[EXT. VARIOUS LAS VEGAS CITY LIGHTS (STOCK) - NIGHT]
[CU: TWO WOMEN KISS]
[EXT. HOTEL FRONT - NIGHT]
(Miss Tangiers pushes Miss Palermo away.)
Miss Tangiers: Okay, back that thing up. I wanted to steal some gloss off my lips.
(Miss Palermo giggles.)
Miss Palermo: Yeah, and you bought it. Hey. You are hotter than anyone in there.
(Just then, a young woman and a man walk past.)
Woman: For $1,000, I'll take you around the world. MAN: I think I love you.
Miss Tangiers: God should just flush this city down the toilet. Look, hey ... I'm going to go find our limo.
(Miss Lucky Dragon sits on the side smoking.)
Miss Tangiers: (disgusted) Where it's safe.
(Miss Tangiers puts her jacket on as she heads for the valet. In the distance, gunshots and tire screeching sounds. Miss Tangiers turns her back for a moment. An out-of-control limo turns the corner and heads straight for the lobby.)
(People scream and run to get out of the way. The limo rams through the front drive and stops when it hits a parked car.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[EXT. HOTEL FRONT - NIGHT]
(Brass gets out of his car. OFFICER BAILEY HUSKINS is already there.)
Brass: Huskins, you first responding?
Bailey Huskins: Yes, sir. We got one dead guy in the limo; the rest are cuts and bruises.
(They duck under the crime scene tape on their way to the limo.)
Brass: So, what's the story?
Bailey Huskins: Witnesses are pretty much in sync. They heard, uh, several gunshots from down the street, they saw the limo and everybody started hightailin' it.
Brass: (chuckles) Right. Running the Bulls, Las Vegas style. So, I got a feeling the driver didn't see anything.
Bailey Huskins: No, sir.
Brass: Make sure you do Nystagmus before we pound him through the FSTs. Limo equals drugs and whatnot. And collect all the cell phones.
Bailey Huskins: Are we authorized to do that, sir?
Brass: No. (loudly) Hey, anybody have any photos or video of the crash? If you do, I promise to get them on Channel 8 News.
(Suddenly, everyone in the crowd holds out their phone for him.)
Voice: I do. VOICE: I do. VOICE: I do.
Brass: Wow.
Voice: I got it.
Brass: (to Huskins) You better wear gloves before you do the collection. There's a lot of interrupted lap dances out there.
Bailey Huskins: Yes, sir. We got one on the guy in the limo. A passenger. Paramedics are working on him now. Name's Kellen Tyford.
Brass: Oh, Kellen. I know Kellen. Calls himself "Drops."
VARIOUS FLASHES OF THE BULLET HOLES IN THE LIMO GLASS
[SCENE_BREAK]
(Greg is examining the back of the limo. He sees the blood on the seat and the dead body on the floor.)
(Grissom is looking over David Phillips' shoulder.)
Grissom: This is what happens when you don't wear your seatbelt.
David Phillips: That's why I always do.
Greg: It's the law. Even in limos.
(Greg notes the champagne bottle on the limo floor.)
David Phillips: Found a wallet.
(He checks it.)
David Phillips: Got a license. Vic's name is "Champ Landley."
(The NEVADA DRIVER LICENSE reads:
LIC # 1825588741
EXPIRES: 10-04-2010
SSN: 502-45-195 CLASS: C
BIRTHDATE: 10-04-1978 s*x: M
HEIGHT: 6'2" WEIGHT: 195
EYES: BRN HAIR: BRN
CHAMP LANDLEY
332 CALLE MATRIA RD.
LAS VEGAS, NV 89109
Greg: Open champagne bottle. White powder residue. I'll guess coke.
(Grissom sees the blood spatter and other material on the limo seats.)
Grissom: Well, then that must be ... his brain on drugs.
Greg: Party till you drop.
Grissom: Or get shot, whichever comes first.
SMASH TO END OF TEASER ROLL TITLE CREDITS
[SCENE_BREAK]
[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) - MORNING]
[EXT. CASINO/MOTEL - FRONT DRIVE -- MORNING]
(Brass walks up to Drops who leans up against a parked car and is holding a cloth pressed to the back top of his head. He's also a mess, stained with a lot of blood.)
Brass: Konnichiwa.
Drops: Konnichiwa. Look. I ain't in the mood, man.
Brass: So, let me guess--you don't have any blood on your hands. Oh, look at that, you do.
Drops: Yeah, I got blood on my face, too. How about that?
Brass: So, who's the dead guy?
Drops: It's Champ.
Brass: Yeah, we know that, but who's he to you? Huh?
Drops: It's family, man.
Brass: So, he's your "cuz", he's your gang buddy.
Drops: Look, B, I ain't no Blud and I ain't no Crip. Champ's just a cool kid I knew from around the way. I met his ass over two decades ago riding my Big Wheel. We go back like your hairline. That's family.
Brass: So, how did his B-L-U-D end up on your face?
Drops: We was parlayin', chillin', slidin' to the strip club, mindin' our own.
(Quick flash of: [INT. LIMO] Drops and Camps clink champagne glasses. A gunshot fires.)
(Quick CGI of: SLOW MOTION. The bullet bursts through the glass and hits Champs in the head. Champs goes down immediately against Drops.)
(End of CGI. End of Flashback.)
Brass: So, what'd you do, piss off some rapper band again?
Drops: The only bands I'm playin' with now is the one's I'm ripping off stacks of green. And I ain't talking about weed, B.
Brass: You're the big cheese maker. What's your secret, anyway?
Drops: I promote events, parties. I help the club life pop.
Brass: Well, you must be throwing some pretty crappy parties for someone to want you and your buddy dead. Huh? So, tell me. Who lit you up?
Drops: I don't know, okay? Could be everybody, man, could be nobody.
Brass: Okay. Let's start with everybody.
Drops: I know a lot of people -- friends and foes. They know I come here late night. Or maybe, maybe the limo driver cut somebody off and we're the victims of road rage. How about that?
Brass: Look, we're going to take you down to the station.
