Genre: Crime, Drama, Family, Romance, Humor

Rating: M for violence, language and sexual situations

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: Was very happy to see what I got for the last chapter in the way of feedback, so want to say thank you right away! vetgirlmx (I was glad to see you enjoyed their family time, not surprised to see that actually. And not surprised as well that you could see that Julia does miss them though she's understanding as you said. And with Beckett, I have her wanting stop regressing what had happened, so have her trying to go past that, and trying to have Castle do that as well. And yeah, lol, I have Julia as very perceptive, especially when it comes to her mother, so wasn't too shocked seeing you mentioning that. And was surprised to see what you mentioned about the show and the movie they were watching at the end, but I guess that would stand to reason if you would have ranted. You'll see what'll happen now they have those paintings and if they'll solve the case before Mother's Day too. And of course, glad to see that you want to read more of course; now you can!), LoveAbby (Very happy to see that you liked the chapter. Also that you though I wrote descriptively, loved seeing that as a writer, especially when you said it was like a painting for you!), tt520438 (Loved seeing that you're not quite able to figure out this case, though I might have been able to do that this time around, lol. But am glad you're finding the case interesting. Glad to see you're seeing this one emotionally taxing; as you put it; for Castle and Beckett since that's what I was going for. So happy to see you're looking forward to an update and now here it is!), life's a mystery (Glad that you thought the last chapter was great; always nice to hear that. And also to see that you can't wait for the next, now though you don't have to wait for it!), pcol22 (Great that you liked the chapter again. And not surprised that you feel sad for Julia with Castle and Beckett having to go again. But not surprised that you liked seeing they had a lead for the case. And as usual, glad to see that you're looking forward to the next chapter which you can read now!) and TORONTOSUN (Glad to see you liked how I referenced season 4 in the last chapter, I like doing that since it's not hard to theorize in my head seeing Castle and Beckett towards the end, why things ended up as they did. And yeah, wanted Julia to be very much okay with Alexis as part of the wedding party, so happy to see you liked that she was! Really loved reading your reaction to the love scenes, since I was trying to make it more personal for Castle and Beckett after their discussion before that). So thanks to all my reviewers for the last chapter, I know this time of year's busy with summer coming up, so I definitely appreciated everything I got for it. And as always, loved reading the feedback I received!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Can She Do It Like She Dances written by Steve Duboff and Gerry Robinson and sung by Ringo Starr, from Ringo's album Ringo the 4th.

Watch The Crowd

"… so I can give her those?" a whisper cut into Beckett's sleep as she caught the last of what was said. She realized who was speaking, so she remained still to listen as Castle's deeper voice replied.

"Yeah, I think she'll love them. But that's not what you wanted to ask me huh?" he asked Julia who had woken him up, worriedly asking about Mother's Day that they had planned out together for her mother when they'd had the chance.

"No," Julia whispered, biting her lower lip. She smiled when Castle leaned down to kiss her forehead and she looked up at him asking, "Why did you do that?"

"You look a lot like your mom when you do that," Castle said simply. "I told you, you do not need to worry about your presents, she will love them because they're from you."

"But I want them to be special," Julia protested, looking at her mother who was lying still next to them. "I want her to remember, 'cause I don't remember Mother's Day before."

"Well you were young last year," Castle said simply, knowing Beckett didn't want Julia to know why they hadn't celebrated then. "But you're five now and that's a pretty good age to remember things. So I know your mom will remember this Sunday, no matter what you give her okay?"

"He's right," Beckett said, sitting up then. She smiled when Julia blushed and then climbed over Castle to sit on her lap. "Good morning sweetie, I guess your throat's feeling a little better?" she said as they hugged.

"Yeah, little bit," Julia said. "Morning Mommy," she then said. "But I still have to talk soft like this."

"I know, that's okay," Beckett said, kissing her forehead. "Any calls?" she directed to Castle, checking the time.

"Still a little early, but if they're looking at the footage they're probably not done yet," he said in response, shaking his head. As he finished speaking her phone made the sound she had set for text messages, and he and Julia watched her pick it up.

"Okay," Beckett said, setting aside her phone after reading the message. "I'm guessing you're hungry?" she directed to Julia. When the little girl nodded she then said, "Then go ahead and get your slippers and we'll meet you in the living room." She shared a kiss with her, watching as Castle did the same before she grabbed her phone again. "It's early Lanie," she said after the doctor had answered on the other end.

