Castle (2009–2016): Season 6, Episode 4 - Number One Fan - full transcript

(Pounding on door)

(Man) Emma Riggs, N.Y.P.D.
Open the door!

(Bottle clatters)

(Pounding on door)

(Man) We hear you moving around
in there! Open up!

(Thud)

33 David to central requesting
immediate backup. (Static crackles)

Possible homicide suspect.

White female, brown hair,

fleeing down
southwest fire escape.

(Whistles) Stop her!

(Siren wailing)

Ahh!
(Door slams)

- Excuse me? What are you doing?
- Nobody move!

Oh, God!

(Panting)

(Whispers) Castle...

Are you asleep?

(Whispers) Yes.

Then why'd you answer me?

I'm sleep-talking.

Also known as somniloquy.

Just ignore me.
(Sighs)

I don't know what to do.

(Normal voice)
I have some ideas.

(Normal voice) No, Castle.
I'm talking about my life.

I don't know what to do
about my life.

I haven't been out of work
since I was 15.

I cannot believe
that the FBI fired me,

and I can't get my job back
at the N.Y.P.D.

Because of the commissioner's
stupid hiring freeze.

I might as well just apply
to become a mall cop.

Ooh. You would look great
on a segway.

But, you know, Beckett,

you don't have to decide
right away.

Come on, castle.
What are you saying?

Come on, Castle.
What are you saying?

What am I gonna do,
just sleep in every morning

and screw around
till the phone rings?

- What kind of life is that?
- Mine.

Sorry.

I just mean that
you're with me now.

You don't have to work.

I don't need to work?

Does that mean
you're my sugar daddy?

Oh. Hold on.
That didn't... come out--

actually, I'm still
sleep-talking.

I can't really be held responsible
for whatever I say. (Sighs)

Wow.
Even when you're fighting,

you two are super cute.
(Sighs) Pi.

Morning, Mr. C.,
Mrs. C.-to-be.

Hey, uh, do you mind
if I borrow a razor?

Alexis gets all fired up

when I shave with the one
she uses for her legs.

- (Both) Under the sink.
- Yep. (Snaps fingers) Cool.

- Why is he still sleeping on your couch?
- I don't know.

Good morning, darlings.

- Doesn't anyone knock?
- Door was open.

Don't be an old maid.
Nothing going on here

that I haven't seen
and done before. (Laughs)

So how can I help you, mother?

As you know, my studio
is being painted,

so I am having
my stage combat class

in the living room in--
whoo-hoo--15 minutes,

so, please, feel free
to join.

Triple blade razors!
Nice, Mr. C.! (Telephone ringing)

You know what? I think I'm gonna
sleep at my old place tonight.

- I think I might join you.
- What is this, a house meeting?

- No.
- No.

- Captain Gates is on the phone.
- Oh!

She's asking for you, dad.

(Beep)

Hello?

(Gates) Thanks for coming,
Mr. castle.

(Gates) Thanks for coming,
Mr. Castle.

You, too, Beckett.
Mm-hmm.

Again, I'm sorry your
reinstatement didn't work out.

Yeah. Thanks.
So what do we got?

Angelo Vázquez, stabbed to death
in his girlfriend's apartment,

and this is Mr. Vázquez.

And you are calling on
my expertise

to unmask the killer.

No. Actually, we've already
ID'd the suspect.

She's the victim's girlfriend--
Emma Riggs.

- How do you know it's her?
- Because she fled from the scene

and took hostages in
a dental office up the street.

Oh, okay.
So this involves me how?

Hostage negotiators have been
trying to talk to Emma,

but she's demanding to speak
to only you, Mr. castle.

but she's demanding to speak
to only you, Mr. Castle.

- Me? Why me?
- We were hoping you could tell us.

Is she familiar to you?

Uh... I've never
seen her before.

What do we know about her?
Not much so far.

Emma Riggs, 31, waitress,
no record--

at least until now.

Sergeant?

This is Sergeant Roman from
the hostage negotiating team.

(Cell phone rings)
Richard castle and Kate Beckett.

(Cell phone rings)
Richard Castle and Kate Beckett.

Uh... ooh.
Deputy chief.

Excuse me.

Mr. castle, are you open
to talking to Emma

Mr. Castle, are you open
to talking to Emma

- over the phone?
- Yeah, of course. Anything I can do to help.

So what's the situation inside?

It's not ideal
for our purposes.

The windows in the office
are covered,

and there's only one door
leading in or out.

Can't you just drill in
fiber optics?

Cement's too thick.
But we have ascertained

that she's taken
five hostages--

the dentist--
Dr. Abe Kogan,

his receptionist--
sue Williams,

and Suki Chung,
who's 9 years old,

and Suki's mother Lisa.

There's a 9-year-old
in there?

But what if I say
the wrong thing?

I'll be with you
the whole time.

We'll make contact,
see how everyone's doing,

take Emma's temperature,
find out what she wants.

