Castle (2009–2016): Season 2, Episode 22 - Food to Die For - full transcript

The death of a popular chef reunites Beckett with her high school best friend who owns the restaurant the chef worked at.

There are two kinds of folks

who sit around thinking
about how to kill people:

Psychopaths
and mystery writers.

I'm the kind that pays better.

Who am I?

I'm Rick Castle.

Castle.

Castle.

I really am ruggedly handsome,
aren't I?

Every writer needs inspiration.
And I found mine.

Detective Kate Beckett.

- Beckett.
- Beckett.

- Nikki Heat?
- The character he's basing on you.

And thanks to my friendship
with the mayor,

I get to be on her case.

I would be happy
to let you spank me.

And together, we catch killers

we make a pretty
good team, you know?

Like Starsky and Hutch.

Turner and Hooch.

You do remind me
a little of Hooch.

Ahh.

You meet up with
that baby last night?

(Laughs) Yeah.
Yeah? No sleep again?

Never. No sleep, baby.
That's how we do it.

Chef? Chef?

Check his pulse.

(Creaks)
Ah!

(Shatters)
Whoa.

What broke?
A stupid glass.

Remind me to get
smarter glasses.

Somehow I feel that the glass
is not quite the problem.

I got invited to the Hamptons
with Lacey's family

and a couple of other friends.
Well, that sounds like fun.

So why do you
look like someone

who just got voted off
the island?

A.P. tests are next week,

so I really need
to study all weekend.

But I really want to go
to the Hamptons.

The eternal struggle
between work and play.

The trick is,
when you grow up,

find work
that feels like play.

Speaking of work...

What are you doing
up and dressed so early?

Oh, no reason. Just thought I'd
get an early start to my day.

Mm-hmm. Bye.

(Demming speaks indistinctly)

(Laughs)
(Laughs)

All right. So, um,
I'll see you tomorrow night?

Yeah. Good. Okay.
Okay.

(Demming) See ya.

What's Demming doing
in our break room?

Is there something wrong
with the coffee downstairs?

Well, you're the one
who bought us

the Cappuccino machine,
Castle.

Yes, but I bought it
for homicide

not the entire precinct.
Oh.

What's tomorrow night?
What?

Oh, Tom was wondering

if I wanted to get together
tomorrow night.

Why? Is that a problem?

Why would I have
a problem with that?

Hmm.

(Cell phone rings)
Excuse me.

(Beeps)
Beckett.

Okay. Be right there.

(Clicks)

(Whispers) Tom.

Right. Right.
(Castle)
The murder is at Q3?

This place has only been open
three months.

I can't even get
a reservation here.

I've been dying to eat here.

Well, evidently,
you're not the only one.

Where are we?
In the kitchen.

Victim's name is Balthazar Wolf.
He's the head chef here.

Big bad Wolf? Winner of
"Kitchen Wars," season six?

(Esposito) I know. Right?

Aw, man. I never got to taste
his Foie gras sandwich.

He was found this morning
by the pastry chef--

Spike Ridenhauer--
and one of the dishwashers--

Juan Costa.

Oh.

Castle, stop!

D-do you not see the little
orange cones around the body?

Is that actually his hand?

That's the effect of L-N-2...

Commonly known

as liquid nitrogen,
a cryogenic refrigerant.

It instantly freezes anything
it comes in touch with,

including Mr. Wolf--
made him fragile as glass.

This is both literally
and figuratively cool.

Uh, Wolf was a follower
of molecular gastronomy.

It's using the science
to manipulate the...

And you don't care.

It's usually pretty safe unless
someone dumps it on you.

Time of death?

Well, all our
normal indicators... (Grunts)

Are contaminated
by the L-N-2.

I'll see what I can do
once I get to the morgue.

But, uh, we're gonna have to
let him thaw a bit

before we can move him.

Looks like there was
a struggle.

Robbery?

No, no sign of forced entry,
nothing's missing.

According to Mr. Ridenhauer
and Mr. Costa here,

our victim stayed
at the restaurant

long after everyone else
had left.

And what time was that?

It was around 11:00.

One of our clients
had special ordered a cake,

and Wolf stayed behind
to finish it up.

Aren't you the pastry chef?

Yeah, but I don't do
crazy stuff like Wolf does.

I just, uh, I made the cushion,

and he sculpted the crown,
uh, the heart and the jewels.

That's probably why he had
the rotary evaporator out

and the liquid nitrogen.

All right, after Perlmutter
gets the body out,

I'm gonna want C.S.U. to come in
and sweep for fibers and prints.

Yeah, yeah.

Yo, Beckett.
The owner's here.

Say there's been an accident.
Madison?

Becks?
What are you doing here?

I'm a homicide Detective.

Shut the front door.
I know. (Laughs)

(Laughs)
I-I know, right?

What a messed up way
for us to reconnect.

Madison Queller,
this is Richard Castle.

Hi.

Hi. Please call me Rick.

How do you two know each other?
High School.

Ninth grade French.

I can't believe the biggest
scofflaw at Stuy became a cop.

