07x10 - Bad Santa

[bunniefuu]

(CHRISTMAS CAROL PLAYING)

(ENGINE ROARING)

(g*nshots)

(CAROL CONTINUES)

All right, ladies of
the Castle household,

just a reminder that your
portion for the holiday poem

is due in less than 72 hours.

I just have to do a polish.

I can't wait to see it.
How's yours coming along?

Are you ready for your big debut

in the Castle family
Christmas card?

Yeah, absolutely.

Gonna be the best year ever.
Yeah.

(LAUGHING)
So excited!

(MARTHA SIGHS)

(WHISPERING) You guys,
I completely forgot.

He said that it
wasn't a big deal,

but I think it
actually kind of is.

It's a very big deal.

We even get
a little competitive.

I started working
on mine in July.

Welcome to the family.
Yeah.

(CHUCKLES) So what do
I have to do again?

Write six funny,
poignant, eloquent lines

describing highlights
of the past year for you.



Oh, yeah.

And they must rhyme.
Yeah.

What word rhymes
with "I'm screwed"?

(PHONE RINGING)

Beckett.

BECKETT: It's just that rhyming
isn't exactly my thing.

This coming from the
woman who skipped prom

to crash a poetry slam.

Spoken word, Castle.

That's a totally different jam.

I mean, I could write
a haiku for you instead.

No, that's against the rules.

Since when do you follow rules?

Since I'm the one who made them.

You should probably
get me your first draft

by the time we get
to the precinct holiday party.

That's two days away!

See? Plenty of time.

Hey.
Hey.

So get ready for a m*rder
with a little holiday spirit.

It went down
around 10:30 p.m.

Witnesses saw a black
Mustang, no plates,

chasing after this guy.

BECKETT: This was a drive-by?

But he looks like
he was sh*t close range.

Yeah, and the sh**t capped him
in the head to finish him off.

So this wasn't random.

BECKETT: Did anyone get
a good look at the assailant?

Yeah, when he drove by
like a bat out of hell.

Fuzzy red hat, big white beard.

Seriously?
Our k*ller is Santa Claus?

Three witnesses,
all told the same story.

CASTLE: Guys, squeezing
down countless chimneys?

Delivering millions
of presents in one night?

It was bound to happen.

Santa finally cracked.

Or our victim was
naughty instead of nice.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

That's tasteless.

Or our k*ller just wore
a Santa suit because

that was the perfect disguise
at this time of year.

So what do we know
about the victim?

His name's Eric Mercer,
lives in Midtown.

His hospital ID says he was an
ER doctor at Saint Simon's.

Do we know where
he was coming from?

Not yet, but he bought
a latte at a coffee shop

six blocks away from here

before our g*n-toting
Saint Nick came after him.

And the barista there said that
Mercer was carrying a blue backpack.

But witnesses who
saw Mercer running

said there wasn't any backpack.

Okay, let's set up a search
from here to that coffee shop.

That backpack may contain clues
as to why he was k*lled.

Well, maybe the last person
that Mercer talked to

can shed some light on that.

Ten minutes before he was sh*t,

Eric Mercer called someone
at Saint Simon's Hospital.

That was me. I just talked
to Eric a few hours ago.

I'm sorry,
this is just such a shock.

How did he seem when you talked?

A little on edge, I guess.
Like he was in a hurry.

Did he say why?

I assume it was his uncle.

His uncle has cancer
and lives alone.

Eric tried to be there for him.

He missed work last night, too.

Do you know his name?
Edward, I think.

Edward Mercer.

Maybe he knows
why this happened to Eric.

Hey.
LANIE: Hey.

What you got for me, girl?

I found these on the arm
of the vic's jacket.

Some kind of tiny crystals.

Could they be from the Christmas
decorations that he landed on

after he crashed
through the window?

No, these are mineral crystals.

Hopefully the lab can ID them.

Hang on.

You always call me down here
after the lab results are in.

Which leads me to believe that you
may have some ulterior motives.

Javi, I wanna ask
a little favor.

Anything you need.

So my parents barely
ever leave Louisiana,

and they're flying out
to Paris tomorrow,

and they have a last-minute
layover in New York.

They want us all
to get together.

(SWALLOWS) So it's, uh,
meet the parents?

Are you okay with that?

(SCOFFS) Yeah.
Yeah, why wouldn't I be?

That's not even really a favor,

that's just me stepping up.

Hmm-mmm.

See, I didn't get
to the favor part yet.

What?

You didn't?

See, um, my parents...
(CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY)

My... My parents kind of
think we're engaged.

Why do they think that?

