Castle (2009–2016): Season 6, Episode 7 - Like Father, Like Daughter - full transcript

(Grunts)

Aah! (Glass shatters)

(Whack) Aah!

(Sirens wailing in distance)

(Scrubbing)

(Gun cocks) On the ground! Now!

(Police radio chatter)

(Door creaks) Frank?

Frank?

Take a seat, son.

(Gavel bangs) (Man) Please rise.

Frank Henson, 15 years
ago, you were convicted.

By the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

For the 1998 murder of Kimberly Tolbert.

You were sentenced to death.

This court has found insufficient evidence.

To grant an emergency stay.

Thus, your execution will
proceed as scheduled.

At midnight three days from today.

Court is adjourned.

John... I am so sorry.

Thank you, Professor. You
folks did everything you could.

I know my brother appreciates it.

Frank... (Handcuffs click)

This can't be it. There's
got to be something more.

We can do. What about the lab work.

We were gonna test again, or what about...

Alexis, we've played every card.

Sometimes the good guys don't win.

(Castle) I am not giving up.

And you know why? Because
it's the best idea ever.

Castle, I am not getting married in space.

Why not? We could be the first.

Commercial space flight is
only a couple years away,

and you said you wanted it to be special.

Yes, because when I was a little girl,

imagining my wedding day being
stuck in a small tin can.

With a thousand tons of rocket fuel.

Strapped to my ass was
exactly what I had in mind.

Then we agree.

If you don't wanna go and look
at wedding venues this weekend,

then just say so.

I don't wanna go look at
wedding venues this weekend.

Too bad. (Cell phone chimes)

(Beep)

- What?
- Nothing.

It's, um, text alert on the project

Alexis has been working on.

- I thought you guys weren't talking.
- We're not.

Rather... she isn't. So
I insulted her boyfriend.

What's the prison sentence on that?

Oh, Castle, just give her some time.

She'll get over it. That's what you think.

Once when she was 3, I
refused to buy her a candy bar.

She held her breath until she passed out.

You have no idea how determined she can be.

Alexis, we went through the
case files like you asked.

I gotta say, there's
nothing in there that says.

This guy's innocent.

What about the swabs from
Kim Tolbert's body.

That we submitted to
the New York trace lab.

For re-testing? I mean, they've
had them for weeks.

Well, we've been calling every
day to move things along,

but it's not in our jurisdiction.

You don't understand.

A man's going to die in three days.

Unless we do something.

Oh, we do understand.
There's just not much that we can do.

What about your dad?

Have you talked to him about this case?

Yeah, maybe he'll spot something
that no one else did.

(Door opens)

(Pencils clatter) Whoa.

Hey.

Hey.

So...

You're here.

I need your help.

But just because I'm asking.

Doesn't mean things are okay between us.

I'm still mad at you, okay?

Okay.

What's up?

I've been working on this
innocence review case.

With my criminal law Professor.

This guy is on death row
for killing his neighbor...

A high school girl... But he didn't do it,

and they're about to execute him for it.

How do you know he didn't do it?

Well, for one thing,

he had rotator cuff
surgery four months before.

He couldn't have swung the fireplace poker.

Used to kill the victim.

Well, under the rush of adrenaline,

you'd be surprised what
people are capable of.

You sound just like the prosecutor.

But there's more.

They found fresh tire tracks in the dirt.

Outside the victim's back door...

Bicycle treads.

And Frank didn't own a bike.

No, he was 24 then. He worked on... cars.

Wait.

How do you know his name?

You just said it.

No. I didn't.

You know about the case.

How?

Yeah... how?

I must have seen the
file on Esposito's desk.

You've been checking up on me.

No! No.

Well, a little, yes.

- You're unbelievable.
- Couldn't help it.

You're my daughter. I'm
interested in your life,

but you won't return my calls.

Okay, so did you find anything in the file?

Anything that can help?

Alexis, he did have priors.

What makes you think he's innocent?

Because I know him, dad.

I've spent time with
him. He's not a killer.

I know what the evidence
says, but he didn't do this.

I need you to come to Pennsylvania with me.

I need you to help me prove it.

No, come on. I get it.

(Castle) It would only
be for a couple of days,

'cause that's pretty much
all the time there is left,

and it's a chance for
Alexis and me to reconnect.

Castle, you don't have to explain.

We can look at venues another day.

- You sure you're all right with this?
- Yes.

I mean, she's practically family.

I care about her, too.

