Montgomery understood Beckett's ostrich-like mentality, and he also knew the real reason why his subordinate had been working so hard all these years: to find the real killer of her mother. In fact, Captain Montgomery not only knew who was responsible but had once been friends and colleagues with those involved. It was this inside knowledge that prompted him to transfer a then-green uniformed officer, Beckett, under his wing for careful grooming. Perhaps it was a form of atonement, but now it seemed to have paid off—Beckett had grown into an elite detective capable of handling herself. Now, it was time for her final lesson.
"Think about it carefully. Ever since Castle started following you in the precinct, haven't your case-solving processes sped up significantly with his help?" Montgomery guided Beckett's thoughts.
"Captain, even before Castle came, my team had the highest case-solving rate in the precinct, right?" Beckett felt indignant at her boss attributing the recent surge in their success to Castle.
Seeing Beckett's defensive stance, Montgomery nearly laughed. "Alright, maybe I didn't put it clearly. Let me ask you this: hasn't Castle's involvement been beneficial to your team and the entire precinct? Take yesterday, for example. If he hadn't alerted us days in advance, we wouldn't have handled the situation so smoothly. You can't deny that, right? And if it weren't for Castle giving us the bomb's exact location, the media wouldn't be praising us now, correct?"
Beckett, though reluctant to admit it, had to acknowledge that her boss was speaking the truth. She nodded grudgingly, still unsure why Montgomery was bringing all this up.
Knowing that Beckett might not have a managerial mindset, perhaps due to her close relationship with her two detective colleagues, Montgomery patiently explained, "If you take over my position, you won't just be thinking like a frontline detective. You'll need to focus more on coordination and management. In this context, Castle's assistance becomes invaluable. Haven't you ever wondered about the source of his information? Earlier, you were still puzzled about this, remember?"
Beckett was increasingly confused about Montgomery's intentions.
Montgomery continued without waiting for her to ask, "What I'm saying is that when you become the actual leader of the precinct, Castle's secret sources will be a great asset to you. You don't need to know every detail; everyone has their secrets. As long as these secrets don't harm others, there's no need to dig deeper. If they help you, it's best to quietly benefit from them."
Montgomery's subtle hint finally made Beckett understand his message. While amusing, it also made her feel grateful. Perhaps before last night, she was curious about Castle's information sources, but after visiting Castle's friend's house, she had a good idea that it had something to do with a talented hacker friend of his. She had promised Castle not to reveal this, so Montgomery's concerns were unnecessary.
In fact, the most surprising news for Beckett was that Castle might be the sniper who took down Simon. That revelation had left her more shocked than anything else Montgomery had said.
Montgomery, uninterested in Beckett's inner thoughts, continued, "I likely have only two or three months left as captain of the 12th precinct. In that time, I hope you can work well with Castle and build enough of a record for me to recommend you as my successor. So, the main reason I called you today was to tell you this and to let you know that Castle isn't as defenseless as he seems. Oh, and I just found out today that he has a concealed carry permit signed by the Commissioner himself. This means he's been carrying a gun all along. You must ensure he doesn't use it recklessly when accompanying you on cases—remember, he's a consultant, not a police officer."
Beckett nodded seriously, indicating she understood. She hesitated, then spoke cautiously, "Captain, I think Castle's only motive for joining the precinct was to get inspiration for his writing. He probably doesn't have any other intentions. I understand your hints and will think carefully about my future work and make good use of Castle's abilities. Is there anything else?"
Seeing Beckett grasp his subtle hints, Montgomery looked satisfied. After considering it, he decided not to say more. He had a few months left before his transfer, and the precinct had been working hard since the previous day, especially Beckett, who hadn't even gone home. There was no need to take up more of her time. He would talk to Castle later, ensuring he fully supports Beckett after his departure. Given Castle's obvious interest in Beckett, he wouldn't refuse.
Montgomery waved her off with a smile: "Go get some rest. Remember what I said, and be nicer to Castle. That guy really has your best interests at heart!"
Beckett, embarrassed by her boss's teasing, left the office. Alone, Montgomery muttered to himself, "This is as much as I can help. I hope you can forget about your mother's case. It's not that I don't want to tell you the truth, but with your current resources, you can't take on those involved. Let's see if you can grow under Castle's help. While my files can make them cautious, they aren't foolproof. Once you succeed me, you'll be safer. Hopefully, when you learn the truth, you won't resent me."
Unaware of Montgomery's musings, Beckett was at her desk, preparing to leave. She couldn't believe Castle, whom she had thought was just a greasy middle-aged writer, was actually a top-notch marksman. Though Montgomery had downplayed it as a rumor, she felt certain that the sniper was Castle, explaining how he subdued the four robbers so easily. Castle had indeed been hiding his true capabilities.
As she packed, Beckett realized she didn't know Castle as well as she thought. It seemed she needed a serious conversation with him when he next came to the precinct.
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