Épisode Tomber des nues S06E01 - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Saison 6

L'équipe est de nouveau réunie et Grissom en est très heureux. Les CSI se rejoignent sur les lieux du crime autour d'une caravane entre le Strip et Boulder City : la caravane en question a explosé suite à une fuite de gaz. Catherine et Warrick décident de travailler sur le terrain, Greg les aide aussi. Brass interroge les témoins, une dame curieuse et un ivrogne à moitié somnolent. Sara, Grissom, et Nick - de nouveau opérationnel - entrent dans l'épave fumante. Ils trouvent à l'intérieur deux corps : celui de Robert Durgee, 30 ans, dans le lit avec la propriétaire, Selena March (pour l'instant ils sont incapables d'identifier l'homme). A en juger par les habits que la femme porte, les victimes ont eu des rapports sexuels peu avant l'explosion. Les corps sont brûlés, à moitiés recouverts par des débris. Ils peuvent observer un énorme trou dans un des murs et sur le toit de la caravane.

Grissom a reçu un appel, un « 419 » et charge Catherine de s'occuper de l'affaire : Le corps d'une femme a été retrouvé sur Industrial Road ("G-String Row"). Elle choisit Warrick pour travailler avec elle. Arrivés sur les lieux du crime, le détective Vartann les conduit à côté d'un mini-supermarché où la victime, d'une trentaine d'année, a été retrouvée morte. Elle a visiblement été tuée, frappée violemment à la tête par un objet contondant. Elle porte de grandes bottes en caoutchouc et un sac en plastique par dessus sa petite culotte, elle ne porte rien d'autre. Une strip-teaseuse « sans abri » ? Les policiers cherchent l'arme du crime pendant que l'officier Michaels (celui qui n'a pas surveillé suffisamment Nick dans « Jusqu'au dernier souffle ») se charge de délimiter la scène de crime avec la bande jaune. (Il plante des piquets.) David Phillips pense que la mort remonte à peu près à quatre heures. Catherine regarde son collègue et s'aperçoit que Warrick porte une alliance, il s'est marié la veille. Catherine est sous le choc alors que les hommes le félicitent.

De retour sur l'affaire de la caravane, les Experts se chargent de cataloguer le contenu de la caravane détruite. Sara a trouvé le compteur à gaz et pense qu'il y a eu deux explosions :la première aurait entraîner la seconde. A l'origine  selon elle, l'explosion provient de l'intérieur de la caravane et a propulsé le compteur à gaz comme un missile sur le tuyau de gaz principal. Grissom veut en être sûr et savoir où tout a commencé. La voiture retrouvée à l'extérieur appartient à un certain Robert Durgee : le nom de sa femme est écrit sur le papier d'assurance dans la boîte à gant. Ils l'avertiront donc et l'interrogeront.

A la réception, lorsqu'ils arrivent au LVPD, Grissom récupère un petit paquet provenant de la pépinière Flora Nevada. Il s'agit d'une cassette, celle qui était à l'intérieur du cercueil en plexiglas de Nick, une preuve résiduelle de l'affaire Walter Gordon. Grissom cache cette preuve dans sa veste. Sur le chemin, dans le couloir, il rencontre Sofia Curtis qui a été réaffectée pour travailler avec l'équipe des CSI. Visiblement, elle est contente de le retrouver...

L'autopsie sur les corps de Selena March et Robert Durgee révèle qu'elle a inhalé de la fumée ce qui a provoqué sa mort, et que lui est mort suite à des blessures à l'abdomen : son corps aurait été écrasé. Grissom n'est pas convaincu pour ce dernier, et demande à Nick de faire des photos (des agrandissements des meurtrissures de l'homme) pour les examiner. Nick utilise un Kodak Wratten 18 A avec filtre sur un trépied. Il prend une série de photos au dessus du corps sous un projecteur ultraviolet. Elles sont directement transférées sur un ordinateur portable, l'UV révèle des traces de pneu sur l'abdomen de Robert Durgee, il a été écrasé par un véhicule, c'est donc un homicide avec délit de fuite.

Les traces de pneu sur le corps de Durgee proviendraient d'une Ford Ranger de 1996, la voiture que conduit sa femme. Celle-ci est interrogée et elle avoue à Brass qu'elle était sortie avec un autre homme la nuit du meurtre de son mari. Elle pensait qu'il travaillerait tard. Elle explique aussi que son frère est parti au Mexique avec le Ford Ranger et elle ne sait pas du tout quand il reviendra. Brass pense qu'elle est coupable et qu'elle a inventé son scénario. D'après lui, elle aurait suivi son mari, aurait appris qu'il la trompait et de rage aurait foncé sur la carvane avec sa voiture ce qui aurait provoqué l'explosion de la caravane et fait deux victimes : le mari et sa maîtresse.

A la morgue, Catherine étudie le corps de la strip-teaseuse. La femme faisait attention à son physique, elle avait même les ongles manucurés. Warrick entre dans la pièce, il sent que sa collègue est distante avec lui, mais il préfère laisser tomber pour le moment et se concentrer sur son travail. Une fois qu'ils ont retirées les grandes bottes en caoutchouc de la victime, les deux CSI peuvent les examiner. Elles portent la marque " E.V ". D'après Catherine, elles appartiennent certainement à un employé de la voierie. Elle fait le lien avec Eddie Vonner, un ouvrier de l'entreprise Streets & Sanitation (chargé de nettoyer les rues) qui travaillait ce soir là.

Catherine et Vartann interrogent alors Eddie qui semble être nerveux : il a peur de perdre son travail. Il n'a pas le droit de ramasser autre chose que des ordures dans la rue. Il explique que la victime a couru jusqu'à lui hystérique, elle était pieds nus, elle portait un bikini et un sac poubelle. Elle lui a demandé ses bottes, donc il les lui a données et l'a pris en auto-stop. Il n'a pas dévié de sa route, il l'a déposé à Industrial & Western. Il paraît fier de sa bonne action jusqu'à ce que Catherine l'informe que la strip-teaseuse est morte quatre blocs plus loin.

Pendant ce temps, Nick et Sara examinent une surabondance de débris de la caravane sur une grande bâche. Si la femme jalouse (Mme Durgee) avait fait exploser la caravane, ils verraient des petits débris enfoncés dans les murs intérieurs. Mais ils ne trouvent rien. Cependant, Nick trouve une trace de pneu sur un morceau de mur extérieur. Sara repère des résidus de peinture bleue sur le tuyau de gaz principal. Peut-être que Mme Durgee n'a pas laissé le temps à son mari de sortir de la caravane de sa maîtresse et l'a écrasé ? Peut-être a t-elle juste foncée tout droit ? Nick prend le morceau de mur extérieur et l'emmène au laboratoire d'analyse pour voir si les marques bleues correspondent à la peinture de la Ford Ranger de 1996. Sara sort pour aller déjeuner. Un cafard provenant du mur monte sur l'avant-bras de Nick. Celui-ci a une réaction violente, il chasse vivement l'insecte et essaie de se calmer. Personne ne s'est rendu compte de l'effet du traumatisme qu'il a subi après l'épisode de « jusqu'au dernier souffle ».

La nuit est tombée, Warrick et le détective Vartann inspecte Jefferson & K Street, à l'endroit où l'homme du système sanitaire, Eddie Vonner, dit avoir pris en auto-stop la strip-teaseuse. Ils y trouvent des talons aiguilles cassés. Warrick relève les empreintes sur la cabine téléphonique la plus proche. Pendant ce temps, Vartann va vérifier le registre des appels (il y a un 911) et s'occupe de récupérer les vidéos de surveillance du parking.

Le lendemain, Nick et Grissom continue de travailler sur l'affaire de la caravane. Les marques de peinture bleue laissées sur le tuyau de gaz et les traces de pneu ne correspondent pas à la Ford Ranger de 1996. Grissom note qu'il n'y a aucune trace de pneu entre le tuyau de gaz principal et la caravane, mais il y a deux trous provoqué par un impact sur le sol sablonneux, il retrouve un morceau de verre provenant d'un phare. Peut être que la caravane n'était pas une cible ? Peut être qu'elle a été traversée de part en part par accident ? Quelqu'un qui conduisait à toute vitesse n'a pas su contrôler son véhicule, la voiture est sortie de la route, a continué son chemin sur le tuyau de gaz principal qui a joué le rôle de rampe. Le choc a provoqué l'explosion, la voiture a été propulsée directement sur la caravane et l'a traversé pendant que les amants étaient paisiblement en train de dormir. Une « voiture volante » ? Etrange mais possible. Plus tard, Nick arrive à obtenir un numéro partiel sur un des morceaux du phare. Le phare est celui d'une Pontiac de 1997. La peinture bleue et les traces de pneu correspondent aussi au modèle de la voiture. Il donne les infos à Brass alors que celui-ci est en train de chasser des journalistes.

Une Pontiac correspondant à la description est retrouvée à Nellis. Sophia est déjà sur les lieux quand Grissom et Sara arrivent. A l'intérieur, deux corps en état de décompositions avancées, celui d'un homme et d'une femme, sont retrouvés dans le coffre du véhicule. Grissom veut préserver le moindre indice. Sara s'occupe d'enfermer le véhicule dans une bâche pour le transporter au laboratoire.

