As Mrs. Talbot recounted her story, it also cleared up a mystery for Beckett and Castle. They now understood why Aeslica had slashed Mrs. Talbot's face in the photo in her apartment. It was Mrs. Talbot's complaint that got Aeslica fired from her job at the apartment, preventing her from seeing Zane. In her anger, she had taken it out on the photo.
After she finished explaining everything that had happened between her and Aeslica, Mrs. Talbot looked at Beckett with some confusion. "That's all there is between us and Aeslica. But I don't understand why you're interested in this. Does it have something to do with Aeslica's murder?"
Facing Mrs. Talbot's question, Beckett and Castle exchanged glances. After a moment of thought, Beckett decided to be straightforward about their main purpose for being there. Regardless, they needed to inform Mrs. Talbot, Zane's guardian, about obtaining Zane's DNA, even if they had a court order. Although Mrs. Talbot was still a suspect, Beckett had already formed some suspicions and conclusions.
If they could prove Castle's hypothesis that Zane was Aeslica's son, the list of suspects for Aeslica's murder would be significantly narrowed down. With Beckett holding the advantage, even straightforward tactics could force the murderer into a corner. So, after weighing her options, Beckett decided to reveal their intention to the puzzled Mrs. Talbot.
"Mrs. Talbot, our visit today is not just to understand what happened while Aeslica worked for you. More importantly, we found out that you and Aeslica gave birth in the same hospital on the same day. We discovered a receipt in Aeslica's apartment from the Madeline DNA Testing Laboratory. It indicated that she had sent samples for a DNA test. We suspect she gave Zane a lollipop to collect his DNA sample and compare it to hers. We've obtained a court order to collect Zane's DNA sample, and we will do this in your presence. Our goal is to determine if Aeslica believed Zane was her son and if her actions led to her murder."
Beckett's words stunned the usually composed Mrs. Talbot. After a moment, she exploded with anger, glaring at Beckett like a furious lioness. "What nonsense are you spouting? Are you suggesting that Zane isn't my son but that woman's? Do you know what you're doing? Are you trying to insult me? My lawyer will make you pay for this!
Are you accusing me of killing that woman? You think her death was caused by her secret attempt to take my son's DNA? Officer, you must take responsibility for your words!"
As Mrs. Talbot was vehemently accusing Beckett, a well-dressed man entered the room. This was Dr. Cameron Talbot, the family's patriarch who, years ago, had used his position as a hospital doctor to switch Aeslica's baby with his own. Realizing Aeslica was secretly testing her and Zane's DNA samples, he killed her to silence her.
Unaware of the trouble about to befall him, Dr. Talbot looked confusedly at his wife, who was glaring at Beckett with uncharacteristic ferocity. "Honey, what's going on?"
Seeing her husband, Mrs. Talbot seemed to find her anchor, and she quickly recounted everything Beckett had said, hoping her husband would support her in this absurd situation.
From the moment Dr. Talbot walked in, Beckett had her eyes fixed on him. Mrs. Talbot's emotional outburst had reduced Beckett's suspicion of her to almost nothing, as she was convinced the mother's rage and indignation were genuine and untainted by guilt. Beckett believed that if Mrs. Talbot had killed Aeslica, she couldn't have concealed it so well. Her reaction confirmed she was learning about this for the first time.
Thus, Beckett had essentially ruled out Mrs. Talbot as a suspect. Following Castle's theory, the prime suspect now was Dr. Cameron Talbot, who had the motive and means to switch the babies. As Mrs. Talbot fervently recounted Beckett's intention to collect Zane's DNA, Beckett focused on Dr. Talbot.
As expected, though Dr. Talbot maintained his composure, the mention of collecting Zane's DNA caused his pupils to constrict noticeably—a minute reaction that Beckett, watching intently, did not miss. This confirmed Castle's hypothesis and suggested that even if Dr. Talbot wasn't the murderer, he was at least aware of the truth, and Zane likely wasn't his biological son.
Outwardly calm, Beckett signaled Esposito and Ryan to be ready in case Dr. Talbot tried anything desperate. She remained silent, letting Mrs. Talbot vent her anger and frustration, while also observing how Dr. Talbot would handle this tricky situation.
After all, with the court order in hand, Dr. Talbot had no legitimate reason to prevent them from collecting Zane's DNA sample.
Despite the stressful situation, Dr. Talbot remained composed. He calmly hung his coat and then gently embraced his still furious wife before sitting on the sofa. After a moment of contemplation, he cautiously spoke. "I'm not very familiar with this Aeslica, but to suggest that we permit another DNA sample from my son based on her unverified actions seems rash, doesn't it?"
Castle, who had been watching with a detached interest, stepped in when Beckett found herself momentarily at a loss. "Mr. Talbot, we understand your concerns, but let's be clear: we're not asking for your permission. We're notifying you because we have a court order!"
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