Castle s06e14 Episode Script
Dressed to Kill
Did you see that tunic Professor Jablonski was wearing yesterday - in advanced draping? - I know.
It was very "sad cat lady meets David Bowie.
" This is what it's come to dumpster-diving to find fabric for our midterm haute couture project.
Well, you know what they say.
One man's trash is another man's I think I found something.
Oh! Me too! Ooh! It's stuck.
That's because we're both tugging on it.
Let go.
I had it first.
Oh, this fabric is just to die for.
The lace, the décolletage This would look stunning on you just stunning.
Mother, what are you trying to force on my lovely fiancée? No, no, no, no, no.
I am just trying to expose Katherine To the glorious world of wedding magazines.
They are all very girly, with a lot of gauzy photos Of love-struck brides looking off into the distance.
Perhaps they're contemplating the 50% divorce rate.
You need to get beyond the fairytale-treacle aspect Of these magazines and see them for what they are A source of ideas as you plan your wedding.
Yeah.
Like this place.
The Cordova House? Uh, "a landmark Spanish Revival Mansion With an elegant carriage-house exterior.
" "it was built at the turn of the century, "remains an enduring legacy of architectural beauty In the heart of Manhattan.
" Aha.
I remember the Cordova House.
It was like a cultural venue for the arts in the '70s.
Of course, it was the '70s, so I can't be sure.
And they've started to book weddings.
I love it.
It's gorgeous.
Could it be that we've stumbled upon a venue Yeah! I mean, I'm good with it.
Are you? You're welcome.
Ah! Thank you.
Yeah, thank you.
Sorry.
I'm gonna make, um Some inquiries right now.
Uh, you're gonna have to do it while we're working a case.
Okay.
Thank you.
I appreciate it.
All right.
Apparently, we aren't the only ones who read that article.
The event planner at the Cordova House Said they've been swamped with calls.
Okay.
When's their next available date? She said she's gonna call me back.
Hey, Espo, what have we got? A body found by two fashion students Dumpster-diving for fabric.
Victim's name is Ella Hayes.
She's 26.
According to her driver's license, What's she doing down here in the garment district? Her business card says that she works for Modern Fashion.
She's an assistant to the editor-in-chief.
Yeah, that would be Matilda King.
Okay.
Seriously? You've never heard of Matilda King? I'm betting that most real men haven't.
Mm, yes, if by "real" you mean "uninformed.
" whatever.
Matilda King is a legend in the fashion industry.
Or infamous depends on your point of view.
Yes.
Former assistants of hers have written books about how tough she is.
A dragon lady chews people up and spits them out.
Does she also strangle 'em? 'cause that's how Lanie said our vic died.
Hey, Lanie.
Hey.
So, the murder weapon was a scarf, a sash, or something.
Okay.
When did this happen? Based on lividity, between 12:00 and 2:00 A.
M.
I also recovered some blue hairs on her neck Left by the attacker.
Blue hairs? So she was killed by a little old lady? Or Katy Perry.
Animal hairs that were died blue, Castle.
Or A Dr.
Seuss character.
I don't recall any of them being homicidal.
That's true.
I need a new theory.
Well, I've got one.
And he or she was able to lift the body into the dumpster.
Espo, can you get uniforms To canvass the area for any witnesses? Castle and I will go to her work.
You and Ryan head off to her place That'll indicate why she was here last night.
Right on.
Ella and I went to Parsons together.
And then we've been roommates for the past two years.
I still can't believe this.
When was the last time you saw her? She was up at 5:00, like always, and then out the door To get Matilda's coffee and cranberry scone What about after work did you see her then? I'm a buyer at Saks, so I don't get home till late.
Did Ella have a boyfriend or a relationship? No.
She was on call for Matilda 24/7, So she didn't have time for relationships Or for the one thing that she really wanted to do.
Which was what? Design.
She hoped working at Modern Fashion Was Ella having any problems that you know of? Um She had been stressed lately, A little more than usual.
She said it was work, but she didn't go into details.
Lilian, if you don't mind, I'd like to have an officer come by and take your statement.
Of course.
Anything I can do to help.
Oh, we don't get cell reception in here.
You can use my landline if you like.
Thanks.
Here's my card.
If you can remember anything else, Please give me a call, okay? Yeah.
Thank you.
Well, this is it The big leagues for anyone who wants to work in fashion.
Wow.
Apparently, you have to be a total hottie And I'm saying that as a completely detached, Soon-to-be-married observer.
It's okay, Castle.
Stare all you want.
Really? Actually, no.
But it's kind of hard not to.
I mean, Matilda only hires people That fit the magazine's brand.
You have to Look the part.
You seem to know a lot about Matilda King.
Yeah, well, I've picked up a thing or two.
Hi.
NYPD.
We need to speak with Matilda King.
D oh, I think you missed the part about the NYPD.
Please.
She's going to freak out if I add you to the schedule.
Do you have any idea what happened to the last assistant? Yes.
She's dead.
Dead? What do you mean? No, no, no, no.
Oh, god.
Here she comes.
I won't take no for an answer.
You must join us on the yacht.
Giorgio will show his new collection.
Gordon Ramsay is cooking.
Lady Gaga is performing.
Pushing the boundaries of style No doubt, in the wrong direction.
So, let me know.
New assistant.
It's Carrie.
I'll learn your name when you've earned it.
Here.
Oh, uh, these are your messages, And Julian Bruckner is waiting in your office.
And who is this? Uh NYPD.
We need to ask you a few questions, Ms.
King.
Kate Beckett? I never could forget those cheekbones.
Uh, what you two know each other? Uh Yeah.
Yeah.
When I was a model For about 15 minutes.
You modeled for Modern Fashion? I offered her a spread in the January '99 issue.
Nicole Kidman was on the cover.
And you passed.
To date, you're the only person to ever tell me no.
I'm wall-to-wall.
We'll have to reschedule.
Uh, get ready to be told no again.
We need to ask you a few questions About your assistant, Ella Hayes.
It cannot wait.
We'll talk in my office.
By the way, Ella is my former assistant.
Be right with you, Julian.
Okay.
Uh, so, what do you mean by "former"? I fired her yesterday afternoon, After she made a scheduling mistake And I showed up to a board meeting late.
And that was after her mistake last week, When I kept the new owner of our magazine waiting for 45 minutes.
Matilda, have you seen the proofs from the "Fab Five" photo shoot? They are divine.
They'd better be, Julian.
So far, everything you've submitted Oh, Matilda, these designers are barely out of diapers.
E-excuse me.
Sorry.
We're investigating a murder here.
Murder? Of whom? Your former assistant, Ella.
El Ella's dead? How? That's what we're trying to figure out.
Now, do you know if she had any problems? You don't think this had anything to do With that incident with Grace? What incident? And who's Grace? Grace is my other assistant, whom I fired Because she allowed the scheduling mistakes to happen.
And what was the incident? Well, apparently, yesterday, when Ella and Grace Were escorted out of the building by security, They literally got into a brawl, Right in the middle of a photo shoot.
The photographer, Serge, had to break it up.
Yeah.
The two of them really went at it.
I mean, it was a full-on catfight.
It was actually kind of sexy.
What exactly was the fight about? I overheard Grace blame Ella for for getting her fired.
Serge! I'm up against a deadline to finish my design.
You'll be here as long as it takes to make Matilda happy.
The mantra we all live by.
Uh, did you remember any other details about the fight? I can do better than that.
I can show you something.
And got a few frames with them in the background.
There.
Check it out.
Can You zoom in on that? Sure.
Check out Grace's scarf.
