Montana Blues

Chapter One

This will be a Very A N story set in season 4 starting at 4x01 inspired by a Michael Martin Murphy song. Song will appear at the end of the first chapter. Reader response will determine if there are any more. Don't expect to see the canon Castle here. There will be Casket eventually.

It has been a month since she left the hospital and not a word from her. Another rejection, on top of the rest of the ones he'd experienced in his life. He'd told her he loved her and she claimed not to remember. He was watching her eyes and they had flickered as she said it. He knew she'd lied. So, her promise to call was just another lie. He thought of the old saw. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." He wasn't going to be her fool any more. Alexis was visiting her mother in Los Angeles. She had graduated early and was going to Stanford in the fall. There was nothing to keep him in New York.

He thought; Four women I've loved four rejected me. Kyra wasn't in love with me enough to defy that snob-bitch of her mother. Meredith was just a slut. Gina was into the image and the money, not the real me. Beckett, I don't understand. Well, it doesn't matter, It's time for a change. A sea-change. I don't know exactly how yet. I do know I'll go out to the Hamptons and end Nikki Heat and my association with Black Pawn. I've had all of Gina I can stand. Gates ended my association with the 12th. I could force my way back in, but why bother? Roy was my only true friend there. All the rest were really Beckett's friends. It's really appalling how little they really knew me, how little they tried to. I did help them, but they treated me like the class clown. If I don't get out of not only New York, but this lifestyle. I'll go berserk. I can't do the celebrity author anymore. Especially the playboy part. A pair of boobs with legs on either arm.

Besides his mother and Alexis, only one person, Mayor Bob Weldon, knew that Richard Castle had once been Richard A. Rodgers first lieutenant United States Air Force.A fighter pilot, flying the F-5 in the aggressor squadron at Nellis AFB Nevada. A maintenance error caused a hydraulics system failure. He'd had to eject. A bad landing, a back injury and his Air Force career was over. He'd recovered, but left the Air Force. He was determined to get back into the physical shape he' been in then.Decision made, Castle packed a bag and his laptop and drove to his home in the Hamptons. He called ahead and had his housekeeper open it for him. Surprising himself, he slept well, that first night, the sound of the sea, calming and soothing.

He got up at 06:00. Ran two miles, showered and ate a healthy breakfast. He wrote from 07:30 to 13:00. Ate a light lunch then ran another two miles, worked out on weights and cardio and spent an hour sparring with his martial arts trainer. Ate a protein loaded supper and wrote from 19:00 to 22:00. At 22:00 he went to bed. At the end of August, he turned in the final draft of the last Nikki Heat book, held his last book signing with Black pawn and ended the relationship. For all intents and purposes, Richard Castle was dead. Richard Rodgers was reincarnated.

Kate Beckett spent three grueling months recovering at her father's cabin, with conflicted feelings She wanted to call Castle, many times, but couldn't get the courage to do it. She was still with Josh. She wasn't in love with Josh, but did love him. At least, she thought she did. She also felt obligated to him. He'd saved her life. When she got back to the city, she still didn't call Castle. She wanted to, but every time she started to Josh somehow got in the way. Castle was not in the precinct and the captain was adamant about not having him back.

In December, Josh asked her to marry him and she accepted. She finally tried to call Castle, but found her number and the precinct's number blocked. She finally managed to do, what she never really wanted to, drive Castle away. She won a fiancé but lost the best friend she'd ever had. She was lucky that Josh wasn't around when the rejected invitation arrived. He'd would have been furious at the flood of bitter tears, rather the reason for them.

Castle reading about Kate's engagement only reinforced his decision,

Castle was drinking, one night and listening to Michael Martin Murphy. One song hit him hard and he listened to it several times. It gave him an idea, which he wrote on his laptop, so that he'd remember it in the morning.

Alexis came home for Christmas and Castle discussed it with her.

"Alexis, I think, no, I know that I have to change my life style. Here I am, at my age with no wife, no fiancé, no significant other the only people in the world who love me are you and mother. I was falling in love with Beckett but she blew me off for that motorcycle riding doctor. Just like every other woman I ever loved blew me off. Despite that, I think that I will never stop loving her. However, there's a lot of anger mixed in with the love. I have to get out of New York, away from the constant reminders of her, before that anger explodes."

It doesn't matter what I do, unless I do something really insane, I can't spend all my money in my lifetime. I will always be a writer. I can't change that, but I need to change my style. Or at least modify it. I have come up with an idea. Combine mystery writing with westerns. You know how I feel about research. I have to really get into my character. So, I am leaving the loft for you and mother. I'm selling the Hamptons house, completely furnished. I'm also selling the Ferrari, the Navigator and the Mercedes. When you graduate, the car of your choice will be your graduation present. I am buying a small horse ranch in Montana. I won't run it, that's what a ranch manager is for. We'll still call or skype, every day. In the summer, you can come out to the ranch. Hey, remember when you wanted a pony? Now you can have a horse!"

"Dad this seems so spur of the moment."

"It may seem like it, but it isn't. I've been thinking about this for the last few months. Right now, I don't trust any woman except you and mother. And that's a bad thing. Maybe in a different setting, I can find a loving loyal woman. Maybe not. But I have to try. This is not entirely Becketts fault. She played a major part, but It's a culmination of a lot of things. She, however, lit the fuse in the dynamite."

"Another problem is mother. As long as I'm physically her she'll keep on living her extravagant lifestyle on my money. Don't get me wrong, I'll still support her, she'll always have a home, but she doesn't need a new dress every week, she has enough dresses and jewelry for three women. She's been drinking up a five- hundred-dollar bottle of wine, every other day. I'm giving her a monthly limit debit card. She will have to live on a budget."

They had a terrible row when he laid down the law, but she had no real choice but accept his terms.

Christmas dinner was poignant. By the third of January, all the sales had gone through as had g. The sale of the Hampton's house more than covered the purchase of the ranch. On February first, Castle packed for the trip to Montana. He was planning a whole change of lifestyle, so, he only packed three sport coats, one business suit and a tuxedo, five pairs slacks two pair of Levi's, a dozen shirts, two cable-knit sweaters, a medium weight jacket, Running shorts, work-out clothes, running shoes, t4hree pair of dress shoes, three pair of trainers, a pair of boots from his Air Force days, His laptop, photographs of Martha and Alexis and one of Roy. Also, a photograph of him in his Air Force uniform and one of him in a flight suit, standing in front of his F-5 He threw away all pictures of Beckett and the 12th

He packed all his awards and trophies, of course but left all his toys and gadgets behind. The final items he packed were his weapons collection. A Colt Government model .45, a Sig P229 in .40 S&W, an S&W Model 686 .357 revolver, a Ruger Mark 1 .22 target pistol, two rifles. A Ruger 10-22 and t A Ruger Gunsite Scout .308. Rounding out the firearms collection, was a twelve -gauge shotgun, a Remington 1187 police model. He also had four knives and a sword. A Randal MK1 fighter, a custom- made Bowie, A Scottish dirk, a Sgian Dhu and a basket-hilt broadsword He wouldn't have any trouble going through airport security. He didn't have to.

Although no longer military, he was still a pilot. He owned a Cessna T303 Crusader, a light twin-engine aircraft. It would be a long flight, so Rick dressed comfortably. A pair of washed soft jeans, flannel shirt, leather flight jacket and well-worn Wellington's

With the Cessna's speed, he'd be almost eight or hours in the air and would need to refuel once. He took off at 06:00. Cruising at 200 mph, he landed at 11:00 for fuel. To stretch his legs and lunch. Taking off at noon he landed in Billings at 16:30. By the time he'd topped off the fuel and arranged for tie-downs it was 17:00

He'd called ahead and his ranch manager was waiting for him in a Jeep Grand Cherokee. A tall slender man, with a strong, weathered face strode forward, hand extended.

"Mr. Rodgers, I'm John Morgan. Ranch manager. Welcome to Montana."

"Thank you, John. I think we'll be working closely enough that you can call me Rick."

'It's about twenty miles to the ranch so, I suggest we grab a bite at Rusty's Coral. Barbara, had to something at church or she'd have cooked a dinner for us."

"How many people on the ranch and what's the layout?

There's the main house, the manager's house, the bunkhouse, the garage. The barn, the workshop and the stables. People: Me and Barbara, my daughter Laurie, my son Hal and five hands, George, Pete, Charley, Frank and Jeff.. Barbara will handle your house until you hire a house keeper. I suggest you hire one of the girls off the reservation. Treat her well and pay her well you won't find a harder worker. The thing is that with the closing of the coal mines, a lot of the people are out of work. A steady job would help a family a lot. I know what they're up against. My grandmother was Lakota.

"Perhaps I could hire a cook and a housekeeper."

"That would be even better. I have contacts on the res, I'll see what I can do."

'One more thing I must warn you about. My daughter is probably going to come on to you."

"How old is she?"

"Eighteen, she's legally an adult., there's not much I can do about it."

"Don't worry about it, John. I've had plenty of experience of deflecting females of all ages. Don't let this get out to anyone else. Richard Rodgers is my real, legal name. In New York my Nom de plume was Richard Castle. I was a mystery writer. Somewhat of a celebrity. Deflecting fans without hurting their feelings, is an art I perfected, long ago. I came out here to get out of that lifestyle and start a simpler one I'll still be a writer, but with a low profile."

