The Haunting Past (A Castle Fanfiction)

Part Thirteen: Premature

A.N: Praise caffeine. Thank you Mountain Dew. Go junk food.

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No one had uttered a syllable since the shooting. Carpenter had collected a sobbing Sophie and had taken her out of the apartment, shielding her eyes from the blood and the corpse. Ryan had called Jenny just to hear her voice and tell her he was alright. Valgora had taken it upon himself to comfort a truly unresponsive Kaylin Murphy as she let tear after tear fall from her lids without a sound. Castle had sent a text to his elder daughter telling her to stay out as long as she wanted. Once the cops took his statement, however, he was in his car and pulling up outside the Lawson's home to see Maddie and be sure she was alright.

The young girl didn't get out a word in the face of her father before he had her wrapped in his arms. As he held her, she realized something truly terrible must have happened, but all she asked was, "Is it mom?"

He muttered down a simple, "No," just to sooth her pain, and in it she knew he wasn't here to give her bad news. After a while longer, Rick let go of his daughter, determined to be sure she was alright, and he told her, "I need to speak with one of Addison's parents. Are either of them home?"

Alex rounded the corner. "My dad's upstairs right now. He asked us not to bother him though."

"I think he'll make an exception for this," Rick said. The boy looked into the grown man's eyes and saw so much fear masked by so much strength and determination that he didn't know whether to pity the man or admire him. After nodding, Alex brought Richard upstairs, and Castle took the initiative to knock, allowing the boy to leave. When asked who was there, he answered, "It's Richard Castle, Maddison's father. I am terribly sorry but I need to talk to you about something that's come up."

On the other side of the door, there was a pause from the man before he opened the door. "Please, come in. I take it this isn't business to be discussed around the kids."

Rick didn't reply until the door behind him was completely closed. Taking a step forward, he looked at the Judge before him and began, "I know about Benjamin Gerick. I know what he has done, I know the connections he has and I know that nearly every judge in the city is under his belt."

"Hold on," Lawson interrupted. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Castle," the man stated with an honest ark about him.

Castle then sighed. "I truly hope you don't. I want to believe that you're one of the good guys and that you have no idea what I'm talking about, but I can't take that risk. So, I'm not asking you to say anything. Just listen." The man didn't say a word. "Krause was under Benjamin's influence too. He crossed him somehow, and suddenly Krause's daughter wound up on Tanner's table. Addison was there too, and I'm not saying you or anyone else did anything wrong. I'm not saying this was anyone's fault. But if you crossed Benjamin Gerick some time before Addison was kidnapped, I need to know."

The man was silent for a moment, studying the writer, sizing him up in every way. "Why the sudden interest," the judge tried.

Castle explained bluntly, "Lucas Harris was just shot and killed in my home for being on the same case Melissa Burns was on when she was killed. I'm trying to make sure that I'm not next on that list."

The man shifted in place as he again studied the writer. By all accounts, the man looked to be telling the truth. With a breath and a tug at his conscience, the man answered the writer, "I have never met Ben in person and I know so little of him that I can barely form a general idea of him. As far as I know, I've never crossed him. Tanner I've crossed, but never Benjamin. I'm not that foolish."

"Are you sure," Castle checked.

The man then flatly remarked, "If I thought for even a moment that Ben hurt my daughter to get back at me for having done something wrong, I would be behind bars for having slaughtered the man, Mr. Castle. Yes, I am sure I've done nothing to get on Benjamin Gerick's bad side."