Castle s05e13 Episode Script
Recoil
Previously on "Castle" Whoever owns that account is the person that killed my mom.
It belonged to a guy named William H.
Bracken.
You mean Senator William Bracken? He's protected.
Untouchable.
You're just gonna end up dead.
What do you want, Ms.
Beckett? Everyone that you've ever had killed, I want the truth.
See, here's what you don't understand.
It's not who has the gun.
It's who has the power.
Do you really think that's you? That's gonna leave a nasty scar.
Every time you see it, think of me.
So what makes you so sure that Alexis isn't serious about this guy? Well, I haven't met him or approved of him yet so it can't be serious.
All suitors must be met and intimidated by me personally before they can be considered for official boyfriend status.
I would not do that.
Her body was in that barrel over there, burned, and I mean beyond recognition.
Any chance of a positive I.
D.
? Not from fingerprints.
But bone structure tells me it's a young woman, about 5'4".
So a transient? I doubt it.
There's a bullet hole in the back of her head and then there's her teeth.
Every one of them was knocked out of her mouth.
So much for dental records.
Well, someone obviously went to great lengths to make sure she disappeared.
So none of these guys saw anything.
They panhandle by day.
Don't come back here till it's dark.
The first guy who showed up said the fire was already going.
Sounds like a dump job.
All right.
We have a female.
She's 5'4".
Let's start looking through missing persons reports.
Wait.
You may not have to do that.
A titanium screw from her jaw.
Dental implant.
And there's a batch number, which could give us her name.
We traced that dental screw to Melanie Rogers, 27.
Lived in New Jersey near Rutgers University, where she was a postdoc engineer in eco-friendly design.
By all accounts, she was well-liked, respected.
No one I spoke to had any idea who could've done this to her.
What's an engineer from New Jersey doing in a barrel in lower Manhattan? I don't know, but something was going on with her.
I pulled her phone records for yesterday.
She made a half a dozen calls to the same number in a 20-minute period.
Boyfriend? Could be.
It's a 2-0-2 number, but it's listed as blocked.
Yeah.
Preliminary check shows it's a cell phone.
Which means whoever it is might be in the city.
Let's get a warrant on that phone number.
She made one other call after that, around 4:00 P.
M.
And then after that, all her phone activity went dark.
Who was the call to? It was to her half sister Julie.
I took a look.
She's her only family.
She works as a loan officer in midtown.
Bring her in.
She might be able to shed some light.
Melanie and I were never all that close.
But when our dad got sick, we, um We found each other.
Do you have any idea what your sister was doing in the city yesterday? No.
She came in from time to time.
Do you know if she was dating anyone recently? Someone from D.
C.
perhaps? Not that I knew about.
Although just two nights ago, she met me for dinner.
She mentioned meeting a friend afterwards.
Did she say who? Well, I asked, but she said she couldn't talk about it for some reason.
So when you spoke with her yesterday, did it sound like anything was wrong? I never spoke to her yesterday.
Her phone records indicate she called you about 4:00.
N-no.
I was in a meeting.
Oh, my God.
She left a message.
It's me.
Listen, I think something's going on.
Something's not right.
I'm pretty sure someone's after me.
She's in a parking structure.
You can hear two sets of footsteps.
Mm-hmm.
If anything happens, tell them X-T-3-- That's it.
She recorded her own murder.
Okay, parking structure, letters and numbers.
Sounds like she's reading off a license plate.
Of the guy that was following her.
And X-T-3, I mean, there's gonna be thousands of plates with that partial.
Can you play the end again? I thought I heard something after the phone hit the ground.
There.
Did you hear that? There's a click.
Let me see what I can do with that.
At the Standish Hotel at 11:00 P.
M.
Perhaps she was meeting her Washington friend for a secret tryst? It makes sense.
The Standish is popular with married men who value discretion.
Maybe someone at the hotel saw her with him.
I'm really not sure.
Uh, so many people come through here everyday.
Look again.
And keep in mind, this is a murder investigation.
I might have seen her a few times.
What about two nights ago? Yes.
Probably.
Was she meeting someone? I'm gonna need a name.
Look, our clients value their privacy.
You're really putting me in an awkward position here.
Oh, you think this is awkward? Wait till I get a warrant and start questioning all the people that have stayed here over the past year.
Fine.
You didn't hear it from me.
It can't be.
Melanie was having an affair with Senator Bracken.
That's it.
Esposito's confirmed it.
The number that Melanie was calling was Senator Bracken's cell phone.
Late-night phone calls, secret hotel meetings-- Bracken was having an affair with Melanie.
She must have become a liability.
Or she stumbled on to something that he was involved in and became a threat.
So he dealt with her the same way he dealt with your mother and tried to deal with you.
This is it, Castle.
This is my chance to finally make him pay.
Yeah, but we have to be cautious.
We know what happens to people who go after him.
Except this time, he doesn't know we're on to him.
We've got the advantage here.
Do we? What do you think he's gonna do when he sees you coming? How many people you think this bastard put in the ground to get here? Hey, remember, we're only here to see if he can help us locate Melanie.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Let him think he got away with it, just like he does everything else.
You know, I was really hoping the next time I saw this guy it would be down the barrel of my gun.
You're sure I can't change your mind? I could really use your help on this one, bill.
I would if I could.
You know that.
You also know how important this legislation is to me.
Senator.
Some detectives are here to see you.
Sorry to trouble you, senator.
This won't take long.
What's this about, bill? I'm not sure.
You look familiar.
Have we met? I don't think so, sir.
Is there someplace we can talk? I'd offer you both a drink, but I get the feeling this is an official call.
Well, we'd just like to ask you a few questions about someone.
Melanie Rogers.
Yeah, sure.
I know Melanie.
She's a great girl.
Is there a problem? She's--she's missing.
Since yesterday.
She's missing? That's terrible.
Whatever I can do to help.
When was the last time you saw Ms.
Rogers? Just yesterday.
We were both attending the same eco conference in the city.
Oh, so you ran into her there? No.
I'm, uh, giving the keynote address, and she was helping me with my speech.
Oh, so she works for you.
Not exactly.
She agreed to consult with me on a very important piece of legislation that I'm unveiling.
So she's a non-paid consultant? I suppose.
Why? It's just that you were seen at the Standish Hotel together two nights ago.
What are you implying? We're just trying to establish a timeline of Melanie's whereabouts.
The hell you are.
You're trying to take a professional relationship and use it against me.
Look, man.
We're not trying to jam you up-- I know where I've seen you.
You work with detective Beckett.
We just have a few more questions.
Then call my lawyer.
