04x07 - What Happens in Vegas Dies in Boston

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "Crossing Jordan". Aired: September 2001 to May 2007.*

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Follows a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed in the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
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04x07 - What Happens in Vegas Dies in Boston

Post by bunniefuu »

[Scene: Logan Airport. Runway. Jordan and Woody pull up in their cars. Woody's car is making a clunking noise.]

JORDAN: What's with that urking sound?

WOODY: 1200 bucks. I like to refer to it as white noise.

JORDAN: You seriously gotta get a new car, man.

WOODY: I think it's a classic, Jordan. (They walk towards a plane with a Montecito logo on the tail.) Not like this thing though. This is a sweet ride.

JORDAN: Yeah, not so sweet for the dead guy.

WOODY: You gotta hand it to him though. At least he went out in style. High roll weekend in Vegas, a little gambling, a little boozing, a little trolling.

JORDAN: You know what they say. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

WOODY: You got a problem with that?

JORDAN: Hey, you wanna head on out there and put your life savings on red, be my guest. But don't think the Montecito resort and casino is set up to let you win. They just want you to think that way.

(Jordan and Woody walk onto the plane. Danny, Sam and a security guard are there. A dead man is laying on a chair.)

WOODY: Excuse me, excuse me, this is supposed to be a secure crime scene. Who are they?

SAM: I'm Samantha Jane Marquez. Sam. This is Danny McCoy. We're from the Montecito resort and casino. We're from Las Vegas.

WOODY: You're not supposed to be here. They're not supposed to be here.

SAM: The Montecito made arrangements.

JORDAN: Some class air service. Does this guy have a name?

DANNY: Tommy O'Brien.

SAM: He's a whale. What you'd call a high roller.

(Jordan sees a case handcuffed to Tommy's wrist.)

JORDAN: Interesting appendage. I'm guessing this is why your hotel made arrangements.

DANNY: It's 3 million in cash. Look, I need to tell you guys what happened.

JORDAN: Yeah, I think you do. Approximate 3mm depression to his temple.

WOODY: Let me guess. He tripped?

DANNY: No. I hit him. I know how this looks but the guy was out of control. He was all over Sam and he wouldn't back down, so I hit him.

WOODY: You must have a pretty wicked left hook.

JORDAN: Actually, right cross. Which I'm guessing fractured his temple bone, severing the middle meningeal artery. And this case here, it's been tampered with. Someone was trying to get it off or get it open.

SAM: We were trying to secure it.

WOODY: Yeah, I'm sure you were. You know what this case looks like to me? 3 million pieces of motive.

DANNY: Listen, man...

WOODY: Easy, easy. You're gonna hit me too?

DANNY: No. I-I ju... It was an accident.

JORDAN: Yeah, well, here in the commonwealth of Massachusetts we don't call it an accident. We call it manslaughter.


OPENING CREDITS


[Scene: Police Station. Room. Woody and Danny are there.]

DANNY: I made a statement. I told you I hit him, I didn't mean to hurt him, I was just trying to stop him. I was defending her.

WOODY: See, normally I go with you don't know your own strength but I checked you out. Ex-special ops. Trained k*ller. Spooky.

DANNY: I threw one punch.

WOODY: Case in point.

DANNY: This Tommy O'Brien was a bad guy so we marked the cash and we were gonna try to follow it.

WOODY: Why'd you mark the cash?

DANNY: I can't tell you that.

WOODY: Oh, man. This sounds straight out of one of those Elmore Leonard novels.

DANNY: You think I'm lying? So give me a polygraph.

WOODY: Guy trained like you, you'd be able to fool it. See Danny, I got like a sixth sense for these sort of things. And that sixth sense is telling me 3 million in cash is a sweet bonus on a security guard salary.

DANNY: Head of security.

WOODY: Whatever.

DANNY: And I'm around millions of dollars every day. How stupid would I look to k*ll a guy knowing I'm gonna be the prime suspect?

WOODY: Everybody looks stupid when they get caught.

DANNY: I need to make sure that that money is secure.

WOODY: Don't worry about the money. It's safe at the morgue. Evidence that rolls in with the body, stays with the body.

DANNY: 3 million dollars, they can't make sure that kind of money is safe.

WOODY: It's how we do it here in Boston. Besides, I think you have more important things to worry about.

DANNY: I think I'd like to make that call now.

[Scene: ME's Office. Jordan and Nigel are there. Tommy O'Brien's body is on the table. Jordan is trying to cut off the handcuffs. Nigel puts an x-ray of the suitcase up onto the light screen which reveals the money inside.]

NIGEL: All present and accounted for. Oh, the adventures I could have with this lot.

JORDAN: Dream on. You run the prints of the impermeable case?

NIGEL: Oh, yeah, that's what I came to tell you. Casino boy's prints are all over it and those of his tasty travelling companion. (Results of multiple IDs show up on the computer.) Well, well, well.

JORDAN: Something turn up on Mr. O'Brien's fake ID?

NIGEL: Yeah, his prints are a match. Twelve times over. He's got drivers licenses in a dozen states. All with different names. Elliot Sparks, Statius Thoreau.

