Chapter 178: The Photograph

Seeing everything unfolding according to his secretive plan, Castle barely took a moment to appreciate Beckett's rare expression of surprise. Instead, he stepped forward to the coffin, examining the luxurious piece with a knowing look. "Olivia's distant aunt must be quite wealthy. This is one of the most opulent coffins available. It's not cheap!"

Castle's comment snapped Beckett out of her shock. She frowned, pondering aloud, "Our records indicate Olivia's distant aunt wasn't wealthy. How did I overlook such an obvious clue? Who bought Olivia this extravagant coffin?"

Castle nudged Beckett's train of thought further. Acting as if he just remembered something, he said, "I recall that these deluxe coffins often come with a compartment for the deceased's family to place personal items in for remembrance. Where is it?"

Lanie, now recovering from her own shock, looked curiously at Castle. "How do you know about the features of such expensive coffins?"

Castle responded with a hint of pride, "I researched them for one of my Storm novels. I used a plot where the murderer hid the weapon in a secret compartment of the coffin a year before the crime to evade police detection. So, I'm pretty familiar with the designs of high-end coffins. Ah, here it is! Look, there's a small drawer."

As Castle explained his unusual knowledge, he methodically searched Olivia's coffin and found the drawer he had been looking for. It was in the lid of the coffin, filled with photographs.

Beckett watched Castle's seemingly spontaneous actions with a critical eye. Although she didn't voice her doubts, she mentally noted Castle's peculiarities. She joined him in opening the drawer and examining its contents.

The drawer wasn't large, meant only for placing a few items like photographs for the deceased's memory. Inside were several photos, likely placed there by Olivia's distant aunt. There were childhood pictures of Olivia and some of her mother, who had passed away years ago.

Castle immediately spotted the crucial photo: a young Olivia's mother, dressed in formal office attire with a campaign badge on her chest, speaking into a phone. This photo was the reason Castle had maneuvered the police into agreeing to the exhumation. It showed Olivia's mother working for the Welshley family patriarch during his 1978 Senate campaign. This was when Olivia's mother met Blake Welshley, and Olivia was conceived during their brief relationship.

Blake Welshley, unaware of Olivia's existence, had been kept in the dark by his domineering mother, who had driven Olivia's mother away to protect her family's status and Blake's political future. When Olivia, now grown, sought out her biological father, the matriarch intervened again, instructing her loyal driver Frank to "handle" the situation. Misinterpreting her command, Frank had murdered Olivia and framed Brady for the crime.

Castle's real aim was to bring this photograph into the police's view, linking Olivia's murder to the powerful Welshley family. Only by connecting these dots could they expose the truth behind Olivia's death and the political scandal involving the Welshleys.

Now that his primary objective was achieved, Castle didn't hesitate. He picked up the photograph that would unveil Olivia's lineage and called Beckett over to look.

Beckett, puzzled by Castle's insistence on the photograph of Olivia's mother, studied it closely. "What are you trying to show me?" she asked, still unsure of his point.

Castle, aware of the deviations from the original plot due to his involvement, was unbothered by Beckett's confusion. In the original scenario, the police had already identified the Welshley family as a potential link through Olivia's friends, and their suspicions had led them to exhume the coffin in search of more evidence. Now, without this preliminary step, Beckett was understandably perplexed by Castle's seemingly random focus on the photo.

He pointed to the campaign badge on Olivia's mother's chest and said, "Look at this badge. What does it say?"

The photo was old and blurry, making the details hard to discern. Beckett scrutinized it for a while but couldn't make out much. Castle, losing patience, suggested, "Why don't you use a magnifying glass?"

Beckett, taking offense at Castle's comment, retorted, "Detectives haven't carried magnifying glasses around since Sherlock Holmes!"

Lanie, enjoying the banter, didn't want to miss the unfolding drama. "You can use mine," she offered, pointing to a sophisticated magnifier in the lab.

Ignoring Lanie's teasing, Beckett grabbed the forensic magnifier, which came with a built-in light, and examined the photo carefully.

"Senator… campaign… 1978… Welshley campaign office…" Beckett finally deciphered the words on the badge but still looked puzzled about its significance.

At this point, Castle decided to lay it out for her. "This is a photo of Olivia's mom from 1978. Olivia was born in 1979. Do you think it's possible that one of the Welshley brothers is her father?"

Both Beckett and Lanie were taken aback by Castle's leap. Beckett, uncertain, stammered, "You think… Olivia's mother and the Welshley family patriarch?"

Castle rolled his eyes. "Not the deceased patriarch. I'm talking about his sons. Could one of them be Olivia's father?"

Beckett fell silent, contemplating the implications. Castle didn't push her, waiting for her to process the information. When Beckett finally spoke, she asked, "Do you have any proof for this?"

Castle, grinning, replied, "Proof? We're investigating, aren't we? How about we start by talking to the Welshleys?"

Beckett, now considering the new direction for the case, nodded thoughtfully, ready to dive deeper into the tangled web of the Welshley family and Olivia's tragic past.

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