Drops: You can't be ser ... I'm the one that got shot at!
Brass: You know the rigamarole: we need an official statement, we need your clothes, we need your prints, we need your DNA. Because you're a concerned citizen. You want to help us find out who did this ... unless you already know.
[SCENE_BREAK]
[EXT. HOTEL/CASINO - FRONT ROAD - DAY]
(The officers and techs check the road for evidence and mark them as they find them.)
CSI Tech #1: Got a nine mill over here.
CSI Tech #2: .45 auto casing.
(Grissom and Hodges walk over to Greg, who has his kit open on the ground at his feet. Hodges is carrying a kit.)
Greg: This neighborhood rains lead.
Grissom: Yeah, and we have to process every last drop of it.
(Greg is digging out a bullet from the stone wall.)
Greg: (mutters) We're going to make Bobby Dawson's boat payment this month.
(Hodges takes his sunglasses off.)
Hodges: I was right. This is a lot like garbage colleting.
Greg: You're not helping, Hodges.
Hodges: I have no intention to. Field rotation for the lab techs was Ecklie's idea. He was very explicit that I was only allowed to observe.
(Hodges turns his attention to observing the techs on the street.)
(Greg manages to get the bullet out of the stone wall.)
Greg: Looks like a .38, maybe a .357.
(Hodges looks down at the street.)
Grissom: It's a little small for those golf-ball size holes we found in that limo.
(Hodges finds something. He clears his throat loudly and motions for someone.)
Hodges: A little help?
(Grissom gives Greg a look before they head toward Hodges to see what he wants. Hodges points to the road.)
(Grissom picks up the bullet casing.)
Grissom: .50 caliber. Casing looks new. I bet it's from a Desert Eagle.
Hodges: Or a coffee shop. I could drink an espresso out of that thing.
(Grissom looks at Hodges.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[EXT. LAS VEGAS COMMUNITY (STOCK) - DAY]
[EXT. RESIDENCE - FRONT LAWN -- DAY]
(Sofia, Catherine and Warrick stand around a dead woman's body on a front lawn.)
Sofia: Residential area. Not much traffic. Landscaper found the body, called 911. Driver's license is in her purse. Her name's Melissa Gentry, lives off Nellis. We're trying to contact the family.
(Sofia hands the wallet to Catherine. She takes out the NEVADA DRIVER LICENSE for:
MELISSA GENTRY
247 DUNPHY ROAD
LAS VEGAS, NV 89109 )
Warrick: Little bit outside of her neighborhood, isn't it?
Sofia: Definitely.
Warrick: Party clothes shredded. Breaded abrasions. Must've hit the ground moving.
Catherine: No car keys and no unaccounted for ... cars in the vicinity.
Sofia: You thinking she got jacked?
Catherine: She gets taken along for the ride, jumps out trying to escape.
(Quick flash of: [NIGHT] The car drives by. The door opens and the body hits the ground rolling. End of flash.)
Warrick: Maybe she was killed first, and this is a body dump at high speed.
Sofia: I'm going to go bang on some doors, see if anyone heard anything.
(Sofia leaves Warrick and Catherine with the body.)
Warrick: I'm gonna go see if I can figure out where this started.
(Warrick stands up and starts down the road. Catherine snaps photos of the body.)
(Warrick puts evidence marker #2 next to a shoe. Catherine snaps a photo of a particular deep mark on the body.)
(Warrick puts evidence marker #3 next to a blue piece of cloth. Catherine snaps more photos of the scrapes on the body.)
(Warrick finds a black broken part with a partial VIN number on it. He takes a photo and picks it up. Warrick looks around the area.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT -- INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY]
(The officer in the room opens the door for Nick. Drops is waiting inside.)
Drops: Whoa! "Crime Lab Nick Stokes!" I see we're in between bad haircuts.
Nick: Drops. Told you I'd see you later. (He opens his kit.) It's called criminal activity. Stand up and hold your hands up for me, please.
(Drops stands up and holds out his hands, palms down. Drops smiles at Nick.)
Drops: Now, come on, Crime Lab, I thought we was old buddies.
Nick: The only thing we have in common, Kellen, are the dead bodies that seem to keep piling up around you. (He snaps a photo.) Turn around, please.
(Drops turns around.)
Drops: Well, first of all ... I ain't never killed nobody in my life. Second, I don't have a record. (Nick snaps another photo.) Never even done a day in jail.
(Drops turns to face Nick.)
Nick: Well, you keep heading down this road and, unfortunately, that's where you're going to end up.
(Drops looks at his bloodied clothes.)
Drops: Yeah, well ... this, this ain't me. I'm not used to this. As a matter of fact, I don't even know what that is.
(He points to the item in Nick's hand.)
Nick: It's a test for gunshot residue. Hands up.
(Nick takes a sample.)
Drops: Oh, yeah, uh ... the powder from a gun. You ain't gonna find none of that.
Nick: Maybe not. Okay, now, I need you to remove all of your clothing, including your shoes.
(Nick gives him some red clothes.)
Nick: You can put these on for now and I'll come back to get them when you're done.
Drops: No, thanks. Uh, I got one of my queens bringing me a suit. I will not be throwing on these nasty ass scrubs.
Nick: You are covered in blood. Your clothes are evidence now and I'm going to come back in here and I'm going to get them. If not, you're just going to be standing here in your underwear.
Drops: What underwear? I don't wear drawers.
Nick: This is not a compromise, Kellen.
(Nick grabs his kit and things off the table and heads for the door. He passes Officer Mitchell standing inside the room.)
Nick: You might want to close your eyes or turn around or something.
(Nick leaves. Officer Mitchell crosses his arms. He's not budging. Drops glances at him, then turns his back to him.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - GARAGE - DAY]
(Greg motions as the limo is backed into the garage and parked.)
INTERCUT WITH:
[INT. CSI - FORENSIC AUTOPSY]
(David Phillips hangs Champ Landley's bloodied jacket on a hanger and puts it next to his other clothes.)
(Greg examines the back of the limo carefully. He notes the blood and glass on the floor and he finds something flattened on the floor, half tucked under the carpeting.)
