CSI: Crime Scene Investigation s05e07 Episode Script

Formalities

What are you doing ? I'm going insane.
I don't understand this diagram.
You don't need a diagram.
You need a woman.
I'm looking forward to your speech.
What A.
D.
Cavallo will enjoy the most is no longer having to lie about how much work he has to do.
Enjoy your retirement, Bob.
But seriously, folks appointing the new Assistant Director for the Crime Lab is not a task I take lightly.
I believe in promoting from within.
I believe in rewarding years of dedication and devotion to this Department.
I believe in Conrad Ecklie.
For a proper introduction, I'd like to turn to his good friend and colleague of many years Supervisor Gil Grissom.
Gil I got a 419.
Don't even think about it.
Swing's tapped out.
I'm the back-up.
Here you give my speech.
Good luck, Conrad.
Gil What's going on ? "What can I say about Conrad Ecklie ?" "You want to help me out up here?" Hey, Griss What's with the monkey suit ? I was at a funeral across the street.
At a casino ? My condolences.
Scene's in the east penthouse.
Gotta use the VIP elevator.
Thanks.
What floor did you want ? Where do you think I'm going ? I wouldn't know.
You don't recognize me.
Apparently not.
In the lab, I usually wear my hair up.
Oh, yeah You're pulling in when I'm pulling out.
Sofia Curtis.
CSI-Three, day shift.
You work for Ecklie.
As of tonight, so do you.
Hey, Gil hey, Sofie.
Sorry to drag you away from the Chicken Cordon Bleu.
It's the McKinley High Homecoming.
The dance is downstairs, but the cool kids' party is in here.
This place makes the Rain Man suite at Caesar's look like my condo.
These rooms are just for whales and royalty.
What's up ? We're running down the VIP host, see who's got it tonight.
Okay, paramedics pronounced, left the scene undisturbed.
Name is Nicole Jensen, 17.
Coroner's en route.
I'm gonna talk to the MTV generation.
Where's your kit ? I can send a uniform to bring it up.
Teenager abuses drugs and/or booze there's a news flash.
Contusions on her neck.
And the position suggests she was grabbed from behind.
"A night to remember.
" A night to forget.
Okay so I talked to the VIP host.
The room was checked out to Charlie Macklin.
It's his casino.
Yeah, it's for his daughter, Janelle.
She's having an after party with her and her friends.
Oh, off the streets and out of trouble.
Best laid plans.
So what's the daughter's story ? She is not in the hall.
We haven't seen her yet.
We're still looking.
I can barely move in this dress and we haven't cleared the bathroom yet, so there it is.
Don't worry, I'm wearing underwear.
As far as you know.
Liver temp is 97.
2.
She's been dead less than two hours.
Banana peel G-string Scared of that.
Ligature marks on both of her wrists.
Some kind of adhesive residue, too.
So, she was bound ? Marked impression on her left cheek.
Maybe some sort of circular device pressed against her face ? No beer or liquor.
Just water, yogurt, and OJ.
Mixers, not for drinks maybe for drugs.
Right pH in the stomach speeds the buzz.
I think there's narco around here somewhere.
A-A-Are you talking to me ? No.
Do you always process like this ? - Like what ? - With your mouth.
Whenever I meet someone new, I always say their name out loud a few times.
Keeps a picture in my head.
I thought that's why we had cameras.
So, Nikki comes running in and starts laughing at the carpet.
You know, hurling, blowing chunks, vomiting.
I got it, Miranda.
I get the picture.
I know what it means.
The others came in, and, uh Someone tried CPR, I guess.
Didn't work.
We called 911.
- So, uh, you tight with Nikki ? - God, no.
Her dad was a freelance limo driver.
I mean, you have to have a felony to get that job.
- How would you know that ? - Everybody knows that.
The guy was an ex-kneebreaker for the old mob.
You ever see Casino ? The movie ? - Yeah, sure, yeah.
- Whatever.
- The guy Joe Pesci played.
- Tony "The Ant" Spilotro.
Well, he and Nikki's dad were friends.
- Oh, yeah ? - In real life.
Real lowlifes.
That girl was Kryptonite to me.
I'd be lying if I said any different.
Kids have been going in and out of the suite all night, but the front desk only issued card keys to seven.
Brass has five of them upstairs Uh, Janelle Macklin and Sean Paland are unaccounted for, so I'll check the casino.
I thought you were going to process the scene with Grissom.
I was.
