07x18 - At Close Range

[bunniefuu]

[ elevator bell dings ]

Okay, that was interminable.

How are 15 powerpoint presentations

A "unique research opportunity"?

You guys said crime-stat briefings were "fascinating."

Wait a minute. You guys told him that?

Well, i'm -- i'm sure they're fascinating to someone.

Oh, my -- you lied to me.

I just squandered three hours of my life.

So did we.

Oh, come on, castle. No hard feelings.

I'll tell you what -- i will buy the first round

At the old haunt. Sorry, guys.

I can't tonight.

I have another security gig with my brother-in-law.

Really? Again?

Yeah, the good news is

Sarah grace will have enough money for college.

The bad news is she'll have no idea who i am.

So, who are you guarding this time? Uh...

The truth is, i'm not allowed to say.

What you mean, you're not allowed to say?

It's us. Who is it?

Seriously, man. I can't.

That means this goes beyond the usual pro athlete or reality star.

This is someone important, someone revered.

Perhaps the pope?

The dalai lama? Angela merkel?

My lips are sealed.

[ gasps ] ryan! Is it one direction?!

You'd tell me, right? Are they in town?

No, they're in hong kong. Right.

Hey, how's my sister doing?

Sleeping easier now that i retired from the force.

You don't miss the job at all, working vice?

Nah.

I was dealing with lowlifes every waking minute.

Now i'm my own boss. I'm telling you, kev.

Security is a better way of life.

I have to say, a -- a lot of guys when they retire,

They just drift,

But you're really making this work.

You could make it work for you, too.

Well... Anyhow, there's a permanent spot for you

With me the minute you make the call.

Wow, frank.

[ sighs ] that's a hell of an offer.

Well, with your background, i'd be lucky to have you.

Now tell me, did you memorize the rogue's gallery?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Every face.

[ beep ]

So, what's the thr*at level here? Low.

Huh. It's a charity event for pure water now.

It's not a middle east peace conference.

There's gonna be protesters who want to bother congressman lopez.

You've heard of him, right? Yeah, yeah. Who hasn't?

He's a rising member of the house,

Super-charismatic, but let's face it,

There's not a hell of a lot of competition in that.

He's still a stand-up guy.

Every time he comes to the city, he hires me,

So treat him right. All right.

He's going places. [ beeping ]

[ whirring ]

What's our e.T.A., frank? Just a few more minutes, sir.

Detective kevin ryan, congressman alex lopez.

Frank speaks very highly of you.

As he does of you, sir. Oh, please.

Call me alex. Or mr. Lopez, if you want.

My wife, mia.

You've met my chief of staff, megan brooks.

Kevin, what do you think your job is tonight?

To protect you, sir.

Mostly it's my reputation you need to protect.

These days, a single photo can cause major damage

If some idiot approaches, tries to create a scene.

We'll make sure that doesn't happen, sir.

Good, because come campaign season,

I may need some men i can rely on.

Brooks: Sir, about tonight's schedule.

It's the red carpet and then mingling over cocktails.

Uh, these are the people

That you're gonna want to connect with.

Some of them you know.

All of them are major donors with their own super pacs,

Who are still looking

For a candidate that they can believe in.

I've broken down all of their past campaign contributions

And net worth. I hope all these rich guys

Are ready to fork over some of their money

To carolyn and her pure water project.

Oh, they are, darling.

But the real reason they're coming is to see you.

[ chuckles ] okay, after meet-and-greets,

You're gonna take the stage and introduce carolyn,

And here is your speech.

Excuse me, folks. We're pulling in now.

[ camera shutters clicking ]

[ indistinct conversations ]

Woman: Congressman, how's your fundraising?

Miss, are you going to stand by your husband?

Thank you so much for coming.

[ indistinct conversations continue ]

Colton: Congressman lopez, any truth to the rumors

That you're launching a presidential campaign?

Alex: Now, bree, tonight is all about

My very good friend carolyn decker

And her pure water project.

She's gonna be providing clean water

For families all over the globe.