You're pretty great, you know that?

Yeah. Now go spend some
time with your daughter.

- Thanks.
- Good luck.

It has been a long time since
we have taken a road trip together.

(Closes trunk) Remember the time
we went to amish country?

Ended up getting
chased by that cow? (Laughs)

Dad, this isn't a road
trip, and this isn't about fun.

This is about having less than 70 hours.

To save a man from execution.

Let's go.

Right.

Fasten your seatbelt. (Seatbelts click)

Gonna be a bumpy ride.

(Starts engine)

So...

How is, uh...

How is Pi? Everything still good?

Why are you asking about Pi?

I... just thought.

- We should chat about...
- Dad, I know what you're doing.

What am I doing?

You're trying to bond.

No, I'm not. (Chuckles)

Yes, you are. We haven't talked in weeks,

so now you're trying to make this about us.

No, I wasn't.

(Sighs) I wasn't, so...

And what if I was? Would that be so bad?

I just thought you were here for the case.

I am.

Then how come you haven't
asked a single question about it.

Since we left?

Okay.

Um... so what do I need to know?

Frank Henson... the accused.

We're meeting him at the
prison. He's Pennsylvania blue collar,

struggled through high
school, but he's smart.

He earned his
Automotive Mechanic degree in '95.

He's a little rough around the edges,

but he's got a good heart.

- Okay.
- Oh, and...

And there's Maggie. (Photo rustles)

Who's Maggie?

Maggie Ingram, the love of his life.

She'll be at the prison, too.

Love of his life?

Is it one of those
prison pen pal romance things?

Dad, no. She's his high school sweetheart.

He proposed to her two
weeks before his arrest.

And she stayed with him?

She's been by his side the whole time.

Every hearing, every appeal.

She's the one who wrote
to the innocence review.

Every week for three
years to get us involved.

(File rustles)

You know, Alexis, um...

Th-this is a long
shot. You know that, right?

I mean, it may not work
out the way you hope.

I-I just don't wanna...

Just don't wanna see you hurt.

Dad, I know these people.

I care about them.

It already hurts.

(Buzzer)

(Buzzer)

(Man) You're good.

(Door clanks) Alexis.

Thank God. Mm.

Maggie, this is my dad.

Hi.

Mr. Castle, thanks for coming.

I'd almost given up till Alexis called.

Oh.

(Keys jangle)

(Door clanks in distance)

(Handcuffs clattering)

Hey, baby.

Hey, sunshine.

So what is this, a going away party?

- No. They came back to help.
- Help out?

Lost the appeal. It's over, isn't it?

No. It's not over. Not yet.

This is Mr. Castle, Alexis' father.

Hi.

Nice to meet you, Mr. Castle.

(Handcuffs clatter) Your
girl's one in a million.

- You should be proud.
- Oh, I am.

So are you some kind of lawyer?

Oh, no.

- You a cop?
- No.

I'm a... mystery writer.

He's more than that.

He's helped the NYPD crack
their biggest cases.

Well, I don't... I don't wanna oversell it.

You ever save a guy on death row?

No.

But my dad's a genius at
uncovering the real story.

Frank, I know you've been through this.

More times than you can
stomach, but if you can...

Tell him what happened that night.

Frank.

I was working on my Camaro.

I spent every waking
hour with it back then.

My house alarm went off.

(Alarm beeping)

I was doing some welding,

and the smoke set off the garage alarm.

The code is Stingray 7.

(Beeping continues)

(Beeping stops) It's off now.

Thank you.

(Woman screams in
distance) (Telephone beeps)

That's when I heard the
screams across the street.

I ran over to see what happened.

Hello?

(Doorknob rattling)

Is everyone all right?

Back door was open, so I went inside.

She was lying there.

The blood was, uh...

Whatever happened, i was too late.

(Sirens wailing) I heard
the sirens, and I panicked.

I mean, I knew how it
would look, so I took a rag.

And tried to wipe down all my prints,

but I ran out of time.

I had her blood on me, a police record.

It... went the way you'd expect.

And what about your home security company?

Did they have a record of your call?

(Alexis) Yes.

But the prosecution argued it
still left plenty of time.

How well did you know Kim Tolbert?

Not that well.

I mean, her mom and her
lived there a few years,

and... Kim'd flirt with me a little bit.

I was friendly, but that was it.

They entered her diary into record.

She wrote that she had a crush on Frank,

so the prosecutor made Frank out
to be some kind of predator.