Well, you and I were
on-again, off-again,

and they just got so worried about
their unmarried daughter that...

So you told them we got engaged?

I didn't mean to,
it just popped out.

Now, how does something
like that just pop out?

I wanted them
to stop bugging me.

I'm sorry, Javi, but once
I said it, there it was.

And now here they are.

So the first time
I meet your parents,

you're asking me to lie to them?

I'll be lying to them too,
but I've been doing it longer.

Wow.

Can I just bring 'em
down to the precinct

to say hello?

And you could just
pretend for 10 minutes.

I'll make it worth your while.

Yeah, yeah, I can do that.

So we looked into
Eric's family history,

contacts in his phone
and computer.

He does not have an uncle
named Edward Mercer.

In fact, he doesn't
have an uncle at all.

Then why did he miss his shift?
And where did he go?

I may have an answer to that.

It turns out that Eric

used the Hytch rideshare app

to catch a ride to an address
in Queens tonight,

a couple of hours
before he was k*lled.

In fact, he took numerous
trips to that same address,

which line up with shifts that
he missed at the hospital.

And what's at this location?

Certainly not Uncle Edward.

Offices.
It's an office building

owned by
Evergreen Sanitation NYC.

Are you sure about that?

Evergreen Sanitation NYC is a
known front for organized crime.

Why would Eric Mercer be
visiting a mob-owned building?

Let's head to Queens
and find out.

No placards, no names. It's like
this whole place is unoccupied.

And yet Eric missed work
to come here.

Repeatedly.
Yeah.

Oh, excuse me, sir.
NYPD. Could you help...

Wait, sir, could you please
just help us? We...

(DOOR SLAMS)
(SIGHS)

Beckett.

Whoa.

This is a surgical suite.

Owned by organized crime.

Eric Mercer
wasn't just a doctor,

he was a mob doctor.

I've worked
Organized Crime 16 years,

I know most of the players.

But this guy? No.

Well, we believe that he might
have been a family doctor

for whoever controls
Evergreen Sanitation NYC.

Yeah,
that's the Carlucci Family.

They've been
moving up the charts

since Dino Scarpella took over.

But I didn't know
that they had a doctor.

Whoa, uh, Dino Scarpella?
I know that guy.

Seriously?

Yeah, he helped me with research
for a Derrick Storm novel,

but back then he was
just a mid-level guy.

Detective McBride, if Eric was a
doctor for the Carlucci Family,

do you have any idea
why he would've been targeted?

I haven't heard anything, if
that's what you're asking me.

But, uh, the way he was k*lled,

sounds like somebody
was sending a message.

Where would we find
Dino Scarpella?

Uh, his main offices
are over in Queens.

It's a strip club called
Cica Cica Boom Room. Why?

Well, we should go talk to him.

Dino knows me.
He likes me.

If Eric was his mob doctor,
he'd wanna help solve this.

Assuming he wasn't involved.

You know, I'll have
Detectives Ryan and Esposito

coordinate with you
on the Mustang and ballistics.

We'll see if any of that connects
to anyone in organized crime.

Field trip to a strip club.

(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
(MEN HOOTING)

Castle,
you keep staring like that,

you're gonna have to pay
for the 2-drink minimum.

I'm sorry.
What were you saying?

I wasn't saying anything.
You were talking. About Dino.

About how he's
a nice guy in spite

of the fact that
he's a mobster. Really?

No, look, I know you find
this hard to believe,

but he is a really nice guy.

Yeah, sure.
Up until the point

he guts you like a fish.

Rick, is that really you?

Dino!
Oh, man.

You know, I just finished
your book, Raging Heat.

Really?
Terrific, wonderful story.

Thank you.
Wonderful, yeah.

So what brings you here?

And who is this Venus?

Dino, this is my wife,
Kate Beckett.

Detective Beckett. NYPD.

Uh, she's... She's okay.

I'm actually consulting
with the police now.

And we're here for your help
in a m*rder investigation.

For you, Rick,
I'm happy to help.

And the boys are, too.

Rocco Carlucci, he's my, uh...

My chief of security.

And this is
Christopher Carlucci,

VP of corporate affairs.

Who got whacked?

A, uh, Dr. Eric Mercer.

Um...

Yeah, I do not
recognize this person.

Mr. Scarpella,
we've connected Dr. Mercer

to a surgical suite paid for
by your organization.

Dino, we know Eric
worked for you,

but who would
wanna do this to him?

Can you help us out?

Sadly, I have no help to offer.

But please, stay,
enjoy yourselves.

It's on the house.

Uh, Mr. Scarpella...

Like he said,
we got nothing for you.

