As the team stands outside the small conference room that is used sometimes as an interrogation room, looking into the window and at the occupant inside they are all silent in respect for what this person is about to face
The outer door to the area opens suddenly and Agent Mark Fallon enters. He seems to have fire in his eyes, He evidently was informed that Castle and Beckett had identified the suspect "I hear you found the person who killed my agent" pointing into the room. He appears to be ready to go in himself
"NO" Beckett responds also acknowledging the person inside "That is not your killer. That is an innocent bystander"
"What do you mean innocent?"
"Stick around and learn something agent Fallon. There are times for anger and times for compassion" Kate takes her husband in arm and they enter the conference room
Sitting down at the table is one very scared teenaged girl. It is obvious that she has been crying and by the number of used tissues on the table top. She has been crying a lot
Thru her tears she starts talking "Captain Beckett! My daddy did not do this. He is not that kind of a man. He is a good man. He is not the one who killed the man in the tower. He would never do anything like that?"
Beckett and Castle have sat down at the desk with Castle on one side of the girl and Beckett on the other thus surrounding her with caring adults
"We know, Mandy" Kate reaches out to gently touch Mandy's arm
"Then why did you search our house? Why did you arrest my dad?"
"He is not under arrest" Kate looks at her husband "Castle had reason to believe your father was being framed for the murder and we had to get the proof"
"Framed? What do you mean? Framed by who?" she asks in between sobs "…and what proof? What did you find?"
"We found the murder weapon. A Special Forces knife with our victim's blood on it"
Mandy seems to have a lost look on her face like she wonders what is going on
"It wasn't my dad. He would not do that"
"We know" Beckett responds "We were able to get records of your father's deployment and what he did over in Afghanistan"
She sniffles and she can be seen shaking "I heard he did some really bad stuff"
Beckett moves to take the girl's hand "No. But he had to deal with some really bad stuff. He was on a recovery team that dealt with civilian deaths at the hands of the insurgents. He SAW some really bad stuff that happened to innocent civilians. He helped the families identify badly mangles bodies and assist in the burial of their loved ones. He was there trying to help the villagers. I am sure that affected him a lot seeing that"
Mandy looks up at Beckett then over to Castle "When he came home from the Middle East he had changed. He was so different from when we talked or when we saw each other and when talked over Skype just a few days before mom…" her voice trails off remembering her mother's death in a car wreck
With more tears welling up in her eyes "…was killed"
Castle talks to the girl the way he would talk to Alexis when she was young and afraid "Your father saw senseless death caused in war and then gets a message that his beloved wife was died in a senseless auto accident here on the streets of Long Island"
"So if my dad is innocent. Who did kill the man in the lighthouse?"
"It was your ex-boyfriend that did it" Castle answers "Chuck Hawkins"
There is an extended pause when no words are spoken. Then Beckett continues "It was Chuck's car you saw going into the lighthouse parking lot. Wasn't it?"
Mandy gently nods her head never completely looking up
"Why didn't you tell us that you saw him drive on the parking lot that night?"
"He told me he would kill my dad and me if I ever said anything to the police"
Beckett applies her best motherly care "Mandy, we found the knife in your house, with not just the victim's blood but Chuck's DNA as well along with a finger print"
"So it was not my dad who did this?"
"No" Kate answers "It was your ex-boyfriend. Mandy, was he very controlling and jealous, wasn't he?"
Again she nods her head "He told me that he killed my new boyfriend in the lighthouse. I tried to tell him that the man was not my boyfriend but he just kept yelling that it was and I was next if I said anything about seeing his car"
"Mandy. He cannot hurt you or your dad or anyone else. He is behind bars and will be for a long time" Beckett tells the teenager
Rick completes the thought "and we are getting your father some help for his PTSD"
She looks at Rick "Dad said the VA would not help him"
"That is because his PTSD was not war related exactly. He had a lot of issues brought on by seeing the death over there but it is mostly caused by losing his wife"
Castle look across to Kate "I know if I lost the love of my life I would be devastated"
Kate feels he husband's love penetrate her soul and she gives Rick a soft but knowing smile in return for his comment
Castle continues "We brought your dad to the local hospital for observation. Our daughter is a doctor in residency and has worked rotation in Psychiatry and she knows some very good doctors who are willing to help your dad. In fact a man Alexis has worked with, Dr. Carter Burke, is on his way from The City to see your father and help him through this"
The young girl seems to be feeling somewhat secure having Rick and Kate beside her like they are her own caring parents
"Our daughter Alexis is going to take you to see your father then we need to arrange for someone for you to stay with until he can take you back in" Beckett tells Mandy "So until we find that person you will stay with us. OK?"
The teenager nods her head once more then softly speaks "Thank you"
Returning back in the main squad room Rick and Kate are faced with a very embarrassed Agent Fallon
Beckett looks at the Federal Agent. "Sometimes the obvious is not the final solution"
"I see that. How did you know?"