And you didn't... see
anyone as you ran into the house?

No. They must have bolted out
the back before I got there.

Well, what about back then?

Anybody she was having a problem with?

Lyle Gomez, Kim's high
school ex-boyfriend.

They had a very... stormy relationship.

Plus she dumped him a
week before she was killed.

Police talk to him?

Well, they didn't have to. They had me.

Mr. Castle, I've got three
days left on God's earth.

I don't need you to find the real killer.

I just need somebody to prove it wasn't me.

Castle, take it easy. Calm down.

(Lowered voice) Calm down?

You should have seen the
way these people looked at me.

Like I'm some kind of savior.

I-I don't even know if he's innocent.

Okay, how can I help?

I don't even know if i can help.

I mean... what if I can't?
Alexis would never forgive me.

Just do your best,
Castle. I mean, she loves you.

And I'm here... For both of you.

She's coming. I gotta
go. (Cell phone beeps)

(Door closes) Hey.

- Ready to get
started? - Uh-huh.

Let's go.

(Cell phone beeps)

(Crickets chirping)

This is everything
spanning the life of the case.

Well, the least your
Professor could've done.

Is throw in some cliffsnotes.

So what do we know about this
ex-boyfriend of Kim's?

Lyle Gomez.

Uh, was a varsity football player.

Hot and cold relationship with Kim.

Everyone that knew
him said he had a temper.

Do you guys talk to him?

Professor McDonald and
the defense lawyer tried,

but Lyle told them he
didn't want to relive it.

Said it was too painful.

And there's no evidence that indicates.

- He might have done it?
Nothing at all? - Mnh-mnh.

What are all these little
things on the floor around the body?

Charms. They broke off her bracelet
during the struggle.

So before the attack,

there might have been some
pushing and shoving.

Lovers' quarrels can start like that.

Before they turn to something else.

But aside from Maggie's theory,

there's nothing tying Lyle to any of this.

But... maybe you'll
see something we missed.

Hey, so that evidence the innocence review.

Submitted to the trace
lab... How close are they.

To looking at it?

Well, from what we
heard, it's gonna take weeks,

which means they'll
never get to it in time.

(Sighs)

(Exhales deeply)

- What?
- Well, by all accounts,

Kim was a bright and beautiful girl.

Who everyone loved.

She had no enemies to speak of,

and nothing points to
anyone other than Frank.

Because they didn't look at
anyone other than Frank.

Or maybe because... It was Frank.

Look, I'm sorry,
Alexis. It's just sometimes...

Okay, fine. But if it was Frank,

what was his motive?

Right.

Wow. You innocence review
folks just won't give up, will you?

Can I help you, officer... "Lane"?

Kim's murder tore this town apart.

I guess, uh,

we're just wondering what
you all are fighting for.

- Justice.
- Justice?

He had her blood on his
hands when they caught him.

He was holding the shop rag.

That he used to wipe down the crime scene.

You want justice? Let him meet his maker.

Has it been like that the whole time?

Pretty much.

Okay, let's go over this again.

Frank hears a scream.
He runs across the way.

He bangs on the door. It's locked.

- He runs around the back.
- He finds the back door open and goes inside.

Back door was open. Wait.

(Cell phone beeps)

What time of year was
the murder... November?

Yeah, the 13th. Why?

1998. Temperature that night was...

40 degrees.

So?

So that's far too cold for
Kim to have left the door open.

Yet according to Frank, it was open,

presumably because someone
else committed the crime.

Yeah, but everyone thinks he's lying.

Yes, but what they don't see,

what no one sees.

Is that we can prove whether
or not he was lying.

Come on. I'll get the
car. You pay the check.

Wait. Dad?

Come on, dad. Will you
please tell me what you're doing?

If Frank is guilty,

then he would have opened
the back door, which means...

He would have wiped down the doorknob.

To get rid of his fingerprints.

(Files rustling) But if he's
telling the truth and the back door.

Was already open, he
wouldn't have needed to wipe it.

Because he never touched it.

And that would mean someone
else was there that night.

Question is, did CSU

dust that doorknob for fingerprints?

Here it is.

- They did.
- And?

(Closes file) And... it was wiped clean.

Sorry, sweetie. He lied.

- But it doesn't make any sense.
- I know.

I wanted to believe it as much as you.

No, I mean this report.

It says the back
doorknob was totally clean...

No prints, no nothing.

So Frank couldn't have wiped it down.