Lanie said she found blue hairs on Ella's neck From being strangled.
Looks like Grace was dressed to kill.
Look, I grew up reading Modern Fashion.
Working for Matilda King, that was my dream.
But when Matilda fires someone, people remember, Which means my career in fashion is pretty much done, Because you believed it was her fault that you got fired.
It was her fault.
She started making mistakes because she was so busy Sucking up to designers like Yumi And showing off her sketches, and I paid the price.
Which is why you killed her.
What are you even talking about? We got in a fight.
That was it.
Okay, okay.
Then explain this.
This blue alpaca scarf was found at your apartment.
It's an exact match to the hairs Found on Ella's neck after she was strangled.
Come on.
Other people have that scarf.
Yeah, but you're the only one with motive.
It was the christmas gift from Modern Fashion.
Maybe Ella was wearing hers and someone choked her with it.
Where were you between I'd just gotten fired.
Some friends took me out and got me drunk.
You can ask them.
I will.
In the meantime, let's talk about Ella.
Her roommate thought that she was having trouble You worked with her.
You know what it was? Actually, there was something else.
A few days ago, at lunchtime, I saw her arguing with this guy outside the building.
Did you recognize him? I'd never seen him before.
But I overheard them, and he was threatening her.
He said she had something he wanted and he wouldn't take no for an answer.
And what was her reaction? She said she was gonna call the police If he didn't leave her the hell alone, and then he stormed off.
I-I tried to ask her what it was all about, Do you remember him well enough to help us with a sketch? I think so.
Okay, this is the guy who threatened Ella.
So, you believe Grace's story? And unis found two witnesses that saw him arguing with Ella.
Ella was basically a glorified assistant.
What could she possibly have had that this man wanted? Well, think about it, Castle.
Matilda King is the most influential person in fashion, And Ella had direct access to her world.
So you're saying this man leveraged Ella To find out what direction hemlines are going next season? Ooh! I just came up with a new title.
"murder is the new black.
" Does that even make sense? Did you guys find something at Ella's apartment? You could say that.
I went to use the landline, and I noticed some static when I got near a lamp.
When we popped that lamp open, look what we found inside.
A bug? Why would someone bug Ella's apartment? Because She is "la femme nikita," And her job at Modern Fashion is just a cover.
She's not "la femme nikita.
" Still, wiretaps, threats from mysterious men, murder Whatever's going on here, it's bigger than fashion.
Okay, see if you can get a serial number.
Let's figure out who bought that bug.
Yeah.
All right.
Thank you very much.
Hey.
That was the event planner at the Cordova House.
They said they still have a few spots open in the fall.
She can give us a tour tonight.
Whoo-hoo! Let's do it.
So, where are we on watergate? So, the plot thickens.
The building manager at Ella's apartment Remembers letting an exterminator into her place Usually, exterminators get rid of bugs.
Only this one didn't.
The company that he worked for doesn't exist.
I mean, what is this about, Castle? Why would someone target Ella? Well, you already heard and rejected my theory.
Yeah, but your theory doesn't explain the little detail That Lanie just found out.
There's black coral on the sole of Ella's shoe, And it wasn't from the dumpster.
Well, that doesn't make any sense.
Black coral is found in the tropics.
Exactly.
So how did this end up on her shoe? Yo, Beckett.
.
And Castle.
Sure.
But we got a hit off the canvass of the crime scene.
A seamstress coming off the late shift Right near the alley where Ella was killed.
We get a description? Yeah, and he matches our sketch.
Yes.
That's him.
Outside the Broadway coffee shop when I walked by.
And what time was this? Do you recall how tall he was, what he wore? Fabric is my business.
He wore a dark suit nice quality, wool blend.
Oh, and he had a distinctive striped tie Crimson and navy with gold triangles across the stripes.
That sounds like a club tie.
Crimson and navy yes, I know that one.
Gold triangles.
That's the Carlton Club tie.
If we can match that sketch to one of its members, we got our I.
D.
Are notoriously protective of keeping their members' privacy.
They're not just gonna hand over that information.
The club won't, no, but one of its members might.
After a tough negotiation that involved my knicks tickets And naming a character in my next book after his nana, My friend came up with a name Marcus Conway.
Okay, so, what do we know about him? He is a lawyer at kellerman goodfriend.
That's one of the city's biggest law firms.
Why is a high-powered lawyer going after Ella? Maybe it has to do with her work.
Is general counsel for Couture Chick magazine.
That's "chic," and not that you would know, But they are Modern Fashion's biggest competitor.
Call Conway's firm.
I want to know where he is.
Detective, I would think very carefully Before making these kinds of accusations.
Mr.
Conway, I am not making any accusations.
I am simply stating fact.
We have a witness that heard you threatening Ella Hayes And another one that saw you near where she was killed.
Right about the same time she ended up that way.
You need to explain yourself.
Marcus, I heard the police are here.
What's going on? Who are you? I'm editor-in-chief of Couture Chic.
They think I murdered Ella Hayes.
What? That's ridiculous.
This is obviously one huge misunderstanding.
Then clear it up.
Tell me what you know about Ella Hayes.
We approached Ella and attempted to Engage her services.
So, basically, you tried to hire her To get inside information on Modern Fashion.
I wouldn't put it that way.
Well, I'm pretty sure she would, Which is why she turned you down.
And you wouldn't take no for an answer.
Look, this is a competitive business With everyone looking to get an edge.
Yes, I was aggressive in trying to make a deal, I accepted that, and I never contacted her again.
Then why were you less than a block away From where she was killed at about the time she died? Because she called me.
She asked me to meet her last night.
Why would she do that? Probably because Matilda just fired her.
The bottom line is, she said she had Bombshell information on Modern Fashion Information that, if it got out, it would destroy the magazine.
Mr.
Conway, I took a look at Ella's cellphone records.
She never called you last night.
She did call, and I can prove it.
She left me a message.
I changed my mind about your offer.
Something that'll ruin Modern Fashion, Take down the whole operation.
Meet me at the Broadway Coffee Shop in an hour.
I waited around for two hours, but she never showed.
What information did she want to share? What were you trying to hire her to find out? As you may have heard, A tech-venture capitalist named Glen Carter Bought Modern Fashion Glenlast month.
Glen has big plans To drag Matilda's precious little magazine Which are? Well, that's what we wanted to know, Since our website has failed to generate New subscription business.
If we could get Modern Fashion's new playbook, It could help us strategize and stay one step ahead.
So, you wanted to hire Ella So that she could tell you about the new direction The magazine was taking, and when she turned you down, That was the extent of your contact? Until she called last night.
And what about the eavesdropping? W-what are you talking about? We found a listening device in Ella's apartment.
That wasn't us.
We had nothing to do with that.
So, these records explain why we missed Ella's phone calls To Marcus Conway.
She phoned him using her roommate's landline.
So, she told Conway to meet her in the coffee shop in an hour.
It would take her about 20 minutes to get there from her apartment, So she must have been killed on the way there.
Looking at her designs, Ella actually had talent.
Yeah, well, the question is, what did she know, And did someone kill her to keep her quiet? Well, I can't help you out there, But I can tell you that Marcus Conway Was telling the truth about not planting that bug.
Yeah, the serial number led us to a distributor Named Alternate Intelligence in Queens.
James Kavanaugh paid for that listening device With a credit card a month ago.
And when does it get interesting? When we found out he was former Special Forces and, Not to mention, the head of security at Modern Fashion.
Wait a minute Ella was being spied on by her own magazine? Oh, Beckett.
, we have that appointment at the Cordova House.
Oh, Castle, I'm sorry.
Duty calls.