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

Hey, Espo.

ESPOSITO: So while you and Castle
were busy getting lap dances,

Ryan and I did
some real police work

and found a Carlucci
connection to the m*rder.

Yeah, wait.
What kind of a connection?

Well, turns out the family's
number two, Christopher Carlucci,

owns a black Mustang.

Guess what was stashed inside?

A Santa suit.
With blood on it.

Christopher Carlucci,

we need to talk.

Why did you k*ll Eric Mercer?

I didn't.

Okay, then why don't
you clear this up for me?

Where were you
at the time of the m*rder?

And why did witnesses see your
Mustang at the crime scene?

And why did we find a Santa suit

stuffed in the trunk of your
car with Eric's blood on it?

Look, Christopher, I don't think
you just woke up one morning

and decided to k*ll
the family doctor.

That kind of order
comes from above.

Did Dino Scarpella
give the order?

I want a lawyer.

I wonder why the Carluccis
would k*ll their own doctor.

Maybe he saw something
he shouldn't have.

Let the wrong mobster
die on his table.

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

Excuse me.
Yeah.

Richard Castle.

DINO: Rick, we need to talk.

He said he wanted you to meet
him at the strip club? Why?

He just said that it was urgent.

And when Dino Scarpella
issues an invitation,

you don't RSVP with "no."

Yeah, you do, especially if he
put a hit out on Eric Mercer.

Look, he called me
at the precinct,

he knows I'm married to you.

I'm in no danger here.

Oh, God, Castle, this just
sounds like an epitaph.

Um, you know what?
I'm gonna go with you.

He said to come alone.

You're gonna have to
trust me on this.

Dino, he's an honorable man.

Yeah, well, I bet that's
what Eric thought, too.

Buy yourself something nice,
sugar, okay?

Take your mind off this tragedy.

And don't tell
your mother, okay?

(SNIFFLES)
Thanks, Daddy.

Jane,

the roll of cash she spends on
clothes could choke a horse.

I even bought an imitation
couture company,

but the fake stuff isn't good
enough for my girl. Right?

Especially now.
She's upset. She and Eric,

they were very close, very
close since they were kids.

So you're admitting
he was your doctor?

I don't like
that word, "admit."

Acknowledging?

Wow, Rick, me and you, we had a
good relationship once, huh?

We still do, don't we?

Well, I don't know. I need
to know I can speak freely.

That you're not
gonna turn around

and repeat what I say
to the authorities.

Dino, you can trust me.

Eric was family.

My cousin Bruno's kid.

By a girl he had on the side.

Bruno, he d*ed in the slammer,
so I looked after Eric.

I sent him to the best schools.

I didn't want him
to work for the family,

but if you wanna hear God
laugh, you tell him...

You tell him all
your plans, right?

So what happened?

Few years back, one of my guys got sh*t.
It happens.

He would've croaked,
but Eric stepped up.

Next thing I know...

Next thing I know, he's
got a taste for the life.

I need to find out
who did this to him.

Don't take this
the wrong way, Dino,

but I think you already do know.

It was not Christopher. All the
evidence says that it was.

He was framed.

He's innocent.

When it comes to this, anyway.

I know, because I was with him.

Dino, if that's true, all we
have to do is call Beckett.

You can alibi him.

Mmm, no, that's no good.

See, at the time,
me and Christopher,

we were engaged in a sensitive
business transaction.

And by sensitive,
you mean illegal.

I don't like that word either.

My point is this.

The cops are not
looking for Eric's k*ller

because they think
they already got him.

Even if they are out
looking for him,

nobody in my world's gonna
give 'em the time of day.

And this is where you come in.

Me?
Yeah.

I need you to prove Christopher's
innocence and find Eric's k*ller.

Hey, nobody connected
is gonna talk to the cops.

But if I vouch for you,

give you access
no cop has ever gotten...

Dino, I don't know
if I'm the guy...

I could cr*ck a joke about making
you an offer you can't refuse.

But you cannot refuse.

Understood.

Good.

But if I figure out
who did this,

you have to let me
bring the k*ller to justice.

And by justice, I mean legal
justice, not just taking him out.

When the time comes,
I need to call Beckett.

We will swear by
the code of silence.

(Kn*fe SLICES)

Omerta?

(Kn*fe SLICES)
Ow!

(SLAPS HAND)
Ow!

You're blood now, Rick.

You're family.

Do not let me down.

So let me get this straight.

You wanna re-investigate Eric's
m*rder on behalf of your friend,

Dino, the mob boss?

Okay, well, when you put it
like that, it sounds bad.

It sounds bad no matter
how I put it.

