But unlike Casketts, this one doesnt end in French toast kebabs, red wine, and dueling A.I.
), and Esposito regretfully announces that hes seen this method in action before.
Sonia Ruiz and her accomplices used the same flowery formula to deactivate the security systems in that job.
Credit: Richard Cartwright/ABC
Still, Ruiz went down for the crime.
Espos work family immediately knows that hes overstating his comfort level over Sonia reentering his life.
(Kates silent mortification is A+.)
But thats information that the convict didnt give up because she simply didnt have it.
Sonia tells Beckett that she was never given the name of her partner for this exact reason.
Finally, a crime boss committed to living every week like its Shark Week.
Great White, a.k.a.
Sonia warns Beckett that the clientele there wont talk to a cop, and Beckett knows shes right.
Esposito is far from okay with this plan.
Yes, Esposito is well and truly over all of it until he sees Sonia in a head-turning dress.
(Might want to tell your mouth.)
But Sonia refuses to walk into the bar with St. Paddy in tow.
Ryan is swapped out for Espo, and suddenly the former flames are on a monitored date.
Castle and Ryan listen in via Sonias ankle bracelet mic and gossip about the ex-lovers chemistry.
(It crackles.)
Joey pulls a gun on Sonia and Espo, and Sonia takes off.
Oh, and the Jello mixture?
That was a bit of a trade secret, not the intellectual property of one man.
That man was our victim, Michael Kirby.
The truck heist only netted a hundred thousand.
That job was the means to another end, and no one was supposed to die.
Meanwhile, everything that Beckett was trying to avoid by keeping Esposito clear of Sonia is happening.
On the way to the bar, the former couple trade insults softened with memories.
The question under all of it is this: Wasnt it enough?
Sonia is struggling with the same problem.
Espo didnt just bring her in; he was the first officer to figure out that she was involved.
They have no idea where shes been, but they accept her back with open arms.
(I cant ask you to do that for me.
You didnt have to, Im volunteering.)
The truck robbery and its familiar M.O.
was bait set out for the police.
Besides the unplanned murder, the plan worked like a charm.
Alberto had stashed away Sonias cut of the gold coins she and Joey lifted from the auction house.
Sonia only had three months left to serve, but her father didnt have that kind of time.
He threw you away, Ronaldo argues.
But Sonia still loves Espo, and thats never what any of this was about anyway.
Espo very nearly gave up his entire purpose in life to protect Sonia from consequences.
And maybe she considered going straight for him.
But their differences persist.
At least they got to save each other one last time.
Beckett tells Esposito that he did the right thing, and Im not sure thats true.
That compassion is what makes Esposito a great cop and a good friend.
