Criminal Minds s09e17 Episode Script
Persuasion
Please Just tell me what the doctor wants.
I'll do anything.
It's too late for that.
Aah! Uhh! No rush, hon.
Take your time.
All right, dear.
Is the, uh, is the manager in? I was just hoping to get a job application.
Honey, that's the third time you've been in this week.
I'm sorry, he's not hiring.
Uh, try down at the Nugget.
I think they're looking for someone.
They're not.
Ooh! Sorry.
Excuse me.
What are you gonna do? Times are tough for everyone.
Tell me about it.
I'm barely getting one booking a month.
Well, if Frida doesn't show up soon, Ed can fire her and hire the kid.
There you go.
Thanks, dear.
If you want to lift someone's wallet, don't kiss the dog.
What? Don't let him see your face.
You almost had it, then you looked him in the eye and lost your nerve.
What do you know about it? What you tried, a keystone cop would have spotted.
Cigarette? You know my name.
What's yours? Finn.
When's the last time you've slept without keeping one eye open, Finn? What's it matter to you? It doesn't, really.
I've seen you milling around.
Maybe I could help.
Look, man, I don't care what you pay.
I don't sleep with dudes.
Believe me, if I were gonna pay for that, I wouldn't pick you.
So, um, why do you want to help me? You remind me of someone.
Ah, gotcha.
I remind you of you when you were young and just starting out or some crap like that, right? Word of advice, Finn.
If someone offers to help you Don't step on him before you know the terms.
Have a nice life.
Hey, Marvin! You, um You want your lighter back? Hey! Hey, there's something over here.
Oh, my God.
The bodies of two unidentified women were found in the desert just outside of the good doctor's hometown, Las Vegas.
They were stripped of their I.
D.
One looks like she was killed yesterday, the other a couple of weeks ago.
According to the M.
E.
report, both women were in their 30s, and-- is this cause of death right? Yes, and I have confirmed it.
Both women drowned.
How far is the nearest body of water? The Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, like 60 miles.
So we're looking at a disposal site.
Were they sexually assaulted? No, but they did both suffer blunt force trauma and severe antemortem abrasions to the wrists and ankles.
That means they were most likely held somewhere before they were killed.
Or maybe they were bound so they could be tortured - With water.
- She's right.
We can't rule out waterboarding or being held underwater in a pool or a bathtub, it's possible this unsub's a sadist.
The woman killed yesterday was wearing a uniform.
She could have been a waitress or a maid.
There are 93 hotels in Las Vegas, restaurants.
Not to mention nearby Summerlin, which is growing in popularity.
Well, local P.
D.
has ruled out the major establishments.
They're combing through the smaller ones now to see if they can find a match.
The other Jane Doe was pretty decomposed.
Clothing looks ordinary.
Is that a fanny pack she's wearing? Yes, and it was empty.
It means she was probably a tourist, though.
Last year Las Vegas documented No other place has better surveillance software.
Garcia, contact Vegas P.
D.
and ask them to start going through hotel and casino surveillance video from 3 weeks ago, and tell them we'll be there in 4 hours.
Let's go.
Yes, sir.
No! Get away from me.
Help! Sir, please! Can you hear me, anybody?! Somebody help me! Please! Help! Aah! "The secret of my influence has always been that it remained secret.
" Salvador Dali.
Hi, mom, it's me again.
I'm on a plane to Las Vegas, and I can't wait to see you.
You know, I've been thinking, it's been a really long time since I've had chicken fried lobster, so I was hoping maybe when the case is done, we can go to Binion's.
Um, I have to go.
Call me back.
Bye.
Love you.
The two women were brunettes in their 30s.
The unsub has a type.
If that's the case, were they targeted, or were they victims of opportunity? There's something strange about the disposal site.
It would seem like he took the bodies into the desert to hide them, but he chose a spot next to an old construction site that's for sale.
He had to imagine that someone would show up eventually.
So was he hiding the bodies or displaying them? It could be both.
He might be hiding them from law enforcement but displaying them to another group.
Hello, American heroes.
I just got an I.
D.
on the most recently deceased victim, Frida Bancroft, 34.
She was working as a waitress at Della Rose's grill downtown.
Manager said she'd been there for two months, and I just sent you a picture.
Did she exhibit unusual behavior recently, or was she involved with anyone suspicious? Well, the manager said he took a chance by hiring her because she's a former drug addict with a spotty work history, and when she didn't show up to work for the last 3 days, he figured she had started using again.
But we know she didn't, because the M.
E.
report says the tox screen was negative.
JJ, you and Reid go to the disposal site.
Dave and Morgan, go to the diner and find out what you can about the waitress, and Blake and I will go to the Vegas P.
D.
I can't believe she's dead.
I was joking earlier that Ed I should just fire her.
Oh, I feel awful.
Don't.
You didn't mean anything by it.
Were there any recent changes in Frida's life? No.
Other than signing a new apartment lease a week ago.
She'd been saving up all the money she made here for the last couple of months to pay for the security deposit.
It takes a lot of discipline to do that so quickly.
What about friends and family? Was she in a relationship? She never talked about her past or her personal life.
It's almost like she wanted the slate clean.
Ok, thanks.
Thank you.
Frida seemed determined to start a new life for herself, and we know she wasn't using.
She had to be hiding or running away from something.
I agree.
Maybe she owed her dealer money and was pulled back into the drug world.
The owners don't like it, but there's not much they can do about it.
Bored teenagers party and drink here.
Vagrants come out to collect empty beer bottles and cans.
So this location actually gets a lot of visitors.
More than you'd expect in the middle of the desert.
It's probably because this is here.
People like to have a landmark to go to.
Where exactly were the bodies found? The waitress was about The tourist was This isn't completely dry.
There are drops of paint on the ground.
This was done recently.
Whoever it was must have seen the body.
It'd be hard to miss here.
It was probably some kid too scared to report it.
or a gang sign.
Does it look familiar to you? No.
It's possible the unsub wrote this.
There were two victims here.
Which means there could be 8 more.
He might be operating off a hit list.
You're not local.
What are you doing in Vegas? Just looking for a girl.
My sister.
She moved here a while ago and no one's heard from her in a year.
What kind of trouble are you in? I'm not.
Whoa, whoa, whoa-- Don't lie to me, Finn.
Ok, ok.
What did you do? I got into a bar fight, ok? I beat up a guy pretty bad and it turns out his brother was a cop.
I'll help you, but you gotta be truthful.
The one thing I can't abide are lies.
You're giving me tips on stealing and you can't abide lies? This isn't about ethics.
It's about a relationship.
If I invite you into my world, it's because I trust you, and you can trust me.
Among thieves? You got an innocent face.
That's worth a lot.
And you got grift sense.
It just needs to be honed.
I'm helping you because you can help me.
Those are the terms.
Hey, we've been walking forever.
Where is your place, anyway? Right here.
Toss me your bag.
You live down here? For now, until my plan works out.
How long you been here? A couple years.
Most of these folks have been living here longer.
This is Mary.
Terrific steer.
She chooses the targets.
Gladys is the stall.
And Olsen is a damn good wire.
The guy who actually lifts the goods.
So you all steal together.
Sometimes.
Home sweet home.
You can stay next door.
This was Frida's place.
She moved out.