Can can you go without me And see if it's as good as the pictures? You trust me to make this decision on my own? Can you go with Martha? We have to bring James Kavanaugh in.
Yeah.
I'm in the security business.
I buy lots of equipment.
Yeah, well, this equipment was a listening device That you installed in Ella Hayes' apartment.
If you think that, you're mistaken.
Because we showed your picture To the super at Ella's building, and he identified you As the exterminator he let into her apartment.
I had nothing to do with what happened to Ella Hayes.
You broke into her place, you wired it for sound, And now she's dead? James? Think about how that looks, bro.
Your best bet is to tell us exactly what you know.
All I did was bug her place, okay? I mean, once Glen Carter bought the magazine, Home monitoring got to be a common practice.
So, Glen Carter ordered the surveillance? No.
No, he didn't know anything about it.
It was ordered by Matilda King.
Matilda King.
You sure about that? Yes, I'm sure.
She got all freaked out about someone coming after her job, So she said she didn't know who she could trust anymore.
Okay, so, who monitored the audio from Ella's apartment? Matilda had me set it up So that it fed directly to her computer.
You realize what this means? Yeah.
Ella called Marcus Conway on the landline, Told him she could take down the magazine, And Matilda heard the whole thing.
Okay.
Thank you very much.
So, the guard in the lobby of the Modern Fashion building Saw Matilda leave there last night at 11:30, And she was in a big hurry.
Well, that's right after Ella called Marcus Conway.
Matilda knew that Ella was about to spill the beans And bring down the magazine.
So Matilda went to stop her.
She's our killer.
Wait, wait, wait.
She's on a call.
She can call back.
Glen, this magazine is not about tweets or likes on facebook, For god's sake! For 57 years, Women have been purchasing this magazine for the fashion! Whenever they've had a bad day at work or at home, They've come to us! We are their escape! We are their fantasy! It's the clothing that stitches it all together.
That's what matters.
- We're done here.
- Glen! Glen! Oh.
I'm sorry.
I didn't see you there.
You've got a hell of a temper, Ms.
King.
It's not temper.
It's frustration.
Glen Carter, our new owner, Cares more about money than fashion.
Is that why you were paranoid he was gonna replace you? I don't know what you've heard, but I'm Matilda King.
My name is synonymous with this magazine.
He wouldn't dare replace me.
So then why did you order the monitoring Of all of your employees' conversations The moment that he bought the magazine? You are quite the detective.
Take a seat.
Since the purchase, rumors have been swirling.
I'd like to think that they're just rumors, But I can't afford to take that chance.
I need to know my people are loyal.
By bugging their homes? With their permission.
We've had some loyalty issues, So my lawyers added some fine print To their employment agreements.
Do you actually believe that's gonna fly in court? My lawyers seem to think so.
Now, what does this have to do with your investigation? Look, given the rumors about your job, It must have been disconcerting to find out Ella Was taking damaging information on Modern Fashion To what are you referring? What information? But what we do know is moments after she made the arrangements To sell that information, You were seen running out of here.
You think that I ran out of here to kill Ella? Your head of security says that you're set up To listen to these recordings live on your computer.
Something I do on the weekend.
I'm a little busy running a magazine during the week.
Yeah, a position that you're desperate to defend.
That's motive and that's opportunity.
I ran out of my office last night Because I was late for drinks with Oscar de la Renta.
Feel free to check.
Regarding Ella's threat to the magazine, I never heard her say that.
And you have no idea what Ella was taking to the competition? None.
But if you find out, I'd be curious to know.
Anything else, detective? I'm gonna need those recordings.
Hey, Beckett.
.
Matilda's alibi checks out.
She was having drinks with Oscar until about 2:00 A.
M.
So Matilda's not our killer? And we still don't know what explosive information Ella was taking to the competition.
Right.
I think I may have found something on these audio files That might shed light on that.
About a week of inane conversations But she did place a call on the day of the murder That was pretty strange.
Check it out.
Hey.
It's me Ella.
Something weird is going on inside Modern Fashion.
I think someone's targeting me.
I need your help.
Call me back.
Do we know who's on the other end of that call? Based on the landline phone records, The call was placed to someone at Modern Fashion, But it was routed through a switchboard, So it doesn't show who she was connected to.
This directory lists over Yeah.
Lucky I have crazy-good hearing.
Listen to the beginning again.
I had a tech analyze those beeps And connect them to the corresponding digits.
The call was placed to this extension.
Armando Montoya.
He's an I.
T.
Tech at Modern Fashion? Mm-hmm.
What was Ella doing calling him for help? We were friends, you know? To most of the people here, I'm invisible, but Ella saw me.
She was nice.
Why did she need your help the day she died? She wanted me to look at Matilda's calendar.
What for? Because Matilda missed some important meetings, But Ella was sure she entered them Into the calendar correctly.
She wanted to know if the calendar had been tampered with.
And and was it? Several entries had been changed over the past couple weeks All in the middle of the night.
When I showed it to her, She was convinced that someone was trying to set her up.
Well, were you able to tell who made those changes? I tracked them all to an I.
P.
address outside Modern Fashion.
It's the best I could do.
And she said she was gonna figure out who set her up And make them pay.
Next I hear, she's dead.
Do you still have that I.
P.
address? Yeah.
Okay.
I'll have a tech run it down.
But why would anyone want to sabotage a fashion assistant? I don't know, Espo.
If Ella went after whoever's behind this, All right, well, I'll give you a call when I get a location.
Okay.
Thanks.
More questions, detective? Actually, we found evidence that suggests Ella wasn't responsible for screwing up your appointments.
Someone else changed your calendar Someone outside of this office.
Are you saying that I fired Ella for no reason? Do you know why someone would have done this to her? No.
But I do know why someone would want to do this to me.
What do you mean? Ever since Glen Carter bought Modern Fashion, The sharks have been circling.
They smell blood.
So the calendar mistakes made you look bad at a critical time? Excuse me.
Oh, this is just what I need.
What's wrong? I have to make a decision in the next half-hour About a dress this issue, and the model didn't show up.
Oh.
Detective Beckett.
.
You said "no" to me years ago when I offered you a job.
Might you do a little favor for me now? Oh, Richard, look at these beautiful antique chandeliers.
Oh! So, if you're interested, I have a couple of slots for fall 2015 still open.
Excuse me.
Did you say "fall 2015"? That's correct.
When we spoke on the phone, I thought We were speaking of This fall.
No way.
That's been booked for months.
Uh, excuse me, but I have to take this call.
Look around, and I'll be right back.
Ugh.
Well, it is a beautiful venue.
And it's a long time to wait.
Yeah, and a long time to plan.
I just feel like I've waited long enough, mother.
I-I don't want to waste any more time Before we take the next step.
I'm sure there's another venue out there That the two of you will just fall in love with.
Mm.
Thank you.
Okay.
This never happens, But the friedmans just called off their wedding, And we now have an opening for spring.
Spring2016? No, this spring.
Uh, I have a long list of couples That would snatch this up immediately, But since you're here Do you need any help in there? When you asked me to try on a dress and I said yes, I had no idea it was gonna be this kind of a dress.
What do you think? It's amazing.
Yeah? The embroidery.
And the Austrian crystal.
It's just just heavenly.
Yeah.
It is, isn't it? Come.
Well, t-this probably would have Looked better on the model that didn't show up.
No, don't be silly.
It's perfect on you.
Trust me.
I'm an expert.
This is exactly the kind of dress I would want for her.
You are gonna make a beautiful bride someday.
Thank you.
We're ready for the accessories spread in the conference room.
Excuse me.