And then we'll put a plan
together.

All you have to do is talk.

Well, if there's one thing
you excel at, Castle,

it's talking.

You ready?

No, but let's do this anyway.

(Button clicks)

(Phone rings, beep)

- Hello.
- Hello, Emma. This is Richard castle.

- Hello.
- Hello, Emma. This is Richard Castle.

I heard you wanted to speak
with me.

How do I know
it's really you?

Uh, well, if you care
to step outside,

- I'd be happy to show you my driver's license.
- Yeah.

That's not gonna happen.
(Mouths word)

Okay, you say
you're Richard Castle?

You're gonna have to
prove it, all right?

In the "Nikki Heat" series,

- what's Rook and Nikki's wine of choice?
- Sancerre.

In "Deadly Heat," what's
Douglas Sandmann's nickname?

Bedbug Doug.

In "Storm Rising,"

what's Pierre Dubois'
last words?

Ah! Trick question.
(Snaps fingers)

Pierre was a trappist monk.

He took a vow of silence.
He never spoke.

Boom! Believe it's me now,
Emma?

Because I could play
Richard Castle trivia with you

all day.
I will crush you.

Okay. It's you.

- So let me ask you a few questions.
- No, no, no, no, no, no.

Not on the phone.
The cops are listening.

So?

So I don't trust them,
okay?

Just come inside the dental
office and we can talk here.

You've got to be kidding.
Hey! Shut up!

- Uh, look, Emma--
- we need to speak face-to-face. Do you hear me?

It is the only way.

Okay, but only if you send out
suki and her mother. Deal?

Deal. Be outside
in five minutes.

(Button clicks)
(Sighs)

God, Castle, what the hell
were you thinking?

I have no idea.

Honestly, I didn't think
she would take the deal,

but, look, she's a fan.

Okay? I know my fans.
She won't hurt me.

You don't know that.

I'm not blind
to the risks,

but I already got her to give up
a little girl and her mother.

I can reach her.

(Sighs) Right?
Maybe even get her to surrender?

So let me go in.

The goal is to get in
and get out, you understand?

Get her demands, check
the status of the hostages,

and make mental notes
of where everyone is.

That'll help us
if we have to breach.

- You with me so far?
- Demands, status, mental notes--got it.

And if anything--
and I mean anything--

seems off, tell Emma
you have to call us.

Tell her it's to make sure
that we're not gonna

- do anything stupid, okay?
- Okay.

So we're gonna need
a code word

that tells us
that you need help.

What, uh,
what's your favorite food?

Oh. Um... are we talking
everyday food, or fine dining?

- If desserts are included--
- Cheeseburgers.

- He loves cheeseburgers.
- I do enjoy a good cheeseburger.

Okay.
Anything goes wrong,

call, mention cheeseburgers,
and we'll come running.

Good luck in there.

Thank you.

(Under breath)
Cheeseburgers.

Listen...

I'm kinda looking forward
to spending

the rest of my life
with you, so...

Don't do anything stupid
in there, okay?

Hey, don't worry.

I think I already hit
my "stupid" quota for the day.

(Door closes)

(Huffs)

My God. It really is you.

So we have a deal?

(Emma) Come on. Come on!

Let's go, come in!

(Pants)

(Door closes, lock clicks)

- How you guys doing?
- How the hell you think we're doing?

Hey! I told you to shut up!
Okay--Emma--Emma, easy!

I'm here now, all right?
So let's talk. (Panting)

You want to tell me
your demands?

What do you mean,
demands?

Uh, money, transportation
outta here?

No, no, I-I don't--
I don't want any of that.

Okay, then what do you want?

You. I just--
I just want you.

You want me?

(Voice breaking)
My boyfriend is dead.

And I know
what it looks like.

I do. I know it.
It looks like I killed him.

- But I didn't kill him. I didn't.
- Uh-huh.

- Shut up!
- Emma, please.

Stay calm.

I know what you're
capable of,

Richard Castle,

how you solve murders.

You want demands? Okay.

I want you to prove
my innocence.

- So she wants you to prove her innocence?
- Right.

So I hate to break it
to you,

but I don't think this
is going to be

a traditional
hostage negotiation.

Why you?

She's read all my books,
all those articles

about you and I
working homicides together.

So she's your number-one fan

and this is some sort
of Hail Mary?

Pretty much. So look,
I think we should--

don't tell them
anything else.

Why?

Because... they're cops.

Are you okay in there,
Mr. Castle?

Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just--
I'm just gonna talk to her,

and then I'll call you back.
Are you sure?

Yes. No cheeseburgers.

I repeat--
no cheeseburgers.

(Phone beeps)

Cutting down on red meat.

- So what do we do now?
- (Sighs) We wait.

(Cell phone rings)
But I--

but what?

Sir?
Excuse me. Yeah.

(Cell phone beeps)

What are you thinking?

