Castle s03e07 Episode Script
Almost Famous
There are two kinds of folks who sit around thinking about how to kill people: psychopaths and mystery writers.
I'm the kind that pays better.
Who am I? I'm Rick Castle.
Castle.
Castle.
I really am ruggedly handsome, aren't I? Every writer needs inspiration and I found mine.
I'm Detective Kate Beckett.
Beckett.
Beckett? Could you get some backup, please? And thanks to my friendship with the mayor, I get to be on her case.
Do I look like a killer to you? Yes, you kill my patience.
And together we catch killers.
I hate this case.
I know.
Isn't it great? NYPD.
Open up.
I have an arrest warrant for Jamie Ruiz.
NYPD.
- Ho! Ha! Muh-mum-mum-ma! - Ho! Ha! Muh-mum-mum-ma! - Ho! Ha! Muh-mum-mum-ma! - Ho! Ha! Muh-mum-mum-ma! - Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! - Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Whoo! I had a dream.
I was floating on a lily pad and the Swedish Bikini Team was reciting positive reviews for Naked Heat.
- Oh.
That must have been lovely.
- Yeah.
Why are you telling us this? Well, because of you my Swedish paradise turned into a wailing cat shelter.
We're doing voice exercises to strengthen abdominal breathing.
At 5:00 a.
m? Preparation is the foundation of an inspired audition.
Ha-ha! I mentioned to Gram last night that I was thinking about trying out for Grease at my school.
Oh! The old "Gram goes overboard because acting is in your bones" routine.
Apparently.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Rookie move, telling her about the audition.
I wasn't sure I'd have time with all my other clubs, so I thought it might be fun.
I didn't know she'd wake me up when it was still dark outside.
An actor learns to make sacrifices for his craft.
Besides, we'll all have plenty of time to sleep when we're dead.
Oh! Speaking of dead Castle.
No, don't be silly.
Of course I was up.
What's the big hurry? The victim's not going anywhere, right? This one's different.
Lanie.
Heard we got an officer down.
Yeah, that's the word.
Who is it? Don't know, but a cab driver called 9-1-1 after he parked and stopped for a smoke.
Let's see.
Single gunshot wound to the chest, and our guy isn't wearing his Kevlar.
Mind if I step in there for a sec? He's from the 116th in Queens.
This is an old-style badge, though.
Maybe he's old school.
Didn't want to give up the badge he built his career on.
Castle, he's mid-20s.
You ever heard of a brilliant doctor named Doogie Howser? It's fake.
That's tequila.
It's cheap tequila.
And he needed a refill.
So, a squirt gun and an old badge.
Clearly, he's not a cop.
Maybe he was impersonating one to prey on vulnerable women.
Armed with a tequila pistol? Actually, I think women were preying on him.
Tear-away pants.
He's a stripper.
Not finding any ID, but he does have a car.
Of all the cases in this city, and it's a big city, you catch a male stripper.
Yeah, well, luck of the draw, I guess.
Yeah, I'm just saying.
Shotgun.
Castle, you're the only one here.
Yes.
Ugh! This place reminds me of my first dorm room.
Victim's name is Derek Brookner.
He's 27.
Hey, he wrote an address on the back of this deposit slip.
"423 West 59th.
4B.
" That's right around the corner.
And his body was found halfway between that location and this car.
What do you want to bet that's where he was coming from? NYPD.
Open up! Still sleeping, go away.
Excuse me.
Sorry.
- Wow.
- Oh! Wow.
Wow.
Wow.
That They Whoa.
They make cakes in that shape? Another stripper? Whoo! Take it off! Whoo! - Take it off! - Mmm-mmm! Take it Ladies, I am not a stripper, though I can understand how you'd make that mistake.
NYPD.
The one's with the real guns.
We're here to investigate the murder of Derek Brookner.
We believe he was your entertainment for last night's soiree.
Oh, my God.
Officer McNaughty? I need to know the exact time that he arrived and left yesterday.
It was dark.
And his dance was long.
That's not all that was long.
Oh! All right, let's pack it up.
I think the trip down to the station will jog everyone's memories.
Can we stop and get brunch on the way? Miss Lieberman, do you remember anything about last night? Derek was still wearing his costume when he was killed last night and he never made it to his car, which makes your party the last place that he was seen alive.
Well, he seemed fine when he left, right? I mean Oh, thank you.
Were there any problems at the party? Any jealous husbands or boyfriends that showed up? No, it was just the girls.
Who arranged the gig? I did.
Jamie's always had a thing for cops.
It might interest you to know I'm an Assistant Volunteer Homicide Detective myself.
How did you set it up? The same way you'd order a pizza.
I called this place that I found online, Mucho Men, and gave my credit card.
to send my best friend off in style.
Did he mention where he was going after that? We were all wasted by the time he showed up.
He could have told me his life story and I wouldn't remember.
Bachelorette party, male stripper, loads of alcohol One of you had to be taking pictures.
Well, here is the last one.
I figured Jamie could refer back to these when she's old and bored of her marriage.
Oh! Tequila shots.
They're treating him like a piece of meat.
It's okay.
It's what he's paid for.
He had fun, too.
Wait, wait, wait, stop on that one.
It's a good thing you took Can you enhance the background? Over there, behind the group.
Who is that woman? Oh, that's Camille.
She's a friend of Jamie's from high school.
It looks as though she and Derek know each other.
She never mentioned anything.
Can you enhance her face? She wasn't at the apartment this morning.
Where is she? She left right after Officer McNaughty.
Turns out Camille Roberts has a record.
Five years ago an ex-boyfriend filed a restraining order against her after she threw all of his stuff out the window.
As a man who's dated several rabbit boilers, I can safely say, been there.
Yeah, but a restraining order doesn't mean that she's our killer.
Yeah, except that her ex-boyfriend happens to be our vic.
Picked up Camille Roberts at a cafe where she waitresses.
She's in interrogation room one.
What did we find from Derek's apartment? Mostly just old movie posters and a bunch of Donald Trump books about finance.
Maybe Derek dreams about being an entrepreneur, or maybe he's just a fan of Celebrity Apprentice.
Anything else? There was a day planner with nothing in it, but a business card for a guy named Jesse Mandalay.
All right, run it.
I'll talk to Camille.
This is like a bad dream.
I can't believe he's dead.
Why did you leave the party right after Derek did? I needed to get out of there.
And where did you go? Home.
I just wanted to be alone.
You didn't see him afterwards? I turned the corner, he was gone.
Wait, you don't think I had something to do with this? Camille, he had a restraining order against you.
That was years ago.
It was just a big misunderstanding.
Look, Derek broke my heart, but then I got over it.
This doesn't look like the face of a person who got over it.
When he walked into the party and started ripping his clothes off, it upset me, but I didn't kill him.
Okay, why don't we just go over the facts? You had a volatile relationship with him.
You left the party the same time that Derek left and then he turned up dead.
So why don't you just tell me what was really going on.
Nothing.
I just couldn't believe he was stripping.
And why was that a shock to you? We met in acting class.
He was the one everyone thought was gonna hit it big.
When I confronted him about giving up on his dream, he said he was stripping because he was so desperate for money.
Did he tell you why? He had some other recurring gig, but he said he had to quit 'cause it was gonna kill him.
My instinct says it's not her.
Mine, too, but have CSU check the clothes she was wearing for gunshot residue.
All right.
Any luck tracking down the gig that he was telling Camille about? Derek has a low-rent theatrical agent, who says he hasn't booked anything in over a year.
He just e-mailed Derek's acting reel.
Here's a taste of his illustrious career.
Hey there, I'm just stopping a few couples to see if they've ever heard of a product called ProLong.
Are you kidding? We just started using ProLong.