The guy's guilty as hell, but he has an alibi.
He was at some conference all day.
Ryan's checking it out now.
It's gonna check out.
He never does this on his own.
He always sends someone else.
Okay, okay, so now not only do we have to find this killer, but we have to connect him to Bracken.
Except we have no idea where to start looking.
We don't even have a real crime scene.
No, but we're getting closer.
The FBI performed an analysis of Melanie's voice mail.
It was a call made from a parking garage where she was abducted.
They identified the background noise as the hydraulic motor of a tc5015 tower crane.
Tower cranes are used in heavy construction.
Which means the garage is near a construction site.
And only 12 sites in the city are currently using that crane.
Hey.
So Bracken's alibi checked out.
Witnesses put him at the Goldman ecological conference all afternoon yesterday.
They also confirmed that Melanie was there, just like he said.
She was seen leaving at 3:45.
Melanie left the voice mail from the parking garage at 4:00.
Where was that conference being held? At the Widmark Hotel downtown.
The Widmark-- that's five blocks from that construction site.
Which is right next to a parking garage.
Hey, Beckett.
You need to see this.
X-t-3.
Just like in Melanie's voice mail.
Did you run the plates? Yeah.
Just came back stolen.
Reported four days ago.
All right.
You guys check inside.
Espo, pop that trunk.
I may be wrong, but that looks like a sniper rifle.
You wouldn't be wrong.
Yo.
Widmark Hotel.
That's where that conference is.
Didn't Bracken say he was giving a speech there in a couple of days? I don't think Bracken's our killer.
He isn't.
He's the target.
Based on what we found in the car, someone was planning on shooting the senator at the eco conference tomorrow night while he delivers his keynote speech.
And if our suspect is still out there, he's still a threat.
Did we get any prints off that duffel bag? Uh, not yet, sir.
C.
S.
U.
is still dusting the car, the notebook, and everything else in the bag, including the rifle.
Now we have serial numbers on the rifle, and we're looking into those.
And our victim? How did Melanie Rogers get mixed up in this? Somehow she stumbled upon his plot, and he killed her.
Oh, excuse me.
It's the mayor.
Keep me posted.
Mm-hmm.
We might have a description of our potential shooter.
Widmark security stopped someone from getting into the conference without proper credentials.
When? Two days ago.
A Caucasian, baseball cap, beard, long stringy hair, and he was carrying a large gray duffel bag, just like that one.
What time? They said it was about 3:45 P.
M.
That's when Melanie left the conference.
In her message, she said something wasn't right.
What if she saw this guy and followed him to the garage? All right.
Grab Espo and a sketch artist.
Go down, talk to security at the Widmark.
I want a picture of this guy in circulation within the hour.
Yeah.
Kate.
I was finally gonna put this guy away, Castle.
And now I'm protecting the man that murdered my mother.
Senator, we can provide you with an increased security detail.
But until we apprehend this man, I'd recommend you postpone your speech.
Is that really necessary? I mean, isn't the threat all but neutralized? But we haven't stopped him.
Look, we're talking about someone that is ruthless, methodical.
Someone that killed Melanie Rogers just to keep her from talking.
That suggests a person that is intent on seeing this through.
Yes, but you just said you could increase his security detail.
Look, this isn't just any conference.
The senator is going to unveil a far-reaching environmental initiative that is the cornerstone of his term.
We have issued dozens of press credentials-- Senator, I cannot guarantee your safety.
I'm speaking at that conference.
This keynote address puts me on the national stage.
I'm not going to run and hide just because some wacko with a notebook made a threat.
Now I suggest that you people do whatever it takes to stop this man.
Thank you.
Very well, senator.
Detective Beckett will need a moment with you.
Why? Because she's leading the investigation.
Is there some reason why you don't want to work with detective Beckett? Let's find somewhere private, shall we, detective? Well hard to miss the irony of this situation.
Senator Bracken, do you have any enemies? Is there anyone that you can think of that would like to kill you? I get threatening letters and e-mails all the time.
Comes with the office.
Mm.
My chief of staff keeps a file.
Anyone with a legitimate claim? A man doesn't get to my position without upsetting people along the way.
Most of them aren't crazy enough to want to try to kill me, present company excluded.
You know, senator I'm not the one that you should be worried about right now.
It's just us here, detective.
A shooter on the loose, me in the crosshairs must be a dream come true for you.
In my dreams, I'm the one that gets to pull the trigger.
But you know what? If you're not comfortable with me leading this investigation, you're welcome to step outside and tell everyone why.
Well, then I guess we're stuck with each other.
So then let me make one thing clear.
This man killed Melanie Rogers, and when someone commits murder, whoever he is, senator, I will bring him to justice, no matter how long it takes.
I'll have my chief of staff send over the letters.
I'll tell you something, if I'm her, I sit in there shuffling papers till whoever it is puts a bullet in Bracken's head.
No, you wouldn't, 'cause that would make you no better than he is.
The guy murdered Beckett's mother, captain Montgomery, who knows who else.
Bracken's got it coming to him, so I say, let it come.
Mayor's asking for an update.
What's the latest? The serial number on that rifle led us to a hunting store in Paterson, New Jersey.
The owner I.
D.
'ed our suspect from the sketch.
The paperwork indicates that several firearms were purchased, but the name and address are all bogus.
Okay, take a few unis to canvass the area near the store and take the sketch of our suspect.
All right.
Detective Esposito.
Any word from C.
S.
U.
? Yes, sir.
They discovered part of a receipt with a smudge on it in the duffel bag.
They're trying to get a partial print off of that.
Now there's no point of sale on the receipt, but the SKU number matched that hat.
The manufacturer's sending over a list of outlets in the tristate area, but there's over 200 locations.
Focus on the ones in Jersey first.
Maybe Beckett will have better luck with those threat letters.
Man, these people need to get a life.
Most of these guys, it seems their only companionship is the space alien that talks to them through their microwave.
Yeah, well, there's a lot of lonely and confused people out there.
But so far, none of the letters match the handwriting in our suspect's notebook.
Considering what he's capable of, you would think Bracken would have more formidable enemies.
Oh, obviously, you never saw the letter that I sent him.
No, I did, actually.
I liked the way you, uh, dotted the "i" on "kill" with a little heart.
It was a nice touch.
Well, I was trying to give it a personal feel.
Well done.
So we're really not gonna talk about this? I mean, Castle, what is there to talk about? Honestly? Practically everything.
Which is why all I can do is treat it like another case, 'cause that's what it is.
It's just like any other case.
You're tired, Castle.
