Castle's confident tone made Beckett's heart skip a beat. She had noticed many peculiarities about Castle for a while. Whenever Castle spoke with such certainty, it meant he had another insight or discovery. Beckett had never delved deeply into these quirks because they always helped solve cases faster. But she knew his unusual behavior often hinted at something significant.
Castle, whether trying to escape or avoid further pressure, confidently stated his belief that Esposito and Ryan would indeed find Brady's wife at the hospital. Beckett felt a strange assurance in Castle's words, suspecting that they might uncover crucial information from Brady's wife about the old case and the recent murders.
Captain Montgomery observed the interaction between Castle and Beckett with interest. He had a hunch that Castle's partnership with Beckett wasn't just for writing a novel. Montgomery, seeing Castle's subtle affection for Beckett, realized there might be more to it. But he wasn't opposed to it; he saw Castle as a good person who could potentially protect Beckett in her quest to solve her mother's murder. Moreover, Beckett seemed capable of keeping Castle in check, which reassured Montgomery that Castle wasn't just playing around.
Castle, unaware of Montgomery's thoughts, would have protested if he knew. He had no intention of merely toying with Beckett, especially with the threat of his system hanging over him. Beckett, deciding to temporarily let Castle off the hook, focused on the case. She knew Esposito and Ryan would soon report back on their search for Brady's wife.
The three of them sat in the conference room, each lost in their thoughts. Montgomery discreetly observed the dynamic between Castle and Beckett, while Beckett reviewed Brady's ten-year-old case file. Castle calculated how he would assist Beckett in solving the case once Brady's wife revealed more information. He pondered how to help without overshadowing Beckett.
The quiet in the conference room was broken by Esposito's call. Beckett's face lit up as she listened, confirming that Esposito had found Brady's wife at the hospital. Castle remained unsurprised, but Montgomery felt relieved and hopeful, knowing they had found someone who might shed light on Brady's strange behavior.
Esposito and Ryan soon arrived at the precinct with Brady's wife and child. Ryan stayed with the child in the break room while Beckett, Montgomery, and Castle sat with the anxious wife in the interview room. Beckett wasted no time in revealing Brady's death, causing his wife to break down, muttering, "I knew they wouldn't let Brady off easily..."
Her reaction made it clear to Beckett and Montgomery that there was more to Brady's confession than met the eye. After allowing her some time to process the news, Beckett explained their intentions, hoping Brady's wife could help identify the real killer and the mastermind behind the recent murders.
Through her tears, Brady's wife revealed a secret they had kept for ten years. Brady wasn't the killer; he confessed to the crime because their child had a rare respiratory disease requiring expensive treatment. A friend had offered a deal: if Brady took the fall, his family would receive monthly payments. Desperate and without insurance, Brady agreed, falsely confessing to killing Olivia Derbyshire and receiving a twenty-year sentence.
For ten years, his wife received $7,000 monthly, ensuring their child's treatment. But four months ago, the payments stopped. When she informed Brady, he assured her he would contact the person behind the payments. The payments resumed the following month but stopped again two months later. Brady, deciding to use the evidence he had kept for ten years, planned to clear his name by sending it to Captain Montgomery. Unfortunately, the mastermind had been monitoring Brady, bribing prison guards to listen in on his calls. They intercepted the evidence, killed the courier, and then murdered Brady in prison to silence him.
The situation was clear: the recent murders were linked to the ten-year-old case of Olivia Derbyshire's murder. To find the killers, Beckett's team needed to reopen and investigate the old case thoroughly.
After placing Brady's wife and child in witness protection, Beckett's team reconvened in the conference room to reexamine the old case, seeking clues to the real killer.
Captain Montgomery, despite being one of the officers involved back then, admitted he knew little about the case's specifics since Brady's quick confession followed an anonymous tip. Castle, reviewing the medical examiner's report, pointed out discrepancies. Henry noted that Olivia's skull fractures didn't match Brady's confession of using a baseball bat but were consistent with being struck by a vase or similar object, causing a fatal hemorrhage.
These discrepancies suggested the original medical examiner might have been complicit with the killer, overlooking clear evidence. Unfortunately, the examiner had died four years ago, preventing Beckett's team from questioning him further.
The team faced a challenging task: unraveling a decade-old conspiracy while navigating the obstacles left by those who had hidden the truth for so long.
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