Beckett, who had been poring over the documents, still couldn't figure it out. She looked up at Castle, who was sitting by her desk, uncharacteristically silent and clearly bored. "Don't you have anything to say? Our recent conversation made your thoughts clear, but there's no need for complete silence, is there? This isn't like you at all. So, what do you think?"
As the saying goes, "A leopard can't change its spots." Though Castle was moved by seeing Eslica's corpse and realized that his recent behavior had been too high-profile, prompting a desire to lie low for a while, it wasn't easy to change overnight. Hadn't he already hinted about the letter to Beckett when they were at Eslica's apartment?
Since returning to the precinct, Castle had been suppressing his urge to talk, but now, with Beckett asking him directly, he couldn't hold back. "I do have some thoughts, but I said earlier I wouldn't interfere with your investigation. So, maybe I shouldn't say anything."
Seeing Castle's face, clearly saying "Ask me, ask me," Beckett couldn't help but laugh. "This isn't you interfering; I'm asking you. Aren't you a consultant? That's your job—to answer my questions. Got it?"
After Beckett forcibly clarified the role of a consultant, Castle, as if a lock had been undone, exclaimed, "You should have said so earlier! If my job is to answer your questions, I'd have spoken up long ago!"
Beckett, uninterested in Castle's antics, urged him, "Tell me, what have I missed?"
"First, we need to find out why Eslica was doing a DNA test and whose DNA sample she was comparing with hers. This could be the main reason she was killed. Secondly, we need to quickly find out where she worked. Only by understanding her work situation can we get a glimpse into her life. From her apartment, it looks like she didn't have much of a social life, making her work environment even more crucial. Lastly, we need to find out who the boy and his mother in that photo are and why Eslica slashed the mother's face. This suggests she hated the mother. Why did she hate her? What's their relationship?"
Having been given the green light to speak, Castle eagerly shared his thoughts. Before Beckett could respond, he continued.
"Although her husband, Theodore Hayek, has a history of violence, I don't think he's the killer. The landlord said Eslica had been living alone for at least a year. If her husband were seeking revenge for her leaving him, he would've come to her apartment. But the landlord was clear that Eslica had no visitors over the past year, so the likelihood of her husband being the killer is low."
Castle's words left Beckett in deep thought. She walked over to the whiteboard covered in notes, focusing on the photo Castle had found behind Eslica's wardrobe. Her intuition told her that this photo was key to the case.
Castle also subtly hinted at Hayek's innocence, knowing that this seemingly fierce Eastern European man was actually kind-hearted. After losing his son, Hayek couldn't bear losing his beloved wife too and being interrogated by the fierce Esposito would be too cruel. Castle's defense seemed to have worked, as Beckett no longer suspected Hayek.
As Beckett pondered the case, Castle sat idly by her desk, bored. At that moment, Esposito and Ryan brought in Eslica's husband, Theodore Hayek, handcuffed and looking fierce.
"Beckett, this guy tried to run when he saw us, so we had to cuff him," Esposito explained, seeing the surprised looks from Beckett and Castle.
Beckett, understanding her team's caution, directed them to bring Hayek to the interrogation room, where she and Castle would question him.
The ensuing events mirrored the original series. Upon hearing from Beckett that his wife Eslica was dead, Hayek was devastated and recounted his family's tragic story. The couple, who had immigrated from the Czech Republic, had a happy family until four years ago when their son was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, Niemann-Pick disease, which is usually fatal by age three. Unable to cope with their son's death, Eslica left, unable to face Hayek who reminded her of their loss. For the past year, Hayek hadn't been able to find her, working in a restaurant to save money and search for her again, only to learn today of her murder.
"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Beckett asked Castle at the interrogation room door.
Sympathetic to Hayek, Castle answered without hesitation, "I believe he is. Besides, his story gave me an idea…"
Beckett, eager for Castle's insights, urged him to share. "What's your idea? Tell me!"
Castle didn't hold back. "Do you think the boy in that photo might actually be Eslica's son? After all, neither Eslica nor Hayek has a history of Niemann-Pick disease in their families. This disease is genetic, so if neither parent has it, how could their son?"
Realization dawned on Beckett. "You mean… the boy in the photo is actually Eslica's son?"
Castle smirked. "I didn't say that; you did. But finding the boy and his mother quickly won't hurt."
Beckett, half-amused, half-exasperated, retorted, "So this is your idea of handing the investigation back to me? Letting me figure out the answers you already know?"
Castle, grinning mischievously, replied, "It's different. Now, you're drawing your own conclusions instead of me telling you."
"You're just fooling yourself," Beckett said, leaving to report to Captain Montgomery. Castle, left by the interrogation room, decided to comfort the grieving Hayek and quietly share some good news.
"What did you say?" Hayek, in shock, couldn't believe his ears when Castle revealed that they thought his son was alive and had been swapped at the hospital.
"Shh… don't get too excited. I'm risking a lot telling you this. If you shout any louder, the whole precinct will know I leaked an ongoing investigation. Do you want to get me killed?" Castle said, displeased by the tearful but excited Hayek.
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter