Not only had Big Ivan gained Castle's approval, but Castle had also earned Big Ivan's respect. The reason was simple: every time Castle asked Ivan a question about the estate's security, it was always spot-on and well-targeted. Even Ivan, an expert in security, was surprised by how knowledgeable his new employer seemed to be.
This was no coincidence. Castle had inherited all the skills of Jason Bourne, the most formidable agent in CIA history. For a trained operative, infiltrating a location was just basic protocol. By thinking like someone trying to breach security, Castle easily identified the estate's weak points and blind spots.
However, Big Ivan didn't know any of this. As their discussions grew more frequent, Ivan's astonishment increased. Castle was identifying flaws that only someone highly experienced in security—or even covert operations—could easily point out. As a former commander of the Spetsnaz Signal Flag unit in Russia, Ivan recognized certain behaviors and habits that reminded him of CIA operatives, leaving him questioning Castle's true identity.
Yet, Ivan was certain that Castle really was a successful bestselling novelist. In the United States, bestselling authors held high social status, with no reason to be involved with the shady world of the CIA.
Though full of questions, Ivan wisely kept them to himself. After all, he was just a retired soldier working security in the U.S., not an investigator for the Russian Interior Ministry.
Castle, noticing Ivan's growing curiosity from his occasional puzzled glances, decided to clear the air. He motioned for Gianna's butler to wait for him in the car, then stood on the estate's lawn and gave Ivan a brief but honest explanation of his complex identity.
"Boss, you mean to say you're not just a successful bestselling novelist, but also a shareholder in Northrop Grumman? And you're their R&D consultant? Plus, you're a consultant for the NYPD, and you have a girlfriend who's a police precinct captain?"
Ivan, now calling Castle "Boss" instead of "Mr. Castle," was floored by the revelation. Castle's introduction had dispelled any doubts Ivan had about his employer possibly being a CIA agent.
Castle smiled and replied calmly, "Yes, I know you were wondering about my true identity because of my CIA-like habits, right? Given your background, you're probably familiar with how the CIA operates, especially since they were your adversaries when you were with the Signal Flag unit. I don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us, especially since you'll be in charge of this estate's security. Clearing this up is good for both of us, don't you think?"
Ivan, fully convinced, accepted Castle's explanation and began calling him "Boss," signaling that he had accepted Castle's identity and had aligned himself with his new employer.
After reassuring the first member of his new security team, Castle made his way to the front gate, got into the butler's car, and told him, "I'm quite satisfied with the estate. Can you ask the owner for his asking price? If it's under $100 million, you can agree on my behalf, okay?"
The butler, well aware of Castle's close relationship with Gianna and John, respectfully agreed.
Upon returning to Gianna's estate, Castle arranged for Ivan and his team of former Spetsnaz operatives to stay there temporarily. Once he completed the purchase of the new estate, they would move in. After that, Castle quickly left Long Island, eager to get home and finish the second book of the *Nikki Heat* series.
The sale of the estate would take time, but Castle had also received word from Mozzie that Neal was coming back. Knowing exactly what Neal had been up to, Castle anticipated that Neal would soon seek revenge on the last remaining New York senator, Pratt, for his father's sake. Castle knew that he would likely get dragged into the situation, so he needed to finish his novel quickly to free up time for what was to come.
While speaking with Mozzie, Castle casually mentioned his plan to purchase the estate, handing over the responsibility for the legal aspects to his unfortunate legal advisor. Then, with a satisfied grin, Castle returned home, opened his computer, and started writing.
Meanwhile, after Castle left, Big Ivan gathered his men and explained their employer's surprising background, which left the group of hardened soldiers astonished. "What? Our employer is a shareholder and researcher at Northrop Grumman? And he's also an NYPD consultant with a police captain girlfriend? This guy is living the dream!"
Once the initial shock had worn off, Ivan solemnly reminded his men, "We're no longer with the Russian Interior Ministry, so our employer's illustrious background shouldn't be our focus. Instead, we should concentrate on doing our job well. Our generous boss is paying each of you $150,000 annually, and I'll be making $250,000. Think about it—earning that much without having to risk our lives in battle is a pretty sweet deal. We need to show our employer our professionalism."
Ivan continued, "Our boss is not someone we can afford to take lightly. We need to show him the respect he deserves because, as I've recently learned, he's not just an ordinary person. John Wick himself mentioned that our employer is quite skilled in combat. If we can earn his trust through our work, there could be even more opportunities for us in the future. And with a man willing to casually buy a Long Island estate, we can be sure he's not stingy. So, brothers, let's give it our best."
His team roared with enthusiasm, shouting, "For vodka!"
At the same time, at the 12th Precinct, Beckett was staring at a pile of paperwork on her desk, feeling overwhelmed. Esposito entered the room with a grim expression. "Beckett, we've got a problem. We just got a report—a woman's body was found in an alley on XX Street, and the marks on her body match the MO of 3XK."
Beckett was immediately alarmed. The 3XK killer was a notorious serial murderer who preyed on young blonde women. His pattern was unmistakable: within a week, he would kill three blonde women, strangling them with a distinctive white and green braided cord and posing their bodies as if they were asleep. Then, he would vanish for a month before reappearing to start the cycle again.
This serial killer had committed several murders across different states in the U.S., and law enforcement had been powerless to catch him. Four years ago, after his last spree in New York, 3XK had gone silent. How could he have resurfaced now?
At the time, Captain Roy Montgomery had led the task force investigating the case, and Beckett, then newly transferred from patrol to the Homicide and Robbery Division, had been part of the team. Despite their efforts, they came up empty-handed.
The mysterious "Triple Killer" had claimed six victims in New York over the span of just over a month, leaving Montgomery with a deep sense of failure.
Shaken by the news, Beckett wasted no time heading to the crime scene with her team. Lanie was already there, conducting a preliminary examination of the body.
When Beckett walked in alone, Lanie couldn't resist teasing her friend. "Where's your little puppy? Haven't seen him around."
Beckett rolled her eyes, too tired to banter with her best friend. She forced herself to stay focused. "Tell me about the scene. That's what we need to be concentrating on right now."
Lanie stuck out her tongue playfully before getting serious. "It's classic 3XK. The strangulation marks around the victim's neck are consistent with his usual method, and the body's been posed as if she were asleep. Kate, I'm certain it's him."
Beckett's head began to throb. The elusive 3XK had terrorized the U.S. for years, and now he was back, right in her precinct.
At that moment, Ryan, who had arrived at the scene earlier, came over to report. He had gathered witness statements but had little to show for it. The only solid information was that the victim was Linda Russell, an employee of a cable television company. None of the witness statements were particularly useful, and it was clear that this case would be anything but easy.
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]