Castle, we have the k*ller.

Christopher was
with Dino at the time.

According to Dino.

Dino is playing you.

Mobsters get arrested.

It's a cost of doing business.
Dino knows that.

So why go through the trouble

of asking me to look into it
unless Christopher was innocent?

Firstly, he didn't
exactly ask you.

And secondly, he just wants
his number two back.

Well, there's
more to it than that.

Omerta.

We made the blood oath.

It was not my idea,
and I did not have a choice.

So you believe Dino because
he gave you a paper cut?

Look,
if I look into Eric's m*rder

and the trail leads back to
Christopher Carlucci, so be it.

But if it doesn't,

don't you wanna know
who the real k*ller is?

Fine.

But you have to promise that
Captain Gates isn't gonna find out

that we're poking around
an already closed case.

And you have to keep me looped
in every step of the way.

I promise.

And since Dino gave me an
all-access pass with the family,

I'm gonna start
by talking to Christopher.

Thank you.

I heard Dino Scarpella
and Castle had a sit-down.

What do you think that's about?

I don't know. But I don't like
him going around us like this.

Hey, baby.

Hey.

Hey!

Javier, these are my parents,
Walter and Melinda.

How you doing... Oh, okay.

We're huggers
in the Parish family, son.

And go ahead, call me Dad.

Oh, okay.

Ooh, I can see where Lanie
gets her beautiful eyes from.

And her medical brain
must come from you.

I hear that you're a surgeon?

Cardiothoracic.
But retired.

No shop talk, dear.

The only talk I want
is to hear the story.

What story?

The proposal, of course.

LANIE: Oh! That story!
Right. (LAUGHS)

Javi?

Yes, the story.

Um... Well, we, um...

You know, baby, you tell
it so much better than me.

Why don't you...

This guy!
You should have seen him.

He rows Lanie out into the middle
of the Central Park boat pond.

He gets down on one knee,

so nervous he nearly
capsizes the boat,

almost sends them
both into the water.

(GASPS)
That's just what Lanie did,

when she saw that ring. Ah!

Perfect fit.
Right.

RYAN: I'm Kevin, by the way.

Espo's partner and, you know,
proposal planner in crime.

That's so romantic. I wanna
hear all about the courtship.

I just wish we had time
for all of that. Right.

But, you know, with us
having to get back to work,

and you having to catch
your plane... Yeah.

Actually, I just got a text that our
flight's been delayed till tomorrow.

So why don't we all go out and
have dinner a little later?

Ohhh!
(LANIE LAUGHS NERVOUSLY)

Yes, that sounds great, Walter.

I mean, Dad.

(DOORS CLATTERS)

You sure he's good?

Ask your questions.
I'll tell you what I know.

Thanks.

So Dino says you were set up.

So who'd wanna frame you?

(SCOFFS)

I'm his right-hand man.

I know 50 guys who'd
slit my throat like that.

But they'd k*ll me.

Not one of 'em would frame me.

All right,
then let's talk about Eric.

Eric, uh, recently
had some concerns.

Concerns that
someone was after him?

Not exactly, uh...

See, Eric being our doctor,
we kept that secret.

You know, so he could have
a life outside the family.

But I guess he was afraid
that his secret got out,

because a few days ago, he comes
to me and he asks a favor.

What kind of a favor?

He wanted
phone-tap detectors.

You know, tracing equipment.

He thought he was being watched.

By whom?
I don't know.

You know, at the time, I thought
he was just being paranoid.

But I wanted to be safe,

so I hooked him up
with Cyber Rita.

Are you morons ready?

I'm cutting the alarm
in three, two, one.

(BEEPS)
Bam.

Yeah, I helped the doc.

Well, did Eric tell you who
he thought was watching him?

What are you talking about?

When he asked for the
counter-surveillance equipment.

That's not what he asked me for.

It isn't?

No, Christopher
called me and told me

to give Eric whatever he needed.

So I did.

And what did Eric need?

Well, it sounds like Eric told
Christopher one thing and me another.

So I'm not gonna
say another word

until I'm sure
that Lurch over there

isn't gonna have me
sleepin' with the fishes.

Lurch, would you...
Rocco, I mean, could you...

He wanted hot credit cards.

Stolen credit cards?
What for?

So he could buy things
and not have to pay for them.

Thank you. That's...

I gave him a dozen.

So each is good for about two grand
before it needs to be tossed.

Did Eric say why
he needed $24,000?

Maybe for wheels.

He asked if he could
use the card

to access a Swipe-N-Go
car rental,

but I told him he was definitely gonna
need a fake ID to go with the card.