JORDAN: Multiple IDs and multiple sex partners. His body was covered in female DNA. Saliva, pubic hair, not to mention traces of cocaine up his nose. Yeah, regular poster boy for Vegas. I guess that guy really did have a reason for slugging him. Nige, remind me if I ever think about chaining a tamper proof case to my wrist, not to. (She marks Tommy's wrist with a pen and starts up the saw.) Wanna give me a hand?

[Scene: Mills' House. Garret and Lily are walking through the yard.]

LILY: This place is like a small kingdom.

GARRET: I guess money can't buy everything.

(They meet up with Matt Seely. Near by is a woman holding onto her dead son.)

MATT: I don't know why I let you talk me into this. This is ridiculous.

GARRET: You said she wouldn't let go. If your guys yank her off, you'll smear everything. What've we got?

MATTL Maid said the mother came home about an hour and a half ago. Found the kid here.

LILY: That's Florence Mills? That's her name?

MATT: Yeah. Look, we've been waiting an hour. Would you make this quick so I can get in and do my job?

LILY: How about you give me some space so I can do my job. (She gives Matt her handbag and walks over to Florence. She kneels in front of her.) Mrs. Mills? I'm Lily Lebowski. These police officers, the medical examiner, they need to examine your son so they can try to find out who did this.

FLORENCE: If I let him go, he'll...

LILY: You won't. You won't ever have to let him go. He'll always be with you. Can I help you? Give me your hands. It's okay, Mrs. Mills.

MATT: The kid was supposed to be up in his room studying for a trig test. Must've needed a study break.

GARRET: Did you find a w*apon?

MATT: Nope. No motive yet, either.

(Lily takes Florence away from her son. Garret and Matt walk over to the boy. He's covered in blood and has a bone sticking out of his arm.)

[Scene: ME's Office. Morgue Vault. Jordan, puts the suitcase in a safe. Sam walks in.]

SAM: Dr. Cavanaugh. (Jordan looks around quickly.) Oh, sorry, didn't mean to startle you.

JORDAN: What are you doing here?

SAM: I was just looking for the ladies room.

JORDAN: I mean at the morgue.

SAM: Oh, I wanted to keep an eye on the money while Danny sorts things out. This isn't bad. Electronic entry, video surveillance. It's not Vegas but...

JORDAN: You know, visitors aren't really allowed down here unescorted.

SAM: I'm not sure why we started off on the wrong foot.

JORDAN: We're not on the wrong foot, actually, we're just kind of in the wrong place.

(They go out into the hall.)

SAM: Yeah, um, listen, uh, I've had a really bad day. Nothing like watching a guy right in front of you, being cooped up with the corpse and then having your friend arrested for k*lling him.

JORDAN: Yeah, well, I'm very sorry that your friend got himself in trouble but as you can see our security system is just fine.

SAM: Well, I guess that's good to know.

(Sam walks away.)

[Cut to Trace Evidence. Garret and Bug are there. Jefferson Mills' body is on the table.]

GARRET: Spiral fractures. Someone took extra care to do this special. Kept on twisting. Anatomical neck, head humerus, capitulum. Not a single defensive wound, so either he knew the k*ller or...

BUG: Or the k*ller surprised him from behind. You know, I understand that the mother was overwrought but she didn't make our job any easier. Her trace is all over the... That's weird. His canine tooth's been pulled.

GARRET: Who takes a tooth as a souvenir?

BUG: Maybe someone with a wig. (He pulls a hair off the body.) Looks synthetic.

GARRET: If it's a wig, we might be able to trace it.

(Lily walks in.)

LILY: Garret? Uh, Rene Walcott is in your office.

[Cut to Garret's Office. Rene is waiting there. Garret walks in.]

GARRET: What's going on, Rene? You've been dodging me for months and all of a sudden you have to see me right now?

(She turns around and notices her very pregnant belly.)

RENE: I guess I should explain.

GARRET: I'm pretty sure I understand the mechanics of it.

RENE: Yeah, I know you do.

GARRET: So when were you gonna tell me?

RENE: It's not yours. My ex...

GARRET: No, it's none of my business apparently.

RENE: I met him for a drink and...

GARRET: And one thing led to a mother?

RENE: Listen, I'll take whatever flack you wanna lop my way, but right now I need to talk to you about Jefferson Mills.

GARRET: Of course you do.

RENE: His k*lling is a priority. Whoever did it is a monster.

(Bug walks in.)

BUG: I think our monster left a calling card.

(Bug notices Rene's pregnant belly.)

GARRET: What is it, Bug?

BUG: I, uh, I just found a partial print on the body. Back of the ankle. I think we may have our k*ller.

[Cut to the Break Room. Woody and Sam are there getting coffee.]

SAM: They say it's called chivalry. Some guy's hitting on your friend, they won't stop, they won't let go.

WOODY: We're not talking about me.

SAM: If someone's doing that and they won't back down... you back them down. You're wrong about Danny.

(Jordan walks to the door.)

JORDAN: I've been waiting 15 minutes.

