FLASH IN: 

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

[INT. CAR (MOVING) -- NIGHT

(A man drives a red Ferrari down the road, a beautiful blonde in the seat next to him. He throws his head back, laughing with exuberance.) 

(The blonde kisses the man as he g*n the engine.) 

(The blonde runs her hand slowly up his thigh. The man smiles at her, then shifts the car into gear and takes off down the road.) 

FLASH TO:

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

[EXT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT]

(The man drives the red Ferrari to the drive. The valet opens the passenger door and helps the blonde-haired woman out of the car. The man tosses the keys to the valet and tips him a $100.) 

(The blonde smiles at the man. She takes his hand and they head into the casino.) 

CUT TO:

[INT. CLUB - NIGHT]

(The blonde and the man dance. They kiss on the floor.) 

[INT. CLUB - HALLWAY - NIGHT]

(The blonde and the man are kissing in the back hallway.) 

(Getting carried away, she pulls him into the women's bathroom. They continue kissing. She reaches out and shuts the door closed.) 

THE DOOR SLAMS SHUT:

[EXT. PARKING - NIGHT]

(Grissom and Catherine walk over to the d*ad body. Brass stands nearby as David works on it.) 

Brass: A truck driver making a delivery found him.

Catherine: TOD?

David Phillips: About two or three hours ago.

(Grissom notes the bruise on the d*ad body's neck.) 

Grissom: Neck contusion.

(Catherine notices the scrapes on the body's right hand knuckles.) 

Catherine: Looks like he went down fighting.

Grissom: Any ID?

David Phillips: Just this. 

(David hands Grissom a room key.) 

Grissom: Palermo room key.

Catherine: Nice clothes.

Brass: Well, they do make the man.

(Grissom notices the white stain on the man's pants.) 

Grissom: He's got some kind of transfer on his pants.

(Catherine fines more white stuff on the man's shirt.) 

Catherine: Yeah, and on his shirt. So what's a guy dressed for a party with a key to this hotel doing out here?

Grissom: I don't know. But the party's over.

SMASH CUT TO: END OF TEASER ROLL TITLE CREDITS

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FADE IN: 

[EXT. HOTEL LOADING DOCK -- NIGHT] 

(Grissom and Catherine process the crime scene. Catherine is up on the docking area when she finds white smudge on the concrete.) 

Catherine: Got smudges that look like white paint up here. Similar to the trace on the vic's clothes.

(Grissom is down on the parking area.) 

Grissom: Same down here. So whatever it is, it must have been wet.

(Grissom snaps a photo of the white paint smudge next to evidence marker #1.) 

(Catherine walks over to the white paint smudge on the docking concrete area and puts evidence marker #3.) 

Catherine: I don't see any wet paint signs up here either.

(Looking for the source of the white paint smudges, she turns and looks inside the hotel area.) 

[INT. PALERMO - BACK ENTRY CORRIDOR - NIGHT]

(She walks through the white-walled hallway and touches it. The walls are still wet with paint.) 

(She looks at the wall and sees the place on the wall where the paint has been smudged. She snaps photos of it.) 

(At the end of the corridor are double doors leading into the hotel. Catherine slings the camera over her shoulder and heads for the doors.) 

(Catherine enters the hotel lobby through one of the side doors.)

[INT. PALERMO - LOBBY - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS]

(Catherine looks around the area, noting where she is.) 

Overhead: Two performances nightly of Palermo's fabulous show, "The Girls of India." Now on display at Palermo Jewelers -- diamonds at Romanoff's.

CUT TO:

[INT. PALERMO - FRONT DESK -- NIGHT] 

(The manager swipes the card key in the machine. The monitor shows the room: 

2147.) 

CUT TO:

[INT. PALERMO - ELEVATOR -- NIGHT] 

(The elevator doors open. The manager steps out; Catherine and Nick follow.) 

Manager: The room is registered to a Jeffrey Powell of Van Nuys, California.

Catherine: He check in with anybody?

Manager: No. The reservation was for one person. He checked in yesterday, paid with a corporate credit card. 

Nick: Do you remember the name of the company?

(The manager unlocks the room door and pushes it open.) 

Manager: Sheritown Inc.

(Catherine enters the room and starts taking photos. Nick turns to the manager.) 

Nick: Sheritown Inc. We're going to need access to all of the surveillance footage from tonight, all right?

Manager: You got it.

Nick: Okay.

(The manager leaves. Nick turns and enters the room.) 

[INT. PALERMO - JEFF'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS]

(The room is a mess. Catherine snaps photos as Nick looks around. The bed is rumpled and messed up. The nearby table has empty dinnerware, two champagne bottles and two used glasses.) 

Nick: Two glasses. Think our vic got lucky?

(Nick puts on his gloves.) 

Catherine: Oh, yeah.

(Catherine leans forward and snaps a photo of some hair strands on the bed.) 

Catherine: He got lucky, all right. He got lucky with a blonde.

(She picks up the hair and reaches for a bindle. Nick notices the clothes tossed on the ottoman.) 

Nick: Jeans ... full of holes. Must've been wearing them a long time. 

Catherine: Either that or he just bought them and paid a fortune.

(Nick moves the clothes aside and finds a book on BLACKJACK.) 

Nick: I remember my first time to Vegas. I got one of these - "Guide to Blackjack". Everybody dreams of hitting it big out here, don't they? 

(Nick tosses the book back on the other clothes and things.) 

Catherine: Yeah, well, if that ever ends you can kiss Vegas good-bye.

(Nick opens the bedside table drawer and finds a packet of a white powdery substance.) 

Nick: We have a winner.

(He picks it up and shows it to Catherine, who is looking through the jacket pockets.) 

Catherine: Jackpot.

(She looks at the jacket label.) 

Catherine: Ooh, Sasan. Cost him more than all of his other clothes put together.

(She notices the blue discoloration on the jacket.) 

Catherine: There's some kind of blue powder trace on the pocket. Nicky, take this.

(She tosses Jeffrey Powell's wallet to Nick. He opens it.)

Nick: California driver's license.

(The information on the CALIFORNIA DRIVER'S LICENSE reads:

JEFFREY POWELL

623 VAN NESS AVE.

LOS ANGELES, CA 90028

SEX: M HAIR: BLK EYES BRN

HT: 5-8 WT: 155

Nick: Company credit card.

(The CORPORATE GOLD credit card with the VISA logo, #7002 0511 2837 3301.) 

Nick: Amateur Speedway Association card.

(The Amateur Speedway Association card expires 1999.)

Nick: Guy liked fast cars.

(Catherine finds car keys on the bedside table.) 

Catherine: Except he was driving a Toyota.

Nick: No cash. This sounds like a classic trick roll.

(Quick flash to: [INT. CASINO - NIGHT] Jeffrey Powell is at the gaming tables and winning.) 

Nick: (V.O.) Kid from of town on a lucky streak-- 

Jeffrey Powell: I cannot lose tonight!

(On the side, a blonde-haired woman watches him.) 

Nick: (V.O.) He's an easy mark.

