Chapter 2:

Back at the 12th, Esposito and Ryan were at full throttle, trying to track down the victim's financial history, while Castle and Beckett wrote everything on the white board. Suddenly, a short, black haired and with teary green eyes, woman stormed out of the elevator screaming:

-WHERE IS HE? WHO KILLED MY LITTLE SOFIA?

Uniforms surrounded her, trying to prevent the crazy lady from doing something dangerous, but it only made her squirm and shout even more. Beckett and the boys ran through the hallway to see what was happening, when they got there, Kate slowed down and approached the woman with caution; she didn't want to complicate things more than it already was by intimidating her. She understood, better than anyone, how uncontrollable a person could get after the death of a beloved one and that the best solution was to let them speak all of their anger out.

She ordered the cops to release the woman, which they hesitated to do so, but eventually obeyed the detective. Beckett tranquilized her, by saying that nobody there was going to hurt her and that she was the detective responsible for her daughter's case. The woman stared at the so-called-detective that was, now, walking calmly towards her, she didn't conveyed any kind of threat, nor did she seemed scared, in fact, that strange statuesque figure looked like someone really willing to help. With some effort and talk, Kate gained that woman's trust. Her name was Nadia Miller and she was the victim's mother.

As the two women made their way to the break room and the Precinct went back to its normality, Beckett noticed that Castle was following her, she gave him a quick glance and he nodded in comprehension. That poor woman was obviously scared, confused and hurt; Kate wanted to do this alone.

She closed the door and sat on the other side of the coffee table, remaining silent for a while, in cases like this, silence was the best way to show people your respect, it gave them time, even if short, to process things up.

-I'm very sorry for your loss, Mrs. Miller-Beckett started, trying not to sound too intimate or too cold.

-You know…We were just starting to get along and then…then…this…she…YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS?! TO WAKE UP AND FIND THE WORD "MURDERED" AFTER YOUR DAUGHTER'S NAME?! – Tears ran down the woman's cheeks as she spoke.

Beckett could feel the pain through Nadia's voice and it made her mind return to Joanna Beckett's murder, which, unfortunately, she still remembered clearly. For instants, Kate felt all the anger, sadness, desperation and agony rush back to her, making a flame, long asleep, burn inside of her again.

She blinked and drove those grievous thoughts off her head. Sofia's mother was there, right in front of her, crying. She needed to concentrate on extracting everything that could give her a new lead.

-We're trying everything we can ma'am, but you've got to help me with this too. When was the last time you saw her?

Nadia sniffed and looking down to the floor, she answered:

-I…I think it was right before she went to the club…I can't remember its name, though, but I do remember it being 8 o'clock when she took the car keys and left…I should've stopped her…I…should've

-Nadia, look, it's not your fault…The only human being worth blaming is the crazy man who killed Sofia. Now, I know you can do better than this, you said she was going to a club, did she go alone?

-Wait…now that you mentioned it…she did say she was going to meet a friend there…it was Liz I guess, her old roommate.

Kate and Nadia looked at each other, both with the same expression on their faces, they both knew now that the team had a new lead and it brought them a feeling that, maybe, everything would work out just fine.