Reborn in Castle (TV show)

[Central Park]

Police tape stretched across the open space near the water's edge. A few onlookers lingered at a distance, and the uniforms were spread out around the area. Near the edge, a small boat rocked gently, nudging against the shore where the body had been pulled in.

By the time Kate and Travis stepped under the tape, Ryan and Castle were already there, standing near the waterline. A few techs moved around in gloves and boot covers, marking spots and taking photos. Out in the shallows, Lanie stood knee-deep in the water, jeans rolled up, notepad in one hand and pen in the other. She was wearing a light purple sweater and was in her work mode.

Kate walked up beside the shoreline, arms folding loosely as she took in the scene. "Dr. Parish. How are you doing?"

Lanie didn't even look up from her notes at first. "Feet are cold," she said, completely straight-faced as she scribbled something down.

Castle let out a quiet chuckle under his breath while Ryan shook his head like he had expected nothing less.

Kate stepped closer to the edge, her eyes shifting toward the body lying on the boat. "So, what do you got for me?"

Lanie glanced up this time, brushing a loose strand of hair back before gesturing lightly with her pen. "Victim's name is Donny Kendall. Single GSW to the chest, fairly large caliber. And from the lack of blood..."

"...It'd seem that someone dragged him here after killing him on land." Travis's voice cut in calmly as he stepped up beside Kate, his gaze fixed on the body like he was reading a report already written.

Kate turned her head toward him, one brow lifting slightly, while Castle leaned forward with interest.

Travis nodded toward the victim's lower half. "Mud and grass on his boots and jeans, that's the sign of dragging. Whoever did this dragged him by his arms or upper body. And judging by the body's condition, stiffness is setting in, but not fully locked, skin tone still holding. He was killed late last night."

He shifted his eyes toward Lanie. "Was I correct?"

'Hot as always,' Lanie held his gaze for a second as she looked at Travis's smug expression, the corner of her mouth threatening to lift before she covered it with a neutral shrug. "Yeah, that's about the gist of it. We'll know more after we get him to the lab."

Kate glanced between the two of them, catching that almost-smirk Lanie didn't quite hide, then shook her head faintly like she was filing that away for later.

She turned toward Ryan, her tone snapping back into command mode. "Have uniforms sweep the area. Have them look for footprints, shell casings, blood traces, anything that doesn't belong out here."

Ryan nodded and moved off right away, already calling out instructions as he waved a couple of uniforms over to expand the search perimeter.

They stepped away from the shoreline together, ducking under the tape as the noise of the scene softened behind them. The breeze carried a faint chill off the water, rustling through the trees as they made their way toward the line of parked cars.

Kate looked back toward the lake before looking forward. "So why the burial at sea?" she asked. She was ready for Castle's wacky theories.

Castle perked up instantly, like someone had just handed him a loaded idea. He moved alongside her, already half-smiling. "The Vikings believed that if you wanted to reach Valhalla, you needed a vessel," he said, gesturing lightly toward the water behind them as if the answer was obvious.

Kate shot him a look, unimpressed but amused. "Gun-toting Viking? That's your theory now?"

Castle shook his head quickly, warming up as he leaned into it. "No, no, no, they also launched their dead with a sacrificial woman... and some booze... and a good horse."

"You're kidding me?" Kate shot a glance at Castle.

Travis walked beside them, hands tucked loosely into his jacket pockets. "He's not wrong," he said after a second, glancing briefly toward Castle. "I've read that somewhere before. Old text, detailed rituals, burial customs…" He paused, brows pulling together slightly as he searched his memory. "What was it called again?"

Castle snapped his fingers like he'd been waiting for that cue. "The Prose Edda," he said with a satisfied nod. "Snorri Sturluson. Thirteenth century. Basically, the greatest hits of Norse mythology. Talks about Valhalla, Odin, heroic deaths, all that good stuff."

Travis gave a small nod, like that clicked into place. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

...

[Later that day...]

Kate, Castle and Travis went to Donny Kendall's house to talk to his parents, but they didn't find anything important there other than the fact that Donny used to hang out with his college friends. So, from there, the trio went to the college, had a talk with the principal, and then found Donny's friends.

The garden area was quiet, a few students scattered across benches and low stone walls, but one group stood out immediately. Five of them, close together, talking in low voices that dipped even lower when they noticed the detectives approaching.

Kate slowed her pace just enough to read the room before stepping in, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp. Castle stayed at her side, hands in his pockets, while Travis hung back half a step behind them, silent, observant, his gaze already moving across each face like he was cataloging reactions before a single word was spoken.

"Brandon, Max Heller, Romy Lee, Amanda, Spencer," Kate said, her tone even as she addressed them. "We're here about Donny Kendall."