Dans le laboratoire Audio/Vidéo, Archie et Warrick écoutent l'appel enregistré - le 911 - de la strip-teaseuse. La vidéo surveillance montre que la jeune femme a été violemment tirée hors de la cabine téléphonique par une femme furieuse : une prostitué qui protégeait son territoire. Warrick et Archie rembobinent la cassette quelques instants plus tôt, la victime est poussée hors d'un fourgon, ce n'est pas le genre de fourgon à faire du transport de marchandises aéroportuaires. C'est une boîte de strip-tease ambulante.

Catherine et Vartann interrogent Marcus Corcoran, le conducteur qui a fait faire une « promenade de champagne » à un tas de propriétaires de casino et de PDG sur le Las Vegas Boulevard, la nuit où la strip-teaseuse a été assassinée. Warrick examine le fourgon, il est muni d'une barre de fer verticale en plein milieu pour que les filles puissent faire leur « travail ». Il est clair qu'il s'y passe des choses sexuelles. Il y trouve un porte-monnaie avec de l'argent à l'intérieur, un téléphone portable et des papiers d'identité. La strip-teaseuse est identifiée, elle s'appelle Brooke Harris, elle habite dans un quartier résidentiel très chic. Marcus témoigne qu'elle n'est pas descendue du fourgon avec un client, qu'un homme lui a demandé d'arrêter le véhicule. Marcus a fait ce qu'il lui a demandé sans penser aux conséquences : il a laissé la jeune femme sur un territoire dangereux. Il explique que les strip-teaseuses sont des poulettes coriaces et qu'elle retrouverait bien son chemin d'une manière ou d'une autre. Warrick note que la victime a reçu cinq appels d'une dénommée « Giselle ». Il vérifie d'où proviennent les appels : ils viennent d'un « gymnase » où Giselle apprend à des femmes au foyer à faire des strip-tease. Brooke était une de ses élèves. Elle désirait assouvir un de ses fantasmes. Catherine dévisage froidement Giselle et l'accuse d'avoir jeter la strip-teaseuse aux « requins » pour les nourrir. Pourquoi ? Parce que Giselle est une femme amère qui n'a jamais réussi à avoir une agréable maison dans les environs ou un homme à elle.

Brass emmène Nick et Grissom sur le terrain où était la caravane. Il a trouvé la trace du conducteur de la Pontiac bleue de 1997, Randy Swansiger. Le témoin ivre et à moitié endormi du début. Il a soulevé l'idée que Randy Swansiger était ivre et qu'il s'est endormi au volant. Pendant l'interrogatoire, Randy confesse s'être endormi au volant la nuit où la caravane a brûlé. Il se souvient d'avoir eu un accident. Quand il s'est réveillé, sa voiture roulait toujours, il l'a garé tout simplement et est allé se coucher. Réalisant aux visages de ses interlocuteurs qu'il a mal fait, il tente faiblement de s'enfuir. Il est vraiment pitoyable et s'écroule quelques mètres plus loin.

Pendant ce temps, Hodges informe Catherine et Warrick que les particules qu'ils ont trouvées dans les cheveux de Brooke Harris sont des particules de rouille, de l'oxyde de fer. Elles peuvent provenir de n'importe quel objet en fer.

Pendant ce temps aussi, Greg et Sara examinent la Pontiac. Sara trouve des empreintes. Greg trouve les fragments d'une balle. Ils trouvent aussi un morceau de pain aux raisins « Gooeybunz » sur le siège avant. Greg emmène les fragments de balles à la balistique et apprend par Bobby Dawson que la balle provient d'un 44. Elle est identique à une autre balle retrouvée après un règlement de compte durant un trafic de drogue qui a eu lieu cinq jours auparavant à Mesquite. Deux jours après leurs victimes ont été retrouvées dans le coffre de la Pontiac volée. Quelqu'un a du bien s'amuser ! Sara demande à Sofia de s'occuper de la liste des treize suspects qui correspondent aux empreintes qu'elle a prélevées. Le docteur Robbins fait l'autopsie des deux victimes retrouvées dans le coffre de la voiture. Des indices sur leurs squelettes permettront de les identifier. L'homme manque visiblement de prognathisme, il est de type caucasien et a une vingtaine d'années. La femme est prognathe, d'origine noire américaine. L'analyse de l'épiphyse dit qu'il s'agit d'une adolescente. Elle a pris une balle dans l'arrière du crâne. L'homme quant à lui a pris une balle dans la bouche. Greg et Sara recherchent donc dans la Base de données des personnes portées disparues et ne trouvent rien correspondant au jeune homme. En revanche, un profil correspond parfaitement à la fille, Clara James, âgée de seize ans.

Sara interroge le père de la fille, M. James. Il lui dit que Clara était un adolescent rebelle, et qu'elle a travaillé pour « Gooeybunz ». Quand Sara mentionne avoir retrouvé des bouts de pains aux raisins sur le siège avant, il paraît déconcerté. Clara détestait ça, elle n'en mangeait pas. Sara et Greg apportent les bouts de « Gooeybunz » au laboratoire et cherchent des marques de morsure. Il n'y en a pas, ils sont entiers mais en morceaux. Tentant d'en savoir plus, Sara ouvre un petit pain trouvé lui aussi à l'avant de la Pontiac et en sort un sachet de cocaïne. L'emballage en gâteau servait à dissimuler un trafic de drogue. Sur la liste des treize suspects que Sara a remis à Sofia, un homme s'est fait arrêter pour trafic de stupéfiants, Joey Zack. Son empreinte a été retrouvé sur le bouton de la radio - celle-ci est réglée sur 107.1 FM. Hodges fait l'analyse chimique d'un paquet de bonbons trouvé dans la voiture. Greg affirme que le seul endroit où on peut trouver ce paquet de bonbons et où on peut entendre clairement cette station radio est au Moonlight Drive-In Theatre.

Au drive-in, le directeur les informe qu'un certain Darryl Blakeny a travaillé là mais qu'il a démissionné la semaine dernière pour retourner chez ses parents à Mesquite. Dans la salle de repos du CSI, Sara, Greg, Sophia et Grissom en concluent que ce Darryl était un client de Joey Zacks. Il a vu Joey et Clara au drive-in, a perdu son self-control, a essayé d'obtenir de la cocaïne de son ancien dealer, les a pris en otage, a fini par les voler et les a assassinés. La Pontiac a été retrouvée à un bloc de sa dernière résidence connue. Deux jours plus tard, il a réutilisé la même arme dans un autre trafic de drogue à Mesquite, la ville natale de ses parents. Ils présentent un mandat de perquisition à Blakeny pour le double homicide. L'équipe CSI se réjouit d'avoir trouvé le coupable et de pouvoir amoindrir la douleur de James, le père de Clara.

Warrick veut mettre fin à la tension qui existe entre Catherine et lui. Après ce que Nick a subi, il s'est rendu compte que la vie était courte et a pris la décision de se marier avec la fille qu'il fréquentait, Tina. Catherine reconnaît que pour elle, c'est la fin d'un rêve. Ils retournent sur Industrial Road et retrace le parcours de Brooke Harris. La femme a supplié le gardien du parking de la laisser récupérer sa Mercedes mais elle n'avait pas les dix dollars pour le payer. Elle est donc repartie sans. À l'emplacement où son corps a été trouvé, Warrick a noté que l'officier Michaels, qui a délimité la scène de crime avec la bande jaune, a utilisé un piquet rouillé. Il y a du sang dessus. Il se pourrait bien que ce soit justement l'arme du crime. Warrick demande à l'officier de lui montrer où il l'a trouvé. C'est là qu'ils font la connaissance d'un sans-abri. Quand Catherine et Warrick montrent à l'homme la photo de Brooke Harris, l'homme reconnaît la jeune femme et se met à crier " C'est une voleuse ! Le vol est une infraction !". Celui-ci est apparemment fou. Les deux experts se rendent compte qu'ils ont trouvé leur tueur : il l'a tué alors qu'elle avait tenté de lui subtiliser son argent pour payer le gardien, récupérer sa voiture et ainsi rentrer chez elle.

Cette nuit, Grissom reste avec Archie dans le Laboratoire Audio/Vidéo, ils écoutent l'amélioration sonore de la voix de Walter Gordon sur la cassette qu'il a récupéré : « Salut l'équipe CSI. Vous vous demandez pourquoi est-ce que vous êtes ici? Parce que vous avez suivi les preuves. Parce que c'est ce que font les CSI. Donc, respirez fortement, respirez lentement, mettez votre pistolet dans votre bouche et appuyez sur la gâchette. C'est le chemin que vous aimez. Vous allez mourir ici... d'accord ? » Une courte pause suit et une nouvelle voix dit « Parfait ». Grissom savait que ce serait là. Pourquoi ? Parce que Walter Gordon avait le contrôle. Il savait exactement ce qu'il voulait, et si ce «d'accord ? » aurait été adressé à Nick, il n'aurait pas été présenté comme une question mais comme une affirmation. Walter Gordon travaillait donc avec quelqu'un. La bande de la cassette était trop abîmée à partir de là. Archie ne pouvait pas lui dire si le complice était un homme ou une femme. Est-ce qu'ils devraient demander à Nick? Grissom juge que non, l'existence de cette bande ne doit pas être révélée à son jeune équipier...