He said he had it covered.
Sofia Curtis is up there with him.
Ecklie's right hand.
Ever do a case with her ? Hey, I heard Grissom stuck you with his speech.
A napkin is not a speech.
I'm going to need to see everybody who went in or out of the east penthouse since check-in, and that includes stairwells and service entrances.
You know, that's Janelle Macklin's suite.
Yeah, I know.
Her father owns the casino.
Okay Dance is still going strong.
That's the beauty of high school in Las Vegas.
Homecoming in a casino, dance can go all night.
I've been down here dancing for hours.
- Ask anybody.
- I might just do that.
Why don't you come over here and talk to me for a second? Come on, man ! What, you need to tell your date or something ? - I came stag.
- Come here.
If I want a date, I'll get one in there.
You know how many couples break up at Homecoming ? I looked it up.
It's like ten percent.
Staggering.
Hm you hang out with Nikki a lot ? Please the girl's a scarf.
Always hanging on the neck of anyone with loot.
Is that what was she doing up in the P.
Diddy suite with your buddies ? Guess everybody wanted in on that party.
And Nikki wasn't on the list.
Hey, wait, Janelle Janelle, wait ! Look, Nikki, it's no big deal.
You're not missing anything.
That's easy for you to say.
C'mon, Janelle, we're seniors.
This is my last homecoming please ! Janelle's always taking in strays.
Yeah, Janelle Do you know where Janelle is now ? I have no idea.
You know, when I busted outta there, she was still up there chillin' with the rest of them.
Standard SAE kit was collected.
Physical finding of sexual activity.
Unable to determine if consensual or rape.
Collected heart blood sample.
Preliminary tox indicates psilocybin, MDMA, and THC in the system.
Green-colored fiber was collected from the nasal passages to be forwarded to Trace Evidence for analysis.
Vomitus mass was found in the throat and lungs and there was petecchial hemorrhaging of the lower eyelids.
Preliminary C.
O.
D.
appears to be mechanical asphyxia from aspiration of gastric content as a result of acute drug intoxication.
Albert Robbins, M.
E.
, employee number 228369.
Collected seven used condoms from two bedrooms.
Not a record in my book.
Fact that the victim's wrists were bound suggests possible sex games.
Also pulled a plastic Baggie from a toilet containing what looks like ground-up mushrooms, probably not the kind you put on pizza.
Could be the source of the psilocybin.
One of those kids is still holding.
I'm gonna let Brass know.
That time I was talking to you.
What ? Sorry.
I was, uh, treating it like white noise.
- What are you seeing ? - Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Okay, there's no evidence of that meal anywhere here, and Ecklie always said you had an odd sense of humor, so that would make this a joke.
Not really.
If you're on your feet when you're throwing up, the vomit goes everywhere.
The higher you are, the wider the splash ! But this vomit is confined to one specific area.
So she was probably lying down when she was throwing up.
- Maybe unconscious.
- Or already dead.
Vomit could've been forced out by CPR compressions.
But that doesn't explain the bruise on her cheek.
Or the green fibers in her nose.
Well may have started here.
Stop it ! Shut up your mouth ! You're all done.
Let's go.
What do you mean ? We know you're dealing drugs.
Nikki Jensen's dead because of you.
No, okay, wait, okay, I don't even do I don't even drink, okay ? You don't you don't want me, you you want Rex.
Hey, Rex.
Look, my name is Gavin.
You got my license, check it.
No, no, it's "Rex", you know, as in RX*.
* RX = drug prescription (abbreviation) I guess it's a lot more subtle than "drugstore," right ? I got nothing to do with drugs, my man.
You already searched me.
Is there anywhere else you care to look ? Hey, you better save that position for later, brother.
You're gonna need it, where you're going.
- Is this our dealer ? - Oh, yeah.
Get this straight, okay ? I'm not a drug dealer.
My dad owns seven restaurants, including one at the Bellagio and the gourmet room downstairs.
I don't need drug money.
Well, maybe you just like getting your friends high.
There's a song about that, I think.
Hold out your hand.
Duct tape residue.
What do you know ? You know, if the water is relatively still, submerged prints can remain for weeks, months, sometimes even years.
Thank you.
When we match your prints on this bag, you'll be charged with murder.
I didn't give Nikki anything.
The 'shrooms were for the room.
She was diving in there with both hands, and Did you have sex with her ? So what if I did ? She was giving it away.
You tied her up and forced her down on the couch.