Hey! The doctor wanted this cleaned up.
Actually, I was hoping my friend could use it, Cesar.
This is Finn.
I'm vouching for him.
Ok, then.
Welcome to Paradise.
These tunnels used to be dangerous.
About a year ago, Cesar cleaned up this whole section.
How? By establishing some much needed order.
Why'd you have to vouch for me? Every good system needs its rules.
The first rule is, you don't join us unless someone vouches for you.
He said the doctor wanted this cleaned up.
Who's that? The Doctor is someone Cesar works for.
No one's ever met him, though.
Cesar's a little off, but we let him go considering all the good he's done.
Just don't cross him.
This is from 16 days ago.
You can see she's wearing the same clothing as the first victim.
Yeah, it's definitely her.
Casino I.
D.
'D her as Renee Sheffield of Omaha.
She applied for a job 3 years ago as a hostess but didn't make the cut.
There's no known address for her.
Any I.
D.
on the boyfriend or husband who's with her? There's no hits on the facial recognition system.
Does anyone at the casino remember seeing or talking to them in person? Good luck with that.
They get thousands of guests a week.
Hold on.
Can you rewind that about 5 seconds? Take a look at Renee.
She's stealing.
She's a strip-miner.
I can't believe I missed that.
Strip-miners take money or chips left behind or unwatched by careless tourists.
They dress to look like tourists themselves so that they're not spotted by casino security.
So the fanny pack is a prop.
How many strip-miners are there? Hard to say.
Hundreds at least.
There's no shortage of desperate people here.
A lot of grifters work in teams.
It's possible the man with her is just a partner.
Maybe the partnership went bad and he killed her.
The dead waitress could be part of the team as well if they all stole together.
We need to get an I.
D.
on the man.
Please tell your team that's our top priority.
Pay attention tonight.
I'm gonna teach you a few things.
The first is called a pattern interrupt.
The brain has learned certain actions like shaking hands or tying a shoe as one single motion.
If you interrupt it in the middle, the brain can't pick up where it left off.
It's a moment where suggestion can enter.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
My name is Marvin Caul.
Many of you may know me as the master of deception with the power of suggestion.
And what is your name, sir? Bill.
Bill.
Hey, Dale, check it out.
I'm getting hypnotized.
A pleasure to meet you, Bill.
Close your eyes and sleep.
Focus on the sound of my voice.
When I snap my fingers, you're gonna open your eyes and forget about the number 4.
The number 4 will no longer exist.
Can you see me, Bill? Yeah.
Just to be sure, how many fingers am I holding up? Count them for me.
Hmm.
I don't get it.
It's ok, Bill.
Now, close your eyes again.
When I clap my hands, you're going to wake up and everything will be back to normal.
What's going on? How many fingers? Excellent.
You were terrific, Bill.
Ok, now, who's next? Ladies and gentlemen, the one, the only, Romeo That was great, man.
That handshake thing, that was incredible.
She's amazing, right? Yet, every day, we witness The impossible.
Romeo! I can't believe that Romeo's doing a private party.
My sister thinks he's a genius.
She applied for a job as his assistant.
He's a cocky little punk.
Cesar worked security for him once.
He's no genius.
Now, I'll need a volunteer.
He just got lucky.
Ok, well, thank you.
What's wrong? My mom's not even here.
Her psychiatrist said that she's doing really well on some new medication, so she decided to go on a supervised field trip to the Grand Canyon.
That's great.
Isn't it? No, it is great.
It's just-- I guess I kinda of can't believe that she didn't tell me about it, you know? This is someone that used to literally write me a letter daily at one point.
I see.
You think she forgot about you? Spence, you should be happy.
This means she's getting better.
She's not constantly checking in.
You're right, I know.
Grifters, hustlers, scammers-- call them what you will.
This town has always been a mecca for con artists.
Yeah, but nobody comes here with the intent of being a strip-miner.
It's just people with bigger dreams that didn't pan out.
Hey, baby girl, what you got, mama? Props to the Federal B.
I.
Our next generation database is usually a miss, but today I got a big hit.
I've I.
D.
'd our mystery man.
His name is Elijah Hall, and 10 years ago Elijah served time in San Diego for assault and possession of PCP.
Any connection to Renee Sheffield? No, not that I can see.
When did he move to Las Vegas? have a current address yet, but fret not, my chickens, as soon as I do, I will hit you back.
Do your thing.
Hmm.
Frida kind of reminds me of my sister.
I wonder if Romeo knows anything about Carrie.
Do you know how to get in touch with him? Why would I be in contact with that fraud? Ok.
Sorry I asked.
Frida sure left a lot of her personal stuff behind.
She didn't want any reminders of the tunnels.
It was temporary for her, just like it is for me.
Uh-huh.
I could blow all my money on rent or I could save it up like I'm doing and use if for my plan.
What exactly is your plan? I'm going to book a stage at the Rio.
Headline a performance.
Once a real audience sees what I can do, I'll be famous.
I'll get past all the corporate cronies who keep the genuine talent from getting out there.
What was that? I don't know.
Cesar will take care of it.
If you'd just admit you've been hiding money The doctor will be lenient.
I haven't.
I swear.
Don't do this, Cesar.
We're friends.
Doctor.
It's you.
I know he's still alive, but I've been waiting for-- I understand.
I'll kill him now.
No.
No.
Uhh! Ohh! The abrasions on Elijah's hands and ankles are like the other victims.
This is a populated area.
We compromised his original disposal site, but this is a far cry from the desert.
It means the unsub's growing bolder.
He's certainly less concerned about concealing his crime.
Look at this.
But this is the third victim that we know about, so it can't be about a hit list.
a countdown at all.
I think he might be referring to a hobo code.
From the great depression.
Exactly.
It means two eyes on 10 fingers because thieves are present.
The code was devised during the Great Depression by hobos to help each other out.
By placing the codes near the victims, who's being helped? No one.
It's a threat.
If you steal, this is what will happen to you.
We're ready to give the profile.
We're looking for a sociopath who is taking revenge on people he believes stole from him.
None of the victims had a documented address, so it's likely they were homeless.
They may have known each other from the street or from a shelter.
The disposal site of the first two victims served a dual purpose.
It was meant to hide the bodies from law enforcement but at the same time put them on display for the people that the message was intended for.
All of this suggests a group or organization at work, but it doesn't have the hallmarks of organized crime.
The victims seen on surveillance video weren't stealing large sums of money, so we're dealing with a much smaller community.
But this group operates by a strict code, and any violation of that code can result in death.
You should be on the lookout for groups that operate robberies and cons together.
The group has a strong leader who does not tolerate dissent.
This leader appears normal and comfortable in social situations.
He may even be extroverted and charismatic like a cult leader.
He'll have grandiose delusions and believe that he is special.
He may even believe that he can communicate with God or some other higher powers.
He will attempt to surround himself with people who are subservient, either sycophantic followers or people who are trapped by financial constraints.
How's he recruiting these people? It's likely he attracts followers by offering some assistance.
But as his power grows, so will his narcissism.
He'll begin to make increasingly extreme demands.
He'll want more attention, which could be why his latest victim was found in a very public place.
With the choice of this latest disposal site, it indicates that he's growing bolder and more careless.
He has lost 3 followers.
He's gonna need new recruits.