(David washes the blood off the body.)
(Greg gathers pieces of glass off the limo floor.)
(In the layout room, Nick puts the pieces of broken glass together.)
(In the limo, Greg picks up small pieces he finds.)
(Champs Landley is on the table with a rod in his head while Robbins reconstructs the skull pieces on a dummy head.)
(In the limo, Greg finds a rolled up bill with white powder residue. He leans forward and sees the white circular markings.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - GRISSOM'S OFFICE - DAY]
(Greg reports his findings to Grissom.)
Greg: Fifty AE casings came back clean on IBIS, but Ballistics was able to pull type and caliber from the copper jacket fragments inside the limo.
Grissom: Consistent with .50 caliber Desert Eagle handgun.
(Greg shows Grissom the diagram.)
Greg: Yeah. Blood on the seats suggests that the victim was sitting here, on the left, with Drops somewhere to the right.
(Grissom counts the bullet lines on the diagram.)
Grissom: Six shots into the limo. Autopsy reports cause of death was single gunshot wound to the head with variable trajectory, so one of those was the kill shot.
Greg: Yeah, it's just hard to say which one. The crash tossed everything all over the place. And it's basically one big mess now.
Grissom: Sounds like Drops' story is holding up, though.
(Nick appears in the doorway. He motions to them.)
Nick: Gentlemen. Follow me.
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - LAYOUT ROOM - CONTINUOUS]
(Greg shows the reconstructed window findings to Greg and Grissom.)
Nick: There were two shots fired through the glass, but as you can see, different sizes, different calibers.
Greg: Big one's consistent with the .50.
Nick: Yeah, but check out the beveling on the impacts.
Greg: Well, based on the beveling, these shots were fired from opposite directions.
Grissom: Tinting film is applied to the inside of a window, so the small-caliber round was fired from inside the limo.
Nick: Well, I analyzed the radial cracks from both holes. The cracks from the shot that was fired out was terminated by the cracks from the shot that was fired in.
(Quick CGI flash of: A gun fires. The bullet hits the glass and enters the limo. A second gun fires inside the limo. The second bullet hits the glass on its way out the limo. The cracks in the glass overlap each other. End of CGI flash.)
Greg: Someone inside the limo had a gun.
Grissom: And, evidently, Drops wasn't telling us the whole story after all.
[SCENE_BREAK]
[EXT. PRICY COMMUNITY (STOCK) - DAY]
[EXT. DROPS' HOME - POOLSIDE - DAY]
(Women in lacy underwear serve drinks. Brass talks with Drops.)
Drops: Look, I didn't lie, all right? I just left a couple of things out.
Brass: Well, you want to fill in the blanks before I ship you for obstruction?
Drops: We shot back; it's that simple.
Brass: We? You both had guns?
Drops: Nah, man, just one of us.
Brass: Well, I bet I can guess which one. 'Cause you're the only person in the limo with a registered .38 revolver.
(Quick flash of: [INT. LIMO] A gun fires and the bullet breaks through the glass, hitting Champ and killing him. Drops pulls out his own gun and returns fire. End flash.)
Brass: I guess you know that blood is a good way to wash off GSR, right?
Drops: Nah, my dude. Look, I ain't do no shooting. All right? Somebody jacked that piece off me, like, a year ago.
Brass: You're telling me that you didn't shoot a gun from inside the limo? You're blaming it on a dead guy, a dead guy who just happens to have the same gun as you.
Drops: What can I say, man? .38's back in style. Besides, man, Champ always had heat. Everybody know that. He got my back.
Brass: You know, I know everything about you, Kellen. You're just a small-time street thug and drug dealer from Northtown. You got the nickname "Drops" 'cause when you sold the chronic, you made a lot of drops.
Drops: Wow, and here I was thinking that I got that name based off my boxing skills, seeing as how I used to drop fools in the squared circle.
Brass: I don't know, you're a little slow behind the jab. And all you do is a lot of bobbing and weaving. So get me the gun, and I'll let you have your massage.
(Drops looks at Brass. It's obvious he doesn't have it.)
Drops: I tossed it after the shooting, man.
Brass: Look, CSI's been all over that area, they didn't find any guns.
Drops: That's because a gun like that in a hood like that, that's rent money, baby.
Brass: Excuse me, beautiful. We're gonna wrap up these chicken wings and take them to go.
Drops: Whoa, okay, easy now, Kojaks.
Brass: No gun, no happy ending. Come on.
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - TRACE LAB - DAY]
(Catherine walks into Hodges' lab.)
Catherine: Don't tell me you're tired of the field already.
Hodges: No, I had to catch up on my Perez Hilton.
Catherine: I take it you're not gonna pull a Sanders on us, then?
Hodges: Let's see: Clean, friendly lab -- bullet-strewn, urine-soaked street - - that's a tough call.
Catherine: You have something for me?
Hodges: Oh, most definitely. I ID'd the serial number on the piece of plastic Warrick found in the street.
Catherine: Yeah?
Hodges: It's a GMC seatbelt adjuster. Keeps the shoulder harness webbing from rubbing on the neck.
Catherine: Okay. You got make and model of that car?
Hodges: Sure do. But I don't think it's gonna help you much.
(He hands her the first sheet full of owner names.)
Catherine: Oh.
(He hands her another printout ... and another and another.)
Hodges: That's it.
(Catherine smiles at Hodges, takes the printout and leaves.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) - DAY]
[INT. CSI - FORENSIC AUTOPSY -- DAY]
(Robbins shares his findings with Catherine.)
Robbins: She had atlanto-occipital dislocation, a basilar skull fracture and contre-coup injuries from bouncing her head on the ground. COD is craniocerebral trauma.
Catherine: And are those ligature marks?
Robbins: They are. The right wrist was broken. Take a look at the shoulder. The humeral head's in front of the usual articulation. Completely dislocated.
Catherine: She was dragged by her wrist. (Robbins nods.) We found a seatbelt adjuster at the scene. Maybe she was dragged by a seatbelt?
(Quick flash of: Melissa Gentry screams as she's dragged on the road. End flash.)
