The report Esposito brought revealed that four years ago, one night, the police received a strange call from a woman. She reported being frightened while sharing an elevator with a man who was pretending to be a cable repairman. The woman realized something was wrong because the tools he was carrying didn't match those typically used by cable repair workers. She got off the elevator early, sensing danger. However, the caller didn't provide her name, only mentioning that she lived between 20th and 42nd Streets.
Because no crime occurred at the time, the report was simply filed away and forgotten.
After Beckett ordered a search of Linda's phone records, the old report was matched to her.
Castle, once again guiding Beckett's thinking, said, "It's obvious that Linda was killed because she had seen the real 3XK killer four years ago. Working at a cable company, she likely recognized that the man in the elevator wasn't carrying the correct tools. That's why 3XK couldn't use his usual method of tricking his way into her home.
He killed her in the alley because he knew he couldn't deceive her like his other victims. His goal was clear—Linda had seen his real face, and that made her a threat."
Beckett agreed with Castle's analysis and was furious that the killer had hunted down a woman who had only seen his face by chance, even after four years. Now, it was up to Castle's contacts to find the killer hidden in New York.
The breakthrough energized the previously demoralized federal agents, Diana and Jones. They were amazed by the Twelfth Precinct's efficiency and Castle's uncanny ability to analyze the case. They had witnessed Castle walk into the precinct at 10 a.m., propose his theory, and by 11:30 a.m., they had already uncovered the reason behind Linda Russell's murder. The speed and accuracy were astonishing, far outpacing anything the FBI had accomplished.
Beckett and Castle had no time to dwell on the federal agents' reactions. With this new development, Beckett took the lead, eager to push the investigation forward. After a quick lunch, the six of them gathered in the meeting room to analyze and discuss the case in detail.
Castle, however, was merely biding his time, waiting for the evening. His plan was to pretend to receive a tip, leading Beckett to the location where Marcus Gates, posing as a gas company worker, would attempt his next murder. But he didn't want Beckett to catch Marcus just yet—he needed to delay that to create an opportunity to get Jerry Tyson, the real 3XK, out of prison.
While everyone else was busy investigating, Castle wandered aimlessly around the precinct, even paying a visit to the newly stocked armory. The armory manager, thrilled with the new equipment Castle had funded, let him in for a rare tour, bending the rules because Castle was Beckett's boyfriend and had provided all the new gear. The old equipment had already been sent back to NYPD headquarters.
The two chatted for a while, with Castle even asking the armory manager if they needed any more advanced equipment. The manager, impressed by Castle's connections and generosity, didn't hold back and provided a list of additional items he thought the precinct could use.
Castle, with his deep pockets, waved his hand and said, "No problem, just make a list and I'll take care of it." The delighted armory manager couldn't stop smiling.
After aimlessly killing time for most of the afternoon, Castle returned to Beckett's office around 5 p.m. He told her he had just received a call from one of his contacts, saying they had spotted someone matching 3XK's description—the man seen following Linda Russell—around 112th Street. Castle also mentioned that nearby there was a blonde woman living in an apartment, fitting the profile of 3XK's typical victims. It seemed likely that the suspect was scouting for his next target.
Beckett didn't hesitate. She grabbed her things and left with Castle, eager to follow up on the lead. Since the tip was uncertain, she didn't call in Esposito, Ryan, or the federal agents, opting instead to go with just Castle. After all, Castle had proven his skills in self-defense, having survived two assassination attempts, and Beckett trusted they could handle 3XK between the two of them.
Castle, however, knew more than Beckett. He was aware that Marcus Gates wasn't acting alone; his accomplice was Paul McCard, a colleague of Linda's. But it wasn't time to catch Paul yet. First, Castle wanted to scare Marcus away. The real fun would come later.
Driving towards Kim Foster's apartment, where Marcus would soon appear, Castle and Beckett arrived just before 7 p.m. They had taken their time, even stopping for a quick dinner on Castle's suggestion that the area was under constant surveillance by his homeless contacts. He assured her that if anything happened, they would be alerted immediately, allowing them time to act.
By the time they arrived, there were only 30 minutes left until Marcus Gates was set to show up, disguised as a gas company worker.
Unlike Beckett, Castle didn't intend to help her catch Marcus today. He knew that even if they captured Marcus, the man wouldn't reveal the identity of the real 3XK, Jerry Tyson, who was still in Sing Sing prison. Castle's goal was simply to let Beckett realize that Marcus Gates was the one who had killed Linda Russell. As for Marcus himself? Castle planned to let him escape tonight.
But Marcus wouldn't get far. Castle had a backup plan: overhead, a drone controlled by his tech-savvy friend was monitoring the entire area. Even if Marcus fled, he wouldn't stay hidden for long.
At 7:30 p.m., Castle's phone rang. It was his friend, reporting that a man matching Marcus Gates' description, dressed in a gas company uniform, had emerged from a nearby alley about 500 meters away.
Castle had parked the car about 100 meters from Kim Foster's apartment, keeping a low profile. Beckett's eyes lit up as she spotted the man in the gas company uniform—he was definitely suspicious!
Castle, holding a camera with a long lens, snapped several pictures of Marcus as he walked towards Kim Foster's building. When Marcus stopped at the entrance and began making a phone call, Castle knew it was time to act.
Ignoring the excitement building in Beckett beside him, Castle started the car and turned the headlights on full, shining them directly at Marcus as he spoke on the phone. The sudden light startled Marcus, and hearing the car engine, he immediately dropped his toolbox and bolted into a nearby alley.
The plan was in motion.
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