Beckett was not foolish; she was just overwhelmed by the shocking revelations Castle had shared about her mother's murder, which had clouded her typically sharp and rational mind. Now, with Castle emphasizing the point, she quickly understood what he was trying to convey.
"You mean those suspected corrupt cops my mom was investigating back then are still pulling strings from the shadows? And this Nick Coonan might still be connected to them?"
Castle smiled as he saw the astute detective Beckett returning to her senses. "Exactly. I suspect that those involved back then might now be in high positions. The fact that this supposed 'hitman,' Nick Coonan, is still alive and hasn't been silenced suggests he might still be connected to those people. If he really was the hitman who killed your mother and the others, and yet wasn't eliminated by the people who ordered the hit, it's likely he's still in touch with them.
"Moreover, consider that Nick Coonan is currently involved in smuggling drugs from Asia with a drug lord. The fact that they can smuggle such significant amounts without interference suggests they have powerful backing. Who else would dare smuggle drugs from Asia to New York besides the military blatantly transporting supplies from Afghanistan? The fact that Nick and his partner are doing this indicates they have significant protection."
Castle's detailed analysis brought Beckett back to a state of calm. She understood that Castle's insights were accurate. The fact that a suspected hitman like Nick Coonan was still free after possibly being involved in her mother's murder indicated that the people behind him wielded significant power. This hypothesis was based on the assumption that Nick was indeed the hitman, but Beckett trusted Castle's judgment and the credibility of his intelligence-gathering abilities, which were recognized by her and the police.
Seeing Beckett lost in thought, Castle didn't let her ponder too long and continued, "So, my suggestion is to keep a close watch on Nick Coonan discreetly. Whether he contacts his associates or not, we need to monitor him closely. From there, we can find the drug lord he's working with. I have a hunch this drug lord might be an even bigger fish. Of course, this is just a gut feeling without concrete evidence."
Beckett agreed with Castle's suggestion. Both Nick Coonan and the drug lord, as well as the underlying conspiracy, were leads provided by Castle, who was acting out of concern for her. With limited evidence and resources, letting Castle pursue his unorthodox methods might yield more clues.
Additionally, Beckett knew that avoiding a direct investigation into Nick Coonan for now would keep the suspected corrupt cops, possibly still within the police force, from being alerted. She had just learned from Captain Montgomery the night before that she was likely to take over as captain of the 12th precinct. Ensuring this promotion was her priority, as it would provide her with more resources to investigate Nick Coonan officially.
Just as Beckett was about to speak, Castle continued, "Given the 12th precinct's stellar performance recently, it's likely Captain Montgomery will be promoted soon. If he moves up, the captain position might be yours. So, it's not wise to officially investigate Nick Coonan now. We should wait until Montgomery's promotion is confirmed and your appointment as captain is secure."
Beckett, still sitting on Castle's lap, sat up in surprise. She wasn't embarrassed by their close position but was astonished by Castle's accurate prediction of her promotion—something Montgomery had only just discussed with her. Castle's political acuity surprised her.
"Did you figure this out on your own?" she asked, curious.
Castle was momentarily confused, "What? Figure out what?"
Beckett rolled her eyes playfully, "About Montgomery's promotion and my possible appointment as captain of the 12th precinct. He mentioned it to me last night. You were right; he's set to be promoted to deputy commissioner in a few months, and he does want me to take over his position. But how did you guess?"
The atmosphere, previously heavy with the gravity of their discussion, lightened as Castle realized Beckett didn't mind their intimate posture. Feeling a sense of triumph for making progress with Beckett, he replied smugly, "It wasn't hard to guess. I warned you about the recent events well in advance. Don't you think Montgomery would use that for his advantage? Your team evacuated the Wall Street subway station and defused the bomb, acts that alone would boost Montgomery's reputation for leadership, paving the way for his promotion. And don't forget, the parents of the students in that school are influential."
Beckett, intrigued, asked, "Did you know the bomb was fake and still sent me in?"
Castle grinned, "Of course! Would I have let you go in if it were real?"
"And how could you be so sure it was fake?" Beckett probed further, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Unaware of the slight chill in Beckett's gaze, Castle boasted, "I knew Simon's men stole 2,400 pounds of chemical supplies. When Simon claimed to have planted a bomb with the same amount in the school, it was clear he was bluffing to get the police's attention.
"Consider this: they needed weapons for their plan but couldn't smuggle in explosives easily. They had limited resources and needed to use what they had to breach the Federal Reserve vault, so they wouldn't waste it on a school bomb. John McClane even noted Simon's brother had pulled a similar stunt in L.A., bluffing about blowing up a building to scare the police. From these clues, it was easy to deduce the bomb in the school was likely a fake. Simon wouldn't dare bomb a school; that would turn him from a robber to a terrorist. The difference between the two is immense."
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