(Chuckles) Yeah.

So I'm gonna need
contact information

for all the restaurant staff.

Come on, Becks.

You think somebody here
might have done it?

You know, no forced entry
usually means that the killer

either knew the chef
or was someone who had keys.

So I'm gonna need alibis
from everyone, including you.

Sorry.
No. No, I, uh...

I understand.

I was at a party
until the wee hours.

Lots of people saw me.,

Now did you know
if Wolf had any enemies

anyone that wanted
to do him harm?

He was the bad boy
America loved to hate.

I was a guest judge.
That's how we met.

Seriously?

You never
heard of "Kitchen Wars"?

Uh...

No. I don't really get
a lot of time to watch tv.

This from the girl
who'd spend hours

watching "Saved By the Bell"
reruns?

Really?

What else
did she spend hours doing?

Castle, real crime scene.

Not mystery writer
research time, okay?

(Mouths word)
Did you notice anything unusual
about Wolf lately?

Anything at all.

There was one thing.

Wolf usually worked nonstop.

You couldn't tear him away
from the kitchen.

But for the last couple
of weeks,

he'd disappear around 3:00,

and come back just in time
to prep at 5:00.

Did he say
where he was going?

No. He said
it was personal.

Hey, guys.
I found something.

Juan the dishwasher was
the last one here last night,

and he swears he finished
every single dish.

Two dirty bowls, two spoons
and a soup pot?

Looks like Wolf had
some late-night company.

It's popcorn soup.
It's Domingo's specialty.

Domingo?
Our line chef. .

He must have
come back after everybody left.

That means he's the last one
to have seen Wolf alive.

Do you have an address?
Of course.

All right,
track down Domingo and see

why he was here so late
and what he saw.

I'll also need the contact info
for Wolf's next of kin.

(Clicking keyboard keys)

High School friend, huh?

I bet she knows where
all your bodies are buried.

You can dig
all you want, Castle.

My secrets are safe with her.
How can you be sure?

Because whatever she knows
about me,

I know worse about her.

We used to hang out,
big group of us,

had a good time.

And...
what's a good time?

Well,
if you don't know by now,

I'm sure it's too late
to show you one.

Here's Wolf's
emergency contact--

David Nicolaides.

Wolf didn't have
any real family.

He spent most of his childhood
in and out of foster homes,

which is why we're listed
as, uh, next of kin.

My girlfriend Cecily and I are
about as close as it gets.

They were like brothers.

How long did you know
each other?

Since our teens.

My dad gave him a job
in our restaurant as a busboy,

uh, when he got out of juvie.

It didn't take long to tell that
he had a real gift for food.

Been like family
ever since.

Did he have any enemies
that you know of?

He had a bad-boy image
from the show,

but he was actually sweet.

Winning "Kitchen Wars"
must have been huge for him.

How was he handling it?

He loved it--
the fame, the fortune.

It was everything he ever
dreamed of, e-except...

Except what?

I-I think he might have had
some financial troubles.

What do you mean?

When my dad passed away
a few months back,

he left his restaurant
to Wolf and me.

It was nothing fancy like Q3.

It was just a little diner
in Queens.

But about two weeks ago,

he came to me
asking if I would buy him out.

I tried
to talk him out of it.

I even told him that I would
loan him the money,

but he refused.

And in the end, I gave in
and I bought out his share.

For how much?
$40,000.

Didn't he just win a lot
of money on "Kitchen Wars"?

Well, he put it all
into the new restaurant.

I tried to tell him
to hold some of it back,

but he was an all-or-nothing
kind of guy.

(Applause)

(Man) Jennifer, Wolf,

we've scored your dishes,
and although it was very close,

Balthazar Wolf,

you're the winner of
"Kitchen Wars, New York!"

Yeah!

(Clicks mouse)
Look at his face.

See how happy he is?
Hmm.

(Cell phone rings and buzzes)
He had no idea
in eight months, he'd be dead.

Well, the bank
has the warrant,

so we should have his financials
in a couple of hours.

If he was having money troubles,
we'll find out.

(Esposito) Beckett.

Hey, how'd it go with
the late-night soup maker?

You guys find him?
Oh, we found him all right.

In line at the airport with
$5,000 cash in his suitcase

and a one-way ticket
to Ecuador.

Mm. Nothing says "I'm guilty"

like an attempt
to flee the country.

♪ Castle 2x22 ♪
Food To Die For
Original air date on May 3, 2010

The next time you decide to go

all Mr. Freeze on someone,

you should really
clean up after yourself.

We found your bowls
in the sink.

I don't understand.

We found you
with a packed suitcase,

plane tickets to Ecuador
and $5,000 in cash.

That is not a crime.

I have a passport.

Which you were using
to flee a murder.

Murder

Who do you think
I killed?

Your boss
in the big white hat.

Wolf?

Wolf's dead? How?

Mr. Verdugo, sit down.

I did not kill anyone.

(Beckett) We know you came
to see him last night.

Yes

I came back
to the restaurant last night.

My sister, she's in Ecuador.

She's very sick.
She needs surgery.

