Chapter 6

After the euphoria passed, that high from figuring out a new clue, Castle's gaze dropped. His head bowed slightly. "I need a moment," he said before making his way to the men's room.

The man in the mirror was not him. It couldn't be. Not with those eyes. Those inhuman eyes. A wolf's eyes. Castle came in close to the mirror. He inspected his face for any other signs of his new status. There was no fur, or whiskers. He was still close shaven and his hair was still it's usual brown. The ear plugs he had put in earlier were still in place. They sat in normal ears.

Behind him, he could see in the mirror, Beckett opened the door. "Beckett," he greeted. That's right, Castle thought, Call your wife by her last name. Put some distance between you. "This is the second time in two days you've followed me into the men's room. Is there something you're not telling me?"

Kate didn't step away from the door. She didn't come any closer. "They told us we had more time. Why is this happening so fast?"

"I don't know." Castle didn't turn around.

"They said a week. It's only been two days. Not even two days."

"I know." Castle kept his eyes on the Kate in the mirror. His eyes followed her as she stepped into the room.

He wanted her to come touch him.

He wanted her to keep her distance.

"Have you found Paul?" Castle asked when the silence became too much.

"He has a gig at a midtown club. He should be there now setting up."

"Go. I'll be out in a few minutes." Kate, who must've realized she wasn't helping, just nodded and left.

Castle stared at his reflection for a couple more minutes. The question of more changes hung heavily on his mind. Eventually he took a deep breath and made a phone call.

The car rocked back and forth as Beckett stepped on the break too hard. They were parked outside a dive bar called The Red Door. Music could be heard even out here. Castle could imagine how the neighbors must be thrilled.

"We can't go in there like this. You can't go in there like this." As Beckett said that, Castle glanced down at his shirt, which was pristine. The mirror on the back of the sunshade similarly held no answers, as he checked his face and teeth.

"Not like that." Beckett handed him his sunglasses. "Your eyes will scare him off before we get a chance to talk."

Castle dutifully put the glasses on. He wanted to say something smart, an off-color joke, or anything else to break the tension, but he was all out. "Let's go."

The insides of The Red Door matched the outside. It was very dive like, but cleaner than most. Warm wood paneled booths lined one wall, a matching bar was opposite. The stage dominated the back of the space, with the band setting up on it. A few tables and a dance floor completed the space. With the lights up it almost looked inviting. Castle made a mental note of it for future bar crawls.

Beckett made a beeline for the first person she saw. A large man carrying a keg of beer to the bar. "NYPD. Do you know where Paul Huang is?"

The man didn't even pause, just pointed at the stage, where three men were setting up equipment. "Thank you."

As they walked through the bar, Castle caught wind of all the people who had been through the night before. He could point at every spot someone had thrown up in. A few smelled less, those ones must be older. He wondered if he could pin point the date of each one by smell alone.

"NYPD. I'm Detective Beckett, and this is Mr. Castle. Who is Paul Huang?" Beckett flashed her badge.

A brown haired head popped up from behind the drums. The man was dressed in an old t-shirt that had had it's arms ripped off. His eyes were bright yellow. "I am."

"Is there somewhere we can talk in private Mr. Huang?"

"Yeah. Backroom should be free." Paul got up and gave Castle a side eye. "Are you ok man?"

"Pink eye. It looks nasty right now." Paul seemed to accept that answer and lead them through a door behind the stage.

The back room had only enough space for three people to fit uncomfortably. It was piled high with boxes and stock like napkins and peanuts. The air smelled stale and like old alcohol.

"Look if this is about the weed, I swear I have a prescription for it."

"I don't care about any weed. What do you know about Faina Murdo?" Beckett said.

"We're friends. She's been helping me out with some stuff lately."

"Have you been having an affair with Mrs. Murdo?" Beckett pressed. With Beckett rapid firing questions, Castle let his attention wander to Paul's body language. Paul was open and engaged, but caught off guard. His hands hang loosely at his sides. It didn't help that Castle and Beckett were blocking the way out.

"No! Of course not."

"Then what have you been doing at her apartment?" She asked before Paul had a chance to stop and think. It was a technique she had used many times.

"Stuff. Look, Detective, I'm not giving you anymore answers until I get some. Is Faina ok? Is she in trouble?"