- Sir, are you sure that this woman
doesn't have a record? - Why?

Because she seems to have
a deep mistrust of the police.

Well, obviously,
there's more to it

than what's in the system.

Look, I know I'm not
on the job anymore, but--

you want to work
the crime scene.

It can't hurt to have
an extra pair of eyes.

And the more we find out
about Emma,

the better chance we'll have
of getting Castle

and the hostages--
go.

(Castle) All right, Emma.

So... you didn't kill
your boyfriend.

Let's figure out who did.

As you know, all my stories
start in the same place--

in the beginning.
So tell me what happened.

I got home late last night.
Why did you get home late?

Well, after work, I-I--
I, um, I bought a dress.

Because today's
my birthday. Um...

Angelo was, uh, was gonna take
me out to dinner tonight.

He worked out some sort
of surprise.

Said it'd be a birthday I'd
never forget, so... (Chuckles)

Any idea
what the surprise was?

A marriage proposal.

At least I was--
that's what I was hoping.

That's why I bought the dress,

even though I couldn't
afford it.

Just stupid, huh?

No. Not at all.

So you have your dress,
and...

When I got home, I, um,

I poured my nightly
two fingers of scotch.

Scotch girl? Me, too.

Boy.

And then what happened?

(Voice breaking) When I woke up
in the morning, I...

(Inhales sharply)

I found Angelo on the floor,

dead.

There was so much blood.
It was...

But I don't--I don't--
I don't know what happened.

I, um... I don't even know

why Angelo was at my apartment
in the first place.

- Well, what did you do?
- I-I panicked.

Tried to get out of there,
and the--

the cops came, and...

Here I am.

Yeah, holding us at gunpoint.
Talk about a psycho girlfriend.

- What did you say?!
- Are you trying to get us killed?

Okay, okay. Emma, relax.

Ignore him. Just focus
on me, all right?

Did Angelo have a key
to your place?

Yes.

But you didn't make any plans
for him to come over last night?

No.

How were things going
in the relationship?

No problems?
Mnh-mnh. None.

(Castle) How much scotch
did you have?

One glass.
The--the two fingers.

Okay.

I'm gonna need you to walk
me through this again.

Girl, what are you
doing here?

Uh, Captain Gates
said that I could come.

That's not what I meant.

Shouldn't you be off looking
at wedding venues or something?

No, we haven't even
set a date.

We're just trying to enjoy
our engagement.

Why is everyone trying
to rush us?

Think you're being rushed now,
wait until after the wedding.

Not ten minutes from the altar,
they'll all be like,

"when are you two
having a baby?"

Bro, your wife's hormonal
because she's pregnant.

What's your excuse?

So I take it this is
Emma's boyfriend?

He was, until she stabbed him
three times with a knife...

From the kitchen
butcher block.

Emma's claiming
that she's innocent.

Is there any chance
that someone else did this?

No foreign fibers or prints.

All evidence is pointing
towards Emma.

- Any ideas on motive?
- Oh, yeah.

This is Angelo's cell phone.

Check out the text history
between him and Emma.

She was accusing him of having
an affair with some chick

up in Scarsdale.

And we found this
in Angelo's pocket.

"S.H. off Saw Mill River
Parkway."

Saw Mill River Parkway
is the way to Scarsdale

from the city.
"S.H." Could be

the initials of the lady
he was seeing on the side.

A-and listen to this--

Emma texts Angelo last night
at 9:47

saying she's drunk, lonely,
and wants to see him.

And here is an empty bottle
of scotch.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is
a Booty call gone wrong.

None of this
makes any sense.

I mean, if she actually
killed him,

then why isn't she asking
for a flight out of the country?

Why is she insisting
that she's innocent?

Uh, maybe because she's crazy.
I found Emma's prescriptions--

clonazepam
and aripiprazole.

Lanie, aren't those
antipsychotics?

One is, the other one's
for mood disorders.

Hey, you know, if Emma
stopped taking her meds,

she could have had
a psychotic break.

Which means she wouldn't
remember what she did.

We have to warn Castle.
Beckett, relax.

He's just on the phone
with the woman.

No. He went in.

Uh-huh.

Okay. Let me call you back.
(Cell phone beeps)

Did Detective Beckett
find anything?

Emma, I can't help you
if you're not honest with me.

But I have been honest.

You said everything between
you and Angelo was all right.

Yeah, it was.

So you didn't suspect him
of cheating?

(Breathes unevenly)

No, it--it's just that he
kept going up to Scarsdale

without saying why.

I-I'm sure it was nothing.
Are you?

Or could it be that you
wanted to confront him?

And maybe that's why you
texted Angelo last night

and invited him over.
What are you talking about?

Look at your phone, Emma.

(Sighs)
(Cell phone beeps)

Wait, I don't...

No, I don't remember
writing these texts.

Just because you don't remember
doesn't mean you didn't.