Okay, could you email me
those credit card numbers

so I could see if he used them?
Yeah.

(ALARM RINGING)
Oh. Ah!

Which of you idiots just
triggered the security door?

Stolen credit cards,
a possible getaway car?

It sounds like Eric was
about to go on the run.

Only the k*ller
got to him first.

Okay, so if Christopher didn't
k*ll him, then who did?

Maybe whatever Eric was charging

on those cards
could give us a lead.

Unfortunately,
the cards are a bust.

I ran the numbers.
No recent activity.

Did we ever find those cards?

No, not in his hospital locker,

or in his apartment,
or on his body.

Hmm, maybe the k*ller took them.

Well, I'll have Tory monitor the
numbers, see if any activity pops.

Think I got a lead.

So we're really thinking
that this k*ller

is not
Christopher Carlucci, right?

Yes.
Maybe.

No.

Oh, come on, the guy is guilty.

Nobody thought otherwise

until Castle over here started
moonlighting for the mob.

I think that might be
overstating it a little.

You took a blood oath.

You let them turn you
into an honorary mobster.

What's wrong with you?

RYAN: Come on, man.

How many people
outside of the mafia

ever get to swear Omerta?

I think it is an
experience of a lifetime.

Of course you would.

But didn't you say you had a lead?
Yeah.

The lab was able to identify the crystals
that Lanie found on Eric's sleeves.

They're made up
of sodium ferrocyanide

mixed with sodium chloride,
which means...

It's road salt.

It hasn't snowed in weeks.

So why would Eric be literally
up to his elbows in salt?

I don't know, but there are only
four salt depots on the island,

and one of 'em happens to be within
three blocks of our crime scene.

The blue backpack.

We searched for it,
we never found it.

That's because just before
Eric d*ed, he hid that bag.

The salt depot.

CASTLE: Man, the places
we go to follow a lead.

But if it points to our
k*ller, it's worth it indeed.

If that's you trying to
help me with my poem,

then it's not working.

Right over here. This is
where Eric gained access.

Wait, is that the uh...

Right there.

CASTLE:
The victim's blue backpack.

You were right.

Eric must've stashed it
here before he was k*lled.

Yeah, but what was
he trying to hide

that he didn't
want anyone to find?

Bloody clothes?

With b*llet holes.

LANIE:
Here's what I can tell you.

The guy who wore these
clothes was about six feet,

maybe 180, 200 pounds.

What about his injuries?

Two sh*ts to the back. Both b*ll*ts
exited the front of his body.

Based on where he was hit
and the amount of blood,

he probably didn't survive.

So did any stiffs come in
with those kinds of wounds?

Minus his clothes, of course.

No, I already checked.

Can you tell when he was sh*t?

Blood coagulation says it was
within the last two days.

Eric missed work two days ago,

and his Hytch app showed that he went
to that surgical suite in Queens.

So then maybe this was
one of his mob patients.

He wasn't. At least,
not according to Dino.

No recent g*nsh*t wounds
in the family,

and Eric hadn't treated
anyone in the past week.

Then Eric must've
treated someone else,

someone not connected
to the Carluccis.

Could that mean
that Eric operated

on someone from another family?

If he did, and said mobster
is dead or missing,

then perhaps Detective
McBride has heard about it.

Meantime, I'll run DNA to see

if this blood matches
anyone in the system.

Thanks, Lanie.

Hey, hey. Hey.

So what's the game plan to survive
dinner with your parents?

I don't know. We barely survived
five minutes with them.

(SIGHS)

Well, what if they ask us
where we wanna live?

When we want kids?

(STAMMERING)

They gonna see right through us.

Maybe we should come clean.

Javi, I can't come clean.

If I come clean, I will
never hear the end of this.

Look, you met them,
you kept your promise.

You can skip dinner.

I'll say something came up,
like a dead body.

No way.

I can't be the kind
of fiance that bails

on the one time
your parents were in town.

I have to go.
We're engaged.

We're not engaged.

But we could be.

Someday.

And I don't want them to hate me
then because I skipped out now.

MCBRIDE: So I asked around about
the other crime families,

looked into who
might've gone missing

or taken a b*llet
the last few days.

I think I got your guy.

6' 1", 190 pounds.

He'd fit in those clothes.

Luca Tessaro?
Of the Tessaro crime family?

Yeah, and the family's
b*ating the drums

because Luca disappeared
three days ago.

Aren't the Tessaros
and the Carluccis rivals?

No, more like sworn enemies.

Which could be why things
went bad for your doctor.

You don't cross family lines.

What do we know about
Luca's disappearance?