Robbins: Whatever it was, the dragging went on a while. Abrasions on her elbows, ribs, and kneecaps go down to the bone.
(Catherine notices the victim's eyes.)
Catherine: Her eyes.
Robbins: What about them?
Catherine: They're the wrong color. They were green.
Robbins: You mean these?
(Robbins hands her a container with contact lenses inside.)
Catherine: Green contacts.
(Catherine checks the DRIVER LICENSE. It says her eyes are green and shows her with green eyes in the photo.)
(Catherine thinks about it.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - WAITING ROOM - DAY]
(Warrick is with Pamela Gentry, who is crying at being told the news about the death of her daughter.)
Warrick: I'm sorry for your loss, Mrs. Gentry, but we could really use your help. Is there anyone in this neighborhood that your daughter might have been going to see last night?
(Warrick shows her a map of the area with a large red X marking the spot where the body was found.)
(Pamela Gentry looks at the map and shakes her head.)
(Warrick's phone rings. He answers it.)
Warrick: (to Mrs. Gentry) Excuse me.
(He stands up and steps away for a moment.)
Warrick: (to phone) Hey, Cath. Yeah. Are you serious? You're kidding, right? I'm actually with the mother right now. I'll handle it.
(Warrick hangs up and sits back down.)
Pamela Gentry: I'm sorry. I don't know why Melissa would have ...
Warrick: Ma'am, your daughter's alive.
Pamela Gentry: What?
Warrick: We made a mistake. The victim that we found was carrying your daughter's ID.
Pamela Gentry: Are you sure?
Warrick: Yes. She just spoke with my supervisor; she's fine.
(She laughs with relief.)
Pamela Gentry: It's a miracle. Oh, thank God. It's a miracle!
(She hugs Warrick.)
Warrick: All right. There's just one thing. We still need to identify the victim. Could you tell me if you recognize this girl?
(Warrick shows her the photo of the victim. Pamela Gentry starts to cry again.)
Pamela Gentry: That's Simone. Oh, no. (crying) That's Simone Molinez. That's my daughter's best friend. Oh ...
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - HALLWAY - DAY]
(Henry Andrews shares his findings with Greg as they walk through the hallway.)
Henry Andrews: There were no drugs or alcohol in the limo driver's system.
Greg: Really? What about Drops?
Henry Andrews: Also clean. As was your head shot vic. Club scene's getting really tame these days.
Greg: There's got to be something on the rolled-up hundred.
Henry Andrews: It's positive for cocaine, along with every Benjamin in the country.
Greg: But no coke in the driver or the passengers? That doesn't make any sense.
(Greg looks at the results and looks at Henry.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - DNA LAB - DAY]
(Greg takes the rolled hundred out of the evidence bag and unrolls it. He examines the bill on the monitor and finds something.)
(Wendy walks in.)
Wendy Simms: You know, if you're still having trouble coming to terms with the fact that this is no longer your lab, I suggest counseling.
Greg: I would like you to run this for me, please.
Wendy Simms: Okay. (She looks at the monitor.) Hmm. Boogers on a nose straw.
Greg: Yep.
Wendy Simms: Well, in recognition of your years of previous service, I will make it a priority.
Greg: Thank you.
Wendy Simms: You're welcome.
[SCENE_BREAK]
[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) - DAY]
[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - BULLPEN -- DAY]
(Sofia interviews Melissa Gentry.)
Melissa Gentry: I gave Simone my license a couple of months ago. She was always getting her fakes snatched by bouncers, so I gave her my expired one. Bouncers only ever look at the birth date. We look alike.
(She looks at the autopsy photo of Simone Molinez.)
Melissa Gentry: Kind of, in ways, like her nose and ... parts of her chin and cheeks. (proudly) And we both have nice butts. But ... that's not on a license.
Sofia: Do you know anyone who'd want to hurt Simone?
Melissa Gentry: (shakes her head) No way. She was so nice, super cool ... all about fun.
Sofia: Any guys involved?
Melissa Gentry: Yeah. Mostly guys. Guys with money.
Sofia: Like who?
Melissa Gentry: I never met any of them. They weren't long-term things. She would just go out with them to party.
Sofia: She have s*x with these guys?
Melissa Gentry: No, no s*x. She would just use them to get drunk and hang out at penthouses.
Sofia: Where was Simone last night?
Melissa Gentry: I don't know, but she always starts off her night at the same place: the Gold Square on Sunset.
Sofia: That place is a dive. That's not the kind of place to find rich guys.
Melissa Gentry: It was kind of a confidence builder for her. Simone was a star in there. She'd always come out with at least a couple numbers.
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - LAYOUT ROOM - DAY]
(Catherine looks through Simone's bag as Sofia watches.)
Sofia: Gold Square Bar, gold wad of tissue in her purse -- figured it was worth checking out. Looks like a bar napkin.
Catherine: Yeah, that's been shaped, rolled and twisted. Las Vegas origami. Pretty corny.
Sofia: Probably work on me.
(They both chuckle.)
Catherine: That bad, huh?
Sofia: Yeah.
(Catherine unrolls the napkin and opens it.)
Catherine: Here we are.
(The hand-written number is:
CAREY
Sofia: "Carey." Looks like this Carey was hitting on the vic.
Catherine: Maybe in more ways than one.
(Catherine snaps a photo of the napkin.)
(Quick flash to: Someone sits on the bloodied chair and leaves an impression on the leather in the blood.)
[INT. CSI - LAB - DAY]
(Greg looks at the impressions left behind on the bloodied leather seat. He puts the photo down and looks at the bloodied clothes. He looks through the clothes to find a similar circular pattern, but he doesn't.)
(Wendy walks in with the DNA results.)
Wendy Simms: Hey. Um, I got your DNA results.
Greg: Yeah, and?
Wendy Simms: Well, there were two donors on the nose straw. There was one unknown female and one half-known male.
Greg: So a sibling match?
Wendy Simms: Yeah. Greg, the male is the brother of Demitrius James.
(Greg is surprised. He grabs the test results from Wendy to look at it.)
Greg: (V.O.) One guy decided not to run away.
