The Coming Future (A Castle Fanfiction)

Part Thirteen: Breaking News

The teams returned with heavy, exhausted bodies and tired minds. By the time they returned the sun had been gone for nearly an hour and a half and the precinct was entirely empty aside from a detective who'd dozed off at her desk. The sound of the elevator startled Kate awake and it had done a good enough job of frightening her that she shot up and pulled her gun, pointing it at the people coming into the bullpen. It stopped the FBI and four of the six NYPD official, but Javi and Burns just continued forward. Esposito smiled after looking back and seeing Kate coming to her senses. "At least we know what their nightmares will be about," the homicide detective commented.

Kate quickly replaced her weapon at her side and apologized in her own way. "This fucking case is getting to me. These God damn jitters are going to get someone shot."

"Since when do you cuss?" Melissa asked. "And could you not? I know Ryan's kid is at home, but Sophie's in the break room and so far she hasn't heard those words."

"Maybe you should rest your side arm before someone does get shot," Harris said, coming in with the rest of the group.

Esposito scoffed. "As if Beckett would ever willingly part from her glock. That thing is like her lifeline."

"I resent that," Beckett said, slightly more than a little insulted.

"The first thing you said to us when you came out of Gates' office the first day you got back after your shooting was, 'I want my gun.'" Ryan's input was only appreciated by his partner and Burns. The rest could see Beckett's irritation growing and seeing how she was in charge of the NYPD unit, the comment was unwanted.

Quickly Murphy changed the subject. "What time is it?"

Valgora checked his watch. "It's 8:47."

"What time can we leave?" Carpenter questioned.

Beckett replied, "Are there any leads we can work right this second that are in dire need of being looked at right this minute because someone's life depends on it?" The group looked at each other and shook their heads. "Then as soon as I get a full update on what went on at the house, all of my people may go." The fact that she called them 'her people' was semi insulting, but more of a reaffirming reminder that Kate was the leader in this case no matter what.

Ryan did as he always did and relayed information. "We found absolutely nothing that can get us anywhere in this case aside from another girl's body which means it's definitely Tanner Gerick. There were no prints anywhere. Nothing in the house suggested he'd lived there aside from the wear and tear on the runs and furniture. There was some silverware and plates and bowls, but all of it was spotless and put away nicely. There were clothes in the closet, but all of it was clean and hanging nicely. A towel in the bathroom without any sign of use. Soaps, detergent, appliances, board game and several other indicators that the house wasn't vacant, but not a single hair or finger print that didn't belong to our mystery victim.

"Nothing popped to indicate that that girl had been tormented for so long in that house either. There were no knives aside from a few butter knives. No blood was found anywhere aside from her body. Nothing in that house could have done that to her eyes and there wasn't even so much as a laptop to indicate that he had hacking skills. Also, if he was living there and the girl was there too, there was no sign of a struggle and the bed seemed untouched. The house was cleaner than clear and completely untouched. The only off thing about it was its cleanliness and the odd exterior décor."

"So nothing screamed serial killer's or stalker's household to you?" Beckett asked, half rhetorically. Slightly joking and partially curious.

Ryan explained, "The only tool of the trade he had was a pair of binoculars that was sitting next to a book on bird watching specifically tailored to the area he lived in. Like I said, the house was clean."