Well, three nights ago,
911 got reports

of sh*ts fired
near his neighborhood.

Officers responded.

They didn't find anything, but
Luca hasn't been seen since.

Thank you, Detective.

Whatever you need.

Why would Eric treat Luca Tessaro,
a member of a rival family?

See, this is the beauty
of me being mobbed-up.

Temporarily. I can go straight
to the source and ask Dino.

Castle, just be careful.

If Eric treated a Carlucci
enemy, then Dino had motive.

Dino is not gonna
ask me to investigate

if it's gonna lead
back to his doorstep.

I shall return with answers.

The boys and I will check the area
where those sh*ts were fired.

Maybe officers missed something.

Well, if unis missed
something, I'm not finding it.

All five 911 callers said they
heard sh*ts near this underpass,

so if Luca Tessaro
was k*lled here,

there's gotta be evidence.

Assuming he's really our victim.

He definitely is.
Lanie just texted.

Luca Tessaro's in the system

and the prelim DNA markers

from the bloody clothes
are a match.

Now, how did Luca and Eric cross
paths in the first place?

Yeah.

BECKETT: You guys,

I found a slug.

Call CSU.

Hey, I found something else.

Check this out.

That's blood.

Rocco, you must be privy to the
inner workings of the family.

Do you mind if I ask you
a few questions?

I'm gonna go ahead
and take that as a yes.

So, first of all, how well
did you know Eric Mercer?

You're a man of few words, Rocco.
Very, very few words.

How about Luca Tessaro?

Eric have any history with him?

Luca's a sore subject.

A sore subject.
Why, because he's a Tessaro?

Because he's a stain
upon this family.

Okay, I take it
Eric didn't like him.

Eric hated Luca.

We all do.
For what he did to Jane.

Dino's daughter?
How is she involved?

One night, she's at this club.

Luca was there, and he tried
to have his way with her.

Word got back to Dino.

He was ready to k*ll Luca, wanted
to pull the trigger himself.

And did he?

Mmm-mmm. Jane stopped him.

She didn't want a w*r
between the families.

Besides, she's a woman
who can take care of herself.

Hey, Beckett. I just got
some very interesting news.

BECKETT: Yeah, so did I.

We found blood evidence at the
scene where Luca was sh*t.

Go on.

It was Luca's blood
on a bracelet.

CSU pulled a thumbprint off of
it that matched a DMV record.

For Jane Scarpella.
She's Dino's daughter.

Look, it's possible
that Jane k*lled Luca,

she got Eric to help cover it up,
and then she k*lled him, too.

I just... I don't know
what her motive would be.

I think I do.

Good, then let's hear it.

Can't. I gotta go. I'll call
you back and tell you later.

I hope.

The boss will see you now.

Dino.

What news do you
have for me, Rick?

Who k*lled Eric?

DINO: You come in here,

to my house of business,

and accuse my daughter
of not one but two murders?

Not accuse, as much as...

Perhaps she's
a person of interest.

You think I don't know
what that means?

You disappoint me, Rick.

I came to you.

I put my faith in you.

I thought we had
an understanding.

We did.

We do. Look, you're the last...
(CLICKS)

Whoa, whoa.

(STAMMERING) Dino,
what are you doing?

I don't tolerate lies, Rick.

Dino... Hey...

Hey, we're family, remember?

That's right.

You never disrespect family.

Who disrespects you?

I respect you, Dino!

I respect the hell out of you!

Dad, I heard Mr. Castle had
information on Eric's k*ller.

Oh. What's going on?

Step out, Jane.
I'm conducting business.

Dino, ask her. Ask her.
You at least owe me that much.

If she's guilty,
you need to know.

Otherwise,
you can't protect her.

Guilty? Guilty of what?

Luca Tessaro's m*rder.

Police found your bracelet
where he was sh*t.

Jane, you tell him.

(EXHALES)

Tell him you weren't there, Jane.
You better tell him.

(g*n COCKS)

Tell him! Jane, tell him!

Daddy, I'm sorry! I was.

But I didn't k*ll him.

I was trying to save him.

Save him?

Dad, Luca and I,

we were in love.

You were in what?
After what he did to you?

That story about him coming
onto me, I made it up.

Made it up? What do you
mean you made it up?

What was I supposed to say?

That I was in love
with a Tessaro?

If either family
knew our secret,

we could never be together.

Daddy?

I'm processing this news.

Jane, uh, what happened that night?
(JANE BREATHING HEAVILY)

Luca called me,
gasping for breath.

He'd been sh*t.

By the time I got to him,
he was unconscious, dying.