Just like you only remember
having one glass of scotch.

But what if you had more?

They found your scotch bottle,
Emma. It was empty.

(Scoffs)-I-I didn't finish
the bottle.

- Maybe you did, and you just can't remember.
- That is ridiculous!

Uh, um, a-actually,
it's not.

If someone's had
too much to drink,

they can suffer what's called
an en bloc blackout.

It prevents the brain
from creating new memories.

Emma, you wanted me...

To uncover the truth.

No.

Not you.

Please don't tell me that
you don't believe me.

I didn't kill Angelo,
okay?

I mean, I-I wanted
to marry him.

I wouldn't do this!

Oh, God.

(Voice breaking)
God... did I? I--

what if I did?
I don't... (Gasps)

Huh.

What?

How do you text "love you"?

What do you mean?

When you write "love you,"
how do you spell it?

Do a sideways heart
and the letter "u."

Right, except for last night,

when you just spelled it out--
"love you."

No. Mnh-mnh.
I never spell it out.

And the voice in those texts
from last night--

it's--it's different
from the others.

As if somebody else
wrote them?

Maybe. I don't know.

Well, if I didn't write these,
that means

that somebody else did,
right?

Which means the killer
used my phone!

(Breathing heavily)
(Phone clatters)

(Sighs)
(Rattling, thud)

You have to dust this
for prints.

Come on. Come on.
You have to find the killer.

- Wait, what?
- You're not leaving us, are you?

No. I-I'm gonna
get you outta here.

Like hell you are.
Look,

if you or the cops
aren't gonna do anything,

I sure as hell am.
Shut up!

What are you waiting for?
Come on! Just go, okay?

Mickey, don't do anything.
Please.

(Clicks lock)

(Siren wailing in distance)

Beckett: Castle!

(Door closes)

Mr. castle, what happened?
What is going on in there?

Mr. Castle, what happened?
What is going on in there?

We got problems.
(Panting)

Emma is unstable,
to say the least.

But that's not the worst of it.
There's a hostage in there--

he's seen "die hard"
too many times.

He's gonna try
and be a hero.

- And there's something else I think you need to know.
- What's that?

Emma might actually be
telling the truth.

The truth about what?

Beckett, I think she's
being framed for murder.

But what if Emma is right?

What if someone else
wrote those texts

and this is all just
an elaborate frame-up,

and Emma's just a patsy?

Syntax, bro? You're gonna
base Emma's innocence

on how she writes
her texts?

I'm just saying,
it's possible.

Look, if we found
DNA or prints

or fibers at the crime scene,
maybe.

Sully, we get any usable prints
off Emma's cell phone?

No, but even if we did,

how could someone else
have pulled this off?

To use her phone
without her knowing,

Emma would have had to have been
unconscious,

so someone could have
knocked her out.

She has a scotch every night.

Someone could have
dosed her bottle.

Or maybe she's just
some crazed fan,

like Kathy Bates
in "Misery."

You should be happy you didn't
get hobbled. Right? (Laughs)

Okay. This is
your investigation.

Keep running the case on Emma.

- But, captain, I'm...
- Let me finish.

Look, Mr. Castle,
over the years,

I have learned not to discount
your little theories,

no matter how fanciful.

So why don't you and Beckett
work with Detective Sully,

and let's see if there's
something to this?

- Thank you, sir.
- CASTLE: Thank you.

So, where do we start?

By looking into our victim,
Angelo Vázquez.

Everything here
tells the same story.

Angelo was a decent guy.

Ten years ago,
after some petty B&Es,

he turned his life around.

He volunteered with at-risk youth,
he was well-liked.

He had been recently laid off
from his mechanic's job,

but he was still upbeat.

There's nothing that explains
who killed him or why,

other than Emma.

Castle, you're forgetting
about Scarsdale.

You think Emma's suspicious
are true,

that he was having an affair?

That some woman in Scarsdale
killed him?

Well, something was going on
in Scarsdale. Look at this.

Three nights ago,

- a resident complained about angelo's car.
- Why?

How does Sully find anything
on this desk?

I don't know.
He must have a system.

- I think that was once a bagel.
- Okay, you know what?

(Typing)
Here we go.

A scarsdale resident on
overlook road (Computer beeps)

Reported angelo's license plate
to the police.

He said the driver spent
two hours drinking coffee

alone in his car.

Two hours drinking
coffee alone

doesn't sound like
much of an affair.

Yeah, but what was angelo
up to?

(Cell phone rings, beep)
Beckett.

Hey, it's Sully.

There was nothing of interest
at angelo's apartment,

but his car
is a whole other matter.

Get this.
Angelo had a duffel bag

filled with tools
of the burglar variety,

a floor plan to what looks
like a house...

And a manual for
a Ramco-4700 alarm system.

I don't think he was installing
home security systems.

Angelo was out of work.

Do you think he went back
to committing B&E's?