Kate looks at her husband "Castle thought there was definitely something wrong with the case. Using someone he knew…" Kate just smiles and Rick knows who she is talking about"… was able to get a military background done on the locals who have been here a while and got the records on Mandy's dad"
"And it didn't add up. He was not a Special Forces member or on any special squad. He worked on recoveries" Castle continues
"So Castle and I talked it out…" Kate suddenly remembers where they were when the theory building occurred…IN BED "…and we determined there was someone else. Castle said we needed to look into any other local citizens with military background…"
"…and that is when Steve Hawkins name showed up." Castle continues "He has a sealed military service record but we did find he was Special Forces"
"And that is where the knife came from" Kate finishes. She then takes a deep breath "In fact he was trained in the same unit as three other men we knew about" she looks at Castle who acknowledges he knows she is speaking about Cole Maddox, Dick Conan, and Hal Lockwood
Mark has a questioning look on his face "Who would that be?"
"No one you would know"
After another moment of silence he speaks once more "Can I see you alone for a minute" he asks Beckett
The two step a short distance away from the crowd "Captain Beckett, I apologize for my assumptions. I was too emotionally involved in this since being the victim was one of my best agents"
"That is understandable, Agent Fallon, but as I told you several years ago Castle and I don't always look at the obvious"
Fallon looks at Castle "I see that…" he looks back at Beckett "Captain. Would you consider leaving the police department and joining Homeland Security? We could use your investigative power
Agent Fallon stands silently for a minute before speaking again "You know Captain Beckett, I could sure use you. You seem to see thru the smoke screens and discover the truth much better than anyone I know"
"Thank You" she responds then looks at her husband
He can tell she is rejecting his offer "If you ever think about retiring from the NYPD, the offer is open. I would love to have you join our department. I can guarantee you a high position in the agency"
Kate looks at her husband and she can see a question on his face "I will think about you offer, Agent Fallon, but right now Castle and I need to set up a safe haven for Mandy until her dad gets better"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
After arranging for Mandy to see her father Rick and Kate are heading home. Kate suggests that her and Rick stop at a local Italian restaurant they have not tried yet for dinner. Once inside and seated they are surprised to see Joy Mason and her boyfriend enter the door
"Rick, Kate" the voice of Joy Mason is heard
Kate looks at the other woman with a smile this time instead of a smirk "Hi Joy. How are you?"
"We are great. Is this your first time here?" her and her boyfriend Gus Stephens are entering the bistro
"Yes. We thought we might give it a try" Castle responds
"You will like it. I promise Joy responds
Kate looks at the couple standing over them "why don't you two join us?"
Gus speaks up "Are you sure? We don't want to intrude on a little romantic evening"
"No please join us" Rick answers. We are just talking about the case and how it all worked out"
The local couple have dropped across from the Castles when Joy speaks up "I hear you arrested Steve Hawkins son in the murder of the federal agent"
Beckett is not sure how the news got out so fast "Where did you hear that?"
"Kate. We are the press" she chuckles a little "Not a giant newspaper, but we are the local paper so I heard"
"I can accept that" Beckett nods her head
"But Kate, can I ask something about Mandy?"
"Sure"
"Where is she going to stay while her dad is in treatment?"
Kate looks at Rick "well Castle and I thought we would watch her until other family can get here"
Joy looks at Gus "We were wondering if we could take care of her?"
"Uhhh…?" Kate is caught off guard "You are wanting to watch her?"
Gus responds "We talked about on the way over here and we would like to help"
"If you are sure, I will check with Chief Brady"
"Thank you Kate" Joy answers
After the meal Kate and Castle have headed home to see the rest of the family. When they get home they find their two littlest children sitting on the couch with obvious pouting on their faces
Castle looks at his mother and father-in-law also in the living room. "What is going on?"
Martha answers her son "Jimmy got in a fight at the playground and Alecia joined in"
Kate stands while Rick sits down next to his children "Who wants to tell me what happened?"
Jimmy is on the verge of tears
Martha speaks to her grandchildren "Tell your father what happened"
"Alecia was playing on the swings with Tony Marcus and he asked what mommy does and she said mommy slays dragons and Tony called he a liar and there are no dragons and she started crying and I went over and told Tony my mommy does too slay dragons that and he tried to punch me and I,,,I punched him first and…I…"
Castle looks up to his wife and gives her a smile
She leans down to the children's level "I really like you defended your little sister" looking at Jimmy,"But you can't get into fights about what mommy does OK?"
The two nod their heads in agreement
Kate looks back up "You two go to bed and we can continue this in the morning"
The two smallest head upstairs
After a short conversation about what happened the four adults can't help but want to laugh at how important this was to the smallest members of the family
Kate has dressed and entered the bedroom to find her husband sitting against the headboard
""Dragon Sayer? Huh?"
"Shut up" she pulls the covers back and gets in beside her man "It's your fault"
"What?"
"You started out telling Jimmy that made up tale of us"
After a moment of silence Castle leans over Kate and wraps his arm around her "But you are a not only a dragon slayer, but a ghostbuster as well
She smiles up to her husband as she wraps her hands across his neck "I ain't afraid of no ghost"