I came to ask chef
if can go home.

$5,000 is a lot of money.

Where did you get it from?

Chef Wolf gave it to me
for my sister's operation.

Told him he was crazy,
but he insisted.

He said, "go take care
of your sister."

Look, five years, I've worked
with Wolf. He's my friend.

I didn't kill him.

And he just happened to have
5 grand on him?

Yes, in his backpack.

Look, I promised
to pay him back.

He had that much money
in a backpack?

Yeah, he had more,
a lot more.

Look, I told him he shouldn't
carry so much cash.

He could get...

killed.

There was no backpack
at the scene.

Maybe that angry lady
stole it.

Maybe she's the one
who killed Wolf.

What angry lady?

One of his girlfriends.

I left when she came.
When?

After midnight,
like around 12:45.

Do you know her name?

No. But she came into
the restaurant all the time.

Can you describe her?

(Speaking indistinctly)

So the kitchen staff confirms

that Wolf did have a backpack
with him yesterday,

and the only reason
that they noticed it

is because he didn't usually
carry one.

Hmm. So Domingo
was telling the truth.

Well, just because
the backpack exists

doesn't mean that the rest
of his story is credible.

No, but he's telling the truth
about the money.

Wolf's financials came in.

There's nothing
out of the ordinary

over the last six months,
but then--bam--two weeks ago,

he withdraws all his savings
from his checking account.

$15,000.
2 weeks ago?

That's about the time
that Wolf

asked his foster brother David
to buy his share.

Yeah, and as soon
as that check cleared,

he withdrew
that $40,000 in cash.

On the day he was killed.

Why would someone need
$40,000 in cash?

(Beckett) Well, nothing legal.

You know, Madison said that
he would disappear every day

between 3:00 and 5:00 P.M.

Maybe where he went had
something to do with the money.

Why don't you guys talk to
the kitchen staff again?
Yeah.

And let's look into
his credit card receipts.

Maybe we can figure out
where he was going.

And where are we
on the phone records?

Oh, the SIM card was damaged
from the freezing.

Tech's seeing
what they can salvage.

And we subpoenaed his
phone records from the provider.

We're waiting on those.
Okay.

Mm. She looks
kinda sketchy to me.

(Laughs)

That's Sandra.

She and her husband
are in every Saturday.

Husband?

Yeah.

Domingo hinted
at a romantic relationship.

Which has to violate
several health codes.

Do you remember
their last name?

No, no.

But her information should be
in the reservation book.

How you holding up?
(Sighs deeply)

I'm still reeling, and I have
no time to grieve.

Wolf was a friend,
but like it or not,

I have to interview
replacement chefs.

I still haven't found
that customer slip

for that cake Wolf was making,
and I have this charity event

tomorrow night
at Rocco Dispirito's.

If I don't show up,

people will think Wolf's death
means the death of Q3.

Hey, maybe you should
come with me.

I could use the moral support,

and maybe we can
catch up on old times.

You know, I would love to.
It's just, I have something.

"Something"?

You know, I'm available
for moral support.

And I've been dying
to try out Rocco's new place.

A charming raconteur. That's
just what the doctor ordered.

Thank you, Rick.

(Lowered voice)
Unless that's a problem.

(Lowered voice)
No, not a problem.

Oh, here it is.

Sandra Meyers.

(Beckett)
What was the exact nature

of your relationship
with Wolf?

Food turns me on.

Not as a sex toy,
but the sensual act of cooking.

And when I saw Wolf
on "Kitchen Wars,"

how passionate he was with his
ingredients, I fell in lust.

My husband and I were
the first through the doors

when Q3 opened.

And when Wolf came by
to check on our meal,

I slipped him my number.

Did you always have sex
in the restaurant?

Well, Wolf did his best work
in the kitchen.

(Whack)

(Whispers) Ow.

And your husband
never suspected?

When he's not working nights
at the E.R.,

he's conked out
on sleeping pills.

I could shoot porn in my
living room, he'd have no idea.

Are you
gonna tell my husband?

You're the primary suspect
in a murder investigation.

Your husband is the least
of your worries.

So what happened
that night, Sandra?

The sex turn deadly?
No, there was no sex.

Two weeks ago, Wolf called me
out of the blue

to tell me we were through.

(Whispers) Two weeks.

I tried calling him,
but he wouldn't call me back.

So I went to the restaurant
last night to find out why.

And?

He said he was done
screwing around,

that it was time to grow up,
turn over a new damn leaf.

And that clearly
made you angry.

Sure.

But I didn't kill him.

Mrs. Meyers, you cheat on
your husband on a regular basis.

Why should we believe you?

Ask the doorman
at my building.

I was back before 1:30.

When I left the restaurant
at 1:15, Wolf was alive.

Yo.

Doorman confirms
Mrs. Meyers' story,

and the hospital
has Dr. Meyers logged

as working
the graveyard shift.

Well, our lying, cheating wife
was telling the truth.

Yeah, but until we figure out
Wolf's time of death,

she's still our best suspect.