WHITE FLASH TO: 

[INT. ROOM - NIGHT]

(Jeffrey Powell is undressing the blonde-haired woman. They're kissing.) 

Nick: (V.O.) Get him up to the room ...

(The blonde-haired woman pours champagne directly into Jeff Powell's mouth.) 

Nick: (V.O.) loosen him up ...

(End of flash. Resume to present.) 

Nick: ... jump him and dump him.

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - FORENSIC AUTOPSY ] 

(Warrick snaps photos of the body on the table. David Phillips starts removing the clothes off the body. He pulls off the pants and sees the stain on the victim's underwear, a purple-ish discoloration on the front.) 

David Phillips: Mom was right -- always wear clean ones. Because you never know what could happen. What do you think that is?

Warrick: Why don't you take a whiff?

David Phillips: Why am I always the guy who has to sniff the shorts?

Warrick: 'Cause it's your job.

(David looks at Warrick.) 

David Phillips: You do it.

(Warrick puts his camera down and leans forward a little. He smells.) 

Warrick: Red wine.

(David smiles. Warrick checks the victim's pants and finds there's no stain.) 

Warrick: It's not on his pants. What about the shirt?

David Phillips: No.

Warrick: So he must have changed after the mess.

(Warrick checks the pants pockets.) 

David Phillips: Oh, I already went through his pockets.

(Warrick takes out a slip of paper: INSPECTED BY #17.) 

David Phillips: Of course, I was double-gloved.

Warrick: Clothes are brand new.

(David looks at the victim's hands and finds a callus on the skin between his thumb and index finger.) 

David Phillips: Hmm ...

Warrick: Looks like a callus.

(David holds a ruler next to the victim's hand as Warrick snaps photos of it.) 

CUT TO:

[SECURITY VIDEO MONITOR] 

(The security video for ELEVATOR CAM 2 at 10:52 shows Jeffrey Powell in the elevator with a tall blonde.) 

Nick: (o.s.) There's a long-haired blonde.

(Camera cuts wide and we find we're in the ...

[INT. CSI - A/V LAB #4 - DAY]

(Archie is reviewing the security camera footage.) 

Archie Johnson: Yeah, I've been watching this for a while now.

Nick: Time stamped 10:52 P.M. He entered his room a couple of minutes later. Manager said the last time he used his card key was 10:54 P.M.

Archie Johnson: We look forward about an hour ... 

(Archie sets the video forward to 11:47.)

Archie Johnson: Jeff leaves his room alone.

(Video shows Jeffrey Powell enter the elevator.) 

Nick: He doesn't have a jacket on. He's probably not going too far.

Archie Johnson: So he gets off the elevator, goes into the casino, and nine minutes later, ... 

(Archie sets the video forward to where the blonde woman enters the elevator alone.) 

Archie Johnson: ... same blonde goes down in the elevator.

Nick: Mm-hmm.

(The blonde rests against the side railing, enough for the camera to catch her face.)

Nick: Grab that.

(Archie screen-caps the frame.) 

Nick: Print that.

(He prints the frame.) 

Archie Johnson: After the vic gets off the elevator, I lose him in the casino crowd for about fifteen minutes.

Nick: How do you lose him? Aren't there a hundred cameras in there?

Archie Johnson: And at four hours of video each, that's four hundred hours of video I got to go through. (Nick smiles.) The vic was found at the loading dock off the shopping arcade.

(Archie points to the video where the victim is walking through the lobby.) 

Archie Johnson: And here, he's heading for the arcade here. That's the last time I've got him on camera. There's no surveillance in the arcade hall. Only in the individual stores.

(A woman walks out of the nearby store.) 

Nick: Freeze that.

(Archie freezes the video frame.) 

Nick: Enhance that bag.

(The name on the bag is SASAN.) 

Nick: The vic was wearing a Sasan jacket. 

Archie Johnson: Hah. Check this out. Bingo.

(Archie checks the store map and finds it:

B-102C

2,798 SF

SASAN BOUTIQUE

Nick: I'm going shopping.

CUT TO:

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

[INT. SASAN BOUTIQUE -- DAY] 

(Nick talks with Erica, the saleswoman.) 

Nick: But you were working last night.

Erica: Yeah, we've been short-handed.

Nick: Do you, uh, do you recognize either one of these people?

(Nick shows her the elevator photo of Jeffrey Powell and the blonde-haired woman.) 

Erica: No. Sorry.

(She hands the photo back to Nick. Nick takes out a second photo of the Sasan jacket.) 

Nick: How about this? Recognize that?

Erica: Sure. That's from the new spring line. The leather's like skin. It's incredible. Show me that picture again.

(Nick hands the elevator photo back to her. She studies it longer this time.) 

Erica: Now I remember. He bought a whole outfit. Even wanted underwear. We don't sell underwear.

Nick: Credit card receipt, anything like that?

Erica: (shakes her head) He paid cash. He was flashing a wad. 

Nick: Mm-hmm. Buy anything for her?

Erica: Nothing. She didn't need anything. Looked perfect. Was making my job real easy. 

(Quick flashback to: [INT. SASAN BOUTIQUE - NIGHT] The blonde helps Jeffrey Powell into the jacket as Erica watches. She kisses him.)

(End of flashback. Resume to present.) 

Erica: That guy would have bought anything she wanted him to, Mr. Stokes.

(Nick smiles.) 

Nick: Thank you.

(Nick turns to leave.) 

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - FORENSIC AUTOPSY -- DAY] 

(Robbins snaps photos of the victim's chest. He uses a special camera and light. As he snaps photos, the bruises on the victim's neck appear.) 

TIME CUT TO: 

[INT. CSI - FORENSIC AUTOPSY -- DAY] 

(Robbins reports his findings to Catherine. The victim's neck is open, his skin peeled back to show inside.) 

Robbins: I found extensive contusion involving the anterior aspect of the neck with hemorrhage in all the strap muscles. The thyroid, cricoid and arytenoids cartilages are all multiply fractured.

(Camera zooms in for a close-up on a CGI IMAGE of the bones snapping.)

RESUME VIEW

(Robbins points out the broken bone in the neck.) 

Robbins: The hyoid bone is fractured as well.

Catherine: The blunt-force trauma to the neck?

Robbins: Yeah. COD is asphyxiation due to obstruction of the airway. Took a few minutes to die.

Catherine: Any idea of the source of the BFT?

Robbins: Well, I enhanced the contusion on the neck using UV photography.

(He shows her the photo.) 

Robbins: Looks like there's a defined edge on the w*apon.

Catherine: Yeah, that could be anything. How about prelim tox results?

Robbins: Well, tox detected methamphetamine, sildenafil and oxycodone.

Catherine: Stimulant, erection and a painkiller. Party in a pill.

Robbins: Where was that on my wedding night?

CUT TO:

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

[INT. PALERMO - PARKING GARAGE -- DAY] 

(Greg and Sara question Lenny Andretti, the hotel valet.) 

Greg: This couple look familiar?

Lenny Andretti: Sweet red Ferrari. F-360 Spyder.

Greg: When did you see them?