And now, things are really looking up.
ProLong, now available without a prescription.
He also did serious work.
You give me all your money, and whatever parts you got out there in that garage, and I'll consider not putting one in your noggin.
Billy Grimm is the leader of the Visi Goths motorcycle gang.
If you, or anyone, has any information on this dangerous criminal, please contact your local authority.
Damn, I can see why the guy had to strip to pay his bills.
I guess it's safe to say that the gig that he was telling Camille about had nothing to do with his acting pursuits.
So, you guys head off to Mucho Men, that's the place that booked him for the bachelorette party, see if he had any regular stripping gigs or troubles there.
Beckett.
He's not that handsome.
You want my opinion, little steep.
As the person in this room that's seen everything under the sheet, bargain.
What else did you find? Take a look.
A hair? Your vic has hair that's been recently dyed gray.
Looks like a temporary hair dye that hasn't completely washed out yet.
Most men color their hair to cover the gray.
Some women want Officer McNaughty, and some want an older guy who knows mutual funds.
You know, daddy issues.
It's more likely he was coloring it for an audition.
Speaking of hair, this is the more important hair that I found on your vic's clothing.
That could belong to our killer.
Long, blonde hair.
This could have come from one of the women at the bachelorette party.
That's what I thought, until I had it tested.
Came back positive for testosterone and anabolic steroids.
Your blondie is a man.
Listen, Stu, you want my guys oiled up in Euro booty shorts for the Montage pool deck launch, you're gonna need to meet me halfway here, buddy.
Hey, be my guest.
Shop around.
It's a fair rate.
Listen, I gotta go.
I got guys here.
My apologies.
Promoters are always a pain in my ass.
Lloyd Saunders? I'm already up to my ears in A-Rods.
But your friend here, I got women requesting that skinny Twilight dude like crazy.
They're one size fits all, but we can pad if need be.
Bathroom's down the hall if you're shy.
Hey, NYPD.
We have some questions about Derek Brookner.
My mistake.
We're doing open auditions today.
I can assure you, this would fit.
That's what they all say.
What about Derek? He was murdered.
Wow.
Derek was one of my best guys.
We think he took a job that might have got him into trouble.
What kind of work did you book for him in the last month? He did the occasional "handsome guest" at rich people parties.
Other than that, it was all bachelorette or rowdy birthday party stuff.
What about any male parties? No, Derek was a women-only guy.
He had contact with a blonde-haired man who was on steroids the night he was killed.
Any idea who that might be? Could've been someone at his other job.
- What other job? - In addition to the private gigs, he also danced at a club called the Package Store a couple nights a week.
Most of those guys are juicing.
Anyone he didn't get along with? People think women are catty, but from what Derek said, those guys would make Showgirls look like an after-school special.
Thanks for your time.
Hey, if you change your mind, I'll provide fangs and some hair gel.
You like my sexy abs? Come see me at the Package Store.
All of them are buff enough to be juicing, but none of them have long hair.
Certainly not long, blonde hair.
Maybe these are old photos.
It's possible they change their style based on the latest trend.
The booking agent mentioned the Twilight look is big right now.
Maybe the Fabio look is making a comeback.
Well, there's one surefire way to find out.
Oh, Castle.
I can't believe you got dressed up for this.
Tell me again why Ryan and Esposito couldn't come with you? We all agreed as Volunteer Assistant Homicide Detective, you could really sink your teeth into this avenue of investigation.
And they called "not it.
" You know, ever since I've been following you I've been dreaming of the day you'd say, "Let's go to the strip club and get this dirt bag.
" Just never imagined it would feel like this.
Let me know if you need any singles.
It's sad, really.
Guy comes to town, looking for his big break.
Dreams of making it in the Apple.
What does he get for his trouble? The city chews him up and spits him out.
Doesn't seem right, man.
Damn right, it doesn't seem right.
You know, all I think he wanted was a little respect.
It's all about respect, bro.
Just trying to make ends meet and he ends up face down in a stairwell, wearing a G-string.
All right, here you go.
What the hell are you doing? Up to his ears in A-Rods? I got an A-Rod for that son of a bitch.
Three years varsity ball, two years Special Forces triathlon and NYPD police calendar 2007.
What? It was a group photo.
I got letters.
Yeah, three.
Two of them from your mom.
One of them was from my mom.
Sure.
Twilight, my ass.
Castle? Hey, honey, you found me.
I was just telling Denise, here, about you.
This is my girlfriend, whose idea it was to come here tonight.
She's very adventurous, you have no idea.
There's Thank God you found me.
Oh, my God, these women are like piranha.
So, listen, I just talked to one of the bartenders who confirms the booking agent's story that Derek was having troubles with one of the other dancers.
Apparently, some guy named Hans was upset that Derek was getting the headliner shift.
That gives us evidence and motive.
Let's go backstage and grab us some Hans.
No need to, honey.
He's in the next act.
Firemen.
Really? It's not a little clichéd? Oh, God.
Haven't these guys read the memo about the correlation between sun-tanning and skin cancer? Can't you just relax, Castle? I'm trying to figure out which one is Hans.
Yeah.
NYPD.
Please come off the stage.
Uh-huh.
No, no.
Not you, just Hans.
Guys, knock it off, okay? I'm a cop, a real cop.
Look, it's not funny.
Now cool it.
Too much? Derek was a little bitch.
Do you know how many hours he spent rehearsing our Privates of the Caribbean routine? Zero.
He was all artsy-fartsy with his acting auditions this and play rehearsals that.
Hans Von Mannschaft is the one doing the real work out there every night.
Hans Von Mannschaft? That's a hell of a stage name.
I'll have you know I come from a long line of proud Von Mannschafts.
And have any of them served time for murder? Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Murder? Careful, Hans.
Your New Jersey is starting to show.
This place is about fantasy.
Women come here to escape.
It's just part of the act.
Does that include getting rid of the competition? Derek was found shot and killed last night and we found one of your hairs on his clothes.
You just admitted that the two of you were rivals.
Rivals? Lady, I spend my days with women shoving bills down my shorts.
Do you really think I'll kill somebody over that? That doesn't change the fact we can place you at scene of the crime.
Because of my hair? All that proves is that we keep our costumes in the same big closet backstage.
Hell, I'm using Minoxidil twice a day just to keep it on my head.
Where were you last night? I was on stage doing shows from 8:00 to 1:00.
There are over 100 women who witnessed it.
His alibi is as hard as his abs.
Did you talk to his girlfriend? What girlfriend? Some rich cougar who was obsessed with him.
It was obvious Derek was using her for the money, but I guess he got fed up with her and kicked her to the curb.
How do you know that? She always sent expensive bouquets to his dressing room.
And then last week, for the first time in months, no flowers.
Yo, what's up? You ran out of singles? Hey, Hans was right.
We found a flower shop that confirmed weekly deliveries for the past four months.
I knew if we beat on Mannschaft, something would pop.
Who were they sent to? They were charged to an Amex belonging to Rebecca Dalton, 48.
She lives at 63rd and Madison.
Yo, check this out.
Fortune 500 lists Rebecca Dalton's husband as having a publishing empire in 2005.
Says here that Rebecca used to be a runway model.
She's married? Juicy! Uh-uh.
Not anymore.
Her husband died a couple of years ago.
Left his entire fortune to his grieving wife.
Even more juicy.
Rebecca marries young.
Spends her 20s and 30s under the thumb of a rich, yet, domineering husband.
Well, he dies.
Leaving our aging beauty finally freed from the shackles of a loveless marriage.
One night she's out with her ex-model posse, she meets the very charming, very handsome, Derek.
Well, for the first time in years, she feels alive again.
The relationship reaches its inevitable conclusion when Derek meets someone closer to his own age.