FIN

Fait par milhoute

FLASH IN.

[VARIOUS EXT. LAST VEGAS CITY LIGHTS (STOCK) - NIGHT]

[EXT. TRAILER PARK - NIGHT]

(A trailer in the trailer park is on fire.  There are a series of explosions within the fire.)  

(A helicopter flies overhead.)  

HELICOPTER PILOT:  (over radio)  Control, this is air one.  I'm at the trailer park 402.  There's a large gas main construction fire.  (audio fades out, continues in cc)  The scene is totally involved.  Dispatch additional fire units and paramedics.  Over.

FLASH TO:

(The firefighters are there spraying water on the blaze.  The helicopter flies overhead.)  

(CC)   WOMAN:  We need your help!

TIME CUT TO:  


[EXT. TRAILER PARK - NIGHT]

(The fire is out.  The CSIs arrive as the officers are putting up the crime scene tape.  They stop just outside the tape and look at the damage.)  

CATHERINE:  Warrick, why don't you and I take the perimeter and work our way in.

WARRICK:  All right.  (motions to Greg)  Greg, you're with us.

GREG:  I'll start the sketch.

(They all duck under the tape and head toward the burned trailer.  Wilcox walks past them.)  

WILCOX:  How you doing, Nick?

NICK:  (smiling)  Above ground, Wilcox.

(Sara and Nick follow Grissom toward the trailer.)  

SARA:  Would you like inside or out?

NICK:  I'll take in.

(They head toward Brass, who is inside the trailer.)  

BRASS:  We got two victims.  We think the girl is Selena March.  She owns the trailer.

(They shine their flashlights down on the blonde-haired woman on the ground near Brass.  There's a second body near her.)  

GRISSOM:  What about the male?

BRASS:  Nothing yet.

NICK:  This is a piece of the roof right here -- fiberglass and particle board.  These things weren't built to last.

GRISSOM:  They were built to burn.

NICK:  This place is totaled.  The bed's collapsed.

OFFICER METCALF:  My money's on meth lab.

SARA:  You know, Metcalf, just because somebody lives in a trailer park, doesn't mean they're a meth cook.

OFFICER METCALF:  You guys are a real pain in the ass, you know that?

(Grissom heads out.)  

GRISSOM:  Get used to it, pal.

FADE TO
END OF TEASER
ROLL TITLE CREDITS

(COMMERCIAL SET)



FADE IN.

[EXT. TRAILER PARK - NIGHT]

(Brass is talking with the neighbors gathered outside.)  

BRASS:  I'm just having a little trouble understanding this because you all live so close together.  You mean none of you saw the explosion?

(Randy Swansinger steps forward.)  

RANDY SWANSINGER:  Uh, I heard it.

BRASS:  Well, good.

RANDY SWANSINGER:  When I came out about five minutes later, the whole place was burnin' up.

BRASS:  Where do you live?

RANDY SWANSINGER:  (points)  Right over there.

(Brass turns to look.)  

BRASS:  Uh-huh.  (He turns back to look at the man.)  All right, let me get this straight -- you heard a blast like that coming from your neighbor's and it took you five minutes to poke your head out and see what was going on?

RANDY SWANSINGER:  I was watching TV.

(A woman standing next to him interrupts.)  

NOSY LADY:  I'm sure he was drinking.

(Randy Swansinger sighs and turns to leave.  Brass stops him.)  

BRASS:  No, hang around, hang around.  Hey, hang around.

WOMAN:  Did you find a man in Selena's trailer?

BRASS:  Now why would you ask that?  Was Selena a hooker?

WOMAN:  I'm sure I don't know.  But one thing I do know, that's not Selena's car.

(She looks pointedly at the car parked outside the trailer.)


[INT. TRAILER PARK - TRAILER -- NIGHT]

(Sara is looking at some blue paint on the gas main in the trailer.)


(Outside, Catherine and Warrick are crouched down looking at something.  Catherine's phone rings.)  

CATHERINE:  Yeah?

GRISSOM:  (over phone)  Catherine, we have a 4-19 off Industrial.  Would you like to handle it?

CATHERINE:  (to phone)  So you get the team back together only to break us apart
again.  What kind of a perverse game are you playing here, Gil?

GRISSOM:  (from phone)  I'm not a pervert.

CATHERINE:  (to phone)  Yeah, I'll cover it.  I'm taking Warrick.

CUT TO:  



[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY LIGHTS (STOCK) - NIGHT]



[EXT. INDUSTRIAL - STRIP CLUB - NIGHT]

(Warrick and Catherine walk down the sidewalk toward the taped-off area.)  

(An officer is already there.  They head toward the scene.)  

OFFICER DA MICHAELS:  Oh, hey, guys.  Good to see you.  Hey, would you tell Nick
I hope there's no hard feelings about that whole, you know, abduction thing.  He
hasn't returned my calls.

WARRICK:  He's been busy.

VARTANN:  Squad car found her about a half hour ago -- no ID, but there's a lot
of homeless in this area.

(Warrick crouches down and starts snapping photos of the victim.  Catherine
remains standing nearby, shining her flashlight on the victim.)  

VARTANN:  Looks like somebody took something to her head.

WARRICK:  Yeah.

VARTANN:  Didn't find a weapon, but my guys are still looking.

(The woman is wearing a shopping bag with the following printed on top in red:
     BONANZA
     WORLD'S LARGEST GIFT SHOP
     www.bonanzagifts.com
     Sahara & the Strip
     Las Vegas, Nevada

CATHERINE:  A shopping bag for a shirt, rubber boots and a g-string.  Homeless
stripper?

WARRICK:  Well, this is g-string row, isn't it?

(Warrick puts a hand to his forehead.  Catherine notices the ring on his
finger.)  

CATHERINE:  Why is there a ring on your ring finger?

WARRICK:  Because I'm married.

CATHERINE:  What?

(Warrick glances at Catherine and nods his head.)  

VARTANN:  (joking)  Congratulations.  How much did you pay her?  

(Vartann steps forward and shakes Warrick's hand.  Warrick chuckles as he
stands.)  

VARTANN:  No, seriously, good luck with that, man.  I didn't even know you had a
girlfriend.

WARRICK:  Oh, yeah, it's a girl I've been dating a couple months--Tina.

CATHERINE:  How long have you been married?

WARRICK:  Since yesterday.  Did this, uh, drive-through wedding at Circus Circus
Way, you know.  Fun, yeah, we, uh ... fun time.

(Vartann smiles as Warrick walks a little.  David joins them.)

DAVID PHILLIPS:  Hey.  Sorry I'm late.  Busy night.

(David puts his kit down near the body and kneels next to Warrick near the
body.)  

WARRICK:  We need a TOD, David.

DAVID PHILLIPS:  Rigor's barely set, so not long--under four hours.

CATHERINE:  About as long as Warrick's been married.

DAVID PHILLIPS:  You're married?  Congratulations.

WARRICK:  Thanks.  Do you think she was dumped?

DAVID PHILLIPS:  Lividity is consistent with the position of the body.  So it's
highly unlikely.

VARTANN:  All right.  I'll check out the strip clubs.

WARRICK:  I'll go with you.

CUT TO:  



[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) -- DAWN]  



[INT. TRAILER - DAWN]

(It's morning.  Nick steps out from one of the rooms into the living room.  He's
holding a hot plate and cord in his hand.  He walks over to Grissom.)  

NICK:  Well, there doesn't seem to be any drug-manufacturing supplies, but
plenty of ignition sources:  a hot plate, fondue pot, gas stove, candles.  One
leaky pipe's all it takes.

(Grissom looks around.  He doesn't say anything.)  

NICK:  Which I haven't found yet.

(Nearby, Sara examines a burned item.)  

GRISSOM:  Yeah, but even if you had, that would only explain the explosion in
here, not the ruptured gas main outside.

(Sara walks over to Grissom and Nick.)  

SARA:  Think I can help you with that.  I found this gas meter over by the main.  
Trailer blows, this thing becomes a missile.

(Quick flash of:  The gas main explodes, sending the gas meter flying toward the
trailer.  It hits the pipes, causing a second explosion.)  

(End of flash.  Resume to present.)  

SARA:  One explosion leads to another.

GRISSOM:  Yeah, but where did it all start?

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - HALLWAY -- DAY]  

(Greg reports to Grissom as they walk through the hallway.)  

GREG:  Brass ran the plates on that Acura near the trailer.  It's registered to
a Robert Durgee.

GRISSOM:  You get his photo from the DMV?

GREG:  Confirmed as the vic -- Henderson address, mortgage broker.  Wife's name
was on the insurance card.

GRISSOM:  She coming in?

GREG:  She wasn't home.  Brass is tracking her down.

(Greg leaves.  Judy Tremont, the receptionist, stops Grissom.)  

JUDY TREMONT:  Excuse me, Mr. Grissom ... (Grissom walks over to her.  She has a
plastic bag in front of her.)  An officer brought this in off a call from Flora
Nevada Nursery.  They thought it might have something to do with the Walter
Gordon case.

(Grissom takes the bag and sees that there's a burned cassette tape inside.)  

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - FORENSIC AUTOPSY -- DAY]  

(Robbins reports his findings to Nick and Grissom.)  

ROBBINS:  Female's lungs were filled with soot.  COD is smoke inhalation.

