Chapter Three [Multiple]

[thebestseller]

Text message to Levi

Levi, I hope you don't mind the pole I put up in the living room. I can explain the significance if you want.

[Video, to everyone]

I was feeling a bit cranky about not being home for Christmas, but you know what? I don't want to be. I am the anti-cranky. I have things to be thankful for here. Like, say, all of the lovely friends I've made so far.

So cheers to you, Heropa- and wherever else imPorts reside. Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, happy Festivus, or whatever it is you celebrate. And if you don't celebrate at all, I hope you have a great day.

Comments

( video )

[thebestseller]

I can manipulate ink and paper, and generate objects by writing them down. [Castle demonstrates by lifting a piece of paper in front of the camera and folding it in two diagonally, then in half again, all without touching it.] Look, ma, no hands!

( video )

[abadidea]

Neat trick if someone needs a papercut, right?

[He smiles at his own dorky joke.]

( video )

[thebestseller]

[Castle laughs.]

I like the way you think.

( video )

[abadidea]

Well, does it work with cardboard, too? Those cuts are pretty nasty.

( video )

[thebestseller]

Not that I've been able to do. I can make dandy-looking cardboard cutouts of myself, though.

( video )

[abadidea]

[He nods.]

That sounds pretty important.

( video )

[thebestseller]

It helped me escape the hay maze a couple of months ago, believe it or not. Or I like to think it did- making decoys to throw off any pursuers.

( video )

[abadidea]

You made paper decoys and it threw off people chasing you?

( video )

[thebestseller]

I'd like to think they did, anyway. In practice, I probably just got lucky- the more tired I got, the more they looked like crayon drawings instead of my ruggedly-handsome self.

( video )

[abadidea]

Well that's...distracting, if nothing else.

( video )

[thebestseller]

I like to think so- that they'd cause people to stop and go "what on Earth is this supposed to be?"

( video )

[abadidea]

Distract them with confusing modern art? It's...a way to go.

( video )

[thebestseller]

Let it not be said that I never think outside the box.

( video )

[abadidea]

I wouldn't dream of it.

( video )

[thebestseller]

Good, because sometimes people don't value that quality about me. My fiance, for example- she's a by-the-book detective.

( video )

[abadidea]

Hey, by the book has it's place.

[Not often, but sometimes.]

( video )

[thebestseller]

True- and it's what makes us such an effective crime-solving team. She colors inside the lines, I'm on the other side of the proverbial table sticking the crayon up my nose.

( video )

[abadidea]

[He laughs.]

And that helps solve crimes how exactly?

( video )

[thebestseller]

Because sometimes thinking outside the box means the right person gets caught, but she can connect the dots in a way that's professional and evidence-based.

( video )

[abadidea]

I meant the crayon.

( video )

[thebestseller]

... hmmm, you have a point there. Maybe I need to cook up a better metaphor.

( video )

[abadidea]

That might be in everyone's best interest.

( video )

[thebestseller]

How about- she follows the instructions, I make up my own. Yeah, that sounds better.

( video )

[abadidea]

Much better. you could write a book about a pairing like that.

( video )

[thebestseller]

I have, actually. Sort of. In that I've come up with characters based slightly on us.