Genre: Drama, Crime, Romance, Family, Humor

Rating: M for sexual situations and language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC, and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: It was great to get the feedback sent to me the last chapter so will get to my thank yous for that right away! TORONTOSUN (Happy to see you liked how Julia wanted Beckett's help for what she was going through. And glad of course you thought it was a great chapter. Also I'm glad you liked how David and Rebecca were involved with the goings ons as you put it!),
MsNYC (Have to see if they can close the case of course but not surprised you thought that with the ending the chapter. And very glad that you thought it was great writing, I did the best I possibly could with that!) and
vetgirlmx (I had to laugh at what you mentioned about that being how they get into trouble but you do make a point about that, you'll have to see how that ends up going of course and if they do. And yeah, I figure if anyone would be the best person to accidentally talk about Julia about around it would be Brad so glad to see that you agree with me on that! And yeah, I don't think he'd do anything to harm her since he's their friend and everything; also his daughter is friends with Julia. You're also right, they can talk about her more freely around him now and everything. Really pleased you loved the ride with Beckett and Julia and you're right, it's easier to write them having meaningful talks with just the two of them. And glad to see you're very happy she's a writer too. And yeah, I figured she'd be a good one too, lol, so that'll be interesting in the future too. I could see Castle being really excited too so I'm not surprised you thought of that as well. I wasn't surprised to see you make mention of the eccentrics in town discussion, lol, I thought you might as you mentioned that before. But yeah, there are a lot and I don't know why Castle and Beckett attract a lot of eccentrics, lol, just seems to happen with what they do. Great you're looking forward to the next chapter, now you don't need to wait to read it!).
Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved reading each one and am appreciative for the time taken to write them out and send them to me!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Day Tripper written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, from The Beatles album Past Masters, Volume 2.

Easy Way Out

"She's here," Castle said as he peered out the window seeing the two in front of the building for the ME.

"I told you," Beckett said simply.

"I didn't doubt you," Castle replied. "But why would she sneak out?"

"She might think she's next," Beckett told him before she turned off the car. She was first out and she jogged across the asphalt to the front of the building where she guessed Brockson was with the Radcliff's lawyer. "Kelly," she called when she was near. "Oh thank god I was wondering where you were." She nearly sprinted the rest of the way as she could tell the woman was going to protest her tone. "Come on, we'll get some coffee and talk," she said as she put her arm around her.

"Why-" the woman said, starting to fight against her.

"Just walk," Beckett said softly. She was relieved when Brockson didn't argue after that and they walked together around to the back of the building. "Sorry," she said, letting the woman go. "I could tell he wasn't going to let you in."

"Did he have any right to?" Brockson asked, looking at Castle as he was running over to them.

"No," Beckett said. "She had a will and she left her body to her younger brother; he hasn't blocked anyone."

"Then it was her parents," Brockson breathed out. "So I guess you're going to take me into the police station?"

"No," Beckett said, waiting for Castle to knock on the door at the rear of the building they were near. "I just didn't want to have to deal with the guy," she added, nodding back to the front.

"Kate," Castle said quickly as the door opened.

"We saw what was happening," Thayer said as the three came inside at his urging. "I was going to call the police but then saw you were here. Is she here to see your vic?"

"I am," Brockson said.

"Mr.… Rudolph Radcliff gave permission for you to view the body," Thayer said. "But he told us not to mention it to his parents; what's wrong with that family?" he asked as he led the way then to room where the body was.

"A lot," Brockson said wryly before she became serious. She watched as the doctor then took out the body and when he pulled down the sheet covering her she turned away, bursting into tears.

Beckett followed her quickly outside to the hallway helping Brockson up as she began to kneel, her sobs escaping her quickly. She took her to a room that was set aside for visitors and waited for her husband to give her a cup of coffee, both of them watching the woman sipping at it and drying her tears with a tissue.

"Thank you I just… I didn't want it to be true," Brockson said.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," Beckett said gently. She wasn't surprised when Brockson looked at her in surprise and said, "We know you broke up but I had a feeling it wasn't really what you both wanted."

"Can you give me a ride out of here?" Brockson then said, looking around the room. "I need to get out of here."

"Will you come with us to the station?" Castle asked. When the woman nodded he and Beckett stood up with her before they went out in the front once he was sure that the lawyer had left. On the drive out to the station he glanced at his wife as Brockson was quiet and her look back to him let him know she wanted to wait until they were back.

"I've heard of you two," Brockson said after she was outside of the car. "How you consult."

"We do," Beckett said then. "Would you want to wait for Chief Davis?"

Shaking her head Brockson said, "It's the same talking to you right?"

"It is," Castle answered. "This way," he told them as he opened the door. He let his wife lead the way to the interview room and once they were sitting on the armchairs across from Brockson he said, "I should have asked if you're okay with me being here."

"It's fine," the woman said quickly. "But you know I didn't-"

"We're aware," Beckett interrupted her.

"We know you've been in the city for a week," Castle added. "So of course you had no chance."

"And I loved her," Brockson said absently, looking away from the two. She then said, "Have you looked at her parents?"

"I'm wondering if I could ask you about how Yvonne got in touch with you Sunday night," Beckett said.

"Got in touch? I haven't spoken to her since we broke up," Brockson said in surprise.

"How long ago was that?" Castle said.

"Three months ago," Brockson said.

"And was this a mutual thing or-" Beckett started to say.

"No I broke up with her," Brockson said with a sigh. "She never came out to her parents; just her brother since he's bi though I think the rest of her siblings figured it out except the baby."

"Did you push her to do that?" Castle then inquired.

"I had a hard time coming out myself," Brockson answered. "I couldn't do that to her, what she was doing was saying she was going to but then chickening out. I told her I would help her but she never could." She shuddered and then said, "It's like she was enslaved to them."

"We think she was going to see you that night before she went to a friend's house," Beckett said carefully.

"She was?" Brockson asked tearfully. "She wouldn't have known I wasn't there and she was probably leaving her family."

"Could her parents have figured that out?" Castle asked.

Shaking her head Brockson said, "She was able to hide herself."

Seeing then that the woman looked uncertain Beckett asked, "Is there something else?"

