#Castle episode 8.18 - "Backstabber"

“Backstabber”

After Hayley does a favor for an old friend, she finds herself implicated in a killing and cyber-terror attack. Now, Beckett and Castle must rush to solve the case and clear Hayley’s name, on “Castle,” MONDAY, APRIL 18 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network.

Castle stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Captain Kate Beckett, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, with Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers. For Season Eight, Toks Olagundoye (“The Neighbors”) joined the series as Hayley.

Guest stars in the episode include Oliver Muirhead as Bryce Robert, Billy Ray Gallion as Marcus Janek, David Hoffman as Ned Werner, and Bree Williamson as Karla.

“Backstabber” was written by Robert Bella and directed by Jessica Yu.

Episode 18:

Note: Obviously you've heard about the changes to the show if Season 9 occurs. Let's enjoy these last few episodes, okay? They may be Castle's last, or they may be the last with certain characters.

Car stops at the curb. Hayley gets in. Marcus will bypass security while Hayley puts spyware on a man's computer. They go in and do the job. She starts the upload. Lights come on. They see a couple getting frisky. Upload complete. Hayley wants to leave. Marcus stays to watch.

Vacuum in the morning. Marcus is dead on the floor.

Kate says Castle betrayed him last night in her dreams. He's befuddled. Phone rings.

Martha trying out autographs. Alexis and Hayley nod. Rick comes in and sees Martha's signature like she intended. LOL. Hayley goes along with Castle to the murder scene.

Espo and Ryan says you can't solve a homicide without us. Lanie says the man died instantly. Knife in the spinal cord. Hayley puts on gloves. Says he was killed at 3:27am. Broken watch. Hayley picks the breath mints she gave him out of his pocket. Then accidentally on purpose puts her prints on it. Marcus is identified. Castle thinks he had a partner. Hayley points out a chair that's not tucked in. Ned Werner's desk.

Hayley calls Bryce and says Marcus is dead. He says I lied about everything. I had no choice. Code 44. I'm sorry, Hayley. I'm so sorry. Castle finds her. She says she has to check on a friend that has fallen ill.

She busts the floor open to get her go bag. Hears something. Someone comes in. It's Alexis.

Hayley asks what she's doing here? You need to leave now. Alexis asks what's going on? Hayley says she did a job for a friend and it wasn't legit. He told me to go code 44. Run for your life and don't look back. Alexis says you found a home here! Stay and fight and fix it. Please at least try.

Castle at the precinct. Boys says Beckett's pissed. What you did was so wrong. We're sworn to secrecy. Figure out what you did and come clean before it's too late. Trolls. Hayley arrives.

Espo and Ryan talk to Ned Werner. Hayley and Castle watch. Hayley says he's lying. There's a love bite on his neck. Ned says he's never seen that man in his life. I was in a Hitch ride by then. Driver picked me up at 3:19am.

Hayley grabs Ned in the bathroom.

Beckett hears screams in there and asks what's going on. Ned would like to revise his statement. He met a smoking hot blonde named Carla and took her back to my office. I was trying to impress her, so I logged into the server and shut down power for a second. Then Carla said she was bored and wanted to go home. I couldn't get into her corset and was crazy nervous. He didn't see Carla leave the building. Beckett brings Ned to Ryan. Then stops Hayley from leaving. Castle says something's going on with you. Hayley admits she was in the office last night.

Beckett takes her into one of the interrogation rooms. Hayley tells her what she was hired to do. She took off. Marcus stayed to watch Ned and Carla. Bryce was my team leader at Mi6. He's freelance security now. He's a good man. Kate asks where we can find him?

Hayley takes them to Bryce's ex wife's house. Hear a scream. Bryce is dead.

Killed the same way. Lanie tells hayley she's sorry for her friend. Castle asks what are you mixed up in? Espo and Ryan says there's no trace around of the suspect. Hayley got 12 million wired to her from Manchester Energy. Castle says you're the patsy. London power outage.

Precinct. Kate talked to the FBI. They're calling it an act of terror. London's power is out for a few days. There's a warrant out for Hayley's arrest. Ryan found a photo of Carla and Ned. Kate says this is the worst place to hide. Castle says she can stay in the panic room. Kate says she's going to need a miracle to stay out of jail.

