"Sorry," the doctor said first when she and her wife had calmed down. "The case we helped with last month involved the generations here."
"It was annoying," Skye added, not surprised when her wife was nodding. "Okay, Cecils," she then said slowly. She turned her head to the side and said, "Yeah, Anais let me know this was one of the families that shunned her, because of her maiden name. She was hurt, but since this is the first time she's seeing a home other than her own…"
"It's a shock?" Zak supplied when the investigator trailed off.
Nodding briefly Skye said, "It doesn't have anything to do with her murder." Straightening up she pulled the diary to her and said, "I'll continue." When everyone else was nodding she looked down at took up where she had left off. Reading about the couple moving in and the woman's concern at not becoming pregnant she said, "They had no servants at the time."
"We were told about that," Jay said quickly. "Ms. Cloet told us it was well known that several of the first generation homes bought out the servants to take them away."
"What were they trying to do with that?" Mary asked with a frown.
"Run them out of the house?" Jay asked. "It's a huge place. I would imagine prestigious." He then said, "We forgot about the picture."
"I have it on my phone," Billy said, getting it out of his pocket. He went to it swiftly before he handed it to Skye first. "That was pre the Lindts."
Studying the house without the wall, Skye said, "Anyone could have entered the house. The basement has several windows… and we can't speak to anyone because they've passed away by now."
"And who knows if their family members are aware of anything," Zak said. "A hundred years?"
"Well, Anais can tell me things from that night," Skye said, not surprised when Aaron was raising his hand slightly.
"But she can't say who killed her," he stated when the investigator nodded to him.
"She didn't see them," Skye replied. "I would have had a name for you if she had." When no one responded to that she then turned back to the diary and said, "I didn't tell you guys about the dream I had last night."
"Nightmare," Mary said swiftly.
Glancing at her wife Skye said, "She's right." She then related what she had seen and said in annoyance, "I forgot to ask Kate if she ended up having any nightmares herself."
"Do you think she would?" Mary asked her.
"I'm hoping she didn't," Skye said honestly. "Because that means Anais hasn't let go of the connection like I instructed her to."
"Whoa, do you feel that?" Zak asked, shaking for a moment before he put his hands out in front of him.
"She's here," Skye said, taking his hand and moving it just behind her.
"Yeah, right here," Zak said, the others of the crew going to the spot.
"She hasn't been here this whole time?" Billy asked.
Shaking her head, Skye was silent for a little before she spoke saying, "She didn't feel like she would be accepted here." She frowned as soon as she'd spoken and said, "I wonder if there's someone from the Cecils that's here right now or works here."
"Should I go ask?" Billy asked.
"I don't think they'd tell us," Mary said. "We're not the police."
"Okay, so we finished the diary," Zak said, looking at Skye while the investigator was closing the book. "And you told us what sounds like what Anais went through the night she was murdered."
Inclining her head slightly Skye said, "It is, not the full story since she didn't see black shadows. I wonder if we'd ever be able to go back into the house now."
"For what?" Aaron asked.
"I should be able to take Anais through now," Skye answered. "And if I could walk her through that night inside the rooms it might help her realize who her killer is."
"But we wouldn't be able to bring them to justice," Zak told her.
"I think Anais and Martin just want them to be known," Skye said. She became thoughtful for a moment and then told the others, "I think if there's enough proof I could have Rick and Kate… or just him, write an article for the paper." She glanced at her wife and seeing her look she shook her head and said, "Sorry, that was Anais. She suggested that, remember it was the twenties. We can discuss with the police what to do… if there's any evidence of course," before Mary was getting their attention as she spoke.
"We're finished with the diary right?" the doctor was asking.
"Yeah," Skye said, looking down at the book. Her head then snapped up and she said, "What are we doing here still?" She wasn't surprised when the four men weren't able to respond and she then told them, "It's Anais, I think she's wandering around." She paused for a moment and then asked, "Unless one of you feels any pockets of cold air."
"Not anymore," Zak said first. He turned in his seat and said, "Do you think we can look at those other boxes?"
"Do you think she's lying?" Mary asked, watching him with the others.
"A little… or she's new," Zak said though he was frowning as soon as he'd spoken. "Is Anais back?" he asked Skye. When she merely nodded he then said, "Then we should go."