"Yvonne told me that her father was trying to get the owner of a business of some sort; she never told me what exactly," Brockson replied. "I really thought she was joking but I wonder if maybe she wasn't. She was going to be offered to the guy."

"In… marriage?" Castle asked slowly, sharing a look with his wife.

"No, to sleep with," Brockson said. "He, I think his name was Corbin, the last name, always leered at her whenever he was over at the house. That might have been her breaking point," she ended in a whisper.

"You're sure she didn't contact you?" Castle said. "In any way?"

"I never got a call or text," Brockson began. She then said, "Wait let me see if I got anything in my old e-mail account from her."

Beckett watched with her husband as the woman went on her phone and she refrained from speaking though she wanted to ask about the account.

"Oh god," Brockson was saying tearfully again. "She did e-mail me."

"What account are you talking about?" Castle asked, knowing his wife was wondering the same.

"We had e-mail accounts we used just for each other; to be safe," Brockson said. "Here," she told Beckett as she handed over her phone to her and then dried the tears falling down her cheeks.

Looking over his wife's shoulder Castle read the e-mail as well and saw that the vic had used it to beg her ex to let her into the house. He felt horrible for Brockson as the end of the e-mail told her that the vic loved her and wanted to be with her.

"I'm so sorry," Beckett said, handing the phone back to the woman. "But I need to ask besides her parents was there anyone else that hated her and would have wanted to hurt her?"

Thinking over that very obviously Brockson then nodded and said, "Jamie Wilson, he would hit on her but she pushed him away and he never forgave her for that."

"What do you know about Mr. Wilson?" Beckett said, quickly putting her hand on her husband's arm to stop him from speaking.

"Not much, he works here in the Hamptons section of the architecture firm," Brockson said. "I don't know much else besides what Yvonne told me."

"I think that's all we have for now," Beckett said after she glanced to her husband to give him a chance to ask something. When he didn't say anything she turned to the woman and asked, "How did you get here?"

"I caught the train," Brockson said slowly. "I thought I was being suspected of murder."

"Would you like an escort home?" Beckett asked.

"Thank you," Brockson said as they were all standing up.

"Officer Hutchinson?" Beckett said, opening the door. "I hate to ask you this when Chief Davis isn't here but could you escort Ms. Brockson to her home?"

"Of course," the officer said, smiling at the woman who was gripping the strap of the bag on her shoulder tightly.

As they looked on while Hutchinson and Brockson left Castle said, "I really hope that Brad found him."

At that moment there was the sound of the lobby door opening and Beckett hurried with Castle over to the window looking out on it.

"Mr. Wilson you're going to be tazered if you don't stop!" Brad was yelling. "Someone open the door!"

Castle ran over to it first and watched as Brad and Bernier dragged the man past him and then into interrogation. "What do you think?" he asked as wife as they went together to observation where the chief and officer were handcuffing Wilson to the table.

"I'll talk to him," Beckett said. "But I'm leaving it up to Brad if you're going in."

"No putting your foot down?" Castle asked.

"I think she's trying to tell you that she and I are in complete agreement," the chief said as he came into the room then. "That you should sit this one out. You found Brockson?" he asked. When the couple looked at one another he said, "I'm going to let him calm down."

With that Castle and Beckett together told him what had happened once they got to the ME and how their interview with Brockson had gone.

"Okay," Brad mused.

"Where'd you find him?" Beckett asked.

"Strip club," Brad said. "He had a lot of cash on him."

"From his lover?" Castle asked. "And by the way that's not why he's so angry; that you took him out of there."

"He knew why we were coming," Brad said, not surprised when Beckett was shooting one of her looks at her husband. "So Beckett," he told her. "After he calms down I want you in there first. Not for that reason," he told Castle as he opened his mouth to speak. "Give him a cup of water and sit before I get inside."

"To distract him," Beckett said in an aside to her husband.

"I figured," Castle said. "Just… be careful."

"I can talk to suspects Rick," Beckett said with a slight smile before she squeezed his arm. She then followed Brad outside and waited for him to get the glass of water, thinking in the meantime of how she could speak to the man before she was heading into interrogation with the glass in hand.

"What the hell," Wilson snapped angrily. "I didn't do anything so why am I here?"

"We have a few things to ask you," Beckett said simply as she pushed the glass of water over to him.

"Thanks," Wilson muttered before he nearly drank down the entire cup. When he'd finished he slammed the glass down; though it was made of paper; and said to Beckett, "Want to let me go?"

"I'll pass," she replied easily. She didn't know why but she could almost feel her husband's smirk as she sat down across from the man. "I'm not part of the police."

"No but you're close," Wilson said. When Beckett raised her eyebrow at him he said, "That came up the other night; the party."

"In what way?" Castle asked at the same time his wife was in the room.

"Just some guys and I," Wilson mumbled.

"Mr. Wilson," Beckett said firmly.

"Is that what you wanted to know?" the man said angrily. She didn't reply so Wilson said sharply, "Just guys talking about you."

"So one of those conversations," Beckett said.

Grunting Wilson said, "Rudy Radcliff wasn't really into you; talking about your eyes; but it was obvious the guy was a fr-"

"Enough," Beckett said as sharply as she could, almost glaring at the man. When he looked at her with narrowed eyes she said, "I'm wondering more now about your relationship with Mrs. Radcliff."

"Mrs. Radcliff?" Wilson said, looking over at the chief who walked into the room.

"Clementine Radcliff," Brad said, not surprised when Beckett didn't turn to him.

"She's a friend," Wilson replied with an embarrassed shrug.

Sharing a look with Brad; since Wilson was looking at them both; Beckett said nonchalantly, "I wonder if you would say the same if we told you we know that your daughter is little Sydney Radcliff."

His eyes widening Wilson opened his mouth to speak before he then said, "I don't have a daughter."

"Should have been a little quicker on the uptake there," Brad said with a slight smile before he sat and watched Beckett stand.

"You got incredibly lucky," she said to their suspect. "But I have to wonder what you would have done if she'd gotten your eyes? Mr. Radcliff's eyes are grey, yours hazel."

Wilson was going to speak when he finally smiled and then sat back against his chair. "You have no way to prove it."