Hey. So I ran down
Wolf's daily disappearance.

His credit card records

show a charge at Cafe Rex

every day the last couple
of weeks around 3:45.

Cafe Rex? That's on 2nd
in the 70's.
(Cell phone ringing)

What was Wolf doing there?
Why don't you guys head up

and see if he was meeting
with anyone?

(Beeps)
Beckett.

Okay. We'll be right there.

(Beep)
Come on.
Perlmutter found something.

How's our corpse-sicle?

Thawing nicely.

Uh, in spite of
the obvious challenges,

I found enough unaffected tissue
to narrow time of death

to between 2:00 and 4:00 A.M.

Well, that knocks out both
Domingo and Mrs. Meyers.

Now once we got him
under the heat lamps,

some bruising
began to present.

Uh, first...

there were
significant contusions

along his back and legs.

(Beckett) Wow. This looks like
a pretty bad beating.

Did this happen
the night of the murder?

Uh, these bruises are
at least two weeks old.

Bruising on the body,
$40,000 in cash...

sold his shares in the diner
to his foster brother...

all within the same
2-week time span.

I also found a fresh bruise

from a blow he suffered
just before he was frozen.

I went through the crime scene
photos from C.S.U.,

and the bruise pattern

matches one of the objects
from the kitchen.

Ah!

Rotary evaporator.

It's a tool that chefs use
to distill and extract flavors

from... and again,
you don't care.

Yeah, we didn't find any prints
on the body of the appliance,

but there were some partials
on its shattered glass tube.

Now the guys in the lab

were able to humpty-dumpty
together a usable print.

Didn't match any of
the restaurant employees,

but when they ran it
through AFIS, they got a hit.

Jennifer Wong.
No.

Who's Jennifer Wong?

You knew I was using the veal,
so you went

straight to the butcher
and bought everything he had.

You think I care
about sabotaging you?

I can cook you off the show

with one hand
tied behind my back.

You lost because you cook
with your head.

I cook with my soul.

Oh!

(Dramatic music plays,
metal clanks)

He's a liar.
He stole that recipe from me.

I swear to God, if Wolf wins,

I'm gonna kill
that son of a bitch.

(Dramatic music continues)

He stole that recipe from me.

I swear to God, if Wolf wins,

I'm gonna kill
that son of a bitch.

Sounds like you and Mr. Wolf
had quite the rivalry.

What about it?
(Castle) Oh, come on.

It had to be difficult,
watching him walk away

with that $100,000 prize.

Not to mention
the publicity and fame

that catapulted his career.

And it's not hard to believe
that the resentment

was building up
over the past couple of months

until the pressure finally
put you over the edge.

Wait.
You think I killed him?

That rivalry between
Wolf and me...

it was just an act.

An act?

I thought that "Kitchen Wars"
was a reality show.

Emphasis on "show."
And win or lose,

you want people to remember
your name when it's over.

That's how you build
your brand.

And who doesn't remember
a great villain?

Exactly.

Hey, we made for great TV.

Why do you think they kept us on
until the final two?

But then he won.

Personally,
I was shocked that

your oven-roasted pork belly
glaze didn't take top prize.

That was... just...

But look, we both won.

Yes, Wolf got
his own restaurant,

but I secured financing
for a catering company,

and I'm doing great.

Well, then if you
didn't kill him,

maybe you can explain why we
found your prints at the scene.

They were
all over the appliance

used to bludgeon
Mr. Wolf to death.

Are you talking about
the rotary evaporator?

My prints are on it
because it's mine.

I loaned it to him
the day before yesterday.

He said he needed it to make
something really special.

Wait, you saw him
the day he died?

He called me early in
the morning and asked to meet.

Was he carrying
a backpack?

(Inhales deeply) Yeah.

He seemed in a rush,
like he had

a lot of things to do
and not a lot of time to do it.

I gave him the evaporator,

and then he said he had
a meeting in Midtown.

He asked me to drop him off
on my way home.

And where was that?

Uh, the northeast corner
of 47th and Lex--

one of those
big office buildings.

Jennifer's employees confirm

that she had a catering job
in the Hamptons

and that
she stayed the night.

Well, just as well.

Her culinary talents
would've been wasted

in a prison kitchen.

Hey, you guys. I need you
to check on the tenants

at this address.

423 East 47th?

Apparently, Wolf visited someone
there the day that he died.

And he had
the backpack with him.

Hey, how'd things go Uptown?

Ryan) Well, we talked
to every waiter,

busboy and manager
at Cafe Rex.

They remember Wolf coming in
and said he sat

at the same table out front,
but he was always alone.

What was he doing?

Sipping tea, staring.

Sometimes,
he ordered the brioche.

That's right.
That's it?

Every day
for the last two weeks?

Why would he go all the way
to the Upper East Side

just to sit there alone?

Maybe he had a rendezvous
with destiny,

and it stood him up.

Which reminds me,
what color shirt

do you think Madison
would like on me?

(Martha) Going out
with Beckett's old friend?

(Shatters)
(Gasps)

(Laughs)
That's a mistake.

