Castle's partner

Another

Espo walks in, Castle trailing behind him.

"Just finished with CSU. I took witness statements from everyone that stuck around and I'll get more when I review traffic cam footage."

Then a doctor knocks on the door softly, letting us know he's there.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we found an abnormality that I think you should know about."

He points at the clipboard in his hand, just as Ryan hobble in with Jenny supporting him.

"What kind of abmormality?" Asks Ryan.

"This says she was admitted to the hospital yesterday to have stitches put in for a bullet wound. No one signed off on her care. Did you know about this?"

My jaw drops. Bullet wound? She's healed...what is he talking about?

"No, could you elaborate on that?"

"Her right wrist, she had ten stitches put in yesterday. The other doctor I talked to said a bullet skimmed her, and she confirmed it, but she wouldn't say what happened."

"When was this?"

"About an hour and a half after dinner was served to the patients."

"What the hell?" I mutter.

"She told me she cut herself." Says Nick.

"Wait, she told you she cut herself? She would never do that. She'll do anything to get us to believe that she didn't cut herself. What is she trying to hide?"

"Hold on a minute." He looks down at his clipboard and frowns, flipping a page. "This says Doctor Lee saw her leaving with a man. He put a description. It says medium build and height, brown hair."

I look at Castle, and he shifts uncomfortably. And he doesn't even know I'm looking at him.

"Castle, you left yesterday and didn't come back for an hour. It was the same time, same description. Where did you go?"
My voice is strong.

"I-I just went to go get a coffee, that's all." He stutters.

I arch my eyebrows. "Really? You went to go get coffee and you didn't get me one? If you don't tell me where the hell you were, I swear I will arrest you for obstruction of justice!"

He sighs heavily and runs his hand through his hair.

"We were on the roof yesterday talking about Nick's shooting when out of nowhere a bullet hits her. The only way she would get help is if I promised to say anything. She didn't want you to take her off the case or shut it down all together. I was on her bad side, I needed her to trust me again. We think it was a warning shot, if we try any more it'll be worse and we knew if you found out you would take her off the case, and she won't stop until she finds out who did this to Nick."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"She's right! You would've taken her off the case!"

"For her own safety! Look what's happened! Not telling me is not protecting her! Someone wants her dead for something she's trying to find out, or something she already knows."

Just as I finish speaking, Ross moves in her bed. Her eyes flicker open, and I see Nick's grip on her hand tighten in hope.

He gently moves hair off the stitches on her forehead.

"Hey, hey little sis. Are you feeling okay?"

She isn't fully aware of what's going on. Her eyelids flicker. She reaches up and tries to grab the tube of oxygen leading to her nose.

"No, no little sis you gotta leave that there okay? It's helping you breathe."

He places a hand on her cheek, and gently strokes his thumb back and forth.

"Nick?" She mumbles.

Suddenly she sits straight up, causing her EKG to shoot through the roof. It emits an ear splitting shriek.

"Where's Ryan?" She screams. "Where's Ryan?"

"Whoa!" Nick is caught off guard by her sudden movement. He forces her back down, but she struggles against him. I know it's hurting both of them, and I can't let either of them be in more pain.

I push Nick into his chair, and grab Samantha's wrist. She tries to pull away, but she's too weak.

"Let go!"

"Look! Look," I point at Ryan standing in the doorway, holding on to Jenny. "He's okay."

Upon seeing him, she stops fighting me, and falls back onto her bed, exhausted.

"How are you holding up?" I ask.

"I'm fine."

"Look, I know you just woke up, but Ryan doesn't remember anything except the crash, can you tell us anything else?"

She looks at me, then at Ryan, then Nick.

"I don't think this was an accident." She whispers.

"Okay. Tell us everything."

"I saw the Dodge come in for the hit, but it was too late. I felt the crash and blacked out, and.the next thing I knew I was in a burning car. I almost let go, but then I remembered Ryan was in the car. I knew it was on fire, and that we would die if I didn't get us out. I don't know how, but I managed to drag him out, and then I passed out on the concrete. I don't remember anything else."

"You saved my life. I would be dead if you hadn't gotten me out of that car." Ryan looks astonished.

She nods slightly.

"Who hit us?"

"Anthony Richards."

"Anthony Richards?"

"Yeah, why? Do you know him?"

"The name sounds familiar."

"Yeah, it sounds familiar to me too." Says Nick.

He looks at her, and as he leans over to kiss her cheek, a necklace falls from the inside of his shirt.

I don't think much of it until I see what's on it.

"Dog tags? You were in the military?"