"You're sure we don't?" Brad said, taking the cup the man had drunk from. He couldn't help smiling when Wilson blanched and said, "We don't care about your child, what we want to know is your relationship with Mrs. Radcliff."

"Don't call for a lawyer, don't call for a lawyer," Castle breathed under his breath as he was waiting with the two for the man to answer as Wilson rubbed his face with his hands. Finally though the man looked at Beckett and Brad and he waited, hoping to hear an answer that would help them.

"We were lovers," Wilson finally said, breathing out harshly.

"You were," Beckett stated.

"It started a year ago," Wilson replied, folding his hands the best he could with one still handcuffed. "We met at a party like the one the other night at the Radcliff home. She came on to me… hard." He trailed off before shrugging and said, "There isn't much more I can say about it."

"Did you ever know any other lovers of Mrs. Radcliff?" Brad said.

"A couple," Wilson replied. "Pace Chapin, William Link and I think Darwin North," he said, listing off. "North I have no idea really for sure if he was her lover."

"Do you know if she continuously had lovers?" Beckett asked.

"Sure, she told me," Wilson said. "Who I don't know 'cause those first two guys I only knew came before me and noticed them with her at parties. But it's an unspoken thing between her and her husband."

"So Mr. Radcliff knew," Brad stated.

"Yeah, because he was impotent," Wilson said with a shrug. "Clementine told me that they hadn't had a child since her last one."

"Hers," Beckett stated.

"Yes hers," Wilson said firmly. "I don't know if those kids are someone else's, why would she tell me?"

"Do you know anything at all about how to get a hold of arsenic?" Brad asked.

Castle wasn't surprised when his wife turned back towards him but he knew the look was one of admiration for the chief's misnaming the chemical.

"Arsenic? How the hell would I know?" Wilson said, frowning. "Wait," he said quickly. "You don't think I poisoned her do you?" When the two were silent in response he said, "No, no, the relationship was finished and I was fine with it. And why would I poison her daughter?"

"Maybe to punish her since she left you and Yvonne Radcliff never responded to your advances," Brad commented.

"No! No we decided that we were finished because we were getting bored with each other and her daughter I liked but she never was interested," Wilson protested. "Ask Clementine if you don't believe me."

"Did you know her other children at all?" Beckett asked.

"Not really, just from the parties but they didn't talk to others all that much there," Wilson replied. When the chief stood up he said, "So… am I done?"

Brad didn't say anything, leading Beckett out and to observation before he said, "It's not him."

"No but it has to be the father of the children," Castle said, standing up himself.

"The question still is who," Brad said.

"It seems more likely it's not Mr. Radcliff," Beckett said. When the two men looked at her she said, "He may have been able to father a child up until the time the youngest were born but with the baby…"

"Hence the need for the deception," Castle said.

"Do either of you want to ask Mrs. Radcliff?" Brad asked the two when they looked to him.

"Not really," Beckett said with a slight groan. "We should go back over the case. And by we I mean Castle and I since I'm sure you'll be looking into those three names."

"Of course but you might get something else looking at it this time," Brad said. "We'll regroup in the break room for a drink."

"Great, you brought liquor," Castle said jokingly.

"Get out of here," Brad said in a mock annoyed tone of voice.

Beckett pulled her husband's arm so he followed her and they soon came to the murder board where she took a breath at everything on there and said, "Let's start at the beginning."

"Good idea," Castle said, stifling a yawn before his wife was doing the same. When they were ready he followed her gaze back to their first vic and their starting point.


"Hey, Rick," the voice said, jolting Castle on the table.

"What?" he asked Brad, looking up at him as he was in the doorway of the break room.

"You know there's a couch behind you," the chief told him.

"I wasn't planning on sleeping," Castle said with a slight groan while he was rubbing his face with his hands.

"You and Kate seem to be in the same situation," Brad said as he went over to the table. "She was yawning when I looked in on you both."

"We're… tired," Castle replied, standing up.

"I got that," Brad said. "So here's what you'll do," he said as he turned to the doorway.

"What?" Beckett asked, surprised as she was standing there.

"You two go home for two hours and I don't care what you do but I would suggest you take a nap and sleep," Brad replied.

Beckett was going to protest but found the idea very appealing as her exhaustion was getting worse when she'd been trying to focus on the murder board again after she and Castle had the first time. "You won't need us?" she asked.

"Not sure how unless we hear from the company that shipped the cyanide," Brad said simply. "Go and if I need you to come in I'll call but if not just come back at one," he said.

"Just promise to call us," Castle said as he followed Beckett and his friend over to the doorway.

"I will," Brad said, in slight exasperation.

When they were in their car and he was driving home Castle said, "We've never done that before."

"Not while we were on a case," Beckett reminded him.

"That's true," Castle said, recalling a few times in the past when they'd needed to take a nap when they'd been trying to write. "But we need it."

"Are you trying to convince me?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"No just stating a fact," Castle said, glancing at her quickly before he neared home.

"Eliza and our parents will be back soon with her," Beckett told him as he pulled up to the garage but didn't go inside.

"We can eat with them," Castle said. "I was going to make sandwiches and I can make more for them."

Nodding Beckett followed him to the front door, not surprised when Macca and Rita rushed over to them. "Take it easy," she said as she pet them both to calm them down. "We're only going to take a nap before we leave."

"Go on to your beds," Castle said after he'd locked the front door. He watched the dogs head into the family room and then walked with his wife up the foyer stairs to their room. Getting inside he closed that door and was going to walk away when his wife then spoke.

"Lock it," Beckett told him. She smiled when he looked to her in surprise and said, "I figured we should undress."

"Oh, good idea," Castle said when he then realized what she was talking about. He locked the door quickly before they went together to the bed and took off his shirt and pants before joining her on the bed. "You trust me that much?" he asked as he studied her in only her bra and panties.

"I do, I can tell you're as tired as I am," Beckett said. "Since you were asleep on the break room table."

"I'll see you in an hour then love," Castle told her, leaning over and kissing her shoulder. When she turned around, lying on her side with him pressed against her back, he kissed her tenderly and wrapped his arms around her before they fell asleep rapidly after.


"You're not hungry?" Peter asked Julia.

