Following the end of last season, Beckett has just been promoted to captain of the 12th Precinct, Castle's PI practice has grown, and all seems well. Castle even gifts Beckett a new jeweled bracelet to celebrate her promotion. However, things take a turn for the worse when Castle's called in to consult on a trio of bodies shot to death and discovers the bracelet among the items left behind by the shooter, along with copious amounts of blood. From there, it's a race to find Beckett before her pursuers do. The presence of another private investigator newly arrived from the the UK on a related matter doesn't help.
- The Bus Came Back: William Bracken makes another appearance after being Put on a Prison Bus near the end of Season 6, with Beckett and Castle both visiting him on the assumption that he's behind the plot against Beckett. He taunts Castle that perhaps he doesn't know his wife as well as he thinks.
- The Cavalry: Beckett shows up and shoots the assassins right when they've cornered Castle, refuses to answer his questions, kisses him, and then disappears again.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends with the male assassin leading a team of heavily armed mercenaries getting ready to enter Beckett's hideout.
- Cold-Blooded Torture: The two assassins interrogate Castle by putting spiders on his face and placing more when he refuses to tell them where Beckett is. Frustrated, they end up dumping all the spiders in a bag and then tie it over his head.
- GPS Evidence: Ryan and Esposito are able to identify the creosote in Hayley's wound as being from fresh unused railroad ties, which leads them to the storage facility that Castle was being held in.
- Last Villain Stand: Knowing that there's no escape and a Fate Worse than Death awaiting her even if she does make it out, the female assassin grabs LT's gun and opens fire in the precinct hoping to take down as many officers as she can. She's shot at least two by the time Esposito flanks her and guns her down.
- Nice Guys Finish Last: Hayley is a firm believer in this, willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done, and that anyone who doesn't in her line of work will end up dead.
- Rank Up: Beckett has been promoted to captain of the 12th Precinct after her predecessor's own promotion.
- Refusal of the Call: Beckett declines to enter politics and instead accepts a promotion to captain, heading up the 12th Precinct after Gates is promoted to deputy chief.
