Reborn as Richard Castle in Criminal Minds

Beckett hastily took out her phone, instructing Esposito to enter a forum on the dark web and identify the robbers who were allegedly killed by the person in front of her. After hanging up, she heard Castle sarcastically say, "You're on vacation today; why don't you just relax? After all, those robbers are dead; they can't run away. We can always figure out their identities later. Why are you working so hard?"

Just having hung up the phone, Beckett laughed in exasperation at Castle's feigned ignorance. "Shut up. You know we're still investigating whether Simon had any accomplices, where he got his weapons, and how his people entered New York. Do you think the police operate like you, killing without cleaning up? You took down all the robbers with a PSG-1 sniper rifle and thought your job was done?"

Even though Castle was prepared, Beckett's words stunned him. He thought he had covered his tracks well and had his chubby friend erase all evidence. How did he still get exposed?

Seeing Castle's shocked expression, Beckett finally felt like she had scored a point. She was usually at a disadvantage with this jerk, but now she had finally scared him. Her mood lifted instantly!

Castle, with his thick skin and deep understanding of Beckett, could tell from her words that even if she knew he was the sniper who helped John eliminate the robbers, she didn't seem particularly upset. He cautiously asked, "You know everything?"

Seeing the usually arrogant Castle looking so cautious, Beckett struggled to suppress her urge to laugh, putting on a stern face. "What do you think? Did you think you hid it well? Did you forget that someone else knew you were the sniper?"

"John?" Castle realized. Apart from Zeus, the only person who knew he was the sniper was John McClane. Hadn't he warned John not to reveal him? What's going on?

Knowing what Castle was thinking, Beckett couldn't help but laugh. "I know you told John not to expose you, but don't forget, John is a cop. He wouldn't lie to his superiors, especially when he thinks you're helping us. Rest assured, only a few high-ranking officers in the NYPD know about this. To protect you, our commissioner even confronted the CIA's New York office. I can't say whether the CIA will eventually find out, but they don't know for now. And neither does the FBI."

After a brief pause to let Castle digest her words, Beckett continued, "What you thought was well-hidden wasn't. You're only sitting on my couch and not in a CIA or FBI interrogation room because you genuinely helped the NYPD, and our commissioner is your friend. Understand?"

Castle was stunned, watching Beckett, who seemed like a different person. This was the Beckett he knew well, methodical and deliberate. She explained, "No matter how secretive you think you are, it's useless against New York's police force. I know you warned John not to expose you, but have you considered that John, as a disciplined officer, wouldn't lie to his superiors? Moreover, in John's eyes, you were helping us, so why hide it?"

"Besides, you indeed helped us immensely in the explosion and robbery cases. Do you think we'd be ungrateful and ignore your assistance?"

Castle, sitting on the couch, smiled sheepishly. "I didn't think you'd all find out."

Beckett looked at Castle with mixed feelings, a combination of resentment for hiding things and gratitude for providing accurate information when needed. Knowing this was a rare opportunity to get Castle to reveal more secrets, she decided not to dwell on the past and pressed him for more.

Seeing Beckett's scrutinizing gaze, Castle, who had prepared for this, knew he had to continue his pretense. "Actually, my information isn't just from the dark web. There's a large underground intelligence network in New York, run by a family friend. That's why I often know things you don't."

This underground network includes almost all the city's homeless, providing a vast amount of information that the police could never match. This is my biggest secret!"

As a native New Yorker, Beckett knew the infamous Barry Street. She was surprised to learn Castle had such a close connection with them. "You know the KING of Barry Street? Your family has ties with him? How is that possible? What's his real identity? We've been trying to figure it out for ages!"

Castle shrugged innocently. "I can't tell you who KING is, and it's not necessary. Just know you'll have endless intelligence support from now on. Do you need to own a cow to drink milk? I'm breaking protocol by telling you this to dispel any doubts about my sources, but I can't reveal KING's identity."

Beckett regretted asking for KING's identity. She knew Castle telling her this much already showed great trust. Besides, knowing Castle had access to both the chubby guy's online intel and Barry Street's underground network meant she indirectly had access to them too. As a homicide detective, not a police commissioner, knowing more was unnecessary. It was better to remain blissfully ignorant and focus on her work.

Beckett suddenly recalled her conversation with Captain Montgomery last night, realizing why he advised her to maintain a good relationship with Castle. He likely knew that she might confront Castle about his sources during her break, and if unresolved, it could strain their growing rapport. Montgomery understood that with Castle's help, she could effectively take over the precinct.

Montgomery likely didn't anticipate Castle would reveal everything so readily!

The situation was clear: Castle probably knew Montgomery would soon leave, and she had a good chance of succeeding him. That's why Castle was so open with her.

________________________

Easter Discount on Patreon

From Thursday to Sunday, I'm offering a 33% discount on all Patreon tiers.

Just use this code when you sign up: 7DC41

If you'd like to support the project and get early access to chapters, now's a great time to join or upgrade.

The offer is only available for those four days.

Thank you for your [email protected]/Mutter]