NICK:  Okay, that means the natural gas didn't suffocate her.  Explosion
probably knocked her out before the fire even started.

ROBBINS:  Yeah, male didn't even last that long.  His lungs were clean, but he
suffered fatal crushing injuries to his abdomen.  

GRISSOM:  The pieces of debris that were on this guy's body were not heavy.  But
the bed he was lying in collapsed.

NICK:  Explosion could've done that.

(Grissom looks closer at the bruises on the body.)  

GRISSOM:  Let's photo-enhance these bruises.

(Grissom attaches the lens to the camera mounted on a stand over the body while
Nick sets up the computer.  He goes to help Grissom by adjusting the light.)  

(They snap a couple of photos.  Nick adjusts the image on the monitor.)  

NICK:  Yeah, yeah, the UV light's definitely bringing out the bruises underneath
the skin.

(He enhances and sharpens the image.  It becomes clear what it looks like.)  

NICK:  That looks like a tire mark.

GRISSOM:  Maybe our gas explosion just turned into a hit-and-run.

CUT TO:  



[MONITOR:  TIRE MARKS]

(The tire image taken from the body split-screens on the monitor next to a
tire.)  

[INT. CSI - LAB - DAY]

(Nick stands at the computer trying to find a match to the treadmark.)  

(He finds the match and pulls up the tire information:
     BRAND:  MICHELIN
     TYPE: 195/70/R14
     PATTERN:  BLOCK
     GROOVE:  5
VEHICLE MODELS CONSISTENT WITH MICHELIN 195/70/R14
     VEHICLE MODEL 1:  TOYOTA CAMRY, '96-99
     VEHICLE MODEL 2:  HYUNDAI SONATA, '96-'98
     VEHICLE MODEL 3:  PONTIAC SUNFIRE SE  '96-2000
     VEHICLE MODEL 4:  FORD RANGER '96

(Nick checks the information against the State of Nevada Insurance
Identification Card.  It reads:
     COMPANY NUMBER:  23509
     COMPANY:  American Peak Ins. Co.
     POLICY NUMBER:  --7399581-03
     EFFECTIVE DATE:  01/01/2005
     EXPIRATION DATE:  05/30/2005
     VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:  1N6SD1155RC400678
     12688 OWENMOUTH AVE.
     LAS VEGAS  NV  89101
     ROBERT DURGEE
     AMBER DURGEE
     8824 SANDY CREEK RD.
     LAS VEGAS  NV  83123

(He enters a Search Request for:
     AMBER DURGEE

(The results show:
     MAKE:  FORD
     MODEL:  RANGER
     YEAR:  1996
     LICENSE PLATE:  219 RSB
     VIN#:  7Q10T19Q27R211657

CUT TO:  



[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - INTERVIEW ROOM -- DAY]  

(Brass interviews Amber Durgee.)  

AMBER DURGEE:  Well, Robert said that he was going to be working late.  So I
went to midnight bingo.

BRASS:  Alone?

AMBER DURGEE:  Excuse me?

BRASS:  Alone?

AMBER DURGEE:  I was ... with a friend.

BRASS:  What was your friend's name?

AMBER DURGEE:  Why?

(Brass offers her a tissue.  She takes one.)  

BRASS:  Why not?

AMBER DURGEE:  He's married.

BRASS:  Looks like the only person in this thing who isn't married is the dead
girl in the trailer with your husband.

(Amber looks at Brass, surprised to hear this.)  

BRASS:  You didn't know he was having an affair?

AMBER DURGEE:  (shakes her head)  No, I had no idea.

BRASS:  You have a '96 blue Ford Ranger.  We're going to need to take a look at
it.

AMBER DURGEE:  But my truck is in New Mexico.  My brother borrowed it this
morning, he, uh ...

BRASS:  A wild guess: You have no idea how to reach him.

AMBER DURGEE:  Not until he gets back.  Why do you need to see my truck?

BRASS:  Let me tell you a story.  Once upon a time, you follow your husband to a
trailer park.  You see him slumming with his little trailer bunny.  You waited
for him to come out ...

(Quick flash to:  [TRAILER PARK - NIGHT]  The trailer door opens and Robert
Durgee steps out of the trailer.  Amber sits inside her car watching him.  He
lights his cigarette.  Suddenly, carlights glare and the tires screech as the
car surges toward him.  He turns to look.)

(End of flash.  Resume to present.)  

BRASS:  When she pulls the body back in, before she can call for help, you torch
the place.  Kaboom.  

(Quick flash of:  The trailer explodes.  End of flash.)  

BRASS:  The end.

AMBER DURGEE:  That is the craziest thing I've ever heard.

(Brass chuckles.)

BRASS:  Wouldn't even make my top ten.

FADE OUT

(COMMERCIAL SET)



FADE IN.

[INT. CSI - HALLWAY -- DAY]  

(Brass and Grissom walk through the hallway.)  

BRASS:  So that's when the bereaved Mrs. Durgee lawyered up.  Broadcast out on
her truck, and the warrant's ready to go.

(They stop walking.  Grissom looks up and sees Sofia Curtis handing a suspect
off to an officer.)  

SUSPECT:  I didn't do it.

SOFIA CURTIS:  (to the officer)  I don't care what he says.  Put him in the tank
and see if he wises up.  Sure as hell can't get any dumber.

GRISSOM:  (calls out)  Detective Curtis.

(Sofia walks over to Grissom and Brass.)  

SOFIA CURTIS:  Grissom.

GRISSOM:  I thought you were supposed to be arresting people in Boulder City.

SOFIA CURTIS:  Well, a spot opened up here and ... I transferred in today.

BRASS:  Surprise.

(Brass turns and leaves.  Sofia and Grissom smile at each other.)  

GRISSOM:  Well, your mother would be proud.

SOFIA CURTIS:  My mother made captain.   You know, I'd just qualified for my
shield when the sheriff pulled my papers and "volunteered" me to CSI.  I think
my mom hated that more than I did.

GRISSOM:  You won't miss the lab, will you?

SOFIA CURTIS:  (shrugs)  There's some things I'll miss.  I'll see you around.

(Grissom watches her leave.)

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - FORENSIC AUTOPSY -- DAY]  

(Catherine removes something from the victim's head cut.  She looks at it.  
Camera zooms in for a close-up.)  

(Catherine puts the piece in a container and sets it aside.  An assistant stands
on the other side of the table.  Catherine looks at the victim's nails.  She
cuts the plastic bag off the body and removes it.)

(She snaps photos of the body.)

(Catherine removes the rubber boots from the victim's feet.  She finds lettering
on the side of the boots:  S & S.  She also finds initials on the back:  EV.)  

(She looks at the woman on the table.)

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - LAB -- DAY]  

(Catherine is on the computer looking up a website:  City of Las Vegas.  The
page is about "Streets and Sanitation Maintenance".)  

(More information pops up.)

(Warrick walks into the office.)  

WARRICK:  So, Vartann and I struck out on g-string row.

CATHERINE:  You poor guys.

(He chuckles.)  

WARRICK:  Yeah, right.  You know what I mean.  No one recognized the victim's
picture.  Listen, Cath, about this whole marriage thing ...

CATHERINE:  Yeah, that.  Yeah, that kind of threw me for a loop.  Tina, right?

WARRICK:  Yeah.

CATHERINE:  She must be a very special woman.  I look forward to meeting her.

WARRICK:  Yes, she is ...

(Catherine passes the report toward Warrick.  She turns back to her monitor.)  

CATHERINE:  (interrupts)  The vic's blood-alcohol level was .16 and COD was
blunt-force trauma.

(Resigned, Warrick walks over to look at the report.)  

WARRICK:  Smashed and then smashed, huh?

CATHERINE:  Mm-hmm.

WARRICK:  Any luck on the, uh ... victim's prints?

CATHERINE:  No work card; no record.  But the rubber boots were standard issue:  
Streets and Sanitation.

(She indicates the photo on the table.  Warrick looks at it.  It's of the
initials.)  

WARRICK:  "E.V."?

CATHERINE:  Yeah, there's three S&S workers with those initials and ...

(The information appears on the monitor:
     NAME:  VONNER, EDDIE
     ADDRESS:  288 TYLER RD.
          HENDERSON, NV  89109

CATHERINE:  ... it looks like an Eddie Vonner was on duty last night.

CUT TO:  



[EXT. LOT -- DAY]  

(Det. Vartann and Catherine talk with Eddie Vonner as he stands in front of his
truck #3143.)  

EDDIE VONNER:  Why would you want to see my boots?

VARTANN:  You tell us.

EDDIE VONNER:  Look, I know it's against the regs to pick up anything other than
trash, but, I mean, come on.

(Quick flashback to:  [NIGHT]  The woman wearing a plastic bag runs along the
sidewalk in her bare feet.  Eddie gives her his boots.)  

EDDIE VONNER:  (v.o.)  She was barefoot; she was stepping on glass and crap, so,
yeah, I gave her my boots.

(End of flash.  Resume to present.)  

EDDIE VONNER:  And she practically begged, so, I gave her a lift.

VARTANN:  So, you're just a good Samaritan.

EDDIE VONNER:  Oh, come on, it was pretty obvious she didn't belong there.

CATHERINE:  Where?

