Castle (2009–2016): Season 5, Episode 4 - Murder He Wrote - full transcript

(CAR HORNS HONK)

Isn't this exciting?

It's just a weekend, Mother.

Dad, it's your first romantic weekend
away with Beckett. It's a big deal.

Okay, well, no pressure,
and let's just hope it happens.

It's 4:30 now.

If she doesn't catch a murder by 5:00,
we are in the clear.

So, what do you have planned?

I... What do you mean?

You don't have a plan?

The plan is to do nothing. To relax.

- Richard!
- That's not a plan.

Women don't like it
when men don't have a plan.

Hey, I'm in college now.
I'm living in the world.

Plus, I read a lot of magazines.
Not planning is really bad.

- Okay...
- She's right.

A man says,
"So what are we gonna do for dinner?"

Pfft... He's dead to me.

Okay. I will make reservations.

- ALEXIS: Somewhere romantic.
- Right.

And classy, because Kate Beckett is
a classy kind of gal, you know?

- Right.
- Under the stars would be nice.

Oh, and you know
what else you can do under the stars?

Okay...
(SINGING) La La La La La La La

(PEOPLE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

(CLOCK TICKING)

T minus one minute and counting.

(WHISPERING)
Castle, what are you doing here?

We're supposed to wait around
the corner so that nobody would see us.

(WHISPERS) I know, but I thought
it would be fun to be here with you

when the clock strikes 5:00.

You know, just like New Year's Eve,
except without the kissing,

for obvious reasons.

(WHISPERS) But there will be plenty
of that this weekend.

Can you just shush?

(NORMAL VOICE) No one is going
to hear me. Look around you.

You are in a room full of detectives,

(WHISPERS)
And not one of them has a clue.

(SIGHS, NORMAL VOICE) Wow,
Castle, thank you for reminding me

that I'm lying to a bunch of people
that I really care about

so I don't get fired on an ethics violation
'cause I'm dating you.

Well, you can put all that
out of your mind in three, two, one...

No murder. There. Wasn't that fun?

Okay, fine. I will go,
and no one will even know I...

RYAN: Hey, Castle.

ESPOSITO: What you doing here, bro?

I was just on my way to the Hamptons
to write for the weekend

when I thought I'd drop by,
see if we caught a murder.

- Wow. Anything to avoid writing, huh?
- Exactly.

Hey, did you hear about
Beckett's weekend?

No. Big plans?

She's going away with her boyfriend.

A boyfriend? Beckett! Really?

Who is the lucky guy?

For some reason, she's not telling.

Okay, seriously, guys?

Actually, I, for one, am offended
that you're not sharing with us.

- Mm-hmm, after all we've been through.
- Yeah, I think we deserve better.

You know, I have a couple of ideas
about what you guys deserve.

Come on, Beckett! Just give us
something. Is he handsome?

Yeah, is he handsome?

Or is he more of a badass?

RYAN: Mmm.

Yeah, is that it, Beckett?
Is he, like, a bad boy?

James Dean, huh?
Is he a desperado?

- (RYAN CHUCKLES)
- (LAUGHS)

(SIGHS)

I'm gonna...

Let me holler at you.

Why would Beckett
be holding out on us?

Maybe there's something wrong
with the guy. Maybe he's bad news.

Well, then, as her partners, it's our
obligation to find out who this guy is.

What kind of partners would we be
if we didn't?

Her safety could be at stake.

Exactly. And with
no active murder case going on,

I say we use this time to find him.

Mmm-hmm.

And here we are.

Oh, my goodness, Castle. Wow!

So, um, are you rich or something?

Well, not James Patterson rich,
but I do okay.

Mmm.

- Come on, I'll show you around.
- Yeah.

(DOOR CREAKS)

After I finished remodeling the kitchen,
I swore I was done.

But then my designer called.

She said I had to tie in the living room,
so I did that, too.

That led to the second floor...

(DOOR CREAKS)

You coming?

Yeah.

This is actually my favorite part.

Sound of the ocean, complete privacy.
Oh, the serenity.

The pool is right down here.
Most people find it magical.

Everything okay?

Yeah, it's um...
It's spectacular, Castle.

And is that a problem?

It's just, I can't help wondering

how many other girls
have gotten this tour.

Right.

Well, I'm not gonna deny
that I've brought other women up here.

But, um...

None of them were you.

You wanna go and check and out that
pool? Yeah? (LAUGHS)

I am sure you will
find the temperature suitable,

but if you would like it any warmer,
I can change the temperature,

or I could just stop talking.

You forgot your suit.

(CHUCKLES) I know.

- (FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
- Oh! (GASPS)

- What?
- Somebody's coming.

What?

Oh!

- Call 911.
- You think?

Yeah, he came stumbling
up from the beach just after 10:15,

collapsed into the pool.
I tried to revive him, but...