I only know one person with
the answer to that question.

(Siren wailing in distance)

(Lowered voice)
Okay, here's the plan.

Doc, act like you're
having a seizure.

Excuse me?

And then, Sue, you squirt
out a few tears,

beg Emma to help him.

When she does, boom,
I take her out, we end this,

then we meet at the bar
around the corner,

and the first round's
on me.

Are you out of your mind?

(Lowered voice) That is
the dumbest plan ever.

Fine, I'll do it by myself.

(Knock on door)
It's Castle.

(Clicks lock)
Hey.

And I brought doughnuts.
(Laughs) Hey.

Um... gluten-free?

Dude, they're doughnuts.
Either you're in or you're out.

(Sighs) You find out anything?

Emma, what do you know about
Sngelo's trips to Scarsdale?

Nothing.
He wouldn't tell me.

Is it possible he was there
casing a house for a burglary?

Wha--no.
That's ridiculous.

Do the initials "s.H."
Mean anything to you?

Uh...

Could someone from Angelo's
criminal past have come back?

Look, that was all petty stuff
when he was a kid, that's all.

Yes, but he wasn't a kid
anymore.

The stakes were higher.
He was out of work.

He wanted to surprise you
on your birthday,

maybe propose.

What if he got into trouble
trying to make that happen?

(Pats sides)

Yo, Beckett.

Where's Castle?

He's not in there, is he?

- Why?
- We found something.

Something about Emma.

Emma.

Let these people go.

It worked.

You got my attention.
There's hope now.

(Sniffles) No.

Unh-unh. Not until my name
is cleared. No. (Sniffles)

(Cell phone rings)

It's Beckett.
Go.

(Beeps)
Hey, Beckett.

Do not react to what
I'm about to tell you.

Okay.

Emma has been playing you

this whole time.

Interesting.
Can you elaborate?

Angelo is not her first victim.
She's done this before.

She has
a sealed juvie record

under her original name--
Emma Jones.

Uh-huh.

When she was 16, she killed
her foster brother

Billy Koss.

Apparently, she got drunk,

lured him into
their basement,

and then stabbed him
with a knife.

Well, that's a coincidence.

Also known as an M.O.
Castle,

it's exactly what she did
to Angelo.

She's unstable. You need
to get out of there--now.

(Gun cocks)

Don't say another word.

Hang up.

(Cell phone beeps)

She told you about Billy Koss,
didn't she?

- Look, Emma...
- Back up!

I am not a murderer.

Says the lady pointing
a gun at me.

You weren't supposed to find out
about Billy Koss.

I mean, what is the point
of a sealed record

when the cops can open it
whenever they feel like it?!

I'm sure they got
a subpoena first.

And I'm sure they all
had a laugh

off all the adjectives
describing me, right?

Manic. Bipolar.
Violent. Murderer!

Well, not to be a stickler,

but "murderer"
isn't an adjective.

I'm not an idiot.
Sorry.

I just get sarcastic
when I'm nervous.

That's not what I was
talking about.

Look, I knew what you
were going to think.

Two deaths happening
the exact same way?

That's why I didn't tell you.
But I am innocent!

I didn't kill Angelo.
I didn't!

If that's true, Emma,
and you want me to help you,

you have to tell me
everything.

(Exhales)

When I was 16,

I was sent to this
foster home.

Twin orphans lived there--

the Koss brothers.

Warren and Billy.

What happened?

Those two bullied me
for weeks.

Foster parents were in it
for the money,

so they didn't care.

But then one day,
the twins

were nice to me
all of a sudden.

(Voice breaking)
And I thought they, um...

I thought they'd finally
accepted me, you know?

So we... (Sniffles)

We went down
to the basement.

We drank schnapps,
and then...

(Sniffles)

Billy pulled a knife on me.

I was just trying
to stop him.

I didn't mean to...

And then
when the cops came...

(Sniffles) Warren lied.

He said I pulled the knife
on them,

and they just--they just
took him at his word.

Which is why you hate cops.

But I didn't kill Angelo.

I didn't.
You have to believe me.

I do, Emma.
I believe you.

But why were Angelo
and Billy's deaths

staged exactly the same way?

I have no idea.
I don't know.

It has to be someone who knew
something about your past.

Yeah. I mean, I guess so.
But who?

Warren Koss.

What better way to get revenge
for the death of his brother

than by killing
your boyfriend

- and pinning the murder on you?
- No, it's not Warren.

(Sniffles)
Warren's doing eight years

up in sing sing for assault.

- You kept track of him?
- Of course.

He's the reason
why I changed my name.

I mean, I have been
really careful

about staying off
of Warren's radar

ever since he testified
against me in court.

He almost got me thrown
in prison for life.

If it wasn't for the sisters

of St. Helena's
home for children, I--

whoa, whoa. Go back.

- St. Helena's home for children--where is that?
- In Yonkers.