I'll be back in five minutes.
Wow.
Hey.
How's the venue.
Amazing.
Yeah, so amazing.
And they didn't have any spots open until fall of 2015, And their unfortunate misery can be our lifelong joy.
We can take their spot for the spring.
The spring.
Wow.
I know.
And there's a lot of couples who want it.
But if I put down a deposit tonight, it's ours.
So, what do you say? Beckett, are you there? Yeah.
Okay, but I-I thought we agreed that the venue was amazing.
Yeah, we did.
It's just I started thinking about the details And the planning that we have to do, and I just I don't want to rush any of this.
Okay.
If you're sure that's it.
Yeah.
Yeah, it is.
I mean, we're gonna find another venue, Castle.
So, a tech was able to track down that I.
P.
address.
Whoever changed that calendar did it from a design studio in soho.
Is there any connection between the studio and Modern Fashion? As a matter of fact, there is.
It belongs to one of the designers being featured In Modern Fashion's "Fab Five" spread Yumi.
Yumi what? I guess if you don't have a last name, you can charge more.
So, why would he or someone from his studio Be changing Matilda's calendar? I don't know, but I can tell you this.
It looks like Ella may have been there the night she was killed.
How do you know that? Yumi's website.
The current design line being produced at his studio Features dresses embellished with coral, And, in addition to the fact that this model is hot, She's wearing black coral.
The same kind of coral that Lanie found Stuck to the bottom of Ella's shoe.
Let's go.
I'm probably gonna have to call her in for an interrogation.
No, sweetie.
You tell little miss all that Yumi says there's only one diva in this room.
If she doesn't want to wear the pink louboutins, She is out of the show.
Models.
The lack of food makes them so very fraught.
Uh, Mr.
Yumi please, just Yumi.
Okay.
Yumi.
When was the last time you saw Ella Hayes? Ella Hayes? Matilda's assistant the girl who was killed? Yes, of course.
Well, we have reason to believe that she was here last night.
Yes.
She was.
Why was she here? She, uh, she came to ask me for a job.
Really? I told her I wanted to help, But there was absolutely nothing I could do.
When Matilda King fires someone, they are radioactive.
Do you have any idea why she was fired? No.
I think you do.
Someone changed Matilda King's calendar.
Matilda thought it was Ella, but it wasn't Ella.
It was someone from your studio.
We traced the I.
P.
address.
That's what she was doing here last night.
She wasn't asking for a job.
She was looking to find who made those changes Who ruined her career.
And given the fact that you just lied to us, I am guessing it was you.
Me? Do you have any idea how powerful Matilda King is In the fashion industry? My design is a "Fab Five" winner.
Matilda's about to make me famous.
Messing with her would be career suicide.
What could possibly be my motive? Oh, it's simple.
You needed to get her fired.
You needed to discredit her.
Why on earth would I do that? Because your winning "Fab Five" design Isn't yours.
From Ella's sketchbook.
They're exactly the same.
Ella was an aspiring designer.
She must have copied me.
No.
Ella's roommate Saw her making those sketches months ago.
Okay, then.
If you found it in her sketchbook, Then how did I get it? Well, Matilda's other assistant, Grace, Confirmed seeing Ella give you copies of her sketches.
Apparently, you had them on you When you went in on your "Fab Five" pitch meeting.
And from there, the story writes itself.
You showed your designs, And they just weren't good enough to make the cut, But then the artistic director sees these in your bag The fresh, stunning, raw talent Perfect for the "Fab Five.
" Except they weren't your designs.
Only two people knew that you and Ella.
And being a "Fab Five" designer Could literally make your career, Once you were chosen for the "Fab Five," You realized that Ella would know you had stolen her designs.
You had to discredit her so that no one would believe her.
I want a lawyer.
Ella must have confronted Yumi at his studio.
If she threatened to expose the whole scandal, his career would be over.
He had to kill her to hide the truth.
Yeah.
That all makes sense.
Now we just have to connect him to the crime scene.
Only one problem you can't.
Yumi didn't kill Ella.
How do you know? Multiple employees saw Ella confront Yumi, But after she took off, he was at the studio till 3:00 A.
M.
Wait.
Are you are you sure? But we know someone changed Matilda's calendar From that studio.
He has to be involved somehow.
I think someone else was, too.
I went through Yumi's phone records, And after Ella left, He made half a dozen phone calls to Modern Fashion.
Such beautiful designs.
After all this time, I had no idea.
If she knew these designs had been stolen, Maybe she didn't think you would listen At least, not to someone like her.
Maybe she just wanted revenge.
If Couture Chic exposed that our "Fab Five" list was corrupt, It would have cost me my job.
Who else stood to lose? Everyone involved, I suppose.
Well, just after Ella left Yumi's studio, He made a series of phone calls To someone here at Modern Fashion.
Someone who must have known Yumi's secret Who was helping him cover it up.
Someone who knew that if the truth got out, It could destroy them both.
There's only one person it could be.
Who? We go to print in one week on this issue, And I'm still not happy with the cover options.
And we're still not there with the "Fab Five" spread! Now, go, please, make it better! Julian, a word.
What was your first reaction When you saw Yumi's design submission? Blown away.
I mean, that's why I nominated him.
Now, is there a reason why you didn't come to me And tell me when he confessed to you That he stole Ella's design? What do you mean? I had a word with Yumi this morning.
He told me you've known for a while.
And he also said it was your idea to change my calendar.
He's lying.
Then I spoke to Mr.
Carter, And he confirmed my suspicion.
You've been gunning for my job.
It proves that you tried to kill two birds with one stone.
You changed my calendar in order to discredit Ella You don't know what you're talking about.
Don't even.
You're fired.
I can walk out of here and get hired at any magazine I want By the end of the day.
You won't be applying for a new job anytime soon, Julian.
Oh, my This is ridiculous.
Matilda King She takes pleasure in torturing people like this.
Fact is, her story is as crazy as she is.
Except we searched the dumpsters around your apartment, And we found Ella's scarf The one that you used to strangle her.
The lab also found two sets of DNA on that scarf Ella's and yours.
I'm not gonna say another word until my lawyer's present.
So, what did the D.
A.
Say? That Julian's gonna plead not guilty, The good news is Yumi cut a deal to avoid charges.
I guess murder is not his type of accessory.
Yeah.
He confessed to telling Julian And Julian told him that he would take care of her.
So, I guess the "Fab Five" I always thought the fashion industry seemed glamorous.
Turns out, mobsters are more ethical.
Oh, my gosh.
Why do you think I quit? I'll take murderers over models any day.
If only murderers were this hot.
I got a bit of paperwork to do.
Ah! Boring paperwork.
That is my cue to leave.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'll see you when I'm done.
Hey.
Shall I pour you a glass? Uh, no.
Not right now.
Everything all right? Babe, we have to talk.
Wow.
That's something people say before they deliver bad news.
Um You know when you called last night about the venue? I was with Matilda, and she wanted me to model a dress.
And it was a wedding dress.
And when I saw myself in it, I just I started to think about my mom.
She would have loved to have been a part of all of this, To help pick out the flowers and try on the dresses and When I looked at myself in the mirror, I just I-I halfway expected to see her right behind me And, just for a moment, I thought to myself, "I don't know if I can do all of this without her.
" And that's why I said no when you asked about the venue.
I'm so sorry.
It was so stupid.
No.
No, not stupid.
Human.
Do you know what else I wish she could experience? You.
Really? Yeah.
She would have loved you.
You know, Kate If you need more time No.
No, I don't I don't need any more time.
I don't even want us to wait until the fall.
I think we can find a new venue in the spring.