"Now I'm tempted by the other boxes," Aaron commented.
"Me too," Billy said, glancing at the door leading out to the rest of the library.
"A peek?" Aaron asked slowly.
"I highly doubt that would be a good idea," Skye said though she was standing up. As she walked over to where the one containing the diary had been she paused and reached up before pulling a box down. Taking it back to the table she said, "I have no idea why I grabbed this, Anais was leading me."
"She jumped-" Mary started to say, sitting up a little straighter in her seat.
"She led me," Skye interrupted firmly. "I'm alright." She glanced at the doorway and said, "I would ask someone to close the door but it would bring attention to us. So someone keep an eye out for Cloet." She wasn't surprised when Jay was quickly saying he would before she was grabbing the lid of the box and raising it.
"Anything interesting?" Jay asked.
"Whose box is it?" Zak asked.
"I'm not sure," Skye said, taking out a smaller box. She set it on the table before taking off that lid and said, "I think now would be a good time to get in touch with the police."
"What is it?" Mary asked in surprise.
"More like what it isn't," Skye said, showing her wife the empty box first.
"Is there any record of what was in there?" Billy asked, jumping up suddenly and walking over to look.
Turning her attention to the larger box, Skye finally nodded and said, "Yeah, this was another diary."
"From who?" Aaron asked.
"Martin's mother," Skye said. "I don't think there's anything new in that, she went into seclusion after Anais and Martin married." When the others turned to her she said, "Anais told me. What's more important is who checked it out."
"Who?" the other five asked at the same time.
"Duncan Cobb," Skye replied.
"I hear footsteps," Jay said suddenly.
Racing, Skye got the empty box and sheet in the bigger box before taking it back to the shelf it had been on. She had just managed to slip into her chair by the time Cloet answered, smiling at them.
"Hello again, I just wanted to check and make sure that you were all okay," the librarian said.
"We are. And I think we're set with everything," Skye said, standing up and handing the woman the diary. "Thank you so much."
"It wasn't a problem," Cloet said with a smile before she turned her attention to the box.
"Are you texting her?" Mary asked, walking with her wife while they were stepping into the main room of the library.
"I am, I sent one already but she hasn't answered," Skye said, looking up. She paused at the same time her wife did and said, "And now I see why."
"You better explain what everything is all about," Darnley said as he slid into the back of the Castle's car.
"It's a story," Castle commented as he pulled away from the curb, not surprised when his wife was adding to that.
"He's not kidding," Beckett said, glancing back at her friend. Her expectation of shock on his face was there and she began explaining what had happened the night before. She shared a glance with her husband at the absolute silence and was about to speak before Darnley was first.
"And how are you feeling after that?" the carpenter inquired.
"Fine, a little weirded out because I had no intention of going to the basement," Beckett said. "But at least we found Anais."
"Speaking of that… where is Skye at this moment?" Darnley asked.
"With Mary and the GAC," Castle said.
"At your house?" Darnley asked.
"The library," Beckett answered.
"Not a surprise," Darnley said, obviously thinking that over. He then said, "Well, I don't know what to say about the more recent victim."
"Neither of us do," Castle commented.
"Brad will tell us when we get there," Beckett said firmly.
"Does he know about the cold case investigation?" Darnley asked.
"Of course," Beckett replied. "But I just hope if they find who Anais' killer it would be enough to clear that house."
"Skye would have to do that," Castle said. When his wife nodded he wasn't surprised but focused on parking since he'd pulled into the parking at the back of the station. When they were stepping out he said to his wife across the roof, "Are we going to keep in touch with them."
"We? I think you mean is Kate going to," Darnley said in obvious amusement from behind her.
"I will, when I can," Beckett said. "Let's go inside so we can get started on the other investigation."
"Yeah, and find out what exactly the vic died from," Castle said.
"And don't forget Mrs. Lindt," Darnley added while he opened the door inside and held it for them. "Hopefully Thayer can get a cause of death for her too." When the writers glanced at him he said, "I get the feeling that would help her too."
"Guys," Brad said, walking up to the three standing just inside the door. "I hope you're ready to start," he said before his friend was responding first.
"We were last night," Castle informed him. "But you didn't think we should."