He needed help, so I
dragged him into my car.

That's probably how
I lost my bracelet.

So you called Eric?

I didn't know what else to do.

Eric told me to meet him
at the surgery room.

He did everything
in his power to save Luca,

but he couldn't.

Which explains Eric's m*rder.

If the Tessaros found out Eric
was involved with Luca's death,

they would've retaliated.

What did they know, Jane?

Nothing. Eric got rid
of the body and the clothes,

so nothing could
lead them to our family.

Jane, did Luca
tell you on the phone

who sh*t him?
Who wanted him dead?

No, but last week,

he said something
was up with the Tessaros.

Somebody was
making a power grab,

and he was trying
to find out who.

I swear, if the Tessaros
k*lled my Eric,

we're going to w*r.

BECKETT:
Lovers from rival families?

Oh, that sounds
like Romeo and Juliet.

Right down to Eric
as the apothecary.

Yo.

Jane's alibi checks out.

Doorman places her at home
during Eric's m*rder.

What about
the street cams in the area

around Luca Tessaro's sh**ting?

We looked. There's no
cameras out that way.

Ugh. Which means
we're dead in the water.

Which means I could be
dead in the water.

If one of the Tessaros
k*lled Luca and Eric,

we need to figure out
who it was.

Well, unless you got
a bud in that family, too,

they're not gonna talk.

Luckily, a credit card
just did the talking.

Remember those hot numbers
that Eric got from Rita?

Well, someone just used one of 'em
to order a pizza for delivery.

It's the k*ller. He must've
got the cards off Eric's body.

Delivery to where?

To a tile import business owned
by Luca's cousin, Dante Tessaro.

And with Luca out of the way,

Dante becomes heir apparent
to the Tessaro Family.

This tile business,
what's the address?

This is it.

(g*n COCKS)

(g*n COCKS)

One more step,
and I'll blow your heads off.

Luca Tessaro?

You're alive?

Luca, put your w*apon down. Why?

So you can take me out?
Finish the job?

Who sent you?

BECKETT: Nobody sent us,
Mr. Tessaro.

We're not here to k*ll you.

As a matter of fact, we thought
you were already dead.

CASTLE: Look,
if you don't believe us,

you can always ask Jane.

Isn't that right, Jane?

Wait. It's okay, Luca.
They can help.

We knew our families would
never approve of what we had,

so we were gonna use the opportunity
to leave the life for good.

Disappear.

Those credits cards
that Eric got,

they were to help you get away?

(SIGHS) But when
Eric got popped,

I figured it was
the same guy who sh*t me.

You know, maybe he
found out I was alive,

and went after Eric
to get to me.

Who was trying
to k*ll you, Luca?

I didn't see him.

No one ever has.

But he calls himself
"Il Penumbra."

Well, what do you
know about him?

He's a new player who
showed up a few months ago.

He started hitting up store owners
on our turf for protection payments.

Well, then the store owners
must know who he is.

He was reaching out to them
anonymously, through email.

Wire the payment
or face consequences.

One of our dry cleaners
refused to pay,

his store b*rned down
to the ground.

Mafia 2.0.

LUCA: Whoever this guy is,

he was moving
into our territory,

and the family ordered me
to track him down.

I uncovered the account where

the shopkeepers were
wiring him the money.

Next thing I know, I get a call
from some guy saying he could help.

He tells you to meet him under
the bridge, but it's a setup.

The shopkeepers we talked
to confirmed Luca's story.

This Il Penumbra's been
terrorizing them for months.

How do you track someone
who nobody's seen?

Not through that bank info
that Luca uncovered.

It dead-ended at a private
account in the Cayman Islands.

And given international
banking laws,

there's no way to determine
who owns that account.

But maybe there is.

I, uh, made a new friend
who might help us

skirt those pesky
international banking laws.

Now, Rita,
I know this is a big ask,

but if we can figure out
who owns that account,

we'll find Eric's real k*ller.

Now, is this Penumbra character

the same guy that
framed Christopher?

We believe so, yes.

All right, fine, I'll help.

But only 'cause I don't wanna
sleep alone on Christmas.

You and Christopher?

(KEYBOARD CLACKING)

Okay, and...
(BEEPING)

You gotta be kidding me.

That's not even a clever alias.

You know, this guy might be using
that alias to withdraw his cash,

but I bet he created
the account remotely.

You think you can
trace the account

back to the computer
it originated from?

I think you should
tell Christopher

he's sleeping over
New Year's Eve, too.

Rita determined
Il Penumbra's Cayman account

was opened using a server
at the Midtown Library branch.

Public terminal.
Makes sense.

