Chapter 181: The Meeting

Castle's words had somewhat alleviated Beckett's concerns. At this point, she had no choice but to trust him. After all, since he'd been by her side, Castle had never really been off the mark when it came to serious matters.

Together, they made their way to the Wellesley family company office building in Manhattan, where they were scheduled to meet Blake Wellesley, the current head of the Wellesley family and a New York City councilman.

Upon entering his office, they were greeted with two cups of coffee, and after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Blake cut straight to the point. Clearly perplexed, he looked at Castle and asked, "Why did a famous writer with many high-profile friends in New York, whom I've never had any dealings with, suddenly want to meet me through one of my acquaintances?"

With the office now just the three of them, Castle, feeling no need to be discreet, started directly. He introduced Beckett as a homicide detective from the NYPD. This revelation left Blake puzzled and uncertain about the purpose of their visit.

"Councilman Blake Wellesley," Castle began, "I'll get straight to the point. We're here about a murder that took place ten years ago. Take a look at this photo first..."

Castle handed over a photo, taken in 1978, of Olivia's mother working on Caspar Wellesley's Senate campaign. Blake's initial calmness gave way to a look of shock as he examined the picture.

Blake's demeanor changed instantly as he saw the photo. "Are you saying the victim of the murder from ten years ago was her?"

Despite his composed exterior, Blake's eyes narrowed and his face showed a flash of intense emotion, enough to confirm to Beckett that Castle's bold assertions might actually be on target.

Castle, who knew the full story, was here to solve the case, not to embarrass the influential councilman. He quickly explained, "No, we are investigating the murder of her daughter, Olivia Derby. Our investigation suggests that the woman in this photo once had a relationship with you, but for some reason, you two did not end up together.

Her daughter was born in May 1979. Councilman Wellesley, does this trigger any memories for you?"

Blake's eyes widened, and his nostrils flared with a mix of realization and disbelief. "Are you saying that the victim of your current investigation, Olivia, was her daughter? Or rather, my..."

At this moment, Castle decided to be clear. Even if he was bluffing slightly, his confident posture conveyed he was in full control of the situation. "Yes, Councilman Wellesley. Based on our investigation, Olivia Derby, the woman murdered ten years ago, was indeed your daughter with the woman in this photo. Furthermore, we discovered that Olivia came to New York seeking to find her biological father. Unfortunately, she was murdered before she could reunite with you."

Beckett watched in astonishment as Castle spun his tale with such conviction. She nearly choked on her disbelief. What was he talking about? When had the police confirmed that Olivia was Blake Wellesley's daughter? And since when did they know Olivia had come to New York to find her father? Beckett felt an urge to draw her service weapon and end Castle's reckless charade before he dragged them and the NYPD into deeper trouble.

Beckett's mind raced with regret. How could she have let herself be talked into this by Castle? She wished she could just shoot him and put an end to his irresponsible lies. However, interrupting Castle now would turn their statements into outright falsehoods. Even giving Castle a stern look to stop him seemed risky, so Beckett sat there with a grim expression, letting Castle continue while silently vowing to demand an explanation from him later.

Castle, having fully embraced his narrative, showed no signs of concern for Beckett's silent distress. He pressed on, addressing Blake Wellesley's growing alarm. "The person who murdered your daughter Olivia never faced justice. Instead, he found someone willing to take the fall for money—a man named Brady. Yesterday morning, this Brady, from his prison cell, called to have evidence proving his innocence sent to the police. But before the evidence could be delivered, the real murderer, learning of this, stole a car and killed the courier in broad daylight to intercept the evidence. He then had Brady silenced in prison to ensure the truth stayed buried..."

At this point, Castle paused for a much-needed sip of coffee. Just as he was about to continue, Blake interrupted, visibly shaken by Castle's revelations. "Mr. Castle, are you telling me that my daughter came to New York ten years ago to find me and was murdered? And the person who killed her found someone to take the blame? And now, when this scapegoat was about to reveal the truth, he too was silenced? Mr. Castle, are you suggesting that the NYPD managed to unravel all this in less than a day and come to me? Do you expect me to believe the police in New York have become so extraordinarily efficient?"

Blake Wellesley had serious doubts about Castle's account. How could these people, starting from a murder that occurred yesterday morning, have pieced together such a complex narrative involving events from ten years ago? Especially given that Castle had scheduled this meeting just yesterday afternoon. Was Castle suggesting that he, a novelist, and Beckett, a detective, had such exceptional investigative prowess?

Blake's brief moment of vulnerability upon seeing his long-lost lover's photo had given Castle a chance to bombard him with a whirlwind of information. Blake was now wondering if Castle was subtly accusing him of having arranged Olivia's murder ten years ago to prevent the scandal of an illegitimate child during his Senate campaign. The allegations of hiring a scapegoat and eliminating witnesses were serious enough to make anyone in Blake's position worried.

Castle, however, knew Blake was innocent. He had only used ambiguous statements to grab his attention. Now, he needed to continue speaking to clear up Blake's concerns and steer the conversation towards the real investigation.

Beckett, on the other hand, was beside herself with worry. She wanted to stand up and deny everything Castle had said. Still, her remaining rationality told her that Castle might have a deliberate reason for his approach. The best course of action was to keep quiet and let Castle finish.

True to form, Castle remained unflustered by Blake's skeptical and potentially accusatory remarks. Instead, he smiled and said calmly, "Councilman Wellesley, could you please let me finish my explanation?"

Blake's irritation and bewilderment were apparent, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something genuine in Castle's demeanor. Maybe this writer wasn't here just to toy with him. "Fine," Blake said, taking a deep breath. "Continue."

Castle, unfazed by Blake's sharp tone, continued with a knowing smile, "Councilman, you might find it hard to believe, but the connections we've uncovered are real. I understand your skepticism, given the complexity of the case. However, we're not accusing you of any wrongdoing. Our goal is to find the truth behind Olivia's murder and the conspiracy that followed. We believe your insight and cooperation are crucial in solving this."

Blake, still reeling from the rapid developments, started to consider the possibility that Castle's intentions might be sincere. Reflecting on his past, Blake knew he hadn't seen Olivia ten years ago. But why would Castle speak in such a roundabout manner unless he had a specific purpose?

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