Three detectives, the captain and their one civilian are sitting around the conference room table. All three are pretty much in shock
"Where did that come from?" Beckett throws the question out to the group
"The FED's are determined that this was a terrorist act and you two stumble onto a lover's triangle" Captain Montgomery responds while looking at Castle and Beckett
"You know that the FBI will be pissed over what you two have done?"
Kate and Rick just smile back
"So, captain, what do we do now?" Beckett continues "The feds have frozen us out of the evidence to tie it all together. We have just what Rick was able to copy before we gave the boxes back to Sorenson
Montgomery looks out the window at the murder board that is still mostly blank "You two seem to have a knack of finding the impossible. Keep digging until we have sufficient evidence for me to take it to the DA for an indictment. Then we will drop the hammer on these two "the Captain points to the photographs on the table
"Captain, we can't let Pearson go. We have to keep him at least as a material witness" Ryan says
"Right. Get him to a safe house until we sort this mess out" Montgomery tells Ryan and Esposito
As they all rise to leave, Castle waits until the three other men have left the room.
"Come back to the loft with me tonight?" Castle says to Beckett
"Rick, I don't know. I mean we have come a long way in a very short period of time, but it's starting to look like I am just moving in with you"
"So, what if you are? Kate I… I care a lot about you and this is special to me. You are so special to me. But if you will just come over tonight, I promise no pressure, just dinner. OK?"
Her response is preceded with a smile. "OK".
"Good" Castle responds
On the trip beck to the loft the two start up their usual theory building trying to figure out a way to prove a case for first degree murder.
Kate starts listing the things that have to fall into place for murder-one charges
"Premeditated. They had to plan ahead"
"We have that" Castle responds "The construction and placement of the board proves it was planned well ahead of time
"We also need motive"
"His wife was having an affair" Rick again answers
"Except, we really don't have her and him together, yet. But I bet we will before we are done" Kate states
Then she continues "The biggest problem I have is that the chess board did not have a remote control detonation. So how did they set off the bomb at a particular time? The switches were in the board and the magnets were in the chess pieces. Anyone could have tripped the bomb if they had placed the right piece on the right square"
"Except Kate, Mahoney said the magnets and switches were matched. The wrong magnet would not trip the wrong switch. It had to be the right magnet and switch. How would they be able to pick that specific set of pieces?" Castle is in a quandary
"And how would you know what square to put the switch?"
The pair arrives back at the loft and they go inside. Once Castle opens the door, he is greeted by not just one, but two red heads.
"Hey, how are my girls? Both of you!"
They find Alexis sitting on the couch with her leg propped up on the table
"Alexis it is great to see you out of the bed and downstairs. How did you get down here?"
"Thanks dad. Grams told me I had to get down here if I ever wanted food again so I had to fend for myself"
"I did not. I helped her on her crèches. She is moving around like a pro on those things. I think she can outrun me now" Martha states
"Very funny, mother"
So I am going to order dinner in for tonight. Kate and I are going to be working on something and I thought this was the easiest way to handle it"
"OH! I know what you two are planning to be working on" Alexis chuckles
"No, that is not what we are doing. We have a lead on the Chess match bombing case and we even have suspects but we need more evidence before going public with this"
"What are you going to do here and not at the station?" Martha asks
"Martha, we have evidence that the wife had her husband killed but we are trying to figure out how she did it without the bomb going off at the wrong time" Kate responds
"Dad, did you say this was at the big international chess tournament?"
"Yes why? Do you know something, Alexis?"
"Tell me what happened." The young red head asks
Beckett responds "The semi-final round between the Russian and the British champions was only a few moves in when the bomb went off. We have the video but I don't want to show it to you, it is really gruesome when the bomb goes off"
"Detective Beckett, I just want to see the chess moves. The ones before the blast. I might see something"
"Kate, I forgot that Alexis joined the chess club last year. She just might be of some help here" Rick answers
"OK Castle, but don't let her see the blast"
"OK, Fine" he responds
Castle goes into his office and retrieves his laptop where he copied the DVD over and brings it into the living room where Alexis is seated on the couch. He starts the playback then watches carefully as the play begins so he is prepared to stop the video just before the bomb goes off.
Alexis is watching intently and then as the British player reaches to the board she starts commenting
"Knight to Queen's Bishop 3"
Then the action on the screen follows her statement. After the Russian player makes his move, Alexis again comments
"Knight to King's Bishop 3"
Again after her statement the player makes the move. Castle and Beckett are looking toward the red head like she is reading a crystal ball.
"Alexis, how do you know what he is going to do?" Beckett asks
"This is a classic defense called Old Indian. The next white move is Queen to Queen 4"
Castle and Beckett watch as the player from Great Britton as he picks up the Queen, and then he momentarily looks at the base as it was described to them. He had felt the weight of the magnet and thought the piece felt unusual.