WOODY: Yeah, I was just getting some coffee.

JORDAN: Yeah, I can see.

(Jordan walks away.)

WOODY: Excuse me. (He follows Jordan.) I was not getting played.

JORDAN: (mocking Sam) "Oh, you're wrong about Danny." Please. She is so a suspect, Woody. And with an inordinate interest in the money. I'm gonna have security escort her out.

WOODY: Jordan, we know the guy did it. He confessed.

JORDAN: Well, the punch didn't k*ll him. His temple bone was intact. No bleeding, no haemorrhage.

WOODY: What about the indentation on his head?

JORDAN: He got hit, that's all. If you ask me, his story was meant to cover for something. Or someone.

(They walk into Autopsy.)

WOODY: So how did this guy die?

JORDAN: Ventricular fibrillation.

WOODY: A heart att*ck?

JORDAN: Only there's no signs of heart disease, no defects.

WOODY: Which means...

JORDAN: Well, normally I think poisons, but tox screens came back negative. Except for cocaine. Cocaine has a very short half life. It only kills you when it's spiking, not on the way down. Looks like this guy did cocaine in Vegas.

WOODY: So what stopped this guy's heart? (Jordan holds up a photo.) Some kind of burns?

JORDAN: Yep. All over his torso. His tissue was cooked from the inside out. Sign of electrocution.

WOODY: Are you telling me rent-a-cop fried him?

JORDAN: I'm saying somebody did. Now if you can find something on that plane that can deliver a charge, maybe we can figure out who.

[Cut to Garret's Office. Garret is there. Ed Deline knocks on the door.]

GARRET: Go away. (Ed walks in.) Can I help you?

ED: Dr. Macy?

GARRET: Yeah.

ED: I'm, uh, Ed Deline. My hotel owns the plane that you're holding hostage. The one with the dead body.

GARRET: ME on that case is Dr. Cavanaugh. You can make an appointment with her in the morning.

ED: Yes, I could but you see I want to talk to you. We have this situation. Unfortunately the police don't know what they're doing. They're trying to pin this death on one of my employees and I'm sure they are no doubt pushing you to rubber stamp it.

GARRET: I don't rubber stamp anything.

ED: See, I kind of know how things work.

GARRET: All do respect, you don't know how I work, or my people.

ED: All do respect, why don't you tell me what your people have found.

GARRET: Like I said, I don't rubber stamp things. And I don't hand out autopsy results in the middle of an investigation. Especially someone vested in the case. It's your plane, it's your employee, both of which are being held for good reason.

ED: You don't know me, so I'm gonna let that go. But if you think for one sec you're running this show, you're gonna find out you're sadly mistaken. Excuse me.

[Scene: Montecito Plane. Nigel and Woody are there searching the inside.]

WOODY: I got nothing, Nigel. Did you find anything?

NIGEL: Well, it seems the Challenger 800 comes equipped with a full galley kitchen, including a lovely set of Messermeister cutlery. One boudoir with prima cotton sheets. And... (He holds up a bagged stun g*n.) An F30C stun g*n.

WOODY: Shocker. I'm guessing this is our electrocutioner's w*apon of choice.

[Scene: Forensic Laboratory. Jordan, Nigel and Woody are there.]

JORDAN: We know the stun g*n was registered to the pilot.

NIGEL: Mm-hm. And there are two sets of prints and neither are his. Well, one's a dead match for our boy from booking.

WOODY: And the other?

(Sam's ID shows up on the screen.)

JORDAN: So the question is, who's covering for whom?

(An alarm goes off in the building. They run out of the room and into the hallway. Woody checks out the emergency exit.)

WOODY: They must have gone the other way. (Jordan and Nigel check the vault. Woody walks in.) What? What is it? What's wrong?

NIGEL: The 3 million dollars.

JORDAN: It's gone.


[Scene: Police Station. Woody is talking on his cell.]

WOODY: Hey, it's Hoyt. I'm gonna need the preliminary report on that morgue vault ASAP. Thank you. (He hangs up. He sees Danny and an officer heading for the door.) Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Where you taking him?

OFFICER: He's been released.

WOODY: I don't think so.

DANNY: As hard as it may be for you to believe, Detective, you're in way over your head.

WOODY: Keep him here, keep him here. I've got calls to make. Keep him right there.

(Ed walks in.)

ED: That won't be necessary.

WOODY: I'm sorry, you are?

ED: Gee, I guess I'm the guy over your head.

WOODY: You know what? I really don't care who you are. I got a probable m*rder w*apon with his prints on it and his associate's prints on it. Excuse me.

DANNY: I don't know what it is you think you have.

WOODY: Hey, either you did it or you helped your friend Sam cover it up. Personally, my money's on him. Either way, he's not walking out of here. Excuse me.

ED: Excuse me. Um, would you please allow me to give you a little advice? Don't ever raise your voice to me again.

(Ed squeezes Woody's shoulder.)

WOODY: Okay. Sir, maybe I haven't been clear with you, so I'm gonna explain the situation. Here's what's gonna happen.

