With every moment Rick held the photo he grew more and more despondent. Kate lost all motivation to be a detective and her role as his rock, his solid ground, took over.
"Rick … what is it?" The soft caring voice of his fiancé brought Castle back to reality.
"I know … or I knew her." A sorrowful Beckett pressed for more.
"How?"
"I met her my freshman year of college at a party. I fell in love with her within a matter of six hours; I searched for her for a year, but could never find her. I … I always thought it was because we never exchanged last names; I kept thinking I would see her again on campus, but she just … disappeared." McHale was more shocked hearing the information that anyone in the room, even Beckett.
"Was the party sometime around New Year's Eve?" Castle's gaze was pulled away from the photo for the first time since he had touched it.
"Yeah, how'd you know that?" McHale's hand rose to cover his mouth, his eyes darting back and forth over the board.
"Fuck …" McHale pulled his hand down aggressively, wiping his beard close to his face. "Castle, sit down." Confused, and scared, Rick followed the command. "Were you two … intimate that night?" Castle looked up to Beckett, searching for her approval to answer. Beckett knew Castle, and how he used to be before her. Rick shook his head in affirmation. "Well … The NYPD has always operated under the assumption that 3XK's pose for his victims was funereal , most likely because the majority of his victims were found in their homes but Alison was killed in a hospital. It's my theory that all his victims after Alison were posed to match her." McHale approached Beckett, taking her hands in his, then continuing, "Calm and peaceful, bordering on pleased, hands clasped low over .." McHale crossed Beckett's hands and she finished his sentence.
"… Her Womb." Castle's face began to resemble a boxer's between rounds; His eyes were red, welling with tears.
"No …"