"I know, why do you think I sent you a text? How's Julia?" Lanie asked.

"Pretty good, still whispering though," Beckett replied. "Her energy is pretty much back to normal."

"She sounds like she's recovering normally," Lanie said. "So about why I texted you, I discovered something earlier, and I told Esposito and Ryan about this already. I was checking on the third vic, when I noticed in the light that there was something in the corner of her mouth. I missed it the first time because the angle of the light had to be just right. I grabbed it and setting it under a microscope, discovered it was a thread."

"What kind of thread?" Beckett asked.

"Just a regular silk thread," Lanie replied.

"Silk?" Beckett asked. "So since it was at her mouth, it was obviously used by the killer to administer the chloroform. Were you able to find it on the other vics?"

"I did, on the first vic, caught on one of her toenails," Lanie replied. "So it's likely he used it to clean her body as well. And in case you're wondering about a color, it's grey."

"Which would make it harder to see than white or another color," Beckett nodded. "So it's a handkerchief."

"That would be my best guess. I've sent in the two samples to the FBI to see if they can confirm that," Lanie replied.

"Okay, anything else?" Beckett said.

"That's all, say hi to Julia for me," Lanie said.

"I will Lanie, bye," Beckett said before hanging up her phone after the doctor had said goodbye on the other end. "I have to wonder how common that is."

"A silk handkerchief? Well, considering he used it for the chloroform and to clean the vics… I don't get the feeling they were specially bought," Castle said.

"It would be too easy to track him that way," Beckett said with a nod. "Well, the boys know about it already, so I think we can let them handle it. Unless you want to try and search it?"

"I'll pass, since I don't know much besides it being silk thread, could be just a length of grey silk from a cloth store, or anywhere that sells cloth," Castle said as they got out of bed then, wondering why Julia hadn't come to check on them.

"Which is why you're leaving it to the FBI to identify," Beckett said, smiling a little at his nod. She ran her fingers through her hair as they walked to the living room, but paused when she didn't see their daughter. "Julia?" she called.

"Sorry!" came a hurried whisper in response. "I was watching Kauai, he said his throat hurts too but it's better now."

"Is that right?" Castle asked, picking her up. "And did he have the same surgery as you did?"

Julia nodded and asked, "What do we eat? I don't want the same thing he had."

"I've got something in mind," Castle said. "My special pancakes."

"She should be able to handle that," Beckett said, since he was looking questioningly at her. "But you're not dousing them in syrup."

"How'd you know I wanted to do that?" Castle asked as he handed her Julia.

"Because I know you, very well," Beckett said, shaking her head. She smiled when he sighed, but grabbed his shirt before he could walk to the kitchen, and pulled him to her so they could share a quick kiss.

"Me too, to say good morning," Julia said quickly, tugging on his sleeve.

Sharing a kiss with her next, Castle tousled her hair, making Julia giggle in response before he said, "Time for you to get to work sweetheart."

"Oh! The cards?" Julia asked eagerly.

"He's right, we should get started on that, you have a pretty nice pile," Beckett said. She set Julia down at her direction, and followed her back to her room to get her art supplies.

Watching the two while he was cooking, Castle made the meal quickly, including some berries that were easier for Julia to eat. He got everything over to the table in a hurry; since he knew that they had no way of knowing when Ryan or Esposito would be calling; and when they sat down to eat, was a little startled at the knock on the door. "Is that them?" he asked his fiancée who got up to answer.

"I doubt it," Beckett said. "Not without calling first to make sure Julia was up."

"Should I head into the heater closet?" Castle asked as she looked out the peephole, nodding to the door by the table as the little girl was looking up at him in confusion.

"No, it's my dad," Beckett said, opening the door. "You're here early," she said as she allowed him inside.

"I wanted to see my granddaughter again," Jim explained simply. "And also be here so you wouldn't have to wait to go back to work."

"We're trying not to," Beckett said as Julia ran up to them after Castle had helped her down from her chair.

"Can I get you some coffee Jim?" Castle asked as he walked over to the kitchen.

"How did you forget?" Beckett asked her fiancé after her dad had answered with a yes.