The shop rag Frank
used was covered in grease.

From working on his car. They
found traces of grease.

In other places where he
wiped down his prints,

but there's no mention
of it on the doorknob.

It isn't in the report.

Dad, if there wasn't any grease...

Then someone else was there,

wiped down the
doorknob before Frank got there,

getting rid of their own prints.

Someone else was there that night.

Sweetie, you were right.

Someone else killed Kim Tolbert.

Yes, Professor, I understand.

Okay. Bye.

(Cell phone beeps)

- What'd he say?
- It's not enough.

But we know someone
else wiped down the doorknob.

Yeah. But he says you can't build a case.

Based on evidence that isn't there.

(Cell phone rings)

It's Beckett. (Cell phone beeps)

Hey.

Hey, how's it going?

I... (Stammers) Not... not so good.

We'd be grasping at straws if we had any.

Well, I might have one for you.

I went to the trace lab last night.

Their people wouldn't
run your case evidence,

but I found someone else that would.

Who?

It's Lanie. Put me on speaker.

Yeah. Um... you're on.

Alexis, why on earth.

Wouldn't you come to me directly?

- Lanie, I didn't know you could do...
- She convinced

a contact at the lab to
run evidence after hours.

Now we re-tested every swab taken.

From Kim's body 15 years ago.

Everything listed in Pennsylvania's report.

Came out in our report,

with the exception of one thing.

We found trace amounts of ammonium nitrate.

That their lab never picked up.

Ammonium nitrate?

It's an oxidizing agent, commonly found.

In cold packs, uh, explosives,

- fertilizer.
- Fertilizer.

Wait.

Lyle Gomez.

Kim's ex-boyfriend. He used
to work at a gardening store.

Dad, it's him. That's why
he wouldn't speak with us.

- We have to go talk to him.
- Wait a minute.

If you guys think someone
out there is involved,

then you need to get ahold of the police.

Yeah, I don't think the police are gonna be

of much help around here.

Castle, if he's your
killer, he's dangerous.

I can't help you if something happens.

Uh, look, Beckett, Frank
Henson has two days to live.

This is our only lead. What
else are we supposed to do?

Okay. Now odds are, Lyle Gomez will not.

Want to speak with us,

but I've got
experience with guys like this,

so you just leave it to me.

(Alexis) Oh, there he is.

All right, that does not bode well.

(Unbuckles seat belt)

Oh, oh, whoa. Where you think you're going?

- To talk to him.
- Whoa. Alexis, no. Absolutely not.

He just gave us a
none-too-subtle hint.

He was looking at you,
dad. He won't talk to you,

but I can reach him.

The man is a possible murder suspect.

He won't do anything with you here.

But what makes you even think.

He's gonna open the door to you?

I'm a teenage girl. I'll remind him of Kim.

- No, I'm not...
- I'm not asking for permission.

I'll be watching you like a hawk.

(Car door closes)

You people need to stay off my property.

I guess Kim was wrong about you.

What do you mean?

I read her diary.

She said you were kind, caring,

made her feel safe.

What else did she say?

How about you let me in?

(Door closes)

Not a day goes by I don't think about her.

You ever been in love so bad, it hurt?

Is that why you don't talk about it?

Where were you when it happened?

Kim called me that night.

She wanted me to pick
her up from Jasper Grove.

Jasper Grove? What's that?

Farmland and woods, east
of town. Kids party there.

She must have gone to
one, which surprised me.

Because she barely ever drank.

But Kim broke up with you, right?

So why'd she call you?

She said I was the only
one that she could trust.

She was upset.

About what?

She didn't say. I figured
somebody hit on her.

Anyway, she asked me to
drive her home, so I did.

What happened then?

I was hoping that her calling meant.

That she'd give me another chance.

(Inhales deeply) So I asked.

- If I could come in.
- And did you?

She wanted to be alone.

She said she had some
decisions she needed to make.

So I decided I needed to get drunk.

So I went and I shoplifted a pint of Jack,

but the shop owner caught me.

He made me pick up every
single piece of litter.

In his parking lot as punishment.

When I heard the sirens,

I thought he was arresting me, too.

Those sirens were for Kim.

When I got to her house, I saw Frank.

I saw her body on the stretcher.

If I had just found a way to stay there,

she'd be alive.

Did you tell this to the police?

They didn't ask. Why would
they? They had the guy.

Why do you think Frank killed her?

Maybe he got jealous.

He didn't like seeing her with other guys.

