With the important clues in hand, Beckett wasted no time. She immediately brought Esposito, Ryan, and the ever-present Castle to the residential hotel where the victim, Eslica, had worked. Their goal was to gather more information from her workplace and to speak with the mother and son from the photograph found in Eslica's apartment. Beckett hoped to understand why this mother had complained about Eslica, leading to her dismissal, and why Eslica had slashed her face in the photo. Most importantly, Beckett wanted to obtain a DNA sample from the boy to compare with Eslica's and Hayek's, to verify Castle's hypothesis.
In truth, when Castle first suggested this possibility, Beckett was already inclined to believe him. Castle's excellent track record had earned her trust. Despite being a frivolous character in daily life, Castle rarely joked about cases. When he seriously concluded something during an investigation, his opinions were usually reliable. This trust had been built over the past few months through Castle's accurate predictions, unconventional insights, and countless proven correct conclusions.
Upon arriving at the residential hotel, Beckett questioned the lobby manager about Eslica's employment and the reasons for her dismissal. From their conversation, Beckett grew more convinced of Castle's theory. Eslica's death might indeed be connected to the boy and his mother in the photo.
Eslica had been a cleaning lady at the residential hotel. According to the lobby manager, she was a quiet and introverted model employee until recently. She suddenly showed unusual interest in a boy named Zane, the son of the Talbert couple who lived in the hotel. Mrs. Talbert complained that Eslica had given Zane candy without parental permission, leading to her dismissal. The complaint stated that Eslica had fed Zane an unknown candy while cleaning the Talbert apartment, angering Mrs. Talbert and prompting her complaint.
This information aligned with Beckett's growing suspicion. The candy wrapper found on Eslica's body likely came from the candy she gave Zane. Combined with the DNA test results found in Eslica's apartment, Beckett theorized that Eslica wasn't simply fond of Zane. Instead, she might have used the candy to collect a DNA sample from him.
This theory could explain why Eslica, usually a diligent worker, would suddenly violate the rules by getting close to a tenant's child. She must have discovered something significant but needed confirmation, hence the DNA test.
So who killed her? Was it the enraged mother or father of Zane, or someone else who noticed Eslica's actions?
Leaving the lobby manager, Beckett glanced at Castle, who had resumed his silent act. "So, what do you think?"
Castle shook his head. "It's not enough. We're still missing something, like…"
Before he could finish, Esposito returned, looking excited. "Beckett, you won't believe what Ryan and I found. Zane Talbert is four years old, and he and Eslica's son were born on the same day in the same hospital! Maybe Eslica, grieving her son's death, transferred her feelings to Zane?"
Esposito's discovery clarified some aspects of the case for Beckett but also introduced new confusion. While they now understood Eslica's actions, Esposito's explanation challenged Castle's hypothesis, making the investigation more complex.
Beckett, after hearing Esposito's report, looked at Castle, who remained unfazed. He suggested, "Let's talk to Mrs. Talbert. Whether we need to take Zane's DNA sample today is up to you. I still believe Zane is key to solving this case. But you're the boss, so you decide."
Castle's confidence in his hypothesis was clear. Beckett, who had grown to understand Castle's thinking, gave him a meaningful look before telling Esposito, "We need to visit Mrs. Talbert now. Did you get the court order for DNA collection?"
Esposito, momentarily stunned by Castle's unusual restraint, quickly responded, "Oh, we have it. The court granted permission to collect DNA from the minor, but it must be done under parental or guardian supervision. Here you go."
Esposito handed Beckett the court order, and she wasted no time leading the team to the elevator, heading to the 11th floor to visit Mrs. Talbert's apartment. She knocked on the door and introduced herself, "Hello, Mrs. Talbert. We're from the NYPD. We'd like to ask you a few questions about Ms. Eslica."
Mrs. Talbert, the woman in the photo with the slashed face, had been informed by the lobby manager about the police investigation. Though not particularly warm, she invited the officers inside. In the living room, the boy, Zane, was playing with toys on the carpet. After they were seated, Beckett asked directly, "Mrs. Talbert, apart from your complaint about Ms. Eslica giving your son candy without permission, did you have any other interactions or issues with her?"
Mrs. Talbert, a woman of wealth and education, paused to collect her thoughts before responding, "Eslica worked here for about a year as a cleaner. I've known her since she started, but we never interacted beyond her cleaning duties. My husband and I were satisfied with her work.
However, about a month ago, she started acting strangely. While cleaning, she would often watch Zane, sometimes getting so absorbed that she neglected her duties. I found this odd and reported it to her supervisor, who told me she had lost a child about Zane's age a year ago. Knowing this, I wasn't angry about her occasional lapses but did express my dissatisfaction.
She behaved for a while until a few days ago when I found her taking an unknown candy out of Zane's mouth. I was furious. Zane is my son, and she fed him something without my permission. As a mother, I couldn't ignore this and complained to the hotel management, which led to her dismissal. After she was fired, I never saw her again. That's everything."
Beckett listened intently, feeling a growing certainty that Zane's DNA was crucial. She thanked Mrs. Talbert for her cooperation and asked, "May we take a DNA sample from your son, Zane? We have a court order allowing it, but it must be done under your supervision."
Mrs. Talbert hesitated but agreed, watching closely as the team collected the sample. Beckett felt the case was finally beginning to clear up, hoping this DNA test would confirm Castle's theory and reveal the true motive behind Eslica's death.
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