Rick ordered a buffalo burger with onion rings and a side salad. Although eating healthier he could indulge, occasionally. John ordered the same thing. They ate quickly, not talking much. The food, as advertised. was excellent. The service was quick and the server pretty, but Rick thought that the uniform was ridiculous. A short, fringed skirt, white blouse, vest, red cowgirl boots and the requisite cowgirl hat. Obviously for tourists. Nonetheless, he left her a hefty tip. The outfit might be silly, but she had great legs. John laughed.

"You just made her day, Rick. I doubt if she's ever seen a seventy-five-dollar tip in her whole life. Neither Laurie nor Barbara were home when they arrived. They carried his luggage into the house. Rick said;

"I'm going to unpack, take a shower and hit the rack. I'll meet your family and the workers in the morning. Tomorrow, I'll need to acquire a gun safe, and apply for my driver's license I'll also need to do some clothes shopping, a few things that fit the local style better. Within the week, I need to get some free wights, a weight bench, a heavy bag and a speed bag,

After showering, Rick poured himself a double shot of Glenfiddich Scots whisky, drank it and turned in.

Rick got up at his now usual 06:00 and ran his usual two miles, did some cardio, then showered again. He dressed in Levi's a black polo shirt and trainers. As he exits his bedroom, he smells a delicious aroma. John and his wife are in the kitchen. John says;

"I hope that you don't mind that Barbara and I are here. I wanted her to meet you and she wanted to welcome you with a nice breakfast. Barbara, I'd like you to meet the new owner, Richard Rodgers."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Rodgers."

"And I, you. But please call me Richard or Rick. There is no need for formalities."

She smiled. "In that case, I'm Barbara or Barb." They shook hands. Barbara was a short, almost pixie-like woman, delicately pretty, with gray eyes and blonde hair. She said;

"You two go sit down and I'll serve you." The men sat down at the dining room table. Three places were laid. Barbara came in with three mugs and set them on the table, then went into the kitchen and returned with a carafe of coffee, cream and sugar.

"I didn't know what you liked, Rick so I took a shot in the dark. I made scrambled eggs, ham, hash browns and toast."

"That's perfect, Barbara thank you. But I'm an excellent cook, if I do say so myself. You have your own family to look after. So, from now on, just see that the groceries are stocked and give me the bill. I'm not picky, so, whatever you would choose will be fine with me. John is going to send me some candidates for a housekeeper and a cook. Until then, I can cook for myself."

Barbara served breakfast and they talked quietly. Toward the end of the meal, John said;

"Laurie came in late, last night."

"Yes, she went to the movies with that Walker boy."

"Which one, there are four of them."

"The oldest, Johnny."

Rick almost spit out his coffee. Swallowed and said;

"Johnny Walker? You've got to be kidding!"

"No, I'm not. And it gets worse from there. Or better, depending on your sense of humor."

"What do you mean?

"There are four boys. John, James, Jerry and Joe. Three girls. Jane, Janet and June. The Father is Jacob and the mother are Joleen."

After he stopped laughing, Rick said;

"Do the parents have ten brain cells between them? I mean, seriously, those poor kids."

"Jacob is a big old boy and Johnny's getting there so no one wants to push it."

"Was the mother's maiden name Jones?"

"No, it was Findley"

Barbara said; I'll load the dishwasher, then I have to be off, I teach at the Indian school"

"Okay John, this is my agenda for the day. First' I need a haircut. It's not likely that anyone out here would recognize Richard Castle, but I want to inure it. Then, as I said, last night I need go to DMV and apply for my driver's license. Order a gun safe and buy a vehicle. A Jeep Wrangler or a pickup."

Barbara said;

"Add a couple pair of cowboy boots and a Stetson will help you both blend in and avoid recognition." She started the dish washer, kissed John then turned to Rick. "You're going to have a busy day ahead of you, Rick. So, why don't you join us, tonight for dinner. You can start cooking on your own tomorrow."

"I suggest that you get the Jeep, Rick. We already have two pick-ups registered to the ranch, I've got the Cherokee and Barb has a Ford Escape. We'd better be going," They got in the Jeep and headed into Billings. Their first stop was the barber shop. Rick had his hair cut into a short, almost military hair style and decided to grow a moustache and a goatee.

The DMV was not nearly as busy as Rick had expected. In less than an hour he was out of there.