Why don't you go get some rest? No, no, no, I can stay if you like.
No, come on.
Go.
I'll call you if I need anything, okay? You really are remarkable, you know that? I'm working on this case where I need to find a suspect, and I came across a piece of evidence.
It's a letter that he wrote.
And there's no address, there's no name, just a postmark from New Jersey.
And I know in my gut that this is our big break.
One way or another, it's gonna lead us straight to him.
Yet, here you are talking to me.
If we find this suspect, then someone worse, much worse, is going to escape justice.
I take it no one else knows about the letter.
No, not yet.
Well, as a police officer, you must have faced similar dilemmas.
Yeah.
Why is this time different? Because this time, it feels like there's no right choice.
Maybe the right choice is the one you can live with.
Hey, you guys seen Beckett? No.
Uh, not since last night.
We thought she was with you.
No, I tried her a couple of times this morning, but she wasn't picking up.
All right.
Thanks.
Yo.
I'm trying to get through this list of stores that sell the baseball caps.
Half of 'em aren't even open yet.
What about you? Nada.
The canvass around the gun store turned up empty.
Hey.
Hey.
You guys, where are we on the suspect? Nowhere.
And Senator Bracken speaks in less than ten hours.
You find anything in those letters? Uh, no.
Nothing significant.
You doing all right? I need a second.
You guys Yo.
There's something that I-- I just heard back from C.
S.
U.
on that receipt from the duffel bag.
They get a print off that smudge? No, but it contained traces of synthetic motor oil and brake pad residue.
Sounds like our guy's a mechanic.
So then maybe he was shopping for the rifle near work.
Where's that store again? Paterson, just off the highway.
It's a place to start.
All right, I'm gonna get you guys addresses on your way.
I'll compile a list of every service station within a 5-mile radius, and we'll expand from there.
Were you gonna say something? No.
We're past it.
Who new Paterson had so many service stations, huh? I'm pretty sure we left Paterson five shops ago.
Ugh.
Back in 20 minutes.
Well, we don't have 20 minutes to waste.
Let's move on to the next on.
We'll circle back around.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Hey, look on top of the counter.
They sell those hats here.
Open up! Police business! All right! I'm coming! Relax.
Don't break my glass.
Yeah, I see it.
What? How you doing? NYPD.
You know this guy? Maybe.
He looks like one of my mechanics.
I mean, he used to be.
I laid him off, like, three weeks ago.
Do you have any paperwork he might have filled out? Maybe a work order? I might have something back here.
Yeah, that's it right there.
Handwriting's a match.
It's our guy.
Robert McManus has a history of schizophrenia multiple stays at a psych ward, recent episodes were triggered by his son's death.
Hey.
Hey, where are we on deployment? Every beat cop in the city has his photo.
S.
W.
A.
T.
's sitting on his place in Jersey, but his neighbors say he hasn't been there in a month.
He disappears for long stretches.
We're scouring through his financials, but they are severely outdated.
The guy closed his accounts years ago.
Basically living off the grid.
Got something.
We canvassed near a diner McManus used to frequent.
An S.
R.
O.
desk clerk just I.
D.
'ed him.
He's been staying there a month.
NYPD! NYPD! Don't move! Clear! Clear! Clear.
Take the place apart.
Look for anything that might lead us to him.
We should check the rest of the building.
I'll talk to the manager for details on his routine.
NYPD.
Show me your hands.
Don't move.
Don't move or I'll shoot! Hey.
I just spoke to Ryan.
McManus is still out there, but, uh, the boys are going door to door in every building nearby.
I had him in my sights.
I had him.
So you missed.
So what? It could happen to anyone.
No.
I didn't miss.
What do you mean? I found a letter in the threats file.
It was from McManus.
How long have you known about this? Since last night.
McManus was accusing Bracken of murdering his son.
I looked into it.
He was a 24-year-old kid.
He was an intern for Bracken's reelection campaign.
He had a meeting scheduled with a reporter, and the next day they found him hanged.
And you think Bracken-- I don't know, Castle.
My God.
I almost suppressed evidence.
I was gonna burn that letter.
But you didn't.
I didn't miss McManus.
I looked him in the eye and I saw his pain.
And I couldn't take that shot.
What if I wanted him to get away, wanted him to go through with this? Then what does that make me? Is there anything new? Nothing yet on McManus, but a search of his room turned up wires, a detonator, traces of c-4.
It looks like he was building a bomb.
A bomb? Uh Did anyone find it? No.
If he built something, it's either with him or already out there waiting to go off.
Beckett, hang on.
He had a rifle, Castle.
A rifle.
Not a bomb.
If he detonates that thing tonight at the conference and innocent people get hurt-- Okay, this is not your fault.
How is it not my fault? I'm a cop.
I had a job to do and I didn't do it.
I've gotta make this right.
I've gotta find that bomb and save Bracken's life.
Looks like you just got some help.
Found him hiding on a rooftop three blocks away.
What about the bomb? Asked him about it.
Asked him about Melanie Rogers, too.
He's not much of a talker.
He hasn't said a word since we picked him up.
Take him to interrogation.
What makes you think he's gonna talk to you? 'Cause I know him.
Hi, Robert.
I'm Kate.
Why don't you take those things off? They look uncomfortable.
I know what it's like to lose someone that you love, to live with that pain to feel the rage towards the person responsible for it towards Bracken.
He took someone close to me.
He killed my mother and then he went after my friends, even tried to kill me.
Is she talking about Bracken? She's just trying to get through to him anyway you can.
The man killed my son.
No one cared.
I care.
He needs to pay.
Not with a bomb, Robert.
You and me, we're not like him.
We don't hurt innocent people.
Where's the c-4? You're trying to confuse me or trick me into saying something I shouldn't.
I'm trying to take down Bracken, same as you.
And we gotta do it in the right way.
You and me are on the same side, Robert.
You're on his side.
He controls everybody.
You're all in his pocket.
Every last one of ya! No, I'm not.
I'm just like you, Robert.
She's losing him.
You're not like me.
You're making stuff up, making up stories! If you went through what I went through, you would want to see him dead! Everything that I told you was true.
Robert, look at me.
Where is the c-4? If that thing goes off, then there's blood on our hands, and I cannot live with that and I know that you can't either.
Detective, a word.
Sir.
Detective.
Sir, I can do this.
I can reach him.
It's over, detective.
Just give me another minute.
I just got a call from the feds.
They found the bomb.
McManus rented a box at a post office.
The c-4 was there.
He'd wired it into a vest.
He also obtained credentials for the conference somehow.
Well, thank you, captain, for everything you've done.
