"Have you ever done this on the beach?" the girl said.
"Yes, but with Mary and it was yoga," Skye said. She smiled when Julia laughed softly and said, "Now sit however you want to; whichever way is the most comfortable."
Sitting Indian style, Julia said, "Okay."
"Now place your hands however you'd like, resting on the bed, your knees… the same as your legs, what is most comfortable to you," Skye told her. She wasn't surprised when Julia placed her hands on her thighs and said, "What you want is to think of a mantra, a steady stream of words that aren't too long to remember but will help you focus on only them to fully let yourself go."
"What do you think of?" Julia asked. She was startled when Skye said a few words in what she guessed were Hindi and said, "You won't tell me what that means?"
Shaking her head, Skye said, "I like to keep that private." She frowned for a moment and then said, "Well, I did tell Mary but she is my wife of course."
"Yeah," Julia said, nodding. "Could I think of a lyric?"
"Yes," Skye replied quickly, smiling as she had a feeling which one, she had in mind already. "Will you be able to focus just on the one though?" At Julia's nod, she told her, "Then let's close our eyes, listen to the waves for a little. When you feel you can focus on it, bring in the mantra you've thought of. And just do your best to let your other thoughts go. But it might not work remember."
"I know, but I'll try," Julia said. When the investigator urged her to start, she tuned her attention to the sound of the crashing waves but found her mind wandering as she had a conversation with herself.
I wonder if Mari will be able to come over… Wait I'm supposed to be focusing on the waves…
I have to do my homework still… No! The waves!
I hope Mari likes the pool- the waves!
Stopping herself, Julia opened her eyes and glanced at Skye a little dismayed to find the investigator looked peaceful. She finally shook herself and started to think of the lyric from the song Brainwashed, George and Dhani Harrison chanting to Parvati and Shiva. She did her best four times to focus on the words she knew well but still had trouble. She tried not to grow impatient, before she finally took a deep breath as quietly as she could and focused on the chant again. Letting herself see the rhythm of the waves, she was suddenly lost for a second before she came back to herself with a jolt.
"Okay?" Skye asked with a smile, looking at the girl.
"Yeah… I think I did it… for a second," Julia said in wonder. She then looked at the investigator and breathed, "I saw George! At least… I think it was George."
"You did," Skye said with a slight incline of her head. "I've seen him too."
"Oh… have you spoken to him?" Julia asked.
"No speaking, just meditating," Skye replied. "Do you feel better?" When the girl nodded rapidly, she smiled and said, "Let's go to your mom, she'll be wor…" Trailing off, she grabbed Julia's arm and said, "Hello Matthias."
I'm so sorry, the man said, looking down.
"Head up young man," Skye said with a smile which she knew he would see once he looked at her.
Are you okay? Matthias asked Julia.
"I am, I don't blame you for getting so angry," she replied quickly. "I would be if someone accused my parents or sisters of doing something bad." Julia looked thoughtful for a moment before she said, "Actually they did, my dad. And I got angry, but I was only five. So it's okay, we're fine and they might have a lead."
Who? Matthias asked with a frown.
Explaining the men to the spirit, Skye said, "Does that sound familiar to you at all?"
No, but we did have a few parties there, Matthias replied.
"What about the show you were last at?" Skye said, speaking gently. "It was very early in the morning."
We would do that; it was easier to slip by the town governments since we were- Matthias was about to say.
"Okay," Skye said quickly, interrupting him the best she could. "That makes sense, I just wondered if someone set it up."
No, we were going to have another show that early on Wednesday and Friday, Matthias replied. He looked at Julia and said, Are you helping now?
"No, but I wasn't surprised really," Julia said. "I asked to… but I'm still only twelve."
Aren't you almost thirteen? Matthias asked.
As Julia nodded in response, Skye said, "They're looking at the men that were at the show from the law firm. Would you come with me to see their pictures? It might jog your memory."