Well, the heartache has Rebecca so distraught, that she kills Derek in a jealous rage.
If she couldn't have him, well, then, no one could.
Did you go home and watch Sunset Boulevard before your little trip to the Package Store? Thank you for your always entertaining stories, but I think we will get a lot closer to the truth if we just ask Rebecca a few questions tomorrow morning.
It's good, though, right? Yeah, I liked it.
Yeah.
It's cool.
Yeah.
Are you guys celebrating with root beer floats and nobody told me? I wish.
They narrowed the part of Sandy down to Kelly Burton and yours truly.
We're taking a little break, but I'm really nervous.
That's why we're running lines in costume.
Tomorrow it'll be second nature.
I see you've dug up your time capsule to resurrect those pants.
I will have you know, I had some of my best memories happen in these pants.
And Eww! I'm off to bed.
Big day tomorrow.
Okay, darling.
Sleep well.
Oh! Whatever happens, I am so proud of her.
She is fearless.
You know, Mother, I think you're a really good influence on Alexis.
What's with you, kiddo? Fever? Delirium? No, I'm serious.
You have always been dedicated.
And that can't have been easy.
Well, it hasn't always been days of wine and roses.
I had to take a lot of less than prestigious jobs to ply my craft.
Such as? Oh! Lord, I played an elf.
Santa's Village.
Lady Liberty.
Lady Liberty outside some low-rent tax service.
And then Oh, no.
The worst job I ever had.
I was terrible at it.
They hated me.
It just I was Absolutely the What was it? Secretary.
You'd be terrible at that.
Awful.
I'm sure many a pretty boy have walked this hall.
Doesn't take them long to realize that they're trapped in the strangling embrace of an aging spinster.
Maybe we should talk with her before you start writing the Lifetime movie.
Ooh! Quick casting idea, Ashton and Demi.
NYPD.
We're here to speak with Rebecca Dalton.
Please come in.
I'm Ms.
Dalton's attorney, Michael Grant.
I'll be sitting in on the interview.
I bumped into Derek at a fundraiser.
He later admitted that he had been hired by the host to mingle and encourage people to bid on the silent auction.
But it was too late, I already liked him.
And when you found out he was a stripper? I never found out.
He told me.
He never hid any of that from me.
It gave him the freedom to pursue his acting career.
Audition during the day.
And I respected his tenacity.
What caused the break-up? The relationship had run its course.
That sounds like something that you would say when you're lying, either to yourself, or to us.
You don't really think I had anything to do with his death? I just find it curious that right after you've split up, he's found dead.
Who broke it off? My client did.
Why? Last week he asked my client to borrow $25,000.
I've learned it's never a good idea to mix relationships with money.
Intentions get foggy.
Why did he need the money? He wouldn't say.
And to make matters worse, he seemed distant.
You thought he was cheating.
It occurred to me.
And I'm not proud of it, but I had Michael hire a private investigator.
I had to know.
When my client saw the photographs, she realized that Derek was mixed up with some disreputable people.
And what made you think it was a bad element? Because Derek didn't hang out with people like that.
He was a good kid from Michigan.
If they had something to do with his murder, I'd have taken my decision back and given him the money in a heartbeat.
I'm gonna need to see those photos.
The P.
I.
took a picture of Derek talking to this woman, and then he followed her to the next location.
So Derek is outside his apartment talking to "Bombshell" McGee.
What's so dangerous about that? Wait a minute.
Ryan, can you pull up Derek's acting reel? Man.
Once was bad enough.
You give me all your money, and whatever parts you got out there in that garage, and I'll consider not putting one in your noggin.
Billy Grimm That's the same guy as the mug shot.
Billy Grimm, leader of the Visi Goths motorcycle gang.
Billy Grimm's rap sheet.
"Extortion, assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery.
" When Derek's episode of America's Most Dangerous Criminals aired, Grimm had an attempt murder warrant out.
Apparently, some guy owed him money, so he chained him to the back of his bike, and dragged him down the L.
I.
E.
Why isn't this psycho, Grimm, in jail? He was.
As a matter of fact, he was caught because of Derek's re-enactment on the show.
But the guy he chained to his bike had a change of heart, refused to testify.
So, Grimm was recently released from jail.
If this guy was such a whack job, what was Derek doing talking to one of the members of his gang? I think I can answer that.
When Grimm was arrested, a reporter asked him how he felt about being brought to justice by a TV show.
He swore vengeance against those who put him in jail, especially, and Grimm says, "That actor that made me look like a clown.
" I can tell you this about Visi Goths from my gang task force days, they're serious about their colors.
These patches they wear on their vests, they're not varsity letters.
They gotta spill blood to get them.
And some guy wearing them on national TV? So she was setting him up For murder.
Relax, Castle, he's on a chain.
NYPD.
This your old lady? This is a private establishment.
Well, then we'll try to keep this private.
Billy Grimm.
Bobby! Yo! We need to ask you a few questions about your association with Derek Brookner.
Never heard of the guy.
I make one phone call and Auto Theft Detail's down here checking VIN numbers.
They find so much as a stolen taillight, you're violating.
You remember him now? You know, I do.
Seemed like a good kid.
He's dead.
And I'm willing to bet that you had something to do with it.
Derek wore the colors and you got popped because of the show.
That's why you put a contract out on him.
Well, I might have been a little pissed off.
But the kid came with respect.
He brought a donation.
A donation.
What are you, the Salvation Army? Well, I was surprised, too.
But I guess Derek felt 25 G's might help bring down my overhead.
Do you really expect me to believe that a struggling actor had enough money to give you 25 grand out of nowhere? That's what happened.
Where did he get the money? I didn't ask to see his frigging tax return.
Ain't my business how he got the money.
He brought the cash and that was good enough.
Aren't you forgetting the part about the extortion? The part where you asked your girlfriend to deliver a message that Derek had to pay you 25 grand? You gave him a week to do it, he couldn't scrape together the money, and so you killed him.
- Babe, what is this? - I can explain.
What the hell were you doing talking to that bitch? Listen, when you got out of jail, I got nervous you were gonna do something stupid.
So, I went to talk to the kid, told him if he didn't want any trouble, he'd bring you a pre-emptive donation.
So, you warned him? That's why he showed up here? I couldn't stand the thought of losing you again.
The only way you're going back to jail is over my dead body.
Pookiebear, that is the most romantic thing I've ever heard, baby.
Hey, Billy's alibi checked out.
Bartender confirmed that he was shooting pool till close.
And we talked to our C.
I.
and there's no word of our victim hitting up any of the usual loan sharks.
You know what I want to know is how a stripper comes up with that kind of cash in such a hurry.
Cash-N-Gold.
Castle, you watch way too many infomercials.
We also checked his account at JLP Bank Corp.
He never carried an account balance of more than a couple thousand dollars.
Wait a minute.
If Derek had an account with JLP Bank Corp, why was there a deposit slip from Rampart Federal in his car? Let's run down withdrawals for 25 grand from Rampart Federal branches for the day that Derek paid Billy.
I don't know how you missed that.
Yo.
Rampart Federal on 93rd posted a transaction that size made by a Jesse Mandalay at 11:53 a.
m.
that day.
Derek had a card for Jesse Mandalay tucked inside one of his books.
I called the number, it was disconnected.
It's possible that Mandalay was the one that loaned Derek the money.
Maybe Derek thought he was on a flexible payment plan.
Needed more time and Mandalay killed him for it.
Well, the bank is sending over the surveillance footage of Mandalay, right now.
Here we go.
There's Mandalay taking the cash.
Yeah, by the looks of that suit, the loan business must be pretty lucrative.
Okay.
Let's see this guy's face.