What other guys?

I didn't ask.

But I know they dropped by her house.

Other boys.

Thanks.

(Gasps)

(Lowered voice) Dad, what are you doing?!

(Door closes)

I was overreacting, maybe.

You were in there a long time.

And I came away with some leads.

Turns out Kim was seeing other boys.

(Footsteps depart)

(Frank) What other boys?

We were hoping you could tell us.

You lived across the street from her.

Do you remember seeing any other guys.

Go to Kim's house?

That was 15 years ago. This
is important, Frank.

One of them may be involved in her death.

That's the only lead you have?

We're also looking.

Into the party Kim went to that night.

We have NYPD checking, seeing if.

Anything was reported in Jasper Grove.

That could connect to her murder.

Try to focus on kids you
saw at Kim's house.

Anything you can
remember... Hair color, cars they drove,

bikes they rode. Not
just that day. Any day.

Try to think.

I'm tired of thinking.

I'm tired all around,
to tell you the truth.

Frank.

It's over, Alexis.

Don't say that.

All these years...

Maggie has been leading this charge.

She's been my rock,

and now I've gotta be hers.

I've got less than two days.

To help her make peace with
what's about to come.

The last thing that she
needs is more false hope.

- This isn't false hope.
- It is false hope.

- It's done.
- This could be what turns everything around!

It's done. Alexis...

Guard.

Listen, I appreciate
everything you've done,

everything you've tried to do.

(Handcuffs rattle)

But it's time to let it go.

(Handcuffs clattering)

Dad, we might be on to something.

How can Frank just give up?

After what he's been
through, I can't blame him.

So you're giving up, too.

Hey, we are gonna follow
every possible lead, but...

(Dialing cell phone) We
can't go back to Frank,

not until we have solid
evidence that he's innocent. (Line rings)

(Line clicks) (Ryan) Hey, Castle.

Hey, Ryan, did you come up with
anything on Jasper Grove?

No police or incident reports.

From the night that Kim Tolbert died.

However, I did find definite signs.

Of trouble in Jasper Grove.

What kind of trouble?

A farmhouse there was foreclosed on.

In '97, stood empty till '99.

That's when a young family bought it,

but as soon as they moved
in, they all got sick.

Turns out the place was contaminated.

With toxic chemicals.

From what?

Uh, high levels of residue.

From methamphetamine
production, which might explain.

Your ammonium nitrate.

Someone was using the
farmhouse to cook meth?

Yeah, and it looks like.

It might have been kids.

What makes you say that?

Photos from the county assessor's office.

Show bicycle tracks in the
dirt all over the property.

Thank you very much,
Ryan. (Cell phone beeps)

Bike tracks.

There were bike tracks outside Kim's house.

Dad, do you realize what this means?

That maybe the party Kim went
to was at that farmhouse.

And she saw kids doing meth.

- Well, not just doing meth. Cooking meth.
- That's why she had to get out of there.

- That's why she told Lyle she had some decisions to make.
- She was thinking about turning them in.

So maybe when she left the party...

One of our teenage meth cookers.

Got worried she'd go to the cops.

- So he went after her.
- On his bike.

Mm-hmm. The tire tracks at her house...

He knew where she lived because
he'd been there before.

He was one of the other
guys Kim was seeing.

(Together) We need to talk to Kim's mother.

Now that was weird.

Usually I do that with Beckett.

Ew.

(Door opens)

Hey, what are you doing here?

Hey. I, um...

Just wanted to... thank
you for all of your help.

With Castle and Alexis.

Seemed like you could have done that
over the phone. (Gloves snap)

All right. (Sighs) Talk to me, girlfriend.

Tell me what's on your mind.

Do you find it odd that Alexis has gone.

To everyone but me on this case?

She hasn't gone to Perlmutter yet.

Yeah, well, no one
does if they can help it.

Well, you can't take it personally.

No, I know. It's just...

Castle and I are about to become a family,

which is weird enough as it is, and...

He and Alexis have this whole history.

That has nothing to do with me,

and it kind of feels like
when it comes to the two of them,

I'm always gonna be on the outside.

Perfect families don't exist.

It's gonna be up to you.

To find a way to make your baggage.

Match their baggage.

It's up to you to make your own history.

(Doorbell rings)

Mrs. Tolbert, we're very sorry to intrude.

You have some nerve.

I know who you are, what
you're trying to do.

Look, whatever you may have heard about us,

we are not here to tell you that
Frank Henson is innocent.