Lenny Andretti: Last night-- I brought the car when they left. Around 8:15. They're gone a couple hours. The car - pfft -- was amazing.

Sara: Did they happen to tell you where they were going?

Lenny Andretti: No.

Sara: Do you know what time they got back to the hotel?

Lenny Andretti: Uh, a little after ten. The guy gave me a Benjamin. I kept an eye out on that baby, I didn't want any of these other maniacs putting their paws on it.

Sara: What about the girl? You ever seen her before?

Lenny Andretti: I don't think so.

Sara: She strike you as a working girl?

Lenny Andretti: I'll say this, if she was hooking, then she was top shelf, just like that car. I felt kind of like that garage guy in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"? You know, he likes the car so much, he takes it out for a spin for, like, the whole day. Not that I'd ever do that.

Sara: Of course not.

Lenny Andretti: Whoa, look, I had nothing to do with the damage on that car.

(Quick flashback to: [NIGHT] Jeffrey Powell and the blonde are walking away when Lenny looks at the car and notices the scratch on the front.)

(End of flashback. Resume to present.) 

Lenny Andretti: I mean, it was pristine before they took it out.

Greg: They were in an accident? How bad?

Lenny Andretti: Look, any scratch on that beauty is a tragedy and this was, like, a dent. You know what? They looked like they didn't even care. Anything else I can do for you?

Sara: Um, thanks.

Lenny Andretti: Lenny. Lenny Andretti. No relation.

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - TRACE LAB -- DAY] 

(Hodges reports his findings to Catherine.) 

Hodges: The trace for your vic's jacket pocket was primarily talc.

Catherine: Blue baby powder?

Hodges: No. Take a look.

(Catherine looks at the crystals in the scope.)

Catherine: Birefringent crystals. Pretty. What are they?

Hodges: It's a mixture of silica and axolite, two abrasives. But when found with talc, it suggests only one use.

Catherine: And that would be?

Hodges: In 1897, William Spinks received a patent for what came to be known as 

"Spinks Billiard Chalk."

INSERT: MONTAGE

(A cue stick is chalked up. The cue tip makes contact with the white ball, sending chalk particles on the billiard table felt.) 

Hodges: (V.O.) You may be surprised to know that cue-tip chalk does not contain chalk at all; it is a mixture of axolite and silica.

(Cut to: Jeffrey Powell rubs his fingers on the jacket pocket as he puts his hands in the pocket.)

RESUME VIEW: 

Hodges: The abrasives give grip to the tip when it hits the ball.

Catherine: Stop trying to make that sound dirty. Our vic had a callus on his hand.

Hodges: Mmm ...

Catherine: Don't. Which means that he was probably playing a lot of pool.

Hodges: Where do you go in this town to sh**t stick with a hot blonde and a Ferrari?

CUT TO:

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

[INT. CUE-T (POOL HALL) -- NIGHT] 

(Brass and Catherine enter the pool hall.) 

Brass: There's at least a half a dozen of these high-end pool halls in Vegas. The word on the street is a lot of out-of-town money comes through here.

Catherine: Well, it's closer to Palermo; it's a good place to start.

(Catherine picks up the chalk on the table. They look around and Brass sees someone hand money to a man, who turns around and hands it to Jake behind the counter. Brass and Catherine head over to Jake.) 

Brass: Hey, buddy, how's it going? Have these two been in lately?

(He shows Jake the elevator photo of Jeff Powell and the blonde.) 

Jake: No. It's pretty dark in here, wouldn't recognize my own mom if she came in.

Brass: It wasn't so dark you couldn't count your vig from that game over there. 

Jake: It's not illegal to bet on a pool game in Nevada.

Catherine: -- but it is illegal for the house to take a cut a gaming license. I don't see one on the wall. 

Jake: That's because nothing like that's going on here.

Brass: So, if we asked everyone in here, no one would say that you're taking a piece of the action?

Jake: Let me take another look.

Brass: Sure. Knock yourself out.

Jake: I never see the guy. Girl's kind of a regular here. Name's Heidi.

Brass: So, I guess your eyes do get used to the dark.

Catherine: You know where we can find this Heidi?

Jake: Oh, man ...

Brass: (interrupts) You know, I don't see that license anywhere. Look, here's what we're going to do. Get on the phone. Call Heidi. Tell her a distinguished gentleman has just come in with a large wad of cash looking for some action. That'd be me.

SHORT TIME CUT TO: 

[INT. CUE-T (POOL HALL) - NIGHT]

(Heidi Wolff walks in. She heads over to Jake, who is standing near two officers. She stops and turns away. Brass and a uniformed officer walk up to her.) 

Brass: Heidi Wolff? How you doing? I'm Jim Brass, Las Vegas Police. Can I talk to you for a minute?

Heidi Wolff: About what?

Brass: Do you know this guy?

(He shows her the elevator photo of Jeff Powell.) 

Heidi Wolff: No. Apparently, you think I do. 

Brass: Oh, I know you do. You want to tell me how he turned up d*ad?

(She looks at the photo again, a worried look on her face.) 

FADE OUT.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FADE IN: 

[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - INTERVIEW ROOM A -- MORNING] 

(Brass interviews Heidi Wolff. She's sitting at the table. He's standing nearby.) 

Brass: So you spent the night with Jeff Powell.

Heidi Wolff: And he was alive when he left me. 

Brass: Oh. He left you?

Heidi Wolff: Yeah. Believe it or not. Look. He was getting kind of weird on me.

INSERT FLASHBACK

[INT. PALERMO - JEFF'S ROOM - NIGHT]

(Heidi is on the bed, the sheet wrapped around her. Jeff is dressed and putting his shoes on.) 

Heidi Wolff: Hey. Where you going?

Jeffrey Powell: Don't worry, I'll be right back. You know, I think I may just have to fall in love with you.

(He walks out the door. The door closes behind him.) 

WHITE FLASH TO: 

BACK TO SCENE: 

Heidi Wolff: So I put on my clothes and I got out of there. I was looking for fun, not a lifetime commitment.

(Brass sits down.) 

Brass: Is that what you call fun? Rolling a guy, taking his money?

Heidi Wolff: I didn't take his money.

Brass: Heidi, Heidi, ho. Look, we know Jeff was waving around a large wedge of cash. And the money was gone when we found him. You're an expensive date, Heidi.

Heidi Wolff: I'm a professional gambler. Probably the only one in Vegas who declares every dollar. You can check my tax returns.

Brass: We checked the hotel sheets.

Heidi Wolff: We had sex. Is that against the law? No.

Brass: No.

Heidi Wolff: We won some money sh**ting pool. Is that against the law? No.

Brass: You gave him drugs. Is that against the law? Yeah. Look, here's the way I see it breaking down. You left the room nine minutes after he did. You went downstairs. You checked with your partner. You k*lled the kid, you took the cash, end of story.

Heidi Wolff: Let's get this straight. He was a sweet kid and I'm sorry he's d*ad, but I had nothing to do with it. And I'm done talking.

CUT TO:

[INT. EXTRAVAGANT AUTO -- MORNING] 

(Greg and Sofia enter the Extravagant Auto showroom.) 

