From the crime scene to Castle's apartment

"So Castle, why did you pick Vodou for the topic of your book? Which one was it, Unholy Storm? Doesn't seem like your typical subject matter." Kate was acting like she didn't know anything about the Derrick Storm novels, even though she had been a fan of Richard Castle's novels long before meeting him. That was a not so secret piece of information that she tried to hide every chance she got.

Castle gave her a sly look before responding. "That's why I picked it. It's different; interesting." He paused before adding, "Plus, I had a premonition that one day I would be working with the NYPD to help solve a murder, so I figured I should do the research then, rather than waiting."

Kate gave him a sarcastic laugh, rolling her eyes. "Very funny." She was curious however, so she inquired further. "Did you actually go to Africa?"

"No, I met some people here. Did some library research. The internet. All very helpful."

"Well from what I know it seems so creepy," Kate said, taking her knowledge from what she had seen in movies and on TV shows, like any typical American would. "And isn't it pronounced 'voodoo?'"

"Ah ha, Detective Beckett, that is a common misconception. Voodoo is actually the black magic, witchcraft, potions, etcetera, that are used all over. Voodoo dolls, you know, things you've seen on TV. Vodou is the religion we are looking at. People who practice it are actually usually offended by the term voodoo. It just makes them look bad. Vodou isn't evil like everyone thinks," Castle finished, punctuating the word "evil" with air quotes to emphasize his point.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure this guy was killed out of love," Kate retorted.

"People are killed in the names of all religions. Vodou may not actually be a part of it anyway. That might just be what the murderer practices, and therefore is just the after death ritual."

Kate looked at Castle before answering sarcastically, "Well, look at that Castle, I learn something new every day."

From Castle's apartment to the apartment of the second victim

"So Michelle was nice. How did you meet her?" Kate asked as they headed out the door.

"I wandered into a few places when I was starting the book, found the restaurant, found her. I asked her if we could meet and I could pick her brain. Told you the food was great, by the way."

"Yeah, well, I could have gone without the knowledge that I was eating a cow's foot," she responded as they both chuckled. "It was nice of her to let you let you use her for research."

"Just like you, Detective."

"Yeah, well, she had the choice. I don't," Kate answered, withholding the fact that she was getting used to him and didn't mind his company all that much anymore. However, that was information she didn't want to give him outright, so she threw in, "And you're still friends. You must have charmed her better than you did me."

"Oh, come on, Beckett. I'm not that bad. Look, I'm helping," he insisted with a whine.

"Yeah, yeah," Kate said, letting the subject go. She wanted to move on to another subject and although she wanted to do it slyly, that wasn't going to work, so she jumped right in with, "So, this thing with your ex-wife. Is she staying with you?"

"No, at a hotel," Castle responded absentmindedly, looking out the passenger seat window.

"So how'd you wind up there?" Kate asked, pressing the issue further. Not that she wanted to know about his sex life exactly, but curiosity was getting the better of her.

"I didn't."

"Okay…" Castle wasn't giving her any information, so she inquired more. "How'd she wind up at your place? And isn't that a little weird?"

"She came over to see Alexis, stayed for me, and is what weird?"

Rolling her eyes Kate asked, "Having sex with your exes?" She paused before adding, "And why would you even want to?"

Answering her questions one by one, he responded with, "No, it's familiar. And did you not hear what I said earlier about the sex with crazy people?"

From the crime scene to the precinct

"What's wrong?" Kate asked.

"It's just sad. All these people getting murdered, dying. They have families, friends, lives. It's just sad. Women hit me especially hard, because I just think about Alexis." Castle was feeling down after seeing their latest victim, a young lawyer. Being around actual death and murder was beginning to take its toll on him, especially since so many of their victims had been young people.

"Yeah, but you can't think that way if you're gonna keep doing this, Castle. You have to look at it like a job," Kate encouraged.

"Is that how you look at it?"

"I try to," she said, pausing. "You can't get too emotionally involved, or it just gets harder. You can't be as objective. And if you can't get justice for the victim, it's that much worse."

Castle thought about what she said. "Must be hard. With your mother's case still being unsolved."

"Yeah, well, it definitely doesn't make it easy. But it makes me want to get justice for as many other people as possible, which actually can help the healing process."

For some reason, Castle didn't believe her.

From the precinct to Jamal Buoncy's building

"How long do you think we have until he kills again?" Castle asked as they got into the police car.

"Not much time. These both occurred together, so there may be more already out there that we have left to find. If not, I say we need to find this guy as soon as possible, since this obviously isn't a one-time only deal. He's after something."