EDDIE VONNER:  Jefferson and K?  You ever see the citizens that hang out in that
neighborhood?

CATHERINE:  When I see them, they're usually dead.

EDDIE VONNER:  Well, there you go.  I mean, come on, she ... I could tell,
despite the ... well, the get-up, she was hot.  And, I mean, I'm not talking
like garbage truck hot.  I mean, she was like ... like limo hot.

(He motions toward Catherine.  She rolls her eyes.)  

VARTANN:  Listen, did she tell you her name, or, uh, how she ended up there,
anything?

EDDIE VONNER:  She looked kind of embarrassed, so I didn't push it.  So, I just
... I dropped her off down at, uh, Western and Industrial.  Never left my route.  
Why, did she, uh ... ?  She say anything about me?

CATHERINE:  She died a few blocks from where you dropped her off.

CUT TO:  



[INT. TRAILER PARK -- DAY]  

(Nick jumps out of the trailer while Sara snaps photos of the various items
spread out on a blue tarp.)  

SARA:  If the wife torched the trailer and caused the explosion, you would
expect to see small debris embedded all over the inside of these walls.  There's
nothing here.

(She snaps more photos.  Nick finds something else.)  

NICK:  Hey, hey ... Sara.  Check this out.  This is a piece of the exterior wall
facing the road.

SARA:  With a tire mark on it?

NICK:  Yeah.

SARA:  There is blue paint on this gas main.  Didn't mean anything at the time.  
Amber has a blue Ford Ranger, right?

NICK:  Uh-huh.

SARA:  What if Amber follows her husband to the trailer, sees him go inside,
totally freaks out.  Why wait for him to come out?

(Quick flashes of:  [INSIDE TRAILER]  Robert and Selena are in bed.)

(Outside the trailer, Amber sits behind the wheel, steps on the gas and rams the
Ford Ranger into the trailer wall.  The truck runs clear over the bed and its
occupants.  Glass sprays all over the bedroom.)

(End of flash.  Resume to paresent.)  

NICK:  Yeah. Yeah, just come straight through.  Run him over in bed with another
chick.

SARA:  Trailer collapses, fire breaks out, sweeps through, and destroys
practically all evidence of a collision.

NICK:  Yeah.

SARA:  It's too bad we don't have her truck.  We could match this to her tires.

NICK:  Well, '96 f Ford Ranger, stock paint.  (Nick picks up the pipe with the
blue paint on it.)  Maybe I can match the transfer to this.

(Sara looks around.)  

SARA:  I'm starving.  There's a unit going out for sandwiches.  Would you like
me to get you something?

NICK:  No, no, you go ahead.  I'm gonna ... (He looks around, his mind
preoccupied.)  I'm gonna work on this.

(Sara leaves.  Nick carries the pipe and wall over to the back of his car where
they have an additional table set up.  He puts the wall down and concentrates on
the pipe.)  

(He puts the pipe down on the table along with a blank evidence tag.  Unknown to
him, a large cockroach is on his shirt and climbing up his arm.)

(Nick glances down at the roach and sees it.  For a moment, he's startled and
bats at the roach to get it off him.)

(Nick looks around.)  

CUT TO:  



[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY LIGHTS (STOCK) - NIGHT]



[EXT. BONANZA - NIGHT]

(Vartann meets up with Warrick.)  

VARTANN:  According to the garbage man, she ran up from this direction.

WARRICK:  Yeah?

VARTANN:  Must be where she got the bag.

WARRICK:  Hmm.

(They both walk the sidewalk.)  

VARTANN:  Victim wasn't carrying a cell phone.  She's in the wrong part of town
in her underwear, scared out of her head.  She's gonna call her man, her family,
someone.

WARRICK:  And she didn't have a quarter, so she called 911.  I'll print the
phones.

VARTANN:  I'll dump the call records.

(Warrick looks around as Vartann dials.)  

WARRICK:  Let's get the traffic cameras, too.

CUT TO:  



[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) - NIGHT]



[INT. CSI - TRACE LAB -- NIGHT]  

(Hodges reports his findings to Grissom and Nick.)  

HODGES:  The, uh, treadmark on your trailer wall is consistent with Michelin
195/70/r14s.

GRISSOM:  What about the blue paint scrapings we found on the gas main?

HODGES:  You got a real thing for blue paint.  You know that?  But, uh, this
isn't from a Ford Ranger, or any Ford for that matter.  It's a GMC paint.

(He shows Grissom the report with the following:
     BLUE COLORED PAINT SCRAPINGS RECOVERED
     FROM EVIDENCE ITEM #7166 IS CONSISTENT
     WITH GMC PRODUCTS   )

NICK:  Amber Durgee was cheating on her husband, maybe even wanted him dead, but
her truck didn't have anything to do with it.

GRISSOM:  Right tires, wrong vehicle.

NICK:  (nods)  Mm.

CUT TO:  



[EXT. TRAILER PARK -- DAY]  

(Grissom is snapping photos of the treadmarks on the ground.  He looks around.  
He walks around the trailer over to the other side and finds two large holes in
the ground.  He picks up a piece of broken glass with 32V??H on it.)  

(Nick walks over to him.)  

NICK:  Found something?

GRISSOM:  Part of a headlamp, maybe.

NICK:  Well, I found some blue paint transfer on that chain-link fence.  As far
as tracks go, this place is a parking lot, man.  They're everywhere.

GRISSOM:  Except between the gas main and the trailer.

NICK:  So, the trailer wasn't rammed?

GRISSOM:  I think we're looking at the, uh, vehicular equivalent of a through-
and-through.  Car comes down the road.

(Quick flash of:  [NIGHT]  A car coming down the road skids to the side and
grazes the wire fence.)  

GRISSOM:  (v.o.)   Gas main acts as a ramp.

(The car runs up the gas ramp and goes completely through the trailer.  The
trailer explodes.)  

(End of flash.  Resume to present.)  

NICK:  Flying car.  (nods)  That's what we're gonna go with?

(Grissom turns and looks at Nick just as Nick looks away.

NICK:  mm-hmm.  Okay.

FADE OUT.

(COMMERCIAL SET)



FADE IN.

[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - HALLWAY -- DAY]  

(Nick and Brass walk through the hallway.)  

NICK:  The partial OEM number on the headlamp piece belongs to a '97 Pontiac
Sunfire.

BRASS:  Boy, that was quick.

NICK:  Well, GMC paint -- tire model wasn't that tough.

BRASS:  I'll put out another broadcast.

NICK:  All right.

CUT TO:  



[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) - DAY]



[EXT. PARKING LOT -- DAY]  

(Sara snaps a photo of the blue Pontiac with a couple of parking tickets on the
windshield.)  

(Grissom and Sofia kneel behind the car looking at the closed trunk.)  

SOFIA CURTIS:  Your broadcast was for a blue Pontiac.  Patrol figured this was
worth a look.

GRISSOM:  How bad does a smell have to get before Parking Control calls
Homicide?

(They're looking at the decomp goo dripping from the bottom of the trunk.)  

SARA:  No way this car was at the trailer park.  Think we've got a new case.  
First citation was issued five days ago.  Car's probably been here at least six.

(Sofia pops the trunk.)  

SOFIA CURTIS:  Six days in the summer heat.

(Inside are the soupy remains of a dead body, cloth and bones ... and the sounds
of flies buzzing around the mess.)

GRISSOM:  (exhales)  And a trunk becomes a crockpot.

SARA:  Looks like a male and a female.

(Grissom notes one of the skulls.)  

GRISSOM:  That could be an entry wound in her skull.

SOFIA CURTIS:  Well, if she was shot in there, there might be bullets and
casing.  I say we process the car in place.  Let's get rolling.

SARA:  Area is uncontrolled.  Evidence can be contaminated or lost.  We need to
get this back to the lab.

GRISSOM:  Car condom.

(They shut the trunk door.)

[VARIOUS SHOTS]

(Sara places a sticker on the back left door that reads:  DO NOT OPEN, POLICE.)  

(She and Grissom wrap the car's trunk  completely in rolls of thin plastic.)

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - A/V LAB -- DAY]  

(Archie removes the cassette tape from the bag and puts it in the player.  He
hits play and listens to the tape on his earphones.)  

WALTER GORDON:  (from tape)  Hi, CSI guy.  You're wondering why you're here?  
Because you followed the evidence.

(Warrick walks into the lab

WARRICK:  Archie?  

(Archie doesn't move.  Warrick nudges Archie's chair, startling him.  Archie
removes the earphones.)  

WARRICK:  Archie?  Do you have anything on pay phone dump?

ARCHIE JOHNSON:  Oh.  Yeah.

(Archie turns the tape off, stands and moves over to the video equipment.)  

ARCHIE JOHNSON:  The 911 call about five minutes before your garbage man picked
up the vic.  Then I matched time codes with the video from the traffic cam.  
Synched up the audio.

(He hits play and shows Warrick both the audio and video of what happened on the
street.   Time code starts at 3:17.)  

(The girl is on the phone in nothing but her underwear.)  

OPERATOR:  (from video)  911. What is your emergency?

WOMAN 1 (VICTIM):  ... pick me up.

WARRICK:  Whoa!

OPERATOR:  (from video)  Ma'am, just calm down.

WARRICK:  That's our girl.