Oh, Beckett didn't seem to mind.

Oh, honey.

Do you want to hand me an apple?
Yeah.

Stop frowning, Alexis,

or your father will freeze
your face like that.

He doesn't have to.

I just found out I have to study
slides with a microscope

for my A.P. Chem exam.

I can't take a microscope
to the Hamptons.

Oh, so you're canceling your trip?

Well, when I'm studying,

I'll want to be on the beach
with the girls,

and when I'm on the beach,

I'll feel guilty
for not studying.

Well, don't look at me.

I'm from the "have your cake
and eat it, too" school

of decision making.
I say do both.

Or maybe by this weekend,

I'll figure out a way to take
this tank of liquid nitrogen

and build it into
a weather machine.

I'll make it rain, your friends
will have to cancel their trip.

You won't have to choose,

and then we can
take over the world!

(Cackles evilly)

Not helpful.

But evil.

Shouldn't you be getting ready
for your date?

Mm. Shouldn't you
be back home with Chet?

Oh, you're right.
I...

(Crackling)
Hey.

I froze time.

(Elevator bell dings)

Maddie?

Oh, hey.

You look amazing.

Thanks. Hey, I, um...
I wanted to drop this off.

It's my way
of saying thank you

for everything
you guys are doing.

Oh, y-- (Sighs)
You know, it's what we do.

But we are always very grateful
for cookies.

(Laughs)

I love oatmeal cookies.

I'm glad.

Hey, Becks...

Do you remember
when we used to like

the same guy
in English class?

Yes. Brent Edwards.
Yes.

He was very hot.

Yes.

Do you also remember
what happened senior year?

Uh, yeah. Why?

This date with Rick.

If you guys are at all...

Castle? N-no.

Are you sure?

Because I really
wouldn't want

Brent Edwards to happen
all over again?

Trust me. It's not.

Okay. Great.

So have fun tonight.

Thanks. You, too.

(Demming) Hey.

Hey. Uh, so you ready?

No. My lieutenant
just brought down the hammer.

Fives have to be written up
before shift end tonight.

I'm sorry.
Uh, no.

Uh, you know, I have--

I have, uh, some paperwork
to do as well.

So maybe another time.

Well, the thing is, I kinda
had my heart set on tonight.

You like chinese?

It's my favorite.

Great. Wait here.

(Clinks)

(Chuckles)

Madison, I'm so sorry.
Hi.

It's a tragic loss.
Wolf was a good friend.

Yeah,
he really admired you.

Thanks for coming tonight.
It means a lot to me.

Rocco,
this is Richard Castle.

I ought to punch you
in the face, Castle...

For killing Derrick storm
like that.

(Castle and Madison laugh)
He was my favorite character.

But I'll admit,
"Heat Wave's" fun, too.

Based on my friend,
Kate Beckett.

I should introduce you.
You guys might hit it off.

I'd like that.

If she's half as interesting
in person as she is on the page,

I think I like her already.
(Chuckles)

Well, you guys have fun.
Enjoy your dinner.

Thanks.

Fabulous chef.

You... you really think
he's Beckett's type?

Well, Becks never had a type.

She dated a guitarist
in a grunge band,

a med student
and this french guy,

but I'm pretty sure he was
some kind of royalty.

Who is she seeing now?

Oh, just... some guy.

I don't see it
going anywhere.

This food's amazing.

Where did you get it from?

Hung's China Sea.

Oh, get out.
Hung's doesn't deliver.

Well, he delivers to me.

Mr. Hung had this medal--

a 15th-century chinese medal,
Ming Dynasty.

It was passed down through
the generations, right?

Well, last year it was stolen
along with some cash

and some kitchen appliances
and whatnot.

The only thing that mattered
to Mr. Hung was the medal.

So I got it back for him.

And because I delivered,
now so does he.

Really?

Hmm.

Well, then maybe I should
get you to figure out

why our victim was carrying
a backpack full of cash.

Well, maybe you should.

You know, I got
some guys on the street.

If you want,
I can put out feelers,

see if
anybody knows anything.

Yeah, sure.

Excuse me, Detectives.
Hey, guys.

Wow. Nice candle.
Come on in.

What'd you find?

Well, we checked
the sign-in log at that building

where Jennifer wong
dropped off Wolf.
Mm-hmm.

Turns out he was seeing a guy
named Simon Haim, esquire.

He was delivering a backpack
full of cash to a lawyer?

(Ryan)
Well, according to Mr. Haim,

Wolf had the backpack
in his possession,

but he never opened it and he
never even mentioned the cash.

But he did mention your
High School friend Madison.

Apparently, Wolf wanted out
of his contract.

He wanted to leave
the restaurant,

and he wanted
his investment back.

But the restaurant just opened.
Why would he want to leave?

Creative differences,

but Ms. Queller
refused to release him.

Wolf was planning to sue.

She'd built the restaurant
on his reputation.

If he left,
she would've lost everything.

So what happens to Q3
now that Wolf is dead?

She had business insurance
on him.

So with the payout,

Madison gets the restaurant,
free and clear.