So we should step up patrols in areas where the homeless population gathers.
Thank you.
I used to have 10, well, maybe 15 cats at one point.
Now all I got is noodle.
His mom was nipsey.
Uh, have you seen Marvin? Marvin? No, not since last night.
What's going on? It's tax day.
I gotta go.
Hmm.
45.
Very good, Gladys.
I'll be sure and tell the doctor.
Is that it? Yeah, that's all, Cesar.
You sure about that? Cesar, I swear.
Because someone with the initials Mary Carter told me you cleaned up at the Luxor Friday night.
Oh, no, that's not true.
You know, I'd really hate to tell the doctor about any of this.
You know how he gets.
You remember what happened to Frida, Renee, and Elijah? That's because they tried to leave.
Without paying their taxes.
That makes them thieves.
But I sure do miss them.
Here, take it all.
Go ahead.
Doctor only wants his fair share.
Who are you? Uh, my name is Sarah.
Someone invite you? No.
I'm new.
I just need a place to stay for a while until I can buy a bus ticket back home to Minnesota.
Can anyone vouch for you? Look, if no one can vouch for you-- I can.
I know her.
All right.
Tax day's over.
Well, other than gender, one other thing's different about this victim.
These fresh abrasion marks on the neck.
Strangulation? That's your cause of death.
No sign of drowning here.
Drowning his victims was a unique signature.
Why change it now? Maybe he didn't have the time or means to drown him, or the unsub could be devolving.
The diatom results are back on the water in the lungs of the first two victims.
This is interesting.
Do you mind if I just take a peek at this? It'll be quicker.
This isn't drinking water.
It's contaminated with ground pollutants.
It's like storm-water runoff.
So the unsub killed him in a gutter? My guess would be the floodwater control tunnels beneath the city.
Thanks for saying you know me.
Yeah, no problem.
I'm, uh, I'm new here, too.
So, who vouched for you? This guy Marvin.
He actually lives right there.
He's really cool.
He's been, uh, helping me out.
So, what's up with Cesar? Is he some kind of enforcer? Uh, I guess so.
He apparently is a little psycho, but I-- Oh, hey, Marvin.
Here you are.
I was wondering where you were.
Who's your friend? Oh, uh, this is Sarah.
She's new down here.
I'm just here until I can get a bus ticket back home to Minnesota.
You're rather put together for a girl who needs a bus ticket back home to Minnesota.
I was staying at a friend's apartment, but then I got kicked out.
Well, that is unfortunate.
Here, this is for you.
I found it in a used bookstore.
Wow.
This is fantastic.
Thanks, man.
Marvin, he's a magician.
Show her something.
Well, let me think.
Um If I may.
I could hypnotize her, but part of successful hypnosis is knowing who's susceptible.
People who can shut out reality.
Who get sidetracked by a sunset.
Who lose track of time, are good candidates.
Those who aren't tend to be judgmental, fastidious, and Less trusting of others.
Which I think describes Sarah.
So perhaps I'll just lift her watch instead.
There are at least who live in the flood control tunnels.
It's a crossroads of the destitute-- ex-cons, drug addicts, hard-core gamblers.
Plus there's always the threat that the tunnels will flood like they did last week when there was a flash thunderstorm in the desert.
We try to warn the residents to evacuate, but there isn't always time.
Some of the tunnels will flood when there's just a 15-minute storm up in the mountains.
So if the unsub knew about a coming storm, he could have just tied up the victims and left them in the tunnel to drown.
Then afterwards he just took the bodies to the desert to dump them.
With the third victim, it hadn't rained in the last 24 hours, so he had to just strangle them.
Frida Bancroft was a former drug addict.
Renee and Elijah were both strip-miners.
It's more than likely they were all residents underground.
So we need to start searching these tunnels.
That's the tricky part.
There are 413 miles of them.
It's unbelievable.
It's gonna make a great story.
Ok.
I gotta go.
I'll talk to you later.
You going somewhere? Oh! You scared the bejesus out of me.
I was just heading out to go get some things I left at the bus station in a locker.
Anything I can do to help? No, I'm good.
Thanks.
You've all been very nice.
All right, then.
Have a good night.
You, too.
Based on where the victims were last seen alive, plus the most accessible locations in the tunnels, I've narrowed down the two most likely sections they stayed in.
They're 22 miles apart.
Just got a call about a missing person.
A journalist for the "Las Vegas Chronicle" by the name of Sarah Renfield.
Do you think this is connected to our case? She's been working on a story about the homeless people in the tunnels.
Has anyone tried tracking her cell phone? It was found in a dumpster on Beakman Street on the south side of town.
That's right here.
Nearest tunnel access point is C-16.
That's 30 miles from our other locations.
All right, we should split up.
What'd you find, Garcia? Could someone let the Pope know about me, because what I do is kind of a miracle.
I recovered a text from Renee Sheffield's cell phone sent 6 months ago before her service was cut off.
It reads, "Met E in tunnel.
Great guy.
Planning to leave together soon.
" Any chance "E" stands for Elijah Hall? In my limited research about the tunnels, it appears that people meet and fall in love there.
I've heard about entire families that live down there.
So in addition of being accused of stealing, it seems all 3 victims wanted to move out of the tunnels.
Well, Frida the waitress had just left.
If Renee and Elijah were about to do the same, that could have tr the unsub's rage.
You can't have a cult if everyone tries to leave.
Who knew living in the tunnels came at such a high price? Hey, uh, have you seen Sarah, the, uh, the new girl? Ok, thanks.
Sarah! Sarah? Sarah! Hey.
Um, I was looking for Sarah, and I-- Oh, my God! Oh, my God! What happened to her? She's a reporter.
She was gonna write about us, which would not be a good thing.
So you killed her?! She's not dead.
Yet.
Back away! Hey, what's going on? He's crazy, man.
She's a reporter.
He hurt Sarah.
The water's over the bridge! What does that even mean?! The Doctor knows! Can we all just calm down? Everyone wants to do what's best.
Since Finn vouched for her, perhaps he should be the one to handle this.
We're at a locked entrance.
No one's been here in a long time.
Copy that.
Ohh.
Remind me to call my shoemaker.
I'm gonna need a new pair of boots.
You have a shoemaker? Well, one thing I've learned in life-- a good pair of shoes can last longer than a marriage.
You only have to pay for them once.
Sir, we're with the FBI.
We're looking for information on these people.
Do you recognize any of them? No, I don't.
Are you afraid of something? Whoever it is, we'll protect you.
Cesar's a very bad man.
Where can we find him? FBI! We just want to talk.
Go! Go, go, go! JJ, go left.
Drop it! Keep your hands where I can see them and get down on your knees.
Where is Sarah? The police are still looking, but there's no sign of her.
Cesar, we have a witness who says you killed these people.
Did you murder Sarah, too? The water's over the bridge.
What does that mean? The Doctor knows.
Is that someone who lives in the tunnels, too? He's more than someone.
Dr.
Aja Mesbi is a magic man.
Magic man? Yeah, he's like a sorcerer.
He's got powers.
What sort of powers? He controls words, thoughts.
He can do whatever-- he can do whatever he wants in you just by thinking it.
If he's not delusional and this is an act, he's quite good.
The water is over the bridge.
It could be the opposite of water under the bridge.