Were you here as well, ma'am?

- Yeah.
- Name, please.

Um, Katherine Beckett.

But do you think we could keep that
out of the public record?

Of course.

(POLICE RADIO CHATTER)

Not that we're doing anything wrong.
I just...

Right.

What's that supposed to mean?

Don't worry. It's the Hamptons.

We'll be discreet. We're not interested
in your arrangement.

"Arrangement"?

Chief! Uh, I'm... I don't... She's not a...

I'm not a prostitute.

Oh, I'm sure.

So, is there anything
you'd like to add

to Mr. Castle's statement,
madam? Ma'am?

Yes. Only that
we didn't hear any gunshots.

So that probably means
that the killer used a silencer.

Watch a lot of cop shows, do we?

Do we know who the victim is yet?

Uh, Randall Franklin.

He's a weekender
out here from Manhattan.

All we know is that
he was at a party up the beach

at Douglas Shapiro's house
earlier this evening.

POLICEMAN: Hey, Chief! We got him.

Excuse me.

We got him. Name's Casius McMurray,
local meth user.

Found him asleep in the tall grass
couple of hundred yards to the east

with the victim's wallet.

Guy's out of it. High as a kite.

CHIEF: That's unbelievable.

What's that?

Meth.

These rich kids,
they're into everything these days.

Drug arrests have doubled
in the last six months.

Okay, well, thanks for your help.

Well, what about blood spatter?

Did you find any
on the beach or on the suspect?

No. But... But why would I even look?
I mean, we got the guy.

Yeah, I'm sure we will.

He had the victim's wallet.

Right.

You know, he could've found that wallet
on the beach.

Are you questioning my judgment,
Mr. Castle?

I...

- I think we got the guy.
- Right.

- Good night.
- Good night.

All right, come on, let's go.

Move.

(MAN SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)

CASTLE: What kind of
cold-blooded killer

takes a nap on the beach
after shooting someone?

BECKETT: Castle, I'm on vacation.

If I wanted to investigate a murder,
I would've stayed in the city.

The guy died in my backyard.

It's not our case.

But still, you have to admit,
as cases go, it's pretty weak.

It's still not our case.

And if you keep obsessing over this,
it's gonna ruin the weekend.

(EXHALES)

So what do we do?

Maybe we just try putting
it out of our minds, hmm?

Yeah, but what about the gun?
They would've found the gun on him.

Castle,
that's not putting it out of your mind.

You're right. I'm sorry.
I'm obsessing. I won't obsess.

Yeah. It's okay.

Except you said it yourself
about not hearing the shots.

What kind of meth-head,

who obviously doesn't know
what planet he's on,

carries a gun with a silencer?

Which, by the way,
indicates premeditation.

We're not gonna
get on with our weekend

until you've gotten some answers,
are we?

- I'll get the coffee.
- Mmm-hmm.

(SIGHS)

All right, thank you, Dougie.

And I'm sorry I missed the party.
I heard it was killer. (LAUGHS)

Yeah, sorry. Gotcha.
(DISCONNECTS CALL)

Okay, last time Shapiro
saw Franklin alive

was at his party at 8:15.

That's two hours before he was killed.

Right. He was on the beach

having an argument
with a woman in a white dress.

But because it was already dark,
Shapiro couldn't tell who it was.

He knew it wasn't Franklin's wife
because she was still back in the city.

Any luck finding a reason why someone
would want Franklin dead?

As a matter of fact,
he was a banker at Lehman Brothers

(COMPUTER BEEPS) and he was
involved in an insider trading scandal

before they went belly up.

(BEEPS) Cut a deal for his freedom
by testifying against his colleagues.

"Rachel Rosenberg, Jeff Forshim,

"Emily Monroe, Angela Colabro,
and Aaron Lerner."

Well, they all did time,

but now that they're out, any one
of 'em could've wanted revenge.

And three of them
could've been our mystery woman.

We need to talk to Franklin's wife,
find out if he had any enemies.

No. We just got here.
I am not going back to the city.

Well, fortunately, we don't have to.

I know just who to call.

Beckett's boyfriend?

Don't you two
have something better to do?

ESPOSITO: Actually, no.

We figure Beckett must have started up
with the guy during her suspension.

Pretty emotional time for her.
Bet she needed a shoulder to lean on.

An ex.

It would explain why she's
too embarrassed to tell us who it is.

Makes her look weak.

We're thinking the most likely scenario

is that it was
the last guy that she was with.

- Doctor Joshua Davidson.
- Mmm-hmm.

It's him, isn't it?

Okay, I get that you don't have a life,
Javi, but you're married, Kevin,

- so what's your excuse?
- I...

Whoever Beckett's boyfriend is
is none of your business.