No, Matthias replied.
"No?" Skye said, startled though the spirit was continuing shortly after.
I want Julia to take me with her, Matthias said sternly.
With Julia looking at her, Skye was going to speak before they heard her voice from on the first floor calling up to them. "Let's go, we shouldn't make her come up to us," she told the girl, reaching for her hand.
"How did it go," Beckett said when the two had stepped out of the elevator.
"I did it for a second," Julia told her. "And I saw George."
"Really?" Beckett asked.
"For a second," Julia admitted.
"I see him sometimes too," Skye replied. "There's something else though, Matthias appeared to us just now."
"He did?" Beckett asked in surprise.
"I thought of him seeing the men on the list, but he refused to go with me," Skye explained.
"He wants me to take him," Julia said.
"No," Beckett said immediately.
"But Mom-" Julia said in obvious distress.
"Sweetie you're twelve, you can't see anything for the case you know that," Beckett told her.
Shaking her head Julia said, "Just their pictures, Matthias will be with me, and I'll tell you if he recognizes everyone."
"You should let her Kate," Castle said, he wasn't surprised when his wife gave him a look after turning to him and held up his hands. "Think about it, he could recognize someone," he told her. "Though he could go with you," he said to Skye before she sighed and spoke.
"I asked him, he won't," the investigator replied. "You can just show her pictures and see what he says to her."
"You're not going to sit with her?" Beckett asked.
"No," Skye said firmly. "She needs her mother for this of course."
"We'll have to call Brad," Castle said, his phone in his hand already. When his wife nodded her head slightly, he dialed his friend's number and watched his wife wrapping her arm around their second oldest. "Brad, hey I have a question for you," he said when the chief had picked up. He quickly told his friend what had happened with their victim and Skye's suggestion.
"Guys, she's only twelve," Brad said when his friend had spoken.
"Just pictures," Skye said. "And Kate will stay with her, and they'll go through them quickly."
Sighing deeply, Brad said, "Okay, okay, but Julia?"
"I won't mention it to anyone," the girl said firmly.
"Not even Chloe," Brad added.
"No, I don't see her that much anyway," Julia said.
"Or Mari," Brad said.
"Well…" Julia said, wincing at hearing her friend's name. "I was just going to tell her I helped with the case and looked at pictures."
"She wouldn't say anything," Castle said. "Julia's told her about cases before and she doesn't mention them."
"Okay, well just her but tell her what I told you," Brad said firmly.
"I will," Julia promised.
"Show her the pictures guys," Brad then said. "And that's all."
"We will," Castle and Beckett said at the same time before they looked at each other.
"And if she gets anything at all call me," Brad told them.
After assuring the chief they would, Castle said goodbye with the others and hung up before saying, "He's sent them already."
"Come on," Beckett said, leading Julia to the elevator.
"Do we have time to look at the pictures before they come?" Julia asked her mother.
"We will," Beckett said, stepping onto the second floor with her daughter and heading to one of the daybeds. She paused getting her phone out of her pocket and turned to Julia before the girl was speaking rapidly.
"Matthias is here, he's happy you agreed to this and that you aren't mad at him," Julia was saying. "At least… you aren't right?"
"No," Beckett said, gently smoothing some of the girls' hair on the back of her head. "I'm not since you were okay in the end. But I want you to be careful." She paused feeling something against her shoulder and looked to her left as Julia was talking gently.
"He's letting you know he's ready," the girl said.
Looking at her phone, Beckett nodded and said, "I have the pictures, here." She went with Julia to the end of the daybed, and they sat there before she said, "I'm not going to tell you any names; just show you the pictures. If it's too much for you then just say and we'll stop."
"Okay… what are Dad and Skye doing?" Julia asked.
"Looking at the information of these men," Beckett replied. When her daughter nodded, she hugged her with one arm before she opened the pictures her husband had sent her. "Let me know when you're done," she told her second oldest gently.
