Chapter 156: Conclusion

After slightly calming down Captain Montgomery, who was excited beyond belief by Beckett's extraordinary speed in solving the case today, Beckett led Castle into the interrogation room. They were prepared to conduct a detailed interrogation of Dr. Cameron Talbot, whose psyche had completely collapsed, leaving him without any hope of escaping his fate after he murdered Eslicka.

Seated in the police interrogation room, Cameron Talbot once again demonstrated his willingness to cooperate. Before his lawyer could arrive, he confessed everything like spilling beans from a bamboo tube. He recounted how, years ago, he discovered that his biological son had Niemann-Pick disease. He then conspired with the obstetricians and nurses at his hospital to swap his son with Eslicka's son.

Talbot further detailed how, not long ago, he discovered that Eslicka had grown suspicious of the true parentage of the boy now known as Zane. Taking advantage of an opportunity when his wife was not paying attention while cleaning the house, he obtained Zane's DNA sample by offering him candy, planning to secretly conduct a paternity test at the Madeline Laboratory.

Cameron Talbot couldn't let this happen. He knew that if Eslicka received the DNA test results from the Madeline Laboratory, his past abuse of power would be thoroughly exposed, ruining his respected career as a doctor. Thus, in a moment of malicious resolve, he lured the desperate yet hopeful Eslicka out with the pretense of discussing Zane's custody. He brutally murdered her in a secluded alley and dumped her body into a manhole, attempting to cover up his crime.

However, unexpectedly, just a few days later, the police came knocking on his door. They seemed to know everything he had done. The pressure of the murder had already made Talbot restless. Though he was a successful surgeon, performing surgery and committing murder were vastly different. Keeping a calm exterior over the past few days had drained all his mental energy. Today, when Castle and Beckett confronted him with a believable but fictitious story, Talbot, already at his breaking point, couldn't contain his fear and remorse any longer and confessed everything to the police.

This reaction was understandable. After all, Talbot was just a doctor, a regular person who occasionally walked the line of the law. Being a member of the American upper middle class with a stable family, the act of murder was beyond his psychological endurance. His anger had overtaken his rational side when he first learned of Eslicka's secret actions. But after actually killing her, fear was the only emotion left in his mind, not the relief of solving a problem.

In essence, Dr. Cameron Talbot was merely a selfish jerk, whose selfishness destroyed two families.

By the time Talbot's family lawyer, notified by Mrs. Talbot, arrived at the police station, Cameron Talbot had already reached a plea deal with the police and the district attorney. The best his lawyer could do was to negotiate the terms of his sentence, perhaps securing a more lenient prison.

Castle followed Beckett out of the interrogation room. Beckett went to report the results of the case to Captain Montgomery, while Castle sat by Beckett's desk and called Zane's biological father, Theodore Hayek, to share the news. Hayek, a six-foot-tall Eastern European man, burst into tears and thanked Castle profusely for ten minutes over the phone. Castle arranged to take Hayek to the Talbot household to see his biological son in a few days, enduring another five minutes of thanks before he could hang up.

"Whoo..." Castle exhaled deeply, not noticing that Beckett, who had finished reporting to her superior, was standing nearby, watching him with a strange look.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable under Beckett's intense gaze, Castle shifted in his seat and tried to make conversation. "I didn't expect Hayek, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, to be such a soft-hearted crybaby. He kept babbling in Czech, saying things I didn't quite understand..."

Seeing Castle's discomfort after being thanked, Beckett suddenly realized that he wasn't as much of a jerk as she thought. He had a strong sense of empathy for the weak and a highly emotional way of thinking. Beckett now understood that Castle probably hadn't wanted to interfere with her investigation today. However, Cameron Talbot's indifferent attitude toward Eslicka's death had likely angered Castle, prompting his aggressive confrontation with Talbot.

From this perspective, Beckett appreciated Castle's clear sense of right and wrong. Despite often causing headaches for her and Captain Montgomery, Castle's handling of Eslicka's case and his kindness toward Hayek showed that he hid a sensitive and emotional side beneath his flamboyant exterior.

As a modern, decisive, and wise woman at work, Beckett couldn't help but be more emotional than rational at times. Castle's unexpected display of vulnerability today had a more significant positive impact on her than months of his antics. It made Beckett truly begin to accept Castle as a person.

If Castle knew that his impulsive action today had deepened Beckett's recognition and affection for him, he might laugh out loud. He was far from the noble and righteous person Beckett imagined. Hence, the saying "unintentional moves are the most fatal" applies.

Castle had simply wanted to seek justice for the wronged Eslicka. His disgust for Cameron Talbot's hypocrisy led him to expose the doctor's true nature, even if it meant breaking the agreement he had just made with Beckett.

Castle's mature worldview was shaped by his previous life, tempered by core socialist values. Despite his adventures in this parallel world, he still held onto the decency from his past. He found it hard to accept the hypocrisy of American values. Though he had committed acts of violence (ask the Albanian human trafficking gang in Paris' Paradise Street and Adam!), he never raised his hand against defenseless civilians.

Castle's simple worldview couldn't accept the class-solidified, oppressive behavior of the upper class. Talbot's use of his power to swap Eslicka's child, his lack of remorse, and his intention to kill Eslicka to silence her, thoroughly enraged Castle, who still had a shred of goodness from his previous life.

Despite possessing an enigmatic system with occasional functionality and various skills and a vast personal space, Castle saw himself as an ordinary person with some secrets. He just wanted to enjoy his life quietly without any ambition. His only quest from the mysterious system was to win Beckett's heart and help her seek revenge, not to conquer or rule. Hence, Castle saw himself as a normal person with a few extraordinary abilities.

Today, Castle merely sought justice for the wronged Eslicka, unknowingly earning Beckett's approval and affection.

Castle didn't yet realize that his actions had significantly advanced his quest to win Beckett over. If he knew, he might laugh himself to tears.

Beckett smiled. "Don't be nervous; I'm not going to eat you. Besides, I should thank you for today. Without you, I wouldn't have solved this case so quickly."

"I wish you would eat me..."

Castle muttered, feeling uneasy about Beckett's current state. He feared she might be angry with him for breaking their agreement and was waiting to unleash her fury.

Beckett, hearing Castle's quiet muttering, couldn't help but laugh. "What did you say? You wish I'd eat you? Dream on!"

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