Reborn as an American Writer

Beckett was now fully convinced of Castle's wild conjectures, but she still had some doubts about why Castle was so certain that Sarah, the fiancée, wasn't the one who killed Sam. "Why are you so adamant that this fiancée isn't the killer? And if you suspect her motives, why did you just let her go?"

Castle, getting into the car, patiently explained, "Didn't you notice that most of her sadness seemed fake? She had a mix of feigned sorrow, anger, and pain from being deceived, but no real murderous intent. Plus, there was a hint of relief and release. I think Sarah's identity, like Sam's, is quite intriguing. Let's go back. We've already sent Esposito to check her background. Once we're back, we might get some answers."

After returning to the precinct, the first thing Beckett did was to send the shredder and the shredded documents they brought from Sam's house to the lab, asking the lab technicians to piece together the shredded documents as quickly as possible.

After getting assurances from the lab that the task would be prioritized, Beckett and Castle went back to her office.

They had barely sat down when Esposito came in, looking excited. He handed Beckett a file while praising Castle, "Beckett, Castle was right again. Look, this is the background check on Sarah Reed, the woman who claims to be Sam's fiancée. And this is a file on a single mother living in Long Island, Lauren Branston."

Looking at the two background files that had nothing in common except for the photos, Beckett burst into laughter, "So, it turns out it's not just our victim Sam who's hiding his identity. This fiancée is equally deceptive. Sam has two kids, and his fiancée has one, and they both hid their real identities from each other while pretending to be engaged. Are they playing spy games?

By the way, Esposito, since we now know the fiancée's real identity, does that mean her job as a chief researcher at New York Recycling is also fake? Just a cover? The owner of New York Recycling, Carl Borg, must know about this, right? Check with the uniformed officers if they found anything near Borg's residence."

As Esposito went to follow up, Beckett turned to Castle, who was sitting by her desk with a knowing smile. "Did you know this all along? I'm starting to think you have some kind of superpower. Every case you take on, you always seem to find the culprit quickly. This can't just be explained by some secret source of information. So, tell me, who's the real killer?"

Caught off guard by Beckett's direct questioning, Castle could only smile awkwardly, trying to laugh it off without giving a clear answer. He stammered, unsure how to explain his knack for uncovering the truth ahead of the police.

Seeing Castle trying to evade the question again, Beckett sighed and sincerely said, "Alright, if you don't want to tell me, I won't force you. But I want you to know, I don't mind you leading the investigation if it helps solve the case. So, please, don't hold back anymore. I'm not that petty, you understand?"

Relieved that Beckett just wanted him to be more open rather than revealing his reincarnation secret, Castle felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. He could never reveal the bizarre truth about his rebirth, but now, with Beckett's assurance, he could fully engage in their cases without hesitation.

Taking Beckett's words to heart, Castle seriously responded, "I really can't explain why I'm so good at solving cases. Maybe it's just a talent. But you can trust that I'll be more open in future cases. No more holding back."

Satisfied with Castle's earnest promise, Beckett felt a stronger bond forming between them. She was determined to eventually uncover Castle's secret, but for now, this was enough.

Their candid conversation seemed to bring them closer. Just as they were enjoying this newfound connection, Ryan burst in from the lab, holding some photos.

"Beckett, look at these photos..."

Ryan handed over the reconstructed photos from the shredded documents, saying urgently, "I think I know why Sam was killed! It's all because of these photos!"

Beckett quickly took the photos and examined them closely.

Castle, pretending to be curious, leaned in to look as well, though he already knew what they showed.

The photos depicted dockworkers loading carts marked 'New York Recycling' and 'Hazardous Materials' with old batteries onto a ship at the port. There were no clear faces, just the workers and the labeled carts.

Connecting these photos to New York Recycling's claim of having the world's most advanced battery recycling technology, Beckett immediately saw through the deception. She angrily exclaimed, "This so-called advanced recycling technology is a scam! They're not using any new technology; they're just dumping these hazardous batteries into the ocean. No wonder Sam's boss sent him to gather intel on this supposed technology, and after so long, he couldn't find anything because there was nothing to find. Sam must have discovered this secret, which is why he was killed. Castle, did you suspect Carl Borg for this reason?"

Castle shook his head, "No, before seeing these photos, I didn't know the extent of New York Recycling's deception. I just felt that Carl Borg and the fiancée were hiding something. Now I know they were covering up this secret. And the fiancée went to Sam's house to get these photos, but she couldn't take them because Sam's wife called the police. She shredded the photos and used the pen as an excuse for being there. Too bad she didn't expect us to bring the shredder back."

At this moment, Esposito returned with a sealed evidence bag containing a gun. "Beckett, our officers found this Smith & Wesson revolver in Carl Borg's trash can. The caliber matches the bullets that killed Sam. I'll have the lab compare the ballistic marks, but I'm pretty sure this is the murder weapon!"

Thrilled by the news, Beckett instructed Esposito to get the tests done immediately. She then took the photos and headed to Captain Montgomery's office to request a warrant for Carl Borg's arrest, ready to apprehend the true culprit behind Sam Parker's murder.

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