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  • 6/21/2025
Castle Season 3 Episode 23

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Transcript
00:00I'm beautiful in the way
00:02Cause I make no mistakes
00:04I'm on the right track, baby
00:06I would fall this way
00:08Don't have yourself and regret
00:10Just love yourself and your sense
00:12I'm on the right track, baby
00:14I would fall this way
00:16Oh, there ain't no other way
00:18Baby, I would fall this way
00:20Baby, I would fall this way
00:22I would fall this way
00:24There ain't no other way
00:26Baby, I would fall this way
00:28I'm on the right track, baby
00:30I'm on the right track, baby
00:32I'm on the right track, baby
00:34I'm on the right track, baby
00:36I'm on the right track, baby
00:38Oh, oh, oh
00:44Illinois
00:46That's like 500 miles
00:48from Manhattan
00:50No, I know Northwestern is closer than Stanford
00:52I'm just saying that's not where you want to go
00:54Alexis?
00:56Hold on, Ash, my dad's talking to me
00:57What?
00:58Don't you have school?
00:59Yes
01:00Look, Ash, I know you
01:01And I think you need to get away from home
01:03I mean, we all need to get away from home
01:05Hey!
01:06I gotta go
01:07We'll talk about this later
01:08Love you too
01:09Bye
01:11We all need to get away from home?
01:12No
01:13I should never leave
01:14We can be the father-daughter version of Grey Gardens
01:16Ew
01:18You look like you didn't get any sleep
01:20I didn't
01:21I mean
01:22Ashley got his college acceptances
01:24He got in everywhere
01:25Oh, that's great
01:27That's not great
01:28I looked up statistics for high school sweethearts
01:30When one of them goes to college out of state
01:32And the other stays in high school
01:33The odds are not in our favor
01:35I mean, I want him to go where he wants
01:36But I don't want him to leave
01:38And he doesn't want to leave
01:39But I don't want him to resent me for not going where he wants
01:41And I don't know what to do
01:43I'll do what I do
01:45Look at the odds
01:46As a challenge
01:47Says the man who always loses in Vegas
01:49Relationships are hard
01:51Odds are you'll figure it out
01:54Odds are someone's dead
01:59Castle
02:01You've got to be kidding me
02:02A murder in the theater of the VB Tower Hotel, Victor Baron's place?
02:06It's not the Baron, is it?
02:07No, but you won't be disappointed
02:08This one's right up your alley
02:09Why's that?
02:10Because our victim is a contestant
02:14Death of a beauty queen
02:15Scandalous
02:16Yeah, I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often
02:21Is that America's dad, Bobby Stark? What's he doing here?
02:24He's a pageant host
02:25Oh, please don't tell me that you watch his sitcom
02:27Family foibles
02:28Half of what I know about being a father
02:30I learned from watching that show
02:32Hey Beckett
02:33So what's the story?
02:34Well, according to Candace Ford
02:36Our pageant manager
02:37Victim is 21-year-old Amber Middlebury
02:41The contestants were rehearsing the production number
02:45When they brought in the lighting truss
02:46Amber was tangled up inside of it
02:49Must have been a showstopper
02:50Hey there, Perlmutter
02:51Detective
02:53Writer
02:54Cause of death?
02:55Choked from behind with her own sash
02:58Probably between 11pm and 1am
03:01How did she end up in the lighting truss?
03:02Near as we can tell
03:03The lighting truss was left on stage after yesterday's rehearsal
03:07Killer probably thought he'd buy some time by dumping her on it and raising it up to the rafters
03:11So whoever it was must have known how to use the stage equipment
03:13Nah, the lift controls, they're on touch screen, pretty easy to operate
03:17When was she last seen alive?
03:18Last night
03:19Contestants, they all went to a dinner to honor Victor Barron
03:2210.30pm the party wrapped and they were all limoed back here to the hotel
03:26Amber used her key card at 10.43pm to get into her hotel room
03:30After that she wound up here
03:32Detective, there's something you should see
03:34A black sequin?
03:38Part of one
03:39I found it in her hair
03:40Okay, so the killer might have transferred it when he strangled her
03:43Let's find out who had access to this ballroom last night
03:46Let's also talk to the pageant manager
03:48I wanna see if any of the girls' outfits match with this sequin
03:51Will do
03:52So does Amber Middlebury have any family?
03:54Yeah, just her, uh, dad
04:02She started when she was nine
04:04Little Miss Wholesome
04:06Uh-oh, I was against the whole idea at first
04:09But Amber's mom had a bug about it
04:11And, uh, after her mother died
04:14I think it just helped her feel closer to her
04:17Did your daughter have any enemies that you know of?
04:20No, of course not
04:21Everybody loved Amber
04:22Well, what about the other contestants?
04:23Were there any rivalries?
04:24She went way back with some of these girls
04:27Even after she made it to the semi-finals
04:29Everybody was hugging her
04:30And they were calling her the front-runner
04:32And, uh, this pageant, this one
04:37Was her dream
04:40When was the last time you talked with her?
04:42Yesterday morning
04:43I tried to call her last night
04:45But I knew that dinner thing was over
04:47I wanted to wish her luck, you know, but
04:49She didn't answer the phone
04:52And what time was that?
04:54Little before 11
04:56I, uh, I thought she must have got to sleep
04:59But she must have left her room
05:01And come down here for some reason
05:06Dan!