Come on, Lanie.
You must know who it is.

She went back to Josh, didn't she?

Is this how you interrogate people?

'Cause you ain't doing nothing
but pissing me off.

Now I don't know who it is,
and I respect Beckett's privacy,

but I do know it's not Josh
because he's been in the Amazon

setting up free clinics for the last year.

Are you sure about that?

- I think she's sure.
- Yeah.

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

(BEEPS) Hey, Castle. Yeah,

I'm gonna put you on speakerphone
so you can weigh in on this.

Weigh in on what?

Well, we're in the morgue with Lanie

trying to figure out
who Beckett's boyfriend is.

LANIE: I have nothing to do
with this nonsense.

Yeah, until you're bagging their
mangled bodies when Beckett finds out.

Pfft! Like we're afraid of Beckett.
(CHUCKLES)

Besides, how's she gonna find out?

Anyway, I need your guys' help.

There has been a homicide out here
in the Hamptons. In my backyard.

Seriously, Castle?

(LAUGHS) What, are you in, in an
episode of Murder, She Wrote?

More like Murder, He Wrote. But
unfortunately, unlike Jessica Fletcher,

the local police chief,
not a friend of mine,

and I think he may have the wrong guy.

So I need you guys to question
the victim's wife in the city,

find out what she knows.

Mmm, that's a pretty big favor
to ask, Castle.

We're gonna need something in return.

The Ferrari.

- For a week.
- Each.

Seriously? Guys!

- Mmm.
- Guys!

I don't understand. They already
caught the guy, didn't they?

I'm told he was some kind of
drug addict.

Well, with all due respect
to the Hamptons PD,

we would like to make absolutely sure.

We know your husband testified against
several colleagues at Lehman.

Has he been in contact
with any of them?

Why are you asking?

Maybe one of them came after him
for revenge.

No. He left banking after the crash
and never looked back.

Got into commercial real estate.
That's how we managed to stay afloat.

Mrs. Franklin, your husband was seen
arguing with a woman on a beach

a couple of hours before he was killed.

Do you have any idea
who it could've been?

No.

But if I were to guess,
I'd say it was his girlfriend.

Girlfriend?

He was having an affair?

With a Natalia Roosevelt. She's a local.

The wife got wind of it,
sent him up here to break it off.

It's probably your typical,
tawdry Hamptons story.

Weekender meets local beauty,
the elixir to his stressful city life.

Whirlwind romance ensues,

(SNAPS) but then the wife gets wind
of it, forces him to end it.

And that's when
the elixir becomes a poison.

With a gun. Only, I'm gonna have to
work on that last part.

No, it's a great story.
But how do we prove

that it was her
that he was arguing with on the beach?

Well, first step is to determine

whether she was at the party.
I'll check the e-vite.

(BEEPS)

And there she is. Natalia Roosevelt.
(BEEPS) In the "yes" column.

And, ooh...
Looking every bit the femme fatale.

Castle, she was
a Hamptons town councilwoman

and the owner
of The Hamptons Sand Bar.

That is a popular local watering hole.
Can I buy you a drink?

There she is,
our lady in the white dress.

Only now she's looking dazzling
in blood red.

So what's our play?

(LOWERED VOICE)
Just keep it light, Castle.

Find a natural way of bringing up
the murder, see how she reacts.

I know just what to do.

Hey, I recognize you.

You were at Douglas Shapiro's
party last night.

Ah, who wasn't?

(CHUCKLES) Right?
But I saw you on the beach.

Weren't you arguing
with Randall Franklin?

(SPITS)

(WHISPERS) Light, Castle! I said light!

What are you implying?

Nothing, no.
Only it must be weird for you.

You had to be the last person
to see him alive.

Hey, uh, Chief!

Yeah, Natalia?

Come here.

- Oops.
- Yeah.

NATALIA: Do you know these guys?

Because they are practically
accusing me of murder.

Castle, what are you doing here?

Uh, just having a conversation.

About Franklin's murder?

Hey, you got a problem
with the way I do my job?

No, I would never
use those words exactly.

Oh, well, how about these words?

You and your hooker friend
are under arrest

for interfering with
my murder investigation.

Turn around.

- (HANDCUFFS CLICKING)
- Ah!

Thanks for the drink.

Cheers.

(McMURRAY SNORING)

I cannot believe I let you talk me into

getting involved in another
department's murder investigation.

Oh, like I needed to twist your arm.

And at least we know
we were right about this guy.

Does he look like he has
a guilty conscience to you?

- He's sleeping like a little baby.
- (SNORING)

More like a baby chain saw.

Castle, Beckett,
Chief Brady wants to see you.

(CLATTERS)

(SNORING CONTINUES)

JONES: Chief.

Hey! Thanks, Jones. Hi, guys.

You want some coffee? It's fresh.