That wasn't me.
G rissom.
I just found Janelle Macklin.
Good.
We need to talk to her right away.
That's going to be tough.
Everyone hit the floor ! Now ! Now ! They had duct tape.
They tied everyone up, and they dragged Janelle out.
So how did Nikki end up dead ? Eventually, we all got ourselves free.
Everybody was scared, but Nikki was possessed.
She was wasted.
Freaking out.
- No ! I'm leaving ! - Shut up ! Shut up ! We weren't trying to hurt her.
Well, that's for the DA to decide.
Why try to hide the kidnapping ? I told the kids not to report it.
And I told 'em not to leave the room.
They were smart enough to listen.
Janelle's fine.
It's a game.
You know, Mr.
Macklin, based on the surveillance videotape I've seen it.
Your daughter looked terrified.
She does school plays.
Says she wants to be an actor.
At least that's the story this month.
So you think this is all an act ? Daddy's little girl begging for attention.
Right on the button.
Let me tell you about Janelle : I sent her to a nice prep school back east, she flunked out on purpose.
I gave her a Bentley for her sweet 16, she wraps it around a tree.
I've been putting up with this crap since she was a kid.
I'm done.
When was the last time you actually talked to your daughter ? Yesterday, when she asked me to comp the suite.
You want me to call her, fine.
She never goes anywhere without her cell phone.
We have Janelle.
Wire one million U.
S.
dollars to Grand Caymans National Bank, account number 489-27-63.
If the money is not deposited within 24 hours, she dies.
I take it that's not her usual greeting.
If this is a game, why ask for money ? She obviously doesn't need it.
I pay, she wins.
You want to know why the "abductors" want the money wired to the Caymans ? Smart move.
Most kidnappers do get busted at the drop.
That's where Janelle has her trust is set up.
She knows how those banks work.
When Steve Wynn's daughter was kidnapped, he didn't tell the police.
He went to the Mirage casino floor, he got 1.
4 million in cash, he made the drop Got his daughter back in a couple hours.
Yeah, I know the story.
Steve Wynn's daughter was a real victim.
Janelle isn't.
Game or not, Mr.
Macklin, one girl is dead, your daughter is missing.
We're compelled to investigate here.
You do that.
And when Janelle turns up, crying, saying how sorry she is, you make sure she answers for it.
Mr.
Jensen, your daughter's personal effects are at the front desk.
At least you got your money's worth out of the rental.
I just wanted to let you know, no hard feelings about you leaving the banquet.
You're just doing your job.
Have you decided yet who's going to be the day shift supervisor ? Well, Sofia's a logical choice, but nothing's official yet.
You should consider Catherine.
She's earned it.
I'll, uh, I'll give it some thought.
Oh, you know I'd love to get a copy of your speech.
Just a little souvenir for my scrapbook.
- I'll get you a copy.
- That'd be great.
Tell me something.
I think my eyes need Band-Aids.
Tough shift.
You did say "shift," right ? I reviewed roughly eight hours of video surveillance you so generously provided.
Janelle Macklin and several friends rode the VIP elevator to the penthouse around 8:00 p.
m.
The only other time Janelle set foot in the elevator she was a ransom note.
Well, we know they didn't take the VIP elevator down And, based on the video, they didn't use the stairs or the service elevator, either.
Maybe's she's still in the suite.
It's a big room.
Man, there must be over a hundred shoeprints in here.
Even more fingerprints on those buttons.
Good luck.
Thanks a lot.
- How's it going ? - Great.
Got all the towels we need here.
Yeah I might stick a few of those in my trunk.
The same costumes as the kidnappers.
These guys definitely knew their way around this hotel.
Yeah.
Hey, Catherine got everything we need for Halloween except the candy.
The abductors exposed their faces to Janelle Macklin.
That's one of two things-- either she knew them, or they were going to whack her.
Look, I don't know why you had to drag me down here on my day off.
What's this, Kenny ? I don't know.
Sure you do.
A digital video time-delay.
TiVo-ing the casino.
Now that's ballsy.
You time-shifted the signal from the west penthouse service elevator and you fed it to the east monitor.
You were in on it.
Janelle asked me to do her a favor.
I really like her.
You know, I practically watched her grow up, I mean, through the cameras.
I'm so fired.
I screwed with Charlie Macklin.
I'm probably dead.
- Where is she ? - I don't know.
She said she wanted to sneak some guys up to her suite that Mr.