05:07I am so sorry
05:09You're gonna get the bastard who did this
05:10You have my word
05:11Thank you, Mr. Baron
05:13Detectives, a word upstairs, if you don't mind
05:20This is a dark day
05:22Sad chapter in the history of Baron's All-American Beauty pageant
05:25Look, this is just awful
05:28My wife, Kayla
05:30You might recognize her as Baron's All-American Beauty 1995
05:33Yes, of course
05:35Nice to meet you
05:36Nice to meet you
05:37Yes
05:38This is just devastating
05:39For us and, and for the girls
05:41We...
05:43We're like family
05:44How well did you know her?
05:46Um, she was a sweet girl
05:49A hell of a violinist
05:50Yes, she was
05:52Mark my words
05:53I'm putting the entire weight
05:54Of the Baron Empire
05:55Behind this investigation
05:57Anything you need
05:58Just say the word
05:59Detective, I know
06:00Uh, you have to do your thing
06:02Uh, I'm just hoping
06:03Uh, since we are airing the pageant live this Friday
06:07If we could minimize the press, you know
06:09To be fair to the other girls
06:11We're gonna have to be fair to our victim first
06:13And speaking of press
06:15Can we get rid of the cameras?
06:16This is, after all, a murder investigation
06:18Not a reality show
06:19We, um, we film everything
06:21Behind the scenes at the pageant
06:23We like to catch the girls talking about each other
06:25We let them confess their hopes and fears
06:28You get the glamour
06:29But you also get the underbelly
06:30People love the underbelly
06:32Yes, they do
06:35But maybe this isn't the time
06:38So, were all the girls staying at the hotel?
06:40That's right
06:41Okay, I'll need access to Amber's room
06:42We'll also need hotel security tapes
06:44Now, were those cameras recording last night's dinner?
06:46Of course
06:47Okay, we'll need the footage
06:48We'll also need to interview all of the pageant contestants
06:50I'll have Candace give you anything you need
06:52Great, thank you very much
06:53It was nice to meet you
06:55Come again
06:57Oh, no, we don't
06:58We don't want them to come again
07:00Small town girl comes to New York with a fairy tale
07:03Ends up with a horror story
07:04Pageants aren't fairy tales
07:06They're demanding high-pressure competitions
07:08That bring out the very best
07:09And the very worst in people
07:11That is the voice of experience
07:13Oh, my God
07:14You were a beauty queen
07:15No
07:16I had a roommate freshman year
07:17Debbie Winokur
07:18It was like living with Elle Woods on steroids
07:21Well then
07:22This ought to bring back some memories
07:28You're slouching
07:29Winners never slouch
07:32Castle them everywhere
07:34Smells like a perfume counter at a department store
07:36Beats the usual low-lifes and net jobs
07:38I don't know if you can say that
07:40Not jobs and beauty queens are mutually exclusive
07:42Yeah, but none of them connect to the murder
07:43I checked the sequence against all their dresses
07:45I bet you did
07:46And none of them are a match
07:47Okay, look at the footage from the dinner
07:48Let's make sure that the dresses we checked
07:50Are the ones they actually wore
07:51Hmm, watch a parade of beautiful women in evening attire?
07:54Yeah, I can do that
07:55I bet you can
07:59Hey, so I've been interviewing these ladies
08:01I bet you did
08:02About their alibis last night
08:04Anyway, there's someone that you should talk to
08:06Okay
08:09So, tell them what you told me
08:10About what happened after dinner
08:12When we got back to the hotel
08:13I wanted to work out a couple of my dance moves
08:15I'm one of the semi-finalists
08:17So I get to perform in the broadcast
08:19Congratulations
08:21Thanks
08:22I'm doing an interpretive dance to J-Lo's
08:24I'm Into You
08:28And then what happened?
08:29I changed into sweats
08:30And went to the stage
08:32And that's when I heard it
08:34You heard what?
08:37A fight
08:39It was coming from the dressing room
08:41It was Amber and some guy
08:43Did you see the guy?
08:45The door was closed
08:46It started getting loud
08:48So I bolted
08:49But now I wish I had done something
08:51I mean
08:52Maybe he's the one who killed her
08:56His voice?
08:57Did you recognize it?
08:59No
09:00What was he arguing about?
09:02How could you do this to me?
09:04You have no right
09:05Who do you think you are?
09:06Stuff like that
09:08Kind of sounded like he was her boyfriend
09:11Oh, that was Amber's dad
09:13He said he didn't know anything about a boyfriend
09:16Neither did any of the other girls
09:17Maybe she was keeping it a secret
09:18He said if anyone knew what was going on in Amber's life
09:22It was Justin Henkel, Amber's pageant consultant
09:25I coached her on her routine
09:27Interviews
09:28Oversaw stylists
09:29Makeup
09:30Clothing
09:31Violin lessons
09:32Glamour shots
09:33Everything she needed to win
09:35The two of you must have spent a lot of time together
09:37That's what it takes
09:38And today's pageants are not just about beauty
09:40They're about brains
09:41Talent
09:42Social issues
09:43And what with the money and the exposure at stake
09:45Winning one of the majors can launch a career
09:48What about a boyfriend?
09:49Was she in a relationship?