FLASH TO:
[Scenes from 7X04: Fannysmackin']
(Demetrius James with his glowing contact eyes steps out into the alleyway and charges at Greg with a rock in his hand.)
Greg: (V.O.) He picked up a rock and started coming at me with it.
(Greg sits in the van. He steps on the gas and hits Demetrius James.)
(Cut to: In the hospital, Marla James cries over her dead son.)
[Scene from 7X07: Post Mortem]
Marla James: (V.O.) You didn't run over a mob, you ran over one boy! My boy!
(Greg sits in the courtroom during the coroner's inquest.)
Aaron James: (V.O.) How tough you feel when you're not in your big SUV, huh?
(Aaron James corners Greg in the bathroom.)
Aaron James: Asked you a question, killer.
(Flash to: In the hospital, Aaron James turns and looks directly at Greg.)
END OF FLASHBACKS
(Greg looks at Wendy.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - LAB -- DAY]
(Grissom and Greg show Undersheriff Jeff McKeen the camera phone image.)
Grissom: This image was captured on a cell phone at the scene. We believe that that is Aaron James.
Jeff McKeen: That fuzzy blob?
Greg: We also found evidence of Aaron James inside the limo.
Jeff McKeen: Well, I hope it's better than this photo.
Greg: It's DNA, along with traces of cocaine on a rolled-up $100 bill.
Jeff McKeen: Which doesn't place him in the limo. That bill could have been brought in there by anyone.
Grissom: We found a pattern in the blood on the seat next to the vic's. It doesn't match the clothes from the limo driver or Drops, so there was at least one other passenger in that limo, and we need to question Aaron James.
Jeff McKeen: This city just paid Aaron James and his mother $2.5 million because you ran his brother over. Are you trying to find a way to give them more money?
Greg: I'm just trying to do my job.
Jeff McKeen: You want to talk to Aaron James, give me more than snot on a bill, and a dot on a crummy photo. This is a PR nightmare in the making.
Greg: We still don't have a murder weapon. Aaron James could be destroying evidence right now.
Jeff McKeen: (to Greg) All right, first of all, stop talking. You're off the case. (to Grissom) Everything he touched gets reprocessed.
Greg: There's nothing wrong with my work.
Grissom: Okay. I know that. It's just standard procedure.
Greg: Oh, procedure.
Jeff McKeen: Open your mouth one more time, and you're on suspension. I'm trying to avoid a harassment suit here. This is cover-our-ass time. Keep me apprised.
(The undersheriff turns to leave.)
Jeff McKeen: This would have been so much easier if you had been the black guy.
[SCENE_BREAK]
[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) - DAY]
[INT. GARAGE - DAY]
(Sofia, Catherine and an officer walk into the garage.)
Sofia: We're looking for Carey Corville.
Carey Corville: That's me, Bob.
(The young man working under the hood turns and smiles appreciatively at Sofia and Catherine.)
Carey Corville: M ... hottest cops I've ever seen. Yeah, might be the hottest chicks I've seen all week. You guys are here to get me, take me away.
Sofia: Pat him down.
Carey Corville: Am I under arrest for something?
Catherine: Yeah, that depends.
(Catherine shows him the photo of the napkin with his name and number on it.)
Catherine: This your idea of romance?
(The officer pats Corville down.)
Carey Corville: Can't really arrest me for that.
Catherine: We found it in Simone Molinez's purse.
Carey Corville: She kept that, for real? Oh, it's on. What are you guys doing with it?
Catherine: She's dead.
Carey Corville: Oh. Well, listen, I don't know nothing about none of that. Sh-she was breathing when I left her.
(Quick flash to: [INT. GOLDEN SQUARE (BAR) - NIGHT] Corville rolls up the napkin, turns and presents it to Simone. She takes it and tucks it in her purse.)
Simone Molinez: That's sweet. But I have a boyfriend.
(He watches her leave.)
(End of flashback.)
Sofia: So you say.
Carey Corville: Come on. I'm not that hard up. Look, she didn't like me. So what? On to the next who will.
Catherine: You've got a GMC truck? Where is it?
(He indicates outside.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[EXT. GARAGE PARKING LOT - DAY - CONTINUOUS]
(Catherine puts her gloves on as she heads for the GMC truck parked in the stall. The officer, Corville and Sofia stand just outside as Catherine opens the passenger-side doors to look inside.)
(She checks both the front and back seatbelts while holding the photo of the seatbelt part found near the body. Catherine opens a tool chest on the back seat floor and sniffs.)
Catherine: Disinfectant.
(Sofia looks at Corville. Catherine dabs the seat with her forearm.)
Catherine: Seat's damp.
(Catherine sprays luminol and the seat glows.)
Catherine: Hey, Carey, there's blood in your car.
Carey Corville: Yeah, it's, uh, my boy, Scotty. He had a nosebleed.
Sofia: Scotty who?
Carey Corville: Scotty Brittington?
Catherine: Well, it's a hell of a lot of blood for a nosebleed. Looks more consistent with the body of a bloody girl.
Carey Corville: (shakes his head) I don't know what you're talking about.
Sofia: Where would we find your boy Scotty?
Carey Corville: I don't know. He's kind of hard to get a hold of easy.
(Sofia hands him her notepad and pen.)
Sofia: Address and phone. We're going to see what your boy has to say about this blood. Until then, you're coming with us.
[SCENE_BREAK]
[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY LIGHTS (STOCK) - NIGHT]
[INT. CSI -- DAY]
(Catherine looks at a file folder and photo of SCOTT BRITTINGTON. The info sheet on him shows:
PRIOR:
487.2 PC-ARMED ROBBERTY
SEN.: 2 YR SUJMM PROB-- )
(Catherine's phone rings.)
Catherine: (to phone) This is Catherine.
Sofia: (from phone) It's me.
INTERCUT WITH:
[INT. HOSPITAL - HALLWAY - DAY]
Sofia: Scott Brittington wasn't at any of his usual haunts, so I checked the hospitals, and guess what? He was admitted last night with a severe puncture wound to his shoulder. He told the staff it was a work injury, but during surgery, they extracted a bullet fragment.
