Esposito returned to the precinct after retrieving the equipment Castle had procured through Northrop Grumman. His excitement caught Beckett's attention, who, despite being engrossed in studying 3XK's criminal records with Diana, had to pause her work. As the precinct captain, Beckett left her office to meet Esposito, ready to inspect the newly arrived weapons and gear.
Curious about Castle's extravagant donation to his girlfriend's precinct, Diana and Jones followed behind Beckett and Castle to the underground parking garage. There, the unloading of three shipping containers filled with weapons and equipment was already in full swing.
Jones, also a former Navy SEAL like Esposito, couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the crates full of FN-SCAR rifles being unloaded from the first truck. Both had served in the SEALs, though Esposito had been stationed in Colorado while Jones had been based in San Diego. It was only after their recent surveillance of Castle that they learned of each other's military backgrounds.
With a sense of disbelief, Jones walked up to Esposito, who was examining a fully outfitted SCAR rifle. "Is this the SCAR-L developed by FN for U.S. SOCOM? I thought these were only in limited production since two years ago, and not even our special forces are fully equipped with them yet. How on earth did Castle manage to get these for your precinct?"
Esposito, thoroughly enjoying Jones' amazement, casually explained while checking the rifle, "Castle pulled some strings through Northrop Grumman to get them directly from FN in Belgium. These 150 rifles were originally meant for the 75th Ranger Regiment. But Castle thought our precinct was at a disadvantage when going up against criminals with automatic weapons, so he pulled some favors. Pretty cool, right?
And check out those crates over there—those are top-tier bulletproof vests from China. Supposedly, they offer a full level of protection higher than the ones we use now, and they don't even need ceramic or steel plates to stop a 7.62mm NATO round from 50 meters away. With all this gear, the 12th Precinct can proudly say it's the best-equipped precinct in all of New York!"
Jones was stunned, barely able to process what he was seeing. Esposito, in the mood for some mischief, leaned in and whispered with a sly grin, "Castle did all this to win over our captain. How great would it be to work for a young, pretty boss who's got a rich guy like Castle looking out for her and her team? Want to transfer over? I bet Beckett would welcome you with open arms. Just look at all this gear—E.S.U. would be drooling with envy!"
Watching Esposito grin and wink while both boasting and teasing him, Jones felt an internal struggle. Sure, working under a beautiful, competent boss like Beckett sounded amazing, especially compared to his current boss, Peter, a middle-aged man who didn't exactly inspire admiration. Sure, Peter's wife, Elizabeth, was attractive, but she ran a small catering business, not exactly a glamorous or powerful position. And Castle? The guy had published twenty-six books and was a shareholder in Northrop Grumman, a bona fide billionaire. The thought of transferring was tempting, but Jones was doing well at the FBI, and despite Diana constantly bullying him—and the fact that she was a lesbian and not interested in men—he still got to work alongside a stunning woman every day. Why would he give that up to join a precinct full of gruff guys?
Suppressing his jealousy over the advanced equipment and Esposito's taunts, Jones forced a strained smile and quickly excused himself, heading back upstairs. If he stayed any longer, he might actually be tempted to switch teams, especially with Esposito bragging about Castle's connections potentially making the 12th Precinct the first in NYPD history to be equipped with surveillance drones. Even the FBI hadn't reached that level yet—was his pride really worth this much?
Meanwhile, Diana stood off to the side, equally stunned as she watched the precinct officers unload the high-tech weapons and vests. She couldn't believe how much Castle was willing to spend just to impress Beckett. The equipment in front of her had to be worth millions—who knew being a novelist could be this lucrative? Did all writers have this kind of money?
Castle, on the other hand, was basking in the admiration of the officers around him. Thanks to his charm, Castle had always been well-liked at the 12th Precinct, but this latest move had elevated his status to an all-time high. The officers weren't just grateful—they were in awe. Everyone knew that Castle had personally footed the bill for the new equipment. With these SCAR rifles and the world's best bulletproof vests, their chances of survival in the line of duty had just increased significantly. No longer would they have to face heavily armed criminals with only their Glock 17s or outdated Remington M870 shotguns.
For most officers, being a cop wasn't about heroism or playing the vigilante. It was a job, and at the end of the day, they just wanted to go home safe. New York City, with its population of millions, had 77 precincts, but the resources weren't endless. With over 30,000 officers stretched thin, the budget could only go so far. Castle's donation wasn't just generous—it was a godsend.
However, Castle himself wasn't entirely satisfied. Standing next to Beckett, he muttered, "I feel like I forgot something important. I focused so much on getting the weapons and gear that I forgot about the vehicles. Just look at the junk patrol cars in this garage—what a bunch of old clunkers!"
Beckett, uncertain if Castle was just on a spending spree or looking for more tax deductions, rolled her eyes. "You're not seriously thinking about replacing all our patrol cars, are you? Even if the cars are cheap, do you know how much it costs to retrofit them?"
Castle, completely serious, replied, "I've already spent so much—what's a little more? I could easily order a batch of patrol cars from Ford or GM and have them armored. How much could it cost?
Besides, I told you—I made a lot of money last year, and tax season is coming. I'd rather spend the money improving your precinct's equipment than donate it to some random charity.
You're my girlfriend and the youngest precinct captain in the NYPD. Of course, I want your precinct to be the best in the city! I'm doing this all for you!"
Castle's words, though a bit juvenile and over-the-top, were music to Beckett's ears. Smiling, she leaned in and whispered something in his ear, causing Castle's face to light up with excitement. "Really? You're not kidding? Tonight, after we get home...?"
Beckett quickly clamped her hand over Castle's mouth before he could say anything embarrassing in front of the entire precinct. She gave him a stern look, her cheeks flushed, before instructing the logistics team to carefully inventory the shipment and prepare Castle's donation receipt. Then, she headed back upstairs to her office.
Diana had brought all the 3XK criminal records from other states, and they were waiting for Beckett's review. Catching 3XK was still her top priority.
As Beckett left, Esposito and Ryan sidled up to Castle, grinning. "I just heard—you're planning to replace all our patrol cars too?"
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