09:50No boyfriends
09:51That is a rule for my clients
09:52And Amber was no exception
09:54She knew that she needed to focus 100% of her energy on the pageant
09:58You know, the night that she died, she got into an argument
10:01Any idea with who?
10:02No
10:03The last time I saw her was before her dinner
10:05But like I told that other detective, something was going on
10:09How so?
10:11She'd been off the last couple of days
10:13Upset
10:14And I went to pick her up for a costume fitting
10:16And it looked like she had been crying
10:20Did you ask why?
10:22She said that someone was trying to take advantage of her
10:24I asked her who, but she said she would handle it
10:27It wasn't like her not to confide in me
10:30Could it have been one of the other contestants?
10:33There's a lot of pressure on these girls to win
10:36And it can get really political between them
10:40Do you think it's possible political turned deadly?
10:43I don't know
10:44Winning means fame and fortune
10:46No one remembers the runner up
10:48Besides, people have killed for less
10:49This doesn't explain who she was arguing with
10:52Guys, I got something
10:56One of the girls?
10:57Just watch
10:58Ever since I was a little girl
11:00This is from Barron's dinner last night
11:02That's our victim, Amber
11:04And I just feel so very honored to meet you
11:06She's laying no dick for Victor Barron
11:07I wanna thank the Barron
11:08But
11:09That's not the interesting part
11:10All my dreams come true
11:12Now watch this
11:14There, see that?
11:20Look at her face
11:22Looks like whatever good guy sitcom star Bobby Stark said she didn't like it
11:26Don't just look at her face
11:28Look at his tux
11:34Black sequins
11:44Yo
11:46Bobby Stark's blazer
11:48Courtesy of the costume lady at the pageant
11:49And the broken black sequin?
11:51Perfect match
11:52Bam, said the costume lady
11:53Ooh
11:54She's not the only lady saying bam when it comes to Bobby Stark
11:57Does he have a record?
11:58Uh, no criminal charges
11:59But Mr. Stark has quite the reputation
12:02Three women filed restraining orders against Bobby Stark in the last year
12:06All for unwanted advances
12:08How come I didn't hear about this on TMZ?
12:10Oh, word is Stark paid quite a bit of cash to make it all go away
12:13Oh, I guess better
12:14I was talking to Candace Ford and a couple of the other girls
12:16They said that Bobby Stark had started paying quite a lot of attention to Amber
12:20Maybe it was unwanted attention
12:22Maybe it was unwanted attention
12:23Maybe Bobby didn't know how to take no for an answer
12:27You looking at me?
12:28Hmm?
12:29You looking at me?
12:30Mr. Stark I'm detective
12:31Nobody else around
12:32You must be looking at me
12:33Mr. Stark
12:34Hmm?
12:35Have a seat, please
12:36Yeah
12:37Hey, you like that bit?
12:38It's my, uh, Bobby De Niro
12:40Playing a homicidal maniac
12:41Sold it though, right?
12:43See, I got this range as an actor
12:46You probably don't know about that because I'm always typecast as Mr. Nice Guy Dag
12:50Yeah, well, I don't think you'll have that problem now that you're a murder suspect
12:53Murder suspect?
12:54Is she joking?
12:55You joking?
12:56What was your relationship with Amber Middlebury?
12:58Oh, come on
12:59Are you serious?
13:00I didn't kill her if anything
13:01I was trying to recruit her
13:02Recruit her?
13:03For what?
13:04Yeah, for my, uh, goddess train
13:05The goddess train?
13:06Yeah, it's my own little private pageant
13:09And how did Amber respond to this Osu enticing offer?
13:12You know what?
13:13She hadn't seen the light yet
13:14She was coming around
13:15I could always tell the innocent act when I see it
13:18Besides, who wouldn't want to ride the Bobby Rocket?
13:20Everyone from what we hear
13:21Mr. Stark, here's what I think happened
13:23After dinner, you invited Amber back to your dressing room
13:25And she had the bad sense to agree
13:27And that's when you tried to make another pitch
13:29To get her on board your goddess train
13:31Once she shot you down, you flew into a rage and you strangled her
13:34You were rehearsing on that stage all week
13:36You knew all of the equipment
13:38Shut up, would you just stop?
13:39You guys are crazy, you know that?
13:40Okay, well then maybe you can explain why we found this broken sequin
13:45From your jacket on her body
13:51Where were you between 11 and 1am last night?
13:54Uh...
13:55I don't know, a little foggy in there actually
13:57It was a...
13:58Harding pretty hard
13:59Who were you with?
14:01Um...
14:02Not sure, but...
14:03Whatever it was, we were definitely using strawberry oil
14:06Okay, so let me get this straight
14:08You don't remember where you were
14:10Or what you were doing last night?
14:16That's bad, right?
14:18That guy's dropped more pills than a three-fingered pharmacist
14:25I just can't believe that someone who's given so much great fatherly advice on TV
14:29He could be guilty of murder
14:30Well, he's a drug-addled predator who left physical evidence on the body
14:33Not when you put it that way
14:35Hey Esposito
14:36Yo
14:37We need to reconstruct Stark's evening
14:38Check his phone records
14:39Double check security cameras at the hotel
14:41We need hard evidence to place him at the crime scene
14:44I got something that might help
14:51Amber had her violin with her at dinner
14:53But it wasn't with the body or anywhere at the crime scene
14:55So where'd it go?
