The case of the disappearing mystery writer continued in Castle Season 7 Episode 2 but was Rick ready to hear the truth? Are we? 

I was thrilled with this episode but I'll get to why in a bit. Let's start from the beginning…

Castle got ambushed during an interview for the release of his latest Nikki Heat novel Raging Heat. (FYI, I just started reading mine and it's great fun!). The interviewer asked all of the questions Castle would be hit with in real life. Was this just a publicity stunt to boost book sales? 

In response, Rick offered a $250,000 reward for information about the time he was missing. Like all reward offers, it had its downside and Captain Gates was furious at having her precinct used as Richard Castle's secretary. Kudos to Castle for cutting off her tirade with one serious kiss. It was the look between Gates and Beckett that made me laugh. 

I appreciated that Rick was constantly realizing how much he's put everyone through, intentionally or not. That Wally's widow spent just a couple of nights worrying about her husband where Beckett spent two months not knowing what had happened to him. But in Kate's point of view she's the lucky one because he came home.

Still nothing was the same. Kate confided in Lanie that there seemed to be this shadow between them and it sounded as though deep down, she still had questions about his disappearance and his role in it. That was disheartening…but understandable. I'm not sure what sane person wouldn't have doubts after so much time and so little solid information. 

Martha going to grief counseling was both a sad reminder of how much they'd gone through in those two months and the wonderful revelation that nothing keeps Martha Rodgers down for long. Who else would pick up a date in grief counseling and then hide the fact that her son was found so they could continue to bond? It made me want to hug Martha for so many reasons.

Castle at the toy offices was a little like Bring Your Child to Work Day. It wasn't a surprise when Beckett had to send him home for a time out. 

The case of Castle's disappearance overshadowed everything else but there were some things worth mentioning, starting with Lanie and Esposito. The two are back together, thank goodness. If there was one positive to come out of this whole mess it's that these two finally realized that life is too short to be apart.

Second was Ryan worrying about making ends meet with the new baby and Jenny out of work. I had to laugh when Esposito practically leered and said that a rent-a-cop uniform would look good on him. I could practically hear the clicking of the keyboards of all of the fanfiction writers who ship Esposito and Ryan.

But back to Castle…Did the newlyweds with the first lead to the Montreal connection win the $250,000 Richard Castle lottery? 

One of my favorite moments was Castle trying to convince Beckett to let him go to Montreal without her as he begged in this Castle quote…

Need I remind you I'm a grown man. I don't need to ask your permission. That being said, please, please, please can I go?

Castle

• Permalink: Need I remind you I'm a grown man. I don't need to ask your permission. That being said,...

At least Kate made Alexis promise not to let him do anything stupid and as Castle said…

It's Canada. How risky could it be?

Castle

• Permalink: It's Canada. How risky could it be?

Rick's plan to open the safe deposit box was kind of brilliant but what he found inside brought the scary reality home. Although it was wonderful to hear the words he chose to say to Kate, the dark, desolation in his eyes as he said them was horrifying.

Just know that I love you. I've always loved you. Always.

Castle

• Permalink: Just know that I love you. I've always loved you. Always.

I couldn't believe that Castle went back to Montreal alone after all that's happened to him…and yet I could. He needed answers. At least he thinks he does. Henry Jenkins told him he didn't really want them.

Which leads us to the part of the episode that I loved. Way back in Castle Season 2 Episode 6 "Vampire Weekend" Beckett pushes Castle to tell her why he writes murder mysteries. He spins quite a tale but in the end he makes a joke about it and refuses to answer. That scene has always bugged me because it's so obvious that he's hiding something. That over the course of the show he's wanted Beckett to take down her walls but that he's kept his own, much less obvious ones, very much in place. Finally, we're getting to peek behind them.

Something happened to 11-year-old Rick Rodgers in Hollanders Woods one day in February. Something that led him to spend his adult life writing murder mysteries. He's never told anyone but he told Jenkins so that he'd know to believe the man. We may not know what happened that day in February but I think we're getting a lot closer to finding the answer in Castle Season 7. 

Should Rick continue to look for answers? Was he right to want to get married sooner rather than later? 

I'm with Beckett on this one. Their lives still feel off balance. They're trying to overcome this trauma and they need more time. But I hope for a wildly romantic Caskett wedding in about one months time. That said, I'm not even sure that that will be enough to erase that dark look from Castle's gaze. 

What do you think Castle fans? Can you wait one more month to see a Caskett wedding?

If you want to refresh your memory with some of the older installments, you can watch Castle online via TV Fanatic.

Here is your first look at Castle Season 7 Episode 3, "Clear and Present Danger."

C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.