Greg: According to the DMV, of the 12 Ferrari F-360 Spyders registered in Vegas, only three are red. Two of them are privately owned, and a rental company has the third. And since the vic owns a Toyota in LA and Heidi Wolff drives a beetle ... 

(The manager, Robert Rhoda, exits the back and walks over to meet them.) 

Sofia Curtis: ... you figured this would be a good place to start.

Robert Rhoda: Welcome to Extravagant Auto. Robert Rhoda. (He shakes their hands.) If what you're dreaming about's on four wheels, I can get it for you.

Sofia Curtis: Actually, we're looking for a red Ferrari Spyder. 

Robert Rhoda: The lady likes fast cars. And I just happen to have one. But it got into a little fender-bender, so it's going to take a day or so to get it fixed.

(He notices her badge.) 

Sofia Curtis: We'll take it as is.

CUT TO:

[FERRARI] 

(CU: The dent and scratch on the red Ferrari Spyder.) 

[EXT. EXTRAVAGANT AUTO -- MORNING] 

(Greg examines the damage to the car as Sofia and Robert Rhoda watch.) 

Greg: Looks like paint transfer on the left rear quarter. Clear coat's been peeled front-to-back.

Sofia Curtis: Which means the Ferrari was the faster vehicle.

Robert Rhoda: The Ferrari is always e faster vehicle.

(Greg snaps a photo of the damage. Sofia walks around the car and finds more damage in the front.) 

Sofia Curtis: Ooh. Nice dent to the front bumper.

(Greg takes a sample of the car paint off the scrape.) 

Robert Rhoda: You're looking at $15,000 of damage there.

Sofia Curtis: Who rented it?

Robert Rhoda: Can't help you with that. Our customer records are confidential. In any case, we're not making a police report about the damage.

Sofia Curtis: No need. We're impounding it.

Robert Rhoda: What?

(Greg looks at the car's inside.) 

Greg: Looks like the interior's been cleaned. I'll call auto transport and have them tow it back to the lot.

(Robert Rhoda takes his cell phone out and starts snapping photos of the car.)

Sofia Curtis: Mr. Rhoda, what are you doing?

Robert Rhoda: I'm documenting my loss. I'm filing for crime victim compensation.

(Sofia doesn't say anything. She glances over at Greg, who smiles and shakes his head.) 

WHITE FLASH TO: 

[INT. CSI - TRACE LAB -- DAY] 

INSERT: MONTAGE 

(Hodges takes the cap off the container and removes the paint sample inside. He processes the sample.) 

(He makes a resin cube around the paint sample and processes it.)

(He places the cube under the scope and looks at it.) 

ECU: A RED PAINT SAMPLE

(Hodges smiles.) 

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - HALLWAY -- DAY] 

(Grissom walks out of his office looking at a photo from a file folder when Greg catches him to report his findings.) 

Greg: Grissom? Hodges confirmed the paint transfer on the Ferrari is a black acrylic enamel.

Grissom: That doesn't narrow it down much.

Greg: Well, it gets better. It's a GM paint, with traces of fiberglass-reinforced plastic. Which means, we're looking for a black Corvette.

Grissom: I'll have Brass put out a broadcast. Nick ran the vic's credit card. 

"Sheritown, Inc." is based in L.A., run by a guy named Mick Sheridan. I'm going to meet him at the PD.

Greg: Mick Sheridan the movie producer? I grew up watching his action blockbusters -car chases, ninjas, cyborg death machines. We used to make body armor out of tinfoil, and re-enact the scene all over the neighborhood. What about you? You were a green beret kid? Secret agent?

Grissom: I'm not telling. And stay away from my tinfoil.

(Grissom walks out of camera frame, leaving Greg behind. Greg smiles.) 

CUT TO:

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

[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - BRASS' OFFICE -- DAY] 

(Grissom and Brass meet with Mike Sheridan, the movie producer.) 

Mick Sheridan: I'm sick about this. Of all kids. Jeff. I can't stop crying.

Brass: You want something to drink?

Mick Sheridan: Oh, thanks, uh ... (He looks to the officer standing on the side of the room.) Small Pellegrino, room temperature.

(The officer moves away. Brass and Grissom exchange looks.) 

Grissom: Mr. Sheridan, can you tell us anything about this girl?

(Grissom shows the photo of Heidi Wolff to him.) 

Mick Sheridan: I don't know her. Jeff must have met her here. I loved him like a son. Smart. Hard-working. I hired him right out of law school.

Grissom: What kind of work did he do for you?

Mick Sheridan: An assistant. He wanted to learn from the bottom up, like I did.

Brass: Oh, right, he used to be an actor.

Mick Sheridan: Yeah. But I had a nasty habit -- I wanted to eat regularly. And didn't want to work as a waiter to do it.

Grissom: Did Jeff have any nasty habits?

(Mike Sheridan turns and looks at Grissom.) 

Grissom: We found several different drugs in his bloodstream.

Brass: What was Jeff doing Las Vegas?

Mick Sheridan: Um ... about a month ago, when he was making copies of my divorce settlement, he spotted a provision that my wife's lawyer had rephrased. My lawyers had missed it. He saved me millions of dollars. So to thank him, I gave him a vacation.

Brass: You give him any cash?

Mick Sheridan: Couple hundred bucks, corporate credit card. Told him to have fun.

Grissom: Fun, huh?

Mick Sheridan: (nods) Yeah. I'll be regretting that for the rest of my life.

FADE OUT.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FADE IN: 

[INT. CSI - GARAGE -- DAY] 

(Greg is in a black Corvett dusting for fingerprints. Sara walks in carrying a camera.) 

Sara: I guess the broadcast paid off. Black Corvette.

Greg: Parking enforcement found it abandoned off Durango near Russell.

Sara: Right between the pool hall and the Palermo?

(Greg tape-lifts some prints off the steering wheel.) 

Greg: Yup.

(Sara snaps photos of the damage to the car.) 

Sara: This would have been impossible to drive away.

(Finished, Greg gets up and moves away from the car.) 

Greg: Yeah. Bummer.

Sara: Please tell me there's something more to this guys and cars thing beside the obvious penis-extension metaphors.

Greg: So you want me to lie?

(Sara goes back to snapping photos of the damage to the car. Greg picks up his own camera and looks at the car damage to the back bumper.) 

(Camera zooms in for a CU of the paint transfer.) 

Greg: Red paint transfer.

(Greg lifts the camera and focuses.) 

WHITE FLASH TO: 

[INT. CAR - STREET - NIGHT]

(Jeffrey Powell is driving the Ferrari with the blonde in the passenger seat. The black Corvette speeds up and overtakes him.) 

(Suddenly, the black Corvette brakes. The red Ferrari slams into the black Corvette's back bumper.) 

(End of flash. Resume to present.) 

Greg: I'll get a sample to Hodges. See if he can match this to the Ferrari.

(Sara checks the glove compartment and finds a receipt.) 

Sara: It's a rental.

Greg: Extravagant Automobiles?

Sara: No. Zenith?

Greg: Yeah, night to be in the car-rental business. 

