Author's note: I'd like to thank southerngirl1, castlegeek89, and TORONTOSUN for their reviews. castlegeek89: I'm sorry you didn't like Hayley in the show. I did enjoy watching her, and while I think she was very stubborn and secretive in many instances, I also think that was part of her character's story arc. She was meant to be way more private and secretive in the beginning as she learned to trust Castle and Beckett. TORONTOSUN: I'm glad you think that I did a good job capturing Hayley's voice in this story. This chapter picks up not long after the last one ended. Enjoy!

Chapter 8

"Dr. Hammerback is a great M.E." Lanie sat across from Beckett. "He did the autopsy on Hector Garvlo."

"What do you got for me?"

"The late Mr. Garvalo was hit under his right arm. The bullet bounced off a rib, went through his right lung in a downward trajectory, and lodged in his pelvic bone. Normally, with prompt treatment, an injury like that is survivable. In Hector's case, the bullet nicked the Portal Vein on the way through. He died of internal exsanguination."

"Painful?" Beckett hoped it was.

"Yes, but not right away."

"What do you mean?"

"Normally when you get shot, it's in the front or back where a lot of nerves are. Under the arm lacks a lot of pain sensing nerves." Lanie stood up and came behind Beckett's desk. "Do you mind if I use you?"

"Go ahead."

Lanie raised Beckett's arm. "You can feel me poke you here." She poked Beckett under her arm.

"Yes."

"Compare that to when I poke you here." She poked the front of Beckett's shoulder.

"Huh, I can feel more of your finger at my shoulder then under my arm. That's from the location of certain nerves?"

"Yes." Lanie took her seat again. "Combine that with the adrenaline rush of being in a firefight and he probably didn't feel a thing until they were a few blocks from the scene."

"And by then it was too late."

"Exactly." Lanie handed Beckett the autopsy report. "I'm sorry you couldn't prosecute him."

"Karma got him. It's not justice, but it'll have to do." Beckett glanced at the folder. "Thanks, Lanie."

"You got it."

Esposito kissed his wife as she left and he came in. "Captain, the gang units have rounded up most of the shooters. All of them are clamming up and demanding lawyers."

"Who's still unaccounted for?"

"Hector Garvalo was on that list, but I let them know he's deceased. The other names are Keven Jamison, Alejandro 'Crispy' Salizar, Jasper Garcia, and Javier Alvarado." He hesitated.

"What is it?"

"Well, it's Crispy. I think his records… they seem a bit… off."

The gang unit's Captain came in. "That's because he's an undercover cop. He's sitting with I.A.B. right now. We put him on the list to protect his cover."

"What has he said so far?" Beckett stood and sat against the front of her desk.

"He was there, but he never fired his weapon. And he tried to save Garvalo. Salizar is the reason his body was found. He called in an anonymous tip. Risked his life to do that."

"Are you pulling him out?"

"Haven't made that decision yet. I guess it'll depend on what happens with your case. Why?"

"If you're keeping him in, we can interrogate him like a perp. Might help with maintaining his cover."

The gang unit's Captain thought about it. "I'll let you know."

"You know where to find me." Beckett turned back to Esposito when the other Captain left. "What else do you have for me?"

"Ballistics has tested some of the seized guns. These are the ones that were at the scene, so far at least." Esposito handed Beckett the report. "They're working on the rest now."

"And we've confirmed these gang members were there using the security footage?"

"Ryan's working on it right now with Tory."

"Thanks, Esposito."

He didn't move. "What do you want us to do?"

"Keep doing the interrogations. I know it seems like running your head against a brick wall, but you never know; one of them might crack."

"You got it."

Meanwhile…

Castle had stayed at Hayley's graveside. He had his phone out and was researching what Hayley's Hebrew name meant. Dinah meant "the avenged one," Marilou meant "warrior," and Shafir meant "sapphire." He thought it was interesting that she had chosen that name and he wondered even more what it meant to her. Marilou made sense; Hayley was a warrior. She'd always impressed him with her strength, fighting prowess, and resilience. Maybe that's why this grief hurt so much.

A man walked up to him. "Sholem Aleikhem. It is not customary to grieve this much."

"I'm not Jewish, Rabbi. I'll grieve in my own way." Castle sighed. "I'm sorry, that came out far more rudely than I meant it."

"I understand, and I do not mean to be rude myself, Mr. Castle. I only wish to help you process this tragedy."

"Forgive me. I've not been myself since she passed."

"Who was she to you?"

"A friend. A very good friend. I… I haven't lost someone like this." Castle thought about it. "Well, my wife's father was murdered. And that hurt a lot too. But we weren't with him when he died, and the funeral wasn't so soon after his death."

The Rabbi nodded. "I know she died violently, but I like to believe that she is at peace now."

"Did you know her well, Rabbi?"

"Not so well as I would have liked. She was a member of my congregation, yes, but she didn't come to Shabbat services very often. I think she felt that worship was between her and Yahweh. Perhaps she felt coming to prayer services was unnecessary."

"She never mentioned she was Jewish." Castle looked down at the temporary marker. "I'd like to get her a permanent marker. Did she have any stipulations for it?"

