Back at the morgue, Lanie was boiling. How could her best friend hide something like that from her ? And for how long ? Oh, she was gonna pay ! She switched on the circular saw and attacked the vic's rib cage.
Later she called Beckett down to inform her on her findings. From their behavior, she knew they didn't realize they had given themselves away this morning. She really paid attention to them. They were really good. No touching, just the amount of flirting that was normal for them and no meaningful looks. As they were walking out the door, Lanie decided to put her evil plan in motion.
"Oh, Castle ?"
"Yeah ?" He turned around, all innocent and oblivious. Oh she was going to like it.
"My friend Charlene is in town to audition for the New York City Ballet. I was supposed to go to this fundraiser thingy with her tomorrow night, but I'm stuck here. You're used to that kind of things, would you mind being her date ?", she feigned embarrassment. "I'm sorry to ask you like that. But she's cute, young, but not too young, and a very good dancer." She smiled sweetly, enjoying seeing his growing discomfort.
Meanwhile, in Castle's mind, all alerts were going off. He had to sell it. He had to say yes or it would rise suspicion. But he couldn't sell it too well or Beckett would ripe his manhood off. And not in a good way.
"Sure ! Great !", He plastered a smile on his face, only stealing a quick glance at Beckett but unable to read her face.
While she wrote Charlene's number on a piece of paper, Lanie observed her two friends from the corner of her eyes. A silent conversation seemed to go on. Castle's puppy look was priceless. As for Beckett, she smiled tightly but Lanie knew it was eating at her. Before tomorrow, she would have spilled the beans.
Alone in the conference room at the precinct, Ryan and Esposito were working on the vic's financials. Or more precisely, Ryan was working, while Esposito was ranting about the newest development in the Beckett/Castle relationship.
"Man ! I cannot believe it ? Do you think they've been doing... well you know.. for long ?"
Ryan didn't answer, concentrating on the listing in front if him.
"I'm pretty sure it's new. They couldn't have hidden that to us for long..."
"It's not", Ryan spoke without looking up.
"What ?"
Ryan sighed. This secret was really taking its toll on him. And it wasn't like he was the one who cracked. They did the mistakes.
"It's not new. It's been two months."
"Two months !" Esposito nearly shouted. Ryan shushed him. "How do you know ?", he added in a whisper accusingly.
"I, hum, I. Well", the younger man stuttered. His partner glared.
"I, hum, kinda saw them ?"
"What ?"
"Shhhhh. I can't tell you. Beckett would kill me."
"And Beckett knows that you know ? Ryan", Esposito warned, "I'm our partner. Spill !"
Ryan looked distraught for a moment but finally gave in. He leaned into Esposito.
"Poker night, two months ago. When Castle was loosing ?" His partner nodded. "After she followed him to the kitchen, I... kinda saw them kiss."
"How did I miss that ? How Lanie missed that." Ryan gave him a shrug and smile. "And that's all ?"
Ryan weighted his options : lie to his partner, the risk of facing Beckett's wrath. As scary as she was, Esposito was his friend, his buddy, his compadre.
"Remember she gave me a lift that night ?"
"Yeah"
"Let's just say that I was the one driving her car and she wasn't with me..." He let the penny drop. Esposito's eyes widened. Then suddenly he took an heavy file and hit Ryan over the head with it.
"Ouch ! What was that for ?"
"Not telling me sooner !"
Esposito quickly put down the file as he saw Beckett and Castle approached.
"What did you find ?", the female detective asked when she entered.
"Nothing yet. But The man was lying pretty low on cash. Not really money problem though. We're still digging", Esposito told her in his most professional voice. Ryan opened his mouth to speak but Esposito threw him a pen. Ryan looked as puzzled as Beckett and Castle.
"What did Lanie find ?"
"Not much either. It was a .45'." Beckett spoke, her eyes flipping between her two colleagues. "If we find the gun, she could match it to the bullet. Why did you do that ?"
"I'm mad at him", Esposito explained, his face stern, looking pointedly at her then at Castle. "For keeping secrets."
Ryan buried his head in the papers on the table, refusing to meet Beckett's gaze. She narrowed her eyes. Something was off. First with Lanie, then with them. She turned on her heels and went to her desk. Castle sat in his usual chair next to it, then leaned in.
"I think they know", he whispered, dramatically.
Beckett looked around, then at him.
"Yeah. But how ? Although... Ryan already did."
Castle was about to yelp in surprise when he saw Beckett narrow her eyes. He closed his mouth and was taken aback when he looked apologetic.
"I didn't tell you. But after the poker night ? He didn't take a cab. He took my car. He was the one who convinced me to go back up", she admitted.
Castle smirked smugly. He wiggled his eyebrows : "Remind me to buy the man some champagne. And a car. Maybe even a house..."
She rolled her eyes but grew serious once again. "What are you doing to do about Charlene ?", she asked him.
He really, really, wanted to take her hand but was pretty sure she would shoot him.
"I don't want to go. Maybe I should tell Lanie that I can't ?"
"That won't work. If Lanie suspects a thing, she will be relentless."
Castle sighed and sat back in the chair. They stared at each other while thinking. Beckett was the first one to come to the only conclusion possible.
"I'm going to tell her."
Castle smiled a little but his face changed suddenly, just like when he had an epiphany over the case.
"Or...", he started excitedly before leaning in again. Beckett leaned in too. And they both started to plot against the evil ME.