It would mean something's not forgiven, which is consistent with revenge as a motive.
The drowning of the first two victims could be symbolic of that.
Go ahead, Garcia.
Coming at you with the skinny on Cesar Jones.
He's an ex-con who served time According to prison incident reports, he is known for his volatile temper and extreme brutality.
Any history of mental illness? Any psychotic or delusional disorders? I am not finding it.
I think he's just an angry person.
Ok.
Thanks.
I don't think Cesar could have pulled off all these murders or the kidnapping of the reporter.
It would take patience, planning, and organization.
He doesn't have the concentration skill set.
"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
" "The Wizard of Oz"? The Doctor could be real.
Cesar would be the kind of person vulnerable to manipulation.
And Dr.
Aja Mesbi-- That's an odd name.
It sounds vaguely African or Indian.
Or made up.
It's an anagram, for James Braid.
He was a Scottish surgeon in the 1800s, considered to be the father of hypnosis.
Let me try something.
Cesar's a lunatic.
I'm pretty sure he killed Frida and some other people, too.
Where are we? Above ground, like you wanted.
Yeah, but we're in the middle of the desert.
We were supposed to bring her to the hospital.
It's easy to get lost in the tunnels.
Cesar, hi.
My name is Dr.
Spencer Reid, and I'm an FBI agent.
But, really, I work for Dr.
Mesbi.
He sent me here to help you.
How do I know you're telling the truth? I'll turn the camera off.
I think you know the Doctor's very powerful, and you can imagine he has many people in many places to help him.
Do you believe that? Finn, I know you care about this girl.
You're smart and you're able to think ahead, so you can imagine what will happen when she wakes up, tied up, with us here.
She'll think we did it.
No, no, we'll explain to her how we rescued her-- And she won't believe it.
No one would.
Play it out.
I don't know, man.
If she goes to the police, all of us in the tunnels will be arrested, including you.
She will ruin a very good thing for a lot of people.
What am I supposed to do? You already know the answer, Finn.
She cannot live.
You have to kill her.
The Doctor values you, Cesar.
He trusts you, and you know that.
You're very important and we need to get you out of here, but in order for me to help you, I need to know about the last conversation you had with the Doctor.
I can't remember it.
I'm going to help you try to remember, ok? Do me a favor and close your eyes.
Imagine you're back in the tunnels.
It's chilly.
The air smells damp.
Do you see anything? Don't do this.
I see Elijah.
He's begging for his life.
I hear the Doctor and I go to him.
Doctor.
What happens next? He's-- I'll kill him now.
The reporter's still alive.
The Doctor's real name is Marvin Caul.
He and someone named Finn Bailey took her into one of the tunnels heading into the desert.
How'd you get him to talk? Neuro-linguistic programming.
I used sensory predicates and key words to tap into his unconscious mind.
Marvin Caul must have done the exact same thing.
You've lost me.
NLP is a way of thinking and communicating based on linguistic modeling.
For example, key words like know and imagine open someone up to suggestion.
It's behind a lot of persuasion and sales techniques.
There are two different exits into the desert.
One on the north end and the other's on the west.
All right, let's go.
What have you got, Garcia? Marvin Caul, known as the master of deception.
He's a low-level entertainer who performs at private parties.
He hasn't filed a tax return in 5 years.
The IRS is after him.
No known address.
He does have a P.
O.
Box.
No tax returns? He's either not doing so well or doing really well.
I'd guess the former.
Someone who feels trivial in the regular world would look for power elsewhere.
Well, the homeless would be an easy population for him to exploit and give him a sense of importance.
What did you find out about Finn Bailey? Finn Bailey, 26.
He was picked up in Reno two months ago for shoplifting.
According to the police reports, he was on his way to Vegas to look for his sister Carrie.
She was about to start a job with a magician named Romeo, but the day before she was supposed to start, she called her brother, sounding scared and babbling about some doctor.
That was the last he heard from her.
Did the Reno police follow up? No, because there was no proof that Carrie was actually missing.
Well, we know Marvin's enraged by people trying to leave.
What if Carrie was the original trigger? That means she's probably dead.
You know what has to be done, Finn.
Where did you get that? I stole it from the cab of a semi last month.
Before I do this, I want to know something.
The whole time I was in the tunnel, you're the only one that didn't seem scared of Cesar.
And you were gone on tax day.
What's this about, Finn? My sister told me all about you.
How you liked to eat at Della Rosa's grill, how you met her there and brought her down to the tunnels.
You killed her, didn't you?! She said if anything ever happened to her, the Doctor was responsible.
You're the doctor, aren't you? FBI! Drop your weapon! Not until he tells me what he did to my sister.
You're mistaken, Finn.
I never met her.
Liar! Put the gun down! He told me to kill Sarah, too.
The boy's quite mad.
Finn, let us go to Sarah.
She needs our help.
Will you let us do that? Copy that.
The police just confirmed your sister's dead, Finn.
I'm sorry.
Because you killed her.
She was found in a crack den.
She died of an overdose.
No, no, no.
He convinced her to do it.
He's very persuasive.
It was in Phoenix, Finn.
Is man had nothing to do with it.
You have the wrong guy.
Put the gun down.
There's no point to this.
Thank God you showed up.
Marvin Caul, can I just that say I'm a huge fan.
I saw you perform at the Lotus Inn back in 1977 when I was a little kid and I always wondered what happened to you.
Time.
Time has not been kind.
Here, let me give you a ride back to the station.
Oh.
I can't imagine how hard it must have been for someone of your talent to stay hidden for so long.
I mean, weren't you dying to get back out there? Of course.
And I have a plan.
I am going to book a stage at the Rio.
So, that's what the money was for.
You know, I have to say, it's absolutely brilliant.
You found the perfect population to steal from and someone else to do your dirty work.
I tip my hat to you.
I have no idea what you're saying.
What I'm saying is that you're going to be charged with murder, and the first one will be Carrie's.
I'm assuming you killed her because your ego got in the way when she left you to work for another magician.
Am I right? Look, Marvin, there's no place to go.
You're a very clever man and you know how to read a situation.
Tell me where Carrie's body is and at least you'll get recognition for what you accomplished in the tunnels.
She's buried at the abandoned construction site.
Did you really see me at the Lotus Inn? The truth? I can't abide lies.
I wasn't even born yet.
"Illusion is needed to disguise the emptiness within.
" Arthur Erickson.
I'm sorry you didn't get to see your mom.
It's ok.
I guess now I know what a parent feels like when their kid grows up.
Someone who's depended on you for so long and then suddenly they're off living their own life and they don't really need you anymore.
Except she's the parent, and that's how it should be.
Oh, hi.
Welcome back.
This came for you.
No return address? Yeah, and it's really heavy.
So what's inside it? Yes, that's me being nosy.
That looks like a pile of-- shale, limestone, and sandstone.
It's a sculpture of the Grand Canyon from my mom.
See? She didn't forget you.
She said she was gonna mail the postcards, but then she decided to send the Grand Canyon instead.
Here, listen to this.
"You many have to commit me twice, Spencer, "because not only did I ride a mule on a tiny trail "with a 1,000-foot vertical drop, "I paid for the privilege.
Now, that's crazy.
" Can you imagine my mom on a mule? No.
It's like Hotch at the beach.