"I'm eating my lunch," she replied with a smile.

"Aren't you bored writing yet?" Dawn then said.

"I just started," Julia said in protest. "But I guess I better stop."

"Since we're almost finished," Dawn said. "So your parents said it's okay for you to write?"

"Why would they tell her to stop?" Mari said, confusion on her face.

"They didn't," Julia said quickly. She folded her papers she was using and then tucked them into her pocket. "Lunch is good today," she commented.

"Of course it was," Dawn said.

"You can't really make grilled cheese that bad," Peter added. "What about dessert?"

"You always eat really fast," Dawn said with a sigh.

"I was hungry," Peter replied.

"I'm finished," Julia said since she knew her friend had said that because she had had a few bites left. "And it's sesame seed balls my mom let us have."

"Oh yum thanks," Dawn said, taking one before biting it.

"What'll we do next?" Peter asked after they'd finished and thanked Julia.

"Do you want to write again?" Mari asked her friend.

"Nah," Julia said, shaking her head.

"What?" Peter said when he noticed she was looking at him. "Oh, you want to practice?"

"We might be dancing the Quickstep; my gram told me," Julia replied to his question.

"Really?" Peter said before he groaned. "Seven dances?"

"Do you think you'll be able to do that?" Dawn asked the two.

"We can," Julia said firmly. "We can dance each one and then we'll rest right after."

"So how are we gonna do that now?" Peter asked his partner.

"We just count," Julia said. "We can start." She then looked at the other two and said, "You probably want to go play so-"

"I want to watch you two dance; see what you do," Mari interrupted her.

"We're not really going to do a routine, just the steps," Peter said, knowing that his partner was fine doing that.

"Still it's interesting to see and I bet-" Dawn started to say before Mari nudged her in the side. "What?" she asked as the two stepped away from them to get ready.

"You're gonna make Julia nervous," Mari replied sternly.

"They'll be fine," Dawn said as they turned their attention to the two in front of them.

After she'd counted off Julia and Peter danced, putting steps together randomly until finally they were stopped their Quickstep they'd made up and laughing.

"We should show Ms. Grey… that…" Peter was saying before he trailed off and looked around at the other kids watching them.

"Oh… maybe we should go and play upstairs," Julia said.

"Yeah we should do that," Mari said brightly, going to her friend and looping her arm through hers.

When they made it to the upper field Peter said, "We always forget they come to watch."

"I know," Julia said, laughing a little.

"Are you two going to still practice?" Dawn asked.

"Nah," Julia said at the same time as her partner as they looked at each other. "Why don't we walk like we did before?"

"Let's go play basketball," Dawn said, pointing ahead to the kids shooting at the hoops.

"We're gonna walk," Mari said, putting her arm back through her friend's. When they were alone she turned to Julia and said, "That's okay right?"

"Yep," the girl said simply. As they began to make their way around the field she smiled and asked, "Did you want me to tell you about my ride with my mom this morning?"

"Yeah but how's Marie doing?" Mari asked her.

"She's doing really great but we didn't do much, just watched her," Julia answered. She sighed and said, "It's gonna be forever before I can ride her."

"If you do a good job with Julius then your mom won't be afraid of you riding Marie," Mari pointed out.

Thinking that over Julia nodded and said, "I guess you're right." She then related to her friend what had happened with the ride and when they'd finished she said, "I want to go ahead but my mom wants to go with my dad tomorrow."

"Of course she does," Mari said. "My parents love to ride together too."

"What?" Julia asked when her friend went quiet.

"I wonder if they're gonna find out who did it," Mari said slowly.

"They're really trying to," Julia said before she stopped.

"What's wrong?" Mari asked.

"I didn't tell you what my mom told me yesterday," Julia said. She took a deep breath and then told her about what Beckett had said about the victim's mother. When she had stopped she was startled to see Mari's face had seemed to drain of color and she touched her shoulder asking, "Are you okay?"

"How could she say that?" Mari asked. "That was her daughter!"

"I know," Julia said, relieved that her friend was agreeing with her. "But I think it made my mom really scared…"

"Scared?" Mari asked.

"She has friends who're like that," Julia reminded her.

"And she has a daughter; you," Mari added, smiling widely at her friend.

Laughing slightly Julia nodded and said, "That was why she wanted to go riding with me."

"You've got a really great mom," Mari said, squeezing her arm.

"You're not jealous are you?" Julia asked in concern.

"Nope, mine's really great too," Mari said before smiling at her.

"Good," Julia replied. "Do you want to go play anything now?"

"Do you?" Mari asked. They both nodded their heads at the same time and she said, "I wish your parents could know who did it right after."

"Me too but if they did right away then they wouldn't have much to write about," Julia said.

Nodding her head in agreement Mari then said, "So you think you're really gonna write like they do?"

"I don't know if I can have real books like that," Julia said. "But it was always so cool to know my dad's name was on the books… even when I was four and couldn't read yet. I just recognized his name."

"What about dancing?" Mari asked.

Julia smiled and said, "You know what I want to do already."

"Tell me again 'cause now you've got books to write," Mari told her.

Unable to help laughing Julia had to calm down first before she could reply and she then said, "I'll get a studio and teach, maybe compete sometimes with Peter if he's still my partner."

"I hope he will be," Mari said. "It'll be hard to learn with someone else."

"I know," Julia said, nodding. "But I want to do that and write… I hope I can!"

"Your dad would help you with writing," Mari told her.

"And Mommy will help me with my dancing… I mean she'd let me keep doing that," Julia said.

"See? We have great moms," Mari said.

"I never said we had to stop," Julia said with a laugh. "Oh, did your parents practice at all?"

"A little bit," Mari replied. "After their dinner so good thing."

Laughing Julia said, "Ms. Grey wouldn't make them practice more like she does for us."

"Still they should know 'cause they're going to have more dances," Mari said firmly. They came to some large rocks and she sat down with Julia next to her and said, "Will you ask your parents what they found out today?"

Thinking over that for a moment Julia then said, "I don't think Mommy's going to say."

"You think they don't tell you anything?" Mari asked. When her friend gave her a look she said, "Okay maybe not but what are they trying to hide?"