The note we found
in Angelo's jacket

said "S.H. off Saw Mill
River Parkway."

"S.H." Has to be
St. Helena's.

Yonkers is off
Saw Mill River Parkway.

Somehow St. Helena's
is connected to this.

But I--how? I mean, I haven't
been back there in years.

I spoke with Sister Frances
at St. Helena's.

She said that there was
a break-in three nights ago.

(Esposito) And they have
a ramco-4700 alarm.

Ramco-4700. That's the manual
Angelo had in his car.

Why would he break into
my old orpnanage?

We have a pretty good idea.

Sister Frances checked
the records room.

And Emma's sealed foster care
file is missing.

Looks like Angelo stole it.

- Why would he do that?
- To find out something about you?

No, I already told him
everything about me.

(Voice breaks) Oh, God.

Guys,
let me call you back.

(Cell phone beeps)

You figured it out?

(Clicks tongue) I was
given up for adoption

when I was born.

Angelo knew I always wanted to
find out where I came from.

And that file had
your adoption papers

with your birth parents'
names.

I tried to get 'em
in the past,

but... they were sealed.

That's the surprise Angelo was
gonna give you tonight...

(Exhales)
At your birthday dinner.

The gift of knowing
who your real parents are.

Watch out.

Stop it! Stop it!
No! Listen--

Oh! (Screams)
(Shouts indistinctly)

Mickey!
Aah!

Drop it!

(Gunshot)
(Emma screams)

All units, full breach!
Go, go, go!

God! Oh, my God!
I just killed Richard Castle!

Oh! Oh! N.Y.P.D.!
Let me see your hands!

It was her!
It was her! It was her!

(Man) Get him up! Get him up!

- We're gonna need an E.M.T. Right away!
Let's go! - Castle!

Castle!

Cheeseburgers!
(Gasps)

(Groaning) Cheeseburgers.
(Gasps)

(Groans)

Ow! Ow, it worked.

She dotted the "I"!
Yeah!

Aah! Chest! Ooh!

- That hurts.
- Sorry. Yeah, well, getting hit by a projectile

traveling at 1,000 feet
per second's gonna sting a bit.

Yeah, I think that's
gonna leave a mark.

All that matters is
you're okay now.

Oh, I'm better
than okay, Beckett.

(Sighs) I know
who the killer is.

She shot you in the chest,

and you still think
she's innocent?

No, she shot me in the chest,
and now I know she's innocent.

Thank you.
Don't you see?

Just like that vest
protected me,

Emma's adoption papers--

they're protecting
the killer.

You know that made
no sense, right?

I-I think
what Castle is suggesting

is that one
of Emma's birth parents

may be behind
all of this.

That's why Angelo
took those records--

to find her birth parents.
What if he found one of them?

Perhaps living on overlook road
in scarsdale.

Perhaps living on Overlook Road
in Scarsdale.

But what if that birth parent
didn't want to be found?

What if Emma learning
the truth was a threat somehow?

(Ryan) Castle,
that's just speculation.

And if you're right,
we'll probably never know.

The killer's most likely
destroyed the records by now.

Unless... Angelo hid them.

I mean, they were supposed
to be a surprise.

Head back to Angelo's place.
We need to search it again.

You are aware
that you don't actually

work here anymore, right?

I'm sorry. Old habits.

Okay. Uh, we'll grab Sully...

Go check again,
just in case.

But not because
you asked me to.

Okay. (Chuckles)
'Cause I was actually on my way to...

Okay. So let's suppose it is
one of Emma's birth parents.

If Angelo's murder
was a setup,

then how would they know
how to stage it?

I mean, they gave her up
for adoption,

so how would they know about
Emma's violent history?

- Newspaper articles.
- No. I checked.

Because she was a minor,
her name was withheld.

So then our killer
had to have had access

to Emma's sealed
juvie records.

And for that,
you need a subpoena.

(Typing)

(Computer beeps)
Looks like someone skipped that step.

Emma's sealed records were
opened three days ago.

By who?

Ah. Julian Carter?

Hi. I'm Detective Ryan.
This is Kate Beckett.

We're from the 12th.
Do you have a second

to help us out
with something?

Sure. What's up?

The system tagged you
for opening a file

of an Emma Jones.

Yeah. That's my job.

I open files,
I close files.

Right now I'm filing files.

Is there a problem?

I'm afraid so.
You see, it was a juvie file,

and you didn't have the court's
permission to unseal it.

Well, I... sometimes forget
to log out of my computer,

so maybe somebody--
(sighs) just stop it.

You've already lost your job.
Now the only question is

whether you're losing
your freedom, too,

because I'm about two seconds
away from arresting you

for accessory to murder.
W-wait. Wait. Hold on.

You better start talking
before he pulls out his cuffs.

Hmm. (Clicks tongue)

Okay. Okay. Okay!
(Rattling)

From time to time,

I slip information
to a lawyer.