Yeah, thanks.

So I googled you, Ms. Beckett.

I didn't realize
you were a homicide detective.

I've never actually
worked a homicide before.

Other than drug arrests, I deal mostly
with folks complaining about

their neighbor's dog
pooping in their garden.

Never even pulled my gun.

I'm sorry,
why are you telling us this?

Because you were right
about the meth addict.

The lab results came back negative
for gunshot residue,

which means that
the killer is still at large.

Look, I'm getting a lot of pressure
from the mayor.

Rich weekender getting murdered,
not exactly good for business.

Still not getting
why you're telling us this.

Okay.

I will drop the interference charge
if you help out with the investigation.

Sounds good to me.

Yeah... Excuse me for a second.

(LOWERED VOICE) Sounds good?

We just spent two hours
of our vacation in lockup.

Isn't that enough?

(LOWERED VOICE) Well, do you
really think we'll be able to relax

without getting any answers?

- (SCOFFS)
- Without getting justice?

(WHISPERS) Fine.

As long as word doesn't get back
to my precinct that I'm doing this.

Works for me. So what do we do next?

- Did you get ballistics back?
- Oh, yes.

Uh...

Let's see. Bullets pulled from the victim
were 30 caliber.

Thirty caliber?
Those are pretty rare, aren't they?

Yeah, that's usually used
for hunting small game.

Can I see the ME's report
on Franklin's body?

It has not come in yet.

Then I suggest you pressure the ME
to get it back.

In the meantime, we should
interrogate Natalia Roosevelt.

Oh, I already spoke to her.
She has no motive for killing Franklin.

And did you ask her
about being his mistress?

No. She didn't mention that.

Yeah, suspects tend
to hold back on stuff like that.

(SLURPS)
Mmm.

Flavor country.

I thought you arrested these guys,
John.

Um, that's...

That's Chief Brady to you,
Ms. Roosevelt,

and shouldn't you be more concerned
about the fact

that you lied to him about your affair
with Randall Franklin?

I didn't lie to him.

Chief Brady never asked me about it.

Didn't Randall break up with you
on the beach last night?

So what if he did?

So that gives you motive,
Ms. Roosevelt.

Look, I am not denying
that I was fighting with Randall.

I accused him of using me
to get my council vote.

Your vote on what?

His beloved helipad.

He put the thing in his backyard
six months ago,

but he needed a variance.

We approved it last week.
Next thing you know, he dumps me.

Then he was shot and killed
two hours later.

Two hours later, I was back at my bar.

Look, the last time I saw him
was on that beach.

We were still arguing when he got a text
and he suddenly ran off.

And what time was that?

About 8:30.

Which way did he go?

Up the beach.

Okay, then.

Hey. So, I tracked down that text
that Franklin got

before leaving Ms. Roosevelt
on the beach.

Couldn't get the content,
but it was sent from a burner phone.

Whoever sent it
wished to remain anonymous.

Maybe it was about bad business deals.

That's what got him in trouble
with his colleagues in the past.

The past does have a funny way
of repeating itself.

Speaking of which, I have calls in
to my sources at Robbery

to try to link Beckett to her old beau,
Detective Demming.

Demming? (CHUCKLES) Come on!
Beckett can do so much better.

Thank you for the update. I gotta go.

Why are you even helping them?

Oh, come on. The good news is,
they're completely fooled about us.

Yeah, well,
I don't understand why they even care.

Ah, why do people care
about Brangelina?

Oh, so we're Brangelina now?

No. No, no, we're Rickate.

No, we're Kate-ick.

Mmm...

Cas-kett. Ooh, that's good! 'Cause of
the whole murder thing. Caskett?

So, Natalia Roosevelt has a solid alibi.

Three patrons of her bar confirmed
she was there by 9:00 last night.

Long before Franklin was shot.

I got Deputy Jones
canvassing the houses along the beach

in the direction she said Franklin went.

Just Deputy Jones?

It's the Hamptons.
We don't have a lot of resources.

By the way,
I know you wanted to see this.

It's the ME report.

Uh, Franklin's lungs
were full of salt water.

Meaning he almost drowned.
That's strange.

And based on
the condition of the gunshot wounds,

he was in the ocean
at least 20 minutes after being shot.

Okay, so, in the ocean for 20 minutes,
no one heard the shots being...

That's why no one heard the shots.

He was shot off a boat, Godfather style.

BECKETT: And the salt water
slowed down his bleeding,

giving him enough time
to make it to shore.

So, what, we should try and figure out

which boats were in the vicinity
at that time?

Yeah. So, do we have a witness who
we know was on the beach last night?

You mean someone like
our favorite meth addict,

McMurray!

(GASPS)

Seriously?
The guy was whacked out on meth.

Yeah, but that doesn't mean
that he doesn't remember what he saw.