Well, actually, detective Beckett deserves most of the credit.
She led the team.
Excuse me, senator.
Good afternoon, Mr.
Mayor.
I heard how you led the team.
You fired, what, two shots from close range and both of them missed? All this talk about justice I guess I was right about you.
Check this out.
What better way to celebrate the end of a difficult case than with a bottle of-- What are you doing? Castle, look at this vest McManus supposedly made.
The zip ties and the wires they're expertly done.
You saw McManus.
He was barely able to button his own shirt.
In his current state, no.
But he could've done this while he was still on his meds.
And what about Melanie's body? He burned it and then he knocked out her teeth to keep it unidentifiable.
And then he leaves a duffel bag in a stolen car for us to find? That doesn't make any sense.
Well, he's mentally ill.
I mean, not everything he does is going to make sense.
No, Castle.
Something is not right.
That Zippo lighter that we heard on Melanie's voice mail-- McManus doesn't smoke.
We didn't find a Zippo in any of his things.
Kate let it go.
I mean, you don't have anything to prove, not to Bracken, not to me, not to yourself.
Castle, this isn't about proving something.
This is about evidence.
Well, all the evidence-- the letter, the notebook, the bomb-- everything traces back to McManus.
What if somebody wanted us to find him? What if they're framing him so that everyone would think that the threat was over while the real assassin is still out there? The C-4 in the vest-- What if that was the bomb that we were supposed to find and there's another bomb that's still out there, planned for the keynote address? That's an event whose time and place has been known for weeks.
If a bomb went off during Bracken's speech, they could say McManus set it before he was apprehended.
Bracken's supposed to go onstage at 8:00.
That's 20 minutes away.
Look, I know that I don't have any proof.
I know that this sounds crazy-- And you know how determined Bracken was to give this speech.
If you stop it and you're wrong, your career is over.
And if I'm right? This is detective Beckett.
Badge number 4-1-3-1-9.
I'm calling for the evacuation of the Widmark Hotel.
Detective Beckett.
Castle, why don't you see if you can get an update from the bomb squad? Right.
What the hell is going on here? Who called in the bomb squad? We had a credible threat, sir.
Credible according to who? I think we should speak alone.
We believe someone that you know is trying to kill you.
What? You already have the man in custody.
We believe McManus was set up because of the threatening letter that he sent you, which means the individual involved has access to the files in your office.
And you have evidence for all of this? You don't have evidence? Look, I'm not gonna make this kind of accusation lightly.
Are you-- So you called in a bomb scare based on-- on--on what, a hunch? Beckett.
We finished our search of the primary target area, detective.
We found no explosive device.
What about the stage? Did you check the podium? We swept everything in a 50-foot radius of where the senator would be speaking.
All right, well, this is ridiculous.
Let's just get everybody back inside.
I'm sorry, senator.
We still have to conduct a thorough search of the building.
It's gonna take a few more hours, I'm afraid.
You think I don't know what you're doing? You let McManus get away so that he would take me down, and when that didn't play out, you decided to ruin the most important moment of my career.
That's not what this is a-- No, you save that for the review board.
You have overplayed your hand, and I am going to bury you.
Oh, God, Castle.
I don't understand.
How did we get this so wrong? We knew we were taking a risk.
No, there's gotta be a reason that they were framing McManus.
They had to have been planning this for tonight, here.
That's the only thing that makes sense.
Or he wasn't being framed.
Maybe they couldn't get the bomb in the building.
With the heightened security because McManus was on the loose, maybe they had to make a different plan.
Place the bomb somewhere more accessible.
Kate It's over.
Kate! Castle The driver.
Read him his rights.
His name is Noah Charles.
He was my driver for five years.
Any reason why he'd suddenly want you dead? I assume because someone paid him a great deal of money.
You don't seem shocked.
There's another world out there, Mr.
Castle, one that most people don't see, run by money, influence, power.
And the people in it will do anything they can to stay on top.
But I assume that you already know that.
I wouldn't have done it, you know, what she did.
I'd have stood and watched.
So he's not talking.
But a search of his apartment turned up a pair of gloves with traces of Melanie Rogers' blood on it.
They also found a fake beard and a baseball cap just like McManus'.
So McManus could be seen at the conference by security.
It's all part of the setup.
Melanie met Noah a bunch of times.
She probably recognized him on the day, wondered what he was doing, and followed him.
If she got on to him, he would've had no choice but to kill her.
What a shame.
She was a sweet kid.
Hey, got a sec? Yeah.
We did a little digging into that driver of yours.
Turns out you're not his only employer, senator.
We took a look into his financials.
There's a series of large deposits made into his checking account.
Let me guess.
Untraceable wire transfers bounced through shadow accounts in Switzerland and the middle east.
Just like you would've done.
Thanks, guys.
You know who's behind this, don't you? I have my suspicions.
Who? Someone who's gotten rich making powerful people promises that I needed to keep.
What does a kingmaker do when the king no longer follows orders? I need a name.
You've done enough, detective.
Senator, that person is still out there, and I have no way of getting to him.
You're not safe.
I'm touched by your concern, but I think maybe you forget who you're dealing with.
Sir, we have to leave.
You're already 30 minutes behind schedule.
Detective Beckett, would you, uh, walk me out? You saved my life.
Yeah, well, you can't win 'em all, can you? I suppose this means I'm in your debt.
Nothing's changed between us, senator.
Even so, it's a dangerous world out there, detective.
You never know when you might need a friend.
McManus' son Was that you? If I said no, would you really believe me? There he is.
Senator! Senator Bracken! Senator Bracken! Senator.
Senator! Is it true the attempt on your life was an inside job? Witnesses say they arrested your driver.
Any comment? Did it have anything to do with your environmental initiative? Look, the senator is very busy-- No, th-that's okay.
I'll--I'll make a statement.
As you all know, last night an attempt was made on my life.
And though I was not able to introduce my initiative at the eco conference, it has only strengthened my resolve to move forward with this historic piece of legislation.
And I would like to especially thank the brave men and women of the New York City police department, who thwarted this plot.
And in a shocking development, federal agents arrested Benjamin Moss, founder of the powerful Super PAC American way, after connecting him to payments made to the senator's would-be assassin.
Moss, a former president My God.
It was Ben Moss.
The biggest kingmaker of 'em all.
But Bracken only had him arrested.
The way he was talking, I half expected the guy to die in a "plane crash" or some kind of mysterious "car accident.
" No.
This is so much better.
Now Bracken's a folk hero.
The rare politician willing to stand up to special interests even if it costs him his life.
You're right.
That's a better story.
