New York

The two detectives have spent the better part of their morning doing what they can do while waiting for the search warrant to be acquired. Another review of the financials on the victim shows nothing out of the ordinary. The man ran a sales business providing cleaning supplies to business in the area, including the New York Public Schools where his wife of 16 years, and another murder victim, Vickie Davis was a principle.

Detective Ryan's desk phone rings and he answers hoping it is the court clerk granting them permission to enter the office of Ronnie Davis and the home of Ida and Wally Crawford. But, instead, it is Lanie and she tells Ryan that she found something unusual on her victim, Ronnie Davis and that the two detectives might want to come to the morgue for an update

The two detectives head for the morgue and during the trip receive a call from the court telling them the warrant is ready to pick up. They tell the clerk that they will be by as soon as the finish at the coroner's office

When the duo arrive, they find Lanie sitting at her desk filling out various forms concerning the half dozen cases she currently has open including Mr. Davis. When she hears the two detectives arrive she looks up and acknowledges their presence before closing the file in front of her and picking up another folder on the desk

"Hey, Chica, what do you have for us today?" Esposito almost sings as he speaks to the ME

"Well, I discovered something very unusual on the body while finishing the post mortem. Levidity indicated the body had not been moved, yet the blood pool was insufficient too for him have been killed there And your victim had been partially cleaned before he was discovered"

"Cleaned? What do you mean cleaned?" Ryan questions

"The side of his body that was facing the ground showed signs of having been cleaned"

"You mean like someone washed the body?"

"Yes" Dr. Parish answers

"But to wash that much blood would require…?" Esposito stops in his theory trying to think of a solution

"A power washer would do it?" Ryan comments

"Right" Esposito has the appearance that he is thinking "They were doing cleaning at the school when someone found the body"

"That would explain why there is no blood pool" Lanie adds "There would be no soap or cleaning products. The system uses high pressure water to clean…"

Esposito finishes her thought "and that leave no residue and the machines are simple to use. Connect a hose to a water supply and start the motor"

Ryan adds a comment "And it would not have to be someone strong. Like a woman could easily do it"

Esposito finishes "Like his wife maybe?"

Javier has the smirk on his face like someone who has just solved a major crime

Dallas

Detective Kate Beckett is sitting at a desk at Dallas Police headquarters with a white board in front of her containing photos and notes about her cases. Beckett is looking like she has made a new home for herself.

Her cell phones rings. The caller id says Esposito "Hey, Espo"

Beckett listens for several minutes as her partner delivers his detailed description of how he and Ryan think that Vickie Davis probably followed through on her threat to 'kill' her husband as the text message promised to do

"Javi, that is a great theory but there is only one problem…Vickie Davis was in Dallas with several thousand witnesses at the time of his death" She really hated to burst his bubble like that.

"OH…" is the solemn comment from her partner in New York

"Espo…did you get a warrant yet?"…"Well then go search the office and the house and see if something pops…Talk to you later"

Kate hands up on her phone and looks back at the desk just in time to see a cup of coffee being placed down next to her arm.

Thinking the person placing her favorite beverage beside her hand is her husband, she almost jumps up from her chair, but instead she spins around with a smile large enough to light the room only to discover the provider of the drink is none other than Detective Salazar

Beckett has to try and remain consistent in her reaction and not seem too shocked by the gift "Detective Salazar…"she glances at the cup then back to the detective "Thank you. How did you know I love coffee?"

"Ever since you joined us there has been a large amount of research into the real Kate Beckett. Most of the officers knew about the books even if they had not read the novels, but still most of us knew who you were and after the case began we wanted to find out more about what made Nikki Heat tick"

She takes the cup and brings it to her lips savoring the aroma and flavor "Thank you detective" she comments

"Not a problem…"

Kate can tell there is more he is wanting to talk about with her "Is there something else, detective?"

The man sits down in a chair beside the desk beside Kate "Detective Beckett…can we talk?"

"The name is Kate and sure. You want to go in the conference room?" she points toward the referenced location

The local detective stands and moves toward the meeting space. Once they enter he closes the corridor door. He moves around the table and sits down facing the corridor

Beckett teaks a seat close to the entrance "detective…"

"It's Jake. Call me Jake"

"OK…Jake. What can I help you with?"

"Detective…I mean Kate. I hope this is not too personal but can I ask you something? Something having to do with you and your husband?"

Not exactly sure what he is asking or where he is heading with this conversation, she responds "Sure. What do you want to know?"

"I understand that you and Mr. Castle have been partners or coworkers for several years?"

Beckett is trying to read her fellow officer "That is correct"

"So you and him have been working together for a while?"

Growing more concerned about why this man is asking question, Beckett again responds "Yes for four years"

The very large, very imposing looking man seems almost shy in his actions "Detective…Kate, how did you feel about him when you first met him?"

She pauses thinking about her answer but as she has always felt truth is the best answer "I couldn't stand him. You would not believe what he was like when I first met him. He was an arrogant, egotistical, self-centered, jackass"

The local detective lets out a chuckle then whispers under his breath "Hum"

Beckett turns more toward the man "What was that for?"