14:56Well, we know Amber went to the hotel
14:58So maybe she dropped it off there
14:59Except uniforms inventoried the room
15:01It wasn't there and her dad and consultant didn't see it either
15:03So maybe she had it when she was killed
15:05And Bobby Stark disposed of it
15:06Check trash cans, dumpsters, and sewer drains by the hotel
15:08If someone saw him ditch the violin, we can connect him to the murder
15:11Right on
15:18Oh, beauty pageant intrigue
15:21Some things never change
15:22Ah!
15:23Oh!
15:24Here it is!
15:25Oh!
15:28I didn't know you competed
15:29Well, that's because I didn't win
15:31But I will tell you
15:32The women I competed against
15:33Just as cutthroat as they are now
15:35What was your talent?
15:36The way I wore a sweater
15:38Oh!
15:39Hi, honey
15:41Hey, Alexis
15:45What's wrong?
15:46Ashley made his decision
15:47Uh-oh
15:50Stanford?
15:51No
15:53He decided to go to school here, in New York
15:56What's not good about that?
15:58Stanford was his dream
15:59I don't want to stand in the way of that
16:01He'll just end up hating me for it
16:02And this could be the most important decision of his life
16:04So I made a decision, too
16:09I broke up with him
16:14Oh, baby
16:17No, it's okay
16:22Well, she's right, you know
16:23I mean, odds are it won't work out
16:24She's just being practical
16:25Relationships aren't math problems
16:27You don't solve them by being practical
16:28I mean, what happens when she meets her soulmate
16:30But she doesn't risk it, because it's not practical
16:33Okay, then
16:34What about Hawaii?
16:36Earrings?
16:37Ooh, lingerie
16:39Things you buy a woman
16:40Just to kill them, pyramid
16:42It's my 30th anniversary
16:43Oh, sir, congratulations
16:4430 years of marriage, and you don't know what to buy?
16:47If you stayed married long enough, you'd know it's hard to stay original after the first ten
16:51That's fair
16:52So what's the secret to your success?
16:54There's no secret, just keep showing up
16:57Any luck on Bobby Stark?
17:01Yeah, but you're not gonna like it
17:02Paparazzi snapped photos of him going into the Tribeca Grand Hotel at 11.30 with a brunette wearing Jackie O glasses
17:08At 1 a.m. he left, at which point he relocated to a gentleman's club to watch mud wrestling
17:13Amber left her room at 11. Where was he between 11 and 11.30?
17:16In a cab on his way to Tribeca
17:18And we know this for a fact?
17:20Yeah, he was tweeting photos of his manhood along the way
17:22And that's how you turned on Twitter
17:24So the sequin must have broken off onto Amber after he bumped up against her
17:27Cut him loose, he's another guy
17:28Right
17:29Which means we are dead in the water
17:31Ah, wouldn't go that far
17:33Her stolen violin, we found it
17:35Where?
17:36Dumped in a garbage bin behind the hotel
17:37Disposed of by our killer, just not the killer we thought
17:40Did we get prints?
17:41Yeah
17:42Amber, Middlebury's, and one other set belonging to the lovely, the talented
17:46Contestant from Georgia
17:49Which one was?
17:50Oh
17:51Amber and I have been friends since Little Miss Spangles
17:54Why would you think I killed her?
17:56Because your prints were all over the violin case, Trey
17:58And she had it with her when she came back from dinner last night
18:01I held it for her while she fixed her tights
18:04They were on the violin too
18:05She wasn't even supposed to be a semi-finalist
18:12But then she nailed all her pageant questions
18:15It was supposed to be her weakness, but she blew everyone away
18:18She was going to win
18:20So then you killed her and you dumped her violin?
18:22No, that is not what happened
18:23Last night when we went back to the hotel
18:25I saw her go into her room, drop off her stuff, and then leave again
18:28But she left so fast, her door didn't close all the way
18:30So I went to shut it
18:31And that's when I saw her violin
18:33She just left it there
18:35It was like a sign
18:37I thought, Joy Jones, how badly do you want this?
18:44How badly did you want it?
18:47More than anything
18:49I'm 25
18:52I'm old
18:54This is the last year I can qualify
18:56I thought if I took her violin, it might throw her off enough in the talent finals that I could beat her
19:01But that wasn't enough for you, was it?
19:03You thought, why not just take Amber out of the contest completely?
19:06No!
19:07All I did was take her violin
19:08And when I found out she was dead, I panicked
19:10I thought someone might find out, so I threw it away
19:13That's a pretty good act, Joy, but judges just aren't buying it
19:17No, I swear, I didn't have to kill Amber to get her out of the pageant
19:21I found something in her violin case
19:24Something awful
19:26And what did you find?
19:28The reason she was murdered
19:29If these got out, it would have ruined her
19:34She would have been kicked off the circuit for good
19:43Oh my God
19:44She is absolutely, totally...
19:46Naked?
19:47There's a note on the back of that one
19:51You know my price pay up or I will destroy you
19:53So she was being blackmailed
19:55Looks like somebody made good on their thread
19:57Beauty queens and naked pictures
20:02It's American as socialites and sex tapes
20:04Amber dreamt of winning this pageant
20:06Why would she take those photos?