ED: No, no, no, no. See, here's what's gonna happen. I'll tell you. You're gonna do anything you possibly can to clear Danny. And then he's gonna figure out who it was who stole the money right out from under your nose.

WOODY: Right, right. It's actually common here in Massachusetts to allow m*rder suspects to participate in investigations.

ED: Well, I guess it is now since I talked to your commissioner. See, my people as luck would have it, they happen to know a thing or two about vault security. So now if you have any further questions for me or Miss Marquez, pick up a phone, jump on a plane, I don't care. I'm leaving. (to Danny) I'll call you when I get to Vegas.

(He leaves.)

DANNY: You wanna give me a ride to the morgue or should I just catch a cab?

[Scene: Police Station. A mother and her daughter are sitting in the hallway. Garret and Lily are near by.]

DAUGHTER: It's going to be okay. You'll see, mum.

(Garret and Lily walk into an observation room. Rene is there.]

LILY: Rene.

GARRET: Is this the guy that matched the print?

RENE: Look.

(They look through the glass. Matt, a lawyer, a little girl and her father are in the room.)

FATHER: I'm not gonna let you do this. This is ridiculous.

MATT: Somebody has to explain the evidence.

LAWYER: My client is not going to say anything.

FATHER: He's right.

MATT: The kid had 17 bones snapped.

AMANDA: They didn't snap.

FATHER: Amanda, don't say another word.

AMANDA: But I did it. And they didn't snap. More like a pop, or a crunch.

GARRET: Are you saying that this... This little girl? Did you see that crime scene?

RENE: The print that you found on the body is hers.

LILY: And she just confessed.

[Scene: ME's Office. Forensic Laboratory. Garret, Bug, Lily and Rene are there. They are looking at the computer.]

BUG: The k*ller surprised Jefferson Mills from behind. The first blow was to the base of the skull. The w*apon was swung upwards by someone shorter than the victim. With a w*apon like a golf club or a baseball bat, you don't need to be that strong. The w*apon creates the force to do the damage. Then the k*ller went to work on the arms. Started twisting. More than once around. It takes a full revolution before the shoulder pops.

RENE: A little girl could do that?

BUG: It doesn't take much to force a bone past the breaking point. The toroth provides the pressure to do the damage.

LILY: Like a pop or a crunch?

RENE: Um, could you give us a minute?

(Bug and Lily leave the room.)

GARRET: So what are you gonna do?

RENE: What do you think? Indite her, put her on trial.

GARRET: I think we should slow down.

RENE: Forensics, confession. Am I missing something?

GARRET: There's no m*rder w*apon, no motive.

RENE: The father is a bigot. He tried his damndest to keep the Mills family from moving in and corrupting the neighbourhood. Bad blood seems to be playing out between the kids. Broken window, stolen bike.

GARRET: Maybe he did it.

RENE: The girl is a psychopath, Garret. Did you hear one iota of remorse in her voice?

GARRET: Look, she's playing cold, she's playing remorseless. Maybe she did it, maybe she didn't. I'm just saying that you need to slow down.

RENE: If that's a professional dig, I'll take it under advisement. If it's personal...

(She leaves the room.)

[Cut to Forensic Laboratory. Jordan is there. Danny walks in.]

JORDAN: Oh, hey, it's our m*rder suspect slash investigative helper.

DANNY: You're cute. Not funny, but definitely cute.

(She holds up the stun g*n.)

JORDAN: This thing ring a bell?

DANNY: We keep one on the plane. Just in case.

JORDAN: Your prints are all over it.

DANNY: And you think that that's the m*rder w*apon?

JORDAN: In order to confirm it we have to try it out on live flesh. Our criminologist volunteered. He should be here in a sec.

DANNY: Why wait?

(He rolls up his sleeve.)

JORDAN: Actually, torso's better. We dialled it down. (He unbuttons his shirt.) You sure about this?

DANNY: Go ahead, doc, make my day.

(Nigel walks in.)

JORDAN: Ready?

(She turns it on and places it on his chest.)

NIGEL: They teach you that in the marines, did they? Ways to withstand t*rture. (He hands Jordan an Xmet.) Here you go.

JORDAN: Thanks, Nige. This one shouldn't hurt.

NIGEL: It's an Xmet. X-ray tubed based XRF alloy analyser. See, each stun g*n has it's own signature.

JORDAN: Well. Looks like your story might just hold up.

DANNY: Gee, you think?

JORDAN: I'm gonna find out what really happened on that plane. Now button up your shirt.

[Cut to the Computer Room. Jordan, Woody and Nigel are looking at the surveillance tapes of the morgue.]

NIGEL: The video feeds were cut before the heist but the thief had to get in to disable them, right?

JORDAN: Yeah, but there's nothing.

WOODY: Whatever we find, I'm betting Lieutenant McCoy had something to do with it.

JORDAN: Hate to say it but the guy seems legit.

NIGEL: Yeah, it's funny how you change your tune about all things Vegas, since five-card stud disrobed.

JORDAN: (to Woody) He's still in the vault?

WOODY: I got two uni's on him. I'm not about to let him or his little brunette counter-part bury any evidence against them.