Sara: Driver's name is Randy Bolen. Local address. Let's go talk to him.

CUT TO:

[EXT. LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK)]

[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - INTERVIEW ROOM] 

(Sofia Curtis looks through the file folder as Randy Bolen waits.) 

Sofia Curtis: "Randy Bolen. Misdemeanor possession, as*ault, felony possession for sales ... " you can't help but break the law, can you? What's with the forehead?

(Randy Bolen doesn't say anything.) 

Sofia Curtis: Well, you got that bruise somehow. Want me to add leaving the scene of an accident to the list?

Randy Bolen: It was a fender bender. Not my fault.

Sofia Curtis: Sure about that?

Randy Bolen: Yeah.

Sofia Curtis: Because your car and the Ferrari were both rented.

Randy Bolen: (scoffs) So what? It's a coincidence.

Sofia Curtis: You're a local. Why did you need to rent a car?

Randy Bolen: I can't afford one all the time, so I rent one when I can.

Sofia Curtis: What were you doing all night before your fender bender? 

Randy Bolen: What was I doing? I was sh**ting pool. Place called the ... the Cue-T.

Sofia Curtis: How'd you play? Did you win any money?

Randy Bolen: You know, you win some, you lose some.

(Quick flashback to: [INT. CUE-T (POOL HALL) - NIGHT]

(Randy Bolen plays a game of pool with Jeffrey Powell as Heidi Wolff watches.) 

SERIES OF CUTS OF THE POOL GAME

(Jeffrey Powell sinks in ball after ball after ball. The crowd gathered around the billiard table is impressed.) 

(Finally, the last black ball goes into the hole. The crowd applauds and cheers.) 

(End of flashback. Resume to present.) 

Sofia Curtis: I guess that would be lose some. How much?

Randy Bolen: Ten grand.

Sofia Curtis: That's a lot of money for a guy like you.

WHITE FLASH TO: 

(Jeffrey Powell takes the cash off the pool table and leaves with Heidi Wolff. As they leave, Jeffrey Powell looks back at Randy Bolen. Randy glares back and slams his cue stick on the table as he follows them.) 

(End of flashback. Resume to present.) 

Randy Bolen: I've had worse nights.

Sofia Curtis: (chuckles) Yeah, I'm sure you have. You're having one now.

(She opens the file folder and shows him the photo of Jeffrey and Heidi in the elevator.) 

Sofia Curtis: These the guys you played?

(He looks at the photo, then looks at Sofia.) 

Randy Bolen: Yeah.

Sofia Curtis: Now, there's a coincidence, because they were in the Ferrari, which makes you a very sore loser.

(Quick flash to: [EXT. STREET - NIGHT] The Corvette g*n its engine as it catches up with the red Ferrari. The Corvette pulls up alongside the Ferrari. Jeffrey Powell turns and sees Randy Bolen driving the Corvette. Randy pushes the car into the Ferrari, forcing him to sway away.)

(Still speeding alongside the Ferrari, Randy overtakes Jeffrey. Once in front, he slams on the brakes. The Ferrari hits the back of the Corvette. Randy turns the Corvette completely around, allowing the damaged Ferrari to speed past.) 

(End of flashback. Resume to present.) 

Randy Bolen: Okay. So I rubbed him a little. It was a stupid thing to do. 

Sofia Curtis: Not as stupid as k*lling him.

Randy Bolen: What, that kid-- he's d*ad?

Sofia Curtis: Yeah.

(Randy sits back in his seat, thinking. He shakes his head, then looks at Sofia.) 

Randy Bolen: I want a lawyer.

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - HALLWAY] 

(Nick and Sofia walk through the hallway as she reports to him.) 

Sofia Curtis: According to his record, Randy Bolen used to be a professional stunt driver.

Nick: Must not have been a very good one.

Sofia Curtis: He teaches at that track off Boulder Highway where middle-aged guys get to act out their Grand Prix fantasies.

Nick: Mm-hmm, okay. A guy like that gets b*at by a punk kid on the street it's gonna be an as*ault on his manhood.

Sofia Curtis: He's got a temper.

Nick: Okay. I'll see if I can place him at the hotel. I'll let you know.

(Nick turns and heads into the A/V Lab.) 

[INT. CSI - A/V LAB -- CONTINUOUS] 

(Nick finds Archie in front of the monitors.) 

Nick: Hey, Arch.

Archie Johnson: Hey.

Nick: Surveillance footage from the Palermo?

Archie Johnson: Yeah. I just found something really interesting.

(Archie is reviewing footage from the CASINO FLOOR - POKER, CAM 06 at 7:38.)

Archie Johnson: Now, that's the blonde from the elevator.

(He switches to CAM 09, CASINO FLOOR - SLOTS, following Heidi Wolff as she walks along the casino.) 

Archie Johnson: There she is again. And here's Jeff Powell.

(He switches to another camera where Jeff Powell is sitting at the bar having a beer.)

Archie Johnson: This is where his evening begins, when he meets her for the first time.

(On the monitor, Heidi sits down next to Jeff and takes out a tissue. She dabs at her nose, obviously crying.) 

Nick: Ooh. She didn't look too happy.

Archie Johnson: Yeah.

(On the monitor, a bartender puts a glass of wine on the counter in front of her. She digs into her purse.) 

Archie Johnson: Keep watching when she points at something. Keep your eyes on her wine.

(She points to something for Jeff to look at. He turns and looks. She pulls the glass of wine to the edge of the counter, then knocks it over with her bag, spilling the drink on Jeff's pants.)

(Nick smiles.) 

Nick: You think that was on purpose?

Archie Johnson: Well, sure looks that way. Take a look at this.

(Archie enhances Heidi's open purse. She's got a stack of cash in her bag.) 

Archie Johnson: Girl was loaded.

Nick: It's safe to say she wasn't after him for his money.

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - CATHERINE'S OFFICE] 

(Sara enters the office, knocking on the door first.) 

Sara: Hey.

(Catherine looks up from the computer as Sara takes a seat at her desk.) 

Catherine: Hey.

Sara: Warrants came through on the rental agreements.

Catherine: Jeff Powell went a little crazy with his corporate card and rented the Ferrari himself?

Sara: No. Heidi Wolff rented it. The reservation was held in her name by a company called Caprice Unlimited. This is where it gets interesting. Caprice Unlimited also rented Randy Bolen's Corvette.

Catherine: What kind of business is it?

Sara: All I know so far is that they're unlisted.

Catherine: Well, nothing's entirely unlisted these days.

(Catherine, 1140apt6(a)gmail.com, enters CAPRICE UNLIMITED into SYPDER FINDER to run a search.) 

Catherine: Caprice Unlimited.

(Sara waits.) 

Sara: Mm-hmm.

(Search results show: CAPRICE UNLIMITED, "Anything is Possible", at www.capriceunlimited.com. Catherine hits enter.) 

(The home page appears:

CAPRICE UNLIMITED

Anything is Possible

1-702-555-0104

Catherine: "Caprice Unlimited." "Anything is possible." (nods) Sounds like a sex business.

(She reaches for the phone. Sara smiles, amused.) 