Wolf's death protects her from
potentially losing $2 million

in real estate,
appliances and fixtures.

Sounds like motive to me.



Mmm.

Mmm. Mmm.

This... Mmm.
Mmm.

Right?
Mm. Oh, my God.

This is...

This caviar parfait
is delicious.

Trade you for some of
my black truffle Risotto

with crispy shrimp.

Oh, well...
how could I resist? (Laughs)

(Chuckles)

Mmm.
Oh.

Mmm.
That is...

I'm sorry to interrupt.

(Mouth full) Hey.
(Mouth full) Beckett.

What are you doing here?

I-I need to ask Madison
a few questions.

(Normal voice) Oh,
well, pull up a chair.

Not here. Downtown.

You realize Madison and I

weren't halfway through
our tasting menus

when you stomped in there
like the fun police?

What part of her being a suspect
in a murder investigation

do you not get?

The waiter
was about to come out

with the duck confit
en croute,

Rocco Dispirito's
Pumpkin gnocchi,

not to mention
the langoustine,

the lavender crème brûlèe
that was coming up.

And don't even get me started
on the wine pairings.

I'm just saying, you could've
been more civilized

and allowed us
to finish our meal.
Unh-unh.

You can watch
from the observation room.

And now...

(Lowered voice) And now
you're benching me?

(Lowered voice) You were
just giggling over the Risotto

with our suspect.

(Normal voice) Which was
to die for, by the way.

Okay. Next time I'm
hitting on a guy you like,

come clean with me
before I go out with him

so you don't have to arrest me
to break up the date.

Madison, that's not--
no, no, no, no, no.

I get it.

You're hot for Castle.

You want to make
little Castle babies.

Why couldn't you just be honest?
(Whispering) Maddie.

What?
He can hear us.

Oh, really?
Yes.

Rick's behind the mirror?
Yeah.

Oh. Like on tv?

Hey there! Sorry we missed
the Pumpkin gnocchi.

They're really good.

(Rhythmic knock on mirror)
(Laughs)

I have to Tweet
about this.

(Giggles)

(Normal voice) Madison,
put the phone down.

Sit.

You lied to me.

You knew that Wolf
wanted out of Q3,

and you knew that he was
gonna Sue you.

You know about that?

Yeah, I know about that.
Okay, but I didn't lie.

I just neglected
to say anything about it.

Okay,
you know how hard it is

to open a restaurant
in Manhattan?

If word got out that Wolf
was trying to leave,

it would've ruined me.

But if he dies,

with your insurance policy,
you make out just fine.

So what happened, Maddie?
Did you guys get into a fight?

Did you throw something
at him?

Because I remember you
throwing things at people

when you got angry.

Oh, come on.
Don't you people have rules

about using personal knowledge
against suspects?

Maddie, you better start
being straight with me.

Becks, I didn't kill him.

Two weeks ago,

Wolf tells me he wants out
of the restaurant biz,

completely out of nowhere.

Says he's trying
to change his life.

Now I'm thinking
he's being poached.

So I start offering
better equipment,

a bigger piece in the business,
whatever he wants.

He insists
he's really getting out

and that I can't
change his mind.

It was like something changed
in his life.

Now I was gonna let him
out of his contract.

I just needed time
to find a new chef.

But I swear, Becks,
I didn't kill him.

You don't really think
she did it, do you?

Well, until I can
rule her out,

it doesn't matter
what I think.

She has motive.
Yeah, she also has an alibi,

which you're
conveniently ignoring.

I'm not ignoring.
I'm just rechecking.

I asked her to stay in town
in any case.

Yes, I know.
I heard...

Everything.

(Stammers) Uh...

So, uh, selling his stake
in the restaurant,

a backpack full of cash...

That sounds like Wolf
was getting ready to run.

Yes, but from what?

Hey, you guys.
Hey.

I'm so sorry to cut out
on you earlier.

No worries.

It gave me time to put
the word out on your Vic.

And?

Well, a guy I know runs paper
for a local bookmaking ring.

Turns out he's a bit
of a foodie.

He clocked Wolf
doing business with a bookie

at two Bridges bar. Apparently,
your boy likes to bet big.

He was in deep
with a bookie.

That explains the beating
and the cash.

Does this bookie have a name?

Wesley Slade?

Detective Beckett, NYPD.

We're investigating the murder
of Balthazar Wolf.

Never heard of him.

(Billiard balls clatter)

Really? Well, given
the marks on his body

after the beating
your boys gave him,

I think you have.

(Castle) What happened?

He get in too deep with you,
so you had to take him out?

You really think I'm gonna
tell my business to a cop?

It's either that
or you face murder charges.

That can't be good
for business.



All right.

Let's say, hypothetically,
that I made book for him.

And let's say for the sake of
argument that he owed me a lot.

How much, hypothetically?
25 thou,

which maybe he couldn't pay.

So maybe he needed
some encouragement.

Maybe the encouragement
went too far.

Or maybe it was
the right amount.

So he paid what he owed
and went his merry way.

When?