20:08I mean, she knew the chance that she was taking
20:10Well, just because you're smart and beautiful
20:11Doesn't mean you have good judgment
20:13I didn't mean me
20:15Just got off with Amber's father
20:17That was a tough conversation
20:19You mean he didn't know about the photos?
20:21And Amber didn't tell him about the blackmailer either
20:23Or tried to borrow money
20:25Well, maybe she paid off the blackmailer on her own
20:27Not an option
20:28Any money Amber did have
20:30Went to paying for shoes, gowns, and spray tans
20:33She only had 50 bucks in the bank
20:35She didn't have any recent withdrawals either
20:36Justin said that she was upset
20:38Maybe that's because she didn't have the money to make it go away
20:40Yeah, but then why kill her?
20:41I mean, a smart blackmailer would give her the time to get the cash
20:44Not if she threatened to go to the police
20:45Forcing him to take deadly action
20:47Deadly action
20:48That's a good title
20:50I rechecked her phone
20:52There's no record of any unusual calls
20:54I figured the blackmailer contacted her through a hotel phone
20:56That way he couldn't be traced
20:57Castle, have you taken a look at these photos?
21:00Only insofar as it pertains to the investigation
21:03Look at the lighting and the composition
21:05Whoever took these knew something about photography
21:07A professional
21:08I mean, it happens all the time
21:10Girl gets a session with the pro
21:11They finish
21:12He offers to take a few art shots
21:13She's desperate for the cash
21:14He promises he'll never show it to anybody
21:16Until she makes it big
21:17In which case they suddenly surface
21:19Esposito, let's get a hold of the pageant consultant
21:22Let's get a list of all the photographers that Amber's had sessions with
21:25One of them might be our blackmailer
21:26Go ahead
21:27This must have been what she was so upset about
21:29She knew if the pageant found out
21:31It would have all been over
21:33It is all over
21:35But why didn't she just tell me?
21:37Do you have any idea who might have taken these photographs?
21:40With that hairstyle it must have been six months ago
21:43I'll have to check my calendar
21:45So Unifors talked to the pageant girls that Amber was closest to
21:50She didn't tell them about the photos either
21:52Well, she probably thought they'd use it against her
21:53Beckett, you're a woman, right?
21:55Sir, I have no idea what to get your wife
21:57Still no luck on the gift
21:58Keep coming up empty
21:59The best thing to give a woman
22:01Is something she said she wanted when she didn't think you were listening
22:04What if I wasn't listening?
22:06Gift certificate
22:08Beckett
22:10So according to her pageant consultant Amber was in the city about six months ago for a photo shoot
22:16He thinks they were taken around the same time
22:18And who was the shoot with?
22:19A photographer named Dax Latimer
22:21Does he have a record?
22:22Negative, but I asked around and the guy's no stranger to the dirty pictures
22:25On top of headshots, he also freelances for the magazines
22:28Well, it sounds like our guy, where is he now?
22:30He's got a studio in the East Village, I'm heading there now
22:32Okay, I'll have Ryan meet you
22:34Sure, I remember Amber
22:36Very sweet gal
22:38I took some headshots for her
22:39You take anything else while you were at it?
22:41Maybe some snaps of her wearing nothing but a smile
22:43Amber wasn't the type
22:45She was all about the glamour
22:47So what's this about?
22:48She was murdered
22:49And we think whoever killed her
22:51Took this picture right here
22:55Yeah, well I ain't take this
22:57I'm not that mediocre
22:58Really?
22:59These were shot around the time you worked with Amber
23:01We all know you do more than just pets and families
23:04Hey, we all have to pay the bills
23:05And with Amber's star on the rise
23:07That photo's worth some serious coin
23:09Pretty girl like that?
23:10Alone here with you in the studio?
23:12Hey, you have to believe me
23:13I didn't take this photograph
23:14Besides we weren't alone
23:15She was with someone
23:16Who?
23:17Some boyfriend
23:18The guy was a real creep too
23:19Amber didn't have a boyfriend
23:20That's what she did when she was here
23:21In fact, he fancied himself a photographer
23:23Kept telling me I should shoot Amber in natural light
23:25His boyfriend have a name?
23:27Jerry, Jeremy, something like that
23:30Mr. Latimer, where were you night before last?
23:32Between 11pm and 1am
23:34At home with my wife
23:35Trying to rock my colicky son to sleep
23:38It's a doorman building so you can check
23:40Okay, thanks
23:41Amber's dad said that she used to have a boyfriend
23:44Jeremy Kuiper
23:46Kuiper? Was he creepy?
23:47Yeah, well her dad thought so
23:49As far as he knows, they broke up late last year
23:51Because she realized that he was holding her back
23:54The dad thinks that the boyfriend's still in Illinois
23:56Well, that's the beauty of blackmail
23:58You can do it from anywhere
23:59Blackmail? Maybe, but not murder
24:01Why don't we find out if Kuiper paid her a visit lately?
24:04On it
24:06Bad boyfriends and pageant queens?
24:08This is like Debbie Winokur all over again
24:12You have any flashbacks?
24:13It was my own private Vietnam
24:15Our place smelled of hairspray, perfume, and cigarettes
24:20I'm surprised that we didn't spontaneously combust
24:24I love the smell of hairspray in the morning
24:26Smells like victory
24:29Excuse me, Mr. Castle?