Work that is only possible because of the support

And generosity of people like alex lopez.

[ indistinct conversations continue ]

What is this, blood? What, were you gonna spray him with it?

The drone strikes that he supports k*ll innocent children.

Detain him and get him out of here.

[ indistinct conversations continue ]

Nice work.

You might find yourself protecting

The first latino president of the united states.

[ sighs ]

[ classical music plays ]

[ laughs ] there he is.

Congratulations, jim.

State party chairman -- it's a great fit for you.

Well, thank you for all your support, alex.

You know i'll have your back

When you make a run for that white house.

A little too soon for that kind of talk,

But i appreciate the thought. Enjoy your evening.

Likewise. All right.

Mr. Shelton, it's a pleasure to see you.

You're being very coy about your aspirations, alex.

But you obviously have some, or you wouldn't be here. Well, for now,

I'm just happy to serve the people of my district.

Being coy isn't in my nature.

You and your ideas aren't what this country needs,

And i'll see to it that you never become president.

Brooks: Sir. [ chuckles ]

Nice talking to you.

Oh, aryana jones, this is alex lopez. Jones: Hi.

Aryana, my wife and i are huge fans.

Can't wait to see the performance tonight.

You are too sweet, alex. Please come say hi after the show.

Yeah. Uh, sir.

Five minutes until you're on. You better get backstage.

Okay. Okay. Bye.

[ clears throat ]

Give me some room, fellas. I'd like a word with carolyn.

Ryan: Man, lopez is a rock star.

Yeah, you're telling me.

All right, i'll keep eyes on him onstage.

You cover him back here? Yeah, copy that.

[ indistinct conversation ]

[ g*nshots ]

[ groans ]

Oh, god, i think i've been hit.

Sir, stay right where you are. Help's on the way, okay?

Carolyn...

Carolyn, you're gonna be all right.

Frank: Kev!

Kev, what the hell happened?

Call 911. We need a doctor in here right now.

God. Who did this? Did you see who did this? No.

No, no, no, no.

Stop! Gray suit! Stay right where you are! Go, go, go, go, go!

[ indistinct shouting ]

Nypd! Stop that man!

Police! Clear out of the way! Move out of the away!

[ siren wails ] freeze! Drop the w*apon! Stay where you are!

Drop the w*apon! Put the w*apon down!

The sh**t's getting away!

Put the g*n down now, or i'll sh**t!

[ sirens wailing ]

[ tires screech ] [ breathing heavily ]

Ryan: Hey, how's lopez?

[ camera shutter clicks ] lucky.

The round hit his collarbone, but missed his heart.

How about carolyn decker?

Still in surgery.

[ sighs ]

I took my eyes off him for one second.

No, no, no, kev. We are gonna find this sh**t.

Nypd sealed off 10 square blocks from this place.

Did we get a description? Only the one you gave us --

Six feet, medium build, brown hair.

Come on. No one saw his face?

Yeah, they did, but they were too busy panicking to remember.

Look, why don't we walk through what happened?

No, frank. I already did that.

And what's the harm in doing it again?

Yeah.

Okay.

sh*ts rang out, three of 'em.

I-i-i dove onto lopez, took carolyn down, too.

I saw they were hit. That's when you came in. All right.

And then i spotted the sh**t. And i only ever saw the back.

All right, think about his hands.

Uh, rings on his fingers, a watch?

Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. Nothing like that.

Wait.

Uh...Blue card.

Yeah, he had a pale-blue i.D. Card

Hanging from his neck.

This guy had a press pass.

Kev, that's good. Yeah.

I'm gonna brief the nypd. Okay.

[ cellphone ringing ] [ sighing ]

[ beep ] bad news travels fast.

Are you okay? No, not really.

Can we talk later?

Uh, no. Kev, this can't wait.

Beckett, i have to work this case.

Look, it's a homicide now.

I'm at the hospital.

Carolyn decker just d*ed in surgery.

Kev? Are you there?

Yeah, i'm here.