Sara: What are you going to say?

Catherine: Uh, something other than, "a guy is d*ad, and it looks like you're involved."

Male Voice: (answering machine) You've reached Caprice Unlimited. Leave a message; we shall call you. 

Catherine: Not taking calls.

(Catherine hangs up without leaving a message. Sara thinks.) 

Sara: Let's see if they're making any.

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - LAYOUT ROOM - NIGHT]

(Sara is at the computer, a CELLULAR FREQUENCY LOCATOR form on screen. She ENTERS the CELLULAR NUMBER: 702-55-0104.)

(ON THE LAPTOP SCREEN: A map of the area appears with cellular towers in red and various colored grids for each tower in green or blue.)

(A RED indicator appears at an address.) 

(Camera zooms in and a second FIELD pops up:

CELLULAR TRIANGULATION RESULTS:

ENTER CELLULAR NUMBER:

(Sara enters the address into the field: 20511 FARNUM ROAD.) 

CUT TO:

[INT. CAPRICE UNLIMITED -- JAPANESE ESTATE - ENTRYWAY -- DAY ]

(OPEN on a lantern with painted panels hanging from the ceiling. Very Oriental.)

(CAMERA moves down and we find Grissom and Sara entering the entryway through the front gates.) 

(They walk through the main hallway with various dark-haired female artwork on the walls. Two uniformed officers enter the gates behind them.) 

Sara: Triangulation's consistent. Caprice Unlimited made the calls from this address. According to the building manager, Caprice is only renting it for two days.

(Grissom and Sara pass through the walkway and enter the courtyard gardens.) 

[EXT. JAPANESE ESTATE - COURTYARD - DAY -- CONTINUOUS

(It's like stepping into another world. A woman playing a biwa sits on the concrete bench on the side. Large circular red and yellow lanterns are strewn up along the garden, a large Koi pond graces the center of the yard.)

(Grissom and Sara cross the walkway over the pond and head further into the courtyard. Two Japanese girls are off to the side, one brushing the hair of the other.) 

(At the end of the garden is a small room with shoji doors. Inside the room, a man holds a string of pearls against a young Oriental woman's bare shoulder. The woman is kneeling in front of him. Grissom watches them.) 

Anthony Caprice: (o.s.) No, not quite.

(The man moves over to the second young Oriental woman and holds the string of pearls against her bare shoulder.) 

Anthony Caprice: (o.s.) Oh, yes. Perfect. 

(Grissom turns and looks at Sara.) 

Anthony Caprice: (o.s.) You two, go get your costumes and find out what's expected of you. (to third woman remaining behind) Why don't you wait for me inside?

(The two young Oriental women exit the room and walk past Grissom and Sara. Grissom watches them leave. Anthony Caprice exits the room and looks at Grissom and Sara.) 

Anthony Caprice: I'm sorry. This is a private residence.

Grissom: My name is Gil Grissom; this is Sara Sidle. We're with the Crime Lab.

Anthony Caprice: Anthony Caprice. There's no crime here. (off their looks) 

That was a job interview. Over $150,000 has been spent on this event. It's for several golf club salesmen. They're from Kansas City. Japanese formality will mesh very nicely with their inherent Midwestern restraint. 

(At that, Sara smirks and turns around to look at the Oriental women brushing their hair in the back of the courtyard behind them. Anthony Caprice watches Sara. She turns and looks at him.) 

Anthony Caprice: (continues) Their idealized women -- submissive, but in control ... (He looks at Sara.) ... becomes the geisha.

(Grissom notices Anthony Caprice watching Sara.) 

Grissom: I get it. You're one of those companies that stages fantasies, right? Everything appears real, but it's all been worked out in advance?

(Sara looks at Grissom. Anthony Caprice turns his attention back to Sara.) 

Anthony Caprice: These scenarios take weeks to craft. I learn everything ... 

(He turns and looks at Grissom.) ... about my client's wants and his desires, all without him even knowing.

(Grissom glances at Sara.) 

Anthony Caprice: Secret longings -- they have a ... a kind of electricity. They're often much more visible than we would want them to be.

Grissom: (b*at, then) And, uh, Jeff Powell's evening -- the girl, the car, the billiards -- all paid for by Mick Sheridan? 

Anthony Caprice: (shakes his head) Never heard of him.

Sara: Who did pay?

Anthony Caprice: A benefactor. Wishes to remain anonymous.

(Anthony Caprice takes out his PDA. The screen shows a client list: 

ACHESON, LENA

ASTOR, LONNIE

DUNN, TARA

FENWAY, JOE

GANEM, EMMANUEL

KIRKBAUM, MITCH

LANG, ASHLEY

LOGAN, RACHEL

PEREZ, CHASE

POWELL, JEFF

SIMON, DEAN

(He clicks on JEFF POWELL'S name.) 

Grissom: Somebody rich who likes to manipulate people probably.

(A list appears on the PDA. He clicks on PRINT and PRINTS the entire SCRIPT.) 

(The printer prints out the script.) 

Anthony Caprice: Everybody likes to be in control. You don't have to be rich to want that.

(He walks past them and over to the printer table.)

Sara: If you're so law-abiding, why did Heidi Wolff and Randy Bolen lie to the police about what happened? Did you tell them to do that?

Anthony Caprice: All my employees have a very strict non-disclosure agreement that they have to sign, although, I'd never expect them to lie to the police. Maybe you just asked them the wrong questions. 

(He turns around and hands Sara the script pages.) 

Anthony Caprice: Here's a copy of Mr. Powell's scenario. Every event that they talked about was meticulously planned in advance and timed down to the minute.

Grissom: And his m*rder?

Anthony Caprice: Tragic. (shakes his head) But it's not in my script. (then) 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a hot tub to calibrate.

(He starts to leave. He turns around and looks at Grissom and Sara.) 

Anthony Caprice: Oh. And may all your dreams come true.

(He turns away and leaves.)

(Camera holds on Grissom and Sara.) 

SMASH TO BLACK. 

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FADE IN: 

[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - HALLWAY] 

(Brass walks Mick Sheridan through the hallway.) 

Mick Sheridan: Well, I hope this means you know what happened to Jeff. That's the first time that the tower yanked back my Gulfstream on takeoff.

Brass: No kidding. Well, there's always a first for everything. 

(Brass points to the interview room.) 

Brass: We can talk in here.

Mick Sheridan: Something wrong with your office?

Brass: No.

[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY]

(Brass interviews Mick Sheridan.) 

Brass: You seem to have bad luck with the people who work for you.

Mick Sheridan: If that's a joke, it's in pretty poor taste.

Brass: Three years ago, you were busted with an eight ball of cocaine in your luggage. You claimed that your personal assistant had planted it.

Mick Sheridan: That's because he did. The charges against me were dropped. The poor kid had a serious problem. I got him into a program. Understand he's doing better now. 

Brass: I hear you bought him a car to shut him up and take the rap.

Mick Sheridan: The media spins everything ... 

(Brass holds up a hand.) 

Brass: The media. We found an ounce of cocaine in Jeff Powell's personal effects. He was buying drugs for you.