"Grownup stuff," Julia said, shrugging her shoulders.

Making a slight groan in annoyance Mari said, "I get tired of being a kid."

"Me too," Julia replied. "But we are still," she said as she stood.

With a smile Mari said as she got up, "You're thinking of what our moms would say."

"Our dads too, they don't want us to grow up," Julia said. "Good thing we are still." She was going to suggest they go to the monkey bars when the bell rang and she gave a sigh of frustration before she said, "I guess we need to go back."

"At least we have a dance class after," Mari said as they linked arms again.

"You just want to see what we'll do with the dances we need to do," Julia said teasingly.

"Yep," Mari replied before they laughed together.

"I just hope my parents will be there," Julia said slowly. When she saw her friend was looking at her questioningly she said, "I know they'll try." As Mari nodded they then walked together down the stairs to the elementary school building and she hoped her parents weren't having any troubles with the case as she wanted to see them as soon as she could after school.


The alarm on her phone made Beckett's eyes fly open before she reached over for it to turn it off. "Rick?" she asked, looking down at him as he hadn't moved when she had.

Grunting Castle wasn't surprised when his wife playfully tugged on his ear and he raised his head slowly. "Time?" he asked.

"If you want to get lunch ready in time to eat with them," Beckett said. She smiled when her husband let go of her and she leaned over, kissing him on the temple. Getting up she reached for her clothes on the table behind the bed she then said, "We can't tell them we had to come back to sleep."

"I figured you wouldn't want them to know," Castle replied as he was buttoning his shirt after getting his jeans on. "But what do we tell Eliza?" he asked as he then tucked in the fabric.

"That we decided to come home for lunch," Beckett replied. "Your mom might not believe that though."

"Do you want me to tell her? She'll tell your dad without Eliza finding out," Castle said as he slipped on his shoes and then waited for her to finish with her boots.

"If it comes to that," Beckett said simply before they then left the room together hand in hand.

Down in the kitchen Castle said to his wife, "You have to let me know what time we're heading back."

"You're leaving that to me?" Beckett asked with a slight smile.

"I didn't think there was another option," Castle commented. He then focused his attention on the sandwiches, managing to get two done before he heard the front door open.

"Hello," Beckett said, walking up to the door, surprised to see just her father with Eliza.

"Martha went with a friend," Jim said. "And she told you to look in her room since the bodice is finished and on the bed."

"Mommy!" Eliza said, having waited until her mother turned to her. She threw herself at her and hugged her tightly saying, "Did you finish?"

"No," Beckett replied, embracing her back. "We came home for lunch and I hope you don't mind sandwiches."

"I like sammiches," Eliza said firmly before her mother took her hand and they walked over to the kitchen. "Daddy!" she called as she saw him.

"Hey," Castle said, hugging her without using his hands. "I'm glad to see you again; did your mom tell you we're having lunch here?"

"Yeah, can I see?" Eliza asked.

"We need to set the table I think," Jim said.

"I'll help her," Beckett told her father.

"Have you found anything?" Jim asked his son in law.

"We have some… ideas but we're a little stymied by the fact we have no real way of asking for an alibi and no motive though I'm sure that'll be found out when we solve the case," Castle answered.

"You don't know when the cook had the cyanide," Jim stated as they glanced at the table to make sure Eliza was far enough to not hear.

"She could have gotten it from the time the vic was first poisoned to the night of the party… each poisoning could have been a separate event that we can't really pinpoint that well," Castle said with a nod.

"Eliza!" Beckett said.

"I wanna see the bodice!" the little girl cried, rushing over to the stairs.

"Come here," Beckett said, grabbing her before she could get too far. "You need to eat."

"But your dress," Eliza complained.

"Eliza," Beckett said sternly.

Sighing the little girl said, "After lunch?"

"Yes and did you ever think of what you want to be for Halloween?" Beckett asked as she set her daughter down in front of the sink.

"I wanna be a princess from India… or a girl that's fancy," Eliza said firmly.

"Why have our daughters never wanted to be princesses?" Castle murmured to his wife. "Or just a princess in general; they've only been real life ones."

"Was Alexis ever into that?" Beckett asked simply as they took the plates with the sandwiches on them to the table.

"No, they're taking after their sister then," Castle said as he pretended to think that over for a while. "Okay I hope you're hungry Eliza, I worked hard on these."

"I am Daddy," the little girl giggled, watching her parents and grandfather sit before she picked up the sandwich on her plate and started to eat. She listened to the adults talking as she ate and drank, hungry after her day in school and recess playing with her sister and Mari.

"So what did you get up to today?" Jim asked his granddaughter eventually.

Her eyes going wide Eliza said, "I learned more letters… no I said my alphabet and we learned words."

"Good," Beckett said. "And did that take all day?"

"No," Eliza said. "And then we learned about rainbows and how the colors go in a line. And then after I played with Jules and Mari."

"What'd you play?" Castle said.

Giggling Eliza said, "We went on the swings before I went with them to the big field and we did cartwheels."

"Oh so you had a great time," Beckett said since the little girl loved to do that.

"Yeah and then we went to class and we listened to books at the end," Eliza told them firmly.

"So you had a great day," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when the little girl nodded rapidly and he smiled saying, "Great to hear."

"Does she need to work on her homework still?" Jim then asked them.

"She does," Beckett said with a smile as Castle looked to her so she could answer. "But just a few."

"Mommy," Eliza said, tugging her sleeve as she was sitting next to her. "Can I be that for Halloween?"

"If you want to," Beckett said, leaning over and kissing the top of her head.

"Did you change your mind?" Jim asked in surprise as Eliza suddenly frowned.

"Can I dress like I ride horsies?" the little girl said.

"You mean like an equestrienne?" Castle suggested.

"Just like Mommy," Eliza said as she beamed at her mother.

Beckett bit her lower lip for a moment before she bent over, kissing her forehead that time. "Are you sure? You don't need to dress like me."

"I want to," Eliza said firmly.

"Then I can take care of that for you," Beckett told her. "And we'll work on it with your daddy."

"Great," Castle said, getting up then to start clearing the table.

"Take her," Jim said.