The kind of story that could make a guy president.
He'll slip up eventually,
It belonged to a guy named William H.
Bracken.
You mean Senator William Bracken? He's protected.
Untouchable.
You're just gonna end up dead.
What do you want, Ms.
Beckett? Everyone that you've ever had killed, I want the truth.
See, here's what you don't understand.
It's not who has the gun.
It's who has the power.
Do you really think that's you? That's gonna leave a nasty scar.
Every time you see it, think of me.
So what makes you so sure that Alexis isn't serious about this guy? Well, I haven't met him or approved of him yet so it can't be serious.
All suitors must be met and intimidated by me personally before they can be considered for official boyfriend status.
I would not do that.
Her body was in that barrel over there, burned, and I mean beyond recognition.
Any chance of a positive I.
D.
? Not from fingerprints.
But bone structure tells me it's a young woman, about 5'4".
So a transient? I doubt it.
There's a bullet hole in the back of her head and then there's her teeth.
Every one of them was knocked out of her mouth.
So much for dental records.
Well, someone obviously went to great lengths to make sure she disappeared.
So none of these guys saw anything.
They panhandle by day.
Don't come back here till it's dark.
The first guy who showed up said the fire was already going.
Sounds like a dump job.
All right.
We have a female.
She's 5'4".
Let's start looking through missing persons reports.
Wait.
You may not have to do that.
A titanium screw from her jaw.
Dental implant.
And there's a batch number, which could give us her name.
We traced that dental screw to Melanie Rogers, 27.
Lived in New Jersey near Rutgers University, where she was a postdoc engineer in eco-friendly design.
By all accounts, she was well-liked, respected.
No one I spoke to had any idea who could've done this to her.
What's an engineer from New Jersey doing in a barrel in lower Manhattan? I don't know, but something was going on with her.
I pulled her phone records for yesterday.
She made a half a dozen calls to the same number in a 20-minute period.
Boyfriend? Could be.
It's a 2-0-2 number, but it's listed as blocked.
Yeah.
Preliminary check shows it's a cell phone.
Which means whoever it is might be in the city.
Let's get a warrant on that phone number.
She made one other call after that, around 4:00 P.
M.
And then after that, all her phone activity went dark.
Who was the call to? It was to her half sister Julie.
I took a look.
She's her only family.
She works as a loan officer in midtown.
Bring her in.
She might be able to shed some light.
Melanie and I were never all that close.
But when our dad got sick, we, um We found each other.
Do you have any idea what your sister was doing in the city yesterday? No.
She came in from time to time.
Do you know if she was dating anyone recently? Someone from D.
C.
perhaps? Not that I knew about.
Although just two nights ago, she met me for dinner.
She mentioned meeting a friend afterwards.
Did she say who? Well, I asked, but she said she couldn't talk about it for some reason.
So when you spoke with her yesterday, did it sound like anything was wrong? I never spoke to her yesterday.
Her phone records indicate she called you about 4:00.
N-no.
I was in a meeting.
Oh, my God.
She left a message.
It's me.
Listen, I think something's going on.
Something's not right.
I'm pretty sure someone's after me.
She's in a parking structure.
You can hear two sets of footsteps.
Mm-hmm.
If anything happens, tell them X-T-3-- That's it.
She recorded her own murder.
Okay, parking structure, letters and numbers.
Sounds like she's reading off a license plate.
Of the guy that was following her.
And X-T-3, I mean, there's gonna be thousands of plates with that partial.
Can you play the end again? I thought I heard something after the phone hit the ground.
There.
Did you hear that? There's a click.
Let me see what I can do with that.
At the Standish Hotel at 11:00 P.
M.
Perhaps she was meeting her Washington friend for a secret tryst? It makes sense.
The Standish is popular with married men who value discretion.
Maybe someone at the hotel saw her with him.
I'm really not sure.
Uh, so many people come through here everyday.
Look again.
And keep in mind, this is a murder investigation.
I might have seen her a few times.
What about two nights ago? Yes.
Probably.
Was she meeting someone? I'm gonna need a name.
Look, our clients value their privacy.
You're really putting me in an awkward position here.
Oh, you think this is awkward? Wait till I get a warrant and start questioning all the people that have stayed here over the past year.
Fine.
You didn't hear it from me.
It can't be.
Melanie was having an affair with Senator Bracken.
That's it.
Esposito's confirmed it.
The number that Melanie was calling was Senator Bracken's cell phone.
Late-night phone calls, secret hotel meetings-- Bracken was having an affair with Melanie.
She must have become a liability.
Or she stumbled on to something that he was involved in and became a threat.
So he dealt with her the same way he dealt with your mother and tried to deal with you.
This is it, Castle.
This is my chance to finally make him pay.
Yeah, but we have to be cautious.
We know what happens to people who go after him.
Except this time, he doesn't know we're on to him.
We've got the advantage here.
Do we? What do you think he's gonna do when he sees you coming? How many people you think this bastard put in the ground to get here? Hey, remember, we're only here to see if he can help us locate Melanie.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Let him think he got away with it, just like he does everything else.
You know, I was really hoping the next time I saw this guy it would be down the barrel of my gun.
You're sure I can't change your mind? I could really use your help on this one, bill.
I would if I could.
You know that.
You also know how important this legislation is to me.
Senator.
Some detectives are here to see you.
Sorry to trouble you, senator.
This won't take long.
What's this about, bill? I'm not sure.
You look familiar.
Have we met? I don't think so, sir.
Is there someplace we can talk? I'd offer you both a drink, but I get the feeling this is an official call.
Well, we'd just like to ask you a few questions about someone.
Melanie Rogers.
Yeah, sure.
I know Melanie.
She's a great girl.
Is there a problem? She's--she's missing.
Since yesterday.
She's missing? That's terrible.
Whatever I can do to help.
When was the last time you saw Ms.
Rogers? Just yesterday.
We were both attending the same eco conference in the city.
Oh, so you ran into her there? No.
I'm, uh, giving the keynote address, and she was helping me with my speech.
Oh, so she works for you.
Not exactly.
She agreed to consult with me on a very important piece of legislation that I'm unveiling.
So she's a non-paid consultant? I suppose.
Why? It's just that you were seen at the Standish Hotel together two nights ago.
What are you implying? We're just trying to establish a timeline of Melanie's whereabouts.
The hell you are.
You're trying to take a professional relationship and use it against me.
Look, man.
We're not trying to jam you up-- I know where I've seen you.
You work with detective Beckett.
We just have a few more questions.
Then call my lawyer.
The guy's guilty as hell, but he has an alibi.