Castle's office. Hayley wishes she remembered more about Carla. Castle asks about the corset. Alexis wonders how he's so knowledgeable about corsets. Mi6 man shows up at the door. Castle answers the door after the girls get in the panic room. The agent wants to find Hayley before he's too late to help her. Did she ever tell you why she left Mi6? Castle says Hayley was framed. Agent says she was the conspirator of everything today. We have proof. She was one of the most ruthless, cold-hearted operatives in Mi6. She let her partner die on her last mission. She might do the same to you, or your daughter. Agent leaves his card. Castle asks Hayley about what was said. Alexis asks about the dead partner. Hayley says....it's complicated. Don't let Mallory get in your head. Ryan and Espo found that Carla is Beth Wynne. Her alias checked into a motel by JFK. Hayley wants to be there for the arrest.

She and Castle there when the boys arrive. Beth tries to run. They tackle and cuff her.

Beth insists she didn't kill anyone. Castle asks what were you doing there? Beth says it required 2 log-ins. Marcus was following orders. From Edgar Patton. Marcus brought her on the job. Edgar's a smoker. Marcus got the worm from a fancy club. Beth had Marcus's laptop. Edgar told Marcus that Bryce and Hayley had to be on the job.

Precinct. They update Kate.

Hayley working on the laptop. Alexis says you need to take a break. Hayley says she'll take a break when that bastard is dead. She gets in. Recognizes the code. She helped design it a long time ago. She needs something with more horsepower. Alexis retrieves a second laptop and hayley has left.

Found the club. And a photo of Edgar. Alexis tells Castle that Hayley's gone. Kate says the guy isn't Edgar. Wesley Connors is supposed to be dead.

Hayley enters a building. Wes? Come on out, it's me. He does. It worked. Our plan worked.

Mallory says this is impossible. Kate says no, this was his attack. Tell us what you know. He says this is highly classified. The worm was designed by Hayley and Wesley. Used 6 years ago. The op was a success but their extraction was compromised. Mi6 made the call to leave when Wes was late. Mallory thinks Hayley and Wes are working together.

Wes shows Hayley his arms. He was tortured in Iran. Our plan kept me going for 6 years. Our retirement plan. Traveling the world in style. You passed the test. Hayley says you murdered people, you killed Bryce! He says damn right. Mi6 abandoned him. They had it coming. They all did. She's sorry. I have to take you in. He attacks her. She fights back. He knocks her out.

Mallory insists they're working together. Castle says no, but they used to for years. Even here in NYC. Mallory knows of a safe house.

Hayley wakes up hanging by her wrists. Wes says he's shocked. You always used to kick my ass back in the day. She asks if he's going to torture her. He says he'd never do that to a friend. He'll make it quick. Hayley says I found a family and they're wonderful. He calls her soft. She says let me help you. I was your friend once! Please let me be your friend once again. He says he only needs the money. Brings her closer. Approaches with the knife.

Police arrive. Wes runs. Castle gets her down. She says there are secret exits only he and I know about. he's going to disappear. She takes off.

Catches up to him. Drop the knife. He says either I die or you die. Castle catches up. He says for me it's freedom or death. She has to shoot him. Castle says you had no choice. Ryan arrives with Espo and Mallory.

Precinct. Kate smoothed things over with the feds. Light comes on in London. She wants to take the boys for drinks.

Mallory brings single malt for Castle from Her Majesty's private reserve. And hayley gets a job offer to return to Mi6. Mallory says if you ever change your mind, you know where to find us. He leaves. Castle asks her if she's alright. She says I'm fine. Castle and Alexis says you don't have to do this alone.

Castle gives Kate a rose and apologizes. He's been keeping something from her. It's a surprise, not a secret. You've been going through a lot of changes, and some things have fallen by the wayside. He restored her motorcycle. She's thrilled. He says you should take the bike on a cross country trip. She doesn't want to go alone. Castle got his license and bought a bike. She says we're not sleeping tonight. Bring the helmet.

Next ep - a superhero needs a name and a mentor.