24:34Ashley
24:35I'm sorry to bug you at work, but Alexis established a no calls, no contact policy
24:39She told me
24:40Look, I made a big mistake
24:42I thought if I chose Stanford, Alexis would think that I was blowing her off
24:46Instead she's mad at me because I chose her over where I want to go to school
24:49So now I'm going to Stanford, which is where I want to go in the first place, but...
24:53But if you call her and tell her that she'll be even angrier with you for ignoring her boundaries
24:57Exactly! Look, I think Alexis and I can make the whole long distance thing work, I really do
25:01Would you tell her that? Would you talk to her for me?
25:05Ashley, I appreciate it
25:07It was probably very hard for you to come down and talk to me today, but...
25:10I just don't think it's very appropriate for you to...
25:13Mr. Castle
25:14Have you ever been crazy about someone who is determined to push you away?
25:17Hey, Castle
25:19Oh, sorry guys
25:21Uh...
25:22No...
25:25It's okay, um...
25:27Ashley, I'm sorry, I do have to go
25:29Please just, um, think about it, okay?
25:31Okay
25:32Okay
25:38What's that about?
25:39He wants me to advocate for him
25:42Oh, that's sweet
25:44Yeah
25:45And awkward
25:47Mostly awkward
25:48Yo, Pickett
25:49Just got off the phone with Jeremy Kuyper's mom
25:51Turns out Jeremy moved to New York last month
25:54Said he was going to make something of himself
25:57Looks like he made himself into a blackmailer and a killer
26:01Jeremy Kuyper, NYPD, open up
26:18Mr. Kuyper?
26:20Anybody here?
26:23Beckett?
26:24Looks like someone had a hard time letting go
26:34Castle
26:47This is a classic murder-suicide
26:49Jeremy blackmails his ex-girlfriend
26:51Not because he needs the money, but because clearly he's obsessed with her
26:54Amber rejects him in his schemey schemes
26:56He flips, he snaps, he kills her
26:57And then, faced with the reality of what he's done, hangs himself
27:01There's only one problem with your theory, Castle
27:04Which is?
27:05This wasn't a suicide
27:06This wasn't?
27:07If he'd hanged himself, the marks on his neck would angle upwards
27:10Yes, which they do
27:11Yes!
27:12But if he was strangled, the marks would go straight across
27:15This guy's got both
27:16So then the hanging was a cover-up for the strangulation?
27:19Well, there's also peri-mortem bruising on the arms and across the ribs
27:22I'm guessing there was a struggle
27:23Estimated time of death?
27:25Well, judging by temperature and lividity, he was killed half a day before Amber Middlebury
27:29Before Amber?
27:31Yes! Before!
27:33Now, can you please move? You're in my light
27:36This doesn't make any sense
27:37If he didn't kill Amber
27:40How do a blackmailer and his victim both end up dead?
27:44Yo, check this out
27:46This hard drive's been wiped
27:47That's our connection, Castle
27:49It's the one thing that Amber and Jeremy had in common
27:51Those photos, someone didn't want them to see the light of day
27:57Amber's dad had no idea this was going on with his daughter
28:00She didn't even mention Jeremy's name in the last six months
28:03Is there anything else that Jeremy and Amber could have been involved with while they were together?
28:06No, not that he can recall
28:09These pictures, by today's standards, are downright tasteful
28:12How did these get you killed?
28:13It can't be about naked pictures, something else must have been going on
28:17Unless...
28:18Unless what?
28:19Unless Jeremy wasn't the only blackmailer
28:21What if he had a partner?
28:22I mean, we know Amber was arguing with someone the night she was killed
28:25We know it couldn't have been Jeremy because he was already dead
28:27Why would the partner kill Jeremy?
28:29Maybe they had a falling out
28:31Maybe Jeremy decided he couldn't hurt Amber
28:33But the partner still wanted his payday
28:35So he takes out Jeremy and decides to go after Amber himself?
28:38But Amber decides to call his bluff
28:40She says she's going to contact the police
28:41Now the blackmailer has no choice
28:43He has to kill her and get rid of all the evidence of blackmail
28:49Ryan, give me everything you got on Jeremy Kuiper
28:52I'm sorry, baby
28:56Oh, it's late
28:57I'll leave you to it
29:06Hey
29:07Hey
29:08What you looking at?
29:09Can I?
29:19You really miss him, don't you?
29:24You know I hate to interfere
29:26Since when?
29:28Point taken
29:30Ashley dropped by the precinct to see me today
29:33He did? Why?
29:34Why?
29:35He wanted me to intercede on his behalf
29:38What did he say?
29:39Well, he looked about as happy as you do
29:43Then he wanted me to tell you that he's decided to go to Stanford
29:48Oh
29:50And
29:52He wants to give a long-distance relationship a shot
29:56He thinks it could work
29:58What do you think?
30:05I think that nothing is certain
30:08And you could be ending something that might have worked
30:11If you'd just given it a little more time
30:14What if I'm just cutting my losses on something that was never meant to be?
30:18Well, then we can be the father-daughter version of Grey Gardens
30:22Life is a journey
30:25And there is no predicting the outcome
30:29The only thing you can control are your choices and they'll...
30:32They'll define who you are
30:35I would just hate to see you so focused on the problem right in front of you
30:39That you...