"The mules must do this all the time, because the seem very"
I'll do anything.
It's too late for that.
Aah! Uhh! No rush, hon.
Take your time.
All right, dear.
Is the, uh, is the manager in? I was just hoping to get a job application.
Honey, that's the third time you've been in this week.
I'm sorry, he's not hiring.
Uh, try down at the Nugget.
I think they're looking for someone.
They're not.
Ooh! Sorry.
Excuse me.
What are you gonna do? Times are tough for everyone.
Tell me about it.
I'm barely getting one booking a month.
Well, if Frida doesn't show up soon, Ed can fire her and hire the kid.
There you go.
Thanks, dear.
If you want to lift someone's wallet, don't kiss the dog.
What? Don't let him see your face.
You almost had it, then you looked him in the eye and lost your nerve.
What do you know about it? What you tried, a keystone cop would have spotted.
Cigarette? You know my name.
What's yours? Finn.
When's the last time you've slept without keeping one eye open, Finn? What's it matter to you? It doesn't, really.
I've seen you milling around.
Maybe I could help.
Look, man, I don't care what you pay.
I don't sleep with dudes.
Believe me, if I were gonna pay for that, I wouldn't pick you.
So, um, why do you want to help me? You remind me of someone.
Ah, gotcha.
I remind you of you when you were young and just starting out or some crap like that, right? Word of advice, Finn.
If someone offers to help you Don't step on him before you know the terms.
Have a nice life.
Hey, Marvin! You, um You want your lighter back? Hey! Hey, there's something over here.
Oh, my God.
The bodies of two unidentified women were found in the desert just outside of the good doctor's hometown, Las Vegas.
They were stripped of their I.
D.
One looks like she was killed yesterday, the other a couple of weeks ago.
According to the M.
E.
report, both women were in their 30s, and-- is this cause of death right? Yes, and I have confirmed it.
Both women drowned.
How far is the nearest body of water? The Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, like 60 miles.
So we're looking at a disposal site.
Were they sexually assaulted? No, but they did both suffer blunt force trauma and severe antemortem abrasions to the wrists and ankles.
That means they were most likely held somewhere before they were killed.
Or maybe they were bound so they could be tortured - With water.
- She's right.
We can't rule out waterboarding or being held underwater in a pool or a bathtub, it's possible this unsub's a sadist.
The woman killed yesterday was wearing a uniform.
She could have been a waitress or a maid.
There are 93 hotels in Las Vegas, restaurants.
Not to mention nearby Summerlin, which is growing in popularity.
Well, local P.
D.
has ruled out the major establishments.
They're combing through the smaller ones now to see if they can find a match.
The other Jane Doe was pretty decomposed.
Clothing looks ordinary.
Is that a fanny pack she's wearing? Yes, and it was empty.
It means she was probably a tourist, though.
Last year Las Vegas documented No other place has better surveillance software.
Garcia, contact Vegas P.
D.
and ask them to start going through hotel and casino surveillance video from 3 weeks ago, and tell them we'll be there in 4 hours.
Let's go.
Yes, sir.
No! Get away from me.
Help! Sir, please! Can you hear me, anybody?! Somebody help me! Please! Help! Aah! "The secret of my influence has always been that it remained secret.
" Salvador Dali.
Hi, mom, it's me again.
I'm on a plane to Las Vegas, and I can't wait to see you.
You know, I've been thinking, it's been a really long time since I've had chicken fried lobster, so I was hoping maybe when the case is done, we can go to Binion's.
Um, I have to go.
Call me back.
Bye.
Love you.
The two women were brunettes in their 30s.
The unsub has a type.
If that's the case, were they targeted, or were they victims of opportunity? There's something strange about the disposal site.
It would seem like he took the bodies into the desert to hide them, but he chose a spot next to an old construction site that's for sale.
He had to imagine that someone would show up eventually.
So was he hiding the bodies or displaying them? It could be both.
He might be hiding them from law enforcement but displaying them to another group.
Hello, American heroes.
I just got an I.
D.
on the most recently deceased victim, Frida Bancroft, 34.
She was working as a waitress at Della Rose's grill downtown.
Manager said she'd been there for two months, and I just sent you a picture.
Did she exhibit unusual behavior recently, or was she involved with anyone suspicious? Well, the manager said he took a chance by hiring her because she's a former drug addict with a spotty work history, and when she didn't show up to work for the last 3 days, he figured she had started using again.
But we know she didn't, because the M.
E.
report says the tox screen was negative.
JJ, you and Reid go to the disposal site.
Dave and Morgan, go to the diner and find out what you can about the waitress, and Blake and I will go to the Vegas P.
D.
I can't believe she's dead.
I was joking earlier that Ed I should just fire her.
Oh, I feel awful.
Don't.
You didn't mean anything by it.
Were there any recent changes in Frida's life? No.
Other than signing a new apartment lease a week ago.
She'd been saving up all the money she made here for the last couple of months to pay for the security deposit.
It takes a lot of discipline to do that so quickly.
What about friends and family? Was she in a relationship? She never talked about her past or her personal life.
It's almost like she wanted the slate clean.
Ok, thanks.
Thank you.
Frida seemed determined to start a new life for herself, and we know she wasn't using.
She had to be hiding or running away from something.
I agree.
Maybe she owed her dealer money and was pulled back into the drug world.
The owners don't like it, but there's not much they can do about it.
Bored teenagers party and drink here.
Vagrants come out to collect empty beer bottles and cans.
So this location actually gets a lot of visitors.
More than you'd expect in the middle of the desert.
It's probably because this is here.
People like to have a landmark to go to.
Where exactly were the bodies found? The waitress was about The tourist was This isn't completely dry.
There are drops of paint on the ground.
This was done recently.
Whoever it was must have seen the body.
It'd be hard to miss here.
It was probably some kid too scared to report it.
or a gang sign.
Does it look familiar to you? No.
It's possible the unsub wrote this.
There were two victims here.
Which means there could be 8 more.
He might be operating off a hit list.
You're not local.
What are you doing in Vegas? Just looking for a girl.
My sister.
She moved here a while ago and no one's heard from her in a year.
What kind of trouble are you in? I'm not.
Whoa, whoa, whoa-- Don't lie to me, Finn.
Ok, ok.
What did you do? I got into a bar fight, ok? I beat up a guy pretty bad and it turns out his brother was a cop.
I'll help you, but you gotta be truthful.
The one thing I can't abide are lies.
You're giving me tips on stealing and you can't abide lies? This isn't about ethics.
It's about a relationship.
If I invite you into my world, it's because I trust you, and you can trust me.
Among thieves? You got an innocent face.
That's worth a lot.
And you got grift sense.
It just needs to be honed.
I'm helping you because you can help me.
Those are the terms.
Hey, we've been walking forever.
Where is your place, anyway? Right here.
Toss me your bag.
You live down here? For now, until my plan works out.
How long you been here? A couple years.
Most of these folks have been living here longer.
This is Mary.
Terrific steer.
She chooses the targets.
Gladys is the stall.
And Olsen is a damn good wire.
The guy who actually lifts the goods.
So you all steal together.
Sometimes.
Home sweet home.
You can stay next door.
This was Frida's place.
She moved out.
Hey! The doctor wanted this cleaned up.