He was at some conference all day.
Ryan's checking it out now.
It's gonna check out.
He never does this on his own.
He always sends someone else.
Okay, okay, so now not only do we have to find this killer, but we have to connect him to Bracken.
Except we have no idea where to start looking.
We don't even have a real crime scene.
No, but we're getting closer.
The FBI performed an analysis of Melanie's voice mail.
It was a call made from a parking garage where she was abducted.
They identified the background noise as the hydraulic motor of a tc5015 tower crane.
Tower cranes are used in heavy construction.
Which means the garage is near a construction site.
And only 12 sites in the city are currently using that crane.
Hey.
So Bracken's alibi checked out.
Witnesses put him at the Goldman ecological conference all afternoon yesterday.
They also confirmed that Melanie was there, just like he said.
She was seen leaving at 3:45.
Melanie left the voice mail from the parking garage at 4:00.
Where was that conference being held? At the Widmark Hotel downtown.
The Widmark-- that's five blocks from that construction site.
Which is right next to a parking garage.
Hey, Beckett.
You need to see this.
X-t-3.
Just like in Melanie's voice mail.
Did you run the plates? Yeah.
Just came back stolen.
Reported four days ago.
All right.
You guys check inside.
Espo, pop that trunk.
I may be wrong, but that looks like a sniper rifle.
You wouldn't be wrong.
Yo.
Widmark Hotel.
That's where that conference is.
Didn't Bracken say he was giving a speech there in a couple of days? I don't think Bracken's our killer.
He isn't.
He's the target.
Based on what we found in the car, someone was planning on shooting the senator at the eco conference tomorrow night while he delivers his keynote speech.
And if our suspect is still out there, he's still a threat.
Did we get any prints off that duffel bag? Uh, not yet, sir.
C.
S.
U.
is still dusting the car, the notebook, and everything else in the bag, including the rifle.
Now we have serial numbers on the rifle, and we're looking into those.
And our victim? How did Melanie Rogers get mixed up in this? Somehow she stumbled upon his plot, and he killed her.
Oh, excuse me.
It's the mayor.
Keep me posted.
Mm-hmm.
We might have a description of our potential shooter.
Widmark security stopped someone from getting into the conference without proper credentials.
When? Two days ago.
A Caucasian, baseball cap, beard, long stringy hair, and he was carrying a large gray duffel bag, just like that one.
What time? They said it was about 3:45 P.
M.
That's when Melanie left the conference.
In her message, she said something wasn't right.
What if she saw this guy and followed him to the garage? All right.
Grab Espo and a sketch artist.
Go down, talk to security at the Widmark.
I want a picture of this guy in circulation within the hour.
Yeah.
Kate.
I was finally gonna put this guy away, Castle.
And now I'm protecting the man that murdered my mother.
Senator, we can provide you with an increased security detail.
But until we apprehend this man, I'd recommend you postpone your speech.
Is that really necessary? I mean, isn't the threat all but neutralized? But we haven't stopped him.
Look, we're talking about someone that is ruthless, methodical.
Someone that killed Melanie Rogers just to keep her from talking.
That suggests a person that is intent on seeing this through.
Yes, but you just said you could increase his security detail.
Look, this isn't just any conference.
The senator is going to unveil a far-reaching environmental initiative that is the cornerstone of his term.
We have issued dozens of press credentials-- Senator, I cannot guarantee your safety.
I'm speaking at that conference.
This keynote address puts me on the national stage.
I'm not going to run and hide just because some wacko with a notebook made a threat.
Now I suggest that you people do whatever it takes to stop this man.
Thank you.
Very well, senator.
Detective Beckett will need a moment with you.
Why? Because she's leading the investigation.
Is there some reason why you don't want to work with detective Beckett? Let's find somewhere private, shall we, detective? Well hard to miss the irony of this situation.
Senator Bracken, do you have any enemies? Is there anyone that you can think of that would like to kill you? I get threatening letters and e-mails all the time.
Comes with the office.
Mm.
My chief of staff keeps a file.
Anyone with a legitimate claim? A man doesn't get to my position without upsetting people along the way.
Most of them aren't crazy enough to want to try to kill me, present company excluded.
You know, senator I'm not the one that you should be worried about right now.
It's just us here, detective.
A shooter on the loose, me in the crosshairs must be a dream come true for you.
In my dreams, I'm the one that gets to pull the trigger.
But you know what? If you're not comfortable with me leading this investigation, you're welcome to step outside and tell everyone why.
Well, then I guess we're stuck with each other.
So then let me make one thing clear.
This man killed Melanie Rogers, and when someone commits murder, whoever he is, senator, I will bring him to justice, no matter how long it takes.
I'll have my chief of staff send over the letters.
I'll tell you something, if I'm her, I sit in there shuffling papers till whoever it is puts a bullet in Bracken's head.
No, you wouldn't, 'cause that would make you no better than he is.
The guy murdered Beckett's mother, captain Montgomery, who knows who else.
Bracken's got it coming to him, so I say, let it come.
Mayor's asking for an update.
What's the latest? The serial number on that rifle led us to a hunting store in Paterson, New Jersey.
The owner I.
D.
'ed our suspect from the sketch.
The paperwork indicates that several firearms were purchased, but the name and address are all bogus.
Okay, take a few unis to canvass the area near the store and take the sketch of our suspect.
All right.
Detective Esposito.
Any word from C.
S.
U.
? Yes, sir.
They discovered part of a receipt with a smudge on it in the duffel bag.
They're trying to get a partial print off of that.
Now there's no point of sale on the receipt, but the SKU number matched that hat.
The manufacturer's sending over a list of outlets in the tristate area, but there's over 200 locations.
Focus on the ones in Jersey first.
Maybe Beckett will have better luck with those threat letters.
Man, these people need to get a life.
Most of these guys, it seems their only companionship is the space alien that talks to them through their microwave.
Yeah, well, there's a lot of lonely and confused people out there.
But so far, none of the letters match the handwriting in our suspect's notebook.
Considering what he's capable of, you would think Bracken would have more formidable enemies.
Oh, obviously, you never saw the letter that I sent him.
No, I did, actually.
I liked the way you, uh, dotted the "i" on "kill" with a little heart.
It was a nice touch.
Well, I was trying to give it a personal feel.
Well done.
So we're really not gonna talk about this? I mean, Castle, what is there to talk about? Honestly? Practically everything.
Which is why all I can do is treat it like another case, 'cause that's what it is.
It's just like any other case.
You're tired, Castle.
Why don't you go get some rest? No, no, no, I can stay if you like.
No, come on.