I read your statement. We should talk about it.

No, no. There's no point. I never saw the sh**t's face.

But -- hey.

Have you talked to lopez yet?

No, why? The sh**t was in his line of sight.

If anyone saw him, it was lopez. Okay.

I'm on it. I'll call you as soon as i know something.

[ siren wailing in distance ]

[ beep ]

[ camera shutters clicking ]

[ sighs ]

[ no audio ]

[ footsteps approach ]

I'm sorry, sir. Um, this area's off-limits.

Carolyn is my daughter.

I'm very sorry, sir.

All she ever tried to do was help people.

Why her?

Frank: Kev.

Yeah. A-any luck on that press pass?

Who did it belong to? No one.

What do you mean, "no one"?

Event security kept extra passes on hold

For last-minute attendees.

So somehow our sh**t got ahold of one.

Damn it. Yeah.

So, how's ryan doing?

He knows it's not his fault, right?

[ sighs ] well, it happened on his watch.

So for ryan, it means it's all on him

Until he finds this guy.

Detective beckett, jim boyce, state party chair.

This whole thing is just terrible.

Is...There any news?

Just that we're doing everything we can

To apprehend the suspect.

Well, i'm glad that you're the one handling the case.

I'm sorry, mr. Boyce. Do we know each other?

No, but you have an outstanding reputation,

And it's gotten the attention of the people in my world.

I won't hold you, detective.

Pleasure to meet you. Yeah, likewise.

What was that about?

I have no idea.

Maybe we can set up a foundation in carolyn's name.

Yes, let's do that. Like a-a scholarship fund.

Brooks: Why don't i look into that and get back to you

With options. That would be great, megan.

[ knock on door ]

Congressman lopez, i'm detective beckett. This is mr. Castle.

We're investigating the sh**ting.

You know, as a politician... [ sighs ]

...You know in the back of your mind that harm may come to you,

But it should never come to an innocent bystander.

Congressman, did you notice anything

Or anyone suspicious prior to the sh**ting?

Everything seemed normal.

[ no audio ]

Until it wasn't. Well, we believe that the sh*ts originated

From the north end of the backstage area.

Castle: That's the direction you were facing

When you were speaking with carolyn decker.

Did you notice anyone in the background?

I saw...Stagehands, production crew...

There was this one guy.

What was he wearing?

A gray suit.

Is that him?

Is that the man that k*lled carolyn?

Did you see his face? Can you describe him?

I can most definitely describe him.

This is our guy, eric chambers --

Fringe blogger and political activist

With some pretty extreme ideas.

Okay, he looks like the sketch,

But can we place him at the crime scene?

Csu pulled chambers' print off the wall, so he was there.

It's definitely him.

I'm guessing he's not a big supporter of lopez?

That's an understatement.

Two weeks ago, chambers ranted on his blog

About how lopez posed a thr*at to the american way of life

And that he would get what all traitors deserve.

Where is chambers now? His last known address was in the bowery.

Tactical's gearing up. Take ryan.

He should be there when you pick chambers up.

[ sighs ]

Esposito: Tactical's about three minutes out.

How do we know chambers is at home?

Tory pinged his cell. He's in there.

[ sighs ]

Hey, bro. We're gonna get this guy.

Yeah.

There he is.

He's on the move!

Chambers, freeze!

Chambers!

Get the hell off me!

[ grunting ] you can't do this!

[ g*n cocks ] give me a reason!

Eric chambers, you're under arrest.

We got him, ryan. We're good.

Mr. Chambers, you are facing charges for m*rder

And the attempted assassination of a congressman.

Your best hope for leniency is to confess.

I'll never confess. I won't give you the satisfaction.

Okay, why don't you consider this a chance

To tell your side of the story?

My side of the story is that i'm innocent.

This is all a charade.

The evidence would suggest otherwise.

We found this stolen press pass at your apartment

Along with a floor plan of the ballroom.

Then there's the pesky issue

Of you fleeing after f*ring the sh*ts.

A true patriot, by definition, is an enemy of the state.