We'd just like to ask you some questions.

Questions no one else can answer.

Otherwise, we would not bother you.

What questions?

Did Kim have problems

with any of the other guys she was seeing?

There was no one else. Just Lyle.

And she'd just broken off with him.

Well, it's just that.

We had heard that some other
boys had stopped by the house.

Some boys? Yeah, she was a tutor.

Some of her students were embarrassed.

That they needed help, so
she kept things quiet.

That's who she was.

Do you remember these students' names?

I'm not about to let you
hang this on one of them.

- Now you need to leave.
- Thank you for your time.

Oh, oh, Ma'am, just one more question.

What subject did Kim tutor?

Chemistry.

- Dad...
- I know. Kim tutored chemistry.

So what if one of her students tricked her.

Into helping him learn how to cook meth?

And when she figured out what
he was doing, he killed her.

No, there's something else.

As soon as Mrs. Tolbert
said "Chemistry," I remembered.

Look at this. Two
identical chemistry books.

Were found at the scene of the crime.

So maybe the other one belonged
to one of her students.

Right, but a textbook
like this is expensive.

If you lost one, you'd have to pay a fine.

You'd want it back.

Unless it would implicate you in a murder.

Dad, if we figure out whose book this is,

we might find our killer.

I don't know if that's possible.

I mean, these books are over 15 years old.

It's worth a shot.

Actually, some of
them are over 20 years old.

But because of budget
cuts, we still use them.

Can you pull up records
all the way back to 1998?

Well, even if I can, I probably shouldn't.

Uh... perhaps.

A generous donation for
new textbooks is in order.

I suppose I could bend the rules.

These are the barcodes from each book.

(Mouse clicking)

Make it out to "Cash."

Hmm. (Clicking continues)

Hmm. Hmm...

Where are ya? Oh, let's see...

Both of them are
actually still in our system.

Loaned out September 8th, 1998.

- Neither was ever returned.
- Any way you can figure out who they belonged to?

Hmm. (Resumes clicking mouse)

Mm. One was Kim
Tolbert's... The poor girl who died.

And the other one?

Uh, looks like it
belonged to one John Henson.

Oh, my God.

That's Frank's younger brother.

The chemistry book puts
John in Kim's house,

but we're gonna need a lot more than that.

To prove he's our killer.

These files are all on Frank.

There's not a lot here on John.

(Cup clatters) How long until
Ryan finishes his background check?

He should be calling any minute.

Have you managed to find anything.

That might link John to the murder.

No, but I did find
something that links John to Kim.

According to this accident report,

Frank was speeding and
got in a car crash in '97.

John was with him.

He was hurt pretty badly.

He had to miss a lot of school.

He was taking chemistry that semester,

which is probably why he
needed tutoring from Kim.

(Cell phone chimes) That'll be Ryan.

"John Henson. Clean record.

No convictions, no arrests." Whoa, wait.

One arrest in '98, 3 months
before Kim was killed,

for possession of a controlled substance.

Meth?

Doesn't say, and the charges were dropped,

but this establishes John
was involved in drugs.

And if Kim had gone to the police.

Saying he was a meth cooker,

he wouldn't have gotten
off with a slap on the wrist.

That's motive for murder.

We need to talk to John.

According to this, he lives in Manhattan.

(Beckett) Thank you for
coming in, Mr. Henson.

Anything for Frank.

Of course, at this
point, he needs a miracle.

(Pen clicks) I've
always supported my brother.

I never wanted to
think he could have hurt Kim,

but if someone else did this,

why haven't they been found by now?

Well, maybe no one was
looking in the right place.

Now how well did you know Kim?

Well, I saw her every day at school.

Anywhere else? Outside of class?

Her house, sometimes. She tutored me.

And were you at her
house the day that she died?

No. Why?

We were just wondering what
your chemistry book.

Was doing at her house.

Well, I must have left
it there... or forgot it.

And you never asked for it
back? I mean, Kim was killed.

Somewhere in the
middle of your school term.

Wouldn't you have needed it?

Well, I might have bought a new one.

It was a long time ago.
I don't really remember.

Why does that matter?

You know, it probably doesn't.

Um... (Paper rustles)

Now in your statement,

you said you were in your
room at the time of Kim's murder,

but you didn't hear her scream.

That's right.

Did you hear any other unusual
sounds that night?

Uh, not that I can think of.

What about the smoke alarm?

Yeah, no, I did hear that.

