Sometimes, chaos hides beneath the surface. While Beckett's face remained calm, it was a thin veil over what was likely simmering turmoil.
Earlier that evening, as Jack, Hannah, and Beckett observed from a rooftop, Castle and Kyra had reminisced briefly before embracing. When the kiss stretched to an uninterrupted five minutes, the unmistakable crack of Beckett's knuckles punctuated the cold night air.
By the time the couple parted and Castle put Kyra in a cab, waving her off, the tension eased slightly. Castle, it seemed, had passed Beckett's silent test.
The next morning, Jack and Hannah arrived at the 12th Precinct with their findings, only to walk into an awkward scene. Castle sat at his desk in silence, Beckett engrossed in paperwork across from him. The cold coffee cups between them indicated their uneasy truce had persisted for a while.
Castle, looking sheepish, eventually broke the silence. "I met with her last night."
Beckett, struggling to maintain her composure, wordlessly pulled out photos of the rooftop rendezvous and slid them across the desk.
"I know," she said.
"What?!" Castle's shock only grew as he flipped through the pictures of him and Kyra kissing. Spotting the approaching FBI agents, his curiosity overtook his embarrassment. "You were spying on me? And them too?"
"Not on you—on Kyra. She's a suspect," Beckett replied bluntly, though her attempt at misdirection didn't convince him.
"Please, Beckett. Sophie's death was a heat-of-the-moment crime. You wouldn't waste resources like this."
Beckett leaned in, dropping the pretense. "The photos were my doing. I needed to make sure you wouldn't do something stupid. And yet, here we are."
Castle tried to divert attention, gesturing dramatically toward Jack and Hannah. "So you're the ringleader, and they're your accomplices?"
"It was Alexis who told us," Hannah interjected, swatting Castle's hand as he tried to snatch the photos. "She overheard your call with Kyra but didn't know the location of your 'secret rooftop,' so she asked Martha."
Despite Beckett's disapproval, Hannah seemed amused. "Great angles! Beckett, is photography a secret hobby?"
"Enough!" Beckett snapped, regaining control of the conversation. "These photos might be evidence if Kyra's the killer."
"She's not," Jack said firmly, holding up a file. "We've identified the real suspect."
Castle immediately shifted gears, eagerly pulling out chairs for the agents and fetching fresh coffee.
"Alright, who's the killer?" he asked, practically bouncing with anticipation.
Jack placed the file on Beckett's desk. "Teddy Murphy, Grant's uncle. We don't have direct evidence yet, but the circumstantial evidence and his motive should be enough for a warrant."
Beckett summoned Ryan and Esposito, who had been investigating Grant's background.
The Murphy family, while not an old-money powerhouse, was still a well-established family with roots tracing back over two centuries. Grant's grandparents had even set up a substantial trust fund for him, a detail Ryan and Esposito described as unusual for someone as low-profile as Grant.
"Billions?" Castle exclaimed, his jaw dropping. Despite his own wealth, he found such a figure dizzying.
"That's the key," Jack explained. "Remember how Esposito mentioned Sophie almost didn't make it to the wedding?"
Esposito nodded. Beckett added, "Kyra confirmed this. Sophie lived in Los Angeles, and their friendship had cooled over the years. Kyra only made her a bridesmaid because Sophie introduced her to Grant—which feels ironic now."
Jack pointed to the evidence board. "Here's the odd part: the rehearsal was on Saturday, so arriving Friday would've been expected. But Sophie checked into the hotel Thursday morning. Why so early?"
Hannah continued, "We called Kyra's mother this morning. She's... abrasive." A visible shiver ran through her at the memory of the older woman's tirade.
"But we did learn something crucial: Sophie was struggling financially. After last year's engagement party, she even called Kyra asking for help with flight expenses.
"Yet, on Friday, Kyra's mother saw Sophie shopping in the hotel's boutique like she'd hit the lottery."
Hannah pinned a credit card statement to the board. "Based on my experience as a bridesmaid, Sophie's trip—flights, hotel, attire—would've cost at least $3,000. But her account was down to $20, and her credit cards were maxed out months ago."
Castle examined the statement. "Where's the money coming from? There's no record of payments for the trip—or the $200 she spent on FM2. How'd she get the cash?"
Jack answered by holding up a USB drive. "We got the hotel's surveillance footage. It shows who covered her expenses: Teddy Murphy."
"Teddy's her sugar daddy?" Castle's imagination ran wild. "Did he kill her in a jealous rage after finding her in Grant's room?"
Jack chuckled at Castle's creativity. "Unlikely. Teddy orchestrated everything, including Sophie entering Grant's room, to sabotage the wedding."
"Sabotage?" Castle frowned. "What's his motive?"
"Think about the trust fund," Hannah prompted. "What happens if Grant gets married?"
Castle's eyes widened as realization dawned. "He gains control of the fund. And Teddy...?"
Jack grinned, snapping his fingers. "Exactly. Teddy, as the fund's executor, has been embezzling from it for years. Grant marrying would mean audits and a loss of control. Sabotaging the wedding was his way of protecting himself."
Jack added, "Check Teddy's belongings—especially his outfit from the rehearsal dinner. The abrasions on Sophie's back likely match one of his accessories, like a tie clip."
Beckett nodded. "Ryan, Esposito, bring him in. I'll file for a warrant."
By evening, Jack and Hannah returned to the precinct, finding Beckett alone at her desk, deep in thought.
"All wrapped up?" Jack asked.
"Yes," Beckett replied, though her tone lacked enthusiasm. "It was just as you predicted. Teddy manipulated Sophie, exploiting her feelings for Grant and financial desperation, to ruin the wedding.
"When Grant rejected her advances, she fled back to her room, where Teddy was waiting. She likely threatened to expose him, leading to a struggle that ended her life."
"Let me guess: the tie clip was the murder weapon?" Hannah asked.
Beckett nodded. "We found it in Teddy's belongings. It matches the injuries perfectly. There's epithelial residue on it—enough for a conviction.
"And Sophie's phone had a recording of Grant rejecting her. Castle's playing it for Kyra in the conference room."
Her gaze drifted toward the glass-walled room.
Hannah smirked. "Want Jack to read their lips again?"
"Wait!" Beckett interjected. "I'll trade you—every photo of me as a bridesmaid."
"Deal," Hannah said with a grin.
Jack sighed but couldn't resist joining in.
"Castle's saying Teddy underestimated Grant. He's a good man who loves you, Kyra."
Kyra responded, "I know. And I do love him. But that doesn't mean I won't think about you sometimes."
"Ugh, seriously?" Jack muttered. "Kyra thanked him and kissed his cheek. She's leaving now."
"Thanks, Captain Obvious. We saw that," Beckett snapped as Kyra exited the room.
Walking to Beckett's desk, Kyra smiled warmly. "He's all yours," she said, leaving Beckett speechless as she exited the precinct.
(End of Chapter)
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