"Slipped my mind," Castle said easily as he watched the three go over to the table. "We have some extra pancakes," he said. "And-" he began when Beckett's phone rang.

"It's just a text," Beckett said. "From Ryan, they're looking at what we were talking about last night. They'll call us if they need our help."

"Okay, then back to breakfast," Castle said before turning back to her coffee machine.

When he sat down with them at the table with three mugs of coffee and a plate for her grandfather, Julia said, "How did you not drop them?"

"A lot of practice," Castle answered, leaning over to kiss the top of her head. "How are they?"
"Good," Julia said since she was eating her pancakes. "Can we do something after Mommy, Castle?"

"I think we should get the cards done," Beckett said. "That way you can spend the rest of the week not worrying about them."

"When do I give them?" Julia asked.

"Monday," Castle said. "What? You don't want to go back to school and see all your friends?" he asked at her pout.

"Yeah," Julia sighed.

"And you'll be able to go back to dance class as well," Jim pointed out to her.

"Sweetie, how would you like to go to class on Saturday and watch them practice?" Beckett asked, helping the little girl wipe syrup off her chin.

"Can I? But can't I dance?" Julia asked.

"I think your mom wants to wait for you to get completely better," Castle said. "And I agree with her, take this week off, and then next Saturday you can go back to practice."

"But you can practice what we see in the class until next Saturday," Beckett said.

"I hope I remember," Julia said, biting her lower lip slightly.

"You will, you have an amazing memory honey," Jim told her, smiling when she blushed and squirmed a little on her chair.

"Thank you Grandpapa," Julia said shyly. "Did Mommy and Castle tell you about the wedding?"

"Not yet," Jim said, looking at his daughter.

"We were planning it more in detail the other night, with her," Beckett said, nodding to Julia. "Just what she and Alexis are going to be doing and the cake; we told Julia about the flowers."

"And what is Julia going to be doing?" Jim asked. "You said she would hold the rings when you were telling me and Martha about the wedding last month."

"She'll be a combined flower girl and ring bearer," Castle said. "And Kate wants Alexis to be sort of her maid of honor."

"Sort of?" Jim questioned his daughter.

"In the sense that this is not going to be a regular wedding with a full wedding party, it's just going to be Julia and Alexis. And you Dad since you're giving me away," Beckett said, rolling her eyes.

"What?" Castle asked. "You know, you could say that moment in the ceremony is just him giving his final blessing to our marriage," he then quickly continued with as he realized she didn't like the idea of being given away. "That is a strange way of saying it, kind of ancient."

"Then it'll be a blessing on the wedding," Jim agreed. "Is that better?"

"Much," Beckett said in relief. She smiled as her dad gestured Julia to him, and he whispered into her ear before she nodded and giggled as she glanced at her and Castle. "Anything we should know about?"

"I don't think so," Jim said easily. "Finish your breakfast Julia." When the little girl had gone back to her chair he then asked, "Tell me what else you told her, I would like to know since I'll be there of course."

The rest of the meal was spent with Castle and Beckett filling in her dad about what they had planned for the wedding so far. When they had finished, Beckett cleaned up with her dad as Castle took Julia to her room so he could help her change.

"I'm going to ask you one last time Dad," Beckett said as she dried her hands once she'd finished with the dishes. "You're okay with all of this, Castle, him adopting Julia, him-"

"Marrying you, yes, for the last time Katie, I approve of him as your future husband and Julia's future father," Jim said, hugging her to stop her question. "And if you want to know what I honestly think, she would too."

Taking a deep breath Beckett nodded and said, "I always thought Mom would approve of Castle, that wasn't in question. It's him as Julia's father…"

"We've talked about that before of course, and you know your mother would adore Julia, as much as I do," Jim assured her, letting her go. "Actually, probably more than I do. And as for Castle as a father, she would agree with me, you made a great choice staying with him after you adopted Julia."

Nodding as her father's voice dropped to a whisper since they could hear Julia and Castle coming out from the bedrooms, Beckett hugged him quickly before she said, "Watch her for me?"

"Of course," Jim said, smiling as he watched her meet Julia at the door.

"You look great sweetie, and very happy," Beckett said, picking her daughter up and hugging her tightly to her.

"Castle told me a story about Kauai," Julia giggled as she looked back at him.