Actually, I was hoping my friend could use it, Cesar.
This is Finn.
I'm vouching for him.
Ok, then.
Welcome to Paradise.
These tunnels used to be dangerous.
About a year ago, Cesar cleaned up this whole section.
How? By establishing some much needed order.
Why'd you have to vouch for me? Every good system needs its rules.
The first rule is, you don't join us unless someone vouches for you.
He said the doctor wanted this cleaned up.
Who's that? The Doctor is someone Cesar works for.
No one's ever met him, though.
Cesar's a little off, but we let him go considering all the good he's done.
Just don't cross him.
This is from 16 days ago.
You can see she's wearing the same clothing as the first victim.
Yeah, it's definitely her.
Casino I.
D.
'D her as Renee Sheffield of Omaha.
She applied for a job 3 years ago as a hostess but didn't make the cut.
There's no known address for her.
Any I.
D.
on the boyfriend or husband who's with her? There's no hits on the facial recognition system.
Does anyone at the casino remember seeing or talking to them in person? Good luck with that.
They get thousands of guests a week.
Hold on.
Can you rewind that about 5 seconds? Take a look at Renee.
She's stealing.
She's a strip-miner.
I can't believe I missed that.
Strip-miners take money or chips left behind or unwatched by careless tourists.
They dress to look like tourists themselves so that they're not spotted by casino security.
So the fanny pack is a prop.
How many strip-miners are there? Hard to say.
Hundreds at least.
There's no shortage of desperate people here.
A lot of grifters work in teams.
It's possible the man with her is just a partner.
Maybe the partnership went bad and he killed her.
The dead waitress could be part of the team as well if they all stole together.
We need to get an I.
D.
on the man.
Please tell your team that's our top priority.
Pay attention tonight.
I'm gonna teach you a few things.
The first is called a pattern interrupt.
The brain has learned certain actions like shaking hands or tying a shoe as one single motion.
If you interrupt it in the middle, the brain can't pick up where it left off.
It's a moment where suggestion can enter.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
My name is Marvin Caul.
Many of you may know me as the master of deception with the power of suggestion.
And what is your name, sir? Bill.
Bill.
Hey, Dale, check it out.
I'm getting hypnotized.
A pleasure to meet you, Bill.
Close your eyes and sleep.
Focus on the sound of my voice.
When I snap my fingers, you're gonna open your eyes and forget about the number 4.
The number 4 will no longer exist.
Can you see me, Bill? Yeah.
Just to be sure, how many fingers am I holding up? Count them for me.
Hmm.
I don't get it.
It's ok, Bill.
Now, close your eyes again.
When I clap my hands, you're going to wake up and everything will be back to normal.
What's going on? How many fingers? Excellent.
You were terrific, Bill.
Ok, now, who's next? Ladies and gentlemen, the one, the only, Romeo That was great, man.
That handshake thing, that was incredible.
She's amazing, right? Yet, every day, we witness The impossible.
Romeo! I can't believe that Romeo's doing a private party.
My sister thinks he's a genius.
She applied for a job as his assistant.
He's a cocky little punk.
Cesar worked security for him once.
He's no genius.
Now, I'll need a volunteer.
He just got lucky.
Ok, well, thank you.
What's wrong? My mom's not even here.
Her psychiatrist said that she's doing really well on some new medication, so she decided to go on a supervised field trip to the Grand Canyon.
That's great.
Isn't it? No, it is great.
It's just-- I guess I kinda of can't believe that she didn't tell me about it, you know? This is someone that used to literally write me a letter daily at one point.
I see.
You think she forgot about you? Spence, you should be happy.
This means she's getting better.
She's not constantly checking in.
You're right, I know.
Grifters, hustlers, scammers-- call them what you will.
This town has always been a mecca for con artists.
Yeah, but nobody comes here with the intent of being a strip-miner.
It's just people with bigger dreams that didn't pan out.
Hey, baby girl, what you got, mama? Props to the Federal B.
I.
Our next generation database is usually a miss, but today I got a big hit.
I've I.
D.
'd our mystery man.
His name is Elijah Hall, and 10 years ago Elijah served time in San Diego for assault and possession of PCP.
Any connection to Renee Sheffield? No, not that I can see.
When did he move to Las Vegas? have a current address yet, but fret not, my chickens, as soon as I do, I will hit you back.
Do your thing.
Hmm.
Frida kind of reminds me of my sister.
I wonder if Romeo knows anything about Carrie.
Do you know how to get in touch with him? Why would I be in contact with that fraud? Ok.
Sorry I asked.
Frida sure left a lot of her personal stuff behind.
She didn't want any reminders of the tunnels.
It was temporary for her, just like it is for me.
Uh-huh.
I could blow all my money on rent or I could save it up like I'm doing and use if for my plan.
What exactly is your plan? I'm going to book a stage at the Rio.
Headline a performance.
Once a real audience sees what I can do, I'll be famous.
I'll get past all the corporate cronies who keep the genuine talent from getting out there.
What was that? I don't know.
Cesar will take care of it.
If you'd just admit you've been hiding money The doctor will be lenient.
I haven't.
I swear.
Don't do this, Cesar.
We're friends.
Doctor.
It's you.
I know he's still alive, but I've been waiting for-- I understand.
I'll kill him now.
No.
No.
Uhh! Ohh! The abrasions on Elijah's hands and ankles are like the other victims.
This is a populated area.
We compromised his original disposal site, but this is a far cry from the desert.
It means the unsub's growing bolder.
He's certainly less concerned about concealing his crime.
Look at this.
But this is the third victim that we know about, so it can't be about a hit list.
a countdown at all.
I think he might be referring to a hobo code.
From the great depression.
Exactly.
It means two eyes on 10 fingers because thieves are present.
The code was devised during the Great Depression by hobos to help each other out.
By placing the codes near the victims, who's being helped? No one.
It's a threat.
If you steal, this is what will happen to you.
We're ready to give the profile.
We're looking for a sociopath who is taking revenge on people he believes stole from him.
None of the victims had a documented address, so it's likely they were homeless.
They may have known each other from the street or from a shelter.
The disposal site of the first two victims served a dual purpose.
It was meant to hide the bodies from law enforcement but at the same time put them on display for the people that the message was intended for.
All of this suggests a group or organization at work, but it doesn't have the hallmarks of organized crime.
The victims seen on surveillance video weren't stealing large sums of money, so we're dealing with a much smaller community.
But this group operates by a strict code, and any violation of that code can result in death.
You should be on the lookout for groups that operate robberies and cons together.
The group has a strong leader who does not tolerate dissent.
This leader appears normal and comfortable in social situations.
He may even be extroverted and charismatic like a cult leader.
He'll have grandiose delusions and believe that he is special.
He may even believe that he can communicate with God or some other higher powers.
He will attempt to surround himself with people who are subservient, either sycophantic followers or people who are trapped by financial constraints.
How's he recruiting these people? It's likely he attracts followers by offering some assistance.
But as his power grows, so will his narcissism.
He'll begin to make increasingly extreme demands.
He'll want more attention, which could be why his latest victim was found in a very public place.
With the choice of this latest disposal site, it indicates that he's growing bolder and more careless.
He has lost 3 followers.
He's gonna need new recruits.
So we should step up patrols in areas where the homeless population gathers.