Especially since most libraries
don't have security cameras.

But the convenience store across
the street from this one does.

So we pulled the video
feed from the same day

that Il Penumbra
created the account.

It's time-stamped, so...

(KEYBOARD CLACKING)

BECKETT: There.

That's the only
person who leaves

in the minutes after
the account was opened.

Well, hello, Bad Santa.

Thanks for coming
to see us, Detective.

Of course.

Our investigation
uncovered something

that we hope the Organized Crime
Unit might have information about.

MCBRIDE: Uh,
what'd you find?

Luca Tessaro. Alive.

From the clothes
that you told me about,

I assumed that he was dead.

He almost was.

We believe the person
that sh*t Luca

also k*lled Eric Mercer
to cover their tracks,

which means the sh**t knew that
the two of them were in contact.

This sh**t goes by the name of Il
Penumbra. Does that ring a bell?

Can't say it does.

Okay. Well,
this Il Penumbra,

he planted evidence to frame
Christopher Carlucci of Eric's m*rder,

after using a Mustang like
Christopher's to commit the crime.

I'm not sure where
you're going with this.

Your neighbor
owns a black Mustang.

He said that you slipped him a little
cash to borrow it for that night.

We had CSU sweep the car.

They found traces of Eric's
blood on the floor mat,

left there by your boot.

Are you accusing me of m*rder?

Along with the attempted m*rder of
Luca Tessaro, and felony extortion.

We found the account
in the Caymans.

You've been working
OCU for 16 years,

watching bad guys get rich.

So you decided
to play both sides

and get a little
piece of the action.

This'll never fly in court.

Yeah, well, there's
only one way to find out.

Rick.

Hey.

(CHUCKLING)

CHRISTOPHER: Mr. Castle,

I'm very grateful.

And so is Rita.

And my daughter, Jane,
she thanks you, too.

What's gonna happen
to her and Luca?

I decided it's better
to bless her relationship

and unite with the Tessaros
than to lose my kid.

'Tis the season of peace, no?

Rick, you did me a favor.

I owe you.

When the time comes,

you call me.

Thank you very much.
(CLEARS THROAT)

It's a call I hope
I never have to make.

Merry Christmas.

MELINDA: Dinner was so great.

We can't wait to see
you two lovebirds again.

Maybe next time we can
talk about the wedding?

Maybe. One step
at a time, Mom.

Well, it was great
to finally meet you both.

All right, pumpkin.
Bye, Mommy.

Love you. You be good.

I will.
All right.

ESPOSITO:
You guys have a good trip.

Thank you for that.

Oh, it was actually much easier

than I thought it was gonna be.

But, you know, it made me
think seriously about us.

And where we are.

Javi, I don't think
we should do this here.

No, I have to say this.

Lanie, being fake engaged to you

made me realize
how great we are together.

But not the way
that your parents are.

Or Castle and Beckett,
or Ryan and Jenny.

I know. I feel it, too.
I mean, I'm crazy about you.

I'm crazy about you, too, but
just, you know, not in that way.

And you deserve what they have.

We both do.

(CHUCKLES)

What are you gonna
tell your parents?

The truth.

But after the holidays.

No need to spoil their vacation.

Mmm-hmm. Hey.
(CLICKS TONGUE)

So then he cut you with a little
ceremonial dagger? Did it hurt?

Yeah, it hurt, but you can't
let him know that, right?

So my face was like a stone.

The Black Hand.
Right.

Right. Can I have a word, Mr.
Castle?

Yeah, of course. Here.

Tell me the rest later.

Who wants nog?

Is there a problem, Captain?

As he was being transferred
to Central Booking,

Detective McBride was sh*t and
k*lled by unknown assailants.

The DA learned
that you were cooperating

with members of organized
crime in your investigation.

People who might
have wanted McBride dead.

This doesn't look good.

Especially for you.

I am so sorry, Mr. Castle,

but the DA spoke
to the Mayor and...

(SIGHS)

You are no longer permitted
to work with the NYPD.

BECKETT: Castle.

Hey! Okay,

so I, um, got my draft of the poem
for the family Christmas card.

Wanna hear it?
Yeah.

Okay. (CLEARS THROAT)

"This has been an epic year
Life's been full of joy and tears

"Solving crimes
and catching K*llers

"Just like Castle's
famous thrillers

"We share a passion every day As
partners go, we're here to stay"

It's great.
Thank you.

Is something wrong?

What could be wrong?
You're here. Oh.

RYAN: All right, everybody.

Let's light this baby up!

(CHEERING)

RYAN: Merry Christmas!
Looks great this year.