OPERATOR:  (from video)  Will you tell me your location?

WOMAN 1 (VICTIM):  (hysterical)  No. I don't know where I am, okay?!  

OPERATOR:  (from video)  If you'll just calm down and tell me where you are.

WOMAN 1 (VICTIM):  (from video)  I don't know where I am.  I'm just ...

(A second woman walks up to her, grabs the phone and hangs up.)  

WOMAN 2:  (from video)  Yo, ho, get off my phone ...
WOMAN 1 (VICTIM):  (from video)  Please, please ...

ARCHIE JOHNSON:  Someone's getting territorial.

WARRICK:  I'll put Vartann on it.

WOMAN 2:  (from video)  This is my phone.
WOMAN 1 (VICTIM):  (from video)  Okay, fine.  You can have this phone!

(The second woman chases the first woman out of camera frame.  The first woman
leaves.  

WARRICK:  Vic loses her shoes.  Explains the boots.  Let see where she came
from.  Rewind it a little bit, would you?

ARCHIE JOHNSON:  Yeah.

(Archie rewinds the tape and shows the victim coming out of a large vehicle.)  

WARRICK:  Oh.  Stop. Hold it.  That looks like an airport shuttle.  There's a
logo on this side.  

ARCHIE JOHNSON:  Yeah.  I can enhance that.

(He enhances the logo and sees:
     EXCLUSIVE
     SEDAN SERVICE  )

ARCHIE JOHNSON:  That's a limo?

WARRICK:  This is Vegas.  It's a strip bar on wheels.

CUT TO:  



[INT. EXCLUSIVE (SEDAN SERVICE) -- DAY]  

(Warrick is going through the limo while Vartann and Catherine interview the
limo driver.)  

LIMO DRIVER:  I don't even pay attention to the talent.  I just drive down
Industrial Boulevard, from strip club to strip club, picking 'em up.  It's like
bus stops.  Before you know it, we're full, the bus is on fire ...

(Quick flash of:  Inside the limo, the girls are dancing to the music.  End of
flash.)  

LIMO DRIVER:  We call it the "champagne ride."

VARTANN:  Oh, yeah?  

LIMO DRIVER:  It's nice.

VARTANN:  So what do the girls get paid for this?

LIMO DRIVER:  The girls, they make uh ... at least twice as much as they do in
the clubs, so ...  

CATHERINE:  Depending on what else they ride.

LIMO DRIVER:  Oh ...

(Inside the limo, Warrick finds a cell phone.  He checks the calls and finds
them all made by "GISELLE".  He finds a small wallet and takes out a Nevada
driver's license for:
     HARRIS, BROOKE
     91334 RANCHO DRIVE
     LAS VEGAS, NV  89123

     EXPIRES:  02-17-2006
     SEX:  F
     HEIGHT:  5'6"
     WEIGHT:  105
     EYES:  BLU
     HAIR:  BRN

(Outside, Catherine and Vartann continue to question the limo driver.)  

CATHERINE:  It's a pretty sweet deal for the guys.  Hot chicks getting trashed
with no security and nowhere to go.  

(Warrick steps out from the limo and joins them.)  

CATHERINE:  And what happens when the girls want to get off?

LIMO DRIVER:  Usually, it's the guys that are getting off.

WARRICK:  I found something in there besides body fluids.  Belongs to the
victim, Brooke Harris.  You dropped that girl off in a war zone, man.

LIMO DRIVER:  When the guy paying the tab says he wants to stop, I just stop.

(Quick flash of:  Inside the limo, the party continues.  A man sitting down
grabs Brooke Harris, trying to get her to sit on his lap.  She pushes him away.)

PAYING CUSTOMER:  Come on ...

BROOKE HARRIS:  You know, you've got to sit down and ...

PAYING CUSTOMER:  Come on ...

BROOKE HARRIS:  Stop it!  Back off, jerk!

PAYING CUSTOMER:  Stop the bus!  Get her off the bus!

BROOKE HARRIS:  No, I don't want ... I don't want to get ...

(End of flash.)  

LIMO DRIVER:  Look, strippers are tough chicks, okay?  I figured she'd find a
way home, one way or another.

CUT TO:  



[INT. GISELLS (GYM) - HALLWAY -- DAY]  

(Catherine talks with Vartann as they walk through the hallway.)  

CATHERINE:  Brooke Harris was getting calls from a gym?

VARTANN:  Well, the "Giselle" number went straight to voice mail.  The voice
mail said to contact her here.

(They turn and watch the exercise class through the window.)  

CATHERINE:  And what's the word on the husband?

VARTANN:  Huh?

CATHERINE:  The husband.

VARTANN:  Yeah ... no, according to his office, he's away in Laughlin on
business.  We're still trying to get in touch with him.

(Inside the exercise room, the women are dancing around poles.)  

INSTRUCTOR:  ... swing those legs up and around.  Yeah, like a waterfall ... you
got it.  That's it!  

SHORT TIME CUT TO:  

(Catherine and Vartann talk with Giselle.)  

GISELLE:  So I called Brooke a few times.  So what? She was one of my students.

VARTANN:  You actually teach this?

GISELLE:  Strippers have the best bodies in town.  If you want the body, this is
how you get it.  Trust me, I've been doing this since before I had my driver's
license.

CATHERINE:  Well, workout is one thing.  What is a housewife from Centennial
Park doing on a stripper bus with pros?

GISELLE:  She wanted it.

VARTANN:  Come on ...

GISELLE:  No, really.  She loved the attention.  Loved the fantasy.  She wanted
to try it for real.  See how she stacked up against some real talent.

CATHERINE:  And you let her.

GISELLE:  Do I look like her mother?

CATHERINE:  You were teaching her a lesson.

GISELLE:  If I'd wanted to do that, I would've sent her to Stripperama, fed her
to the wolves.

CATHERINE:  And drunk CEOs aren't wolves?  They're worse.  You know that.  
That's why you kept calling her.  So you could hear all about it, right?

GISELLE:  I was just calling to see how things went.

VARTANN:  Oh, really?

GISELLE:  It's starting to sound like I need a lawyer.

CUT TO:  



[EXT. TRAILER PARK -- DAY]  

(Brass, Nick, Grissom and an officer head for the house.)  

BRASS:  So I pulled all the ROs from all the '97 blue Sunfires in Nevada; one
name and address just jumped out ...

(They turn into the front walk.)  

BRASS:  (shouts)  Randy Swansiger.  Las Vegas police!  Come on out, Randy.

(Nick heads over to the car covered with blue plastic and uncovers it.  Brass
knocks on the front door.)  

BRASS:  Walk out slowly, Randy.

NICK:  Michelin tires.

GRISSOM:  Blue car.  Broken headlamp.

RANDY SWANSINGER:  Hey, how's it goin'?

BRASS:  I'm Detective Jim Brass.  Remember me?

RANDY SWANSINGER:  Hey, hey, hey, hey ... whoa, whoa ... what are you guys
doing?

BRASS:  You got a couple of DWIs on your record.  What have you got to say for
yourself, Randy?

RANDY SWANSINGER:  I was coming home ... been working late ... I guess I fell
asleep at the wheel ...

(Quick flash of:  [NIGHT]  The car grazes the wire fence, hits the gas main
pipes like a ramp and bullets through the trailer.  The trailer explodes.  End
of flash.)  

RANDY SWANSINGER:  Next thing I know ... crash-boom-bang!  The car still worked,
so ...

(Randy runs.  Brass and the others don't follow.  They watch as Randy runs to
the end of the road, runs into the fence, trips and falls to the ground.)  

(Grissom turns and looks at Nick, who shakes his head.)  

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - GARAGE -- DAY]  

(Greg has his hand in the soupy mess in the trunk while Sara sits near by,
watching.)  

SARA:  Drain plug's probably under the carpet.

GREG:  I think I found it.

(Greg pulls the plug back.  The soupy goop splashes on his face.  He groans.)  

GREG:  Ahh ...

SARA:  (shrugs)  Technically, that makes you a cannibal.

(Sara hand Greg a cloth to wipe his face.)  

SARA:  Grissom would be proud.

GREG:  Grissom would've tasted it on purpose.

(Sara kneels to check under the car.  The soupy goo is draining through the
bottom of the trunk.)  

SARA:  It's working.

[VARIOUS CUTS]

(Sara and Greg watch as the soupy goo drains out of the trunk and into plastic
canisters with large strainers over it.)  

(Sara checks inside the car.)  

(She opens a pink box from Gooeybunz and finds the remains of partially eaten
buns inside.)  

(She cuts through the DO NOT OPEN sticker on the back door.)  

(Greg sifts through the remains in the strainers.  He finds something, washes it
off and puts it in a second, smaller container on the side to drain.)  

(Sara snaps photos of the GM VIN number:  1G2NE54N1PM630014.)  

(Sara takes a sample of some red goo on the carpet.  She reaches in and picks up
a cheeseburger wrapper on the floor.  Under it, she finds a whole gooey bun.  
She picks it up and looks at it.)

(She dusts the windshield and pulls some prints.)  

(Greg continues to sift and separate the items in the sieves when  Sara walks up
to him.)  

SARA:  That makes 34 prints.  Jacqui's going to love me.

(She watches him.)  

SARA:  You got something?