"You already-" Castle started to say as he watched his father in law take the plates he'd had in hand.

"You need to leave soon," Jim said.

"Thank you Dad," Beckett told him. After her husband had said thanks to her father too they went over together to the stairs with their youngest. In Martha's bedroom she smiled when she saw the bodice of the dress and picked up the blue lace saying, "She does amazing work."

"I think so," Castle said. "You're sure that'll fit."

Giving him a brief glance Beckett smiled again and said, "It will. What do you think sweetie?"

"It's not like the dress," Eliza said simply.

"No but it's going to be very cold in October," Beckett said since she and her mother in law had decided that it would be better if the dress was more closed up than it had been on the show. "But I think it'll be perfect," she said, setting the fabric down. "Now how about we pick pages for you to do that you'll like?" She wasn't surprised when Eliza nodded happily and waited for Castle to pick her up before they went downstairs to the family room together.

Before her mother could reach it Eliza ran to the small table where she and her sister would color in the family room. There was a stack of books in a pouch that had her name on it hanging from the side and she pulled one out. "This one?" she asked as she realized she wasn't sure which books her mother wanted her to work on.

"And the green one," Beckett replied with a nod. She sat down on the couch while Castle stood to check his phone and once Eliza was with her she looked through the books with her, taking out three pages. "I think that's enough and you'll learn with these," she commented.

"I wish you could stay Mommy," Eliza couldn't help telling her.

"I will next week I'm sure," Beckett said, kissing her temple. "Anything?" she asked her husband as he sat next to her.

"No," Castle said very simply. "So is she going to start now?" he asked as their youngest turned to them and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"After we leave," Beckett said, smiling when Eliza nodded rapidly.

"What do we do now?" the little girl asked them as her father kissed her cheek.

"Just rest a little," Beckett replied easily. "Since we don't have too much time left before Brad expects us back."

"Are we still gonna walk Mommy?" Eliza asked.

"Mmm-hmm," Beckett replied. She then thought of something and said, "If you still want to go."

"I think she does Katie," Jim said as he entered the room. "She was telling me all about it on the way home."

Giggling when her parents turned to her Eliza said, "I wanna go."

"It's almost one Kate," Castle said then when he saw the time. "Want to walk?"

"A little too far Rick," Beckett said, not surprised when Eliza laughed loudly at that as she knew he was asking to walk alone with her. "And we have our ride tomorrow." She then turned her attention to the little girl and shared a kiss with her saying, "Homework first and then you can play all you want with your grandpapa."

"Thanks Mommy," Eliza replied with a smile. She then went to her father and shared a kiss with him telling him, "Listen to Mommy."

"Really?" Castle asked.

"I think she just wants you to pay attention," Beckett told him with a slight laugh. "So you'll be careful."

"In that case I will," Castle said, nodding to their daughter. He and Beckett stood before they said goodbye to her father and then left to the car outside as Jim and Eliza watched. "I want to think there's something and he just forgot to call us," he told her after he started down the street once he was sure the gate was closed behind them.

"Me too but you know Brad wouldn't do that… unless he's busy," Beckett said.

"I'm hoping a little that there is something," Castle said. "Something to make him busy I mean. Anything for this case." He then noticed that his wife looked thoughtful and he said, "What're you thinking?"

"I'll ask Brad if I can get in touch with Rudolph," Beckett replied.

"A hunch?" Castle asked her.

"Kind of," Beckett said, hoping that he wouldn't ask her to explain why she felt the need to. They were reaching the station then and as Castle was parking she looked for Brad's squad car, seeing it was there.

Hurrying with Beckett inside Castle looked to see the chief at his desk and he sighed as they slowed down together, walking over to the office. "Nothing?" he asked.

"Not really," Brad replied, standing up. "Just filling out paperwork."

"So what exactly will we do now?" Beckett asked him as he set the file in his hand aside for filing later.

"I'm going to go to the greenhouse that was Bridges' pseudo-office," Brad said as he was grabbing a walkie-talkie.

"Did CSU go through it?" Castle asked as they followed him.

"They did but of course I told you they didn't really find anything out of the ordinary there," Brad replied. "Also I didn't hear about this until now, someone from the gardens called me and let me know about the place."

"Who's getting there first?" Beckett asked.

"Not surprised you asked that," Brad said with a slight smile while they stepped outside. "And so you know we will."

"Good planning," Castle commented as they got into Brad's car and he drove them over to the gardens.

"I'm not sure what; if anything; we'll find here," the chief was saying as he held out a box of gloves out to Castle and Beckett. "But we've got to look at the very least."

Beckett didn't say anything to the slightly questioning expression on her husband's face and then stepped inside the large greenhouse after the chief. She looked around in surprise at how many plants there were before she paused.

"Foxglove," Brad said after he'd hissed slightly at the sight of the flowering plant.

"The poison garden," Beckett said, looking back over her shoulder as she walked ahead of the two men. "Stop it."

"Force of habit," Castle said apologetically as he was looking at her in apprehension. He then went down another aisle and looked at the plants and even some pots with trees beginning to grow. But when he met his wife at the end of the row he said, "I'll repeat this because it applies; nothing so far."

"Nothing at all," Beckett said with a nod. She looked back to the other end where they'd come inside and sighed saying, "I didn't think there would be."

"We all had the same thought though right?" Brad asked as he'd reached them from the third row he'd searched. "That they either were at the party and saw that Bridges added to the cup or-"

"They saw us bring him in," Castle and Beckett said at the same time.

"Which makes this case complicated," Brad said. "Alright I'm going to find who talked with me and interview them here while you two go look at those cabinets."

"Who is it that called you?" Beckett asked as they were walking single file after the chief to the other end.

"Their name is Flora Crowley," Brad answered. "We've been checking everyone here too-"

"Of course," Castle interrupted.

"And no one's standing out," Brad finished, glancing sideways at his friend. "Call me if you find anything."

When they were alone Castle asked, "Start from the ends and work our way in?"

Beckett gave her husband a quick nod before she turned her attention to the cabinet she was underneath. Opening the doors and the drawers around her there wasn't much surprise when there was nothing in them until she and Castle neared the sink in the middle.

"Last one," Castle said when they looked down together at the cabinet under the sink.

