Beckett finally understood why Castle had behaved so unusually at Councilman Horn's house last night. He had been suspicious of Mrs. Horn from the start. What she couldn't comprehend was how Castle had immediately suspected the councilman's wife after a brief glance at the scene and listening to the questioning.
With no one else around, Beckett didn't hesitate to voice her questions to Castle.
Castle, intent on helping Beckett quickly solve the case to alleviate the pressure from the unresolved Adam case, didn't beat around the bush. He straightforwardly explained his reasoning, which he had carefully thought through the previous night, guiding Beckett's investigation in the right direction.
"Last night, after I got home, I did some research on Jeff Horn's background. I found that when he first ran for office, he was broke. It was his wife, Lari Horn, who financed his campaign using her family's trust fund."
"Wait, Lari Horn's family wealth... How does that connect to Jeff Horn's murder?" Beckett interrupted, confused by Castle's reasoning.
"I haven't gotten to the critical part yet. Think about it, most murders, unless committed by psychopaths or serial killers with random targets, have three main motives: money, love, or other interests.
So, when a councilman at the peak of his career, seeking re-election, is suddenly murdered, what's your first instinct about the motive?"
Castle's question made Beckett ponder deeply. After a while, she looked up at him. "And what do you think was the motive?"
Determined to act like a wise elder, Castle confidently stated, "An affair. That's what I think. Councilman Horn was successful, but we all know how long-term relationships can sour. Perhaps he grew tired of his wife but couldn't leave her openly because his career was built on her support. So, maybe he had a lover in secret, and when Lari found out, she couldn't tolerate it and killed him?"
Castle's explanation seemed too far-fetched for Beckett. She wasn't convinced, given the limited evidence they had. Moreover, she couldn't direct the investigation solely based on Castle's theory.
However, Castle had proven through past experiences that his wild ideas often held some truth. So, while Beckett didn't agree to focus directly on Lari Horn, she didn't dismiss Castle's theory either. She called Esposito and Ryan, instructing them to investigate whether Councilman Horn had any secret affairs. Then she turned back to Castle. "Your theory is plausible, but we need evidence to back it up. For now, it's just one of our investigative angles."
Castle wasn't concerned about his suggestion being secondary. He had intentionally kept the details vague because he couldn't reveal the final outcome outright.
With Beckett taking his words seriously, the police would soon uncover the escort Tiffany and the private investigator who took compromising photos of Jeff. Once these leads surfaced, and with the news of Lari Horn planning to replace her late husband in the election, the pieces would fall into place, creating a perfect chain of evidence.
Esposito and Ryan went off to investigate Jeff's possible affair, while Castle accompanied Beckett to meet Jeff's rival, Jason, to see if they could glean any information from him.
In reality, Jason was the one who hired the private investigator to take compromising photos of Jeff with Tiffany. Jason had intended to use these photos as leverage in the election, unaware that the private investigator would blackmail Jeff, pushing him to the brink. Desperate, Jeff had confessed to Lari, asking for her help in paying off the blackmailer.
But Jeff's campaign manager, Nesbitt, saw this as a major scandal risk. Worried that even paying the blackmailer wouldn't ensure the photos stayed hidden, Nesbitt conspired with Lari. They lured Jeff to an underpass, where Nesbitt killed him. Nesbitt then convinced Lari to run for election, hoping to further his political career.
Castle's goal in accompanying Beckett was to expedite the investigation. He planned to directly confront Jason, getting him to admit hiring the private investigator in front of Beckett, thus convincing her of Jeff's affair and focusing the investigation on Lari and Nesbitt.
Upon meeting the seemingly righteous Jason, Castle didn't give Beckett a chance to start questioning. He directly asked the critical questions, catching Jason off guard. Although surprised, Beckett watched silently, knowing Castle's unconventional methods often yielded results.
Flustered by Castle's direct approach, Jason admitted hiring a private investigator to capture compromising photos of Jeff with Tiffany. He insisted he hadn't killed Jeff, claiming he only intended to use the photos for political gain, not murder.
After securing the photos and warning Jason not to leave town without permission, Beckett and Castle left Jason's office.
Holding the envelope with Jeff's compromising photos, Beckett silently fumed, waiting for Castle to explain himself.
Seeing Beckett's patience wearing thin, Castle finally spoke. "Don't look at me like that. If you have questions, just ask. I won't hide anything from you!"
Grinding her teeth, Beckett glared at him. "Did you investigate this case on your own? How did you know Jason hired a PI to dig up dirt on Jeff and took photos? What else are you hiding from me?"
"I didn't investigate it myself. I just had a hunch. Think about it. As a rival, Jason would likely know secrets about Jeff that we don't. The enemy often knows you best, right?
You saw his reaction. He was both happy and dejected. The happiness is understandable—his opponent is dead. But his dejection? It likely means he had dirt on Jeff but couldn't use it because of Jeff's death. I took a gamble, and it paid off."
Castle's explanation left Beckett both exasperated and amused.
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