The group shifted subtly at the name. It wasn't dramatic, but it was there. A tightening of shoulders, a glance exchanged too quickly, the kind of shared discomfort that didn't need words. They stood up.

Castle gave them a softer entry point, offering a small, almost sympathetic smile. "We're just trying to understand what happened. Anything you can tell us helps."

Travis said nothing, but his eyes settled briefly on Brandon. The guy looked composed, maybe a little too composed for a guy who just lost one of his best friends. His posture was steady, arms loose at his sides, gaze level.

That stood out.

Kate let a beat pass, then asked, "You all usually hang out here after classes?"

Spencer nodded first, a little too eager to fill the silence. "Yeah, most days. We stay till around five, then head home."

"Yesterday too?" Kate asked, watching them carefully.

"Yeah," Amanda answered this time, her tone casual but her fingers fidgeting with the strap of her bag.

Kate gave a small nod, then shifted slightly. "Do any of you know what Donny was doing in the park last night?"

The effect was immediate.

There was a moment of silence.

Not the kind where people didn't know the answer. The kind where everyone knew something and no one wanted to be the first to say it.

Travis caught it right away. Romy looked down at her shoes. Spencer's jaw tightened. Max shifted his weight, glancing sideways for a split second. And Brandon stayed still, eyes forward, like he had already decided what this conversation was going to be.

'That's the arrogant fuck. His next victim is Heller. Can't let the kid die now that I'm here. Should I just fuck him up Dexter style?' Travis wondered for a moment. 'A good monster is a dead monster. But... Shit! Rules and laws... with the money his parents have, he'll live a comfortable life even if he goes to jail. Heck, he might not even go to jail, or they could simply nap him on the way, do plastic surgery, get a new ID, and no one will know. Decisions... decisions...'

Kate noticed it too. She let out a quiet breath and softened her tone just a fraction. "Look, I went to York. I know how this works. Honor codes, loyalty, protecting your friends. I get it."

Romy looked up at that, surprised. "You went to York Prep?"

Before Kate could answer, Brandon tilted his head slightly, studying her. "How does a Yorkie end up a cop?"

Kate met his gaze without hesitation. "Things happen. Things like this." She gestured lightly, not breaking eye contact. "Point is, if you're trying to protect your friend's memory, I understand that. But the truth comes out eventually. The sooner it does, the better chance we have of finding who did this."

There was another pause, heavier this time.

Then Brandon spoke, his voice calm but carrying just enough weight to guide the group. "Donny's family lost everything."

Amanda picked up from there, almost like she had been waiting for permission. "Not that we cared about that. We still hung out. We went out, you know."

Romy nodded, her voice quieter. "We always offered to cover for him, help him out, but he couldn't handle it."

Max exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "He just… fell apart."

Kate leaned in slightly. "Fell apart how?"

No one answered.

Travis's eyes flicked across them again, sharper now. The hesitation wasn't confusion. It was coordination. They were holding something back, and someone was making sure it stayed that way.

Castle stepped in, his tone lighter but deliberate. "Guys, he's not going to get in trouble. Whatever this is, we're past that point."

Amanda hesitated, then spoke, her voice dropping. "He got into drugs."

Castle's brows lifted slightly. "If he was having money problems, how did he support that habit?"

Amanda glanced at Brandon for a split second before answering, and Travis caught it.

"He started dealing," she said. "In the park."

...

After talking to the kids, they walked toward the front gate.

"Classic tragedy," Castle said while walking beside Kate. "Prominent family falls into disrepute, sicon spirals down."

Kate said, "And bad things happened."

Castle continued, "Of course, bad things happen. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a tragedy. Did you know in the original Greek, 'tragedy' literally means 'goat song'?"

Kate and Travis gave him that look that clearly said: Really?

Castle shrugged a little. "I know, doesn't make any sense to me either, but whatever that first story was, I can't help but think, bad things must have happened to that goat…"

Just then Kate's phone rang. She took it out and answered. "Beckett. Mmm-hmm. Yeah."

Castle leaned in too close to her and pressed his ear against her phone. Kate put her hand over his head and grabbed his ear and pinched it hard enough for Castle to make that face that says Ooowww!

"Okay. Of course. Sure. I'll be right there," Kate pulled his head away, holding his ear as he almost cried and fell to the ground.

Travis chuckled, shaking his head.

Castle rubbed his ear. "Next time, put it on the speakerphone."

[Outside]

Both Castle and Kate stopped. Then they turned back toward Travis.

"What's up? You alright?" Kate asked, looking slightly concerned.

"You were quiet out there," Castle chimed in.

"I think I know who the killer is," Travis said with a confident smirk. "You two ever go on a stakeout?"

-

Find me in the link below for advance chapters: https://unknownmaster.carrd.co/

[21 advance chs] + [Modern Family: 13 chs Early access]