JORDAN: See, her I don't trust. 100 bucks says Sam's our thief.

WOODY: What about Deline guy himself with the death grip? He's got some wacky cobra background I can't even access.

NIGEL: It's her.

WOODY: No, Nigel, I was just...

NIGEL: No, no, no, I mean it's her. Look who I just found sneaking into our electrical room.

WOODY: We got her.

JORDAN: No, I'm not so sure. She walks differently. (Woody and Nigel give her a look.) It's a girl thing. Can you enhance that?

NIGEL: Watch this.

WOODY: She's not even facing the camera.

NIGEL: Yeah, but her reflection is.

JORDAN: It's not Sam.

WOODY: Who is she?

NIGEL: I don't know. But whoever she is, she should've kept her hands to herself.

(The woman touches the wall.)

[Time lapse. Jordan, Nigel, Woody and Danny are there. They have identified the woman from the fingerprint.]

DANNY: Believe me now?

WOODY: Yeah, you're a real boy scout.

NIGEL: Would the alpha-males please return to their respective corners. The 3 million dollars goes to... Madeline Pillsbury.

JORDAN: Looks like she's been one naughty girl.

[Cut to Garret's Office. Garret is there looking at a doll. Lily walks in.]

GARRET: It's from her bedroom. But it doesn't match the synthetic hair we found. Why would an 11 year old girl confess to a m*rder she didn't commit?

LILY: I hate to say it but the girl is text book set up for psychopathy. Angry father, mother around like half the month. Like he was not on the higher side. Can I ask you a question? About Walcott?

GARRET: No.

LILY: This is not the first kid that you've seen k*ll. Are you sure that...

GARRET: This isn't about Rene. And I'm not gonna discuss it...

LILY: What?

[Time lapse. Garret and Lily are looking at an x-ray.]

GARRET: School records mentioned a broken arm. Skateboarding. She missed gym class for two months.

LILY: So...

GARRET: Look at her wrist, her arm. That's not from skateboarding, those are spiral fractures, just like Jefferson Mills. They were twisted. That's a sign of abuse.

LILY: So that's the trigger for all this? She was abused?

GARRET: That's not the trigger. What if the same person that broke her bones, broke his?

LILY: She was covering?

GARRET: You said it yourself. The father had it in for Jefferson Mills' family from day one. Who better to scare the girl into a confession.


[Scene: Madeline Pillsbury's House. Woody, Danny and two uniform cops walk up to the front door.]

WOODY: What kind of name is Madeline Pillsbury? It sounds like some kind of weird breakfast pastry.

DANNY: You're just pissed off that it wasn't Sam.

(Danny knocks on the door.)

WOODY: Boston PD, open up. Boston PD! All right, stand back.

DANNY: Whoa, whoa, whoa. I can pick this lock in like 5 seconds.

WOODY: Oh, really? I can do it in like one. (He kicks open the door.) Boston PD! Something tells me we're a day late.

(They walk through the rooms.)

DANNY: And 3 million dollars short. Looks like somebody had a hell of a party. Then left in a hurry.

(Woody sees a wedding photo.)

WOODY: Well, looky here. I'm thinking Madeline Pillsbury had her own little bill boy. Dead guy from the plane.

[Time lapse. Woody and Danny are searching the bedroom.]

WOODY: Looks like she was doing her homework. Check it out. Scrubs, map of the morgue.

(Jordan walks in.)

JORDAN: Okay, this is strange. Looks like Martha Stewart's been in that kitchen.

DANNY: Yeah, I thought I smelt cookies when dirty Harry here kicked in the door.

WOODY: Maybe that's her MO. Rip off 3 million bucks, hold a bake sale.

JORDAN: It's just wrong.

DANNY: Well, so is this place. This guy is supposed to be a high roller. It doesn't add up.

WOODY: This isn't gonna help.

(Woody opens a closet and finds whips and leather collars in there. Danny laughs.)

DANNY: Now this reminds me of Vegas.

JORDAN: I think I need a blush.

WOODY: One man's pain, another man's pleasure.

(Danny looks through the closet.)

DANNY: Speaking of which.

WOODY: A stun g*n.

JORDAN: No, it can't be. It wasn't on the plane.

WOODY: You'd better get this stuff back to Trace and see if you can tell us where she's been.

JORDAN: More important, where she's going.

DANNY: The money's gone, the cause of death's gone. I think I'm outta here. A lot easier trying to track her back in Vegas.

WOODY: Oh, you're leaving? It's a sad day for the Boston PD.

(Woody leaves the room.)

JORDAN: Uh, I'll see you around.

[Scene: Police Station. Room. Amanda is talking to her older sister, Beth.]

LAWYER: Time to go, Beth. (to Garret) You've got 30 minutes, tops.

(Beth walks out of the room.)

BETH: (to Garret) I'm not sure my father wants anyone talking to her.

GARRET: You think he'll get mad? Okay. (Garret walks into the room.) Hi, Amanda. I'm Garret Macy, I'm with the Medical Examiner's office. It's my job to examine Jefferson Mills and figure out how he d*ed and who k*lled him. Now, you say it was you, right? Sweetie, I know about the broken bones.

