Because Of You

Chapter 11

Beckett fixes him with one of her infamous cold hard glares. It makes Ryan rather uncomfortable, but he figures that's the idea. The truth is he's been feeling rather uncomfortable since he found out his father is the head of the Irish mob.

In search of some much needed comfort, he flicks his blue eyes out of the tense office space he finds himself in. Eyes lock on to his partner. All he wants to do is tell Esposito everything. To just let his emotions run away with themselves. Maybe even let a few tears fall. Javi would never judge him. Kevin highly doubts he'd judge him for who his real father is. However, judgement isn't what he fears the most right now. It's telling the ones he loves most in the world the truth and that being the reason they're put in harms way. Ryan wouldn't be able to live with himself if anything happened to Javier or even Castle or Beckett for that matter.

"Ryan" the 12th precinct captain snaps.

Beckett is well aware of the challenge she's in for. Sure, she has a knack for reading people. Discovering the truth is part of her job. Interrogating one of her closest friends is not, especially not Kevin Ryan. When he wants to he can switch off his emotions completely. Ryan can be one of the most infuriatingly stubborn people she's ever met, but he's still family. There's nothing Kate won't do for her family. Annoyingly for Beckett though, when her friend turns to look at her, he switches off his emotions. Before she even speaks his defences go up.

Ryan gained this ability from a very young age. When he was younger he was just so nice to everyone, but of course there were kids out there that used his good heart to their advantage. Many a time had a young Kevin been manipulated. The problem with having a big heart is that it can break so very easily. Ryan's mother used to find him in his room crying after he'd realised how he had been betrayed by people he considered friends. Claire, his mother, always used to tell him that he needs to protect his heart. So that's what Ryan did. Gradually he built up his defences. Granted he got some serious trust issues with it, but in the long run it paid off for him.

When he became a cop his lack of trust for anyone meant he was brilliant at undercover work, because he'd never get too emotionally involved with the targets. When he joined homicide it took him a while to open up. A lot of effort from Esposito and Beckett was required before he started to trust them with personal matters. This is why this is going to be one heck of a stand off between two of the best interrogators in the precinct.

"Yes, Captain?" Ryan questions, staring right at his boss with a seemingly unwavering confidence that's borderline arrogant.

Beckett folds her arms in front of her and rests all of her weight on her right leg; causing her hips to tilt "I'm letting McConnell go. Not that I had much of a choice once his small army of lawyers arrived, but I would be able to hold him, if you were pressing those kidnapping charges against him"

"I'm not pressing charges" Kevin reminds her and with a simple look it's clear he's not going to change his mind.

"Alright, it's your choice" Beckett shrugs her shoulders.

"Is that it or is there something else I can help you with?" her detective queries in a tone that Beckett doesn't like at all.

The Captain is not someone you want to mess with. Of course Kevin knows this better than most people. So, he knows he has to step it up to her level if he wants to make it out of this conversation in tact.

"Your buddy Mick wants to speak to you" Beckett answers sarcastically.

"He's not my buddy" Ryan tells her, but it almost comes across like a warning. It's as if he's warning Beckett not to push her luck with him.

As Ryan walks out of her office, Beckett looks over to her husband and Esposito, who return her confused expression. Quickly she makes her way over to them to explain her weird encounter.

Kevin on the other hand makes his way over to the group of suits stood waiting for the elevator. One of them spots him. The man taps one of his colleagues on the shoulder and whispers something. After a moment of hushed talking, the crowd disperses to reveal a smug looking Mick McConnell. No doubt very pleased with himself, and his lawyers, for getting him out of yet another tricky legal situation.

"I'll be five minutes" Mick informs his legal team, as he puts his hand on Ryan's shoulder and leads him a few steps away from them.

Once they're out of hearing range of everyone else they stop.

"You have a good team here, Kevin. They're very loyal to you and I always admire loyalty in people" the mobster tells his son with an approving tone that sounds odd coming from him.

Kevin allows a proud smile to cross his lips "Yeah they are. They're the best"

"I bet you rely on them a lot" Mick flicks his eyes over to Beckett, Castle and Esposito who are all staring at him and his son "Have you mentioned anything about me to them?"

Ryan shakes his head, also stealing a glance at his colleagues "Not a word. I can't put them in harms way by telling them who you are to me. I won't drag them into this"

"Good, because there's a problem. Somebody in your precinct is a mole. Not for me or my business associates you understand, but this mole has been gathering information" Mick informs him in a hushed tone then looks around to see who might be paying a keen interest in their conversation "It's what I wanted to tell you before your fellow cops arrived and arrested me"

"What kinda information has this mole been gathering?" Ryan asks, concern etched into his features.

A mole in the NYPD is a serious allegation. It's certainly cause for serious concern and to think this mole is inside his own precinct causes him great worry.

"Information on you. I don't know who they are. It's hard to tell how long they've been working here. It could be six years, it could be six days, but whoever they are, some how they know that you're my son. So, cards on the table now, son, have you told anyone that I'm your father?" The mob boss seems to match his son's genuine concern.

"No, I haven't told anyone. How many people on your side know?" Ryan responds, figuring the leak is more likely to come from crooks than cops.

"You and me. That's it" Mick informs him, and as far as the detective can tell, he's telling the truth!

Ryan places his hands on his hips "What about the men who took me or the ones who did the DNA test for you?"

"They do as they're told. It's their job to follow orders and not ask questions. Also, they understand that it's easier to be able to deny any knowledge of certain business transactions, if they have no knowledge of them in the first place" Mick replies sounding just like one of his lawyers.

"So, if there's only you and me that know then how can this mole know?" Kevin queries as he takes a quick look around the bullpen to see if anyone is watching them.

Esposito, Castle and Beckett are all staring and a few detectives keep glancing up from their case files out of curiosity. It must be confusing for them to see their fellow detective stood calmly talking to the man who apparently kidnapped him. There's no way to spot the mole this way. Practically all eyes are on them anyway.

"That's something I intend to find out, but for the time being just play it safe. Keep your head down, okay?" The mobster tells him in a very paternal manner.

For the second time today, Mick has spoken to Kevin as a proper loving father would do to his son. Ryan's heart skips a beat at his father's words. This man actually cares about him and surprisingly, in some strange way, he's starting to reciprocate those feelings.

"Okay" the blue eyed detective mumbles.

Mick nods at him, walking over to rejoin his lawyers at the elevator. As much as the Irish gangster is inclined to believe his son will stay out of it, he knows that there are two major factors stopping that. First of all, Kevin is a cop and a very determined one at that. It's just not in his nature to sit back whilst there is a mole in his precinct, especially since the mole presents a danger to him and possibly the people he cares about. Secondly, if he's anything like him or his mother then it's not in his blood to simply not do anything. Both Mick and Claire are very head strong and from the looks of things their son is the exact same.