Nodding again, Julia looked down at the first man and didn't really feel anything before she heard Matthias whispering no. "Okay," she told her mother. She went through several more pictures like that before she shivered as she felt a rush of cold air around her. "Who is he?" she asked the spirit because he seemed to be agitated.
He shouted at Sonia while we were together, talking about her breasts and trying to get up, saying he wanted in, Matthias said angrily. Tell your mother, please.
Julia jumped when the doors to the elevator seemed to snap open and she turned with her mother to see it was Skye and her father. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"I sensed something was wrong with Matthias," the investigator replied. "And I wanted to check if he recognized someone."
"He left," Julia said, turning to her right and noticing nothing was there. "And he knows one guy."
Taking his wife's phone as she handed it to him, Castle saw the picture and then handed it to Skye.
"We just saw his information," the investigator said in surprise. "Leone Manaudou."
"Matthias said he was at the show, and he was talking about… Sonia's breasts?" Julia said, ending hesitantly and feeling herself blush. She squirmed a little when the adults shared a look and said, "And he got up, saying he was going to join in." She bit her lower lip before she said, "Mom… was he in a show with… adult stuff?"
"Why are you looking at me?" Skye asked. "I'm not about to say."
"As a psychiatrist?" Castle said slowly.
"So he was," Julia said. "But… he talked about Sonia really protectively."
"She was his girlfriend," Beckett told her.
"Oooh, that's why," Julia said. "Then I would be mad too… I wonder if something happened." She watched her father walk away from them with his phone and said softly, "Do you think it would help?"
"Maybe," Beckett said. "But it'll be difficult; he lives in the city."
"No he doesn't," Skye said. When the two looked at her she said, "In his information. He's part of the Hamptons branch of the law firm."
"So he's here, he could have gone to the show yesterday morning," Beckett said. When her friend nodded, she then said, "Luckily we have a name and a location."
"Mom," Julia said. "People went to watch other people… doing that?"
"Sweetie…" Beckett started to say before she trailed off with a sigh before Skye was speaking to her daughter for her.
"They did, it was a show," Skye said. "But the show itself isn't important now and we're not supposed to judge him."
"I wasn't," Julia said. "But now that makes sense."
"What does?" Beckett asked, watching her daughter closely.
"He was always trying to stay back from me," Julia replied. "He left when I asked about the show," she added. She turned her head and said gently, "Matthias, come here we don't care what you were doing at all. And we'll still find who did this to you."
"She's right," Skye said as the spirit appeared.
Did I help at all, remembering? Matthias asked.
"We'll see," Beckett said. "What?" she asked her daughter and friend as the two were looking at her with wide eyes.
"You heard what he said!" Julia said happily, hugging her.
Julia? Matthias then said. When she turned to him, he told her, I went to your little sister.
"She won't know, it's okay," Julia replied. "Would you talk to my mom now?"
If she wants me to talk to her, Matthias replied.
Julia immediately turned to her mother and said rapidly, "He wants to talk to you now that he can."
"It's okay," Skye said.
"But…" Beckett started to say, not sure if she wanted to fully verbalize her question.
"You might not have many going to you," Skye said. "So I wouldn't be too concerned."
"Alright," Beckett said, turning to where she had an instinctive sensation the spirit of the victim was. "But I can't exactly see him."
"You might after a time," Skye warned her.
Will she still talk to me? Matthias said.
"I will," Beckett said before turning to her husband as he walked over to them.
"Brad appreciated the heads up," Castle told them. "He's going to his address right now and putting out an APB just in case."
"He'll call?" Beckett asked.
"I made him promise," Castle commented. "And did I hear you right?" he asked, not surprised when his wife sighed. He grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it saying, "It might help love." He suddenly thought of something and was about to ask Skye about the spirit suddenly appearing when the investigator was responding to that unasked inquiry in Irish.