Wait, wait, wait! That's not Jesse Mandalay.
That's Derek with gray hair.
Jesse Mandalay is Derek.
The branch manager said that Derek withdrew money from an account called Sunfire Limited.
And his alter-ego, Jesse Mandalay? Was the signatory, but the rest is a mystery.
Sunfire is linked to an offshore account, and the only person that they can trace it to is Mandalay.
A money trail that leads back to a man who doesn't exist.
Derek was dyeing his hair gray, wearing fancy suits to look more distinguished.
And he was reading books on finance and investment, so that he could play the role of Jesse Mandalay for someone.
But why hire a struggling actor to play a businessman? I did some research on Chinese companies that would sometimes hire a white man to pose as an executive at ribbon-cutting ceremonies, shareholder meetings.
Just to instill confidence in investors.
Likewise, college students seeking venture capital, will sometimes hire an older-looking shill.
You know, someone who looks more distinguished to help them secure money.
So, if Derek was hired to be the face of the company, then whoever hired him was the person behind the bank account.
Let's see if we can track down any checks that were deposited into Sunfire Limited recently.
If we can trace the money, maybe we can figure out if Jesse Mandalay was a role to die for.
Yeah, that's Mandalay.
100%.
Why? Miss Lombardo, we need to know about the $ 10,000 check that you wrote him a couple days ago.
Sure.
Best money I ever spent.
What was the money for? An exciting investment opportunity.
My girlfriend Sammi heard from her boyfriend Ronni, who heard from his cousin Pauly about Mr.
Mandalay's presentation.
And what was the sales pitch? The beautiful Braverman Lofts in idyllic riverfront Hoboken.
And Mandalay was there himself? He gave us the awesome news that if we put down the $ 10,000 that day, we could purchase a loft for $400,000.
A riverfront loft? I know.
Amazing, right? Uh, amazing is one word for it.
Yeah.
Yeah, you have to be like a freaking bonehead to pass up on a deal like that.
Did anyone else at the presentation hand over a check to Mandalay that day? Everyone.
My dad was pretty butt sore that I took the money out of my college fund, but when I explained that it would fold into the purchase price, he recognized that business smarts runs in our family.
Let me guess, the contract is in the mail, right? Yeah, this is it, the Braverman Lofts.
And that must be the showroom.
Whoa! Four hundred thousand for one of these? I'll take two.
Castle, let's go.
Excuse me.
Can I help you? NYPD.
Who's in charge here? I am.
I'm a developer, Bert Kramer.
We're here about Jesse Mandalay.
Do you know him? Unfortunately.
And if I ever see that guy again, I'm gonna bust him in the jaw for all the crap he put me through.
Let me guess, he took advantage of you.
Damn right.
He tried to sell my frigging property like it was his.
Showed up here, claiming to be a real estate agent.
He had this rap about all these properties he's sold.
And you gave him access to the building? Well, he wanted to bring a caravan of clients through, and he insisted it be on a Sunday, so, I gave him the lockbox codes.
How did you find out he wasn't legit? Ever since that day, I got people showing up saying they got the Mandalay deal, and threatening to sue.
Well, we have reason to believe that Mandalay was working with a partner.
Did anyone else contact you? Uh, no.
And when the tents folded up, it was radio silence.
But I did call some of the other developers, and sure enough, this Mandalay guy brought caravans to their properties.
Now they're dealing with the same mess.
Do you have any brochures? I'm looking for a place.
Mine blew up.
Ten grand a pop, all over Jersey.
That adds up quick.
I don't understand why Derek was still working as a stripper the night that he was killed, if he was involved in a scam that was raking in that much money.
Because he wasn't the one raking in all the dough.
He was just the actor, hired for his looks and his personality, to charm the investors.
So all along, Derek sees his partner taking the money to the bank.
And when he gets in trouble with the bikers, and suddenly, he needs cash He raids the bank account for the 25 grand that he needs, and his partner figures it out.
Which leads to a heated confrontation where he admits to borrowing the money, but But he says he's pulling out of the scam.
Beckett.
Got it.
Thanks.
Ryan and Esposito did a little bit of digging, and they found the real owner of the Sunfire account that Derek used to withdraw the money.
The articles of incorporation were signed by our very own, orchid-loving widow, Rebecca Dalton.
Shut the front door! Beckett, you sure about this? Sir, it's all right here in black and white.
We tracked the money from the real estate scam to this offshore account in the Cayman Islands.
So Derek decides he's done playing the Mandalay role, and because he knows too much, the only option is to kill him.
Hey.
You were right.
I was able to confirm Rebecca Dalton's whereabouts.
Get a warrant to search for the murder weapon.
As someone who's written just about every ending in the book, can I just say Amazing.
You can say that after we get the confession.
Ms.
Dalton, we did a thorough search of your finances.
You've lost quite a lot of money since your husband passed away.
My client doesn't need to defend her spending habits.
She does if it's relevant to my case.
What does my money have to do with Derek's death? Everything, actually.
Let's see, there's a clothing line that never took off.
A failed jewelry business.
I mean, should I go on? That doesn't make me a murderer.
Well, it was only a matter of time until all the money was gone.
Derek was handsome.
He was charming.
You knew he was a decent actor.
It made him the perfect guy to present investors with an opportunity they couldn't refuse.
This is wildly speculative and your allegations are baseless.
Derek took 25 grand from an account that initially led us in circles.
The Sunfire account.
Well, this isn't possible.
I didn't even sign this.
Rebecca, I'm advising you, don't say another word.
Wait a minute.
September 29th, I wasn't even in the country.
We know.
The date it was signed Smack-dab in the middle of Paris Fashion Week.
I knew that any former model worth her salt would've been there.
And, of course, after checking flight records, you were in Paris.
Yes.
And while you were drinking champagne, your lawyer was using his access to your information to create a scam in your name.
He was also stealing from you, funneling the money into his offshore account.
That's why your businesses failed.
He offered Derek a job behind your back to play Jesse Mandalay.
The money was decent, but when the bikers came after Derek, he needed more.
Oh, my God, Michael.
What did you do? When you found out that Derek made an unauthorized withdrawal, you confronted him.
But he knew that you couldn't go to the cops.
So, he told you that he wanted out.
You couldn't afford him exposing your fraud.
So you followed him from his apartment and then killed him that night.
I'm not saying another word.
Do you want a lawyer? Or do you want to hire an actor to play one for you? So, what happened with your struggling actor case? Well, they found the murder weapon at the lawyer's office.
He confessed in an effort to cut a deal.
Oh, God.
That's so sad.
Poor kid was just trying to catch a break and he kept stepping in the dog poo.
You should stitch that onto a pillow.
Oh! Hey, sweetie.
Do we have a Sandra Dee in our midst? I didn't get the part.
Oh.
Oh.
Oh.
Oh.
Oh.
Oh.
Honey.
This is the best thing that has ever happened to you.
Rejection is the bedrock of a great acting career.
Until an actor has suffered, he hasn't really lived.
- Thanks, Gram.
- You're welcome.
And besides, auditions are like men.
There's another one right around the corner.
Where are you going? We need ice cream to ease the pain.
Stat! I'm going to the corner store.
I'm sorry, sweetie.
Can I admit something? Always.
Going up against Kelly made me realize I didn't really want the part.
I could see how hungry she was, and I didn't want to disappoint Gram, but I don't love it the way she does.
Well, maybe it's not "in your bones," as Gram would say.
I am proud of you for trying.
Thanks, Dad.
And there's a silver lining.
After the announcement, the drama teacher offered me stage manager.
It's way more my style and I get to keep all my after-school clubs.
My little overachiever.
Well, congratulations on not getting the part.
Mmm! Smells good.