"Go ahead," Beckett said.

Opening the door Castle saw nothing at first before he saw a panel that looked crooked. He pulled the panel off and spotted a large box inside a hidden compartment before he pulled it out, seeing that it had been shipped and he said, "Chemicals."

"Yeah…" Beckett breathed slightly as she looked at the jagged cut to the top. "What's the date on it?"

"Six months ago," Castle said, studying the information on the top.

"So soon enough for the poisoning," Beckett said as she'd opened the top of the box to reveal the bags of cyanide inside.

"I'll talk to Brad," Castle told her.

Nodding as he left Beckett looked at the space where a bag should have been and then picked up another. Feeling the heft of it she closed her eyes briefly, more than a little disturbed by how much was likely left for the killer in the missing bag which she knew hadn't been found at the cook's home or anywhere in anyone's possession.

"Oh god," Brad said as he came inside and peered at the bags of cyanide. "So someone might be next."

"Might? I'd say it's likely," Castle commented, having followed his friend back. "Which leads to the idea, what if the killer had minions?"

"You mean people at the house that would be able to poison the vic?" Brad asked. He nodded and said, "I'm thinking about something else though, we need to drop the idea of this poisoning being an accident."

"Were we all thinking there was more than one target?" Castle asked.

"You mean victim," Beckett said. "And yes we were all thinking that," she told Brad. "Which means…"

"What?" Brad asked, watching her turn away from him. He looked on as Castle placed his hand on her shoulder and he realized what the two were thinking. "Why," he began very slowly so they would turn their attention to him. "Would they be targeting a child of Mr. Radcliff?"

"And Mrs. Radcliff," Beckett said having turned around. "You need to look at them again."

"Which we'll do right now," Brad said before he led them outside since CSU was there.

While the chief was telling the people that had arrived what to look at specifically Castle asked his wife as they were well away from anyone hearing, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Beckett replied. "It's not Tyson though."

"Too close and for no reason," Castle said simply, not surprised when she nodded in agreement. "I'm sure there's something with the family… maybe we should consider more they're targeting her because of her brother."

Turning her head to look at him Beckett said after thinking over that for a moment, "You could be right," knowing he'd be aware they'd tell the chief when he came over to them which he was doing at that moment.

"I want us to stick around while they search," Brad said. He then turned to the two and said, "I noticed one of the foxglove plants I passed was damaged."

"You let them know about it?" Castle asked.

"Yeah," Brad said simply. "Do you think this is Tyson?"

"No," Castle and Beckett said together.

Glancing at her husband for a moment Beckett then said, "There would have been more of a direct message to us."

"Flowers of some sort?" Brad asked.

"Or someone we knew somehow," Beckett said. "Castle thinks we should consider that they're going after Rudolph."

"More than we did before?" Brad asked. When his friend nodded he said, "He didn't seem to think he had any enemies but I guess we need to take a closer look at the company."

"We've had to look at everyone closer," Castle said. "And we haven't found a thing. Too bad it wasn't Bridges."

"We'll find who this is," Brad said to the two before he left them and walked over to where a CSU worker was waving him over.

"You think we'll be able to go home sooner?" Castle asked when he and his wife were alone again.

Beckett couldn't help smile before she said, "You want to try and get out sooner?"

"I feel bad for Julia," Castle confessed.

"We'll see her," Beckett assured him. "And I was thinking of leaving as soon as she finished her homework with Eliza."

"Great," Castle said slowly. When he noticed his wife was looking at him he said quickly, "Just thinking of what we'll do at that point."

"Weren't you going to practice with her bow and arrows?" Beckett asked.

"We'll see what she wants to do," Castle said before he noticed Brad. "He's gesturing to us."

Beckett followed him over to the chief when she saw that he was holding an evidence bag, "For which case?"

"Our first one," Brad said. "Though since the other one is basically solved we have just one. They found this in the trash."

"Did you talk to an employee about this?" Beckett asked as she turned the bag around, seeing the plastic bag inside had the same markings and was the same size as the bags of cyanide in the box they'd found.

"They're not sure if Bridges might have been using it for something," Brad said.

"I hate to say it but considering the size of the box he had to have," Castle said.

"He's right, there would be a lot more bodies if he didn't," Beckett said.

"I'll agree," Brad said.

"Wait," Castle said, turning to look at his wife.

"There had to be someone connected with the gardens," Beckett said at the same time as him.

"That's true there is a membership and committee," Brad said when they'd finished speaking. "We'll add that when we're looking at everyone."

"Anything else?" Castle asked as he noticed that a squad car had pulled up.

"I called in Enos," Brad said. He then went over to the officer, explaining why he'd called him out. "Sorry about this-" he started to say.

"It's alright chief, we're all wondering about this case," Enos replied.

"We might have had a break," Brad said before he motioned Castle and Beckett to follow him.

The ride back to the station was silent as all three of them were thinking over what they had so far of the case and as they walked into the building Castle spoke first.

"Are you going to speak to Bridges?" he said to his friend.

"I'll be doing that," Beckett said before the chief could answer. When the two looked at her she then walked away over to holding and stepped to the one on the left. "Bridges," she said when he leapt up at the sight of her.

"Ms. Beckett," the man said almost adoringly. "You came to see me." Something seemed to come to his mind then and he sighed saying, "It's just because of a case isn't it?"

"I am working right now," Beckett replied, keeping her distance from the mesh that separated them.

"You do realize she doesn't need protection," Brad murmured to Castle who he was standing a little behind in the shadows at the entrance to the room.

"I don't care," Castle said simply. He then glanced back a little over his shoulder and said, "If Lily was the one in there you'd be where I am."

"Further in the room," Brad shot back.

"Actually I don't think you would have let her in there," Castle then said.

"Nope," Brad said easily, not surprised when that didn't get much of a reaction from his friend as he knew he was waiting impatiently for Beckett to come out of the room.

"We were at your greenhouse-" Beckett began to say next.

"Oh you saw everything, I was hoping you could check it," Bridges said. "Your garden in your book was… inspiring. And that line about the beauty of death; that was your line wasn't it? I just know it."

"That was my husband's line," Beckett then said, her voice firm.