Beckett shared a quick kiss with her daughter before she set her down, telling her to show her grandfather her shirt. She then went into her bedroom, Castle following her and closing the door behind him so they could change. "I'm fine," she said quickly as she closed the door of her armoire after getting a top.

"I know, just wanted to make sure," Castle said, watching her. He was surprised when she suddenly threw something in his face, and he pulled off his shirt, seeing she'd gone to the dresser to grab his clothes. "Alright, I'm going," he said in mock irritation. He changed quickly and then sat down on the edge of the bed to watch her brush her hair.

"Did I not convince you?" Beckett asked as she looked at him in the mirror above her sink.

"No, you did, just wanted to take the time I could," Castle said simply.

"Nice incomplete sentence," Beckett said, walking to him. "You-" she began to say before he suddenly kissed her, and hard. She gave a muffled sound of surprise, but it soon slipped into a slight moan as he coaxed her tongue into his mouth. She held onto his neck tightly when he pulled her flush against him, and she tried to keep up with him before he seemed to wrench himself away.

"Sorry, just… got carried away," Castle said. "I can too easily forget that door's closed for a reason."

"I know, but are you okay to go?" Beckett asked.

"Yeah, I'll follow," Castle said. He was surprised when she walked up to him, and pressed her hands on the back of his neck before he leaned down to kiss her. When they pulled apart he was last to open his eyes, smiling a little as he said, "Now that we're ready, should we take the chance to work with her on the cards?"

Beckett smiled at that, and kissed his lips quickly before they left the room, Castle whispering to her quickly before he went to Julia's room.

"Good, Katie, I'm going to head out and grab something for Julia," Jim said when he saw his daughter come out.

"Go," Beckett said with a smile. "We're fine for now, but if we get a call while you're out I'll let you know." She walked with him to the door and whispered into his ear before he left, not surprised when she turned around to find that Julia was standing at the doorway.

"What did you tell Grandpapa?" Julia asked in curiosity.

"You'll find out," Beckett promised. She then ushered the little girl to the table before Castle joined them with Julia's record player. They waited for her dad as they listened to music, helping their daughter write and decorate the thank you cards for her classmates.


"You're lucky," Jim said as his daughter opened the door to let him back inside twenty minutes later. "They had one bouquet ready of just one color."

"Thank you," Beckett said in relief.

"Are those for me?" Julia whispered, having hurried over to join them with Castle walking behind her.

"They are, from me and Castle," Beckett said, handing her the tulips that were red with some yellow at their base before giving her the blue and white irises her dad had gotten himself for the little girl.

"Thank you," Julia said. "And for your flowers too Grandpapa."

"Let me get these in water, and we'll arrange them so you can draw a picture of them," Castle said as he took them. He took Julia into the kitchen with him, and after they'd gotten the vases ready and he set it on the counter, he wasn't too surprised when Beckett's phone began to ring. "Good timing I guess," he commented.

"It's Esposito," Beckett said quickly. "Dad?"

"Come on Julia, let's get your crayons and paper ready so you can draw," Jim said, taking his granddaughter to her room.

"What do you have Espo?" Beckett asked.

"We talked to the guy in charge of the exhibit at the Met, and also the guy in charge of the Met himself. Asked them both why they couldn't recognize those paintings and they said it was because the medium makes it look very different," the detective said on the other end. "But we got their alibis and I finished checking them out before I called you, and they're all solid alibis. So they're not our guys."

"What about anyone who's been around the pictures excessively?" Beckett asked.

"Well, they had the exhibit ready for the past five days," Esposito explained. "And they let special members come in to view them exclusively. That's what Ryan's doing right now; looking at the footage of the exhibit from the beginning. And before that, no one with the Met setting things up set off any red flags. But we still have a list of those that worked on it and other employees at the museum, and if we need to we'll go ahead and take a look at them."

"Okay, so do you need us there at all?" Beckett asked, knowing it was likely the list of workers was pretty long.

"Not at the moment, but I wanted to fill you in on what's going on," Esposito said. "Better call Castle."

"If he's even awake," Beckett muttered, glancing at her fiancée out of the corner of her eye. "Do you have a list of those people with the special membership?" she then asked, smiling as Castle made a face at her.

"Ryan does," Esposito said simply.