Our government has a long and sorry history

Of persecuting people like me.

So, you are the victim here?

And you're the instrument they're using

To try to destroy me.

You're too blind to see that this is a script.

You're just playing your part.

Um, okay, here's the part that fascinates me.

You hated lopez. You wanted him dead.

So you sh*t him.

Not fatally, it turns out.

But still, you struck a blow

For "true patriots" everywhere.

Isn't this the proudest moment of your life, eric?

I mean, why not own it?

Why not take credit for what you've accomplished?

You want your day in court so you can have a public forum.

I'm done here.

Chambers isn't talking.

Well, that may not matter.

I think we literally just found the smoking g*n.

Esposito: Get this -- unis found

A .38-caliber p*stol in a storm drain

About a block away from the hotel, recently fired.

Weren't there metal detectors at the venue? Yeah.

Which means that the g*n might have been waiting for him,

Stashed at the hotel. Along with the press pass.

So, that suggests he wasn't acting alone.

And lopez might still be a target.

I'll call down to the hospital and beef up security.

If we can reconstruct chambers' movements from the venue,

We might be able to figure out how he got that g*n.

And who he was working with.

You know, when we were trying to i.D. Chambers,

We rounded up hundreds of photos from that event.

I think i know where to start.

[ beeping ] ellis: Some were taken by photographers,

Others by guests on their cellphones.

I used facial recognition to try and search for chambers.

Did you find him?

He appears in 14 pictures, mostly in the background.

Since each photo is time-stamped,

I was able to plot his movement at the venue.

Each dot represents where chambers was photographed.

Does anyone in the photos ever hand him something?

Does he ever retrieve an object the size of a g*n?

I'm afraid not, but there is a five-minute gap

When chambers is unaccounted for.

[ keyboard clacking ]

This is the last photo before the missing time.

That door leads to a storage area.

Then maybe that's where the g*n was stashed. No. No, no.

Security protocol would have had that door locked

For the evening. Well, this room wasn't locked.

Here's another picture of it taken around the same time.

[ beeping ]

That guy works for the hotel.

If that door was supposed to be locked,

What was he doing in there?

Julian bailey?

Yes?

Do you mind telling us

What you were doing in the storage room last night?

I wasn't in any storage room.

Oh, then who's this? Your evil twin?

Okay, yeah.

I snuck in there for a girl, you know?

We were gonna meet up, but she never showed.

All right. Have you seen this guy?

Yeah, he came in the room.

I wasn't supposed to be there, so i hid. What was he doing in the room?

Was he looking for something? Did he have a g*n?

A g*n? No, he was with another dude.

They were talking all intense.

We have to be smart

About when and where we bring mr. Lopez down.

Chambers: I've got it covered, okay?

Lopez is gonna get what's coming to him.

And you didn't think to mention this before?

I was afraid i'd get fired.

Plus, by the time i realized he was the one

Who sh*t the congressman, you guys had already caught him.

All right, this other dude that he was talking to,

Did you see his face?

Just for a second

As the two of them were walking out.

Castle: Carl shelton?

As in billionaire industrialist carl shelton?

Yeah, and he's no fan of lopez.

I saw shelton tell lopez to his face

That he would never become president.

Maybe shelton wanted to make sure,

So he colluded with chambers.

Esposito: It's starting to look that way,

Especially since shelton is co-owner of this hotel.

Which means he would have access to a press pass

And know how to get a g*n past security.

It's money versus power, tycoon versus politician --

A story as old as america itself.

All right, let's try and find out what the connection is

Between eric chambers and carl shelton.

I'm afraid mr. Shelton does not know anyone

Named eric chambers. Well, we have a witness

That saw the two of you talking to each other.

That witness is mistaken.

[ sighs ] mr. Shelton, you financed

A group called america for americans.

It's co-founded by eric chambers.

My client -- i...

I fund many grassroots organizations

Who share my concern about the decline

Of this great nation, but i'm not acquainted

With every person in every group.