(Sofia holds up the container with the bullet in it.)
Catherine: Interesting line of work.
Sofia: Doc thinks someone tried to dig it out to avoid police notification, which actually made it a lot worse.
(Quick flash of: CORVILLE tries to get the bullet out of Scotty's shoulder. Scotty screams.)
Carey Corville: Dude, it's ...
Scott Brittington: Keep going. I can't go to the hospital with a bullet in me. Cops'll be all over us.
(Corville tries to get the bullet out. Scotty screams. Corville gets the bullet out.)
Carey Corville: It's all right, man. I got it, I got it.
(End of flashback.)
Catherine: Needle-nose pliers aren't exactly a fine surgical tool.
Sofia: Yeah, that's for sure.
Catherine: You talk to Scott?
Sofia: Well, I'm on my way to his room right now.
(Sofia stops. The crash team surrounds Scotty's bed.)
Catherine: (from phone) If he's anything like his friend, I'll sure he'll give you plenty of attitude. Let me know what he has to say.
(Scotty fails to revive.)
Doctor: All right, let's call it, people. We've done what we could.
(They start disconnecting the vent tube.)
Sofia: (to phone) I don't think it's going to be much.
(Scotty's dead.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - BALLISTICS LAB - DAY]
(Catherine removes the bullet from the container and puts it under the laser scanner. The bent-out-of-shape bullet is scanned into the computer.)
(Catherine runs a scan and finds a match to a .38 CALIBER BULLET from the CHAMP LANDLEY case.)
(The bullet matches the fragment.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - BREAKROOM - NIGHT]
(Catherine meets with Grissom, Nick and Sara.)
Catherine: A .38 fragment recovered from a suspect in my homicide matched a .38 bullet that Greg found near the strip club drive-by.
Sara: So the guys in the GMC truck got into a shoot-out with the guys in the limo.
(Quick flash of: The GMC truck drives past the limo and fires. A bullet is fired back and hits Scotty in the shoulder. End of flash.)
Grissom: Tie score -- one dead on each side.
Catherine: Over what? Why were these guys shooting each other up?
Nick: It's got to be about the girl. Her DNA matched the unknown female contribution on the hundred dollar bill, so, she was in the limo.
Grissom: But that bill doesn't put her in there any more than it does Aaron.
Nick: No, but it proves she was with Aaron at some point in the night.
Catherine: Wait a minute. Why would Simone even be with those guys?
Nick: Because of Drops. He knows everybody in the club scene, especially the party girls. He could have picked her up anywhere.
Sara: Simone blows off the broke guys to party with the rich guys. The broke guys feel dissed, so they track down the limo and retaliate.
Nick: Yeah. Yeah. And somewhere in between, Simone just gets ... tossed.
Catherine: All right, how are we going to prove any of this? I mean, we're not going to get any answers from the suspect in the truck. He's lawyered up.
Sara: So is Drops. And the undersheriff isn't letting anyone talk to Aaron.
Grissom: What about the seat belt adjuster you found?
Catherine: No match to the truck. Doesn't even have seat belt adjusters.
Grissom: What about the limo?
Sara: It's not a GMC. It's a Lincoln Continental.
Grissom: Yeah, but maybe not entirely.
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - IMPOUND -- NIGHT]
(Grissom and Sara walk to the garage where the limo is parked.)
Grissom: Stretch limos are custom-made. You take a Lincoln Continental, cut it apart, stretch it with whatever parts you have available: Ford, Chrysler, General Motors, doesn't matter.
(Sara opens the back door while Grissom opens the other back door. They check the seat belt adjuster. Grissom compares the number with the adjuster in the evidence bag.)
Grissom: Looks like the same belt adjuster.
Sara: This one's missing.
(Grissom looks over at the seat. Sara notes the blood on the upper seat belt.)
Sara: This blood has to be from the shooting.
(She pulls the seat belt and finds blood on the upper part of the belt.)
Sara: This is from something else. There shouldn't be blood on this part of the seat belt. Think the undersheriff will let us talk to Aaron now?
Grissom: If the DNA matches Simone Molinez's, anyone that was in this limo is up for murder. The, uh, undersheriff won't have a choice.
[SCENE_BREAK]
[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) - DAY]
[EXT. JAMES RESIDENCE - DAY]
(Sofia and two officers exit the car and head for the front door.)
Officer Mitchell: From the hood to the hills. Didn't take him long to spend the taxpayers' money.
Sofia: Hey, knock it off.
(Sofia knocks on the door. Marla James opens the door. She's holding a wine glass in her hand.)
Marla James: (loudly) You need to look in the fridge.
Sofia: Mrs. James?
Marla James: Oh, hell, no. I got company!
Sofia: We have a warrant to search the premises.
Marla James: A warrant? A warrant for what?!
Sofia: We also need to speak to Aaron.
Marla James: Oh, we're not talking to nobody. This is harassment!
(She throws her wine at Sofia and tries to close the door. Sofia glances down at her shirt then pushes the door open.)
Sofia: That could be considered assaulting an officer. Let's not make this harder than it has to be.
(Sofia gives the warrant to Marla James and steps into the house.)
Marla James: (shouts) Somebody get me a phone!
[INT. JAMES RESIDENCE - BILLIARDS ROOM - CONTINUOUS]
(Aaron James looks at the pool table.)
Aaron James: All right, ten ball, corner pocket.
(Aaron leans in close to take his shot. Sofia and Officer Mitchell walk into the room.)
Sofia: Mr. James?
(Aaron stops. There are two other men in the room.)
Sofia: We need to talk to you down at the station.
(Aaron puts his poolstick down on the table and holds his wrists out.)
Sofia: You're not under arrest. We just want to talk.
Aaron James: Yeah, right.
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - DAY]
(Sofia is standing at the drinking fountain dabbing at the wine stain on her blouse. The undersheriff turns the corner and walks up to her.)
Jeff McKeen: I hear soda water works better.
Sofia: What'd work better is if I took it out and shot it.
Jeff McKeen: So long as I don't see it on the 11:00 news.
