Castle

So, what do you think? This feels different, doesn't it?

What does?

Rolling up to a crime scene as a married couple.

We're like Nick and Nora Charles.

Ooh, like "McMillan & Wife."

- "Hart to Hart." - "Turner & Hooch."

Turner and Hooch aren't even married.

Yeah, but you still remind me a little of Hooch.

So, uh, morning blend?

- Did this just happen? - Yeah.

Jogger found him about an hour ago.

Which was about the time he died.

Needless to say, pretty obvious what killed him.

Gunshot wound to the head.

"Him" being Paul Reeves out of queens.

We're running down next of kin.

- Anyone hear the shot? - No, and there's no video coverage

in this area of the park.

The killer probably knew that.

Took Reeves' phone, cash from his wallet,

and probably waltzed right out of here.

- Looks like a mugging gone wrong. - Well, there's no signs of struggle.

If this was a mugging and he didn't put up a fight,

why risk shooting him, especially in broad daylight?

Singed fabric.

Nobody heard anything because the killer used a backpack

or cloth to muffle the shot.

And then took the victim's phone and cash

to throw us off track.

This wasn't a mugging.

This was a deliberate murder.

That just doesn't make sense.

Paul didn't have an enemy in the world.

Well, how much do you know about your brother's life?

- Were you close? - Very close.

In fact, Paul had been staying at my place for the past month.

He was waiting to close escrow on a condo.

Was having coffee in the park something he did often?

He never went to the park.

He hardly ever left the office.

- Paul was a complete workaholic. - And what did he do, exactly?

He was an investigator for the government, the G.A.O.

I don't know much more than that.

He really couldn't discuss his job.

Was he having any troubles at work that you're aware of?

Not trouble exactly, but... Last night, we had a beer.

Paul said a crucial meeting came up that he was worried about.

What kind of a meeting? I mean w-with whom?

He didn't say, but he'd got a disturbing call

from someone involved in one of his cases.

And he said... that meeting...

I think that was supposed to happen this morning.

I-I'm sorry, but if he had a meeting,

he never mentioned anything to me,

though I suppose that wasn't unusual.

I gave him a lot of latitude. Paul was my top investigator.

What exactly did Paul investigate?

We're a federal agency.

G.A.O. Evaluates government programs and contracts

to root out waste, fraud, and abuse.

Like defense contractors billing 500 bucks for a hammer.

Yes, though Paul was in the healthcare division.

He oversaw hospitals and medical services

with government contracts... that sort of thing.

So if someone was fleecing Uncle Sam, he could cancel their contracts?

He wrote reports that could produce that result, yes.

Did anyone ever pressure Paul to back off a report or investigation?

It doesn't work that way. We're an independent body, so...

Be that as it may,

we need the files of all his active investigations.

Paul Reeves had over 20 open cases,

and he was taking on some major players...

a hospital chain that defrauded medicare,

a-a lab at Latham Pharmaceuticals

cited for lax storage practices,

and a company that sold the V.A. defective medical equipment.

I feel the heavy hand of conspiracy.

Yeah, well, what else is new?

Consider this... Paul uncovers a nefarious scandal

rife with corruption and financial skullduggery

in connection with a federal contract,

but with millions of dollars at stake, the greedy contractor,

determined to stay latched onto the federal teat,

lures Paul into a meeting in the park

where he has an assassin silence him.

Thus, Paul's findings never come to light.

And I don't suppose that you have a particular case of Paul's in mind, do you?

Or proof? Or suspects?

No, but I will once you identify who met Paul at the park.

I might be a step closer to that.

Do you remember how Paul's brother mentioned

that a "meeting" had just come up?

Well, I looked into Paul's phone calls for the last 48 hours.

One of them stood out...

an incoming call to his office at 11:04 yesterday morning.

Call lasted less than a minute,

and I traced it to a pay phone on the lower east side.

Try and find out who made that call.

Yeah.

This is street-cam video of the pay phone.

11:04 yesterday morning...

this is the man who called Paul Reeves.

Tory ran the image and got a match on his face.

Jared Stone... misdemeanor computer trespassing?

Otherwise known as hacking.

Stone was an occupy Wall Street activist

who hacked into a major bank, releasing their e-mails,

which reflected poorly on their business practices.

So why would a hacker like Jared Stone

kill a G.A.O. investigator?

He wouldn't. That story doesn't make any sense.

But this one does.

Using his vaunted hacking skills,

Jared Stone is the one who uncovered the nefarious scandal.

So we're back to a nefarious scandal?

Yes, see, he wants to blow the lid off a scandal,

so who better to call than intrepid investigator Paul Reeves?

Because... wait for it... Jared Stone is a whistle-blower.

And Paul Reeves was murdered

because of what Jared Stone told him,

which... which actually means he could be in danger now.

You have to admit, Castle's theory is...

surprisingly logical.

Yes, and it's conveniently unburdened by evidence.

Nevertheless, let's bring Jared Stone in for questioning,

and let's take a look at the video footage of that pay phone

for the past two weeks.

If Jared Stone talked to anyone, I want to know who it was.

Yo, we may have an address on Jared Stone.

I ran his e-mails.

He rented a place on the lower west off Craigslist.

- Go. - Yeah, okay.

So, what's going on with married life, huh?

How is that... the whole family thing?

Sarah Grace, she's... she's growing up, changing so fast.

Just trying to hold on to every second.

Hey, what kind of dad do you think I'd be?

You'd be great.

Even growing up with no role model?

Well, you know, the thing of it is,

is that you know what it's like not having a father.

You'd make sure your kid never felt that way.

You and Lanie... Hmm?

No. She likes things how they are.

But, you know, maybe I'm ready for more than that,

you know what I'm saying? Move forward. Huh.

Hey, you hear that? That sound?

No. What sound?

It's my biological clock ticking.

Tick, tock, tick.

We were having a genuine, honest moment here,

and you had to ruin it by being a jackass.

Hold on, hold on. Slow down, slow down.

That's Jared Stone.

Hang tight here.

I'll follow him on foot, make sure we don't lose him.

Hey, bro.

Yeah, I followed him down to the subway.

I'm looking for him now.

What, you lost him?

No, I didn't lose him. I just don't have visual contact.

That's kind of splitting hairs, isn't it? Look, I-I'll head down there, and...

No, no, no. You stay there. I'll... wait, I see him. He's at my 12.

Yeah, he's moving fast.

He's scared, like someone's after him.

If someone is, you'd better get to him before they do.

Whoever killed Reeves may be gunning for Stone.

He's boarding the 7th Ave. Express.

All right, I'm on the train with Stone.

You're holding an uncapped marker,

and you're telling me you were not about to tag this subway car?

Yes. I-I mean no.

I need to see some identification.

I'm gonna have to write you up for this.

Jared Stone? Hey.

You're not in trouble, bro, but, uh...

Look, I'm just here to talk to you.

Don't!

Put your gun on the ground!

Now!

Put your gun on the ground now.

Do it.

Kick it over to me.

Step back.

Nobody else move.

Nobody's moving, man.

All right, I just came here to talk to you. I'm on your side.

No, you're a blunt instrument, a tool of the one percent.

Look, nobody's hurt yet,

so this is just a big misunderstanding.

So why don't you lower that weapon, and we can walk right out of here?

- Oh, is that really possible? - It is, yeah.

You just have to put the gun down, Jared.

What the hell is that? Are you on the phone?

Everybody, shut off your phones and get the ground now!

Javi! Javi!

S07E08 Kill Switch

Stay down, don't move, and nobody gets hurt.

This cannot be happening.

Please, look, don't do this.