Eric chambers' views are hard to miss.

He advocates armed resistance

Against what he calls "the u.S. Police state."

Well, there's nothing wrong with ordinary americans

Defending themselves against government overreach.

Castle: Well, this isn't about overreach,

This is about you getting rid of a politician

Who stood against you.

W-what is that, mr. Castle?

Your latest work of fiction?

[ chuckles ]

I believe that concludes our interview.

If you have more questions, get a subpoena.

Mr. Shelton, you put chambers up to this

And i intend to prove it.

Good luck with that.

[ door opens ]

Esposito: What's up, bro?

Everyone's gone. What you still doing here?

[ sighs ]

Thinking.

Come on. This is a win. We got the sh**t.

What about shelton?

We'll build a case against him.

And i bet that chambers will help us out and roll on shelton.

Why hasn't he done that already?

Maybe shelton made chambers some promises

In return for him keeping his mouth shut.

Why would a man in shelton's situation

Risk being seen with chambers?

Because he's like all these other

Rich sons of b*tches who think they can get away with anything.

[ sighs ] i don't know.

Something about this just isn't sitting right, javi.

You're spinning.

You just need a good night's sleep.

In the morning, everything will be clear to you.

All right?

[ cellphone ringing ]

[ beep ]

Hello.

What?!

Ryan: Right. How about now?

Castle: That looks good. Okay.

Oh! Good, you're here.

What is this? What are you guys doing?

Ah, well, ryan was working all night, and he texted me.

You texted castle and not me?

Well, when you have a crazy theory,

You don't call the voice of reason.

What -- what theory?

Eric chambers is not our sh**t.

We got the wrong guy.

You're telling me eric chambers is not our sh**t?

Based on what?

Physics, sir.

Beckett: Congressman lopez said

That when he talked to carolyn decker,

He saw chambers by the far wall.

Which is where csu found his prints.

Castle: But seconds later, our assassin opens fire --

Three sh*ts.

The first one strikes lopez beneath the left clavicle.

The second one grazes carolyn decker's shoulder,

And the third one strikes her in the upper back.

That sh*t severs her pulmonary artery.

She never has a chance.

How does any of this lead you to think

That chambers is not the assassin.

Chambers' vantage point.

He had a side-angle view of lopez and carolyn decker.

So how did chambers manage to sh**t carolyn in the back?

The answer is that he couldn't have,

Not unless that b*llet magically took

A hard right turn in midair.

Which means the sh*ts were fired from the grassy knoll,

Metaphorically speaking. Gates: Detective beckett,

Do you actually find any of this plausible?

Yes, sir, plausible enough that i'm getting ballistics

To reevaluate the crime scene.

Chambers had motive,

He stole a press pass, he fled the sh**ting.

How do you explain all that? I think chambers

Was set up to be the fall guy. Probably by carl shelton.

Then why isn't he vigorously protesting his innocence?

Chambers distrusts authority.

And he believes that we're part of a plot against him.

Nonetheless, eric chambers remains our prime suspect

Unless proof comes in that he isn't.

In the meantime, sir,

I'd like to take another run at him.

You're wasting your time.

I'm not talking.

[ sighs ] well, that's okay.

You don't have to talk. You can just listen.

[ scoffs ]

Yeah, we know that... You're not the sh**t.

Of course you do.

You people orchestrated the whole thing.

You know, eric, i got a news flash for you.

You're not the focus of some big governmental conspiracy.

No one has the... Least bit of interest in you.

[ sighs ]

Actually, i take that back.

Someone is very interested in you --

Whoever set you up.

Somebody went to a significant amount of trouble to frame you,

And now...

...Now you know too much.

You're a loose end.

I don't see a very bright future for you.

You honestly expect me to believe a word you say?

Eh, that's up to you. It's your life.

Just tell me everything about how you got backstage,

And i'll keep you safe.

If not, i can't help you.

Nobody can.

[ sighs ] just think about it.

Um...

But don't think too long.

Wait.

So, if chambers isn't our sh**t,

Then what was he doing backstage?