You think we can pull it off? Yeah.
I mean, I already have the dress.
It was very "sad cat lady meets David Bowie.
" This is what it's come to dumpster-diving to find fabric for our midterm haute couture project.
Well, you know what they say.
One man's trash is another man's I think I found something.
Oh! Me too! Ooh! It's stuck.
That's because we're both tugging on it.
Let go.
I had it first.
Oh, this fabric is just to die for.
The lace, the décolletage This would look stunning on you just stunning.
Mother, what are you trying to force on my lovely fiancée? No, no, no, no, no.
I am just trying to expose Katherine To the glorious world of wedding magazines.
They are all very girly, with a lot of gauzy photos Of love-struck brides looking off into the distance.
Perhaps they're contemplating the 50% divorce rate.
You need to get beyond the fairytale-treacle aspect Of these magazines and see them for what they are A source of ideas as you plan your wedding.
Yeah.
Like this place.
The Cordova House? Uh, "a landmark Spanish Revival Mansion With an elegant carriage-house exterior.
" "it was built at the turn of the century, "remains an enduring legacy of architectural beauty In the heart of Manhattan.
" Aha.
I remember the Cordova House.
It was like a cultural venue for the arts in the '70s.
Of course, it was the '70s, so I can't be sure.
And they've started to book weddings.
I love it.
It's gorgeous.
Could it be that we've stumbled upon a venue Yeah! I mean, I'm good with it.
Are you? You're welcome.
Ah! Thank you.
Yeah, thank you.
Sorry.
I'm gonna make, um Some inquiries right now.
Uh, you're gonna have to do it while we're working a case.
Okay.
Thank you.
I appreciate it.
All right.
Apparently, we aren't the only ones who read that article.
The event planner at the Cordova House Said they've been swamped with calls.
Okay.
When's their next available date? She said she's gonna call me back.
Hey, Espo, what have we got? A body found by two fashion students Dumpster-diving for fabric.
Victim's name is Ella Hayes.
She's 26.
According to her driver's license, What's she doing down here in the garment district? Her business card says that she works for Modern Fashion.
She's an assistant to the editor-in-chief.
Yeah, that would be Matilda King.
Okay.
Seriously? You've never heard of Matilda King? I'm betting that most real men haven't.
Mm, yes, if by "real" you mean "uninformed.
" whatever.
Matilda King is a legend in the fashion industry.
Or infamous depends on your point of view.
Yes.
Former assistants of hers have written books about how tough she is.
A dragon lady chews people up and spits them out.
Does she also strangle 'em? 'cause that's how Lanie said our vic died.
Hey, Lanie.
Hey.
So, the murder weapon was a scarf, a sash, or something.
Okay.
When did this happen? Based on lividity, between 12:00 and 2:00 A.
M.
I also recovered some blue hairs on her neck Left by the attacker.
Blue hairs? So she was killed by a little old lady? Or Katy Perry.
Animal hairs that were died blue, Castle.
Or A Dr.
Seuss character.
I don't recall any of them being homicidal.
That's true.
I need a new theory.
Well, I've got one.
And he or she was able to lift the body into the dumpster.
Espo, can you get uniforms To canvass the area for any witnesses? Castle and I will go to her work.
You and Ryan head off to her place That'll indicate why she was here last night.
Right on.
Ella and I went to Parsons together.
And then we've been roommates for the past two years.
I still can't believe this.
When was the last time you saw her? She was up at 5:00, like always, and then out the door To get Matilda's coffee and cranberry scone What about after work did you see her then? I'm a buyer at Saks, so I don't get home till late.
Did Ella have a boyfriend or a relationship? No.
She was on call for Matilda 24/7, So she didn't have time for relationships Or for the one thing that she really wanted to do.
Which was what? Design.
She hoped working at Modern Fashion Was Ella having any problems that you know of? Um She had been stressed lately, A little more than usual.
She said it was work, but she didn't go into details.
Lilian, if you don't mind, I'd like to have an officer come by and take your statement.
Of course.
Anything I can do to help.
Oh, we don't get cell reception in here.
You can use my landline if you like.
Thanks.
Here's my card.
If you can remember anything else, Please give me a call, okay? Yeah.
Thank you.
Well, this is it The big leagues for anyone who wants to work in fashion.
Wow.
Apparently, you have to be a total hottie And I'm saying that as a completely detached, Soon-to-be-married observer.
It's okay, Castle.
Stare all you want.
Really? Actually, no.
But it's kind of hard not to.
I mean, Matilda only hires people That fit the magazine's brand.
You have to Look the part.
You seem to know a lot about Matilda King.
Yeah, well, I've picked up a thing or two.
Hi.
NYPD.
We need to speak with Matilda King.
D oh, I think you missed the part about the NYPD.
Please.
She's going to freak out if I add you to the schedule.
Do you have any idea what happened to the last assistant? Yes.
She's dead.
Dead? What do you mean? No, no, no, no.
Oh, god.
Here she comes.
I won't take no for an answer.
You must join us on the yacht.
Giorgio will show his new collection.
Gordon Ramsay is cooking.
Lady Gaga is performing.
Pushing the boundaries of style No doubt, in the wrong direction.
So, let me know.
New assistant.
It's Carrie.
I'll learn your name when you've earned it.
Here.
Oh, uh, these are your messages, And Julian Bruckner is waiting in your office.
And who is this? Uh NYPD.
We need to ask you a few questions, Ms.
King.
Kate Beckett? I never could forget those cheekbones.
Uh, what you two know each other? Uh Yeah.
Yeah.
When I was a model For about 15 minutes.
You modeled for Modern Fashion? I offered her a spread in the January '99 issue.
Nicole Kidman was on the cover.
And you passed.
To date, you're the only person to ever tell me no.
I'm wall-to-wall.
We'll have to reschedule.
Uh, get ready to be told no again.
We need to ask you a few questions About your assistant, Ella Hayes.
It cannot wait.
We'll talk in my office.
By the way, Ella is my former assistant.
Be right with you, Julian.
Okay.
Uh, so, what do you mean by "former"? I fired her yesterday afternoon, After she made a scheduling mistake And I showed up to a board meeting late.
And that was after her mistake last week, When I kept the new owner of our magazine waiting for 45 minutes.
Matilda, have you seen the proofs from the "Fab Five" photo shoot? They are divine.
They'd better be, Julian.
So far, everything you've submitted Oh, Matilda, these designers are barely out of diapers.
E-excuse me.
Sorry.
We're investigating a murder here.
Murder? Of whom? Your former assistant, Ella.
El Ella's dead? How? That's what we're trying to figure out.
Now, do you know if she had any problems? You don't think this had anything to do With that incident with Grace? What incident? And who's Grace? Grace is my other assistant, whom I fired Because she allowed the scheduling mistakes to happen.
And what was the incident? Well, apparently, yesterday, when Ella and Grace Were escorted out of the building by security, They literally got into a brawl, Right in the middle of a photo shoot.
The photographer, Serge, had to break it up.
Yeah.
The two of them really went at it.
I mean, it was a full-on catfight.
It was actually kind of sexy.
What exactly was the fight about? I overheard Grace blame Ella for for getting her fired.
Serge! I'm up against a deadline to finish my design.
You'll be here as long as it takes to make Matilda happy.
The mantra we all live by.
Uh, did you remember any other details about the fight? I can do better than that.
I can show you something.
And got a few frames with them in the background.
There.
Check it out.
Can You zoom in on that? Sure.
Check out Grace's scarf.
Lanie said she found blue hairs on Ella's neck From being strangled.
Looks like Grace was dressed to kill.