The next stop was at Walton's Jeep. Rick bought a brand- new Jeep Wrangler, black, with a tan interior and a removable hard top. He paid cash. Before he left New York, He'd had one million dollars transferred from his New York accounts to Wells Fargo in Billings. Since he' paid in cash, there were very few forms to fill out and that errand too, was over quickly. The dealership would have the Jeep detailed and ready for pick up in an hour. Rick would pick it up on the way home.

Their next stop was at Mountain Empire Guns. Rick bought a gun safe and ammunition. John suggested that he purchase a carbine to carry when he was out riding or in his Jeep. A lever action was easier to use from horseback. And eliminating predators, if encountered, was beneficial to the ranch. Since he already owned a .357 revolver, he chose a Marlin model 1894 CST in .357 magnum. A compact rifle, it would be easy to handle. He liked the weight and feel of it. The salesman asked him if he planned to spend much time out of doors. Rick thought about the "change" and agreed that he probably would. The salesman said that there was always the chance of encountering dangerous animals. He talked Rick into also buying a Marlin 1895 Trapper. The same rifle as the 1894 but chambered in .45-70. It wasn't that hard a sell, as Rick was a firearms aficionado. The salesman said that they had the safe in stock and it could be delivered and installed by late afternoon. Rick agreed. He also bought saddle scabbards for the rifles.

As it was now 14:00, the two men stopped for lunch. After lunch John said;

"Let's get you some every day clothes, now. Do you plan on any nightlife? "

"Of course, I said simpler, not reclusive."

"So why don't we do this. Let's wait for Saturday and have Barbara come with us. She knows what the local ladies like to see on a man when he's dressed up.

"Okay by me."

Rick ended up buying three pair of slim fit, boot cut Levi's, three pair of khaki cargo pants, five Levi Barstow shirts, three Roper Khaki shirts, two Stetsons three pair of western boots, a heavy outdoors coat and gloves. They picked up his jeep and returned to the ranch around 17:30.

Rick put everything away. John said;

"Barbara got everyone together, will you please come meet them."

The two Morgan offspring were mixtures of both their parents. Laurie had her mother's delicate features, but was taller with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Hal was a medium height boy of sixteen with light brown hair and brown eyes. George was the oldest of the ranch hands, a short, burly, gray haired man of about sixty. Weathered skin, and merry blue eyes. Pete was the youngest, about twenty-five. Short and wiry, either native-American or Latino descent.

Jeff and Frank were twins, about thirty. Tall men, just under six feet. Lanky build, square faced and sandy haired. Frank was African-American. Medium build and medium height. Al seemed pleasant enough.

After dinner, Rick was relaxing in his study, when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

It was Laurie, dressed in tight shorts and a tee-shirt that left nothing to the imagination. Just as John had predicted, Laurie came on to him. She smiled, at what she thought was seductively."

"What can I do for you, Laurie?"

"Just give me a little of your time. I like handsome mature men."

"I can't do that, Laurie. While you are a beautiful young woman, I have an iron-clad rule. I never get involved with one of my employees or any member o their family. It leads to nothing but trouble. I am flattered by your attention. But please apply it in the proper direction."

She pouted. "Haven't you ever broken the rules?"

"Of course, I have, but every time I did, it got me into trouble. I've never broken that one."

That Saturday, as Jon had suggested, he and Barbara accompanied Rick into town for some dress clothes. A couple of western style sports coats and slacks, a suit and several shirts. A pair of black Luchese snake skin dress western boots and another Stetson.

Three months, passed, Rick settled into the life at the ranch, learning to ride, buying his own saddle and tack and picking out a large, steel-gray gelding from the herd. He had developed the characters for the first book of what he hoped to be his new series. He wrote the rough draft and sent the manuscript to trail of the tumbleweed publishing. His main character was Robert Rourke. A Montana rancher and reserve deputy sheriff. A tough, former military policeman, a transplanted New Yorker. He modeled him, physically on himself, only changing his hair color to black and eyes to green.

Inspiration song.

He ain't been right since she's been gone.

He's been known to tie one on
Glass could break and chairs could fly
So we best keep him occupied

Let the cowboy dance, let him dance all night
Maybe he won't fuss, maybe he won't fight
It's our only hope, it's our only chance
Clear the floor boys and let the cowboy dance

Let him kick up his heels or he'll kick down doors
Give him lots of room when he hits the floor
If he asks to dance with your wife
Let her go, boy and save your life

Let the cowboy dance, let him dance all night
Maybe he won't fuss, maybe he won't fight
It's our only hope, it's our only chance
Clear the floor boys and let the cowboy dance

Music calms the savage beast
He's a big old boy at the very least
He'll get over her someday
Until then stay outta his way

Let the cowboy dance, let him dance all night
Maybe he won't fuss, maybe he won't fight
It's our only hope, it's our only chance
Clear the floor boys and let the cowboy dance

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