"You'll need to think of the door in your wall," Skye told Beckett. "Though to be honest I think they'll mostly stay away from you like I mentioned."
"Hopefully," Beckett said. She looked at the time and said, "Skye, would you be willing to do Rick and I a favor?"
"Depends on what it is," the investigator said simply.
"Would you pick up Eliza… likely Mari too," Beckett said, wrapping her arm around her daughter when Julia gasped.
"Sure, but I think she'll be alright," Skye said.
"We're keeping her here," Castle said. He smiled when Julia frowned and said, "You had to expect it."
"Yeah, but I'm going to miss class today," Julia replied with a sigh.
"What will they practice? Three boys won't have their partners," Skye asked as they were walking over to the elevator.
"They dance on their own, their steps," Julia said. "I'm just glad Peter knows why I won't be there." Stepping out on the bottom floor, she asked her mother, "Do I have to do my homework now?"
"That would be nice," Beckett said as they walked inside the house.
"But what about Mari?" Julia asked.
"Didn't she have Study Hall last?" Castle said.
"Oh… Lizzy?" Julia asked.
"She won't have too much," Beckett said with a laugh. "So do it now, you are going to swim."
"I was going to swim with Josa a little," Julia said with a frown.
"You might not have the chance," Skye said. She watched Julia getting her backpack and said, "Why are you asking us to go?"
"We'd like to stay with Julia," Castle answered before his wife could. "Even though you said she'll be fine, we still want to keep an eye on her."
"I thought that might be the reason," Skye said, glancing at Beckett since she knew that was coming from her. She then smiled and said, "Well, I wouldn't mind the walk with Mary to school."
"It'll just be a walk grá," Mary said, coming down the stairs with Josie in her arms. "She's awake," she said before the baby was speaking and making them all laugh.
"Mama up!" Josie said.
"I'm glad you are sweetie," Beckett said, taking the baby. She kissed her gently and then said, "We're going to go swimming very soon."
"Yeah, after I do my homework," Julia said, walking past them to go to the kitchen table.
"We better get ready," Mary told her wife.
Checking her watch, Skye said, "Oh, that went fast. We'll be back."
"We'll come with you," Castle said as they followed the women down the hall to the entry.
"So Josie can see," Beckett said, putting the baby down since she had started to squirm in her arms.
"Don't worry," Skye said as she had sat on the bench to switch from her slippers to her boots. "We'll have your sister and Mari here quick; they'll want to see Julia and swim."
"Jules?" Josie asked.
"We'll take you to her when they go," Castle assured the baby.
"Are you going to let her swim for long?" Mary asked.
"It depends on her," Castle said, glancing at his wife.
"She'll probably spend more time in her little pool," Beckett said.
"What about Alexis?" Skye said while she stood and went to her coat.
"I texted her after talking to Brad," Castle said. "And they'll come over."
"And that leads me to ask about dinner," Mary said. "We'd like to treat you all."
"Why?" Castled said. "Wait, you don't need to feel guilty for what happened today," looking at Skye who was speaking quickly.
"I can't help it, I should have expected him to look out for his cousin," the investigator said. "And really, it's not a problem to do so."
"Then I think it's up to you guys," Castle said, glancing at his wife before she nodded.
"Then would you mind pizza?" Skye said.
"I can make a salad," Castle said to his wife, sensing her hesitation.
"Go ahead," Beckett told the women as they went to the door. "But don't tell them yet."
"Sure," Skye said with a laugh. "Just Josie knows."
"I go eat Mama," the baby replied.
Kissing her temple, Beckett said, "Not yet sweetie, but we will have a snack."
"Great, now we have something to tell Eliza," Skye said jokingly.
"We were going to tell you to tell her anyway," Castle said before he heard running down the hall. "Julia," he and Beckett said at the same time.
"Sorry, I needed to tell you," the girl said, slowing down at the doorway to the entry. "Mari texted me, she's not going to dance class and she'll be at the elementary school waiting for you for sure."