Yeah, I saw a boat.
About 100 yards off the beach.

Okay, great. Can you describe it?
Maybe its size?

Nah, all I remember
is it was being attacked.

Attacked?

Yeah, by a shark.
A red shark with red eyes.

God!

(LOWERED VOICE)
Okay, maybe you are right about him.

Maybe not.

Yeah, I know that boat. It's just this way.
Owned by Aaron Lerner.

Aaron Lerner?

That's one of the guys
Franklin sent to prison.

Do you know if that boat
went out last night?

Yeah, I saw it pull away around 9:30.

That's an hour after Franklin
left Natalia Roosevelt on the beach.

That's plenty of time for him to get here.

CASTLE: If the boat left here by 9:30,

it could've easily made it to the water
off my house by 9:45.

BECKETT: Red shark.

(CHUCKLES) Shark attack.

- Oh, watch your step!
- Oh, sorry.

Damned weekend boaters.

Castle, blood spatter.

Franklin was shot right there.

Hey, Lerner. Killer boat.

BECKETT: It's the lab report

on the blood spatter
we found on the deck, Mr. Lerner.

It's a match to Randall Franklin.

Meaning he was shot on your boat.

No. That's not possible.
He wasn't even on it.

How did it get there?

I have no idea.

We have a witness who saw your boat
leaving the marina at 9:30 last night.

Where did you go?

I didn't take it out last night.

Lerner, come on.

We know Randall Franklin was guilty of
breaking all the same laws you broke,

but he got off scot-free
because he ratted you out.

It's understandable
you'd want a little payback.

Wait, all right, sure, yeah,
I held a grudge. Who wouldn't?

But you know something?

I met him on the beach a few
months ago, and we buried the hatchet.

I've even had dinner
at his house a couple of times.

And exactly where were
you between 8:30 and 10:00 last night?

Group.

A weight-loss group at the rec. What?

Look, you wanna catch the guy
who actually killed him,

check out his neighbor.

I'm sorry, his neighbor?

Oh, yeah. This guy's a scary bastard.

I'm having dinner at Franklin's
a week ago, right?

Neighbor comes over,
starts banging on the front door.

Now, Franklin wouldn't tell me
what it was about,

but this guy was threatening him
with all kinds of violence.

CHIEF: Okay, thanks.

Well, Lerner's alibi checks out.

He was at the weight-loss group
from 8:30 to 10:00 last night.

Meaning someone else
took out his boat, killed Franklin,

and then brought it back
without Lerner learning.

I'll have Jones canvass the marina.

Meantime,
do we know who this neighbor is?

Yeah, it's just a property dispute.
They're a dime a dozen around here.

Yeah, but the way
that Lerner describes it,

it sounded like it was
something pretty heated.

Well, the neighbor's a bit of a hothead,

but, I'm telling you,
it is not a motive for murder.

Shouldn't we at least talk to this guy?

Okay, look, it's not just any guy.

It's Vincent Cardano.

Vinnie "The Scar"
of the Cardano crime family?

That would explain the Godfather style
of the boat shooting.

I'm friends with his cousin, Sal.

He's been trying to get us together
for years.

And what better time than the present?

We can bring him over
and ask him what he did last night.

Whoa! Okay, no.
I am not going at Cardano without proof.

Look, I gotta run.

I gotta go reroute traffic for
the Bridgehampton's polo semifinals.

But remember, we'll finish this later.
I call the shots.

No contacting Vinnie "The Scar"!

I'm glad we could finally get together,
Rickie. Salud.

I'm sure Sal told you I'm a big fan
of your work. So, to new friends.

- Hear, hear.
- Cheers.

Ah, sweetie, this meat sauce
is to die for.

Thank you, Vinnie.

Actually, it is excellent.
I didn't know you could cook.

You should pay a little more attention,
Castle.

Ooh, see, that's the difference
between Castle and me.

You've had my complete attention
since I've been here, sweetheart.

Whoa, whoa, watch it, Vinnie.

Don't make me have to do to you
what someone did to your neighbor.

Oh, you heard about that, huh?

Heard about it?
The guy ended up in my pool.

Yeah. Well, you know, I gotta admit,

I'm not gonna shed any tears
over that guy.

Oh, so you knew him, huh?

Oh, the guy was a real bastard.

He builds a helicopter pad in his yard,
not 50 feet from my house.

Every Tuesday around midnight,
he buzzes right past my bedroom.

The balls on that guy!

Yeah, so... So I complain.

But the town council,
they approve it anyway.

I know for a fact
that guy greased palms.

(CHUCKLES) I wanted to kill him.

I bet. So where were you
when you found out about it?

I don't know. What's it matter?

Well, it's just the guy you wanted killed
ends up killed.

How often does that happen?