(Papers rustle)

In Frank's trial testimony,

he never mentioned you coming
down to the garage,

so you were in your room the whole time.

- The alarm was going off?
- Yes, I was.

Now I find that odd, Mr. Henson,

because the security
company logs show the alarm sounded.

For a full two minutes.

And 47 seconds,

but you stayed in your
room that whole time.

Never got up to check and make sure.

That the house wasn't burning down?

You never heard the
alarm going off, did you?

Because you weren't in your house.

What are you saying?

That I killed Kim, that I did it?

Where were you that night?

(Huffs)

I'm not answering any
more of your questions.

What is this, guys? I thought we were done.

Mr. Henson, we've, uh,
uncovered some new evidence...

Evidence that suggests someone
else killed Kim Tolbert.

Who? Frank, I know this
is going to be hard to hear,

but we think it could be John.

No. John? Based on what?

His chemistry book was
found at the crime scene.

His alibi for where he was when
Kim died is falling apart.

What the hell is wrong with you?

I told you to drop it. What do you mean?

Frank, we're really on to something.

And I'm saying get off it.
You leave John out of this.

Honey, what's wrong with
you? If John did this...

He knows.

He knows it was John.

Frank? Is this true?

I...

You knew this whole time?

Why would you do this?

Why would you throw your life away?

Because I threw his away.

Okay? I'm the reason why he killed her.

No. Frank, whatever John
did, it can't be your fault.

You remember that
Camaro I was telling you about?

I rolled that car...

With Johnny in it.

I walked away...

But he didn't.

After the head injury, he
wasn't right for a while.

He started taking drugs.

He got violent.

He'd have these memory lapses.

He wouldn't remember what he did.

(Castle) Frank.

What really happened that night?

My worst nightmare came true.

(Beeping)

It's off now. Thank you.

(Kim screams)

(Sobbing)

Oh, my God.

(Continues sobbing)

What'd you do, John? What'd you do?!

(Both grunting) (Charms clatter)

(Panting) You gotta get out of here.

You hear me? Go back to the house.

Get cleaned up. Go! Now!

(Sirens wailing)

The next thing I knew, the cops were there.

I mean... what was I supposed to do?

- People need to know, Frank.
- No, they don't.

And if they ask me, I'm gonna deny it.

- They're about to kill you.
- I know.

And you're gonna let them, when
it was John who did this.

Maggie, he doesn't remember.

I-it took three, four
times of him coming here.

For me to realize that
he... he doesn't remember

anything from that night.

Look, I always hoped I'd get off.

On some kind of technicality, you know?

Not this.

Never this.

He's built a life.

He's got a wife.

He's got two kids,

and I-I'm not gonna
take that away from him.

(Exhales unevenly) Frank, please...

I'm sorry.

This is the way it's gotta be.

(Gasps and breathes unevenly)

There must be something we can do.

It's not what Frank wants.

But he's innocent,
dad, and he's going to die.

Tomorrow.

I know.

I actually started
believing we could save the guy.

And we almost did.

I know how much he loves Maggie.

If he just had more
time to think about this,

maybe he'd change his mind.

But the clock just ran out.

The clock.

What time was that 911 call again?

Uh, neighbor reported
hearing the scream at 8:04 P.M.

Why? We missed something.

Come take a look at this photo.

This wall decoration could have
fallen down during the struggle.

You mean the solar system thingy?

Not just a solar system thingy.

Our orbiting planets don't
line up like that.

This is a binary clock.

- That's a clock?
- Yeah. For science geeks like Kim.

You count the amount of
planets in each quadrant,

it tells you the time. In this case, 7:32.

7:32? That's a
half-hour before our 911 call.

That's because the scream that Frank heard.

Came from John we he
discovered Kim's body at 8:04.

She'd already been dead for 30 minutes.

Both brothers are innocent.

Hey. I just got off the
phone with Kim's mom.

Whoa. You called Kim's mom?

Desperate times.

- And she didn't hang up on you?
- No.

She mostly yelled.

She wouldn't tell me who Kim tutored,

but she did say that all the checks

Kim got from tutoring went
into her college fund.

So she was paid by check.

That means somewhere
there's a record of who paid her.

Mm-hmm. Ryan and
Esposito are checking banks now.

This is it, dad.

Jasper Grove, meth, the bike tracks...

If it wasn't Frank or John,

it has to be one of those other kids.

You still going through that video?

Yeah. Now that we know
neither Frank or John killed her,

this video plays very differently.