"She wanted her given name on it, and she wanted her Hebrew name under that in Hebrew. Besides that, she didn't leave any other instructions."

"Thank you, Rabbi." Castle held out his hand and the Rabbi shook it. "I'll take care of it."

"Kol Tuv. Do not forget to remember the dead as they were."

None of the gang members cracked. Ryan and Tory were able to confirm that all of the men they had in custody had been involved in the shooting though, so they could hold them all. And ballistics had weeded out the guns that hadn't been involved, though some of the bullets collected from the scene didn't match a recovered or seized gun. Esposito had arranged for warrants to be signed for all the men in custody so that uniforms could make another, more though search.

It was the old man that was bugging Beckett. Neither of those neighborhoods had an overwhelmingly Caucasian population, and most Caucasians in that area were young or middle aged. An old, white man would stand out in those areas, except he didn't seem to. Both gang leaders remembered seeing him in their neighborhood often enough that they thought he belonged, but they couldn't, or wouldn't, describe him. And then there was the fact that the shooting had happened because of what he had said. What would a gang war give this mystery man?

Castle walked in. "The house is lonely."

"We've made some progress. A lot of arrests. But someone was pulling the strings."

Castle sat across from his wife. "What do you mean?"

"Both gang leaders say an old, white man told them that the other gang was talking smack and planning to take over their rival's territory."

"That's why they were there that day?"

Beckett nodded. "I'm afraid so."

"I wonder…" Castle stood and left the office.

"Castle?" She followed him.

"I'm going to the office. Maybe I can find out who Hayley was working for."

"Talk to me, Castle. What are you talking about?"

"I want to know who gave Hayley the case that took her to that area in the first place."

"Why?"

Castle hit the button for the elevator. "What if she was sent there to be killed? What if that 'old man' wanted her dead, but didn't want to do it himself?"

The elevator arrived. "Wait in the lobby. I'm coming with you." Beckett headed back to her office, grabbed her coat and keys, and took the stairs down to the lobby. "Okay, let's go."

Castle unlocked the door to the office and entered. "I'm going to look at the security footage. You want to help me narrow down when the client came in?"

"Yeah. I'll start with her desk." Beckett woke up Hayley's computer. "Any idea what her password is?"

"It unlocked with her voice. There wasn't a specific phrase, though."

Beckett grabbed her phone. "I think I've got a message from Hayley on here still." She played the message and the computer unlocked. "Nice. Um, I have a bookmarked page where she looked up the address."

"What's the folder called?"

"Let's see, uh, 'Johnson, Q.'"

Castle grabbed the log-in book. "I've got a Quinn Johnson here. They came in four days ago at 11:30 am." He went to his computer and called up the security footage. "Who are you?"

Beckett had entered the name on her phone. "Database has almost two hundred Quinns, or some variation of that in the NYC area. Oldest male is in his eighties."

Castle paused the video. "Well, she is not male or in her eighties." He turned the screen around so Beckett could see the blonde woman on the screen.

"No, she is not." Beckett took a closer look. "Does she look familiar to you?"

"A little."

Beckett took a picture. "I'll have Tory run the picture; see what she comes up with."

"Okay." Castle looked disappointed.

"You okay?"

"No." Castle fell into his chair. "I just… I thought we'd find out who the old man was and what his motivation was. I was hoping to find the story. But we didn't."

"Maybe we don't have all the information for the story yet. We still have to find this woman."

"I guess."

"Come back to the station with me. Let's figure out who Quinn Johnson is."

Castle stood up. "Right behind you."

Tory ran the picture and a Massachusetts driver's license for Quinnley Johnson popped up. "She's twenty-seven and lives in Boston. I'll see what else I can find."

"Why would a Bostonian be asking a New York Private Eye to look into a Harlem apartment?"

"She's moving here." Tory pulled up the information on the big screen. "She advertised needing an apartment for when her company transfers her to the Manhattan Branch. She works for First Eastern Bank."

Castle sighed. "So, she gets a response about an available apartment, hires Hayley to check it out, and Hayley gets killed."

"That's what it looks like." Beckett turned to Castle. "You okay?"

"No, but at least I know what happened now. At least I have the story." He stood. "I'm going to go. I need some air."

"Okay. Be safe."

"Always."

Castle returned to his P.I. office to find a bouquet of lilies on the door step. He took the card off the top and read,

"I'm sorry for your loss. I didn't know Ms. Shipton for long, but she seemed like someone who was very special. I'm sorry that my involvement in her life may have led to her death. Please know that my account has been paid in full and I will not be moving to Manhattan. I've done enough damage in this city.

"Quinnley Johnson"

Castle picked up the bouquet and carried it inside, setting the vase on Hayley's desk. "I'll miss you, Hayley."

Alexis was sitting on the couch behind him. "So will I. Who are the lilies from?"

"Quinnley Johnson. Hayley was looking into an apartment for her and blames herself for Hayley's death. Even though it was an accident."

"That was nice of her." Alexis' voice caught in her throat. "Will you sit with me?"

"Always, pumpkin. Always."

A/N: I'm going to take a week off of posting so I can spend some time with visiting family. I should be back on the 12th. Stay tuned!