The day he died, he comes in
with a backpack full of cash,

puts 25 thou on the table
and asks for his ring back.

His ring?
What kind of ring?

Diamond engagement ring.

Why'd you have it?

Hypothetically.

Couple of weeks back,
I sent my guys to collect,

didn't have the money, gave
some sob story about a woman,

how he spent everything he had
on a diamond ring.

So when my guys go to give him
some... encouragement,

oh, what do they find?
A nice diamond ring. Nice.

Must have set him back
10, 15 grand... of my money.

So your guys took it
for collateral?

No, as incentive.

And it worked.

I got my money,
he got his ring,

and he goes home alive...
hypothetically.



An engagement ring
makes perfect sense.

That's why he broke things off
with Mrs. Meyers.

That's why he took $15,000 out
of his account 2 weeks ago.

Well, then where is it?

He went to the restaurant
right after,

and we didn't find it
at the crime scene.

Unless we did find it
and we just didn't know it.

Just straight back.

Thank you.

You remember what Spike was saying
about why Wolf was staying late?

Yeah, he was finishing off
that cake.

A cake...

with a heart-shaped mold
on it.

He wasn't running away.

He was going to propose.

But to who?

And why hasn't she
come forward yet?

Maybe she's scared.
Maybe she's in danger.

Or maybe she killed him.

Who puts an engagement ring
inside a cake?

It's romantic.

Oh, pl--
it's a choking hazard.

I swear, men act as though
there's some cosmic reward

for crazy proposals.

And what a woman really wants
is a man down on one knee,

tears in his eyes,
ring in his hand.

My proposal to Gina
was very romantic.

A balloon ride is lovely,
but not in February.

Her hand was shaking
so much from the cold,

it was difficult getting
that ring on.

It was a sign.

Mm.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

So have you decided?

No.

Ah.

(Beckett) Again, David,

I'm sorry for your loss.

Hey.

Shed any light?

So David said that he wouldn't
have believed it

unless I'd shown him
the ring.

He had no idea
who Wolf was proposing to,

and neither did anyone else
in his life.

It's like the guy
was in love with a ghost.

Ooh, that'd be cool,
if it was actually a ghost.

(Ryan) Went back
through the phone logs

from the restaurant
and Wolf's cell.

Every call's accounted for.

What about the cafe Uptown?

The waitstaff
all checked out.

They're adamant that Wolf
never met anybody there.

How do you have
a relationship with somebody

without leaving any evidence?

Maybe the ring
wasn't his.

Maybe he was holding it
for a friend.

No, it had to be his.
Look at his behavior--

he stops sleeping around,
he was paying off his debts,

he sold the one thing in life
he actually cared about

just to get that ring back.

There's only one reason
a man cleans up his act.

Ahh.

Yeah, but murder isn't the usual
response to a proposal.

Unless you got
something to lose.

He did like married women.

All right. Have C.S.U.
resweep his apartment.

If this girl spent
any time there,

she must have left
some evidence behind.

Hey, Maddie.
Thanks for coming.

I thought you said
I was off the hook.

Yeah, uh, witnesses have you

at the party until after
the time of death.

Then why am I here?

Anyone ever offered you
one of these?

No. You?

Not yet.

I had no idea Wolf was
even serious with anyone.

Can you think of any girl
that he was close to?

Every time I saw him,
he was with someone different.

It's hard to believe
he'd ever commit.

The guy lived his job 24/7.
It had to be somebody

at the restaurant.
Not necessarily.

I've fallen in love with
random women on the subway.

Well, if you can
think of anyone, call me.

Yeah. And, Becks...

I'm sorry...

About lying to you.

And I might have come down

a little harder
than I needed to.

I've fallen I love
with operators on the phone.

Even asked one out
a couple of years ago,

but she was in Bangladesh.

Yeah, I guess I wasn't
seeing you as a cop,

but as my friend--
you know, the girl

who stole her mom's makeup
to give me a makeover,

the first who told me

that kissing boys
might involve some tongue.

Oh, yeah. (Laughs)
(Laughs)

I bought a falafel from this
stand every day for two months

just so I could talk
to the falafel girl.

Yeah, you mean like Demming
showing up

every morning for coffee
just to run into Beckett?

(Chuckles)

(Mouths word)

What?

(Beckett laughs)
(Madison) The one
who dragged me

to stand outside Brent Edwards'
brownstone for hours on end

just to catch a glimpse of him
through the window.

Through the window.

Oh.

Wolf wasn't going to Cafe Rex
to meet his girl.

He was watching her
out the cafe window.

That's why
there were no phone calls.

He was trying to gather up
the courage to propose to her.

So that's the store

with the clearest view
from the cafe.

Well, either our mystery girl
works here,

or Wolf was really
into women's clothes.

Maybe it's him.

Maybe that's Wolf's
big secret.

That's not his secret.

She is.

That's his foster brother's
girlfriend.

Yep.

Well, it definitely
made proposing tricky.

I don't understand.
Why am I here?

How well did you know Wolf,
Cecily?

He was like family.

So you knew him
for a long time.