Watch this. (Click)

(Click)

See that?

No. What?

Frank said he found her body on the floor.

Did he ever mention moving her?

No. According to Frank,
he just pulled John away.

Exactly. Breaking the charm bracelet,

spilling the charms on the floor.

But watch as a medical examiner's team.

Moves her body for the first time.

(Click) See it now?

It looks like another
charm from her bracelet.

But if the charm
bracelet broke after she died,

how did the charm end up under her body?

Okay, Castle, we got the
evidence box from the lab.

- What are we looking for?
- Okay, the evidence log says.

There should be a bag containing charms.

- From Kim's broken charm bracelet.
- Got it.

One of those charms should
be shaped like a dolphin.

It's here.

You should have the
rope bracelet there, too.

Thread that dolphin
charm onto the bracelet.

Okay... I'm threading.

Nope. Can't do it. The hole's too small.

It doesn't fit. That's because
it didn't come from Kim's bracelet.

It was left behind by our killer.

Lanie, can you get DNA off that charm?

Maybe, but it won't help unless you have.

Someone to match it to.

We need to know who she was tutoring.

You should call them
again. (Breathing nervously)

I just called them 20 minutes ago.

I don't understand. Why
is it taking so long?

Ryan found the bank where
Kim had her account hours ago.

The account was closed in '98.

The bank has moved three times since then.

- They may not have even kept the files.
- And what if they didn't?

- We're running out of time. We need to go to the judge.
- With what?

Frank will never
admit to covering for John.

That would put John at the crime scene.

So what do we do? Dad, tell me what to do!

Hey, I don't know, but whatever happens,

we're gonna deal with it.

All right?

Together.

I'm sorry I was mad at you.

Oh, no.

I deserved it. I'm sorry.

(Cell phone rings)

(Beep) Yes?

What are the names?

(Gasps)

(Clicks pen)

- (Castle) Chief Lane.
- Can I help you?

No, chief. But we can help you.

This little dolphin pendant.

Was found in Kim Tolbert's living
room the night she died,

underneath her body.

So? (Slides photo)

So it's not hers.

You people are unbelievable.

Officer Lane, how old
were you when Kim died?

- Excuse me?
- You were in her class.

In fact, she tutored you, didn't she?

What's this all about?

Checks you wrote to Kim Tolbert, chief,

to pay for your son's tutoring.

Needed some help keeping his grades up.

Yeah, I bet because of swim team.

You guys took state that
year. It was big news.

Teddy, what's going on here?

The night Kim Tolbert was murdered,

she was in Jasper Grove,

near a farmhouse you had foreclosed
on a year earlier.

That house was later
found to be contaminated.

With methamphetamine residue.

We believe your son was one of
the people who contaminated it.

We also believe he wanted
to be tutored in chemistry.

So he could learn how to cook meth.

This is ridiculous.

(Castle) But Kim caught on to you,

and that was bad for business.

So when she left that
party, you followed her.

(Alexis) We found ammonium
nitrate on her body.

I'd be willing to bet that the tire treads.

Outside the farmhouse are
going to be a match.

To the bike treads behind Kim's house.

The night of her murder.

And then, of course, there's that.

(Castle) Now that's
enough circumstantial evidence.

For a judge...

But it's 2013.

I mean, now we can even take degraded DNA,

have it amplified, tested.

And I'm sure that your evidence storage.

Has kept your dolphin well preserved.

Teddy?

Say something.

Look at me.

Teddy!

(Breathes unevenly)

(Judge) Based on

the overwhelming circumstantial evidence.

And the exculpatory results.

Obtained from post-conviction DNA testing,

the commonwealth of
Pennsylvania hereby vacates

Franklin Thomas Henson's murder conviction.

And sanctions his exoneration.

(Gallery murmuring)

I'm sure you've spent far too many years.

Having judges look down on you,

so I'll come down from
the bench and deliver.

The signed order of dismissal myself.

Thank you.

(Gasps)

(Applause continues)

(Both laugh)

Mm... (Sniffles)

I thought it was you.

All this time, you were protecting me.

(Sobbing) How can you ever forgive me?

Ahh... forgive you? (Sniffles)

I love you.

I'm just ready to live, brother.

What you did here was amazing.

Thank you...

For everything.

Anytime.

You ready?

Don't you want to stay and celebrate?

No.

This is enough.

Besides, there's someone else

I need to thank.

(Speaking inaudibly)