I don't know.

What are you saying, Castle?

Hmm?

You think I killed the guy?

Whoa. No, no, Vinnie,
no, we're just talking here.

No, sit down. Have some more wine.

No, we're finished here.

And, frankly,
I am offended that you think

I would do such a bush-league hit.

If I had whacked that guy,
nobody'd ever find the body.

Don't make me
wanna do a demonstration.

(DOOR OPENS)

(DOOR SLAMS)

Makes a valid point.

BECKETT: Dead bodies,
meth-heads, mobsters.

Is that what you meant
by a romantic weekend?

CASTLE: May I remind you
that it was murder

that brought us together
in the first place?

- (CELL PHONE RINGS)
- Oh!

Hello.

CHIEF: What did I tell you, Castle?

I was crystal clear!
I said no contacting Cardano!

What? Oh, that was just a friendly meal.

Actually, we have some linguine left
if you'd like to come over.

You accused him of murder!
And now he thinks I put you up to it!

On the bright side,
we can rule him out as a suspect.

He never was a suspect
in the first place!

Bottom line is, the killer's still out there.

No, no, no, no. The bottom line
is that after what you just pulled,

I will find him myself
without any more of your help.

Look, Chief...

And if I catch you guys
anywhere near this case again,

I swear I will out the two of you.

(DIAL TONE)

So I guess it's a no on the linguine?

No, he, uh, said
he already ate. Shall we?

Oh...

Hey, so I took a closer look at Randall
Franklin's real estate investments.

Guy was buying up distressed
properties in dying neighborhoods

and turning them into condos.

Sounds like smart investments.

Yeah, but he wasn't renovating them.
He wasn't leasing them out, nothing.

So he was carrying the mortgage,

but the buildings weren't throwing off
any income?

And his wife said that the real estate
investments were keeping them flush.

It doesn't add up.

You're right. Has to be something
going on in those buildings.

Only one way to find out.

ESPOSITO: Ugh, Franklin
definitely didn't put any money

into renovating this dump.

RYAN: Place is deserted. He's
definitely not making any money here.

ESPOSITO: Yeah, so where's
it coming from?

I don't know.

- (CELL PHONE RINGING)
- Oh.

Really? You're checking
your text messages right now?

It's about Beckett, bro.

Ah, she's not with Demming.

Morales in Robbery says that he's
been dating a Vice detective

- (OBJECT SHATTERING)
...for the last four months.

(SHUSHING)

You hear that?

- (MUFFLED NOISES)
- Yeah.

I don't like this, bro.

Yeah, me neither.

(DOOR CREAKS)

No way we're knocking on that door.

Okay, well, the building owner's dead,

and the wife is down with us
investigating, so...

NYPD! Put up your hands!
Up against the wall right now!

Move! Move! Move! Move!

Move it! Move it! Move it!

(COUGHING)

Ah. (COUGHS)

(COUGHS)

(KNOB SQUEAKS)

Ah!

Looks like Franklin found a way to
monetize his investment after all.

Making crank.
(COUGHS)

Yeah. This is definitely a meth lab.

So Franklin was a meth kingpin, huh?

Turns out all of his properties
housed meth labs.

Which makes sense for someone
who used to cook the books.

That's why he was killed.
It's a dangerous business.

Mmm.

Well, it's all about New York now.
The boys can take it from here,

and we can pick up right where we left
off before this whole thing came to us.

(GIGGLES)

Yeah, but why did it come to us?

Uh...

The universe has a sense of humor,
I suppose.

No, no, I mean, if this is about meth,
then why wasn't he killed in New York?

Maybe the killer likes the beach.

No, I think there's gotta be more to it,
Castle.

I mean, they knew about Lerner's boat.

You know what?
I'm sure the boys will figure it out.

And that requires an intimate
knowledge about Franklin's life.

That's local knowledge.

Right, right, right. Well, maybe
the killer just did his homework.

Yeah, but why would they
go to all of that trouble?

I mean, if he was a kingpin
in New York City,

why would they kill him out here?

Um...

Unless part of the drug business
was out here.

That explains the helicopter.

He needed the helicopter
to transfer the drugs out here.

And why he slept with Natalia
and greased palms.

He needed an approval
to get the helipad.

Yes, much less risky
to move your product in a helicopter

rather than boat or car.

No cop is gonna pull you over.

You know, Chief Brady said

that the drug problem's doubled
over the past six months.

Exactly when Franklin
started using his helicopter.

(MOANS)

I'm sorry, Castle,
but I think you should probably...

- Call Ryan and Esposito.
- Yeah.

Looks like Castle was right.
His helicopter's flight plans

coincide with when the shipments
left the meth labs.

Huh.

They also coincide with
the late-night landings

that his neighbor
was complaining about.

So now we know
how Franklin was moving his product.