30:41Completely missed the entire picture
30:45That's pretty good advice
30:47Yeah
30:49Yeah, actually it is, isn't it?
30:51Yeah
30:57Remind me to get you a subscription to a girly magazine for Christmas
31:00Oh, that is so thoughtful, but I'm not looking at the naked girl
31:03What are you looking at?
31:05Everything but the naked girl
31:07We were so focused on Amber, we almost missed the entire picture
31:10What if Amber and Jeremy were killed, not because of who was in this photo
31:13But because of where the photo was taken
31:16Anything look familiar?
31:19Sure does
31:21You can thank me later
31:26Talk about a motive for murder if these photos got out to the tablet
31:30They would destroy everything
31:31NYPD
31:32They're inside
31:34Memorial for Amber should be simple, tasteful
31:37And very, very classy
31:38Yes
31:40Detective?
31:42Is there something I can help you with?
31:43Yes, we need to ask you a few questions
31:46Ask away?
31:48Fine
31:50Tell us about the blackmail and the murder of Amber Middlebury
31:53Shut the cameras off
31:54Go! Now!
31:55Let's go
31:58I thought you said that everybody loves the underbelly
32:01What's going on, Nick?
32:02What's going on is we finally figured out who, aside from Amber
32:07Would be nervous about these photos
32:09What photos?
32:11Oh my God!
32:12Oh my God, Victor!
32:13Oh my God!
32:15It's not what it looks like
32:16It's not what it looks like
32:17This is...
32:18This is our house in the Hamptons
32:20This is our bed
32:21It's our vacation bed
32:23Right underneath the $2 million Picard that you purchased at the auction
32:26Which just happens to be the companion to this painting here in your office
32:29We read all about it on the spread they did on you in today's Architect
32:32Looks as though you were hoisted on your own Picard
32:36I can explain
32:37We agreed, Victor, never again
32:38It was just a weekend
32:40It's just a weekend?
32:41I have friends in the Hamptons
32:42What if somebody saw?
32:43I won't be humiliated because you can't keep it in your pants
32:46No one saw
32:47No one saw, no
32:48You took photos so everyone could see
32:51I didn't take those pictures
32:52Here's what I think happened
32:53Amber was being blackmailed
32:55She couldn't pay so she came to you for help
32:57Only you had a lot to lose
32:58Those pictures, they have a way of getting out
33:01So instead of paying off her blackmailer
33:03You killed him
33:04And then you came back here and took care of her
33:05That's not what happened
33:06The cameras aren't rolling any longer, Mr. Baron
33:09You can drop the act
33:11It's not an act
33:13Amber wasn't being blackmailed
33:14The conniving bitch was blackmailing me
33:16She was blackmailing you?
33:18She showed me the pictures
33:19She told me that she had her boyfriend come and take him while I was away
33:22Wait, you left her alone in my house?
33:25I had a meeting in the city, I was coming right back
33:27How could you be so stupid, Victor?
33:30She said if I helped her win the pageant, the photos would never see the light of day
33:34You know the price, pay up or I'll destroy you
33:36It wasn't to Amber, it was from Amber, she was still with her boyfriend
33:39They were in it together
33:40So then what did you do?
33:42I slipped to the pageant questions
33:44Why do you think she was doing so well?
33:46Shoot!
33:47Whoa, hey!
33:49Hey!
33:50Mr. Baron, where were you between 11 and 1 a.m. the night of the murder?
33:54After the reception, I had drinks with Councilman Bollinger
33:59I got home at 1 a.m. Kayla was with me, weren't you babe?
34:04Kayla, is this true? Were you with him?
34:07Yes
34:13Who else knew, Victor?
34:17Who do I need to be ashamed in front of?
34:20No one else knew
34:21Well someone else must have, otherwise two people wouldn't be dead
34:24The only other person I told was Candace
34:26I told her what Amber was trying to do to me, to the pageant
34:29I told her to take care of it, make the problem go away
34:33Maybe she did
34:37I don't want to see any fingerprints on those glasses
34:39Being careful of fingerprints, are we Candace?
34:42We want everything to be perfect
34:44This pageant really is your baby
34:46You noticed
34:4717 flawless years
34:48So then you would do anything to protect it
34:51We know that Mr. Baron told you about the blackmail
34:54And we know that he asked you to handle it
34:58Kill her?
35:00I wanted to kill Baron
35:0217 flawless years and he wants me to give her the answer so his little fling can wear the crown?
35:07But it was either that or that snake destroys everything
35:12Where were you the night that Amber was killed?
35:14Please don't
35:15Ms. Ford, I was with someone
35:17Who?
35:18I can't
35:21Candace, if you have an alibi
35:23Bobby Stark
35:24I was with him at the Tribeca Grand
35:26And the worst part is
35:29He doesn't even remember
35:35Tribeca Grand confirms the Stark was with Candace at the time of the murder
35:38She did smell a little bit like strawberry oil
35:40Baron's alibi checks out too
35:41Which leaves us without a suspect
35:43Okay, get into it with Baron's lawyers
35:45Just because Candace didn't kill them doesn't mean he didn't hire someone else to do it
35:48Right
35:49Blind, naked ambition
35:51I think even your Debbie Werniker would have been appalled
35:53Yeah, she would have
35:55Debbie wanted to be a beauty queen because she believed in the ideals of beauty
36:00She wanted to be beautiful on the inside and outside
36:02I thought you didn't like her
36:04Well, deep down
36:05Behind all of the makeup and the hair
36:07She wasn't terrible
36:08She was just a miserable person to live with
36:10Unlike Amber, winning wouldn't have meant a thing to her if she had to cheat to do it
36:14Yeah, talk about choices that change your life
36:16When do you make that choice?
