With the incident involving Mr. Peacock, there was no need to visit the CSI lab. Jack arranged for Beckett to have an officer escort Mr. Peacock home, then he, Beckett, and Hannah settled down in a nearby café. The two FBI agents cast hard looks at Castle, who was clearly uncomfortable.
"Alright, alright, I told him," Castle admitted, raising his hands. "I didn't expect him to act so rashly, though."
"Do you realize you almost completely destroyed an already broken family?" Jack's words were deliberately heavy, making it clear that Castle had no idea of the damage he'd almost caused.
Castle shifted in his seat, looking defensive. "I only told him NYPD didn't have enough evidence yet—"
"No, you made me regret involving you in this case." Jack gave him a look of disappointment.
Castle squirmed but finally gave up trying to defend himself. "I'm sorry. I barely know Mr. Peacock, but as a father with a daughter myself, I couldn't refuse his plea."
Seeing his admission, Jack decided not to press the issue further. After all, Castle's connections might be impressive, but they wouldn't entitle him to participate in FBI cases. That would be Beckett's problem to deal with from now on. Jack could already picture her breaking him in.
Just then, Jack's phone buzzed with a message from Mike Taylor: they'd found evidence.
CSI had discovered a stain on the work pants Billy provided. It was a mix of pine resin and wood shavings. According to city planning records, Billy had indeed been assigned to the north side of the park that night, where his tasks included tending to a pine tree that had been hollowed out by pests.
Additionally, on Robin's underwear, they found an identical stain. After testing and analysis, they confirmed the stain had transferred from Billy's work pants. The evidence chain was now complete.
"What? So, that's it?" Castle exclaimed, stunned by Jack's summary.
"Yep, it's enough to put him behind bars. Detective Beckett already got the arrest warrant, and Billy, who had just left the station, has been taken into custody," Jack and Hannah said, clapping hands in celebration.
"It's… not what I expected," Castle muttered, sounding a bit deflated.
"Most real-life cases are solved through forensic science. Purely deductive methods, like in novels, are rare. If NYPD detectives all solved cases like in your books, the major crimes division's clearance rate would be abysmal."
Jack wasn't necessarily criticizing NYPD's clearance rate—just stating a fact. New York's crime rate might often be criticized, but it was still better than many other large American cities.
---
That weekend, to celebrate solving the case, Jack organized a small party at his apartment, cooking up a feast reminiscent of his time in Los Angeles.
In New York, Jack and Hannah had made several new friends, including Castle and his daughter, Mike Taylor and his partner Stella Bonasera, as well as Danny Reagan and his wife. The Reagan family had Irish roots and maintained many traditional Irish customs, including their devout Catholic faith.
Although British cuisine was often ridiculed, Ireland's proximity across the channel and its rich agricultural history meant Irish food deserved some recognition. Jack prepared a traditional Irish stew made with lamb neck, potatoes, onions, carrots, and parsley, and also made "jacket potatoes," a staple of Irish dining.
Fresh trout from the Finger Lakes and Texas-raised veal also received high praise from his guests. After a month in New York, Jack had managed to rebuild his culinary supply chain.
With a renowned mystery writer present, the conversation naturally shifted to Castle's latest work. In his new book, Storm Rising, he had killed off the series' main character, Derrick Storm.
"Writing Derrick used to be fun, but it started to feel like a chore, so I decided to end the series," Castle explained, showing remarkable skill with chopsticks and seemingly enjoying every dish.
"Sounds like you found some new inspiration?" Linda, Danny Reagan's wife, asked with interest. Though not a fan, the chance to meet a famous writer was a treat for a homemaker like her.
"Yes, after a few months off, I found a new source of inspiration. I even have a name for the heroine," Castle said proudly.
"A female lead?" Stella Bonasera asked, smiling. For her, Castle's detective novels were a great way to unwind.
"Yes, her name is Nikki Heat, sexy and alluring—just like her name."
Danny, in the middle of his stew, nearly choked. "That name is certainly… hot."
"Let me guess," Jack interjected, not needing to know the Castle storyline to take a guess. "Your muse wouldn't happen to be that attractive redheaded detective from NYPD, would it?"
"That would be Kate Beckett?" Danny nodded knowingly, raising his glass to Castle. "Good luck, man. She's known around here as the ice queen. Not easy to get close to."
"Oh, no, I'm not trying to pursue her. At least… not right now," Castle replied, clinking glasses with him and downing his whiskey. "But she's definitely going to be my muse."
---
The following Wednesday afternoon, Jack was relaxing in his office, working on the outline for his second book, when a sudden knock interrupted him. Jubal appeared in the doorway, looking alarmed.
"Jack, there's been an incident."
Twenty minutes later, Jack's Dodge Hellcat pulled up near Delury Square in Manhattan's Financial District, not far from Wall Street. The area had been cordoned off with both red and yellow tape: yellow for NYPD and red within the inner perimeter.
"What's going on?" Jack and Hannah flashed their IDs and crossed the yellow tape, finding Danny Reagan standing near the red line, scanning the area.
"We heard there were six fatalities."
"Now it's eight, and the number is still being confirmed. We don't know what happened yet; these poor people just dropped like flies, as if sprayed by pesticide," Danny replied grimly, gesturing to several bodies scattered in the square. "Six collapsed in the square, a few on the sidewalk. At least fourteen others were rushed to the hospital, and the affected area spans about eight blocks."
------------------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n!
Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter
You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15.
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256) — $5
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336) — $5
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542) — $5
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924) — $5
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284) — $5
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289) — $5
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316) — $5
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402) — $5
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570) — $5
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660) — $5
Get access to all of them for just $15 on Patre@n!
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]