Bridges looked flustered but recovered and said, "It was your idea though I'm sure. We-"

"I'm not here to discuss your inclination to poisons," Beckett cut him off. "Why did you have cyanide?"

"I made my own rat poison," Bridges said. "We have a lot of rats… well we used to."

"With what else?" Beckett asked before she realized what he meant. "How did you use the plants you did?"

"In cheese balls I would make with the poisons inside," Bridges said. "It was doing that that made me suggest the new garden we're making."

"Was anyone aware of you having the cyanide?" Beckett inquired.

"Whoever saw me putting out the balls of cheese on the dirt but I never said cyanide… people did come to my greenhouse since they thought they could go inside," Bridges said. He then shrugged and said, "I don't know if they were aware of what I had there."

"What about everyone that worked at the gardens," Beckett then said.

"They knew," Bridges said. "But they thought I was just making some bug spray for the plants I was growing." When Beckett looked at him doubtfully he said, "They didn't need to know." He saw she was going to leave him and he said hurriedly as he followed her, "Wait, before I get sent to jail could I ask something."

Though she didn't want to allow him to Beckett inclined her head, doing so very reluctantly.

"Could I kiss your hand? Just once I'd like to say I was able to, someone who I admire greatly," Bridges said hopefully.

Beckett didn't wait for him to finish speaking before she was leaving, turning around and going past her husband and Brad. "He's leaving soon right?" she directed to the chief.

"Of course," Brad said before Beckett was leaving them for the break room. "I think this is where you follow her because she needs you." He wasn't surprised when his friend left him as soon as he'd finished speaking and watched him disappear into the room.

"I'm alright, I just felt like washing my hands," Beckett said when her husband had reached her at the sink.

"Oh don't worry I would do the same if he'd asked me that," Castle told her. "But besides washing your hands…"

"Someone directly connected with the gardens knew," Beckett said. "But the idea of them knowing what exactly the cyanide was for doesn't matter."

"I had the same thought," Castle said. When his wife looked at him questioningly he said, "When you said it. So-"

"Chief," the two heard Hutchinson yelling out in the bullpen. When she saw that Brad was looking to her she said, "Just got a call from the Radcliff residence; there's been an altercation between Mr. Radcliff and his son."

"Rudolph," Castle and Beckett said as they were looking at each other. They ran after the chief while he was calling for two officers to follow them and were soon out to the car. They were quiet again until they came to the gate outside the home, no one surprised when they saw that it was open.

"Follow Gordon and Hill," Brad called back to the two before he was running into the front door where Leon was waving to them.

"They're fighting, I'm afraid Mr. Radcliff's going to start hitting him with his cane," the butler said to them as they passed. "Over to the right, the third door."

Inside of the room first Brad said, "Mr. Radcliff, Rudolph let go of each other now!"

Pushing past the officers in front of her Beckett reached the young man and pulled him away from his father who had been holding him with one hand and trying to strike him with the cane in his other. "Sit," she said after they'd left the others, not sure what room they'd come to as Castle entered it. "What happened?" she then asked as she knew the chief would be busy with Mr. Radcliff.

"We're… I told him I knew what he was doing to Yvonne," Rudolph said his hand shaking as he ran it through his hair. "When I figured it out myself."

"What are you talking about?" Castle asked, knowing his wife's interest was as piqued as his own.

"My father's been trying to get a rival company to merge with our family's," Rudolph began. "But I didn't realize how far he would go for this."

"Why would your father be concerned about that?" Beckett asked.

"We get money from the company… the rest of my family did before I joined it," Rudolph told them. "And we try the best to we can to assist them… my father does, I mean my father," he said, ending in an angry tone of voice.

"What was he doing this time?" Beckett then said, hoping that time he would tell them.

"The co-CEO was holding out on the merger," Rudolph said. "So my dad…" there he paused and took a deep breath before he continued. "Threw Yvonne at the guy as much as he could and… you said she got an abortion?"

"She had," Beckett said, getting an uneasy feeling.

"Then it was likely he was the father," Rudolph said. "You, you couldn't tell that she was raped at all was she?"

Beckett wasn't startled when her husband looked over at her then and she said carefully, "As I told you before no but…"

"Yeah," Rudolph whispered. "She wouldn't have gone for it so she had to have been." He squeezed his eyes shut as tightly as he could before a tear dropped from both of them and he said, "Our father wanted the money."

"What was the guy's name?" Beckett said, sitting on the couch next to him and putting her hand on his arm gently.

"Corbin Bell," Rudolph murmured, missing Castle and Beckett's startled expressions. All of a sudden there was yelling outside the room in the hall and he jumped up, his eyes wide in terror.

Beckett, seeing the look on his face, motioned to her husband who rapidly stood in front of the young man.

"Get out of my way," Radcliff snarled at Beckett, not looking at her but at Castle who was blocking his son. "This… fa-"

"Mr. Radcliff I'd stop there if I were you," Beckett said, realizing that wasn't all the argument was about and something in her snapped.

"This is my son," Radcliff yelled back at her. "He's sleeping with men!"

"You don't know your son," Castle said, feeling Rudolph suddenly grasping his arm almost desperately. He was going to speak back to him when all of a sudden the young man pushed past him and started to run. "Rudolph?" he said in surprise as he flew out of the room.

"Rudolph!" Beckett yelled. "Brad call an ambulance." She didn't wait for Castle or the chief to react to that, running herself after the man before she caught up to him. "Are you…" she began before she turned him to her.

"I don't…" Rudolph said, breathing harshly as he was sweating.

"Stick your finger down your throat," Beckett said after the briefest moment of hesitation studying him. When Rudolph just stared at her she said, "You need to make yourself throw up. Do it now," as urgently as she could as he was frozen.

By the time he was outside with Brad, Castle was stunned to see that Rudolph was hunched over, vomiting onto the ground while his wife was holding him by his shoulders and talking to him gently. "What happened?" he asked when they were close.

"Is an ambulance on its way?" Beckett shot back to Brad instead of answering.

"A minute away; what happened?" the chief said before he then echoed Castle's question.

"He's been poisoned," Beckett said simply before she turned back to Rudolph as he began to be sick once more.