture him. I think this will give Vincent a lasting memory!"
"Also, Rick knows his limits well. If we let him plan, it would just be a mess. Neal, thanks to Rick, we have the upper hand this time. Let's show Rick what we can do. What do you think?"
Neal looked at Castle and Moz, who were eagerly waiting for his response, and downed his wine: "Alright, let's do this and let Vincent know I'm not to be messed with!"
With their goals aligned, the three passionately discussed the plan and steps. Castle repeatedly assured Neal and Moz of his superior computer skills and physical prowess, insisting on taking the task of infiltrating Vincent's treasure storage.
Castle's argument was convincing. First, he possessed agility and covert action experience that Neal and Moz lacked. Secondly, to keep Neal out of the whole affair, it would be best for him to stay with his FBI partner during the heist, providing a perfect alibi. Neal and Moz, after brief consideration, agreed to Castle's request.
In reality, Castle did have the necessary skills, but his most significant advantage was his vast personal space. Once inside, he could discreetly transport all of Vincent's salvaged treasures without being detected, ensuring no one else would find out. Moreover, Castle could maintain control over the situation's development.
Of course, Castle didn't reveal his entire plan to Neal and Moz. As long as the final outcome was perfect, the execution details were secondary.
"Neal, with Kate not at home, it's a good time to discuss Alex. She's a crucial part of our plan, so you need to take this seriously. Finding her is your task. Only by finding her and having an open conversation can we determine if her grandfather left any other clues or information with her. Finding Alex is our first step. Then we can locate the music box and discreetly hand it to Vincent, making him willingly help us find and salvage the submarine. So, start thinking about how to find Alex!"
Castle spoke to Neal with a serious tone.
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Capítulo 146: Chapter 146: Police Station
Neal found Castle's concern amusing, as Castle worried that meeting Alex would cause Neal trouble with Kate. Neal didn't understand why Castle had such a strange thought. This was a common misconception from Castle's previous life under the influence of Chinese culture, where meeting an ex-girlfriend or boyfriend was seen differently. In America, meeting an ex wasn't a big deal, and there was no concept akin to "瓜田李下" (a Chinese idiom meaning avoiding suspicion).
When Neal asked Castle, with a puzzled look and tone, why seeing Alex would make Kate upset, Castle realized that people's thinking here was different from where he used to live. Here, no one cared about meeting an ex or feared rekindling old feelings. Chuckling to himself, Castle explained he was just worried Kate might overthink it, which led Neal and Moz to mock Castle's peculiar concern.
After their discussion, the three parted ways. Neal and Moz set out to contact the elusive Alex, intending to have an open conversation with her. They needed to inform her that Vincent was searching for the music box, making her a potential target. Using this as a reason, they hoped to bring Alex into their temporary alliance against Vincent.
Castle, meanwhile, said his goodbyes to Neal and Moz. With nothing urgent on his agenda, he decided to spend time with Beckett, building rapport and passing the time. The manuscript for the first Nikki Heat book was already submitted to the publisher, and with no new writing plans, Castle had nowhere else to go. His daughter was soon heading to an orienteering summer camp, and his mother was contemplating moving in with her new boyfriend. Going home would only be annoying.
Halfway to the police station, Castle decided to detour to get coffee for himself and Beckett, as the precinct's coffee tasted terrible, like battery acid mixed with monkey urine. Then, a thought struck him—why not buy a high-end coffee machine for the precinct? This way, he could enjoy good coffee and earn favor points at the station. Why hadn't he thought of this before? With another windfall imminent, the cost of a high-end coffee machine was negligible.
Without hesitation, Castle called a department store to order the latest model coffee machine and had it delivered to the NYPD's 12th precinct. After placing the order, he leisurely drove to the precinct.
Upon arrival, he waited a short while for the delivery truck from Macy's to bring the coffee machine. With the delivery guy following him, Castle strutted into the 12th precinct's bullpen, flamboyantly greeting Esposito, who was eyeing the large box curiously. Castle then directed the delivery guy to the officers' break room to set up the new machine.
Seeing Castle bring something into the break room, Beckett was on the verge of going mad. The damn nuisance hadn't been around for days, making her feel strangely out of sorts. Now, he was back and causing a ruckus again. Beckett stormed into the break room to see what Castle was up to.
As she entered, she saw Castle, Esposito, and Ryan standing by the old coffee machine, eagerly watching the delivery guy assemble the new one. Beckett, exasperated, addressed Castle, who was making faces at her, "Castle, this is a police station, not your home. You can't just do whatever you want here! Do you understand?"
Castle, immune to Beckett's occasional tsundere attitude, grinned, "The old coffee machine made coffee that tasted like battery acid mixed with monkey urine. I don't know how you guys drank it. Maybe you used it to torture uncooperative suspects? I just wanted to donate a better coffee machine so you could enjoy decent coffee. Is that wrong?"
"No, thank you for your support and donation, Mr. Castle..."
Before Beckett could scold Castle further, Captain Montgomery's voice interrupted from behind. He had seen Castle bring a large box into the break room and came to investigate. Hearing Castle's "donation" declaration, Montgomery was delighted.
A new coffee machine would mean better coffee for everyone. With no budget for such luxuries, Montgomery saw Castle as a godsend. He wouldn't miss the chance to keep Castle, their benefactor, happy.
With her boss's approval, Beckett couldn't continue reprimanding Castle. She shot him a glare and left the break room.
Montgomery warmly approached Castle, "Mr. Castle, I heard your first book based on Beckett has been submitted?"
Esposito and Ryan, who were about to slip away when the captain arrived, stopped in their tracks, intrigued by Montgomery's question. They moved closer to Castle, eager to hear his response.
Castle, who had always liked the righteous Captain Montgomery, showed uncharacteristic respect. "Yes, Captain, I've submitted the manuscript to the publisher. The first batch of prints should be out by the end of the month. I'll make sure you get a few signed copies. How does that sound?"
Montgomery could sense Castle's genuine respect and, though he didn't know why Castle held him in such high regard, he appreciated it. Pleased, Montgomery accepted Castle's offer and returned to his office.
With Montgomery gone, Esposito and Ryan eagerly approached Castle, "Castle, don't forget to sign our copies too. And put our names on the dedication page!"
Castle was equally cordial with them. Whether it was because they were Beckett's best team or because he wanted their goodwill to help with Beckett, Castle's charm ensured a happy outcome.
Beckett could only fume in the bullpen, watching the trio goofing off in the break room. She wanted to say something but knew most of the precinct was thrilled with Castle's gesture. Criticizing him now would alienate her from the majority. Reluctantly, she watched Castle blend seamlessly with her colleagues.
"Beep beep beep..."
The phone rang, interrupting Beckett's solitary frustration.
"This is Beckett... Yes... Where?... Okay, I'm on my way!"
The call was from the 911 dispatch center, informing Beckett of a homicide in her jurisdiction and urging her to head to the scene.
Relieved to have something to do, Beckett stood up energetically, "Esposito, Ryan, we have a case. Gear up, we're heading out!"
Hearing Beckett's call, Esposito and Ryan, who had been goofing off with Castle, knew their behavior had annoyed their boss. They quickly responded and rushed out of the break room.
Castle, excited by the prospect of a new case, followed closely behind, "Where's the crime scene? Are we heading out now?"
Beckett, now accustomed to Castle's presence and appreciating his unique perspective in solving cases, nodded, "Yes, the crime scene is in Manhattan. Let's go."
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