Come and help me.
Wash up.
Let me take your coat.
You can chop these up
I'm the kind that pays better.
Who am I? I'm Rick Castle.
Castle.
Castle.
I really am ruggedly handsome, aren't I? Every writer needs inspiration and I found mine.
I'm Detective Kate Beckett.
Beckett.
Beckett? Could you get some backup, please? And thanks to my friendship with the mayor, I get to be on her case.
Do I look like a killer to you? Yes, you kill my patience.
And together we catch killers.
I hate this case.
I know.
Isn't it great? NYPD.
Open up.
I have an arrest warrant for Jamie Ruiz.
NYPD.
- Ho! Ha! Muh-mum-mum-ma! - Ho! Ha! Muh-mum-mum-ma! - Ho! Ha! Muh-mum-mum-ma! - Ho! Ha! Muh-mum-mum-ma! - Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! - Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Whoo! I had a dream.
I was floating on a lily pad and the Swedish Bikini Team was reciting positive reviews for Naked Heat.
- Oh.
That must have been lovely.
- Yeah.
Why are you telling us this? Well, because of you my Swedish paradise turned into a wailing cat shelter.
We're doing voice exercises to strengthen abdominal breathing.
At 5:00 a.
m? Preparation is the foundation of an inspired audition.
Ha-ha! I mentioned to Gram last night that I was thinking about trying out for Grease at my school.
Oh! The old "Gram goes overboard because acting is in your bones" routine.
Apparently.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Rookie move, telling her about the audition.
I wasn't sure I'd have time with all my other clubs, so I thought it might be fun.
I didn't know she'd wake me up when it was still dark outside.
An actor learns to make sacrifices for his craft.
Besides, we'll all have plenty of time to sleep when we're dead.
Oh! Speaking of dead Castle.
No, don't be silly.
Of course I was up.
What's the big hurry? The victim's not going anywhere, right? This one's different.
Lanie.
Heard we got an officer down.
Yeah, that's the word.
Who is it? Don't know, but a cab driver called 9-1-1 after he parked and stopped for a smoke.
Let's see.
Single gunshot wound to the chest, and our guy isn't wearing his Kevlar.
Mind if I step in there for a sec? He's from the 116th in Queens.
This is an old-style badge, though.
Maybe he's old school.
Didn't want to give up the badge he built his career on.
Castle, he's mid-20s.
You ever heard of a brilliant doctor named Doogie Howser? It's fake.
That's tequila.
It's cheap tequila.
And he needed a refill.
So, a squirt gun and an old badge.
Clearly, he's not a cop.
Maybe he was impersonating one to prey on vulnerable women.
Armed with a tequila pistol? Actually, I think women were preying on him.
Tear-away pants.
He's a stripper.
Not finding any ID, but he does have a car.
Of all the cases in this city, and it's a big city, you catch a male stripper.
Yeah, well, luck of the draw, I guess.
Yeah, I'm just saying.
Shotgun.
Castle, you're the only one here.
Yes.
Ugh! This place reminds me of my first dorm room.
Victim's name is Derek Brookner.
He's 27.
Hey, he wrote an address on the back of this deposit slip.
"423 West 59th.
4B.
" That's right around the corner.
And his body was found halfway between that location and this car.
What do you want to bet that's where he was coming from? NYPD.
Open up! Still sleeping, go away.
Excuse me.
Sorry.
- Wow.
- Oh! Wow.
Wow.
Wow.
That They Whoa.
They make cakes in that shape? Another stripper? Whoo! Take it off! Whoo! - Take it off! - Mmm-mmm! Take it Ladies, I am not a stripper, though I can understand how you'd make that mistake.
NYPD.
The one's with the real guns.
We're here to investigate the murder of Derek Brookner.
We believe he was your entertainment for last night's soiree.
Oh, my God.
Officer McNaughty? I need to know the exact time that he arrived and left yesterday.
It was dark.
And his dance was long.
That's not all that was long.
Oh! All right, let's pack it up.
I think the trip down to the station will jog everyone's memories.
Can we stop and get brunch on the way? Miss Lieberman, do you remember anything about last night? Derek was still wearing his costume when he was killed last night and he never made it to his car, which makes your party the last place that he was seen alive.
Well, he seemed fine when he left, right? I mean Oh, thank you.
Were there any problems at the party? Any jealous husbands or boyfriends that showed up? No, it was just the girls.
Who arranged the gig? I did.
Jamie's always had a thing for cops.
It might interest you to know I'm an Assistant Volunteer Homicide Detective myself.
How did you set it up? The same way you'd order a pizza.
I called this place that I found online, Mucho Men, and gave my credit card.
to send my best friend off in style.
Did he mention where he was going after that? We were all wasted by the time he showed up.
He could have told me his life story and I wouldn't remember.
Bachelorette party, male stripper, loads of alcohol One of you had to be taking pictures.
Well, here is the last one.
I figured Jamie could refer back to these when she's old and bored of her marriage.
Oh! Tequila shots.
They're treating him like a piece of meat.
It's okay.
It's what he's paid for.
He had fun, too.
Wait, wait, wait, stop on that one.
It's a good thing you took Can you enhance the background? Over there, behind the group.
Who is that woman? Oh, that's Camille.
She's a friend of Jamie's from high school.
It looks as though she and Derek know each other.
She never mentioned anything.
Can you enhance her face? She wasn't at the apartment this morning.
Where is she? She left right after Officer McNaughty.
Turns out Camille Roberts has a record.
Five years ago an ex-boyfriend filed a restraining order against her after she threw all of his stuff out the window.
As a man who's dated several rabbit boilers, I can safely say, been there.
Yeah, but a restraining order doesn't mean that she's our killer.
Yeah, except that her ex-boyfriend happens to be our vic.
Picked up Camille Roberts at a cafe where she waitresses.
She's in interrogation room one.
What did we find from Derek's apartment? Mostly just old movie posters and a bunch of Donald Trump books about finance.
Maybe Derek dreams about being an entrepreneur, or maybe he's just a fan of Celebrity Apprentice.
Anything else? There was a day planner with nothing in it, but a business card for a guy named Jesse Mandalay.
All right, run it.
I'll talk to Camille.
This is like a bad dream.
I can't believe he's dead.
Why did you leave the party right after Derek did? I needed to get out of there.
And where did you go? Home.
I just wanted to be alone.
You didn't see him afterwards? I turned the corner, he was gone.
Wait, you don't think I had something to do with this? Camille, he had a restraining order against you.
That was years ago.
It was just a big misunderstanding.
Look, Derek broke my heart, but then I got over it.
This doesn't look like the face of a person who got over it.
When he walked into the party and started ripping his clothes off, it upset me, but I didn't kill him.
Okay, why don't we just go over the facts? You had a volatile relationship with him.
You left the party the same time that Derek left and then he turned up dead.
So why don't you just tell me what was really going on.
Nothing.
I just couldn't believe he was stripping.
And why was that a shock to you? We met in acting class.
He was the one everyone thought was gonna hit it big.
When I confronted him about giving up on his dream, he said he was stripping because he was so desperate for money.
Did he tell you why? He had some other recurring gig, but he said he had to quit 'cause it was gonna kill him.
My instinct says it's not her.
Mine, too, but have CSU check the clothes she was wearing for gunshot residue.
All right.
Any luck tracking down the gig that he was telling Camille about? Derek has a low-rent theatrical agent, who says he hasn't booked anything in over a year.
He just e-mailed Derek's acting reel.
Here's a taste of his illustrious career.
Hey there, I'm just stopping a few couples to see if they've ever heard of a product called ProLong.
Are you kidding? We just started using ProLong.
And now, things are really looking up.
ProLong, now available without a prescription.