Mick Sheridan: I don't do drugs. And I had no idea that Jeff had a drug problem.

Brass: Last time, you bought a car, this time, an elaborate fantasy to shut him up. The problem is, he's d*ad. And that makes you responsible.

Mick Sheridan: Captain Brass ... you've seen too many of my movies. I'd like to call my attorney now.

CUT TO:

[THE SCRIPT:]

SUBJECT: JEFFREY POWELL

TIME / ACTORS / ACTION

5:00 PM / HEIDI + RANDY / 

-Drive to 20511 Fornum Rd.

-HEIDI collects $7,000 cash for evening.

-RANDY collects $12,000 cash for evening.

[NOTE: HEIDI WILL WEAR SEXY, BUT SOPHISTICATED ATTIRE.]

6:00 PM / HEIDI / 

-Rent reserved Ferrari at Extravagant Automobile Rentals

-Drive to Palermo. Utilize valet parking. Tip at least $20.

7:00 PM / RANDY / 

-Rent reserved Corvette at Zenith Rental Cars.

-Drive to Cue-T. Play pool and wait for HEIDI to arrive.

7:15 PM / HEIDI / 

-SUBJECT has been told the scene at Palermo begins at the casino bar.

-SUBJECT believes "early bird gets the worm."

-Confirm sub-rosa he is there. Then proceed with ...

7:15 PM / HEIDI / 

-Enter the Palermo bar and negotiate close proximity

-Act upset. Point out random high roller as abusive

[INT. CSI - LAYOUT ROOM -- NIGHT] 

(Grissom, Catherine, Nick and Sara are standing around the table, putting a timeline together.) 

Sara: The script for Jeff's fantasy starts with Heidi and Randy renting the cars at 6:00 P.M. Then it says Randy drives the Corvette to the Cue-T and waits.

Catherine: And Heidi takes the Ferrari. Finds Jeff at the Palermo bar.

(She pulls the photo video cam still of Heidi and Jeff at the bar closer to her. The still is for the CASINO BAR, CAM 11, at 7:44. The still ANIMATES into LIVE ACTION as they continue to narrate through the script.) 

[INT. PALERMO - BAR - NIGHT (VERSION)]

(Heidi sits down next to Jeff and appears to be upset.) 

Sara: (V.O.) (reading) Her instructions were: "Act upset. Make up story about abusive high roller boyfriend. Allow Jeff to offer comfort."

Heidi Wolff: (reacting) Sorry. I'm really okay. (off his look) No, I'm not.

Jeff Powell: Anything I can do for you?

Heidi Wolff: It's my damn boyfriend.

WHITE FLASH TO -- BACK TO SCENE: 

Nick: Any guy would help a beautiful woman in distress, right? 

Grissom: Some guys are intimidated by beauty ... 

(Camera cuts to Sara watching Grissom.)

Grissom: ... or fear rejection. Evidently, Caprice knew Jeff well enough to know he'd want to help her.

(Nick nods.) 

(Sara reads the script.) 

Sara: (reading) Heidi's next instructions were to repay subject's kindness by buying drink."

Catherine: Which she then accidentally spills on his clothes.

(CUT TO: The victim's jacket and clothes on hangers with wine stains on them.) 

(Camera moves over and we find Jeff dressing in the dressing room. He's buckling up his belt.) 

Catherine: (V.O.) Insists on buying him a new outfit, one that he couldn't afford on his own.

(Heidi kneels in front of Jeff and helps him put his belt on. Jeff's enjoying every moment of it.) 

(CUT TO: Heidi hands Jeff the money to pay for the clothes.) 

Sara: (V.O.) Everything was scripted down to the minute -- the clothes, ... 

(CU: The cue stick makes contact with the white ball, chalk dust spattering on the table felt.) 

Sara: (V.O.) ... the Cue-T, ... 

(CUT TO: Jeff and Heidi speeding in the Ferrari.) 

Sara: (V.O.) ... the car.

(End of flashbacks.) 

BACK TO SCENE: 

Grissom: Sheridan told Caprice that Jeff had been sh**ting pool since he was a kid. So betting on and winning a big money game was probably just part of the fantasy.

Nick: Yeah, and he was a NASCAR fan. So the whole staged car chase, narrow getaway was everything he dreamed about.

Catherine: As was the partying in his hotel room. And the sex.

(Sara checks the script.) 

Sara: Not quite. According to the script, "your employment ends with the good-night kiss. You are not requested to perform, nor compensated for, any activity you initiate beyond this point. 

(Quick flash to: Jefff and Heidi are in bed.) 

Sara: (V.O.) Should nature take its course, you are on your own."

(Heidi smiles at Jeff.) 

Jeff: C'mere.

(End of flashback. Resume to scene.) 

(Grissom looks at Sara.) 

Grissom: So the staged fantasy ended at Jeff's hotel room.

(Sara nods.) 

Grissom: Which means he was off script when he was k*lled.

(Again, Sara nods.) 

Nick: I don't get it. After a night like that, I would have felt like Superman. Why leave the girl?

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - A/V LAB] 

(Grissom sits next to Archie Johnson.) 

Grissom: The victim got to the shopping arcade fifteen minutes after he got off the elevator. It's not that long a walk. I need to know what he was doing during that time.

(Archie goes to the monitors and finds Jeff back in the casino room at 3:17.) 

Archie Johnson: There's your guy.

(Archie switches cameras and shows Jeff pointing and talking with someone off screen.) 

Grissom: Whatever he's reacting to is off camera. (Grissom checks the casino map.) Somewhere in the direction of the baccarat tables.

Archie Johnson: When the blonde came up to the vic in the bar the first time, she pointed in that same direction.

Grissom: What's going on over there?

(Archie checks the security cameras. He shows a man playing with the dealer.) 

Grissom: He's playing solo with the dealer. That's ten or twenty thousand a hand. Guy's a whale.

(Jeff walks up to the man at the table. Two security guards stop him.) 

Archie Johnson: Your vic's really going at him.

(Grissom thinks about it.) 

Grissom: You know, Heidi was only supposed to tell a story about a high roller boyfriend. Maybe she actually picked somebody out.

(Archie groans and stands up. He starts stomping his feet, trying to get his circulation going again.) 

Grissom: What are you doing?

Archie Johnson: I've been looking at video three days solid now. My butt fell asleep.

(Archie goes to look at the monitors again and sees something.)

Archie Johnson: Wait a second. I've seen those guys behind him somewhere else.

(He thinks about it, then switches to another camera, the SHOPPING ENTRANCE.) 

Archie Johnson: Hang on.

(On the monitors, Jeff leaves the lobby.) 

Archie Johnson: Jeff went from the casino to shopping arcade, and right behind him ... there they are. Same guys.

(The monitor shows the two security guys following Jeff out of the arcade.) 

(Archie puts the three video sh*ts from the various cameras up on the screen.) 

Grissom: Well, call me Ishmael.

Archie Johnson: Why?

Grissom: You need to read more, Arch.