36:18When does winning become more important than your soul?
36:20I don't know
36:21You have to be pretty cold and calculating to make some of the choices Amber did
36:25Cold and calculating
36:27What?
36:29Amber was cold and calculating
36:31Yeah?
36:32So?
36:33So all of those people we talked to about her?
36:36One of them was lying
36:38I will think of you when I pass this way
36:45And I'll hold on to every memory made
36:52And I know you're gone and life goes on
36:59But I will think of you
37:04Tragedy
37:07Struck the Barron's All-American pageant with the untimely passing of our Illinois All-American
37:14Miss Amber Middlebury
37:17I was fortunate to have worked closely with Amber
37:21She meant the world to me
37:23Well then why'd you kill her?
37:25What?
37:26I didn't kill Amber
37:28You're lying
37:29You've been lying to us the whole time
37:31You told us that she was upset
37:32That she was feeling like she was being taken advantage of and threatened
37:36But she was the one doing the threatening
37:37There was no reason for her to be upset
37:38You know you're interrupting a dress rehearsal, okay?
37:40I don't even know what you two were talking about
37:42Oh yes you do, you got on to the blackmail
37:44You thought the old boyfriend was taking advantage of your prized client
37:48So you confronted him
37:49We ran your credit cards
37:50We know about the taxi trip you took to Jeremy's apartment
37:53So tell us, when you killed Amber's boyfriend
37:56Did you know that Amber was in on the scheme?
38:03Justin?
38:04Justin, stop!
38:06Come here!
38:08Where are you going, huh?
38:19A word of advice, Justin?
38:21When the lady says stop
38:23Stop
38:27Justin confessed to everything
38:29His last three clients were losers
38:30Amber was supposed to be his comeback
38:32And if she didn't win, he was through
38:34And apparently he found the same naked photos
38:36That we did and thought that her ex-boyfriend was trying to exploit her
38:38He was worried if they called the cops
38:40That her secret would get out and they'd both be ruined
38:43So he decided to handle it on his own
38:46Unfortunately Jeremy was drunk
38:47He got violent
38:48And Justin ended up killing him
38:49And he staged it like it was a suicide
38:51Once Amber found out, she threatened to turn him in and he killed her
38:54That was a whole pageant of bad choices
38:57Good work, you two
38:59Oh, good work, you all
39:01Thank you
39:02Oh, I see a beauty queen worthy of a crown
39:05Always the charmer, Rick
39:07Baby, what you doing here?
39:08You know I was just coming to swoop you up
39:09Yeah, well I know how you lose all sense of time when you're working
39:11I figured I'd meet you here
39:13Mm-hmm
39:14You guys have any big plans?
39:15Dinner and dancing with the best husband in Manhattan
39:19Especially since he gave me that gift this morning
39:21Oh, what did you end up giving her?
39:23I followed your advice, Castle
39:25I thought about some of the things Evelyn said she wanted the past couple of years
39:28And my gift to her is next year I'm retiring from the force
39:32We're gonna go traveling, we're gonna go to all the romantic places
39:37Wait, are you serious, boss?
39:39You really wanna retire?
39:41I haven't accomplished everything I wanted to on the job
39:43But I've done enough, it's time for me to move on
39:45Best gift ever, more Roy
39:48Mm-hmm
39:50Look, I taught you guys everything I know about doing this job, alright?
39:53You're gonna be fine without me
39:54I mean, for crying out loud, lose the long faces
39:57Smile, please
39:59That's an order
40:00Hey, you kids take care, alright?
40:05You guys behave now
40:06You have a good time
40:07Congratulations, you guys, goodnight
40:08Thank you
40:09Happy anniversary
40:10Goodnight, Captain
40:12What the hell did you say to him?
40:13Nothing
40:14No, I just told him to listen to what his wife wanted
40:16Damn, Castle
40:17How can you... I didn't... there's no way...
40:20Castle, let me let you in on a little secret
40:23Captain Montgomery retires all the time, just give it a week or two
40:27He's like the Brett Favre of the NYPD
40:30Trust me, he's not going anywhere
40:32He's not going anywhere
40:34He's not going anywhere
40:36Hey, so I've been meaning to ask you, did Alexis make a decision about Ashley?
40:41Oh, she did, actually
40:42She decided it was, uh, worth the risk
40:44And she's going to just keep showing up
40:47It's a good choice
40:49See you tomorrow
40:51See you tomorrow
40:53See you tomorrow
41:00Ashley, what are you doing here?
41:02Hey, Mr. Castle
41:03Hey, Dad, guess what?
41:04What?
41:05I'm going to Stanford
41:08What?
41:09I'm applying for early admission
41:10And since I've been taking extra classes each semester since my freshman year
41:13I have enough credits to graduate in the fall
41:19What?
41:20Yeah, this is why Ash and I will be together in January
41:22In college
41:24What?
41:25At the...