"I would start taking a look at the workers that helped set up the exhibit," Beckett told him. "Leave the other employees of the museum as a last resort, but if he's trying to keep anyone from finding him, he might have turned off the cameras or fixed them so it would hold to one image."

"So you're leaning more towards an inside job," Esposito stated.

"Half of me is," Beckett replied as she glanced at Castle and saw his doubtful expression. "And I think with that footage, Ryan's unlikely going to find those three other men we found."

"They're just decoys, yeah, we're in agreement on that. Castle too if you get a hold of him I'm sure will say the same," Esposito said.

"I will call him, just let me finish up with you," Beckett said, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, I'll get on it right now, but it'll take time, probably for us both," Esposito warned. "But if we get something, we'll let you know."

"Thanks Espo," Beckett said before hanging up. She looked at Castle and said, "They still need to look into those workers."

"I know, I just get the feeling you're more likely to find an artist from the members who have that special pass," Castle said. He was about to say more, but then stopped, turning as Julia and Jim walked out.

"Do you need to go?" Beckett's dad asked, seeing the expressions on his daughter's face and Castle's.

"No, we're okay for now," Beckett said.

"You should go Mommy, Castle," Julia said, to their surprise. When all three adults looked at her she smiled a little and said, "Grandpapa is here, and you should go so you can finish and then come back." She looked a little concerned as she asked them, "You will come back?"

"Of course sweetie," Beckett assured her, kneeling in front of her. "We don't want to leave you though."

"I know," Julia said, nodding her head. "I don't want you to go, but you have to help Uncle Kevin and Tio Javi."

Smiling at the names the two men had finally been able to get the little girl to call them; Castle took Julia's hand, taking her and Beckett to the couch. "You're very unselfish," he told their daughter seriously. "Which is a very good thing believe me," he continued with as he could see she looked a little confused at the word.

"I want you to come home fast," Julia said simply.

"And we'll try, we promise," Beckett said, sitting next to her fiancé and gathering their daughter in her arms. "I'll call though, to see how you're doing," she promised, cupping Julia's face in her hands. "And let your grandpapa know when we're coming home."

"Is Castle going to be there when you call?" Julia asked.

"If I can I will be," he replied, watching as the two shared a kiss. He then hugged Julia when Beckett let her go and gave her a kiss; which she returned; before saying, "But like she said, we definitely promise to do our best to wrap up the case and come back to you."

"Thank you," Julia said as she watched them get up to leave.

"I'll call you around lunch Dad," Beckett said a few minutes later. "We love you sweetie," she directed to Julia

"She's right, we do," Castle told her next. "Have fun with those cards."

"We're gonna take pictures with my box camera, of the flowers," Julia corrected.

"Then I can't wait to see them," Castle said as he and Beckett headed out into the hall.

"See you Julia, Dad," Beckett called before they went to elevators. "This better be the last time we do this."

"It will," Castle said reassuringly as she pressed the button for the elevator, watching her as she looked at the numbers of floors the car was passing through.


"Beckett?" Ryan asked, Esposito turning to look towards the doorway to see her there.

"What are you doing here?" Esposito asked as she stepped into the room.

"I'm here to help," Beckett said before she paused and looked over her shoulder. "Apparently he is too," she said, gesturing to Castle who was walking in behind her.

"I thought you could use some coffee while you're looking through endless security camera footage," he said, handing her a cup of coffee he'd stopped for to delay his arrival to the Precinct. "And you know…"

"Procrastinating on your book again?" Ryan asked as he handed Beckett the remote. "I only got about two hours done; I was watching the set up in detail. Just to make sure."

"Anything there?" she asked, sitting down in front of the TV.

"Not much," Ryan replied. "How's Julia?"

"Better, but still, I'd like to finish this so I can go home," Beckett replied.

"You know you're only the consultant, you don't need to stay," Esposito pointed out to her.

"Not really, I walk in here with my badge, I'm still a detective," Beckett replied, playing the footage that Ryan had paused as she'd walked in. "Go, take care of the lists and I'll-"

"We'll," Castle cut in.

Shooting him a glare that was more for effect, Beckett continued saying, "I guess we're looking at the footage." When they were alone she said, "The fact they didn't push me too hard to go back home means they wanted to leave us with this," as a warning to him, in case he wanted to go back to her place to spend a little time with Julia.