Go.
I'll call you if I need anything, okay? You really are remarkable, you know that? I'm working on this case where I need to find a suspect, and I came across a piece of evidence.
It's a letter that he wrote.
And there's no address, there's no name, just a postmark from New Jersey.
And I know in my gut that this is our big break.
One way or another, it's gonna lead us straight to him.
Yet, here you are talking to me.
If we find this suspect, then someone worse, much worse, is going to escape justice.
I take it no one else knows about the letter.
No, not yet.
Well, as a police officer, you must have faced similar dilemmas.
Yeah.
Why is this time different? Because this time, it feels like there's no right choice.
Maybe the right choice is the one you can live with.
Hey, you guys seen Beckett? No.
Uh, not since last night.
We thought she was with you.
No, I tried her a couple of times this morning, but she wasn't picking up.
All right.
Thanks.
Yo.
I'm trying to get through this list of stores that sell the baseball caps.
Half of 'em aren't even open yet.
What about you? Nada.
The canvass around the gun store turned up empty.
Hey.
Hey.
You guys, where are we on the suspect? Nowhere.
And Senator Bracken speaks in less than ten hours.
You find anything in those letters? Uh, no.
Nothing significant.
You doing all right? I need a second.
You guys Yo.
There's something that I-- I just heard back from C.
S.
U.
on that receipt from the duffel bag.
They get a print off that smudge? No, but it contained traces of synthetic motor oil and brake pad residue.
Sounds like our guy's a mechanic.
So then maybe he was shopping for the rifle near work.
Where's that store again? Paterson, just off the highway.
It's a place to start.
All right, I'm gonna get you guys addresses on your way.
I'll compile a list of every service station within a 5-mile radius, and we'll expand from there.
Were you gonna say something? No.
We're past it.
Who new Paterson had so many service stations, huh? I'm pretty sure we left Paterson five shops ago.
Ugh.
Back in 20 minutes.
Well, we don't have 20 minutes to waste.
Let's move on to the next on.
We'll circle back around.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Hey, look on top of the counter.
They sell those hats here.
Open up! Police business! All right! I'm coming! Relax.
Don't break my glass.
Yeah, I see it.
What? How you doing? NYPD.
You know this guy? Maybe.
He looks like one of my mechanics.
I mean, he used to be.
I laid him off, like, three weeks ago.
Do you have any paperwork he might have filled out? Maybe a work order? I might have something back here.
Yeah, that's it right there.
Handwriting's a match.
It's our guy.
Robert McManus has a history of schizophrenia multiple stays at a psych ward, recent episodes were triggered by his son's death.
Hey.
Hey, where are we on deployment? Every beat cop in the city has his photo.
S.
W.
A.
T.
's sitting on his place in Jersey, but his neighbors say he hasn't been there in a month.
He disappears for long stretches.
We're scouring through his financials, but they are severely outdated.
The guy closed his accounts years ago.
Basically living off the grid.
Got something.
We canvassed near a diner McManus used to frequent.
An S.
R.
O.
desk clerk just I.
D.
'ed him.
He's been staying there a month.
NYPD! NYPD! Don't move! Clear! Clear! Clear.
Take the place apart.
Look for anything that might lead us to him.
We should check the rest of the building.
I'll talk to the manager for details on his routine.
NYPD.
Show me your hands.
Don't move.
Don't move or I'll shoot! Hey.
I just spoke to Ryan.
McManus is still out there, but, uh, the boys are going door to door in every building nearby.
I had him in my sights.
I had him.
So you missed.
So what? It could happen to anyone.
No.
I didn't miss.
What do you mean? I found a letter in the threats file.
It was from McManus.
How long have you known about this? Since last night.
McManus was accusing Bracken of murdering his son.
I looked into it.
He was a 24-year-old kid.
He was an intern for Bracken's reelection campaign.
He had a meeting scheduled with a reporter, and the next day they found him hanged.
And you think Bracken-- I don't know, Castle.
My God.
I almost suppressed evidence.
I was gonna burn that letter.
But you didn't.
I didn't miss McManus.
I looked him in the eye and I saw his pain.
And I couldn't take that shot.
What if I wanted him to get away, wanted him to go through with this? Then what does that make me? Is there anything new? Nothing yet on McManus, but a search of his room turned up wires, a detonator, traces of c-4.
It looks like he was building a bomb.
A bomb? Uh Did anyone find it? No.
If he built something, it's either with him or already out there waiting to go off.
Beckett, hang on.
He had a rifle, Castle.
A rifle.
Not a bomb.
If he detonates that thing tonight at the conference and innocent people get hurt-- Okay, this is not your fault.
How is it not my fault? I'm a cop.
I had a job to do and I didn't do it.
I've gotta make this right.
I've gotta find that bomb and save Bracken's life.
Looks like you just got some help.
Found him hiding on a rooftop three blocks away.
What about the bomb? Asked him about it.
Asked him about Melanie Rogers, too.
He's not much of a talker.
He hasn't said a word since we picked him up.
Take him to interrogation.
What makes you think he's gonna talk to you? 'Cause I know him.
Hi, Robert.
I'm Kate.
Why don't you take those things off? They look uncomfortable.
I know what it's like to lose someone that you love, to live with that pain to feel the rage towards the person responsible for it towards Bracken.
He took someone close to me.
He killed my mother and then he went after my friends, even tried to kill me.
Is she talking about Bracken? She's just trying to get through to him anyway you can.
The man killed my son.
No one cared.
I care.
He needs to pay.
Not with a bomb, Robert.
You and me, we're not like him.
We don't hurt innocent people.
Where's the c-4? You're trying to confuse me or trick me into saying something I shouldn't.
I'm trying to take down Bracken, same as you.
And we gotta do it in the right way.
You and me are on the same side, Robert.
You're on his side.
He controls everybody.
You're all in his pocket.
Every last one of ya! No, I'm not.
I'm just like you, Robert.
She's losing him.
You're not like me.
You're making stuff up, making up stories! If you went through what I went through, you would want to see him dead! Everything that I told you was true.
Robert, look at me.
Where is the c-4? If that thing goes off, then there's blood on our hands, and I cannot live with that and I know that you can't either.
Detective, a word.
Sir.
Detective.
Sir, I can do this.
I can reach him.
It's over, detective.
Just give me another minute.
I just got a call from the feds.
They found the bomb.
McManus rented a box at a post office.
The c-4 was there.
He'd wired it into a vest.
He also obtained credentials for the conference somehow.
Well, thank you, captain, for everything you've done.
Well, actually, detective Beckett deserves most of the credit.
She led the team.