Look, I grew up reading Modern Fashion.
Working for Matilda King, that was my dream.
But when Matilda fires someone, people remember, Which means my career in fashion is pretty much done, Because you believed it was her fault that you got fired.
It was her fault.
She started making mistakes because she was so busy Sucking up to designers like Yumi And showing off her sketches, and I paid the price.
Which is why you killed her.
What are you even talking about? We got in a fight.
That was it.
Okay, okay.
Then explain this.
This blue alpaca scarf was found at your apartment.
It's an exact match to the hairs Found on Ella's neck after she was strangled.
Come on.
Other people have that scarf.
Yeah, but you're the only one with motive.
It was the christmas gift from Modern Fashion.
Maybe Ella was wearing hers and someone choked her with it.
Where were you between I'd just gotten fired.
Some friends took me out and got me drunk.
You can ask them.
I will.
In the meantime, let's talk about Ella.
Her roommate thought that she was having trouble You worked with her.
You know what it was? Actually, there was something else.
A few days ago, at lunchtime, I saw her arguing with this guy outside the building.
Did you recognize him? I'd never seen him before.
But I overheard them, and he was threatening her.
He said she had something he wanted and he wouldn't take no for an answer.
And what was her reaction? She said she was gonna call the police If he didn't leave her the hell alone, and then he stormed off.
I-I tried to ask her what it was all about, Do you remember him well enough to help us with a sketch? I think so.
Okay, this is the guy who threatened Ella.
So, you believe Grace's story? And unis found two witnesses that saw him arguing with Ella.
Ella was basically a glorified assistant.
What could she possibly have had that this man wanted? Well, think about it, Castle.
Matilda King is the most influential person in fashion, And Ella had direct access to her world.
So you're saying this man leveraged Ella To find out what direction hemlines are going next season? Ooh! I just came up with a new title.
"murder is the new black.
" Does that even make sense? Did you guys find something at Ella's apartment? You could say that.
I went to use the landline, and I noticed some static when I got near a lamp.
When we popped that lamp open, look what we found inside.
A bug? Why would someone bug Ella's apartment? Because She is "la femme nikita," And her job at Modern Fashion is just a cover.
She's not "la femme nikita.
" Still, wiretaps, threats from mysterious men, murder Whatever's going on here, it's bigger than fashion.
Okay, see if you can get a serial number.
Let's figure out who bought that bug.
Yeah.
All right.
Thank you very much.
Hey.
That was the event planner at the Cordova House.
They said they still have a few spots open in the fall.
She can give us a tour tonight.
Whoo-hoo! Let's do it.
So, where are we on watergate? So, the plot thickens.
The building manager at Ella's apartment Remembers letting an exterminator into her place Usually, exterminators get rid of bugs.
Only this one didn't.
The company that he worked for doesn't exist.
I mean, what is this about, Castle? Why would someone target Ella? Well, you already heard and rejected my theory.
Yeah, but your theory doesn't explain the little detail That Lanie just found out.
There's black coral on the sole of Ella's shoe, And it wasn't from the dumpster.
Well, that doesn't make any sense.
Black coral is found in the tropics.
Exactly.
So how did this end up on her shoe? Yo, Beckett.
.
And Castle.
Sure.
But we got a hit off the canvass of the crime scene.
A seamstress coming off the late shift Right near the alley where Ella was killed.
We get a description? Yeah, and he matches our sketch.
Yes.
That's him.
Outside the Broadway coffee shop when I walked by.
And what time was this? Do you recall how tall he was, what he wore? Fabric is my business.
He wore a dark suit nice quality, wool blend.
Oh, and he had a distinctive striped tie Crimson and navy with gold triangles across the stripes.
That sounds like a club tie.
Crimson and navy yes, I know that one.
Gold triangles.
That's the Carlton Club tie.
If we can match that sketch to one of its members, we got our I.
D.
Are notoriously protective of keeping their members' privacy.
They're not just gonna hand over that information.
The club won't, no, but one of its members might.
After a tough negotiation that involved my knicks tickets And naming a character in my next book after his nana, My friend came up with a name Marcus Conway.
Okay, so, what do we know about him? He is a lawyer at kellerman goodfriend.
That's one of the city's biggest law firms.
Why is a high-powered lawyer going after Ella? Maybe it has to do with her work.
Is general counsel for Couture Chick magazine.
That's "chic," and not that you would know, But they are Modern Fashion's biggest competitor.
Call Conway's firm.
I want to know where he is.
Detective, I would think very carefully Before making these kinds of accusations.
Mr.
Conway, I am not making any accusations.
I am simply stating fact.
We have a witness that heard you threatening Ella Hayes And another one that saw you near where she was killed.
Right about the same time she ended up that way.
You need to explain yourself.
Marcus, I heard the police are here.
What's going on? Who are you? I'm editor-in-chief of Couture Chic.
They think I murdered Ella Hayes.
What? That's ridiculous.
This is obviously one huge misunderstanding.
Then clear it up.
Tell me what you know about Ella Hayes.
We approached Ella and attempted to Engage her services.
So, basically, you tried to hire her To get inside information on Modern Fashion.
I wouldn't put it that way.
Well, I'm pretty sure she would, Which is why she turned you down.
And you wouldn't take no for an answer.
Look, this is a competitive business With everyone looking to get an edge.
Yes, I was aggressive in trying to make a deal, I accepted that, and I never contacted her again.
Then why were you less than a block away From where she was killed at about the time she died? Because she called me.
She asked me to meet her last night.
Why would she do that? Probably because Matilda just fired her.
The bottom line is, she said she had Bombshell information on Modern Fashion Information that, if it got out, it would destroy the magazine.
Mr.
Conway, I took a look at Ella's cellphone records.
She never called you last night.
She did call, and I can prove it.
She left me a message.
I changed my mind about your offer.
Something that'll ruin Modern Fashion, Take down the whole operation.
Meet me at the Broadway Coffee Shop in an hour.
I waited around for two hours, but she never showed.
What information did she want to share? What were you trying to hire her to find out? As you may have heard, A tech-venture capitalist named Glen Carter Bought Modern Fashion Glenlast month.
Glen has big plans To drag Matilda's precious little magazine Which are? Well, that's what we wanted to know, Since our website has failed to generate New subscription business.
If we could get Modern Fashion's new playbook, It could help us strategize and stay one step ahead.
So, you wanted to hire Ella So that she could tell you about the new direction The magazine was taking, and when she turned you down, That was the extent of your contact? Until she called last night.
And what about the eavesdropping? W-what are you talking about? We found a listening device in Ella's apartment.
That wasn't us.
We had nothing to do with that.
So, these records explain why we missed Ella's phone calls To Marcus Conway.
She phoned him using her roommate's landline.
So, she told Conway to meet her in the coffee shop in an hour.
It would take her about 20 minutes to get there from her apartment, So she must have been killed on the way there.
Looking at her designs, Ella actually had talent.
Yeah, well, the question is, what did she know, And did someone kill her to keep her quiet? Well, I can't help you out there, But I can tell you that Marcus Conway Was telling the truth about not planting that bug.
Yeah, the serial number led us to a distributor Named Alternate Intelligence in Queens.
James Kavanaugh paid for that listening device With a credit card a month ago.
And when does it get interesting? When we found out he was former Special Forces and, Not to mention, the head of security at Modern Fashion.
Wait a minute Ella was being spied on by her own magazine? Oh, Beckett.
, we have that appointment at the Cordova House.
Oh, Castle, I'm sorry.
Duty calls.
Can can you go without me And see if it's as good as the pictures? You trust me to make this decision on my own? Can you go with Martha? We have to bring James Kavanaugh in.