"It's what the coffee's for," Castle said, sitting in the chair next to her as he sipped from his cup.

Giving him a slight nod, Beckett turned her full attention to the footage, seeing that it was the end of the installation of the exhibit. "There are the pictures," she said, seeing the colors that she had memorized once she'd seen them on the site for the museum.

"Never seen them on display before," Castle commented as there wasn't really much besides employees. "Didn't realize they were that tall."

Beckett didn't reply, knowing he was just breaking the silence, and she pressed the fast forward button as she knew they weren't likely going to see anyone. She proved herself right, as the light soon went to night, and she sped up a little more until the next day. "So this should be the first day those with the membership could see them," she commented as she got to the time the museum had opened that day.

"I would look at the people that sit down," Castle commented as she pressed play. "And after that, those with art supplies. If I were the killer, I would take the opportunity to sketch out the pictures, because a photograph or looking at it on your phone would not be the same as you studying every detail up close or absorbing the colors." He noticed out of the corner of his eye Beckett looking at him and he quickly said, "If I was the killer, and could draw anything. It's why I take pictures," saying the last in a low tone of voice as he glanced to the doorway though they were alone.

Again not replying, Beckett turned her attention to the screen, seeing a young man sitting down on a bench that was positioned before the four lithographs. "We have an artist and the second person there too," she said as the man took out a large sketchbook. She paused it and tried zooming in, but all she could see were pixels and she shook her head as she continued saying, "He's got a pretty thin charcoal pencil."

"Extremely thin, the camera's not that high above him and you can't even see his lines," Castle agreed as they watched the man's arm make a long, sweeping gesture. "That thin he's got to have multiple pencils, and maybe a sharpener. So if he's drawing all four of them-"

"It'll take him time," Beckett said with a nod before she realized something. "Can you focus on him for me while I take a look at any other men?"

"Got it," Castle said. He watched the man sketching, and only pausing to look back up at the pictures. "He's doing it in detail," he commented to his fiancée.

"Which would make sense," Beckett said. "Though, spring is standing up and he had her lying in a bed," she pointed out.

"Most likely he didn't want to have to take the time to pose her," Castle said. "If rigor mortis had set in…"

"True, but with the other two vics, he took the time to make sure they were posed," Beckett said.

"He might do the same with winter as he did with spring," Castle said. "On a bed, since she's pretty much standing."

"She is," Beckett replied with a nod. "And you're right; he'll likely pose her on a bed, but… I don't think it's because of how she is in the picture."

"Yeah, I got that too," Castle said. "Do you think he's found her yet?"

"I really don't know," Beckett said, remembering what the letter the day before had said. "He could be throwing us off, buying him some extra time to set up for this last victim. But, we will find him, we'll need to see who this guy is, it's been about an hour and he's still there."

"Fast forward? He's still the only guy in the room," Castle said. He watched as she did so, and kept it on that speed as there were barely any people inside the exhibit except for the man. When someone else entered, they saw another man, walking up to the pictures the artist was sketching.

"They're arguing," Beckett said quickly as the artist suddenly stood after he and the other man exchanged words. She paused right when the artist's face was visible on the screen and hurriedly set it to print before she played the footage. The second man soon calmed the artist down, and she frowned when the artist handed over a piece of paper from his sketchbook. "What is he doing…" she said, watching the other man, get a pencil from his pocket and making a rubbing of the plaque next to the four pictures.

"I don't know, but look at the artist," Castle said.

Turning her attention to it, Beckett nodded when she saw the man was stroking the page on the sketchbook, and said, "Okay, we have a suspect; we need to find out who exactly he is."


"His name is Tobias Bradley, and he's an artist at NYU," Ryan said, walking up to the others at Beckett's desk.

"NYU, was he in any of the same classes as our first vic?" Beckett asked, taking the file he handed her.

"He was in two of them," Ryan replied. "And he also knew our second vic, which I found out because of this…"

Beckett looked on as he typed something on the computer on the desk across from hers, and she walked around to see that it was a photograph of Bradley and their second vic with a few other people. "A party?" she asked.

"At the museum, for the people with the higher membership, the one that let this guy into that exhibit early," Ryan explained.

"And the third vic?" Castle asked.