Macklin wouldn't like.
What was I supposed to do ? I mean, she's the boss' daughter.
She's also a person of interest in the death of Nicole Jensen.
- If you know anything - I'm telling you, I don't know where she is.
Definitely not synthetic.
Medulla is 14 microns in diameter.
Continuous cortex.
Imbricate scales.
I'm thinking sheep.
Merino.
Fine wool for fine fabrics.
Why are you talking to yourself ? I'm trying a new technique.
Is it working ? I have no idea.
Aniline dye.
Most likely BASF or Dupont.
Probably used by every high-end garment maker in the world.
And black wool is definitely not used for party dresses.
So it's got to be from those tuxedo boys in the suite.
You'll have to take their clothes.
Thread's from your tux, kid.
We got what we need.
So the DA's offered you immunity in Nicole Jensen's death for your full cooperation in the kidnapping of Janelle Macklin.
Let's hear it.
- Go ahead.
- I straight up.
Janelle hired an eye-in-the-sky geek to knock out the cameras in the service area.
We swooped in, scooped her out, and bam, I mean, we were over it.
So she paid you to kidnap her ? No.
I wouldn't take a penny from Janelle.
We've been friends since grade school.
Oh, so you did it out of the goodness of your own heart.
Look, my parents have dealt cards for 20 years, all right ? I didn't grow up with squat.
Janelle, she didn't care about that.
She still kicked it with me.
So when she asked for my help, I helped.
Even if it involved several felonies ? I wasn't even thinking about that.
You don't even get it.
You don't understand what it's like to be born and raised here.
I mean, Vegas was a dirt lot until the '60s.
I mean, it's lucky that I'm not a drug dealer, and Mr.
Mack should be happy Janelle's not a junkie stripper.
I mean, he was never there for her like my parents were there for me.
They instilled good values in my head.
Like kidnapping ? Who's your partner ? Look, counselor, you better educate your client on the meaning of full cooperation.
Uh-uh, nah.
Vegas has got too many rats, and I'm not gonna be one of them.
You want to know where Janelle is, I'll tell you.
But you're not going to believe me.
Try me.
Las Vegas Police ! All right.
Open it.
Why did you volunteer to take a polygraph test ? I want to clear my name.
What crime have you been accused of ? Kidnapping Janelle Macklin.
Did you physically assault Janelle Macklin ? No way.
Did your partner assault Janelle Macklin ? No.
I don't know.
- Did you kill Janelle Macklin ? - No.
Do you know where she is now ? No.
It was just a prank.
"Not deceptive.
" So, Dean Tate was telling the truth.
Well, according to the polygraph, yeah.
Hey, guys, I got a work card hit off of that maple syrup print.
Let me guess.
Mrs.
Butterworth ? What are you accusing me of ? eating French toast ? What, eating carbs is against the law now ? No, but kidnapping is.
I don't know anything about that.
My prints are in that room because it was Deano's room.
He got it so we'd have a place to bring the ladies after the dance.
So you're telling me when I take a sample of your DNA and compare it to the kabuki masks here that's not going to be you ? Deano rat me ? No.
No, the evidence did that.
Look, we were playing around.
I bus tables every day after school.
A grand's a lot of dough for me.
You know, this was a joke.
You see us laughing ? - Where's Janelle ? - I don't know.
When's the last time you saw her ? After the kidnapping.
Janelle planted one on my lips.
You know, to thank me.
I felt it was more than that.
You know, I felt a vibe.
I gave her an hour to chill, then I called her.
Asked her if I could bring her anything.
She said she was kind of hungry, so I told her I'd bring her something sweet to eat, other than me.
For a couple seconds, I thought I was in.
Then she got a voice mail checked it and totally freaked down.
I figured that was my cue to bolt, so I rolled back down to the dance to continue with the honeys I was already working.
I haven't seen Janelle since.
I swear to God.
Well, there he is, stepping onto the main elevator from the 15th floor.
Alone.
You crack this kid's head open, all that would come out would be T and A.
I think you said that about me once.
Actually, more than once.
- What's the time code ? - 2:04 a.
m.
That's right after Janelle Macklin's last call to her voice mail.
Just like he said.
Let me access the message.
So when are you going to be doing your final proficiency ? Every time I ask Grissom, he says, "next time out.
" And then I end up here.
Okay, here it is.
I'm really disappointed with you, Janelle.