GREG:  I think so ... bullet fragment.  Copper-jacketed.  Rules out a .22.

SARA:  See, it was worth it.

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - LAB -- DAY]  

(Hodges walks into the lab to report to Warrick and Catherine.)  

DAVID HODGES:  You better get ready for this because this is going to blow you
away.  The rust-colored material you found on the victim's head wound ... was
rust.  Plain old ferric oxide, found on nearly every iron object on the planet
earth.  Case breaker?  No?  As they say, "garbage in, garbage out."

(Hodges leaves.)  

CATHERINE:  Um ... the champagne ride picks up strippers near the clubs, but not
actually at the clubs.

WARRICK:  Right. The owners don't like that bus coming anywhere near the clubs
because they don't make any money off them.

CATHERINE:  Well, look, Brooke Harris wasn't planning to die that night.  She
had to have parked her car somewhere.

WARRICK:  Well, there's a secured parking lot not too far from where the garbage
man dropped her off.

(Catherine points to the two spots on the map.)  

CATHERINE:  So, if she parked her car here ... why did she go here?

(Warrick's quiet for a moment.)  

WARRICK:  Hey, Catherine ...

CATHERINE:  Yes?

WARRICK:  Can we talk?  (He shows her the ring.)  About this?

CATHERINE:  Sure.

WARRICK:  You know, what happened to Nick ... it just got me thinking.  Life is
so short, you know?  It's almost ... it's almost shorter than we want to ever
believe.

CATHERINE:  Live for the day.

WARRICK:  Exactly.  So, I, uh ... I've been heading to ask this young lady I've
been seeing--Tina--to marry me.

CATHERINE:  You know that I'm happy for you.

WARRICK:  Yeah?

CATHERINE:  Yeah.

WARRICK:  But it also feels like you're not so happy for me.

CATHERINE: Warrick ... you know, the thing that makes a fantasy great is the
possibility that it might come true.  And when you lose that possibility ... it
just kind of sucks.

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - BALLISTICS LAB -- DAY]  

(Bobby Dawson reports his findings to Greg.)  

BOBBY DAWSON:  Okay, Mr. Greg, your most likely match is a .44 round recovered
from a drug-related shoot-out in Mesquite five days ago.  Case is still open.

GREG:  That's roughly two days after the bodies ended up in the trunk.  Maybe
our vics were the beginning of a little crime spree.  Thanks.

(Greg leaves the lab, heading in one direction.  Coming down the hallway from
the other direction are Sofia and Sara.)  

SOFIA CURTIS:  I ran the Grand Am's VIN.  Last RO was a tow yard over by Nellis.  
Vehicle's most likely an impound, sold under the table to some scammer who faked
his tags.

SARA:  You're not going to get far in that direction.

SOFIA CURTIS:  I know.  What about prints?

(Sara hands the file to Sofia.)  

SARA:  13 different IDs.  Some off work cards, some off felonies ranging from
assault, B&E, cocaine trafficking.

SOFIA CURTIS:  Well, even if I do manage to track them all down, there's no
guarantee any of these were involved with the vics.

SARA:  Well, they didn't put themselves in the trunk, and unless they were shot
right there at the curb, somebody drove the car there.  You're the detective.  
(smiles)  Go detect.

(Sara leaves.)

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - FORENSIC AUTOPSY -- DAY]  

(Robbins prods through the skeletal remains as he shares his findings with Sara
and Greg.)  

ROBBINS:  Fully developed skeletal structure consistent with an adult male.  The
medial end of the clavicle's almost fused.  Suggests he's about 25 years old.  
Lack of prognathism indicates he's Caucasian.  The female, however, is
Prognathic ... (He moves to the second body.)  ... and that suggests Negroid.  
Unfused epiphysial ends make her a teenager.

SARA:  White male, younger black female ... racially motivated?

GREG:  Could be a Son of Sam thing.  Summertime, couple on a date, making out in
the car.  Berkowitz used a .44.

ROBBINS:  Gunshot wounds are most likely COD for both.  Female shows an entry
wound at the rear of the skull.  Exit wound took off most of her face.

(Robbins moves back to the first body.)  

ROBBINS:  Male has no exit wound, but the entry wound ... is pretty obvious.

(Quick flash of:  [MOUTH POV]  The gun fires through the partially opened mouth.  
End of flash.)

ROBBINS:  Bullet never left the skull.

GREG:  (nods)  That would explain the bullet fragments.  

SARA:  What we need are IDs.

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - LAB -- DAY]  

(Greg reads off what he found to Sara, who is sitting next to him.)  

GREG:  No missing persons filed for Caucasian males between 20 and 30 in the
last two weeks, but there are possibles for the girl.

SARA:  Hm.

(The monitor reads:  
{POSSIBLE 0}
     MISSING:  JULY 18, 2005     SEX:  FEMALE
     RACE:  AFRICAN-AMERICAN
{POSSIBLE 2}
     DANIELLE WATERS
     DOB:  SEPT. 8, 1992     AGE:  13
     HEIGHT:  5'3"     WEIGHT:  95 LBS
     HAIR:  BROWN     EYES:  BLACK
     MISSING:  AUGUST 31, 2005     SEX:  FEMALE
     RACE:  AFRICAN AMERICAN

     CURRENTLY MISSING: 47     
     AGE GROUP: 13-17     N/A   
     SEX: M/F     F   
     RACE: AFRICAN-AMERICAN  N/A
     DAYS OR MORE MISSING 10
     FILE SECURE:  Y/N   Y

GREG:  Two cases still open.  Thirteen seems a little young.

SARA:  Could be a kidnapping.

(Greg scrolls down the screen to POSSIBLE 3.)
     CLARA JAMES
     DOB:  MAY 14, 1989     AGE:  16
     HEIGHT:  5'2"     WEIGHT:  132 LBS
     HAIR:  BLACK     EYES:  BLACK
     MISSING:  SEPT. 8, 2005     SEX:  FEMALE
     RACE:  AFRICAN AMERICAN

GREG:  The other one's 16.

SARA:  This is one time it would be better to stay missing.

FADE OUT.

(COMMERCIAL SET)  



FADE IN.

[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT -- ]  

(Sofia talks with Mr. James as he puts the things they requested on the desk in
front of her.)  

MR. JAMES:  I also brought her toothbrush and her hairbrush.  (He takes out some
files.)  This one's from her doctor.  Other's from her dentist.

(Sofia's looking at a framed photo of Clara James.)  

MR. JAMES:  How long is it going to take you?

SOFIA CURTIS:  That's hard to say.  Mr. James, was Clara by any chance seeing an
older man?

MR. JAMES:  As far as I know, she wasn't seeing anybody but it wouldn't surprise
me if she was.  Clara wasn't smart when it came to people, talking to any
lowlife chump who'd give her the time of day.  The girl never did listen to a
damn word I said.

SOFIA CURTIS:  The older man ...  Um ... could've been someone she met at
school?

(He shakes his head, no.)  

SOFIA CURTIS:  Did she have a part-time job?

MR. JAMES:  Gooeybunz, over on El Dorado.

SOFIA CURTIS:  We found a number of half-eaten Gooeybunz in the car.

MR. JAMES:  You know, Clara wasn't really that smart about her diet either, but
she hated those things.  Smell'd get into her clothes.  By the time she got
home, she was practically ready to throw up.  You find out who did this ... you
let me know.

SOFIA CURTIS:  Yeah.

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - LAB -- DAY]  

(Sara takes out the bun parts from the plastic bag.)  

SARA:  According to Clara James' father, Clara didn't eat Gooeybunz.  She didn't
like them, which means it was either the killer or the male DB.  

GREG:  So we're looking for ...  bite marks?  If we find a good impression,
maybe we'll get an ID through dental records.

SARA:  You got it.

GREG:  And the student becomes a master.

(Sara looks at Greg.  He smiles at her.)  

(Together, they search through the bun parts.)  

GREG:  I'm not seeing any bite marks.

SARA:  Me either.  It's not like they were bitten at all.  More like torn apart.

GREG:  Check it out.  They might all be in pieces ... but they're all still
here.  No one ever ate any of them.  Which is kinda weird.  I mean, why buy all
of 'em and not eat 'em?

(She looks at the whole bun in the bag.)  

SARA:  I found this one under a passenger seat -- intact, on the floor.

(She takes it out of the bag and examines it.)  

GREG:  It escaped the carnage.

(She sees something and pulls out a small plastic bag of drugs.)  

GREG:  That's not frosting.

SARA:  I always liked the middle part the best.

CUT TO:  



[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) - DAY]



[EXT. FLAT FEE PARKING -- DAY]  

(The sign reads:  FLAT FEE PARKING $10.00.  Catherine and Warrick head for the
parking lot.)  

WARRICK:  When she parks her car, she's a hot housewife.  A few hours later,
she's just another freak.

(Quick flash of:  Brooke Harris hands the car keys to the attendant.)  

BROOKE HARRIS:  Hello.  Thank you.

(She walks away.)  

(Cut to:  Brooke Harris runs over wearing the plastic bag.)  

BROOKE HARRIS:  It's my Mercedes, okay?  I can prove it. Just give me the keys.  

ATTENDANT:  Show me ten bucks or you ain't proving squat.

BROOKE HARRIS:  I don't have anywhere to go!

(End of flash.  Resume to present.)  