Yeah.
I'm in the security business.
I buy lots of equipment.
Yeah, well, this equipment was a listening device That you installed in Ella Hayes' apartment.
If you think that, you're mistaken.
Because we showed your picture To the super at Ella's building, and he identified you As the exterminator he let into her apartment.
I had nothing to do with what happened to Ella Hayes.
You broke into her place, you wired it for sound, And now she's dead? James? Think about how that looks, bro.
Your best bet is to tell us exactly what you know.
All I did was bug her place, okay? I mean, once Glen Carter bought the magazine, Home monitoring got to be a common practice.
So, Glen Carter ordered the surveillance? No.
No, he didn't know anything about it.
It was ordered by Matilda King.
Matilda King.
You sure about that? Yes, I'm sure.
She got all freaked out about someone coming after her job, So she said she didn't know who she could trust anymore.
Okay, so, who monitored the audio from Ella's apartment? Matilda had me set it up So that it fed directly to her computer.
You realize what this means? Yeah.
Ella called Marcus Conway on the landline, Told him she could take down the magazine, And Matilda heard the whole thing.
Okay.
Thank you very much.
So, the guard in the lobby of the Modern Fashion building Saw Matilda leave there last night at 11:30, And she was in a big hurry.
Well, that's right after Ella called Marcus Conway.
Matilda knew that Ella was about to spill the beans And bring down the magazine.
So Matilda went to stop her.
She's our killer.
Wait, wait, wait.
She's on a call.
She can call back.
Glen, this magazine is not about tweets or likes on facebook, For god's sake! For 57 years, Women have been purchasing this magazine for the fashion! Whenever they've had a bad day at work or at home, They've come to us! We are their escape! We are their fantasy! It's the clothing that stitches it all together.
That's what matters.
- We're done here.
- Glen! Glen! Oh.
I'm sorry.
I didn't see you there.
You've got a hell of a temper, Ms.
King.
It's not temper.
It's frustration.
Glen Carter, our new owner, Cares more about money than fashion.
Is that why you were paranoid he was gonna replace you? I don't know what you've heard, but I'm Matilda King.
My name is synonymous with this magazine.
He wouldn't dare replace me.
So then why did you order the monitoring Of all of your employees' conversations The moment that he bought the magazine? You are quite the detective.
Take a seat.
Since the purchase, rumors have been swirling.
I'd like to think that they're just rumors, But I can't afford to take that chance.
I need to know my people are loyal.
By bugging their homes? With their permission.
We've had some loyalty issues, So my lawyers added some fine print To their employment agreements.
Do you actually believe that's gonna fly in court? My lawyers seem to think so.
Now, what does this have to do with your investigation? Look, given the rumors about your job, It must have been disconcerting to find out Ella Was taking damaging information on Modern Fashion To what are you referring? What information? But what we do know is moments after she made the arrangements To sell that information, You were seen running out of here.
You think that I ran out of here to kill Ella? Your head of security says that you're set up To listen to these recordings live on your computer.
Something I do on the weekend.
I'm a little busy running a magazine during the week.
Yeah, a position that you're desperate to defend.
That's motive and that's opportunity.
I ran out of my office last night Because I was late for drinks with Oscar de la Renta.
Feel free to check.
Regarding Ella's threat to the magazine, I never heard her say that.
And you have no idea what Ella was taking to the competition? None.
But if you find out, I'd be curious to know.
Anything else, detective? I'm gonna need those recordings.
Hey, Beckett.
.
Matilda's alibi checks out.
She was having drinks with Oscar until about 2:00 A.
M.
So Matilda's not our killer? And we still don't know what explosive information Ella was taking to the competition.
Right.
I think I may have found something on these audio files That might shed light on that.
About a week of inane conversations But she did place a call on the day of the murder That was pretty strange.
Check it out.
Hey.
It's me Ella.
Something weird is going on inside Modern Fashion.
I think someone's targeting me.
I need your help.
Call me back.
Do we know who's on the other end of that call? Based on the landline phone records, The call was placed to someone at Modern Fashion, But it was routed through a switchboard, So it doesn't show who she was connected to.
This directory lists over Yeah.
Lucky I have crazy-good hearing.
Listen to the beginning again.
I had a tech analyze those beeps And connect them to the corresponding digits.
The call was placed to this extension.
Armando Montoya.
He's an I.
T.
Tech at Modern Fashion? Mm-hmm.
What was Ella doing calling him for help? We were friends, you know? To most of the people here, I'm invisible, but Ella saw me.
She was nice.
Why did she need your help the day she died? She wanted me to look at Matilda's calendar.
What for? Because Matilda missed some important meetings, But Ella was sure she entered them Into the calendar correctly.
She wanted to know if the calendar had been tampered with.
And and was it? Several entries had been changed over the past couple weeks All in the middle of the night.
When I showed it to her, She was convinced that someone was trying to set her up.
Well, were you able to tell who made those changes? I tracked them all to an I.
P.
address outside Modern Fashion.
It's the best I could do.
And she said she was gonna figure out who set her up And make them pay.
Next I hear, she's dead.
Do you still have that I.
P.
address? Yeah.
Okay.
I'll have a tech run it down.
But why would anyone want to sabotage a fashion assistant? I don't know, Espo.
If Ella went after whoever's behind this, All right, well, I'll give you a call when I get a location.
Okay.
Thanks.
More questions, detective? Actually, we found evidence that suggests Ella wasn't responsible for screwing up your appointments.
Someone else changed your calendar Someone outside of this office.
Are you saying that I fired Ella for no reason? Do you know why someone would have done this to her? No.
But I do know why someone would want to do this to me.
What do you mean? Ever since Glen Carter bought Modern Fashion, The sharks have been circling.
They smell blood.
So the calendar mistakes made you look bad at a critical time? Excuse me.
Oh, this is just what I need.
What's wrong? I have to make a decision in the next half-hour About a dress this issue, and the model didn't show up.
Oh.
Detective Beckett.
.
You said "no" to me years ago when I offered you a job.
Might you do a little favor for me now? Oh, Richard, look at these beautiful antique chandeliers.
Oh! So, if you're interested, I have a couple of slots for fall 2015 still open.
Excuse me.
Did you say "fall 2015"? That's correct.
When we spoke on the phone, I thought We were speaking of This fall.
No way.
That's been booked for months.
Uh, excuse me, but I have to take this call.
Look around, and I'll be right back.
Ugh.
Well, it is a beautiful venue.
And it's a long time to wait.
Yeah, and a long time to plan.
I just feel like I've waited long enough, mother.
I-I don't want to waste any more time Before we take the next step.
I'm sure there's another venue out there That the two of you will just fall in love with.
Mm.
Thank you.
Okay.
This never happens, But the friedmans just called off their wedding, And we now have an opening for spring.
Spring2016? No, this spring.
Uh, I have a long list of couples That would snatch this up immediately, But since you're here Do you need any help in there? When you asked me to try on a dress and I said yes, I had no idea it was gonna be this kind of a dress.
What do you think? It's amazing.
Yeah? The embroidery.
And the Austrian crystal.
It's just just heavenly.
Yeah.
It is, isn't it? Come.
Well, t-this probably would have Looked better on the model that didn't show up.
No, don't be silly.
It's perfect on you.
Trust me.
I'm an expert.
This is exactly the kind of dress I would want for her.
You are gonna make a beautiful bride someday.
Thank you.
We're ready for the accessories spread in the conference room.
Excuse me.
I'll be back in five minutes.
Wow.
Hey.
How's the venue.
Amazing.
