Chapter 130: Advice

The three of them walked back in silence to Abraham's antique shop, located just off a small street near Times Square in the heart of Manhattan. The shop, in a three-story building owned by Abraham and Henry, was a testament to their hidden wealth. Owning such a property, with each floor approximately 300 square meters, in a prime Manhattan location near Times Square and Wall Street, was no small feat. Yet, Abraham used this prime real estate to run an antique shop, the legitimacy of which was often in question. This always left Castle bemused whenever he visited.

As soon as they stepped into the shop, Castle couldn't help but complain to Abraham: "Abe, I've noticed your shop hardly has any visitors. Aren't you worried about business? If you had to pay rent for this place, it would be a fortune. Can you even cover the utility bills with what you earn?"

Henry ignored Castle's banter with Abraham and went straight upstairs, leaving the grumpy old man to bicker with Castle.

"Rick, you don't understand the antique business. Do you think antique shops are bustling with customers like those on Fifth Avenue? Antiques are a niche market. You're still too green to understand!" Abraham retorted, visibly annoyed.

Castle, seeing no point in further teasing Abraham, smiled and headed upstairs, where Henry was already waiting with whiskey poured. Accepting the glass, Castle sat on the couch and took a sip before casually starting a conversation: "So, Abe mentioned that you and Detective Jo Martinez have been working on a tricky case. Any progress, or are you stuck?"

Henry, well aware that Castle's real interest lay in his relationship with Jo rather than the case, sighed. "Rick, can you not be as tedious as Abe? I've explained many times that Jo and I are just colleagues. There's nothing more to it!"

Castle, undeterred by Henry's defensiveness, pressed on eagerly: "What are you avoiding? I've done some digging. Jo's husband was a district attorney who died in a car accident a year ago, and she's been single ever since. She lives alone in Washington Heights."

Castle's mischievous expression and tone made Henry, despite his gloomy mood from Abigail's funeral, chuckle. "Rick, you're not matching your role right now. I know you and Abe mean well, hoping I'll find new love and move on. But don't forget our condition—we are immortal. Do you want me to watch another loved one age and die while I stay the same? It's cruel for both parties."

Castle, who had a limited version of immortality without eternal youth, couldn't fully empathize with Henry's concerns. Since successfully setting up John Wick and Gianna, Castle had been playing matchmaker enthusiastically. Henry's worries didn't dampen Castle's determination to pair him with Jo Martinez.

However, Castle knew that rushing things wouldn't work. He decided to back off for now and let Henry ponder his words. He shifted the topic to John.

"Henry, I've told you about my good friend John Wick, right? Want to hear his story? In many ways, he's similar to you."

Without waiting for Henry's response, Castle launched into the tale of John Wick. He described how John's wife, Helen, loved Alexis and became her godmother, how Helen died of cancer, and how John was left alone with the dog she gave him. Castle recounted John's revenge against the thieves, how he joined John's mission, and how he helped John avoid a crisis by sending him to Gianna.

Castle concluded with a punchline: "Henry, do you know what John Wick is doing now? He's at the Mediterranean, sunbathing with Gianna, who's expecting their child."

Henry, initially captivated by John's story, couldn't help but be amused and exasperated by Castle's relentless hints. Realizing Castle was using John's story to push his own agenda, Henry stopped him: "Rick, I promise I'll consider your advice. Let's end this topic for today, okay?"

Seeing Henry give in, Castle felt a surge of accomplishment. But knowing when to stop, he didn't push further and instead invited Henry out for a meal.

Henry, though relieved that Castle had stopped his relentless matchmaking, declined the invitation. He had something serious to discuss with Castle.

"Rick, come with me to my lab. There's something I want to show you."

Realizing Henry had found something in the case files regarding Beckett's mother's murder, Castle immediately followed him to the secret lab in the basement.

In the lab, Henry's demeanor shifted to that of a seasoned forensic expert. Castle, sensing the gravity of the situation, curbed his curiosity and followed Henry to a workbench laden with documents and other items.

Henry picked up a file and handed it to Castle. "Rick, this is a comparison of the wounds on the four victims and a new autopsy report I conducted. You were right. All four were killed by the same knife, with a single thrust to the kidney causing massive hemorrhaging and death by shock. Look at this…"

Henry showed Castle a plastic model of the knife, which had a serrated edge on one side. "This model is based on the victims' wounds, created using 3D modeling. This type of knife is primarily used by veterans of Operation Desert Storm. This means the killer is likely a former soldier who served in that operation."

Castle, already aware of these details from the original series and knowing the killer was Dick Coonan, couldn't reveal everything. He listened intently, knowing this was a crucial step in their investigation.

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