"One more question, then we'll answer some of yours. Have you talked to your wife today?"

"No she was gone to work when I got up. Like normal. What is this all about?"

"Faina was found dead in her apartment yesterday morning."

"What!? Who could possibly want her dead?"

"That is what we are here to figure out. Now could you please elaborate on your relationship with Mrs Murdo?"

Castle stood silently while Beckett grilled poor Paul. His gaze wandered to Paul's face, while he explored his new senses. Paul's scent was different. Castle could smell the weed in his pocket and the smoke that clung to Paul's clothing. He smelled the cologne that Paul had put on to cover up the other odors. But under everything else Castle could smell Paul. The more Castle focused the more he could tease apart. The sweat from earlier in the hot club was different to the sweat he was putting out now.

Castle never felt more like a superhero. He needed to get a cape.

"We met through my wife. The two of them work together. I was bitten by a werewolf about a year ago now." Paul's eyes dropped. He hunched over slightly. "I've been hiding it from my wife. I don't want to worry her. Faina's been helping me out with it. She's been taking samples from me and we've been doing some guided meditations. She's slipped me a few pills."

Paul raised his eyes. He looked at Beckett and then to Castle, looking for some sign that they were lying. "She's really dead? She didn't deserve that, man."

"What were you doing Tuesday night between the hours of 10pm and 5am?"

"I was at home with my wife."

"Try again. We know you were at the crime scene. We have a few hairs. If we take you in now, will it be a match I wonder." Oh, Castle thought, that's what panic smells like.

"Ok, so I was there. But I didn't kill anyone. She was dead when I got there. I panicked and hid in the closet. With all the uh, internal turmoil I was having I knew I wasn't safe to be around. When the cops showed up, it uh, forced a change." Paul shut his eyes, trying to remember something. "I remember biting someone. Are they ok?"

"Yes, he's going to be ok. So you remember what happened when you're... changed?"

"Everyone does." Beckett's eyes went wide at that.

"Excuse us for a second." Castle leaned in and they put their hands up.

"If everyone remembers then Kenneth should remember what happened," Beckett said.

"But he doesn't. So he must've been knocked out? Maybe by the killer?" Castle asked.

"Who could knock out a werewolf?"

"Let's ask the expert." Castle tilted his head and gestured to Paul. Both nodded and turned back to Paul.

"Just a few more questions and then we will leave you to your business. How hard is it to drug a werewolf?"

"Very. If I need surgery for anything, it's a guarantee that I'll need twice the regular amount to be put under."

"Do you know who would have access to those kind of drugs?"

"My wife works at a laboratory. They might have something strong enough." Paul's eyes squinted slightly. "Last week, Faina's boss called her. Dr Buonaiuto. They had a fight. I only caught the end of it when I came in."

"Do you remember what was said?"

"I only heard Faina's end of the conversation. She said, 'Then you can get your own vial.' It stood out to me. I don't know what vial she was talking about. Does that mean something to you?"

"That is definitely relevant to our investigation. I don't want to disclose details about an ongoing investigation. Thank you for your time. I think my partner has a few questions for you alone." She turned to Castle. "I'll wait for you outside."

Paul turned to Castle with a confused look on his face. That look turned to one of understanding after Castle took the sunglasses off.

"I'm the one you bit."

Paul looked devastated. "Oh man. Look I'm so sorry. This thing has only like a one percent chance to infect. I thought I was safe."

"What's done is done. I forgive you. Water under the bridge. Insert your favorite cliché here." Castle shifted his weight forward. "But I need to know what else I have to expect. How fast did you change after you were bit?"

"One month. The next full moon was the first I changed. Kenneth and I have exchanged some stories. I know he's still waiting on his first. Didn't I just bite you yesterday though?" Paul asked confused. "It took me a week for my eyes to change." Paul chuckled. "I told my wife they were contacts. That I had got them to fit in with my new band."

"Yes, you did bite me yesterday. Do you have any idea why this is happening so fast for me?"

"I'm no expert, man. Other than Kenneth, I don't know any other werewolves."

"Now you know me. I'm Richard Castle."

"Ah, shit. I did not bite the man who wrote the Derek Storm novels. Mom's gonna kill me." Paul paused to think. "Would it be inappropriate to ask you to sign some books?"