All these years you spent around me at the casino and you think you can put something like this over on me ? The only thing I'm giving you tonight are four little words: Get your ass home.
And since the surveillance feed was still being time-shifted at that point, my guess is that Janelle took the service elevator out.
So where does that leave us ? I think we're done.
No actual crime was committed.
The kidnapping wasn't real.
Nicole Jensen's death was plenty real.
Janelle Macklin's ultimately responsible for putting into motion the events that led to Nicole's death.
Well, the broadcast's out on Janelle and her car.
When she turns up, she'll have to answer for it.
Well, that's highly unsatisfying.
You forgot this at the suite.
I fixed it for you.
You never know when you might need to get dressed up again.
She glued it.
Just keep in mind, Gil, that she is on Ecklie's team.
State trooper reported the car.
Who wants to tell Charlie Macklin ? Janelle left a message a couple hours ago.
She she was all worked up, she was crying, saying how someone threw her in the trunk of her car.
And then the call cuts off.
I thought it was just more drama.
This time didn't seem any different from all the others.
What kind of kidnapper lets you keep your cell phone ? You should let us answer that question.
Where did you find her, Captain ? Sunset Road.
Near McCarran.
Janelle loved airplanes when she was a kid.
She was always begging me to go see them take off and land.
I took her down there.
A couple of times, I think.
Her mother is in Paris.
That's, uh what nine hours ahead.
Kind of late to call right now.
Oh, my God, Charlie.
They told me about Janelle.
- I'm so sorry, honey.
- Captain Brass, my wife.
How do you do ? I want you to find whoever did this.
That's what we're trying to do.
Now what ? Mr.
Jensen, we need to ask you a couple of questions regarding Janelle Macklin.
Hm.
I believe you were gonna tell me you were gonna charge somebody with my daughter's death.
Drink ? Step out of the car, sir.
Not a peep about my daughter, but page one on Macklin's rich bitch.
Oh, you boys sure move quicker when there's cash behind it.
Can you account for your whereabouts in the last six hours ? Why don't you kiss my ass ? Look, we have a witness who saw Janelle Macklin get into a town car near the Hard Rock earlier this evening.
That's why we impounded your vehicle.
Found Janelle's bracelet in your car.
What do you think something like this is worth ? Hundred G's at least.
Huh ? Enough maybe to help ease the pain ? For you, maybe.
I got a call for a pickup.
I went.
Trying to keep my head in the work, 'cause what else do I have left ? Mr.
Jensen, you've got to believe me, I never meant for anything to happen to Nikki.
- You get out of this car.
- I-I can pay whatever you need until the day I die.
You wanna pay ! ? You wanna pay ! ? I told her I was gonna put two bullets in her head and dump her on her daddy's front step.
But then what, you decided maybe it'd be more fun to tie her up, let her choke to death in the trunk of her own car ? No.
I told her what I felt like doing so her father would know the way I feel.
And she got out, and she ran, and it's a good thing she ran, because I might've changed my mind.
Maybe you did.
I'm not that guy anymore.
You sure about that ? It really doesn't make any difference what you do to me.
My baby's dead.
C.
O.
D.
was asphyxia.
Scarf lodged all the way down the esophagus, obstructing the epiglottis.
Completely cut off her air.
And the tox came back positive for benzodiazepines.
Yeah, that makes sense.
They suppress the gag reflex.
And knock you out at the same time.
Girl probably didn't even realize she was suffocating.
Would've been something like falling asleep.
All right, so based on the time that she called her father and the time we found the car, she was in the trunk at least three hours.
That's a slow way to go.
I just got off the phone with Brass.
Let me guess : Jensen lawyered up ? No.
He says he didn't do it.
And based off the DNA report, I believe him.
Mia found saliva and epithelials on the gag and ligature.
We ran them against all known suspects.
Everything matches Janelle Macklin.
Daddy, I'm I'm in really big trouble.
Um, some guys threw me in the trunk of my car.
The position of the knot was the key.
Between her wrists and her back The only way that it could've ended up in that position was if she had tied it herself.
And her saliva on the ends of the scarf confirmed it.
You saying she committed suicide ? I guess I am.
Although I don't think that was her intention.
I think that she was hoping that her father would save her in time.
Daddy, I'm in really big trouble.
Um, some guys threw me in the trunk of my car.
You've got to believe me.
I-I can hear airplanes.
Um, I-I must be near the airport.
I know you'll find me.
Please hurry.

Previous EpisodeNext Episode