What kind of information?

Rap sheets, witness statements,
things like that.

What about with Emma?

Three days ago,
the lawyer called,

said a client wanted
all the information

that the police had
on Emma Riggs.

- What for?
- He didn't say.

But when I told him that
Emma had a juvie file

under a different last name,

he paid me an extra grand
to unseal it.

What's the name
of this lawyer?

No, I'm having breakfast
with the judge--

hi, Mr. vance.
I'm detective Ryan.

Uh, he's a friend
of a friend.

(Chuckles)

(Laughs) Yeah. And then--

he's gonna need to call you back.
(Cell phone beeps)

What is your problem?
Actually, Mr. Vance,

I'm not the one
with the problem.

- You are.
- Okay. I'm listening.

On behalf of a client,
you paid to have

Emma Riggs' juvenile records
unsealed.

Buying secured police files
is illegal...

And grounds for disbarment.
I would never do that.

Really? Because I have
an N.Y.P.D. Civilian employee

who begs to differ.
He's willing to testify to it.

Detective, I'm not
some ambulance chaser.

I'm a respected attorney
at Kirkpatrick & Young.

So unless you have any real
proof of those claims,

good luck getting any court
to take the word

of a disgraced
civilian employee.

Mr. Vance, you have a client
who's mixed up in a homicide.

By withholding their name,
you're obstructing justice.

Even if I wanted to, I can't
disclose my client's name.

As you're well aware, that falls
under privileged information.

(Clicks tongue)

Hey. (Sighs)

Oh, don't tell me we struck out
on the lawyer.

Yeah, I'm afraid so.

So what do we do now?

Come on, you guys.
If we don't figure this out,

Emma is going away
for life.

What about her scotch bottle?
Did the lab report come back?

Lanie just texted.
There's no evidence

of any drugs or sedatives.

I'm sorry. It looks like
we're dead in the water.

No. Far from it. Guess what
we found in Angelo's apartment.

Angelo's birthday present
to Emma.

- I missed it before because it was wrapped.
- You wanna guess what's inside?

(Under breath) I was... I was gonna have them guess.
(Under breath) Oh, I didn't...

According to these
adoption papers,

Emma's birth mother was
a woman named Stacy Moore.

She died ten years ago.

And her birth father is...

Espo, is this right?

It's right. Emma's dad
is Aaron Stokes.

The real estate developer?
Yeah.

He's considering taking a run
at governor.

Yeah, and I wonder
how the governor's mansion

compares to his big house
on Overlook Road in Scarsdale.

And let me guess.
He's a client

of Kirkpatrick & Young.
That's right.

Looks like Mr. Stokes

is gonna be trading in
his big house for the...

Big... house.

(Laughs)

You ordered Aaron Stokes
in for questioning?

Are you serious?

You told us to build our case,
and Mr. Stokes is where it went.

This is a very powerful man

who happens to be
golfing buddies

with the police
commissioner!

So because he has a standing
tee time with your boss,

he gets away with murder?

I'm handling
the interview.

What-- what?
No. Sir!

- This is our case.
- Yes,

and it'll be your jobs
if there's any blowback.

I am not gonna have you two
risk your careers.

Captain...

I don't have a career
to risk.

How about I back you up
in there?

Okay.

Captain, I, too,
have no career to risk.

Why don't I--
maybe I should...

You know what I'm gonna do,
is I'm gonna stay here.

I think you guys
got this handled.

(Elevator bell dings)

(Stokes) Why am I here?

Do you know who I am?

Why do you think you're
in this room, Mr. Stokes?

A room with
no recording devices.

Okay.

So what do you want
from me?

We know that while you
were married to your wife...

(Sighs)
You were having an affair

with Stacy Moore
that produced a baby girl.

Her name is Emma Riggs.

Have you been in touch
with her, Mr. Stokes?

(Exhales)

No, I've--I've never
seen her before.

What about her boyfriend?
Angelo Vázquez.

Have you been in touch
with him?

No. Is Emma in trouble?

(Beckett)
Well, you could say that.

She's under arrest
for murdering Angelo.

But don't worry. We know
that she's being framed

for that murder.

Who's framing her?

Did you know that Angelo
stole her adoption records

from St. Helena's
home for children?

St. Helena's?

Stacy and I went there
to make the arrangements.

What was I supposed to do,
tell my wife

I was having a baby
with another woman?

31 years,
and not a day has gone by

where I haven't said to myself,
"I should try to find her."

And not a day has gone by
where I haven't then said,

"no, no...

Maybe tomorrow."

It's her birthday.

You still haven't answered
my question.

Did you know that Angelo
stole those adoption records?

What are you two getting at?

Look at it from
our perspective, Mr. Stokes.

The last thing you need
right now

is for some love child to emerge
and destroy your marriage

and any chance of running
for public office.

Are you suggesting that I had
something to do with this?