But it still doesn't tell us who killed him.

Maybe it does,
but where are you going?

To meet an FBI buddy of mine

to see if Beckett's back with
her old flame, Sorenson. Why?

Flight manifest for Tuesday.
It includes a guest.

Someone else was with him.

All right, I'm on Sorenson.
You go get helicopter boy.

So I got a ride on Franklin's helicopter,
so what?

That doesn't prove my client
was trafficking drugs with him.

True. These do.

Signed affidavits
from the meth lab workers

that you picked up product
every Tuesday, Lerner.

You went from making bank
to making crank.

I didn't kill Franklin.

And Chief Brady already confirmed
my alibi in the Hamptons.

Well, maybe
you hired someone to kill him.

See, I think you never got over
your grudge against Franklin.

I think that you partnered with him,

but you always planned to knock him off
and take over the business.

Am I getting close?

Yeah, yeah, you're close.
But you just got the wrong guy.

What do you mean?

Just last week,
Franklin was complaining about a local.

A local drug dealer?

Yeah. Seems he didn't appreciate us
moving in on his business.

Who? Give me a name.

I don't know a name!
But Franklin seemed really spooked.

What else did he tell you about him?

That's all I know. Everything else
I told to Brady and his two consultants.

Two consultants?

Yeah, yeah, the writer, Castle,
and his girlfriend.

Girlfriend? (STUTTERS)
What do you mean girlfriend?

What does that matter?

Hey, hey!
I'll ask the questions here, pal!

Are you telling me that Richard Castle

brought his girlfriend
in your interrogation?

- Yeah.
- What was her name?

I don't remember.

Well, then describe her.
Describe her, Lerner! Now!

Okay! Tall! Medium-length hair!
What's this about?

What color? Give me a hair color!

(STAMMERING) Brown. Brown,
brown eyes, too, I think. Really pretty.

Body type?

Awesome. I mean, awesome.
She was, like, thin...

She was hot. She was really hot.

(SNAPS) Kate!
Name was Kate!

Son of a...

You were right, Castle.

Franklin was using his helicopter
to move meth to the Hamptons.

Looks like
you blew this case wide open.

Guess you can get back
to your writing now, huh?

Well, there's still the matter
of finding out who the killer is.

Yeah, well, I think Brady knows
what he has to do.

I already told him
to look for a local drug dealer

who had been feeling squeezed
by Franklin's expanding operation.

That's a great theory. Nice work.

Oh, thanks, but it's not my theory.

Aaron Lerner gave it up
when I interrogated him this morning.

(GRUNTS)

Aaron Lerner?
So you interrogated Aaron Lerner, too?

Yeah, he's back in the city.

Turns out
he was Franklin's partner in crime.

Wow. What do you know.

(WHISPERS) Castle, not good!

- Relax! Relax!
- Relax? I'm not gonna relax!

You still there, Castle?

Yeah, still here.

Uh, what else did Aaron Lerner say?

Did he say anything else
about anything else?

Oh, you know, the usual. "I didn't do it."

"You got the wrong guy."

I'm pretty sure
he told me everything he knows.

(WHISPERS) Everything?

Everything, huh? That's good.

Yeah. Good luck with the writing.

Thanks.

(EXHALES)

(DOORBELL RINGS)

(GASPS)

Chief Brady. What did I do now?

Nothing. Uh, just wanted to let you
know I talked to Detective Ryan.

Really? So, what did he say?

Well, he got us onto the idea
of a local drug dealer.

So we talked to McMurray,
the meth addict from the beach,

and he coughed up the name
of the local supplier of meth.

Marty Bentley.

- Oh.
- The marina operator?

Yeah, but that makes sense.
I mean, he would know

Aaron Lerner's schedule
and when he could take the boat out.

Right. So we got a warrant
to search his apartment

and found the burner cell phone

that sent the text
summoning Franklin to the marina.

- Good.
- Well, that's great. Congrats!

Thanks. Hey, I couldn't have done it

without the two of you
and your resources in New York.

Um...

I'd be honored if you came to the arrest.

(WHISPERS) No.

Well, how can we say no?

(CHUCKLES)

Police! Down! Get down! Police! Police!

So, Chief Brady's
first time pulling his gun.

Oh, Castle, maybe I should go in there.

You don't have a gun.

Yeah, but that never stops you.

Well, I'm lucky.

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

We got him!

Oh!

Cabin secured.

Nice one, Chief Brady!

Thank you, Detective. Just like
out of one of your books, huh, Castle?

Yeah, uh, marina owner with
side meth business kills competition.

Call it Hamptons Heat.

And if I ever write it, I'll be sure to
include a gutsy Chief Brady character.

MARTY: That's not mine! Look, I'm
telling you, I didn't do anything.

You got the wrong guy!