He wanted to make a political statement by confronting lopez

During his speech in front of the cameras.

That way, he knew that it would blow up

On the 24-hour news cycle.

All right, what about carl shelton?

Castle, it's looking like shelton may not be involved.

The billionaire industrialist

With his grubby hands on the levers of power?

Of course he's involved.

They were seen in the storage room.

That's because shelton realized that chambers had crashed the event.

So, he tried to talk him out of making a scene.

So, where did chambers get the press pass from?

It was left for him in his mailbox.

In his mailbox?

By whom? An anonymous sympathizer

Contacted him through his website,

Left him the pass, and instructions

About where to wait backstage.

[ chuckles ] okay, can i -- can i just say...

I know i have occasionally theorized

That a conspiracy was afoot.

"occasionally"?

But this time, a conspiracy really is afoot.

Guys, chambers was clearly being manipulated

By person or persons unknown into being backstage

So he'd be the perfect patsy.

Why would someone go to all that trouble

To set him up as lopez's sh**t?

Esposito: I may have an answer for that.

Prelim ballistics report. You were right.

The sh*ts did not come from where chambers was standing.

So where did the sh*ts come from? Well, based on trajectories,

The sh*ts were fired from this position right here.

The sh**t was behind the lighting stanchion.

That's why no one saw him.

He took a sh*t and then he slipped out the back.

Yeah, it's good concealment.

Nobody would be able to spot him,

But check out this angle.

Carolyn decker's blocking lopez.

That would explain why the assassin missed lopez.

Unless he didn't miss him.

Exactly, carolyn decker was almost square to the sh**t

And she's the one who got hit center-mass.

You guys, what if we're looking at this the wrong way? And carolyn decker's the real target.

All right, we'll dig through her life.

See if anyone had motive to do this.

There's something you should see first.

This is from eric chambers' building.

I was reviewing it to paste together his timeline

When i saw this.

He goes straight to chambers' mailbox.

Okay, that is definitely not the mailman.

He must be leaving the press pass for chambers. When was this?

Three hours before the sh**ting.

Can we get a look at this dude's face?

Not a good one.

[ beep ]

Oh, my god.

What is it?

That's my brother-in-law. That's frank.

Are you sure that's frank kelly?

Yeah. No question.

Ryan, i know this is hard, but...

Where was frank during those sh*ts?

All right, i'll keep eyes on him onstage.

You cover him back here? Yeah.

He was on the other side of the curtain.

He went into the ballroom to cover lopez.

Did you see him out there?

No.

So, you don't really know where he was.

After the sh*ts, how soon did he arrive?

10 seconds, maybe.

Long enough for him to get

From the light stanchion to where you saw him.

So, what are you saying here,

That frank k*lled carolyn decker?

Why would he?

I don't know,

But we need to consider the possibility.

At the very least, he was involved,

So we're bringing him in.

Good. Because you know what?

He'll tell his side of the story. There's an explanation for this.

I-i'm sure there is, ryan. A-and nothing would make us happier.

Guys, this is my brother-in-law.

There's no way he can be mixed up in something like this.

Hey, bro.

I'm sorry to say that, uh,

Unis just tried to pick up frank.

As soon as he saw the patrol car, he bolted.

They lost him.

Gates: Issue an a.P.B. See if there's any connection

Between frank kelly and carolyn decker.

I'm on it.

Uh, where are you going?

I'm gonna go find frank.

I'll go with you.

Thanks, javi, but... This is family here.

I got to do this one alone.

Okay.

[ knock on door ]

I need to talk to frank, gwen.

He's not here.

Where is he, then?

Kevin, don't you walk in here

And start pointing fingers at your own family.

He ran! Why would he do that, gwen?!

What's he into?

Nothing!

I know that look.

Yeah, that's the look that you used to get

When you'd sneak a cigarette

And then you'd lie to mom about it.

Look, gwen, i'm here for you, but i need to know the truth.

What's he into?

Things were tight last year.