(She chuckles.)
Jeff McKeen: The James kid, he lawyered up?
Sofia: Yeah. Yeah, his attorney's on his way. You holding a press conference?
Jeff McKeen: Yeah, I'm on my way there now. How do I look?
Sofia: Like fresh meat.
Jeff McKeen: Oh. Hope I hold my temper as well as you. You've got a big future in this department. Send the dry cleaning bill to my office.
(He walks away. Sofia turns and watches him go.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. JAMES' RESIDENCE - BILLIARDS ROOM - DAY]
(Nick checks the cabinets. Sara walks in carrying some clothes and a pair of shoes.)
Sara: I checked the mom's room and the guest rooms, no sign of any weapons, but ... I did find these in the laundry room. Look familiar?
(She holds up the pair of jeans. There's a button pattern on the back pocket that matches the pattern on the bloodied leather in the limo.)
(Quick flash to: Someone standing up and leaving the imprint on the limo seat. End of flash.)
Nick: Yeah. Any trace of blood?
Sara: Nothing obvious. They were just washed.
(She smells them.)
Sara: They smell like bleach.
Nick: Great. What about the, uh, the hoodie in that cell phone picture? It looked like Aaron was wearing one.
Sara: Yeah, it's still wet. Aaron wears his clothes baggy. He probably keeps them out of the dryer so they won't shrink.
(She hands the hoodie to Nick, who feels around and finds something.)
Nick: Looks like the little hood left us something.
(He holds up the piece he found.)
(Quick flash to: [LIMO] The bullet breaks through the glass and hits Champ Landley in the head. A piece of his skull flies out and lands on Aaron, who is sitting next to him. Aaron breathes in panic. End of flash.)
[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY LIGHTS (STOCK) - NIGHT]
[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - INTERVIEW ROOM - NIGHT]
(Sofia interviews Aaron with his attorney Duane McWane.)
Duane McWane: You're right. My client is guilty of partying in Las Vegas. But with this de minimus amount, you wouldn't be able to hold him for possession.
INTERCUT WITH:
[INT. OBSERVATION ROOM]
(Greg enters the observation room to watch the interview.)
Duane McWane: (scoffs) Those jeans? Come on. You'd probably find that same pattern on at least a couple thousand asses in this town. There's nothing here that places my client in that limo at the time of the shooting.
Sofia: How about this?
(Sofia puts a photo of the bone fragment on the table.)
(Quick flash to: Nick places the piece of skull in the reconstruction that Robbins worked on. The piece fits perfectly.)
Sofia: (V.O.) A piece of Champ Landley's skull in the hood of your sweater.
(End of flash.)
Sofia: I'd say you were definitely there.
(Duane whispers to Aaron. When he finishes, he answers Sofia.)
(Greg watches in the next room.)
Duane McWane: Look, scared kid makes a couple of mistakes. It's peer pressure, all right? It's a misdemeanor, at best. You want to put LVPD through PR hell for that?
Sofia: No. Not just that. Simone Molinez was dragged to death from your limo before the shoot-out.
(Sofia puts Simone's morgue photo on the table.)
Sofia: Aaron was in the car when she was being dragged. I'd say that makes him a prime suspect.
Aaron James: No, no, no, hold it, hold it. I don't know this girl. Okay, she came up to Drops at the Gold Square.
Duane McWane: Aaron, don't say ...
Aaron James: No, hold up, man. I didn't kill anybody.
Sofia: What's a guy like Drops doing at a dump like the Gold Square?
Aaron James: Drops grew up in that 'hood. Guess he, uh ... wanted to claim his old territory.
(Quick flash of: [GOLD SQUARE - NIGHT] Drops, Champ and Aaron walk into the bar.)
Aaron James: (V.O.) We own that place. Picking up a girl in there was like stealing.
(Carey Corville and Scott Brittington leave a table. Drops and Aaron sit down at the table.)
Aaron James: (V.O.) Drops trying to open up his own club. Asked me to invest. Before I got my money, guy like Drops wouldn't have "What up?" to me, let alone ask me out to talk business.
(End of flashback.)
Aaron James: I felt like a big shot. What's the big deal?
Sofia: We think it's that big shot attitude that's exactly what got you shot.
(Quick flashback to: Simone leaves Corville at the bar and sits with Drops at the table. Scotty and Corville don't like it. End of flashback.)
Sofia: Taking that girl out of the Gold Square, you pissed off a couple of locals.
(Greg continues to watch the interview.)
Sofia: Everyone knows Drops ends his nights at the strip club. They were waiting for you.
Aaron James: Look, I had nothing to do with that. And I definitely didn't kick her out of that limo.
Sofia: So who did then?
Duane McWane: (interrupts) Aaron, unless you want to go to jail, son, don't say another word.
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - HALLWAY - DAY]
(Sara and Greg walk through the hallway.)
Sara: You observed the interview? If the undersheriff had seen you, he would've gone ballistic.
Greg: Well, I'm still off the case. Besides, I just happened to be listening, and I heard Aaron say that he didn't kick the girl out of the limo.
(Sara looks at Greg.)
Sara: You want me to check the body?
Greg: Well, bruises get more distinguished as a body decomposes, so just see if there's anything we missed.
(As they talk, they don't notice the commotion going on at reception.)
Marla James: (b.g.) That's the one I want to talk to.
Sara: (to Greg) I'm on it.
Marla James: (b.g.) That's the one I'm looking for.
(Marla James steps into the hallway.)
Judy Tremont (receptionist): Miss, excuse me. You're not allowed back there!
(She heads over toward Greg.)
Marla James: Taking one of my boys wasn't good enough for you, was it? Now you've got to take both? What did we ever do to you?
Greg: Mrs. James, I don't have anything against you or your family.
Marla James: Then what is it? Is it about the money? Then take it! I just want my boy back!
(An officer runs into the hallway.)
Sara: Mrs. James, you need to calm down ...
Marla James: I'm not talking to you!
Sara: Well, you're going to get yourself into trouble here.
Officer: Ma'am ... you're going to have to leave.