"I can explain that, looking back at the list of volunteers we got for the homeless shelter she resided at from time to time, Bradley's name is there," Esposito said.

"And I can tell you why he was there, a DUI about ten months ago, three months after he was sentenced to one hundred days community service and AA. He volunteered at the shelter for about twenty of those days before he left," Ryan then said.

"Any way to confirm that he was there at the same time the third vic was?" Beckett asked.

"They keep a log of who's there," Esposito said. "And she's there, about ten days of the twenty he was working there."

"Alright," Beckett said. "I think we should go pick him up."

"You don't want us to do that?" Ryan asked.

"Since I'm not on duty technically," Beckett said. "I can't take my car out. So we'll have to hitch a ride with you guys."

"Good enough for me," Esposito said. "Though you realize you don't really need to go," he told her as they walked to the elevator.

"Better Castle and I talk to him," Beckett said simply. "Also, I'd like to get a look inside his place, see if he's got other works of art he's taking from Mucha."

"Which you would know better since you know his work," Ryan said.

"And Castle too apparently," Beckett said, gesturing with her thumb over her shoulder at him.

"Look at his work," Castle said as the two looked at him. "You'll understand why."

Beckett shook her head as Esposito went onto his phone in a rush saying, "He's not that kind of artist," before rolling her eyes at Castle as the doors closed in front of them.


"Can I help you?" the young man said as he opened his door as far as the chain at the top would let him.

"Are you Tobias Bradley?" Beckett asked. When the man nodded she smiled slightly to somewhat gain his trust and said, "I'm Detective Beckett, this is Mr. Castle, I'm wondering if we could talk to you about something?"

"Uh, sure, I guess," Bradley said, closing the door to open the chain.

"You're a member at the Met aren't you?" Beckett asked as they walked inside.

"I am, what does that have to do with why you're here?" Bradley asked, looking genuinely confused.

"Then do you know this woman at all?" Beckett said as she showed him the picture of the second vic.

"Oh yeah, that's Francis… Francis Kelly, wait, she was murdered yesterday," Bradley said in realization. "Do you think I had something to do with that?"

"And do you know who this is?" Castle asked as he was holding the picture of the first vic.

"I… Ophelia… I forgot her last name, she was my art history class and Chem lab a while ago," Bradley said. "And she was murdered too, but-"

"Then this woman you know too," Beckett said, holding out the last picture.

"Um, she looks familiar, but I'm not sure," Bradley said, sounding flustered. "But… she was in the paper; she's the other woman who was murdered. Look-"

"Looks like you're a pretty good artist," Castle commented as he was looking at one wall of the living room where there were sketches and miniature paintings.

"I'm okay I guess, I don't-" Bradley said.

"Do you often go to the Met to sketch the artwork?" Beckett asked, interrupting him.

"A lot, I like to recreate the pictures myself and then come back to paint them," Bradley said. "But, don't touch that please," he said tersely as Castle was nearing a sketchbook that was against the wall.

"I wasn't, but this must be pretty important to you," Castle said as he glanced at Beckett.

"Mr. Bradley, I'm wondering if you'd mind coming into my station with my partner and I, we have a few questions that would be better asked there," she said to the man who had visibly tensed. Before she could say anything else, Bradley took off, running through his still open door.

"You figure they really believe they'll get away?" Castle asked as he and Beckett walked together to the doorway.

"I think so, but of course it doesn't always work," she answered as they stepped into the hallway to find Bradley on the floor being handcuffed by Esposito. "I told you he'd bolt," she said.

"I'll owe you a drink at The Old Haunt when this is over," the detective said as he hauled Bradley to his feet. "Mind sitting in the back with this guy?" he directed to Castle as Ryan was on the phone, getting hold of CSU to search the apartment.

"I couldn't call shotgun? No, I guess not," Castle started to say before he looked at his fiancée and saw the expression on her face. "Let's go."

Following Esposito to the elevator, Beckett paused to speak quickly with Ryan, telling him, "Look out for anything pointing to a fourth victim, and four apartments he might have used as a cover as well as anything suspicious with his art." She walked with Castle then, and said, "Let's hope this is it and this is finally over," as he gave a nod in response, his expression reflecting the solemnity her own had as they were both trying to be optimistic that Bradley was the break in the case they needed.