"I think you mean just me," Beckett told her husband since she hadn't missed the glance the chief gave her out of the corner of his eye.
"To be honest," Brad said after he gestured to them to follow him to his office. "I wasn't sure if it'd be a good idea. How's your hand?"
"Fine, just scrapes," Beckett answered, holding it out since she hadn't bothered to bandage it after removing the wrap it had been in the night before.
"I'm glad to hear that," Brad said with a nod. Once they were inside he led them to the murder board he'd begun and said, "I'm guessing Skye's already looking into Anais Lindt?"
"They were leaving for the library before we left the house," Castle responded with a nod.
"They caught me up on the drive over here," Darnley then said as soon as the chief had turned to him.
"Okay, so we'll focus on the more recent victim from last night," Brad said. "Duncan Cobb. He was twenty-eight years old and lived on Staten Island."
"Any idea why he was here?" Darnley asked.
"Yeah, he was an accountant for a manufacturing company on Staten," Brad began. "But in his spare time he was a historian slash paranormal investigator."
"Not a surprise," Castle said, glancing at his wife as she walked up to the murder board.
"I feel like I've seen him before," Beckett said.
Castle frowned for a moment before he said, "I don't recognize him."
"No… when I was in the Academy," Beckett began before she turned to Darnley whose eyes were wide.
"No," the carpenter said.
"Yeah, I think it is," Beckett replied as she watched him hurrying to the picture. "The eyes," she told him when he didn't say anything.
"Damnit," Darnley swore as he turned to her.
"Do you guys want to share with us at all?" Brad asked.
"Yeah, he was the son of an officer we went to the Academy with, Lincoln Cobb," Darnley began. "When we graduated his wife brought our vic, he was only months old. Do you remember?"
"To be honest not really," Beckett said. She then frowned and said, "He was killed in the line of duty about ten years after that I think."
"His mother has passed away as well," Brad said. "Five years ago," he added quickly. "And he had no brothers or sisters so I don't really have anyone to contact."
"No spouse or significant other," Castle stated.
"No," Brad replied. "So… he was on his own at this point."
"Are you sure it was Anais that got in touch with you to find her?" Castle said as he was turning to his wife.
Shaking her head Beckett replied, "I don't know." She then said, "I don't think he would know me."
"We didn't stay in touch," Darnley added. "We weren't super friendly with his father since he was about five or six years older and we were all focused there of course."
"I haven't seen him since that graduation," Beckett added. "I'd heard he was able to get a job in Staten Island."
Nodding Brad then said, "Looking into his background it was clean, no tickets or anything. And nothing that really stood out to me."
"What about how he was killed?" Beckett asked.
"According to Thayer he was shot, point blank in the back of the head," Brad said.
"I didn't see-" Beckett started to say.
"It came out through the top of his head," Brad replied. "So you saw blood, but no exit wound."
"What does that mean exactly?" Castle asked.
"They were either shorter, or sitting… crouching," Brad said. "That was just his preliminary though, he was going to do the full procedure after we hung up. And we have no idea where exactly he was when he was killed."
"Was anything found on him, his clothing?" Darnley asked.
"His phone," Brad said, walking back to his desk and picking up an evidence bag.
"Have you looked at it?" Beckett asked him.
"Yes," Brad said simply as he was pulling on gloves. "Luckily he had a tracking app on his phone and we have a list of locations."
"Do you have a time of death?" Castle said in obvious confusion.
"We do, but when I said list of locations, this is what came up," Brad answered as he picked up a sheet of paper from his desk.
"Coordinates of the towers?" Beckett asked. She glanced down at the paper again and said, "Since he's been in the Hamptons."
"He got here Sunday morning," Brad replied. "But he didn't move around too much, I know one of those coordinates is his hotel; I looked at the room with Bernier and CSU is almost finished with it."
"Hopefully you found something," Darnley said.
When the chief nodded Beckett said, "I'm guessing this is what you want us to do."
"Not at the moment," Brad said.
"Do you… the time of death, you never told us," Castle said swiftly when he realized.
"It was between seven and ten yesterday morning," Brad told them.
"Did you ask if there are any security cameras at Briar Grove?" Castle asked him.
"I did, and they're outside," Brad said. "But a separate company and they're getting the footage for me now."