AMANDA: Everyone knows about the broken bones.

GARRET: Well, not his broken bones, I'm talking about yours. You want to tell me how you got those? Okay, you know what I think? I think you're scared. I think whoever broke your arm is the same person who k*lled Jefferson.

AMANDA: I could show you how I did it.

GARRET: I'm a doctor, Amanda. I know the signs of abuse, okay?

(Her father barges in.)

FATHER: What the hell are you doing?

[Time lapse. Garret and the father are in the hallway.]

FATHER: How does this make any sense?

GARRET: You tried to force the Mills family out of your neighbourhood. When that didn't work, you k*lled the son and for some sick and pathetic reason, you make your own daughter take the fall. Maybe you figured they'll never convict.

FATHER: If I thought taking the fall would keep my daughter off, you'd have my confession in a second. But it wouldn't hold up because I didn't do it. You think... You think I wanna believe she did it? I mean, do you know what it's like seeing my daughter in there like that? My daughter.

[Scene: ME's Office. Trace Evidence. Jordan, Nigel and Woody are there. Jordan is about to test the stun g*n on Woody.]

WOODY: You know, Jordan, I have a very high threshold for pain. I rarely use anaesthesia when I go to the dentist, hardly ever taken aspirin.

JORDAN: You done?

WOODY: Yeah. Whoa, whoa, wait. Let me just pump myself up for this, okay? (to himself) Okay, you're the man. You're the man. Okay, on three. One, two...

(Jordan puts the stun g*n on his chest. He groans.)

JORDAN: You okay?

WOODY: Yeah. Hardly felt anything at all. I know I took it better than that security guard.

JORDAN: Oh, women don't compare. That'd be rude.

NIGEL: Wept like a baby.

(Jordan puts the Xmet on his chest.)

WOODY: Aah.

JORDAN: It's okay. Well, nothing says lovin' like 20000 volts. Those marks were made by his wife.

WOODY: So she k*lled him and then took the money.


JORDAN: Maybe. Since this little toy wasn't on the plane, it wasn't what stopped his heart. We're back to square one.

NIGEL: What if what k*lled him was in his system before?

JORDAN: Nothing turned up with tox. No injection marks, no stomach contents.

NIGEL: But now we have a new suspect. Which gives us this. (He holds up a shirt.) One off the rack crew neck that was under her scrubs.

(He places the shirt under the magnifying glass which reveals blood spatter.)

WOODY: It's blood. So what? It's her husband's.

JORDAN: It's a high velocity spatter pattern. It's hers. She coughed it.

NIGEL: Exactly. She's sick. Coughing up blood.

WOODY: This helps us how?

JORDAN: Well, the husband drops dead, we have no idea why. Wife's coughing up blood. Can't find anything on her husband, maybe we can find something on her. Or on what's left of her.

[Cut to Garret's Office. Garret is there. Rene walks in.]

RENE: Stop undermining my case. Stop overstepping your authority.

GARRET: I'm doing what the state pays me to do. Investigating a death.

RENE: Are you sure that's all it is? Your office scattered the evidence, now you want to undercut it? Undercut me?

GARRET: You wanna have this out right here, right now?

RENE: I want to stop a psycho and I would appreciate your help.

(Rene leaves. Bug walks in.)

BUG: There's algae on Amanda's shoe, on top of the blood. She picked it up after the m*rder.

GARRET: What's your point?

BUG: I found a high concentrational phosphate in the algae, which leads me to think soap. So I checked with the NWRA and there's a pond in her neighbourhood where a runoff from a chunk of houses drains to. I'm betting that that's where we'll find a m*rder w*apon.

[Time lapse. Pond. Garret, Bug and Matt are there looking through the bushes.]

GARRET: Why do I feel like we're looking for a needle in a haystack and the needle's not even here?

MATT: Hey, if I'm here getting my wingtips dirty, we're gonna find something.

(Bug pulls out a doll from the bushes.)

BUG: She was here.

(Matt finds a pink box.)

MATT: Hey. I'm betting m*rder w*apon's behind door number two. (He opens the box to find many dead squirrels inside.) Ugh!

BUG: Looks like Jefferson Mills wasn't the first thing she k*lled.

[Scene: ME's Office. Corridor. Nigel walks up to Jordan who is eating a cookie.]

NIGEL: Cocaine.

JORDAN: No, chocolate chip. Do you want some?

NIGEL: In her blood. Traces of cocaine.

JORDAN: That wouldn't make her spit up blood.

NIGEL: I know, but it's the link. He keels over, she's coughing up blood.

JORDAN: It's not the cocaine, it's what's in the cocaine.

NIGEL: And either someone was trying to k*ll her too...

JORDAN: Or she played a little roulette to get him to indulge.

(They walk into Forensic Laboratory. Nigel picks up a small container.)

NIGEL: Trace from his nose.

JORDAN: Okay, so we're looking for a white powder. Colourless, odourless, deadly. Sodium fluoroacetate?