We know that Angelo showed up
at your home three days ago.

Did you meet him then?

I was in Chicago
three days ago.

If that is true,
then why did you pay

to unseal
Emma's juvenile record?

Where are you getting this?

From your lawyer,
Mr. Stokes.

What lawyer?

Okay, this is
borderline police harassment.

If you continue to hold me
here against my will,

you either need to--
just wait.

Before you get all
lawyer-y,

we already know
everything.

Starting with you being
Aaron Stokes' son-in-law.

So?

So when your in-laws were
out of town,

you were staying
in their Scarsdale house.

So when Angelo went
to go look for Mr. Stokes,

he met you instead.

That's when he told you
the story

about Mr. Stokes'
long-lost daughter Emma.

L-look. Yes,

I stayed at
my father-in-law's house,

but I've never seen this guy
before in my life.

Are you sure? Because...

Well, this is security footage...
(Clicks key)

From inside
Angelo's apartment building

taken about an hour
after his death

down at Emma's place.

Now wait a minute.
Who... who is that?

That...
(Button clicks, computer chimes)

That's you.

Using Angelo's keys
to get in.

How'd you get those?

Now I can only think
of one reason

that you'd break into
in his, uh, apartment,

and that would be to find
Emma's adoption records

to cover up any link
back to your family.

(Esposito)
Now according to this video,

you were inside
that apartment

searching for
a good two hours.

Damn...

You didn't think
to look...

At the wrapped gift
for Emma,

did you?

Oops.

Her adoption records.

Up until then,
your plan was going perfectly.

You spiked Emma's scotch bottle
with knockout drops

and you swapped it out
for an empty one.

Th-that was pretty clever.

But not so clever to throw
the dosed bottle away

at your house.

Yeah. We found the bottle
in your recycle bin.

It tested positive
for chloral hydrate.

Oops again.

All of this
is circumstantial.

I mean, what could possibly
be my motive?

Oh, your father-in-law
helped us out with that one.

Your law firm represents
the Stokeses.

Now you knew that they were
about to transfer

a majority of their wealth
into a trust

for their daughter--
your wife.

And you didn't want
some little orphan Annie

coming around,
making a claim for half.

That's when you decided to kill
the one man who knew the truth

and frame it
on the unknowing heir.

There's just one thing that
we're not so sure about.

Are you gonna make a deal
and plea to murder?

Or you gonna take
your chances in court?

Do lawyers have lawyers?

Emma?

He confessed.

It's over.

Bullet.

Sorry. Sorry.
(Gasps and exhales)

Um, I hope you don't mind,

but someone wants
to meet you.

I'm Aaron.

Emma.

Happy Birthday.

(Laughs)

(Ice cubes rattle)

Well...

Nice having you back.

Oh, it was nice to be back,
even if it was just for one day.

(Knock on door)

Mr. Stokes.
What can we do for you?

Earlier, you two were
only doing your jobs,

but I assumed the worst,
and I'm... sorry.

- Well, how are you doing?
- Not really sure.

But I do know this.

I am going to be there
for Emma this time.

No matter what happens
at her trial,

she's not going to be alone.

Well, I should leave
the both of you to your work.

Captain, thank you
for everything.

You, too, detective.

Uh, actually,
I'm not a detective, but...

But your golfing buddy's

budget cuts
have gotten in the way.

Really?

Wow.

And to think
you boys mocked me

when I had this made
four years ago.

I think I'll have it framed.

Hey, what does it say about
your writing

when your number-one fan
tries to kill you?

That was an accident.

Been one inch higher,
it would have been a tragedy.

But on the bright side,
your autographed copies

of "Deadly Heat" would be
worth way more.

Not funny, Castle.
Little bit funny.

You know, Beckett, despite
your fiancé's near-death,

- today was fun.
- Yeah. We miss working with you.

Good.

'Cause I'm back.

- What?
- What hap--what--

what about the commissioner's
hiring freeze?

Mr. Stokes had a conversation
with the commissioner,

and apparently he found
some money.

So you are back.

Which means... I'm back.

Am--am I back?

Yes. Captain Gates said that you
can serve as a consultant again.

But how does that--
because now we're in a--

so do we have to hide
our relationship,

- to keep it a secret?
- Uh, well, the commissioner is aware of it

and said that it's okay as long
as we behave professionally

in the workplace,
and Captain Gates said that

that can be
our engagement gift.

Hey, everybody, listen up.

Beckett is back!

(Cheers and applause)

(Woman) Beckett's back!

(Cheering continues)

And tonight at The Old Haunt,
drinks are on the house!

(Speaks inaudibly)
(Man) All right!

- Congratulations.
- Thank you.

Uh--whoa! Actually, no,
we can't, not here.

It's, uh, inappropriate.
This is the workplace.

- We gotta be professional. -Uh, well, you know,
I'm not officially back until tomorrow.

I see.