He also did serious work.
You give me all your money, and whatever parts you got out there in that garage, and I'll consider not putting one in your noggin.
Billy Grimm is the leader of the Visi Goths motorcycle gang.
If you, or anyone, has any information on this dangerous criminal, please contact your local authority.
Damn, I can see why the guy had to strip to pay his bills.
I guess it's safe to say that the gig that he was telling Camille about had nothing to do with his acting pursuits.
So, you guys head off to Mucho Men, that's the place that booked him for the bachelorette party, see if he had any regular stripping gigs or troubles there.
Beckett.
He's not that handsome.
You want my opinion, little steep.
As the person in this room that's seen everything under the sheet, bargain.
What else did you find? Take a look.
A hair? Your vic has hair that's been recently dyed gray.
Looks like a temporary hair dye that hasn't completely washed out yet.
Most men color their hair to cover the gray.
Some women want Officer McNaughty, and some want an older guy who knows mutual funds.
You know, daddy issues.
It's more likely he was coloring it for an audition.
Speaking of hair, this is the more important hair that I found on your vic's clothing.
That could belong to our killer.
Long, blonde hair.
This could have come from one of the women at the bachelorette party.
That's what I thought, until I had it tested.
Came back positive for testosterone and anabolic steroids.
Your blondie is a man.
Listen, Stu, you want my guys oiled up in Euro booty shorts for the Montage pool deck launch, you're gonna need to meet me halfway here, buddy.
Hey, be my guest.
Shop around.
It's a fair rate.
Listen, I gotta go.
I got guys here.
My apologies.
Promoters are always a pain in my ass.
Lloyd Saunders? I'm already up to my ears in A-Rods.
But your friend here, I got women requesting that skinny Twilight dude like crazy.
They're one size fits all, but we can pad if need be.
Bathroom's down the hall if you're shy.
Hey, NYPD.
We have some questions about Derek Brookner.
My mistake.
We're doing open auditions today.
I can assure you, this would fit.
That's what they all say.
What about Derek? He was murdered.
Wow.
Derek was one of my best guys.
We think he took a job that might have got him into trouble.
What kind of work did you book for him in the last month? He did the occasional "handsome guest" at rich people parties.
Other than that, it was all bachelorette or rowdy birthday party stuff.
What about any male parties? No, Derek was a women-only guy.
He had contact with a blonde-haired man who was on steroids the night he was killed.
Any idea who that might be? Could've been someone at his other job.
- What other job? - In addition to the private gigs, he also danced at a club called the Package Store a couple nights a week.
Most of those guys are juicing.
Anyone he didn't get along with? People think women are catty, but from what Derek said, those guys would make Showgirls look like an after-school special.
Thanks for your time.
Hey, if you change your mind, I'll provide fangs and some hair gel.
You like my sexy abs? Come see me at the Package Store.
All of them are buff enough to be juicing, but none of them have long hair.
Certainly not long, blonde hair.
Maybe these are old photos.
It's possible they change their style based on the latest trend.
The booking agent mentioned the Twilight look is big right now.
Maybe the Fabio look is making a comeback.
Well, there's one surefire way to find out.
Oh, Castle.
I can't believe you got dressed up for this.
Tell me again why Ryan and Esposito couldn't come with you? We all agreed as Volunteer Assistant Homicide Detective, you could really sink your teeth into this avenue of investigation.
And they called "not it.
" You know, ever since I've been following you I've been dreaming of the day you'd say, "Let's go to the strip club and get this dirt bag.
" Just never imagined it would feel like this.
Let me know if you need any singles.
It's sad, really.
Guy comes to town, looking for his big break.
Dreams of making it in the Apple.
What does he get for his trouble? The city chews him up and spits him out.
Doesn't seem right, man.
Damn right, it doesn't seem right.
You know, all I think he wanted was a little respect.
It's all about respect, bro.
Just trying to make ends meet and he ends up face down in a stairwell, wearing a G-string.
All right, here you go.
What the hell are you doing? Up to his ears in A-Rods? I got an A-Rod for that son of a bitch.
Three years varsity ball, two years Special Forces triathlon and NYPD police calendar 2007.
What? It was a group photo.
I got letters.
Yeah, three.
Two of them from your mom.
One of them was from my mom.
Sure.
Twilight, my ass.
Castle? Hey, honey, you found me.
I was just telling Denise, here, about you.
This is my girlfriend, whose idea it was to come here tonight.
She's very adventurous, you have no idea.
There's Thank God you found me.
Oh, my God, these women are like piranha.
So, listen, I just talked to one of the bartenders who confirms the booking agent's story that Derek was having troubles with one of the other dancers.
Apparently, some guy named Hans was upset that Derek was getting the headliner shift.
That gives us evidence and motive.
Let's go backstage and grab us some Hans.
No need to, honey.
He's in the next act.
Firemen.
Really? It's not a little clichéd? Oh, God.
Haven't these guys read the memo about the correlation between sun-tanning and skin cancer? Can't you just relax, Castle? I'm trying to figure out which one is Hans.
Yeah.
NYPD.
Please come off the stage.
Uh-huh.
No, no.
Not you, just Hans.
Guys, knock it off, okay? I'm a cop, a real cop.
Look, it's not funny.
Now cool it.
Too much? Derek was a little bitch.
Do you know how many hours he spent rehearsing our Privates of the Caribbean routine? Zero.
He was all artsy-fartsy with his acting auditions this and play rehearsals that.
Hans Von Mannschaft is the one doing the real work out there every night.
Hans Von Mannschaft? That's a hell of a stage name.
I'll have you know I come from a long line of proud Von Mannschafts.
And have any of them served time for murder? Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Murder? Careful, Hans.
Your New Jersey is starting to show.
This place is about fantasy.
Women come here to escape.
It's just part of the act.
Does that include getting rid of the competition? Derek was found shot and killed last night and we found one of your hairs on his clothes.
You just admitted that the two of you were rivals.
Rivals? Lady, I spend my days with women shoving bills down my shorts.
Do you really think I'll kill somebody over that? That doesn't change the fact we can place you at scene of the crime.
Because of my hair? All that proves is that we keep our costumes in the same big closet backstage.
Hell, I'm using Minoxidil twice a day just to keep it on my head.
Where were you last night? I was on stage doing shows from 8:00 to 1:00.
There are over 100 women who witnessed it.
His alibi is as hard as his abs.
Did you talk to his girlfriend? What girlfriend? Some rich cougar who was obsessed with him.
It was obvious Derek was using her for the money, but I guess he got fed up with her and kicked her to the curb.
How do you know that? She always sent expensive bouquets to his dressing room.
And then last week, for the first time in months, no flowers.
Yo, what's up? You ran out of singles? Hey, Hans was right.
We found a flower shop that confirmed weekly deliveries for the past four months.
I knew if we beat on Mannschaft, something would pop.
Who were they sent to? They were charged to an Amex belonging to Rebecca Dalton, 48.
She lives at 63rd and Madison.
Yo, check this out.
Fortune 500 lists Rebecca Dalton's husband as having a publishing empire in 2005.
Says here that Rebecca used to be a runway model.
She's married? Juicy! Uh-uh.
Not anymore.
Her husband died a couple of years ago.
Left his entire fortune to his grieving wife.
Even more juicy.
Rebecca marries young.
Spends her 20s and 30s under the thumb of a rich, yet, domineering husband.
Well, he dies.
Leaving our aging beauty finally freed from the shackles of a loveless marriage.
One night she's out with her ex-model posse, she meets the very charming, very handsome, Derek.
Well, for the first time in years, she feels alive again.
The relationship reaches its inevitable conclusion when Derek meets someone closer to his own age.