NIGEL: Well, Vegas is a desert. They have coyote problems, so it's easy to get what makes right into the... Bingo. You are good.

JORDAN: So she tried to poison him in Vegas but it didn't work fast enough.

(Woody walks in.)

WOODY: Claire Hendres.

NIGEL: And the question is?

WOODY: Guess who just caught a flight to Jordan's favourite city of decadence and moral decay?

NIGEL: One of Miss Pillsbury's aliases?

WOODY: Very good, Nigel. You get a gold star.

NIGEL: You think she'll be returning to the proverbial scene of the crime? Because we just figured out this bloke was drugged before he got on the plane, so technically speaking the m*rder took place in Vegas.

JORDAN: You mean, the first m*rder. Hey, remember those fresh baked cookies she made right after she lifted the cash? The ones on her blouse? I just ran a sample. They're laced with sodium fluoroacetate.

WOODY: She was making poison cookies?

JORDAN: Yeah, and who wants to bet she's taking them to Vegas. I think we have a plane to catch.

WOODY: Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you talking about?

JORDAN: I'm talking about going to Vegas.

WOODY: You hate Vegas.

JORDAN: Yeah, but the body's my jurisdiction. And if I have to rely on Vegas CSU to find anything, I think we'll be in a bit of trouble. Pack your bags, Woody, we're going to Vegas.


[Scene: Las Vegas. Montecito Casino. Jordan and Woody are walking through the casino.]

JORDAN: Oh, god, do you smell that?

WOODY: Money?

JORDAN: Cigarettes, stale booze, over oxygenated air manufactured to keep you awake long enough to gamble away your entire life savings.

WOODY: Lighten up, Jordan. This, this is what Vegas is all about. (They pass a woman screaming and jumping up and down.) What up, girl? Way to do it! Yeah! Keepin' the dream alive.

JORDAN: Oh, please, what's she racked up there? A couple of hundred bucks? And that's supposed to off-set the two grand she already dumped in? Next thing you know she's missing the next mortgage payment. Another trip, it is for closure.

(They walk up to Danny.)

DANNY: Well, I'd welcome you to Vegas but apparently it isn't your kind of town.

(Sam walks past.)

WOODY: Sam, Sam. (She stops.) Woody.

SAM: Oh.

WOODY: You changed your hair, it looks nice.

SAM: Oh, thanks, I did it for you.

WOODY: Really?

SAM: No. But you should call me if you need a casino host. (to Jordan) And you should... never mind.

DANNY: Hey. I apologise for her. Anyway, I tried to get a hold of you two on your cells. They found some of those marked bills at the Empire. It's a little crap box at the other end of the strip. Apparently, one of Pillsbury's aliases checked in there.

JORDAN: Don't tell me she already checked out?

DANNY: Yeah, this morning, but...

JORDAN: You know, I'd like to get a look inside that room. If she was already there it might be a crime scene.

DANNY: Yeah, I figured. They're already waiting for you.

WOODY: I'm gonna go get the car.

DANNY: Okay. (Woody walks off.) Okay, so what's with the "I hate Vegas" speech?

JORDAN: Overstating my point a bit?

DANNY: A little. So if it doesn't violate some mortician's code of ethics, we've got a suite available for you if you need it. Or two.

JORDAN: Oh, yes, actually, yeah, it is two. Two's good.

DANNY: Okay. Well, I'll take care of it.

JORDAN: And Danny? Thanks. You know, this place isn't half bad.

DANNY: I know, it's not.

[Scene: Boston. ME's Office. Autopsy. Garret and Bug are examining the dead squirrels. Lily is watching.]

GARRET: They all have the same spiral fractures and missing teeth.

BUG: Next time I see a cute little girl selling raffle tickets I'm keeping the door locked.

LILY: That's not even funny.

BUG: Sorry. Hello, hello, hello.

GARRET: What? What've you got?

BUG: Some clothing and tissue. Could be human. I'm thinking this little guy didn't go quietly. Bit the hand that k*lled it.

[Scene: Las Vegas. Montecito Hotel. Pool. Jordan, Woody and a man are walking past the pool.]

JORDAN: This is wrong.

WOODY: It's fantastic, Jordan, it's just fantastic.

JORDAN: Not them, the lobby. Dolphins, a tiger, a rollercoaster?

WOODY: Jordan, look around you, look around you. It's parka weather back home. Here it's... it's Vegas, baby, it's Vegas. (He passes some women in bikinis.) How you girls doing?

(He accidentally steps into the pool and Jordan helps him up.)

JORDAN: Vegas my ass. Smooth.

[Scene: Boston. ME's Office. Forensic Laboratory. Garret and Bug are there.]

GARRET: So is it hers?

BUG: Tissue's too corrupt to get a DNA reading.

GARRET: Not even a partial mapping?

BUG: We've got nothing.

(Lily walks in.)

LILY: I wouldn't say that. I started thinking. You get bit by a squirrel, what's the first thing your mother makes you do?

BUG: Stop chasing squirrels?

LILY: No. Rabies sh*t.

GARRET: Which the state keeps records of to keep track of any out breaks.