Excuse me, senator.
Good afternoon, Mr.
Mayor.
I heard how you led the team.
You fired, what, two shots from close range and both of them missed? All this talk about justice I guess I was right about you.
Check this out.
What better way to celebrate the end of a difficult case than with a bottle of-- What are you doing? Castle, look at this vest McManus supposedly made.
The zip ties and the wires they're expertly done.
You saw McManus.
He was barely able to button his own shirt.
In his current state, no.
But he could've done this while he was still on his meds.
And what about Melanie's body? He burned it and then he knocked out her teeth to keep it unidentifiable.
And then he leaves a duffel bag in a stolen car for us to find? That doesn't make any sense.
Well, he's mentally ill.
I mean, not everything he does is going to make sense.
No, Castle.
Something is not right.
That Zippo lighter that we heard on Melanie's voice mail-- McManus doesn't smoke.
We didn't find a Zippo in any of his things.
Kate let it go.
I mean, you don't have anything to prove, not to Bracken, not to me, not to yourself.
Castle, this isn't about proving something.
This is about evidence.
Well, all the evidence-- the letter, the notebook, the bomb-- everything traces back to McManus.
What if somebody wanted us to find him? What if they're framing him so that everyone would think that the threat was over while the real assassin is still out there? The C-4 in the vest-- What if that was the bomb that we were supposed to find and there's another bomb that's still out there, planned for the keynote address? That's an event whose time and place has been known for weeks.
If a bomb went off during Bracken's speech, they could say McManus set it before he was apprehended.
Bracken's supposed to go onstage at 8:00.
That's 20 minutes away.
Look, I know that I don't have any proof.
I know that this sounds crazy-- And you know how determined Bracken was to give this speech.
If you stop it and you're wrong, your career is over.
And if I'm right? This is detective Beckett.
Badge number 4-1-3-1-9.
I'm calling for the evacuation of the Widmark Hotel.
Detective Beckett.
Castle, why don't you see if you can get an update from the bomb squad? Right.
What the hell is going on here? Who called in the bomb squad? We had a credible threat, sir.
Credible according to who? I think we should speak alone.
We believe someone that you know is trying to kill you.
What? You already have the man in custody.
We believe McManus was set up because of the threatening letter that he sent you, which means the individual involved has access to the files in your office.
And you have evidence for all of this? You don't have evidence? Look, I'm not gonna make this kind of accusation lightly.
Are you-- So you called in a bomb scare based on-- on--on what, a hunch? Beckett.
We finished our search of the primary target area, detective.
We found no explosive device.
What about the stage? Did you check the podium? We swept everything in a 50-foot radius of where the senator would be speaking.
All right, well, this is ridiculous.
Let's just get everybody back inside.
I'm sorry, senator.
We still have to conduct a thorough search of the building.
It's gonna take a few more hours, I'm afraid.
You think I don't know what you're doing? You let McManus get away so that he would take me down, and when that didn't play out, you decided to ruin the most important moment of my career.
That's not what this is a-- No, you save that for the review board.
You have overplayed your hand, and I am going to bury you.
Oh, God, Castle.
I don't understand.
How did we get this so wrong? We knew we were taking a risk.
No, there's gotta be a reason that they were framing McManus.
They had to have been planning this for tonight, here.
That's the only thing that makes sense.
Or he wasn't being framed.
Maybe they couldn't get the bomb in the building.
With the heightened security because McManus was on the loose, maybe they had to make a different plan.
Place the bomb somewhere more accessible.
Kate It's over.
Kate! Castle The driver.
Read him his rights.
His name is Noah Charles.
He was my driver for five years.
Any reason why he'd suddenly want you dead? I assume because someone paid him a great deal of money.
You don't seem shocked.
There's another world out there, Mr.
Castle, one that most people don't see, run by money, influence, power.
And the people in it will do anything they can to stay on top.
But I assume that you already know that.
I wouldn't have done it, you know, what she did.
I'd have stood and watched.
So he's not talking.
But a search of his apartment turned up a pair of gloves with traces of Melanie Rogers' blood on it.
They also found a fake beard and a baseball cap just like McManus'.
So McManus could be seen at the conference by security.
It's all part of the setup.
Melanie met Noah a bunch of times.
She probably recognized him on the day, wondered what he was doing, and followed him.
If she got on to him, he would've had no choice but to kill her.
What a shame.
She was a sweet kid.
Hey, got a sec? Yeah.
We did a little digging into that driver of yours.
Turns out you're not his only employer, senator.
We took a look into his financials.
There's a series of large deposits made into his checking account.
Let me guess.
Untraceable wire transfers bounced through shadow accounts in Switzerland and the middle east.
Just like you would've done.
Thanks, guys.
You know who's behind this, don't you? I have my suspicions.
Who? Someone who's gotten rich making powerful people promises that I needed to keep.
What does a kingmaker do when the king no longer follows orders? I need a name.
You've done enough, detective.
Senator, that person is still out there, and I have no way of getting to him.
You're not safe.
I'm touched by your concern, but I think maybe you forget who you're dealing with.
Sir, we have to leave.
You're already 30 minutes behind schedule.
Detective Beckett, would you, uh, walk me out? You saved my life.
Yeah, well, you can't win 'em all, can you? I suppose this means I'm in your debt.
Nothing's changed between us, senator.
Even so, it's a dangerous world out there, detective.
You never know when you might need a friend.
McManus' son Was that you? If I said no, would you really believe me? There he is.
Senator! Senator Bracken! Senator Bracken! Senator.
Senator! Is it true the attempt on your life was an inside job? Witnesses say they arrested your driver.
Any comment? Did it have anything to do with your environmental initiative? Look, the senator is very busy-- No, th-that's okay.
I'll--I'll make a statement.
As you all know, last night an attempt was made on my life.
And though I was not able to introduce my initiative at the eco conference, it has only strengthened my resolve to move forward with this historic piece of legislation.
And I would like to especially thank the brave men and women of the New York City police department, who thwarted this plot.
And in a shocking development, federal agents arrested Benjamin Moss, founder of the powerful Super PAC American way, after connecting him to payments made to the senator's would-be assassin.
Moss, a former president My God.
It was Ben Moss.
The biggest kingmaker of 'em all.
But Bracken only had him arrested.
The way he was talking, I half expected the guy to die in a "plane crash" or some kind of mysterious "car accident.
" No.
This is so much better.
Now Bracken's a folk hero.
The rare politician willing to stand up to special interests even if it costs him his life.
You're right.
That's a better story.
The kind of story that could make a guy president.
He'll slip up eventually,