Beckett opened her office door, ignoring the idle chatter among the three men, and instead gestured for Castle, who was holding two coffees and a file under his arm, to come inside. Castle, caught up in gossiping with Esposito and Ryan, only remembered his main reason for coming to the precinct when he saw Beckett beckoning him. He quickly excused himself, leaving Esposito and Ryan behind, and followed Beckett into her office with a grin plastered on his face.
Once inside, Castle realized he had messed up by getting distracted. He quickly handed Beckett the skim latte he had bought for her, hoping his sheepish smile would help her overlook his earlier lapse in focus.
Beckett, well aware of Castle's tendencies, didn't get upset. She simply gestured for him to hand over the folder under his arm. Castle, finally remembering why he was there, handed over the file he had meticulously prepared the previous night, containing crucial information about Senator William Bracken's criminal network.
Beckett set her coffee down and opened the file, carefully examining its contents. As she began reading, her eyes widened in shock, and she couldn't help but ask, "Castle, is everything in here true?"
Castle understood why Beckett was so surprised. The file started with detailed profiles of four police officers who were still working for the NYPD. These four were responsible for covering up the murder of Beckett's mother, ten years ago, by turning it into a random robbery instead of the planned assassination orchestrated by Senator William Bracken.
The file didn't stop there. It also included information about the coroner who had performed the autopsy on Beckett's mother, revealing that he too had been part of this corrupt group. Although the coroner had since passed away, his involvement was documented further back in the file. The fact that these four officers were still active in the NYPD was what shocked Beckett the most.
Beckett had always known that her mother was killed because she was investigating corruption within the police force. However, she had never imagined that the number of involved officers was so extensive and that they were still working within the department. This revelation not only exceeded her expectations but also complicated the situation significantly.
Originally, Beckett believed that taking down Nick Coonan, the hitman, along with his financier, drug lord Vulcan Simmons, and finally Senator William Bracken, would be sufficient. She had anticipated a few minor players along the way, but nothing beyond that. However, with Castle's file in hand, she realized that she was up against a well-organized, deeply entrenched network involving police, gang members, and a powerful senator.
After finishing the file, Beckett looked at Castle with a complex expression. "Did you know all of this already?"
Castle, unwilling to admit he had doubts about Beckett's initial plan, shrugged. "I only gathered this information in the past few days. Even I didn't realize just how extensive Bracken's network was. But in hindsight, it makes sense. He's a senator, and he's been collaborating with this corrupt police organization for over ten years. It's no surprise they've grown to this scale."
Beckett felt a wave of discouragement wash over her. Anyone in her position, discovering that their enemy's power far exceeded their own resources, would feel a similar frustration. She forced herself to stay focused and asked Castle, "So, what should we do now?"
Castle had thought about this and carefully considered how to phrase his suggestion to avoid upsetting Beckett further. He proposed cautiously, "Honestly, I don't think the Twelfth Precinct alone can handle this. We might be able to bring Nick Coonan in, but even if we convict him, it won't be enough. We both know the real mastermind is Senator Bracken, and Nick is just a tool. Convicting him won't satisfy you."
Castle continued, encouraged by Beckett's attentive gaze. "What we should focus on isn't the small fish. Instead, we should aim straight for the big one—Bracken himself. If we can bring down Bracken, the entire network, including those four corrupt cops, Nick Coonan, and Vulcan Simmons, will lose their protection. At that point, our precinct will be more than capable of dealing with the rest."
Castle's suggestion aligned perfectly with Beckett's own thoughts. Although she was reluctant to delay her pursuit of Bracken, she realized that taking him down with her current resources was impossible. She had no choice but to temporarily set aside her desire for revenge and carefully plan her next move.
Castle understood Beckett's frustration, but he knew that taking down a senator would require meticulous legal strategy. He had many underhanded tactics at his disposal, but using them could jeopardize their case against Bracken, which could damage his relationship with Beckett. To avoid this, Castle proposed a formal plan: to secretly collaborate with the New York District Attorney's office and the Department of Justice to investigate Bracken.
The one silver lining in all of this was the separation of powers in the U.S. government. Agencies like the District Attorney's office and the Department of Justice would likely be eager to take down a senator, seeing it as a significant career-making case. Castle knew they wouldn't be inclined to side with Bracken or tip him off, as bringing down a senator could provide far more benefits than protecting one.
The U.S. judicial system's independence from the government could be seen as both a blessing and a curse, but in this instance, it was exactly what Beckett and Castle needed. While there was no guarantee that Bracken wouldn't find out about their investigation, even if he did, there was little he could do to stop it. The principle of "judicial independence" gave them a legitimate way to investigate Bracken, and if he did catch wind of it, his only recourse would be to try to clean up his tracks, unable to halt the investigation.
If Bracken did try to interfere, he could easily be charged with obstructing justice—a serious crime, especially for a public figure like a senator. Such a charge would only confirm that Bracken was in deep trouble. Castle's plan was straightforward and open, leaving Bracken with no option but to watch as the investigation unfolded.
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