‘Yo Beckett!’

Beckett could feel the disapproving eyes turning and glaring at her and Esposito. She quickly strode up to him and grasped him firmly by the shoulder.

‘I know this is a crime scene, Esposito, but it’s still a library. Best keep it down.’

Esposito nodded and lead her through the stacks and beyond the yellow and black crime scene tape.

‘Vic’s Ashley O’Shea, found her in the crime section over here. Wallet and jewellery still on her. Looks like a crime of literary passion.’

Beckett rolled her eyes. The puns would be flying thick and fast on this one.

Lanie was already bent over the body.

‘You got a time of death for me, Lanie?’

‘Hold up girlfriend, I just got here. Until I get a magic wand I actually have to look to give you answers.’

Beckett cast her eyes around. She’d always liked libraries, the solitude, the serenity, all these works by the great and

not-so-great. She’d regarded them as peaceful, but this meant they joined the growing list of places marred for her by murder.

Her eyes wandered to the C’s on the shelf. Several of Castle’s novels stood there, worn and well-used. She caught herself

and tore her eyes away. She still hadn’t fully forgiven him yet.

‘The crime section, how novel.’

By now she’d trained herself not to jump when she heard that voice suddenly behind her. She turned around to see

Esposito feeding the birds with Castle.

‘A crime of literary passion.’

‘You said that already, Esposito.’

Esposito’s grin disappeared and he wandered off to find Ryan (and look busy). Lane snapped her fingers to draw Beckett’s

attention.

‘Body was found two hours ago, time of death was not long before that. She took a single blow to the face, fell back

and hit her head on the shelf behind her. I’ll know more when I get her on the slab, but looks pretty straightforward to me.’

‘Thanks Lanie.’

Castle opened his mouth, but Beckett’s glare cut him off.

‘Not now. Where’s Ryan and Esposito?’

‘Right here.’ Ryan replied. ‘No witnesses or security cameras.  It’s a library, there’s nothing to steal or watch.’

‘Don’t tell me you’ve never gotten busy in a library, bro.’ Esposito commented. He and Castle shared knowing grins.

‘We got a murder weapon?’

Ryan held up an evidence bag, containing a large hardback book.

‘Goodie’s latest thriller. Fingerprints are going to be a bust, who knows how many people have handled this?’

‘A Goodie? How sad, to be killed by a lightweight.’ Castle felt all eyes on him. ‘What?’

‘Don’t tell me you’re jealous, bro.’

‘Jealous? Ha! Ha and a half!’

Ryan tested the weight of the book.

‘At least it would’ve been quick. Beats being attacked with something from the young adult section, it’d take all day

to kill someone with one of those.’

‘Still, better that than a Candace Bushnell.’ Esposito retorted. ‘The shame would kill me.’

‘Hey, I kind of like her stuff.’ Now it was Ryan who shifted under the combined stares.

‘Hey! Focus guys. Let’s find this guy and book him.’

Kate shrugged in response to the boys’ looks.

‘See, I can be funny too.’

*Opening Titles*