Well, the heartache has Rebecca so distraught, that she kills Derek in a jealous rage.
If she couldn't have him, well, then, no one could.
Did you go home and watch Sunset Boulevard before your little trip to the Package Store? Thank you for your always entertaining stories, but I think we will get a lot closer to the truth if we just ask Rebecca a few questions tomorrow morning.
It's good, though, right? Yeah, I liked it.
Yeah.
It's cool.
Yeah.
Are you guys celebrating with root beer floats and nobody told me? I wish.
They narrowed the part of Sandy down to Kelly Burton and yours truly.
We're taking a little break, but I'm really nervous.
That's why we're running lines in costume.
Tomorrow it'll be second nature.
I see you've dug up your time capsule to resurrect those pants.
I will have you know, I had some of my best memories happen in these pants.
And Eww! I'm off to bed.
Big day tomorrow.
Okay, darling.
Sleep well.
Oh! Whatever happens, I am so proud of her.
She is fearless.
You know, Mother, I think you're a really good influence on Alexis.
What's with you, kiddo? Fever? Delirium? No, I'm serious.
You have always been dedicated.
And that can't have been easy.
Well, it hasn't always been days of wine and roses.
I had to take a lot of less than prestigious jobs to ply my craft.
Such as? Oh! Lord, I played an elf.
Santa's Village.
Lady Liberty.
Lady Liberty outside some low-rent tax service.
And then Oh, no.
The worst job I ever had.
I was terrible at it.
They hated me.
It just I was Absolutely the What was it? Secretary.
You'd be terrible at that.
Awful.
I'm sure many a pretty boy have walked this hall.
Doesn't take them long to realize that they're trapped in the strangling embrace of an aging spinster.
Maybe we should talk with her before you start writing the Lifetime movie.
Ooh! Quick casting idea, Ashton and Demi.
NYPD.
We're here to speak with Rebecca Dalton.
Please come in.
I'm Ms.
Dalton's attorney, Michael Grant.
I'll be sitting in on the interview.
I bumped into Derek at a fundraiser.
He later admitted that he had been hired by the host to mingle and encourage people to bid on the silent auction.
But it was too late, I already liked him.
And when you found out he was a stripper? I never found out.
He told me.
He never hid any of that from me.
It gave him the freedom to pursue his acting career.
Audition during the day.
And I respected his tenacity.
What caused the break-up? The relationship had run its course.
That sounds like something that you would say when you're lying, either to yourself, or to us.
You don't really think I had anything to do with his death? I just find it curious that right after you've split up, he's found dead.
Who broke it off? My client did.
Why? Last week he asked my client to borrow $25,000.
I've learned it's never a good idea to mix relationships with money.
Intentions get foggy.
Why did he need the money? He wouldn't say.
And to make matters worse, he seemed distant.
You thought he was cheating.
It occurred to me.
And I'm not proud of it, but I had Michael hire a private investigator.
I had to know.
When my client saw the photographs, she realized that Derek was mixed up with some disreputable people.
And what made you think it was a bad element? Because Derek didn't hang out with people like that.
He was a good kid from Michigan.
If they had something to do with his murder, I'd have taken my decision back and given him the money in a heartbeat.
I'm gonna need to see those photos.
The P.
I.
took a picture of Derek talking to this woman, and then he followed her to the next location.
So Derek is outside his apartment talking to "Bombshell" McGee.
What's so dangerous about that? Wait a minute.
Ryan, can you pull up Derek's acting reel? Man.
Once was bad enough.
You give me all your money, and whatever parts you got out there in that garage, and I'll consider not putting one in your noggin.
Billy Grimm That's the same guy as the mug shot.
Billy Grimm, leader of the Visi Goths motorcycle gang.
Billy Grimm's rap sheet.
"Extortion, assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery.
" When Derek's episode of America's Most Dangerous Criminals aired, Grimm had an attempt murder warrant out.
Apparently, some guy owed him money, so he chained him to the back of his bike, and dragged him down the L.
I.
E.
Why isn't this psycho, Grimm, in jail? He was.
As a matter of fact, he was caught because of Derek's re-enactment on the show.
But the guy he chained to his bike had a change of heart, refused to testify.
So, Grimm was recently released from jail.
If this guy was such a whack job, what was Derek doing talking to one of the members of his gang? I think I can answer that.
When Grimm was arrested, a reporter asked him how he felt about being brought to justice by a TV show.
He swore vengeance against those who put him in jail, especially, and Grimm says, "That actor that made me look like a clown.
" I can tell you this about Visi Goths from my gang task force days, they're serious about their colors.
These patches they wear on their vests, they're not varsity letters.
They gotta spill blood to get them.
And some guy wearing them on national TV? So she was setting him up For murder.
Relax, Castle, he's on a chain.
NYPD.
This your old lady? This is a private establishment.
Well, then we'll try to keep this private.
Billy Grimm.
Bobby! Yo! We need to ask you a few questions about your association with Derek Brookner.
Never heard of the guy.
I make one phone call and Auto Theft Detail's down here checking VIN numbers.
They find so much as a stolen taillight, you're violating.
You remember him now? You know, I do.
Seemed like a good kid.
He's dead.
And I'm willing to bet that you had something to do with it.
Derek wore the colors and you got popped because of the show.
That's why you put a contract out on him.
Well, I might have been a little pissed off.
But the kid came with respect.
He brought a donation.
A donation.
What are you, the Salvation Army? Well, I was surprised, too.
But I guess Derek felt 25 G's might help bring down my overhead.
Do you really expect me to believe that a struggling actor had enough money to give you 25 grand out of nowhere? That's what happened.
Where did he get the money? I didn't ask to see his frigging tax return.
Ain't my business how he got the money.
He brought the cash and that was good enough.
Aren't you forgetting the part about the extortion? The part where you asked your girlfriend to deliver a message that Derek had to pay you 25 grand? You gave him a week to do it, he couldn't scrape together the money, and so you killed him.
- Babe, what is this? - I can explain.
What the hell were you doing talking to that bitch? Listen, when you got out of jail, I got nervous you were gonna do something stupid.
So, I went to talk to the kid, told him if he didn't want any trouble, he'd bring you a pre-emptive donation.
So, you warned him? That's why he showed up here? I couldn't stand the thought of losing you again.
The only way you're going back to jail is over my dead body.
Pookiebear, that is the most romantic thing I've ever heard, baby.
Hey, Billy's alibi checked out.
Bartender confirmed that he was shooting pool till close.
And we talked to our C.
I.
and there's no word of our victim hitting up any of the usual loan sharks.
You know what I want to know is how a stripper comes up with that kind of cash in such a hurry.
Cash-N-Gold.
Castle, you watch way too many infomercials.
We also checked his account at JLP Bank Corp.
He never carried an account balance of more than a couple thousand dollars.
Wait a minute.
If Derek had an account with JLP Bank Corp, why was there a deposit slip from Rampart Federal in his car? Let's run down withdrawals for 25 grand from Rampart Federal branches for the day that Derek paid Billy.
I don't know how you missed that.
Yo.
Rampart Federal on 93rd posted a transaction that size made by a Jesse Mandalay at 11:53 a.
m.
that day.
Derek had a card for Jesse Mandalay tucked inside one of his books.
I called the number, it was disconnected.
It's possible that Mandalay was the one that loaned Derek the money.
Maybe Derek thought he was on a flexible payment plan.
Needed more time and Mandalay killed him for it.
Well, the bank is sending over the surveillance footage of Mandalay, right now.
Here we go.
There's Mandalay taking the cash.
Yeah, by the looks of that suit, the loan business must be pretty lucrative.
Okay.
Let's see this guy's face.
Wait, wait, wait! That's not Jesse Mandalay.