"I WAS" after a pause "in my past but not now. I changed but I'm not sure if I have changed enough for her"

Kate gets a smile on her face "Dr. Mendez?"

With a shocked look on her face "You know?"

"I am a detective. So tell me what is going on"

"Kate. Rosa is a doctor. A well respected doctor. She is published. She has written books on forensic examinations. She is famous in the medical world. Every single guy around here has wanted to ask her out on a date, everyone who does, she always gives them a cold shoulder and a firm No!"

"Have you asked her out?"

"Oh my gosh! No way"

"Why not?"

"I am just a cop. I don't want to be told no"

Beckett thinks for a minute "I thought I was just a cop too"

"And now you are married to a famous writer"

"Jake. Give it a chance. You might be surprised. She may just be waiting for you to call her"

Kate's cell phone chimes "Thanks Kate" he stands up to walk away

Beckett takes her phone out of her pocket and gets a message from the local ME "Jake, The doctor has something for us. Can I get a ride to the coroner's office?" she says out into the man

Detective Salazar points to the bull pin "I will get my partner and we will give you a ride"

After a thirty minute trip to the local ME's office Kate finds herself inside the "Dallas County Office of Forensic Sciences"

The three enter the office of Doctor Rosa Mendez "Detective Beckett, glad you could come" the very attractive woman comments while smiling toward Jake

"The name is Kate" is her response

"My name is Rosa. The doctor title is fine in the courtroom but to my collogues it is a little too formal and puts an unnecessary barrier up"

Beckett smiles at the ME "So the message said you had some information for us"

"Your victim in New York and his wife here were both killed using the same gun. Ballistics matched the slugs"

"Same killer?" Kate comments "What about the time line? Was the enough time from the killer to fly from Dallas to New York or the other way around?"

"They were killed within 5 hours of each other but how would someone get a gun thru TSA?"

"Good question" Beckett answers "I will have my team in New York to check with the TSA for any possible breach in security"

"And we will check both airports here "Detective Elder responds

Rosa continues "Also there was some trace evidence that we are still working on and there is preliminary DNA that indicates she fought with a woman but the suspect is not in the system"

"A woman?" Kate questions

"But there is one much larger piece of evidence. She has GSW on her"

"So she was shot close range?"

"No. It was on her hands. She fired a gun recently"

"Wow. That is interesting"

The two men have been taking notes during this entire briefing. They tell the two women that they are going out to start checking on the TSA issue leaving the women alone

Kate looks at the local doctor and just like with Lanie she finishes her conversation "Anything else?"

The woman looks aside where the two men just were and then responds "Actually Detective Beckett…er…I mean Kate there is a question I would like to ask"

"Go ahead" she can tell the woman is considering her question carefully

"I understand that you and Mr. Castle have been partners or coworkers for several years?"

Beckett is trying to not react to the exact same conversation she just had a little while ago "That is correct"

"So you and him have been working together for a while?"

Feeling a little Déjà vu Beckett again responds "Yes for four years"

The normally confident beautiful woman almost shy in her questions "Detective…Kate, how did you feel about him when you first met him?"

Deciding to stop the conversation before it continues down the exact same path "Rosa. The next time you see Jake, tell him how you feel about him"

"Kate, you don't understand. He is the most decorated detective in the department. He has the highest clearance rate of any other officer. He plays baseball in the department league. He is an accomplished musician. He is involved in big brothers. He is a mentor to teenagers. All the women here and at the even at the courthouse are wanting to ask him out. I am just a medical examiner"

Kate's head is about to explode. How many people go around in their lives thinking they are not good enough for someone else only to find out the other feel the same?

Beckett turns to the other woman "Rosa! Call him. Tell him how you feel. You might be surprised. OK?"

The woman acknowledges Beckett's directions

Kate walks out the door to the corridor to find both men on their phones. Just as she approaches her own phone chimes with an alarm she set earlier to remind her that Rick's plane was coming in

When she walks back to the two detectives they both finish their conversations.

"Can I get a lift to Love Field? Castle's plane is arriving in about thirty minutes and I want to pick him up"

"On our way" Elder answers just as Jake's cell phone chimes with a message.

Jake looks at he phone and Kate can see just enough of the screen to see it is from Rosa 'Can we talk?' Beckett watches a smile cross the detective's face

The Tahoe pulls up to the arriving passenger's lane at the terminal. Beckett opens the door. "Can you wait for me here?" Wondering about the no parking signs posted everywhere

"This is a police car. Not a problem. Hurry back with your husband" Detective elder responds because Detective Salazar has been texting one very lovely medical examiner ever since they left the morgue

Kate enters the doors looking at her watch and checking at the flight information board to confirm he is on time. The board says 'At gate'. Beckett rushes to the end of the concourse at the top of the escalators watching for the passengers to come down the corridor

The moment she sees him, a knot appears in her throat.

Her husband is walking beside and close to a very attractive, raven haired woman who seems to be very touchy/feely. This woman is laughing at something and the entire time reaching over and touching Castle on the sleeve or hand.