You know, both kids are at st. Margaret's now,

And that costs an arm and a leg.

But then some money started coming in.

From where?

Frank said that he was picking up extra work, and...

But he never ran it through the company.

It was always cash.

How much cash?

Over time... Close to 50 grand.

Kevin! You know frank.

You know he would never hurt a soul. Okay.

Then tell me where he is before he's the one who gets hurt.

Any word from ryan?

Uh, no. Not yet. It's got to be tough.

Frank is like a brother to him.

Well, maybe frank isn't in this as deep as we think.

Esposito still hasn't found

Anything connecting him to carolyn decker.

Yeah, well, neither have i.

[ sighs ] i hate this part.

Going through a victim's effects?

Yeah, especially a purse.

Everything in it is just so intimate.

[ zipper opens ] it's like you get a chance to really see

Who a person is...

Or was.

And who was carolyn decker?

Uh, she was, um... A workaholic.

The daily alarm on her phone is set for 4:00 a.M.

And her calendar shows

That she was completely dedicated to pure water now.

She has that handwritten letter from a little boy in africa

In her wallet thanking her.

His village was almost completely wiped out by cholera.

And then once they set up the water-filtration system

In the village, nobody d*ed.

She was actually making a difference.

You know, you make a difference, too.

[ chuckles ] yeah, not like her.

Okay.

What?

She's got a second phone.

Anything on it?

Yeah. Motive for m*rder.

What did you do, frank?

Not what you're thinking, man.

That's a nice touch,

The way you acted all surprised when i remembered

That chambers was wearing a press pass.

[ chuckles ] well, you weren't surprised frank,

Because all along it was you that gave it to him.

You hired me for this job

Because you knew that i would never suspect you.

You knew that you could steer the investigation.

No. No, it wasn't like that.

And nobody was ever supposed to get hurt.

What the hell does that even mean?

Carolyn decker, she's dead.

I blamed myself. All along it was you.

Kev, i got myself into something

And i-i can't get myself out.

How... How could you do this?

How -- how could you do this to gwen and the kids?

Look me in the eyes and tell me...

That you k*lled carolyn.

Did you know her?

Did you do it for the money?

I didn't k*ll nobody.

Well, you had to have done something, frank.

Where did you get all that cash?

The security thing...

Ain't going as good as i said.

[ sighs ]

Times are tough, you know? I needed money.

So i made some cash on the side by selling access.

What kind of access?

Slipping people in backstage at a concert,

Passes to fringe journalists,

You know, who can't get in the front door.

I swear to you, i didn't know that press pass

Was going to chambers.

I'm just trying to provide for my family, for your sister.

I thought, of all people, you'd understand that.

Who paid you for that pass?

Nah.

I've told you everything i know.

And that's all you're gonna get 'cause...

We both know what happens to cops in prison.

And i ain't turning myself in.

Frank.

Frank! [ g*n cocks ]

Ryan, i'm so sorry.

Well, it's gonna be a lot harder on my sister.

[ sighs ]

But at least frank isn't our sh**t.

Does he know who is?

No, he received $5,000 in an envelope

Along with an address of where to leave to press pass.

And who paid him?

He was contacted by an outfit called manhattan politics.

Turns out it's a front with a dead e-mail address.

So, whoever's behind this set up eric chambers

And used frank to do it.

Can we trace the money?

No luck so far. Though the bills are sequential.

So it probably came from a bank withdrawal.

What about the envelope?

Csu pulled off a partial print,

But it's not enough to run against the database.

Maybe we don't have to.

What do you mean?

Well, given the texts we found on carolyn decker's phone,

We may only have to check one name.

Alex will be discharged later today,

And we are so grateful and humbled

By the outpouring of support from all over the world.

But it's also a time of mourning

For the tragic death of carolyn decker.

My husband will honor her name by continuing to fight

For the people of this country

And for those who voices aren't always heard.

Thank you.

Excuse me.

Detective beckett, mr. Castle, what brings you here?

This.

It contained cash used to buy a press pass

For eric chambers.