That's Derek with gray hair.
Jesse Mandalay is Derek.
The branch manager said that Derek withdrew money from an account called Sunfire Limited.
And his alter-ego, Jesse Mandalay? Was the signatory, but the rest is a mystery.
Sunfire is linked to an offshore account, and the only person that they can trace it to is Mandalay.
A money trail that leads back to a man who doesn't exist.
Derek was dyeing his hair gray, wearing fancy suits to look more distinguished.
And he was reading books on finance and investment, so that he could play the role of Jesse Mandalay for someone.
But why hire a struggling actor to play a businessman? I did some research on Chinese companies that would sometimes hire a white man to pose as an executive at ribbon-cutting ceremonies, shareholder meetings.
Just to instill confidence in investors.
Likewise, college students seeking venture capital, will sometimes hire an older-looking shill.
You know, someone who looks more distinguished to help them secure money.
So, if Derek was hired to be the face of the company, then whoever hired him was the person behind the bank account.
Let's see if we can track down any checks that were deposited into Sunfire Limited recently.
If we can trace the money, maybe we can figure out if Jesse Mandalay was a role to die for.
Yeah, that's Mandalay.
100%.
Why? Miss Lombardo, we need to know about the $ 10,000 check that you wrote him a couple days ago.
Sure.
Best money I ever spent.
What was the money for? An exciting investment opportunity.
My girlfriend Sammi heard from her boyfriend Ronni, who heard from his cousin Pauly about Mr.
Mandalay's presentation.
And what was the sales pitch? The beautiful Braverman Lofts in idyllic riverfront Hoboken.
And Mandalay was there himself? He gave us the awesome news that if we put down the $ 10,000 that day, we could purchase a loft for $400,000.
A riverfront loft? I know.
Amazing, right? Uh, amazing is one word for it.
Yeah.
Yeah, you have to be like a freaking bonehead to pass up on a deal like that.
Did anyone else at the presentation hand over a check to Mandalay that day? Everyone.
My dad was pretty butt sore that I took the money out of my college fund, but when I explained that it would fold into the purchase price, he recognized that business smarts runs in our family.
Let me guess, the contract is in the mail, right? Yeah, this is it, the Braverman Lofts.
And that must be the showroom.
Whoa! Four hundred thousand for one of these? I'll take two.
Castle, let's go.
Excuse me.
Can I help you? NYPD.
Who's in charge here? I am.
I'm a developer, Bert Kramer.
We're here about Jesse Mandalay.
Do you know him? Unfortunately.
And if I ever see that guy again, I'm gonna bust him in the jaw for all the crap he put me through.
Let me guess, he took advantage of you.
Damn right.
He tried to sell my frigging property like it was his.
Showed up here, claiming to be a real estate agent.
He had this rap about all these properties he's sold.
And you gave him access to the building? Well, he wanted to bring a caravan of clients through, and he insisted it be on a Sunday, so, I gave him the lockbox codes.
How did you find out he wasn't legit? Ever since that day, I got people showing up saying they got the Mandalay deal, and threatening to sue.
Well, we have reason to believe that Mandalay was working with a partner.
Did anyone else contact you? Uh, no.
And when the tents folded up, it was radio silence.
But I did call some of the other developers, and sure enough, this Mandalay guy brought caravans to their properties.
Now they're dealing with the same mess.
Do you have any brochures? I'm looking for a place.
Mine blew up.
Ten grand a pop, all over Jersey.
That adds up quick.
I don't understand why Derek was still working as a stripper the night that he was killed, if he was involved in a scam that was raking in that much money.
Because he wasn't the one raking in all the dough.
He was just the actor, hired for his looks and his personality, to charm the investors.
So all along, Derek sees his partner taking the money to the bank.
And when he gets in trouble with the bikers, and suddenly, he needs cash He raids the bank account for the 25 grand that he needs, and his partner figures it out.
Which leads to a heated confrontation where he admits to borrowing the money, but But he says he's pulling out of the scam.
Beckett.
Got it.
Thanks.
Ryan and Esposito did a little bit of digging, and they found the real owner of the Sunfire account that Derek used to withdraw the money.
The articles of incorporation were signed by our very own, orchid-loving widow, Rebecca Dalton.
Shut the front door! Beckett, you sure about this? Sir, it's all right here in black and white.
We tracked the money from the real estate scam to this offshore account in the Cayman Islands.
So Derek decides he's done playing the Mandalay role, and because he knows too much, the only option is to kill him.
Hey.
You were right.
I was able to confirm Rebecca Dalton's whereabouts.
Get a warrant to search for the murder weapon.
As someone who's written just about every ending in the book, can I just say Amazing.
You can say that after we get the confession.
Ms.
Dalton, we did a thorough search of your finances.
You've lost quite a lot of money since your husband passed away.
My client doesn't need to defend her spending habits.
She does if it's relevant to my case.
What does my money have to do with Derek's death? Everything, actually.
Let's see, there's a clothing line that never took off.
A failed jewelry business.
I mean, should I go on? That doesn't make me a murderer.
Well, it was only a matter of time until all the money was gone.
Derek was handsome.
He was charming.
You knew he was a decent actor.
It made him the perfect guy to present investors with an opportunity they couldn't refuse.
This is wildly speculative and your allegations are baseless.
Derek took 25 grand from an account that initially led us in circles.
The Sunfire account.
Well, this isn't possible.
I didn't even sign this.
Rebecca, I'm advising you, don't say another word.
Wait a minute.
September 29th, I wasn't even in the country.
We know.
The date it was signed Smack-dab in the middle of Paris Fashion Week.
I knew that any former model worth her salt would've been there.
And, of course, after checking flight records, you were in Paris.
Yes.
And while you were drinking champagne, your lawyer was using his access to your information to create a scam in your name.
He was also stealing from you, funneling the money into his offshore account.
That's why your businesses failed.
He offered Derek a job behind your back to play Jesse Mandalay.
The money was decent, but when the bikers came after Derek, he needed more.
Oh, my God, Michael.
What did you do? When you found out that Derek made an unauthorized withdrawal, you confronted him.
But he knew that you couldn't go to the cops.
So, he told you that he wanted out.
You couldn't afford him exposing your fraud.
So you followed him from his apartment and then killed him that night.
I'm not saying another word.
Do you want a lawyer? Or do you want to hire an actor to play one for you? So, what happened with your struggling actor case? Well, they found the murder weapon at the lawyer's office.
He confessed in an effort to cut a deal.
Oh, God.
That's so sad.
Poor kid was just trying to catch a break and he kept stepping in the dog poo.
You should stitch that onto a pillow.
Oh! Hey, sweetie.
Do we have a Sandra Dee in our midst? I didn't get the part.
Oh.
Oh.
Oh.
Oh.
Oh.
Oh.
Honey.
This is the best thing that has ever happened to you.
Rejection is the bedrock of a great acting career.
Until an actor has suffered, he hasn't really lived.
- Thanks, Gram.
- You're welcome.
And besides, auditions are like men.
There's another one right around the corner.
Where are you going? We need ice cream to ease the pain.
Stat! I'm going to the corner store.
I'm sorry, sweetie.
Can I admit something? Always.
Going up against Kelly made me realize I didn't really want the part.
I could see how hungry she was, and I didn't want to disappoint Gram, but I don't love it the way she does.
Well, maybe it's not "in your bones," as Gram would say.
I am proud of you for trying.
Thanks, Dad.
And there's a silver lining.
After the announcement, the drama teacher offered me stage manager.
It's way more my style and I get to keep all my after-school clubs.
My little overachiever.
Well, congratulations on not getting the part.
Mmm! Smells good.
Come and help me.
Wash up.
Let me take your coat.
You can chop these up