Well, ten years,
ever since David's father

hired me at his restaurant.

Did the two of you ever...

Why are you asking me this?

Every day
for the last two weeks,

Wolf went to Cafe Rex,

which is right across the street
from where you work.

He would just sit there
and look out the window.

Looking at you.

Now why would he do that?

I don't know.
I think you do.

In the last two weeks,
Wolf made a lot of changes.

He'd stopped sleeping around,
paid off all his debts...

and he bought this...

For you.
(Gasps)

What makes a man--
a self-professed bad boy--

suddenly declare himself
after ten years?

Unless something changed.

Cecily, these are
your phone records.

Four months ago, you started
calling your ob/gyn regularly.

You're pregnant.
It's Wolf's, isn't it?

No one was supposed to know.

It was supposed to be
my secret.

But when David told Wolf
we were pregnant,

somehow he knew. He...

He... he knew.

God, you must think
I'm awful.

It's not my job to judge.
I'm just here to get the truth.

David's father had just died,
so David went out of the country

to bury his father
in his hometown.

Wolf came by.

He held my hand,
and I remembered...

how much I loved him,
that I'd always loved him.

If you loved him so much,
why stay with David?

Because David doesn't leave.

David doesn't sleep with
every girl who walks by.

You have no idea
how hard it is

to love someone, knowing
they're gonna break your heart.

If I couldn't trust him
as a man,

how could he be a father?

I had to make a choice.

Oh, God.
Please don't tell David.

Are you sure
he doesn't already know?

Where was he the night
that Wolf was murdered?

At home... with me in bed.

All night?

Oh, God.

What?

I had been
having trouble sleeping.

So David gave me a pill,

the kind the doctor said
was okay.

It was the only time
he's ever given me a pill.

Hey, man. Take him
to the hole, please?

Sure.
(Esposito) Yeah, lock him up.
We'll be right over.

Come on. Let's go.

He's not talking.
Yeah, but he didn't have to.

We found Wolf's backpack
in their apartment

along with the extra cash.

We also found
a pair of his shoes

with cracked soles
from the liquid nitrogen.

I can't imagine the betrayal
he must have felt.

It's still not an excuse
to kill.

You ask me...

she should've followed
her heart--

left David, gone with Wolf.

You know, I can see
the virtue in staying.

I mean, guys like Wolf,
they come in,

they upset the apple cart.

Of course
he makes you feel alive,

but eventually, you know
he's just gonna let you down.

So why risk it?

Because the heart wants
what the heart wants.

Speaking of...

I gotta get outta here.

Madison?

No. Actually,
with everything going on,

she said she didn't have time
to date.

She didn't tell you that?
Mnh-mnh.

So I gotta get home.

Alexis has a little
head-heart problem of her own,

and I want to be there
for the decision.

(Keys jangle)
(Demming) Case closed?

Yes.

Thank you so much
for all of your help.

Anytime.

But, you know, we never
really finished our dinner.

No more fives.

You want to grab a beer
and a burger at Remy's?

You know, I would love to,
it's, just, uh...

can I take a rain check?

Somewhere else
you need to be?

Yeah.

How about tomorrow?

Yeah. You're on.

Okay.
All right.

(Keys jangle)

Oh.

You decided to go away for
the weekend with your friends.

They're picking me up
in an hour.

You don't sound thrilled
with your decision.

I'm not.

I feel awful about it,
but either way, it's the same.

Well, is there
anything I can do

to make it easier on you?

Yes.

You can order me to stay home.

Y-you're serious?

All right.

Alexis, your A.P. exams
are far too important

for you to go gallivanting
around the weekend

with your friends
at the beach.

You have to stay home
and study. I insist.

Oh, I gotta call Lacey.

(Keypad beeps)

Lacey. Yeah, I'm so sorry.

But my dad just told me
I can't go.

I have to stay home and study
for exams this weekend.

Yeah, I know. I know.
Can you believe it?

Yeah, so much for having a cool dad.
Dude--

well, I'm sorry.

And just take lots of pictures
and text 'em to me.

Okay. Bye.
(Beep)

Thank you.

You won't be thanking me
when you see

what I have planned
for this weekend.

1,001 ways to distract
someone who's studying.

We start by freezing ping-pong balls.
Hey!

Okay, guys,
let's remember to be sharp,

respectful and attentive.
Okay?

Have a good night.
Hey!

Hey, you're reopening.
Yes.

I found a hot new chef
to step into Wolf's shoes.

Oh, that's so great.
Yeah.

Hello, Detective. You're not
here to question me again?

No, I'm just here
as a friend.

Congratulations.
Thank you.

So David killed Wolf?
Yeah.

It turns out
that he intercepted a text

that Wolf sent Cecily
asking about the baby.

And at first, he was gonna
approach Cecily about it

until he realized that
eventually she would leave him

as long as Wolf was alive.

Wow. Very Kane and Abel.

Yeah. So I take it
that you're swamped.

Always. Why?

I thought that we could
get a drink and catch up.

That'd be great.

Apparently, we have a lot
of catching up to do.