Castle Season 4 Episode 17 “Once Upon a Crime” Recap
In this week’s episode, Castle and Beckett are called to investigate the murder of Amy Morgan, a hot shot lawyer that was found mauled to death in Central Park. The catch is she is wearing a striking outfit, similar to that of Little Red Riding Hood. Castle is more than thrilled with the idea of a possible fairytale theme killing, while Beckett is little bit more than suspicious of the circumstances of the victim’s murder. With overwhelming evidence of animal tracks and claw marks present at the crime scene, it seems like the fairytales are leaving the storybooks behind and are coming to life, but can Castle and Beckett stop the villain in time to ensure that everyone gets their happily ever after?
Castle and Beckett both believe there is more to this case than meets the eye, so they decided to talk Amy’s sister and her brother-in-law. Both describe Amy as very nice person who was dedicated to her profession. Her sister does recall that Amy stopped speaking to her for the last week or so, which was odd since the two always chatted with one another. Castle and Beckett both rule out the Adult Roleplay scene as there was no time in Amy’s life, as she was solely focused on her career. The team also finds evidence that Amy withdrew $50, 605 from her bank account, which is highly suspicious as the amount is extremely unusual. Things gets stranger when Lanie tells that pair, the Amy wasn’t kill by a wolf, but her death was staged to look like it was. Their victim was apparently drugged and then her killer most likely dressed her into the costume before she was given a lethal dose of oxycodone. As the team reviews the evidence, they receive a call about another murder, this time their victim is dressed up like Snow White, cementing their worst fears that there is a fairytale themed killer out there ready and waiting to strike again.
The second victim, Christina Curtis was found in the woods like the first victim with the exception for being dressed up like Snow White and with part of the “Snow White” fairytale written on her chest. Castle believes that killer is referencing to the original Grimm fairytales and not the Disney spun versions that of today. So far the team is able to find out that both victims liked to jog, went missing for a short time being on Friday the week before last and that both withdrew $50,605 from their bank accounts. After some checking, Ryan is able to track down both costumes to the same manufacture, who gives them the name of the person who order them, a Jamie Isaacson, but unfortunately they find out that their suspected killer ordered a third costume. With time running out Ryan and Esposito head over to Isaacson place, where they find an apartment filled with dolls and a little old lady claiming to be Jaime Isaacson. Looks like their killer stole Ms. Isaacson credit card and had the packages shipped to the apartment knowing that there was no doorman and that the package would be left outside leaving anyone to pick it up.
Meanwhile, back at the station the team finds a search for directions to the Walking Glass Café on Christina’s phone. Ryan and Esposito head on over, where they find out from a waitress that Christina, Morgan and a third woman all sat together at a table, during the few hours they were missing the Friday before last and supposedly all three were in a heated argument with one another. Castle and Beckett decide to check bank statement records of anyone who withdrew over $50,000 in the last week or so to see if they can find the third women. Through some checking and a positive match from the waitress’ description, the third woman is Charlotte Boyd, a real estate agent that lives on the upper eastside. Beckett and Castle rush over to her apartment, where they find her in the costume barely breathing, but still alive.
According to her doctor, Charlotte had a low dosage of the same drug found in her system similar to the other victims. When Christina wakes up, Beckett and Castle question her about a picture of her and the rest of the victims with an unknown man dressed up in fairytale costumes that was found at the scene. Charlotte says that the picture was taken seven years ago when her and her friends went to a fairytale themed rave. She goes on to say that the guy in the photo was her friend Owen Thomas who died that night, after being hit by car. She says that all of them were high that night and when Owen started having bad hallucinations as they drove back home, they kicked Owen out of the car and told him to walk it off hoping that he would head back to the rave, but the next morning they found out he was killed by a hit and run. She said all them made a pact not to say anything and whoever sent that photo to her knew what they had covered up, that’s why they were arguing at the café. They were being blackmailed and all of them had to withdraw $50,605 from their accounts and drop it off at a dumpster per instructions of the blackmailer. Ryan is able to track down where the photo was developed and more importantly find video of the blackmailer and killer picking up the photo and it is none other than Amy’s brother in-law, Darren Morgan.
Darren is the older brother of Owen and was the one to blackmail all the girls after finding the undeveloped picture in the attic of mother-in-law’s house. He says that he was angry after finding that it was Amy and her friends who left his brother out there by himself on that night to get hit. He decided that he wanted them to pays so he sent the photos with the amount they needed to pay in accordance to the day Owen was killed (05/06/05) and told them were to drop off the money. He was going to use the money to open up a scholarship in Owen’s name, but claims he didn’t kill the girls, but Beckett and Castle don’t believe him. Castle and Beckett decided to head on over to Castle’s place where Martha is debuting her one woman show, much to Castle’s chagrin. Martha is happy to see both of them there, especially since Rick hasn’t been pleased of how she has been stretching the truth in the show. Rick goes to see Martha and he helps her get ready and that is when he comes to the realization that they arrested the wrong man for murder.
He and Beckett rush out of the apartment back to station where he looks at all of the crime scene photos of each victim including Charlotte’s. He points out to Beckett how each bow on Amy’s and Christiana’s outfit was perfectly made and how they were each horizontal, while the bow on Charlotte’s was made vertical as if the person wearing the outfit tied it together. Both Castle and Beckett head back to the hospital to interrogate Charlotte. They ask her tell the truth about the night Owen died and she says they already know the truth, from what she told them. She says that Amy was to one to drive the car away the night they left Owen at the rave. Beckett tells her that she is lying. It was in fact, Charlotte who drove the car that night and was the one to run over Owen not some random driver. Charlotte tries to deny, but when Beckett pulls out receipts of her paying for the damages to Amy’s car that night, her story starts to crumble. Beckett then pulls out evidence linking Charlotte to Jamie Isaacson as she was the one to help the woman refinance her home and that her building was the perfect place to send the packages to, plus that is why Charlotte had such a low dosage of the drug in her system, because she had injected herself with the drug moments before Castle and Beckett arrived at her apartment. Charlotte finally breaks down saying that after the three of them were getting blackmailed; she knew that one of the girls would talk sooner or later so she had to kill them before they revealed anything.
In the end, they drop the murder charges against Darren, but not for blackmail. The two then decide to catch an encore of Martha’s show where the audience is only comprised of Beckett, Castle, his daughter and Martha’s ghost writer. During the play Martha shocks Castle describing how proud she is to be his mother that makes Castle really happy, up until the point she tells him that he could have been a better son. Castle just groans and as the show ends Beckett holds his hand showing him support and more importantly that she is there for him no matter what.
Originally posted on Affairs Magazine