CATHERINE:  Brooke Harris probably spent ten bucks a day on nonfat lattes.

WARRICK:  Right.

CATHERINE:  She needed money to get her car back.

WARRICK:  Well, I don't see any ATMs around here.  This is a bad place to be
broke.

(They walk up to the officer.)  

OFFICER DA MICHAELS:  Hey, you miss me?

(Warrick looks at the rust on the metal pole holding the crime scene tape up.)  

WARRICK:  Rusty flakes.  

(He touches the rust on the pole and looks up at the officer.)  

WARRICK:  Hey, Michaels, did you put this crime tape up?

OFFICER DA MICHAELS:  Yes, sir.

(Warrick also sees the blood on the pole.)  

WARRICK:  Yeah, well, you missed something.  There's blood on this rebar.

CATHERINE:  Where'd you find that?

OFFICER DA MICHAELS:  I, uh ... I just picked it up over there ...

(He points to the area between the buildings.  Catherine and Warrick head over
there and find a homeless person sitting near the wall.)  

CATHERINE:  May I ask you a question?

(She shows him the photo.)  

CATHERINE:  Do you recognize this woman?

HOMELESS PERSON:  She's a thief.  She took some money out of my hat.

(Quick flash of:  [NIGHT]  Brooke Harris creeps up to the homeless man's hat of
money and snatches a handful.  She turns and runs.

HOMELESS PERSON:  Hey! Hey!

(He grabs the rebar and runs after her.  He hits her on the head.)  

(End of flash.  Resume to present.)  

HOMELESS PERSON:  Stealing's a crime.

CATHERINE:  Hey, Michaels.  Think you might be able to take this man into
custody?

(Officer Michaels takes out his handcuffs and heads over to the homeless
person.)  

CUT TO:  



[EXT. LAST VEGAS CITY LIGHTS (STOCK) - EVENING]



[INT. CSI - LAB -- NIGHT]  

(Sara and Greg go over their information.)  

SARA:  Tox confirmed that the packet in the Gooeybun contained cocaine, and one
of the prints that I lifted off the Grand Am was a felony conviction for cocaine
trafficking -

(She pulls up the information on the monitor:

     JOEY ZACK
     DOB:  SEPT 5, 1979     AGE:  25
     HGT:  5'10"     WGT:  180 LBS
     HAIR:  BROWN     EYES:  BROWN
     RACE:  CAUCASIAN     SEX:  MALE
     ADDRESS:
          BURTON HOTEL
          2321 TOP WAY
          LAS VEGAS, NV  89156

     CONVICTIONS:  Drug dealer, probation 1 year in Mar 2004
     NOTES:  prints found on stolen car radio tuner

(Sara glances at Greg.)  

SARA:  Joey Zack, drug dealer.  Seems he liked to use Gooeybunz to move his
coke.

(Quick flash of:  Close-up of:  Someone cuts out the middle of the bun and pops
a bag of coke inside before covering it up again.  End of flash.)  

SARA:  He's a nice regular customer at Gooeybunz.  He used to chat up cute Clara
when he was there, sweet-talks her into a date, and they both end up dead in his
bitchin' Grand Am.

GREG:  Well, whoever did it must've done it for the drugs.

(Hodges enters the lab and hands Sara the report.  She looks through it.  Greg
notes the comments on the monitor.  )

HODGES:  GCMs on the melted gloves from your Grand  Am.  A delicious confection
of sugar, gelatin, starches, citric acid, mineral oil, red 40, yellow 5, blue 1
and carnuba wax.

(Greg turns and leaves the lab.)  

SARA:  Candy.

HODGES:  Gummy candy.  I'm partial to Jujubes myself.  Is it something I said?

SARA:  (smiles)  Probably.

(Greg returns carrying the radio.)  

GREG:  Joey Zack's print was found on the radio, which was tuned to 107 FM.  
(Greg turns the radio on.)  Now, as far as I know, there is only one place in
town where you can get gummies, a generic cheeseburger, and 107.1 gets anything
other than static.

(Greg finds the station and all we hear is static.)  

CUT TO:  



[EXT. DRIVE-IN -- NIGHT]  

(The sign outside reads:    
     THIS WAY TO THE
     MOONLIGHT!  TUNE
     YOUR RADIO TO
     107.1FM FOR SOUND   )

DRIVE-IN MANAGER:  Sorry, I don't recognize him.  Most of the time when people
come here, it's dark.

GREG:  How about this?  You ever seen this car before?

DRIVE-IN MANAGER:  No.  All I remember from the last two weeks is what's playing
'cause I've seen it 8,000 times:"Killer Punch" --a big draw for crap cars.

SOFIA CURTIS:  We're gonna need to talk to your employees.

DRIVE-IN MANAGER:  (groans)  Oh, come on, please.  Is that really necessary?

SOFIA CURTIS:  It's a homicide investigation.

GREG:  We could just call the health inspector and ... see how many code
violations he has festering in that concession stand.

DRIVE-IN MANAGER:  Geez, fine, knock yourselves out.  Jerry's on tickets ...
Maddox runs the projector, and Darryl's in concessions.  No. No, he quit last
week.

SOFIA CURTIS:  Why?

DRIVE-IN MANAGER:  He said he was gonna go live with his parents up in Mesquite.

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - BREAK ROOM ]  

(Sofia goes through the papers on Darryl Blakeney with Greg, Sara and Grissom.)  

SOFIA CURTIS:  Guy's name is Darryl Blakeney.  (She hands it to Grissom.)  
Small-time hood with priors for B&E and possession.  

SARA:  His prints were on the steering wheel of the Grand Am.

GREG:  When he quit his job at the drive-in, he was in court-ordered rehab.

SOFIA CURTIS:  We figured Blakeney was one of Joey Zack's customers.  One night,
Blakeney sees his coke dealer's Grand Am at the drive-in, and the fiend snaps.

(Quick flash of:  Darryl Blakeney walks up to the car and bursts into the back
seat.  Clara James and Joey Zack are in the front seat with the Gooeybunz.  He
holds the gun on them.)  

DARRYL BLAKENEY:  Move, and you're dead!  Shut up!

JOEY ZACK:  All right, all right, all right!

DARRYL BLAKENEY:  Give me the coke, Joey!  Give me the coke!

(He grabs the box, knocking the bun on the floor.)

(End of flash.)  

GRISSOM:  Do we know where he killed them?

GREG:  We don't know where yet.

SOFIA CURTIS:  Or why.

SARA:  Maybe the girl started freaking out; maybe Blakeney's just a psycho.  
Anyway, uh, Blakeney tossed the bodies, and throws them in the trunk and drives
home.  The street where the Grand Am was found is a block away from his last
known residence.

GREG:  He leaves it there collecting parking tickets, skips town, and uses the
same gun two days later in another drug-related crime in Mesquite.

SOFIA CURTIS:  The scumbag's still in the wind.

GRISSOM:  At least he's in the system with a double homicide.

SOFIA CURTIS:  That's not going to satisfy Clara James' father.

(Sara sighs.)  

CUT TO:  



[INT. CSI - LOCKER ROOM]  

(Catherine, Warrick and Nick are in the locker room getting ready to leave.  
Nick needles Warrick.  )  

NICK:  Can she cook?  Is she a good cook?  Come on, Warrick.

(Warrick sighs.  Nick sees Grissom walk by the door and catches him.)  

NICK:  Hey, Grissom.  We're taking Warrick to the Pepper Mill to celebrate his
marriage and to condemn his elopement.  You in?

GRISSOM:  Did you invite your wife?

WARRICK:  I don't think I'm ready to subject her to the crew just yet.

CATHERINE:  I got to beg off, you guys.  Got to take Lindsay to school.

NICK:  All right.

CATHERINE:  Bye.

(Catherine closes her locker and leaves.)  

NICK:  Bye.  So?

GRISSOM:  I got one more thing to do.

(Grissom leaves.)  

NICK:  All right.

(Nick glances at Warrick, who shakes his head and closes his locker.)  

WARRICK:  Don't.

CUT TO: 


[INT. CSI - A/V LAB -- DAY]  

(Grissom and Archie are listening to the recording.)  

WALTER GORDON:  (from recording)  So, breathe quick.  Breathe slow.  Put your
gun in your mouth and pull the trigger.  Any way you like, you're going to die
here.  Okay?

VOICE 2:  (from recording)  Perfect.

(Grissom rewinds it a little.)

WALTER GORDON:  (from recording)  Okay?

VOICE 2:  (from recording)  Perfect.

(Archie looks at Grissom.)  

ARCHIE:  How'd you know it was going to be there?

GRISSOM:  If that "okay" had been meant for Nick, it wouldn't have been in the form of a question.  I think maybe Walter Gordon had an accomplice.

(Grissom plays it again.)

VOICE 2:  (from recording)  Perfect.

GRISSOM:  Male or female?

ARCHIE JOHNSON:  It's, um ... hard to say.  The tape was pretty mangled. Enhancement and noise cancellation increase intelligibility, but it alters timber and tone.  So,  I don't know there's any more I can do here. You know, Nick recorded a message on the flip side of the tape.  You think maybe we should ...

GRISSOM:  No.  This is between you and me.

(Camera holds on Grissom.)  

FADE TO BLACK

THE END.

Fait par Wella