Exculpatory

Chapter three

"You said you had a daughter? How old is she?" Lanie asked the famous writer and god could she just shut up already?

Kate felt so embarrassed by all of this. Her best friend was giving her looks when her nine year old was too distracted talking to both Beckett's favorite author, and Kate knew what those looks meant. Lanie had done this a thousands times before, trying to get Kate into dating guys they met during their shopping rounds. The worst part was that Lanie knew how big of a crush she had on the author at one point. Which really was confusing considering she hadn't known who the guy was when she first saw him the previous weekend. How had she not recognized him as her favorite author?!

"Yeah, Alexis, she's fifteen now but sometimes I swear she's the adult of the two of us. Well, three including my mother," Rick answered and for some reason Kate could definitely see that.

"What do you mean she's more adult?" Elisabeth asked and when did she become so brave?

A voice in the back of her head said it was most probably a result of her own DNA in the girl's bloodstream. Rick chuckled and his face turned a bit pink, and why couldn't she stop the thought that said he looked adorable?

"Well, I might be the one who insists to keep playing laser tag," he shrugged his shoulders despite the blush.

"That is so cool! Mom has let me go to the shooting range a couple times and..."

"Woah! Secret!" Kate hissed to cut off her daughter along with a stare.

Elisabeth clenched her lips together with wide eyes, making the busted look she made whenever Kate caught her doing something she shouldn't. It took about a second before her daughter's lips turned up in a grin, showing all her perfect teeth along with her puppy eyes.

"I promise not to kiss and tell," Rick immediately came to the girl's rescue and Kate turned her narrowed eyes to him.

As soon as their eyes met he looked away, down in the coffee mug he still had coffee in.

"Girl, how did you manage to sneak her into the shooting range?" Lanie asked with a smirk.

Kate turned to her best friend. "It wasn't even that hard, do not tell Montgomery." Then she turned to her daughter, "I told you not to tell anyone Elisabeth, you know better than that."

Elisabeth turned her head down, "Sorry mom. But it's just so cool, I'm gonna be a good cop just like you, chasing bad guys and bringing justice to the victims," she said and Kate bit her lower lip.

She knew her daughter well enough, she knew she was just trying to get away from a punishment by smoothing her with flutter.

"You're a cop?" Rick suddenly asked and her attention went to the writer instead. "I mean," he gulped and there was something sparkling in his eyes, curiosity? "That's why you knew how to twist my arm like that! Can you teach me?"

Kate rolled her eyes at the excitement his whole body shone of.

"Yeah, she's a homicide detective! She solves murders every day and put bad guys to prison!" Elisabeth said with a big smile, all of her guilt suddenly gone and replaced with the same kind of excitement the writer was showing.

"Really?"

"Yes! Last crime scene was..."

"Elisabeth Johanna Houghton Beckett don't you dare say another word," Kate immediately ordered with a glare and her finger pointing at her daughter.

She could see Rick staring at her with wide eyes while her daughter just stared back at her with an almost identical glare. At least there was no way people would think they were anything but mother and daughter.