Before the video shows the piece being placed exactly where Alexis foretold it, Castle stops the playback.
Rick looks at Kate. "Now we know. The wife knew her husband and what moves he would make. She had the board wired for this defensive play"
Beckett smiles back at her guy "That is why she got up just as he moved the second knight. She was sure he would move the queen next"
"And her lover was the man who got up and left at the same time"
"We need to find out who that man is. I know. Contact the Four Seasons and find out if she checked in with anyone else. I will get a warrant tomorrow and get the information"
"I have a better idea" Rick says as he picks up his cell phone and makes a call
"What are you doing, Rick?"
"I know people" He holds his hand up indicating silence "Philippe, its Rick Castle/ How are you? Great. Can you do me a favor...?"
Castle steps away from Beckett so she doesn't hear him pull information form his friend, the hotel manager
Castle comes back beside the women. The man's name is Kenneth Taylor. He is also from England. He is staying at the hotel along with the widow. Philippe confirmed that on the night in question, Taylor used his key card to get in his room, but she did not. The Philippe did confirm that it was known that these two were together. And by together they mean…"
Kate stands up and grabs Rick by the neck "I know what they mean by together. Sort of like we are together? You did it Rick!"
"No! WE did it"
"I'll call Montgomery and tell him so we can get an official warrant and bring these two in"
The FBI Building in New York
Special Agent in Charge of the New York FBI field office, Ronnie Peters comes flying out his office like a man on fire.
"Sorenson, Fallon follow me!"
The three men walk toward the conference room. The television on the wall in already turned on and there appears to be a news conference beginning. Peters turns the volume up so they can hear the report
The banner on the bottom of the screen is stating "BREAKING NEWS…NYPD make arrests in Chess Tournament bombing…"
The anchor in the studio is talking while the camera is on a podium. "we are waiting for Captain Roy Montgomery with the 12th homicide squad to come to the podium. We are being told that there has been a break in the bombing case at the Regents Hotel…Now we see the captain approaching the microphone"
Roy Montgomery stands tall as he begins speaking
"Late last night detectives from the 12th Precinct Homicide Division executed arrest and search warrants relating to the deaths of three men at the Regents Hotel last week during the international Chess Tournament. I want to thank my detectives for the excellent police work and investigative skills they presented in solving this very unusual crime. I want to bring to the podium the lead detective, Kate Beckett. She was instrumental in breaking this case"
As Montgomery steps aside he motions for Kate "Detective"
"Thank you Captain" she begins "The suspects are the wife of the British player, Margaret Matheson and her longtime lover Kenneth Taylor. As of this moment, we cannot give out any details but I will tell you that we have irrefutable evidence linking these two to the crime"
The reporters start a barrage of questions the moment Beckett takes a breath
"The FBI told us that this was a terrorist bombing"
"That was the plan all along. The suspects tried to make this look like an attack against a totally innocent victim in the Russian player. But I can assure you that we have all the proof necessary and the DA is impaneling a Grand Jury as we speak to being indictments of first degree murder against these two individuals."
"Why was the NYPD able to break this case when the Feds could not?" comes a question from the 'National News' reporter
"We were not wearing blinders in our investigation. We were looking for evidence and not trying to prove a pre-decided theory"
She points to the reporter from the Ledger "Detective Beckett, a little side question. I see Mr. Richard Castle standing behind you. There is a very cozy photograph of the two of you in the lobby of The Cave Restaurant. Is it true that you two are a couple now and you have taken the mystery writer off the market?"
Kate was not prepared to answer that question. She turns to the group behind her that includes Rick
Roy Montgomery quickly returns to the microphone "That's all the questions for today. Thank you for coming"
The team leaves the podium. Rick grabs Kate who is now a little shaken
"Kate are you OK?" Castle asks as they get clear of the reporters
"No! Not really. I was not expecting my personal life to come under question"
"I am so sorry that this happened. I should have thought about it. Let's go back in the station and talk. OK?"
She does not answer only shakes her head in agreement
Once the team return to their desks where they feel safe from the prying eyes of the media they are interrupted by two very angry federal employees. Agents Sorenson and Fallon arrive together and are making a direct run at the detectives but Roy Montgomery steps in before these two can say anything
"I assume you two are here to congratulate my team?"
"No we want to question them about why they were withholding evidence" Sorenson responds
"No evidence was withheld. My team only uncovered the plot yesterday and had to act quickly to make their arrests. I am sorry that you were unable to make the same connections but I suggest that next time you have a case you follow the leads and not the other way around"
The two men are obviously not happy
"Now if you want to give them your congratulations, I am sure they will be happy to hear it from you. Otherwise, I think we're done here"
Montgomery walks back to his office and closes his door and watches the two federal agents return to the elevator and leave the station
One Final Chapter and I will Close This one.