"Good to know, hopefully they'll be ready for us once we get there," Skye said.
Watching the two women hurry to leave then, Julia looked at her parents and said, "I'm finished," not surprised when her mother was speaking in surprise as soon as she'd stopped.
"How did you that fast?" Castle asked.
"Reading was fast," Julia said.
"Julia," Beckett said, studying her daughter's face.
"Okay, I read the history assignment in class," she said with a sigh. "I'm sorry but it was about the Gold Rush and really interesting."
"You didn't get into trouble, did you?" Castle asked.
Shaking her head Julia said, "I was lucky, and the teacher didn't call on me."
"Nice," Castle said. He then realized the way his wife was looking at him and said, "Um, not really. You shouldn't read during the lesson."
"Sorry but… I knew," Julia said slowly, also looking at her mother. She smiled and then said, "But I am finished."
"Want to change?" Beckett asked her. She wasn't surprised when her daughter appeared uncertain and said, "I think you can if you go now."
"Actually," Julia said, looking down at herself. "I'm gonna wait for Mari, she'll change in my room with me."
"Who went to get the girls?" Martha asked from the top of the foyer stairs.
"Skye and Mary," Beckett answered, putting her hand on Josie's back since the baby had run to her and was holding onto her. "They'll be back soon."
"Hopefully soon," Julia said with a smile as her grandmother was coming down.
"How are you doing now kiddo?" Martha asked.
Before she could respond, Castle's phone rang and he saw it was Brad before he motioned to his wife, Julia speaking before her mother could.
"Is that Brad?" she said.
"Patrick," Beckett called. She then turned to her daughter and said, "Take Josie and stay with the others in the family room?"
"Sure," Julia said.
"What is it?" Castle asked her at the strange expression on her face.
"I forgot they were here," Julia said. "Sorry."
"It's alright, I should have sent them home but…" Darnley said slowly as he walked down the hall. "Just wondering how you're doing."
"Go sweetie," Beckett said firmly. "We'll tell him what happened." She made sure Julia took her sister to the family room and once they were set, she and Castle led Darnley to their office. She told him what had happened in the pool room and how they'd had her looking at the pictures of the men.
"Manaudou?" Darnley said when she'd finished. He watched her go to her computer and open the DMV picture they had of the man, and he nodded. "Seems like he'd be the kind to do that."
"Brad just called me," Castle said to them. When his wife nodded at him, he hurried to dial the chief's number before he said, "You found him."
"We found him," Brad said grimly. "And he's dead." After the three on the other end had calmed down, he then said, "He had nothing in his background, Hutchinson talked to the troupe leaders and they confirmed what happened, but he was escorted out by one of their bouncers and that was it."
"Can you tell how Manaudou died?" Beckett asked.
"Shot," Brad said. "One to the temple."
"So… are we connecting it to Weller or is it two separate murders again? Or suicide?" Castle asked.
"That I'm not sure," Brad said. "But I'll be busy with this for now; I'm still having Emmerson and Vance look into the men at the law firm. I've expanded it to all the employees; just in case."
"I don't blame you," Beckett said.
"And this is where Julia's involvement ends," Brad said.
"Don't worry," Castle said, looking at his wife and wondering at the expression on her face. He said goodbye with her and Darnley and then told them, "You know one thing I feel like we forgot is what the mixture was that poisoned the lozenges."
"He would have mentioned it," Darnley said. They turned to the door when there was a knock on it a second before the chime for the door in the wall being opened sounded. "I'm guessing we're stopping for the day?" he asked.
"Yeah, you guys can head home," Beckett said. She then smiled a little and said, "We'll have a party with you guys on Friday."
"Oh, thanks," Darnley said, going to the door and opening it.
Hearing the commotion at the entry, Beckett turned to her husband, letting him take her hand before they turned their attention from their case and joined the other members of their family and friends.
