New York City

The two homicide detectives are up to their proverbial elbows in their case and the linked case in Colorado where Castle and Beckett are trying to determine who the killer is and what the connection is to the victim in New York

"Hey Ryan, did you get that information back on the Chicago salesman Beckett wanted?" Esposito asks

"Yeah. He seems legit. According to both the web page and the HR manager he is their top salesman. He's been with the company for over 10 years. Went to work there right out of college"

"So Castle and Beckett still have an unknown suspect on the loose?"

"It looks that way. Did you find any more out about our victim here?" Ryan asks

"Our victim, Joshua Clements that just moved in to the old apartment that was vacated by Sara Green's husband, Kirk. He was probably just unfortunate that he moved in when he did"

Ryan continues the thought "But the way apartments are in New York, he was lucky to find a place"

"Or unlucky to find a place to get murdered in"

The desk phone rings on Esposito's desk. The Hispanic detective reaches over and picks up the handset "Esposito…"

"Really? That is good information. Thanks" he hangs up the phone "That was surveillance. They may have found an image of the killer on street cam"

What have you got?" Ryan asks

"There is man leaving the corner across from the apartment at the time of the murder and no others for several minutes. They are sending a screen grab for us to look at"

Ryan acknowledges then turn back to his computer "I am sending Beckett the information we have on Reagan Murphy"

Esposito's computer chirps indicating an arriving e-mail. Javier opens the message and the attachment. Both detectives look at the image but neither one recognizes the man. It is definitely NOT one of the Irish mob's known hit men

"So who is this?" Ryan asks

"Let's call the FBI and see if they would look at this and run it through their facial recognition software and come up with a name"

"Already on it" Esposito responds as she types an e-mail address to forward the file

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Colorado

Katherine Beckett Castle is standing in the bathroom looking at herself in the mirror. She is touching up the little makeup she wears. It is a good thing that her face is mostly void of cosmetics since what her and her husband just did would require a large amount of repairs.

Her mind goes back to the victim here at the hotel. She knows they need to focus on the case but she has found it very difficult concentrating on the case. He heart keeps wanting to take her husband and drag him back to their room. She decides that it is best if they can put all their concentration on finding the killer…then they can concentrate on other activities

Just as she finishes putting a tiny amount of lip gloss on Castle enters the room. She looks up to his face in the mirror but she does not see his usual goofy grin. It appears he has something more serious on his mind

"Kate can we talk before we go back down to the interrogation office?"

"Sure? She is slightly worried about his demeanor at the moment. She finishes her gloss then walks out to the bedroom. Just as she sits down on the edge of the bed Castle joins her.

"I need to ask a question"

Just as she says "OK" her cell phone rings. She hold it up so Castle can see that it is the 12th precinct

"Go ahead" he responds "we can finish later"

She presses the accept button "Beckett"

After listening "OK. So he is a known hit man? Just not from the Irish mob but the Mexican drug cartel? I don't understand." Again she listens a minute "OH Really?" She seems honestly surprised by something. "Keep us in the loop. Thanks Ryan"

After punching the end button, Beckett holds the phone up between her and Castle. "It appears the victim in New York may have actually been the target after all"

"I thought he had recently moved into town and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and had nothing to do with Kirk Green"

"He does not have any connection to Kirk Green. He was a recent college graduate that had been running a little side business selling drugs on campus before he graduated"

"So how did that get him killed after he moved to the city?"

"The DEA said that the hit man works for one of the most violent south of the border cartels and they have a policy that you never out"

"And the victim tried to leave the drug business?"

"That is what the Feds think. They actually had a file on him. They had contacted him to roll over on the cartel"

"That is probably what got him killed?" Castle comments

"Exactly"

"So now we know that Kirk's killer is probably not from New York and we need to focus on suspects here"

"So Castle. Limiting our suspects to here, who is top of your list?"

"Honestly? Barry Blankenship"

Beckett stops cold in her tracks "Barry Blankenship? Seriously? Why in the world do you think he is the killer and what evidence do you have?"

"The other day when I went to get you a sandwich that you did not eat by the way, he and I were talking and he did not seem to be the least bit interested at the death of one of his employees"

"What did he say?"

"He mostly asked about you and that you were a cop and the model for Nikki Heat"

"Maybe he is just a fan"

"Didn't you say that Maddie saw someone that looked like Barry arguing with Kirk's girlfriend, the lady from the hotel spa?"

The pair stop in the door to the impromptu office "Yeah she did. We need to get Maddie back here to see what else she remembers about the argument. I will call her and have her come down"

Kate picks up her phone and dials Maddie's number. When Kate's old high school friend answers, she asks her to come down to the office

Maddie tells Kate that she was just down the hall in the prep kitchen showing the hotel chef some of her recipes

After Beckett hangs up on the phone she turns toward her husband "she will be here in a few minutes" Kate takes a deep breath "Castle, back in our room you wanted to talk about something. What was it?"

Considering the place and the possibility of being interrupted "We can do that later when we get back in our room when there is no possibility of unwanted visitors barging in"

There is a knock on the door and when Castle opens the door Maddie Quillar steps in to the room

"Hey Becks. What can I do for you two?"

"When we talked at the wedding, you said something about seeing the spa manager arguing with a man about something?"

"Yeah. I couldn't hear all the conversation but something was said about do not see him again and the man rushed off"

"When was that?"

"The day before you arrived"

Kate looks at Rick "Then Kirk was still alive" She turns back to Maddie "you said he looked like the owner Barry Blankenship?"

"I had not met Barry yet but the man sis look a lot like him. Why? Do you think he is involved?"

"We need to keep all out options open. Do you remember anything else about the fight?"

Maddie thinks for a moment "Just, the girl stormed off angry"

"OK thanks" Kate responds. We will call you if we need more"

The lady walks back out of the room

"So Beckett? It looks like our host may be the guilty party"

She responds "He has a wife who very pregnant…"

Castle continues "he finds her unattractive…"

"He spots a younger, beautiful girl…"

"She is interested in sex and his wife isn't…"

Beckett breaks the chain "No! Wait. I talked to Robin and she said that was not an issue with her and her husband"

"You talked to Robin Blankenship about their sex life?"

"No…not exactly. It just…"Kate has become a little embarrassed in this conversation "when we were talking about her pregnancy she admitted that their love life became more intense during her pregnancy"

"So you think her husband is not interested in straying?"

"Not according to Robin"

The voice of their host breaks into the room "What's not according to me?"

Standing in the doorway is Robin Blankenship

"Hi Robin" Beckett comments "Come in" Castle steps aside to allow the woman in the room

"What can we do for you this morning?" Beckett asks

"This murder. The man that was killed? I might have some information to help you find a suspect"

"Please come in and sit down: Castle remarks

"Thank you" the woman moves slowly to the table and eases herself down

"What information do you have on our murder, Robin" Kate asks

"It might have been a lovers' triangle" Robin answers "I think that Lillian had been seeing someone but she broke it off. He got mad when she started seeing Carl or rather Kirk…or whatever his real name is"

"So who do you think it is?" Castle asks

But just as he does Robing takes a deep breath and is obviously in some level of pain

"OH!" she reaches down to her stomach "I think my water just broke"

Dear me. Pregnant woman whose water broke.

Trapped with killer in a ski lodge.

Kate feeling frisky

Castle wondering why

What can possible go wrong?