Regina Cane isn’t happy that Josie Lange is at her album release party. She also isn’t thrilled when Castle and Beckett awaken her the next morning with questions about the murder of Holly Rhodes, aka DJ Beat, who was cranking the tunes at her bash. As it turns out, Holly skipped out of the party and never returned. Lanie determines that the victim was killed near a Chinese restaurant. Synthetic fibers were also found on her clothes.

Tyrese Wilton is a record producer who works with Josie Lange and used to represent Regina Cane back in the day. He met Holly at the party and wanted to take her to the next level. Tyrese says the victim had a confrontation with rapper MC Thug. The guy had threatened her in the past over a bracelet that was stolen by either her or her assistant at a prior party. There were thefts at many of the events Holly worked.

Items were stolen at the gigs where Holly worked with someone who wasn’t her regular assistant. This person was seen wearing a hoodie at Regina Cane’s party. Joey Malone, street name Monster, is indentified at the assistant in question. He’s a 14-year-old kid who has led a rough life. He gets visibly upset when Beckett accuses him of killing Holly. He also alibis out for the murder.

Esposito believes there’s a mastermind behind the thefts, but Joey is loyal to whoever is pulling his strings. This makes the kid a loose end for the killer. Esposito offers to take him back to his place to keep him safe. These two seem to be getting along right up until the moment Joey skips out the window. The kid’s wily, but Espo is wilier. He wrangles up the kid, who still isn’t talking.

The team realizes a lowlife named Shane Winters preys on troubled teens like Joey. His car matches the kind that holds the fibers that were found on the victim’s body. Esposito brings in Shane after persuading his bodyguard to step aside with a swift kick to the groin. Shane denies killing Holly and says that his car accidentally went up in flames. That means they can’t match the fibers to connect him to the crime.