Thank you.
I used to have 10, well, maybe 15 cats at one point.
Now all I got is noodle.
His mom was nipsey.
Uh, have you seen Marvin? Marvin? No, not since last night.
What's going on? It's tax day.
I gotta go.
Hmm.
45.
Very good, Gladys.
I'll be sure and tell the doctor.
Is that it? Yeah, that's all, Cesar.
You sure about that? Cesar, I swear.
Because someone with the initials Mary Carter told me you cleaned up at the Luxor Friday night.
Oh, no, that's not true.
You know, I'd really hate to tell the doctor about any of this.
You know how he gets.
You remember what happened to Frida, Renee, and Elijah? That's because they tried to leave.
Without paying their taxes.
That makes them thieves.
But I sure do miss them.
Here, take it all.
Go ahead.
Doctor only wants his fair share.
Who are you? Uh, my name is Sarah.
Someone invite you? No.
I'm new.
I just need a place to stay for a while until I can buy a bus ticket back home to Minnesota.
Can anyone vouch for you? Look, if no one can vouch for you-- I can.
I know her.
All right.
Tax day's over.
Well, other than gender, one other thing's different about this victim.
These fresh abrasion marks on the neck.
Strangulation? That's your cause of death.
No sign of drowning here.
Drowning his victims was a unique signature.
Why change it now? Maybe he didn't have the time or means to drown him, or the unsub could be devolving.
The diatom results are back on the water in the lungs of the first two victims.
This is interesting.
Do you mind if I just take a peek at this? It'll be quicker.
This isn't drinking water.
It's contaminated with ground pollutants.
It's like storm-water runoff.
So the unsub killed him in a gutter? My guess would be the floodwater control tunnels beneath the city.
Thanks for saying you know me.
Yeah, no problem.
I'm, uh, I'm new here, too.
So, who vouched for you? This guy Marvin.
He actually lives right there.
He's really cool.
He's been, uh, helping me out.
So, what's up with Cesar? Is he some kind of enforcer? Uh, I guess so.
He apparently is a little psycho, but I-- Oh, hey, Marvin.
Here you are.
I was wondering where you were.
Who's your friend? Oh, uh, this is Sarah.
She's new down here.
I'm just here until I can get a bus ticket back home to Minnesota.
You're rather put together for a girl who needs a bus ticket back home to Minnesota.
I was staying at a friend's apartment, but then I got kicked out.
Well, that is unfortunate.
Here, this is for you.
I found it in a used bookstore.
Wow.
This is fantastic.
Thanks, man.
Marvin, he's a magician.
Show her something.
Well, let me think.
Um If I may.
I could hypnotize her, but part of successful hypnosis is knowing who's susceptible.
People who can shut out reality.
Who get sidetracked by a sunset.
Who lose track of time, are good candidates.
Those who aren't tend to be judgmental, fastidious, and Less trusting of others.
Which I think describes Sarah.
So perhaps I'll just lift her watch instead.
There are at least who live in the flood control tunnels.
It's a crossroads of the destitute-- ex-cons, drug addicts, hard-core gamblers.
Plus there's always the threat that the tunnels will flood like they did last week when there was a flash thunderstorm in the desert.
We try to warn the residents to evacuate, but there isn't always time.
Some of the tunnels will flood when there's just a 15-minute storm up in the mountains.
So if the unsub knew about a coming storm, he could have just tied up the victims and left them in the tunnel to drown.
Then afterwards he just took the bodies to the desert to dump them.
With the third victim, it hadn't rained in the last 24 hours, so he had to just strangle them.
Frida Bancroft was a former drug addict.
Renee and Elijah were both strip-miners.
It's more than likely they were all residents underground.
So we need to start searching these tunnels.
That's the tricky part.
There are 413 miles of them.
It's unbelievable.
It's gonna make a great story.
Ok.
I gotta go.
I'll talk to you later.
You going somewhere? Oh! You scared the bejesus out of me.
I was just heading out to go get some things I left at the bus station in a locker.
Anything I can do to help? No, I'm good.
Thanks.
You've all been very nice.
All right, then.
Have a good night.
You, too.
Based on where the victims were last seen alive, plus the most accessible locations in the tunnels, I've narrowed down the two most likely sections they stayed in.
They're 22 miles apart.
Just got a call about a missing person.
A journalist for the "Las Vegas Chronicle" by the name of Sarah Renfield.
Do you think this is connected to our case? She's been working on a story about the homeless people in the tunnels.
Has anyone tried tracking her cell phone? It was found in a dumpster on Beakman Street on the south side of town.
That's right here.
Nearest tunnel access point is C-16.
That's 30 miles from our other locations.
All right, we should split up.
What'd you find, Garcia? Could someone let the Pope know about me, because what I do is kind of a miracle.
I recovered a text from Renee Sheffield's cell phone sent 6 months ago before her service was cut off.
It reads, "Met E in tunnel.
Great guy.
Planning to leave together soon.
" Any chance "E" stands for Elijah Hall? In my limited research about the tunnels, it appears that people meet and fall in love there.
I've heard about entire families that live down there.
So in addition of being accused of stealing, it seems all 3 victims wanted to move out of the tunnels.
Well, Frida the waitress had just left.
If Renee and Elijah were about to do the same, that could have tr the unsub's rage.
You can't have a cult if everyone tries to leave.
Who knew living in the tunnels came at such a high price? Hey, uh, have you seen Sarah, the, uh, the new girl? Ok, thanks.
Sarah! Sarah? Sarah! Hey.
Um, I was looking for Sarah, and I-- Oh, my God! Oh, my God! What happened to her? She's a reporter.
She was gonna write about us, which would not be a good thing.
So you killed her?! She's not dead.
Yet.
Back away! Hey, what's going on? He's crazy, man.
She's a reporter.
He hurt Sarah.
The water's over the bridge! What does that even mean?! The Doctor knows! Can we all just calm down? Everyone wants to do what's best.
Since Finn vouched for her, perhaps he should be the one to handle this.
We're at a locked entrance.
No one's been here in a long time.
Copy that.
Ohh.
Remind me to call my shoemaker.
I'm gonna need a new pair of boots.
You have a shoemaker? Well, one thing I've learned in life-- a good pair of shoes can last longer than a marriage.
You only have to pay for them once.
Sir, we're with the FBI.
We're looking for information on these people.
Do you recognize any of them? No, I don't.
Are you afraid of something? Whoever it is, we'll protect you.
Cesar's a very bad man.
Where can we find him? FBI! We just want to talk.
Go! Go, go, go! JJ, go left.
Drop it! Keep your hands where I can see them and get down on your knees.
Where is Sarah? The police are still looking, but there's no sign of her.
Cesar, we have a witness who says you killed these people.
Did you murder Sarah, too? The water's over the bridge.
What does that mean? The Doctor knows.
Is that someone who lives in the tunnels, too? He's more than someone.
Dr.
Aja Mesbi is a magic man.
Magic man? Yeah, he's like a sorcerer.
He's got powers.
What sort of powers? He controls words, thoughts.
He can do whatever-- he can do whatever he wants in you just by thinking it.
If he's not delusional and this is an act, he's quite good.
The water is over the bridge.
It could be the opposite of water under the bridge.
It would mean something's not forgiven, which is consistent with revenge as a motive.