Marla James: (scoffs) Protecting the nice white boy from the mean black lady. (The officer leads her back out to reception.) You've got to help me. You owe me. You owe me!
(The officer escorts Marla James back to reception.)
(Greg turns the hallway and follows her.)
Greg: What do I owe you?
Marla James: Yeah, like you don't know.
Greg: I'll tell you what I know: I know that Demitrius was a killer. And Aaron -- Aaron made the decision to hang out with Drops. He made the decision to do drugs, and to bring that girl into the limo. That's not on me. It's on him, and you.
(She turns and looks at Greg.)
Marla James: Aaron is all I have left.
(Marla turns and leaves.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. CSI - FORENSIC AUTOPSY - DAY]
(Sara is with the assistant coroner as she checks Simone Molinez's body. The assistant coroner turns over her body while Sara checks her back. They switch sides and check the other side of the body.)
(Sara finds a shoeprint on her back. She takes a photo of it.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY]
(Brass interviews Drops with his lawyer, Brad Lewis.)
Brass: This bruise on Simone Molinez's body matches the heel of your buddy Champ's dress shoe.
(Drops and his lawyer confer.)
Drops: Man, forensics be jammin' a brother up.
Brass: No doubt. And you saw him do it.
Drops: Look, he was just trying to show a potential investor a good time, that's all. The boy got a short fuse.
(Quick flash of: [INT. LIMO] Simone sits next to Aaron in the back of the limo.)
Aaron James: All right. Whatever.
Champ Landley: Why don't you really hook up my man?
Simone Molinez: Hey!
(Champ smiles at Drops. Drops hides his laugh.)
Aaron James: Champ, come on, man. What's wrong with you, man? She's a lady.
Simone Molinez: Let me out the car!
Champ Landley: Oh, you want out?
(He opens the door.)
Champ Landley: Get out.
Simone Molinez: Tell the driver to stop.
Champ Landley: We're in a hurry! You want out, you get out now!
Simone Molinez: No!
(He kicks her out of the car.)
Aaron James: Hey!
(End of flashback.)
Brass: So, what, he pushed her out of the car because she wouldn't have s*x with Aaron?
Drops: Champ thought it was a bad look.
Brass: Bad? Bad for what?
Drops: Champ gets a bonus when business is good.
Brass: You got booze, bling, girls, guns and drugs in a limo. Would you call that doing legitimate business?
Drops: Yeah. So, um ... what's a few scrapes and bruises on this girl got to do with me?
Brass: Yeah, a few scrapes and bruises, a broken wrist dislocated shoulder, broken neck -- add it up: it equals death.
Drops: Death? Wait a minute, no way. See, first of all, that limo was turtle stepping' it down the block. It's like fallin' off a bike.
Brass: Yeah, maybe so, if she wasn't tangled up in the seat belt. What, you didn't hear her dragging on the street?
Drops: (shakes his head) The speakers were on blast. I couldn't even hear my cell phone and that was on vibrate.
Brad Lewis: My client has corroborated your evidence. Are we free to go?
Brass: What? No! I'm charging you with the murder of Scott Brittington.
Drops: Scott ... Who?
Brass: The guy you shot.
Drops: Okay, we already went over that. Champ was the shooter.
Brass: Yeah, so you say. But you're the only one in the limo with a registered .38. And you didn't toss that gun after you used it; you gave it to Aaron.
(Quick flash to: [INT. LIMO] Champs is dead and leaning on Aaron.)
Drops: Trust me, son, you don't want to be here when the cops come, okay? Here, take the ratchet, and make it disappear.
(He hands the gun to Aaron.)
Drops: Take the ratchet! Don't worry about it; I got you covered.
(The car door opens and Aaron leaves with the gun.)
Brass: (V.O.) Aaron leaves the scene with your murder weapon. Your gun.
(Drops sits in Aaron's seat.)
Brass: (V.O.) And you take his spot like he was never there.
(End of flashback.)
Brad Lewis: Captain Brass, I've seen the ballistics report. The shots fired from inside the limo were fired second. That's textbook self-defense.
(Brass looks at Drops. Suddenly, Drops smiles.)
Drops: "Textbook self-defense." Told you, forensics be jammin' a brother up.
Brass: I'll take my chances with the jury. I'm going to see your arms behind your back sooner than you think. Counselor.
(Brass stands up and leaves. Drops doesn't look worried at all.)
Drops: And all this time I thought I was paying you too much. Give me some.
(They knock fists.)
[SCENE_BREAK]
[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) - DAY]
[INT. CSI - LOCKER ROOM - DAY]
(Greg is at his locker. Grissom appears in the doorway.)
Grissom: The DA tells me you requested he go easy on Aaron James.
Greg: Yeah.
Grissom: He's getting a suspended sentence. Released on his own recognizance.
(Greg nods.)
INTERCUT WITH:
[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - HALLWAY /WAITING ROOM - DAY]
(Aaron James walks through the hallway. Drops walks out and meets him. He smiles and holds out his hand to Aaron. Aaron doesn't smile and doesn't shake his hand. He pats Drops on the shoulder and continues down the hallway toward his mom.)
(Marla James stands up from her hallway chair. Aaron walks over to her.)
[INT. CSI - LOCKER ROOM - DAY]
Grissom: If the kid's brother hadn't died, would you have done the same?
Greg: (shrugs) I don't know. I just, uh ... you think it's wrong?
Grissom: Doesn't matter what I think.
(Grissom looks at Greg, then leaves.)
(We hold on Greg.)
Plan: A: a thug; Q: Who was gunned down in a limo? A: the case; Q: What do Grissom, Nick and Greg discover has ties to the brother of the man Greg killed in self-defense? A: a moving vehicle; Q: What was the woman dragged behind? A: the team; Q: Who discovers that the two cases are related? Summary: While Grissom, Nick and Greg investigate the murder of a thug gunned down in a limo, they discover that the case has ties to the brother of the man Greg killed in self-defense. Meanwhile Catherine and Warrick investigate the death of a woman who was dragged behind a moving vehicle. As both cases are investigated the team discover that they are related.