Chief, so far I found baggies of meth
and an Auto Mag III 30 carbine.

Which shoots 30-caliber bullets,

just like the ones
that we pulled out of our victim.

That's our murder weapon.

I guess that seals it.
Good work, Deputy.

This is ridiculous!

I didn't kill anybody!
You got the wrong guy!

Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Watch your step.

Officer, hold on a second there.

What is it, Castle?

This knot, both of these knots.

It's a perfect figure-eight
with an underhand, neatly flemished.

Did you tie these, Bentley?

Of course I did. It's my boat.

BECKETT: What about it, Castle?

Well, it's beautiful. I mean, it's perfect.

That knot could be
in a book of nautical knots.

What does that
have to do with anything?

Everyone agrees that the killer

is the same person
who stole Aaron Lerner's boat.

That person had to
tie the boat to the dock.

But that knot was sloppy.
I even tripped over it.

Whoever tied these figure-eights
is an experienced boatman.

Tying knots
would be their second nature.

They'd be incapable
of tying a sloppy knot.

Bentley can't be the killer.

But we found the burner phone

that placed the call to Franklin
in Bentley's apartment.

How do you explain that?

Well, that's easy. It was planted.

Just like Bentley's boat here
had the meth and the gun,

which I'm sure forensics will show
is the actual murder weapon.

And just who do you think planted it?

Well, you tell me.

Uh, Chief Brady, who got the
information from McMurray on Bentley?

Jones. It was Deputy Jones.

(BOTH GRUNTING)

Okay! Okay, get back!
Everybody stay back!

Take it easy, Jones.
We don't want anybody to get hurt.

You rich weekenders,
you think you're so smart.

Meantime, you pollute our beaches,

you throw your money around
like you're better than us!

I don't think I'm better than you.

Shut up! I didn't care about that.

But then Franklin's city money
wasn't good enough for him.

He had to move in on my side business.

So I did what I had to do.
(GRUNTS)

Aah!

Oh.

(JONES GROANS)

Ah!

(GROANING)

(HANDCUFFS CLICK)

Got it.

Nice!

That is a Hamptons Heat twist
I did not see coming.

I'm sorry about the whole
accusing you of murder.

- Still buddies?
- Yeah.

(SNIFFLES)

So it turns out
that Jones paid McMurray

500 bucks
to point a finger at Bentley.

Wow, $500 to ruin a man's life, huh?

Not to sound all Scooby, but

he might've gotten away with it
if not for you, Castle.

(CHUCKLES)

Well, I'm always glad to help out
my friends in law enforcement.

Speaking of which,
I would like to make a toast.

Chief Brady, not everyone
could've handled themselves

the way you did on the dock today.

You're a good cop.

- Chief Brady.
- Here's to you.

Thank you, Detective Beckett.

(SIGHS) Yeah...

And you can rest assured,
your secret is safe with me.

- Thank you.
- Oh, yeah, thank you.

(CHUCKLES) Shot the bad guy.

- Yeah. (LAUGHS)
- You did.

Yeah, you did.

- Nice.
- Yeah.

Oh!

(SIGHS)

Whew!

I should go.

- Oh, of course.
- Oh, no!

- Find a new deputy...
- Yeah, you do.

It was so great to meet you.

You, too.

Yeah. (CHUCKLES)

- Bye.
- Bye! Let's go.

- Please.
- (DOOR CLOSES)

ESPOSITO: Well, the case in
the Hamptons has been solved,

but the case of the secret boyfriend
remains open.

Turns out Beckett's FBI ex has been
stationed in Europe for six months.

Huh.

What? You got anything?

Nah!

No, I was just thinking
maybe we should drop it.

You know,
let Beckett's private life stay private.

What, you mean give up?
(SCOFFS)

A real detective
never gives up on a case, bro.

You know it's not a real case, right?

You're gonna tell me
what a real case is?

Uh, last time I checked,
it's when there was a murder.

Well, there's been a murder, all right.
Your spirit.

- Wow.
- Yeah. Your dignity, too.

Huh! Well, you know what?
Just for that, first round's on you.

Yeah, good luck with that.

- Bruce.
- Bruce.

CASTLE: You know, it's funny.

My cover was
that I was coming out here to write,

and I actually got an idea for a book.

Oh, Hamptons Heat?
So you're serious about that, huh?

Well, I already have the story.
That's the hardest part.

So, do you have an ending yet?
(BLOWS AIR)

Oh, well...

I had some ideas,
but I'm open to suggestions.

How about this?

"The weekend hadn't turned out exactly
as Detective Heat had imagined,

"but now nothing,
not even another murder on the beach,

"could stop her from getting
exactly what she desired most."

Mmm... That's good.

(WHISPERING)
Can I get a writer's credit?

- We'll talk.
- Okay.