LILY: Just got off to the department of health. And guess who was vaccinated this past year?

[Scene: Police Station. Garret, the father, the lawyer and Beth walk into the observation room. Amanda is in the next room.]

FATHER: Detective Seely said you have a break in the case. Something that proves Amanda's lying?

GARRET: We think so, yeah.

BETH: That's great.

(Rene sits next to Amanda in the next room.)

RENE: We asked your father and your sister to come in today and they're right outside that window. We found that box at the pond just where you told us.

AMANDA: I haven't told you anything.

RENE: Well, I don't understand. The box with the dead animals. Your doll, the cat.

FATHER: Who is she talking about?

AMANDA: I didn't tell you anything.

RENE: I told you, Amanda. There's nothing to be afraid of. So, let's just go over what really happened. Everything you told us. About how Beth k*lled Jefferson Mills.

AMANDA: Beth, I swear! I didn't say anything!

FATHER: Did she say Beth did this?

AMANDA: Don't hurt Shirley! I didn't say anything!

LAWYER: Beth, I don't want you to say anything.

FATHER: No. I wanna know. Did you do this?

BETH: Daddy.

FATHER: Answer me! If you did this, so help me...

BETH: You'll tell me.

(He goes to grab her arm but she grabs his and starts to twist.)

[Time lapse. Corridor. Garret and Rene are there. Amanda and her father are near by.]

RENE: They found the m*rder w*apon in Beth's locker. Field hockey stick. And a box of teeth for trophies.

GARRET: Still can't fathom that she was willing to go to jail to keep her dog Shirley from getting hurt.

RENE: Amanda said that Beth liked the sound bones made when they snapped. The cr*ck reminded her of crunching ice in her teeth. (Lily and Florence walk past. The father stands up. Florence gives him a look and walks off. The father and Amanda leave.) I better get in there.

GARRET: Yeah, I have to get back to the morgue too. Rene, are you doing all right? I mean, health-wise with the kid?

RENE: Yeah, Garret. We're fine.

GARRET: Take care of yourself.

RENE: Thank you.


[Scene: Las Vegas. Empire Hotel. Room. Jordan is there. Woody walks in.]

WOODY: Well, the bellhop does not remember her car but get this. He heard her talking on her cell phone while he was loading, saying she was meeting someone else tonight.

JORDAN: If she's meeting someone later...

WOODY: Then we've got another m*rder on our hands. Right now we've got zip. I mean, look at this stuff. What've we got? We've got Lucky 7 magazine, empty bag of peanuts, used tissues, soda can. For all we know she was hungry and tired.

JORDAN: Can I see that? (She looks at the can.) A small piece of computer paper on the bottom.

WOODY: Okay, so?

JORDAN: So if you're neat, you use a coaster. If you don't have one, you use what you got. (She looks at the side table.) And there's a water ring here. Ink bleeds through wet paper, it leaves an image. Do you wanna shut those drapes?

WOODY: Feeling romantic?

(He closes the curtains. Jordan shines a UV light on the dresser.)

JORDAN: I'm feeling like Madeline Pillsbury is about to get b*rned.

WOODY: A car rental receipt.

[Time lapse. Woody is on the phone, walking past the pool.]

WOODY: Did you get it?

DANNY'S VOICE: The car company gave me access codes to track the car. The GPS is up. The car is on the move. Looks like she's heading out the strip.

(Woody meets up with Jordan.)

JORDAN: You got her?

WOODY: Yeah. (on phone) Where's she going?

DANNY'S VOICE: I guess that's the 3 million dollar question.

WOODY: Yeah. That and who she's meeting.

[Scene: Junk Yard. A black car is parked there. Jordan, Woody and Danny pull up. They get out.]

DANNY: There's her car.

(Woody looks in the car.)

WOODY: Nothing.

DANNY: She's gotta be around somewhere.

JORDAN: We should split up.

(Danny walks away.)

WOODY: (to Jordan) Stay right behind me. Right behind me.

JORDAN: Like glue.

(Danny searches the junk yard. Something falls and Woody and Jordan hear it.)

WOODY: Shh, shh, shh, shh. Stay here, Jordan. I mean it. Stay here.

(Woody walks off, g*n pointed. As soon as Woody is out of sight, Jordan walks into the junk yard. Madeline appears behind Jordan with her g*n pointed.)

MADELINE: How'd you find me?

(Jordan turns around.)

JORDAN: Put down the g*n. There's no need to make this worse.

MADELINE: Shut up! (Woody arrives.) I wanna know how you found me.

JORDAN: Madeline, put it down. We can talk about this.

MADELINE: I wanna know how you found me!

WOODY: Madeline, drop your w*apon!

(Danny arrives.)

DANNY: Put the g*n down! Put down your w*apon.

WOODY: It's cool, Danny. I've got this, I got this, Danny.

JORDAN: Uh, Woody?

MADELINE: Now!

WOODY: Madeline, stay calm. We don't wanna hurt you, all right?

DANNY: Just put the g*n down.

(The camera moves out of view from them and several sh*ts are heard.)


To be continued in Las Vegas...
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