The drowning of the first two victims could be symbolic of that.
Go ahead, Garcia.
Coming at you with the skinny on Cesar Jones.
He's an ex-con who served time According to prison incident reports, he is known for his volatile temper and extreme brutality.
Any history of mental illness? Any psychotic or delusional disorders? I am not finding it.
I think he's just an angry person.
Ok.
Thanks.
I don't think Cesar could have pulled off all these murders or the kidnapping of the reporter.
It would take patience, planning, and organization.
He doesn't have the concentration skill set.
"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
" "The Wizard of Oz"? The Doctor could be real.
Cesar would be the kind of person vulnerable to manipulation.
And Dr.
Aja Mesbi-- That's an odd name.
It sounds vaguely African or Indian.
Or made up.
It's an anagram, for James Braid.
He was a Scottish surgeon in the 1800s, considered to be the father of hypnosis.
Let me try something.
Cesar's a lunatic.
I'm pretty sure he killed Frida and some other people, too.
Where are we? Above ground, like you wanted.
Yeah, but we're in the middle of the desert.
We were supposed to bring her to the hospital.
It's easy to get lost in the tunnels.
Cesar, hi.
My name is Dr.
Spencer Reid, and I'm an FBI agent.
But, really, I work for Dr.
Mesbi.
He sent me here to help you.
How do I know you're telling the truth? I'll turn the camera off.
I think you know the Doctor's very powerful, and you can imagine he has many people in many places to help him.
Do you believe that? Finn, I know you care about this girl.
You're smart and you're able to think ahead, so you can imagine what will happen when she wakes up, tied up, with us here.
She'll think we did it.
No, no, we'll explain to her how we rescued her-- And she won't believe it.
No one would.
Play it out.
I don't know, man.
If she goes to the police, all of us in the tunnels will be arrested, including you.
She will ruin a very good thing for a lot of people.
What am I supposed to do? You already know the answer, Finn.
She cannot live.
You have to kill her.
The Doctor values you, Cesar.
He trusts you, and you know that.
You're very important and we need to get you out of here, but in order for me to help you, I need to know about the last conversation you had with the Doctor.
I can't remember it.
I'm going to help you try to remember, ok? Do me a favor and close your eyes.
Imagine you're back in the tunnels.
It's chilly.
The air smells damp.
Do you see anything? Don't do this.
I see Elijah.
He's begging for his life.
I hear the Doctor and I go to him.
Doctor.
What happens next? He's-- I'll kill him now.
The reporter's still alive.
The Doctor's real name is Marvin Caul.
He and someone named Finn Bailey took her into one of the tunnels heading into the desert.
How'd you get him to talk? Neuro-linguistic programming.
I used sensory predicates and key words to tap into his unconscious mind.
Marvin Caul must have done the exact same thing.
You've lost me.
NLP is a way of thinking and communicating based on linguistic modeling.
For example, key words like know and imagine open someone up to suggestion.
It's behind a lot of persuasion and sales techniques.
There are two different exits into the desert.
One on the north end and the other's on the west.
All right, let's go.
What have you got, Garcia? Marvin Caul, known as the master of deception.
He's a low-level entertainer who performs at private parties.
He hasn't filed a tax return in 5 years.
The IRS is after him.
No known address.
He does have a P.
O.
Box.
No tax returns? He's either not doing so well or doing really well.
I'd guess the former.
Someone who feels trivial in the regular world would look for power elsewhere.
Well, the homeless would be an easy population for him to exploit and give him a sense of importance.
What did you find out about Finn Bailey? Finn Bailey, 26.
He was picked up in Reno two months ago for shoplifting.
According to the police reports, he was on his way to Vegas to look for his sister Carrie.
She was about to start a job with a magician named Romeo, but the day before she was supposed to start, she called her brother, sounding scared and babbling about some doctor.
That was the last he heard from her.
Did the Reno police follow up? No, because there was no proof that Carrie was actually missing.
Well, we know Marvin's enraged by people trying to leave.
What if Carrie was the original trigger? That means she's probably dead.
You know what has to be done, Finn.
Where did you get that? I stole it from the cab of a semi last month.
Before I do this, I want to know something.
The whole time I was in the tunnel, you're the only one that didn't seem scared of Cesar.
And you were gone on tax day.
What's this about, Finn? My sister told me all about you.
How you liked to eat at Della Rosa's grill, how you met her there and brought her down to the tunnels.
You killed her, didn't you?! She said if anything ever happened to her, the Doctor was responsible.
You're the doctor, aren't you? FBI! Drop your weapon! Not until he tells me what he did to my sister.
You're mistaken, Finn.
I never met her.
Liar! Put the gun down! He told me to kill Sarah, too.
The boy's quite mad.
Finn, let us go to Sarah.
She needs our help.
Will you let us do that? Copy that.
The police just confirmed your sister's dead, Finn.
I'm sorry.
Because you killed her.
She was found in a crack den.
She died of an overdose.
No, no, no.
He convinced her to do it.
He's very persuasive.
It was in Phoenix, Finn.
Is man had nothing to do with it.
You have the wrong guy.
Put the gun down.
There's no point to this.
Thank God you showed up.
Marvin Caul, can I just that say I'm a huge fan.
I saw you perform at the Lotus Inn back in 1977 when I was a little kid and I always wondered what happened to you.
Time.
Time has not been kind.
Here, let me give you a ride back to the station.
Oh.
I can't imagine how hard it must have been for someone of your talent to stay hidden for so long.
I mean, weren't you dying to get back out there? Of course.
And I have a plan.
I am going to book a stage at the Rio.
So, that's what the money was for.
You know, I have to say, it's absolutely brilliant.
You found the perfect population to steal from and someone else to do your dirty work.
I tip my hat to you.
I have no idea what you're saying.
What I'm saying is that you're going to be charged with murder, and the first one will be Carrie's.
I'm assuming you killed her because your ego got in the way when she left you to work for another magician.
Am I right? Look, Marvin, there's no place to go.
You're a very clever man and you know how to read a situation.
Tell me where Carrie's body is and at least you'll get recognition for what you accomplished in the tunnels.
She's buried at the abandoned construction site.
Did you really see me at the Lotus Inn? The truth? I can't abide lies.
I wasn't even born yet.
"Illusion is needed to disguise the emptiness within.
" Arthur Erickson.
I'm sorry you didn't get to see your mom.
It's ok.
I guess now I know what a parent feels like when their kid grows up.
Someone who's depended on you for so long and then suddenly they're off living their own life and they don't really need you anymore.
Except she's the parent, and that's how it should be.
Oh, hi.
Welcome back.
This came for you.
No return address? Yeah, and it's really heavy.
So what's inside it? Yes, that's me being nosy.
That looks like a pile of-- shale, limestone, and sandstone.
It's a sculpture of the Grand Canyon from my mom.
See? She didn't forget you.
She said she was gonna mail the postcards, but then she decided to send the Grand Canyon instead.
Here, listen to this.
"You many have to commit me twice, Spencer, "because not only did I ride a mule on a tiny trail "with a 1,000-foot vertical drop, "I paid for the privilege.
Now, that's crazy.
" Can you imagine my mom on a mule? No.
It's like Hotch at the beach.
"The mules must do this all the time, because the seem very"