"What do you think we'll find at this place?"

"Hopefully some information, if not the man himself." Kate was confident in her answer and in her position. It amazed her sometimes that she acted so fearlessly as she traveled to the more frightening parts of the city to catch murderers without a second thought.

They sat in silence for a bit, thinking about what they were doing before Castle spoke again. "Just think. If Jamal was able to renew his visa or went back to Nigeria, none of this would be happening. Unless…"

"What?"

"Ever see 'Final Destination?'"

Kate laughed to herself. "The thing about murder, Castle, is if someone is gonna do it, they'll find a way to do it. No one wakes up one day and says, 'I think I'll kill today.'"

"No, but someone else would be the victim, not the people who died."

"Yeah, well, lucky for them it's not," she answered, turning the corner.

From Canal Street to the precinct

"I was just thinking, maybe this guy wasn't looking for something on that camera. Maybe he wanted to avoid being found." Castle was trying to come up with ideas to help them solve this case as quickly as possible.

"Well, if that's true, it didn't work, since we have his picture now. Plus, you know, the fact that he was arrested."

"Think he's the killer?" Castle asked.

"We'll find out soon enough. He's on his way to the precinct now for questioning."

"What happens when we question illegals? Like earlier. Is he gonna be deported?" Castle inquired. He couldn't help but feel bad for them, as long as they didn't do anything else illegal.

"Only if we report him."

"Why wouldn't you? You're a cop."

"It's not my job to arrest everyone in New York who does something wrong, Castle. I don't go knocking on people's doors to arrest them for downloading music. If they're innocent, and they're helping, we gotta throw them a bone. If not, we'll never get help again."

From the precinct to Baylor's warehouse

"All this for a passport," Castle said, almost in disbelief that these people had died for something so inane.

"Sometimes that's all it takes." Kate was not surprised at their findings. She had seen it all, including murder for a lot less.

"Yeah, well, still. Seems easier to just put a rush order on the new one."

"Some people don't mind killing. Or don't think about it. Not to mention the culture is different where he's from. His brother is about to get killed. I guess he figured it would be better to kill strangers than have his brother die," she explained, trying to justify his actions for reasons she didn't know.

"Poor Jamal. And Darcy. And whoever else is next, if we don't find him."

"Well, hopefully there won't be a next one."

From Baylor's warehouse to the precinct

"I told you to stay back, Castle!" Kate yelled as they drove away.

"You knew I wouldn't! I blame you." Castle joked. He was in the wrong but would never admit that. He never stayed back before, so why would he now?

"You know, you are unbelievable. And what's with that vest? Where did you even get it made?" Kate couldn't hide her anger as she questioned him.

"I have connections! I figured that if I'm gonna be sticking, around I need to fit the part. We've been in some dangerous situations lately. I need to be prepared."

Kate decided it was a no-win argument and moved on to other frustrating matters. "I can't believe you didn't get the plate. Or the make or model of the car!"

"Have you ever tried being a witness? In that moment, you can't do anything!"

"Oh, yeah, you were distracted," she whined. "So who was on the phone, Castle? Oh I'm sorry, I mean Kitten," she snapped.

"It was Alexis's ringtone, I didn't know it was Meredith! Obviously, I wouldn't have answered."

"What did she want this time?" Her tone was calming down a bit as she continued the conversation. It wasn't his fault that Meredith was crazy, although it was his fault that he encouraged it.

"For me to cosign a loan for her on an apartment. Like I would. It would be like sending myself to Hell."

From the precinct to the yoga studio

"Think they'll know her?" Castle asked as they drove with the siren on, trying desperately to find the woman who bought the purse.

"When I flash my badge, the memories will come flooding back. Hopefully, we'll get an address."

"Might be hard for them to remember all of the students they have," he pointed out.

"We have no other options. Someone's gotta know her. They must have sign-in sheets or something. If we can at least get a list of names, we can narrow it down."

From the yoga studio to Diana's apartment

"Why would that girl think Baylor's a cop?" Castle asked, admittedly surprised that she had just believed this man claiming to be a police officer. Then again, it had happened before, on their last case.

"Why wouldn't she?"

"No credentials," he shrugged, shocked that she found this completely ordinary.

"He's a counterfeiter, and he's probably got a badge ready to go. Civilians are gullible. That woman didn't ask for my badge number or anything. In a crisis, people will give up information without a second thought."

"Yeah, well, let's hope he had to wait for his GPS to find a signal."

Thanks Janna, L, and Jill!