CUT TO:

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

[INT. PALERMO - CASINO -- NIGHT] 

(Grissom, Catherine and Sofia Curtis walk through the casino.) 

Grissom: Jeff was a winner at everything he tried that night.

Sofia Curtis: And he was falling in love.

Catherine: Which can make a guy do some pretty stupid things. So anytime more than $10,000 hits the table, the casino's required to ID the player. 

Grissom: Which may help us harpoon the whale.

Catherine: Yep.

(The dark-suited MALE PIT BOSS walks up to them.) 

Pit Boss: What's the occasion?

Sofia Curtis: We're investigating the death of the young man on the casino's loading dock.

(Grissom shows the pit boss the photo of the baccarat player.) 

Grissom: Are you familiar with this guy?

Pit Boss: That's Dennis Kim. Flies in four, five times a year from Seoul to play baccarat. Very generous player. We reserve a table exclusively for him while he's in town.

Sofia Curtis: He still in town?

Pit Boss: Yeah. He's at his table right now.

[INT. PALERMO - CASINO - BACCARAT ALCOVE - CONTINUOUS]

(The pit boss escorts Grissom, Catherine and Sofia Curtis to the baccarat table. His two bodyguards stand close behind him.) 

Pit Boss: There's Mr. Kim, right there.

Sofia Curtis: Mr. Kim, we need to speak with you for a moment.

(Dennis Kim turns and looks at them.) 

Dennis Kim: Yes?

Sofia Curtis: Do you recognize this man?

(She hands him the elevator photo of Jeff Powell. He looks at the photo and shakes his head.) 

Dennis Kim: Why?

Catherine: He's d*ad.

Grissom: Just before he died, he was talking to you.

(Dennis Kim sighs and looks at the photo again.) 

Dennis Kim: Oh, yes, I remember him. He was shouting about some girl.

WHITE FLASH TO:

[INT. PALERMO CASINO - BACCARAT ALCOVE - NIGHT]

(Mr. Kim is playing baccarat when Jeff Powell walks up to him.) 

Jeff Powell: Hey you! Hey! Guess what? 

(One of the bodyguards steps forward and pushes Jeff Powell back away from Dennis Kim.) 

Jeff Powell: Heidi, she doesn't need you or your money anymore, man. That's right. Because she has everything she needs now -- love and respect. So you go ahead and play your little card game. All right? 'Cause you the playa. But I'm the man. The man.

(End of flashback.) 

BACK TO SCENE

Dennis Kim: Crazy boy.

(Catherine picks up the photo and shows it to the bodyguards.) 

Catherine: Did you guys see where he went?

(The bodyguards don't look at the photo.) 

Dennis Kim: (in Korean)

Bodyguard 1: (in Korean)

(Catherine looks down at the bodyguard's shoes and sees the white paint smudge on it.) 

Catherine: Well, we're gonna need to take those shoes. (to Grissom) White paint.

Dennis Kim: And if I don't permit this?

Grissom: We'll just hold your men until we get a warrant.

(Kim thinks about it for a moment, then -- 

Dennis Kim: (in Korean)

(The bodyguards look puzzled, then start removing their shoes. Grissom puts his kit on the table.) 

Grissom: Kamsahamnida. [Translated: Thank you.]

Dennis Kim: (in Korean)

(The bodyguards remove their shoes.) 

CUT TO:

[INT. CSI - TRACE LAB - NIGHT - MONTAGE]

(Catherine examines the bodyguards' shoes. She scans the shoe into the computer. She prints the shoeprint on a transparency.)

(She puts that shoe aside. She picks up the white paint-smudged shoe and looks at it under the enhancer, then scans that shoeprint into the computer as well. She prints it out on a transparency.)

(She puts the morgue photo of Jeff Powell's neck on the table. She places the transparency over the neck. It is not a match. She places the other transparency over the neck and finds a match to the bruises.) 

WHITE FLASH TO: 

[FLASHBACK -- MONTAGE] 

(The bodyguards are roughing Jeff up in the corridor leading to the docking bay.) 

Catherine: (V.O.) The bodyguards dragged Jeff through the service corridor. 

(The bodyguards push Jeff outside.) 

Catherine: (V.O.) Between the drugs and the confidence, he must've put up quite a fight.

(They toss him to the ground. He gets up.) 

Jeffrey Powell: Hey!

(He punches the bigger bodyguard in the face. The second bodyguard kicks Jeff in the neck.) 

(End of flashback.) 

[INT. CSI - OFFICE - NIGHT]

(Grissom, Catherine, Greg and Sara are sitting at the table as they go over the case.) 

Catherine: Most likely, he was still alive when they left. They probably thought they just had taught him a lesson.

Grissom: They did: Don't confuse fantasy with reality.

(Silent, Sara looks at Grissom. Their eyes meet. She smiles slightly.) 

Greg: Well, hush money or not, you have to admit that whole fantasy night thing was a pretty cool gift from a very generous boss.

(Grissom looks surprised by that remark.) 

Sara: Greg, don't you have a birthday coming up?

Greg: Why, yes, Sara, I do.

(Sara turns and smiles at Grissom. He looks back at her.) 

Catherine: I'm thinking ear-shredding rock, a beautiful model, boatloads of sushi and ... latex?

Greg: Eh, that was last year.

(Sara suppresses a smile.) 

Grissom: I think fantasies are best kept private.

(He looks at Sara. Camera holds a b*at on Sara.) 

(Nick enters the room.) 

Nick: Hey. Want to know why Jeff left the girl and went downstairs?

Catherine: Okay.

Nick: This was dropped off at the Palermo. Manager sent it over.

(Nick opens the jewelry case and shows the diamond bracelet inside. Everyone leans to look at the bracelet.) 

Catherine: Nice rocks.

Nick: Mm-hmm. Jeff must have spent the ten g's he won playing pool on it.

(Grissom listens and glances over at Sara.) 

Nick: Gift wrapped, never picked it up.

Catherine: Yeah, there was a jewelry store right across from the service corridor entrance.

(Quick flashback to: [INT. JEWELERS - NIGHT] The clerk brings out the bracelet as Jeff takes out the cash and counts the bills.) 

Jeff Powell: (excited) Most I ever spent on a girl.

(Through the glass window, we see the two bodyguards standing out in the arcade and watching Jeff.) 

Jeff Powell: Most I ever held in my hand at one time.

(He continues to count the cash.) 

(End of flashback. Resume to scene.) 

Nick: You know, the biggest fantasy in Vegas is that everything here happens by chance. Nothing here happens by chance. The odds are set before you get off the plane.

(Nick closes the jewelry case and turns to leave.) 

Greg: You know, I'd settle for a birthday breakfast.

(Hint. Hint. Greg closes the file folder in front of him and glances slyly at Catherine. Catherine picks up her cup and stands up.) 

Catherine: Now that is a fantasy.

(Catherine and Greg leave the room. Grissom and Sara remain behind. Sara looks up smiling and finds Grissom looking at her.) 

(Their eyes meet.) 

(Hold on Grissom and we ... 

FADE TO BLACK.

End
{"type": "series", "show": "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation", "episode": "06x22 - Time of Your Death"}