A press pass? That's how the assassin got in?

Castle: Well, you should know.

You're fingerprint is on the envelope.

Where were you during the sh**ting mrs. Lopez?

Because we can't account for you.

You can't be suggesting that i tried to k*ll my husband.

Oh, no. No, no, not at all.

We're suggesting you tried to k*ll carolyn decker

And succeeded.

That's ridiculous and despicable.

These are texts between your husband and carolyn.

Going back three years, when their affair first started.

That's motive for m*rder, mrs. Lopez.

Now, maybe it was purely personal,

Or maybe you saw her as a liability

To your husband's chances of becoming president.

Either way, carolyn decker had to go.

But you had to make sure that it didn't lead back to you.

So, you created a narrative

Where mr. Lopez was being targeted by an assassin,

And eric chambers was the patsy.

A plan which happened to raise your husband's profile

On the national stage, as we just saw.

Well done. You don't think i knew about the affair?

I understood the deal i was making when i married alex.

And far from a liability,

Carolyn was his behind-the-scenes advisor.

She was a conduit to major donors

Who backed him -- where were you during the sh**ting mrs. Lopez?

Alex and i have an agreement.

[ inhales deeply ] i was at the hotel.

Room 717.

I can give you her name if it's absolutely necessary.

It will be.

But it still doesn't explain away your fingerprint.

This envelope is from alex's office.

I know that because i ordered the stationary.

I help out there sometimes.

I send letters to his constituents.

I must have touched it at some point.

Who else has access to his envelopes?

I'm afraid i don't understand.

So, you think that one of my people played a part in this?

Well, that's impossible. I-i personally vetted everyone.

Once we knew where to look,

We matched the serial numbers from those bills

To a withdrawal from your bank account.

My bank? Specifically, your campaign travel account.

That can't be.

I'm the only one authorized to access the account --

Just me.

And megan. Castle: Who is, oddly enough,

Who showed up on the bank security video

Making the withdrawal.

Alex, this is a mistake.

I would never do this. I have no reason to.

That's not exactly true.

We looked into carolyn's texts again.

She had misgivings about you.

Carolyn believed that you could make it

All the way to the presidency with the right team in place,

But she didn't think that megan belonged on that team.

Castle: The thought of being cast aside

Was more than you could bear. So you came up with a plan

That would eliminate your problem

And win your boss the sympathy of a nation --

Two birds with one stone.

Beckett: We got a search warrant

To look into your apartment, megan.

The coat that you were wearing

Tested positive for g*nsh*t residue.

You k*lled carolyn.

Megan, how -- how could you do that?

How could i?

How could you?

When you started at city council,

I was putting signs on people's lawns,

I was passing out pamphlets in the freezing cold.

I write your speeches. I craft your bills.

I have invested my entire life in you,

In doing whatever it is you need me to do.

And i've done it well.

That should count for something.

Megan brooks, you're under arrest

For the m*rder of carolyn decker.

[ handcuffs click ]

Beckett: Backstabbing, adultery, and betrayal --

That is why i hate politics.

Representatives of the people should be honorable.

They should be trustworthy.

Well, i'm sure some of them are,

But washington could probably use

A few more people that think the way you do.

What's this?

Oh, study materials.

For the captain's exam.

So you're gonna go for it? Well, it's the next step.

I'm not sure if it's the right one yet,

But i figured i'd take the test, see how i do.

And if you do well?

Then maybe that'll make my decision for me.

You ready to go home? Yeah.

[ sighs ] what am i gonna tell her?

The only thing you can -- the truth.

I messed everything up.

Even with a plea deal, i'm going to jail.

No, you don't know that.

[ sighing ]

Gwen's gonna hate me...

For lying...

And for not being the man i said i was.

She's strong, frank. Stronger than you think.

I don't know if i should knock or just open the door.

I'm sorry, gwennie.

[ voice breaking ] i'm so sorry.

[ sighs ] we'll get through it, baby.

We'll figure it out.

[ door closes ]