Yeah, so amazing.
And they didn't have any spots open until fall of 2015, And their unfortunate misery can be our lifelong joy.
We can take their spot for the spring.
The spring.
Wow.
I know.
And there's a lot of couples who want it.
But if I put down a deposit tonight, it's ours.
So, what do you say? Beckett, are you there? Yeah.
Okay, but I-I thought we agreed that the venue was amazing.
Yeah, we did.
It's just I started thinking about the details And the planning that we have to do, and I just I don't want to rush any of this.
Okay.
If you're sure that's it.
Yeah.
Yeah, it is.
I mean, we're gonna find another venue, Castle.
So, a tech was able to track down that I.
P.
address.
Whoever changed that calendar did it from a design studio in soho.
Is there any connection between the studio and Modern Fashion? As a matter of fact, there is.
It belongs to one of the designers being featured In Modern Fashion's "Fab Five" spread Yumi.
Yumi what? I guess if you don't have a last name, you can charge more.
So, why would he or someone from his studio Be changing Matilda's calendar? I don't know, but I can tell you this.
It looks like Ella may have been there the night she was killed.
How do you know that? Yumi's website.
The current design line being produced at his studio Features dresses embellished with coral, And, in addition to the fact that this model is hot, She's wearing black coral.
The same kind of coral that Lanie found Stuck to the bottom of Ella's shoe.
Let's go.
I'm probably gonna have to call her in for an interrogation.
No, sweetie.
You tell little miss all that Yumi says there's only one diva in this room.
If she doesn't want to wear the pink louboutins, She is out of the show.
Models.
The lack of food makes them so very fraught.
Uh, Mr.
Yumi please, just Yumi.
Okay.
Yumi.
When was the last time you saw Ella Hayes? Ella Hayes? Matilda's assistant the girl who was killed? Yes, of course.
Well, we have reason to believe that she was here last night.
Yes.
She was.
Why was she here? She, uh, she came to ask me for a job.
Really? I told her I wanted to help, But there was absolutely nothing I could do.
When Matilda King fires someone, they are radioactive.
Do you have any idea why she was fired? No.
I think you do.
Someone changed Matilda King's calendar.
Matilda thought it was Ella, but it wasn't Ella.
It was someone from your studio.
We traced the I.
P.
address.
That's what she was doing here last night.
She wasn't asking for a job.
She was looking to find who made those changes Who ruined her career.
And given the fact that you just lied to us, I am guessing it was you.
Me? Do you have any idea how powerful Matilda King is In the fashion industry? My design is a "Fab Five" winner.
Matilda's about to make me famous.
Messing with her would be career suicide.
What could possibly be my motive? Oh, it's simple.
You needed to get her fired.
You needed to discredit her.
Why on earth would I do that? Because your winning "Fab Five" design Isn't yours.
From Ella's sketchbook.
They're exactly the same.
Ella was an aspiring designer.
She must have copied me.
No.
Ella's roommate Saw her making those sketches months ago.
Okay, then.
If you found it in her sketchbook, Then how did I get it? Well, Matilda's other assistant, Grace, Confirmed seeing Ella give you copies of her sketches.
Apparently, you had them on you When you went in on your "Fab Five" pitch meeting.
And from there, the story writes itself.
You showed your designs, And they just weren't good enough to make the cut, But then the artistic director sees these in your bag The fresh, stunning, raw talent Perfect for the "Fab Five.
" Except they weren't your designs.
Only two people knew that you and Ella.
And being a "Fab Five" designer Could literally make your career, Once you were chosen for the "Fab Five," You realized that Ella would know you had stolen her designs.
You had to discredit her so that no one would believe her.
I want a lawyer.
Ella must have confronted Yumi at his studio.
If she threatened to expose the whole scandal, his career would be over.
He had to kill her to hide the truth.
Yeah.
That all makes sense.
Now we just have to connect him to the crime scene.
Only one problem you can't.
Yumi didn't kill Ella.
How do you know? Multiple employees saw Ella confront Yumi, But after she took off, he was at the studio till 3:00 A.
M.
Wait.
Are you are you sure? But we know someone changed Matilda's calendar From that studio.
He has to be involved somehow.
I think someone else was, too.
I went through Yumi's phone records, And after Ella left, He made half a dozen phone calls to Modern Fashion.
Such beautiful designs.
After all this time, I had no idea.
If she knew these designs had been stolen, Maybe she didn't think you would listen At least, not to someone like her.
Maybe she just wanted revenge.
If Couture Chic exposed that our "Fab Five" list was corrupt, It would have cost me my job.
Who else stood to lose? Everyone involved, I suppose.
Well, just after Ella left Yumi's studio, He made a series of phone calls To someone here at Modern Fashion.
Someone who must have known Yumi's secret Who was helping him cover it up.
Someone who knew that if the truth got out, It could destroy them both.
There's only one person it could be.
Who? We go to print in one week on this issue, And I'm still not happy with the cover options.
And we're still not there with the "Fab Five" spread! Now, go, please, make it better! Julian, a word.
What was your first reaction When you saw Yumi's design submission? Blown away.
I mean, that's why I nominated him.
Now, is there a reason why you didn't come to me And tell me when he confessed to you That he stole Ella's design? What do you mean? I had a word with Yumi this morning.
He told me you've known for a while.
And he also said it was your idea to change my calendar.
He's lying.
Then I spoke to Mr.
Carter, And he confirmed my suspicion.
You've been gunning for my job.
It proves that you tried to kill two birds with one stone.
You changed my calendar in order to discredit Ella You don't know what you're talking about.
Don't even.
You're fired.
I can walk out of here and get hired at any magazine I want By the end of the day.
You won't be applying for a new job anytime soon, Julian.
Oh, my This is ridiculous.
Matilda King She takes pleasure in torturing people like this.
Fact is, her story is as crazy as she is.
Except we searched the dumpsters around your apartment, And we found Ella's scarf The one that you used to strangle her.
The lab also found two sets of DNA on that scarf Ella's and yours.
I'm not gonna say another word until my lawyer's present.
So, what did the D.
A.
Say? That Julian's gonna plead not guilty, The good news is Yumi cut a deal to avoid charges.
I guess murder is not his type of accessory.
Yeah.
He confessed to telling Julian And Julian told him that he would take care of her.
So, I guess the "Fab Five" I always thought the fashion industry seemed glamorous.
Turns out, mobsters are more ethical.
Oh, my gosh.
Why do you think I quit? I'll take murderers over models any day.
If only murderers were this hot.
I got a bit of paperwork to do.
Ah! Boring paperwork.
That is my cue to leave.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'll see you when I'm done.
Hey.
Shall I pour you a glass? Uh, no.
Not right now.
Everything all right? Babe, we have to talk.
Wow.
That's something people say before they deliver bad news.
Um You know when you called last night about the venue? I was with Matilda, and she wanted me to model a dress.
And it was a wedding dress.
And when I saw myself in it, I just I started to think about my mom.
She would have loved to have been a part of all of this, To help pick out the flowers and try on the dresses and When I looked at myself in the mirror, I just I-I halfway expected to see her right behind me And, just for a moment, I thought to myself, "I don't know if I can do all of this without her.
" And that's why I said no when you asked about the venue.
I'm so sorry.
It was so stupid.
No.
No, not stupid.
Human.
Do you know what else I wish she could experience? You.
Really? Yeah.
She would have loved you.
You know, Kate If you need more time No.
No, I don't I don't need any more time.
I don't even want us to wait until the fall.
I think we can find a new venue in the spring.
You think we can pull it off? Yeah.
I mean, I already have the dress.