"Since we're caught up," Darnley said, pausing for the chief to nod which he soon did. "We're moving to the coordinates?"
"That would be a help," Brad replied. "I'll be helping you too with that by the way, I'd like to track his movements as much as possible."
"Wait," Beckett said, taking the piece of paper. Reading the times she said, "It remained on his body."
"He had it hidden on him?" Darnley asked.
After his friend had nodded to that Castle said, "So that might make the motive to just kill him. You haven't mentioned talking to anyone that knew him."
"I called the PD on Staten Island and they're a little busy so I'm going to need to do some interviews by phone," Brad replied. He looked at his watch and said, "I said I was going to help and I will-"
"You're in charge of this," Darnley interrupted.
"He's right," Castle then said, "If you need to do some interviews we can go out to our desks and get started on these numbers."
"The program we need is there right?" Beckett asked him. At his nod she said, "Let us know what you find out," not surprised when her husband was immediately adding to that.
"And if the footage comes in," Castle said. After his friend promised he would, he turned and led the way for the other two to their desks and he said after they were settled on their chairs, "We'll take the first ten?"
"Sure," Darnley said before he hesitated. "Am I going to write these numbers down or…"
"I'll get this copied," Castle said, taking it from the desk and leaving for the nearby copier.
"You're sure you're okay after last night?" Darnley said, leaning to look around his computer screen.
"I am," Beckett answered firmly, putting her phone away. She saw the questioning look on her friend's face and said, "I had a nightmare… a weird nightmare but…"
"What?" Darnley asked when she trailed off and a look of frustration briefly passed across her face.
"I forgot to ask Skye if she had one last night," Beckett said. "She probably did if I had one."
"Mary's there luckily," Darnley reminded her.
"Luckily," Beckett said before turning her attention to her husband who was approaching them.
"Okay," Castle said, handing the second paper to the carpenter. "We'll take the first ten."
"Good luck," Darnley said before he was smiling listening to the couple speaking together in front of him.
"Are you okay typing?" Castle asked. When his wife turned to him he said swiftly, "I just want to make sure."
"I am, read me the numbers," Beckett answered firmly before he was doing so. She mapped the path their victim had and wasn't surprised to see there was a kind of pattern to it as they went through the two days he'd been in town. Leaning back she said, "Looks like he made use of the library here."
"If he's a historian too I'm not surprised," Castle commented. "Do you think we should go?"
"Eventually maybe," Beckett said after a moment's hesitation. She then looked at Darnley and said, "Ready to sync?"
"Yeah, I have more information since I have the very last towers," the carpenter said before they were moving to bring their information together. Once it was finished he was about to speak about printing when the chief was walking out to them.
"Have you been able to do much?" Brad asked.
"We finished," Beckett replied.
"And around the time of his murder?" Brad asked, stepping forward.
"I have that," Darnley said, getting his attention.
"And?" Brad asked firmly.
"He was around the library at the time of death and then the manor," the carpenter replied.
"The library," Brad said. "Okay, so that might be our possible crime scene."
"Do we need to go?" Castle asked, watching him.
"Yeah, I don't know how much it's going to help us though," Brad answered, going back to his office.
"What's up with him?" Darnley asked the writers.
"I'll explain on the way there," Brad replied walking out to them while he was pulling on his coat.
"The… how?" Castle asked.
"Brad," Beckett said firmly, standing in front of him. "What is it?" she asked to his startled expression.
"Okay, I managed to talk to two people from the company he worked for," the chief replied. "He worked from home so the people there didn't really know him."
"Did anyone," Castle stated.
"I couldn't figure that out from the conversations," Brad admitted. "So I want to get to the library since getting the murder scene would give us a lot more to work with… at least more than we have right now."
"And while we're there we need to ask about any other paranormal groups in the area," Castle commented as he was walking to Brad's office. "Someone will know him from that at the very least."
"You're sure about that?" the chief called.
"Thank Briar Grove, it was the Holy Grail for paranormal groups in this area," Castle replied, pausing and turning back around.
"He's right, they mentioned that when we were leaving last night," Beckett said.
"Then we might have a motive," Brad said.
"I'll hurry," Castle said, continuing to the office to get their coats while Darnley was rushing to join him so they could leave for the library sooner.