02x01 - Burked

Episode transcripts for the TV show "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation". Featured Movie "Immortality" aired Sunday September 27th, 2015.*
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An elite team of police forensic evidence investigation experts work their cases in Las Vegas.
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02x01 - Burked

Post by bunniefuu »

COLD OPEN:

[EXT. LAS VEGAS (STOCK) - DAY]

[EXT. LAS VEGAS (STOCK) - DAY]

[EXT. LAS VEGAS (STOCK) - DAY]
[EXT. TONY BRAUN'S RESIDENCE - DRIVEWAY -- DAY]

(Driveway gate automatically rolls open and a Black Chevy Truck drives up the driveway (with Nevada License #510-ZHI). There's shrubbery in the back of the truck with gardening tools/equipment.)

(The truck stops and the gardener holding a red Big Drink cup exits. He takes a sip, puts the cup back in the car and closes door. He takes keys out of pocket and releases the back hatch of the truck to get his tools out and to get to work.)

(Two large dogs whimpering pass through the unlocked backyard gate and greet the surprised gardener.)

Gardener: Hey. How'd you guys get out?

(The dogs bark a couple of times and head back into the yard through the gate. The gardener follows.)

[EXT. TONY BRAUN'S RESIDENCE - BACKYARD - DAY - CONTINUOUS]

(The dogs stand at the back glass sliding door. They bark and whimper at something inside. The doors are closed. The gardener takes off his dark glasses and approaches the dogs.)

Gardener: What's the matter, boys?

(He pets the dogs trying to calm them down. Still, the dogs bark and whimper at something inside.)

Gardener: Easy. Hey ...

(He tries the doors, they're locked. Steps up close and peers in, his face extremely close to the glass. Off his face, he's surprised and horrified by the sight.)

(There is a man lying on the floor in his white boxer shorts. He appears to be dead.)

QUICK FLASH TO WHITE:
[EXT. TONY BRAUN'S RESIDENCE - OUT FRONT - DAY]

(CATHERINE makes her way up the driveway to the house. She's carrying her CSI kit and maneuvers through the police officers out front. On the driveway there are at least four police cars. She passes a TV news crew and photographers. All around her, there are indistinct radio chatter, helicopter whirring overhead and cameras shuttering and clicking.)

[INT. FOYER - DAY - CONTINUOUS]

(CATHERINE makes it to the front door and is stopped by the officer just inside the door. On the ground inside is GRISSOM. He's on his knees, his face close to the ground, his flashlight in hand. He's looking for something ... or looking at something.)

(CATHERINE sees this and slowly kneels down to assist in the search.)

Catherine: (to GRISSOM) Have you been inside?

(GRISSOM waves his free hand absently. Signaling that he's concentrating on the search for ... whatever. Not wanting to disturb anything, but ready to help, CATHERINE pulls off her sunglasses and leans in close as GRISSOM hones in on it.)

Catherine: What have you got?

(GRISSOM doesn't say anything. He slowly picks it up. Checks to make sure it's there ... and hands the contact lens to the officer standing nearby.)

Grissom: There you go, detective.

Detective: Thanks. Little tired this morning. Pulling a double.

Catherine: Yeah, join the club.

(CATHERINE and GRISSOM stand.)

Grissom: Good morning, Catherine.

Catherine: Good morning, Gil. So, this is Tony Braun's house. Son of Sam Braun.

(As they walk further into the house, they notice that on the table in the foyer there are framed family photographs. The camera focuses on a particular professional family photograph of Sam Braun (mature man sitting in the center), two males (each one standing to each side of and behind him), and two females (next to the sons on the outside).)

Grissom: He was Steve Wynn before Steve Wynn.

Catherine: Oh, yeah, you bet your ass. (she puts on her gloves) Sam came to Vegas when Vegas was dying. Built three casinos in a year. Had ties to Bugsy Siegel.

CUT TO:
[INT. TONY BRAUN'S RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS]

Brass: Wish I had Tony Braun's gardener working for me. Guy sniffed it out from the jump. Blinds were drawn shut. Side gate unlocked. Dogs let out. "A" plus "B" plus "C" equals 9-1-1.

(There are a couple of officers in the room. The television set's on with the football game in progress. Tony Braun's body is on the carpeted floor. He's wearing white boxer shorts and a dark shirt. On the coffee table next to him is a wine bottle, an empty wine glass, some drug paraphernalia and other stuff.)

(GRISSOM and CATHERINE move in past BRASS to examine the body and scene.)

Grissom: All seems very neat and peaceful, doesn't it?

[Clips of the crime scene from various perspectives flash in quick pulses:
* Upper Body sh*t of the victim on the floor. Flash to white:
* Close up of empty pill bottle next to the victim's right hand. Too far away to make out the prescription label. Flash to white:
* Low angle of the stuff on the table: a used wine glass, a slip of foil, an empty highball glass. Flash to white.]

(CATHERINE picks up a piece of foil that was used for the dr*gs.)

Catherine: Chasing the dragon. A pinch of "H." Heat the foil. Inhale the fumes.

[* close up of empty pill container from SKADDEN'S PHARMACY (78566 Ambers Ave...). From what we can see of the prescription label, it says:
(Name) Tony Braun
(Fill Date) 9/25/01
(Phone No.) 555-0190
Take One tablet when ... Do not exceed 3 Tablets ... XANAX
(Expires) 07/25/02
(Refill) 1
The side yellow label says: CAUTION: DO NOT TAKE WITH ALCOHOL.]

(GRISSOM picks up the pill bottle and begins to read part of the label.)

Grissom: With a Xanax back. 100 pills. Prescription filled yesterday.

Brass: So the rumors about ol' Tony boy are true. Drug overdose.

Catherine: It sure seems that way.

(GRISSOM shakes his head.)

Grissom: If only life were that simple.

HARD CUT TO: END OF TEASER. ROLL TITLE CREDITS.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[INT. TONY BRAUN'S RESIDENCE - DAY]

(Extreme close up of a camera lens as it flashes. SARA is taking crime scene photos while GRISSOM is busy over the body. She snaps two pictures and takes the film out of the camera. SARA hands the film to THE COURIER waiting nearby.)

(Cut to close up of Tony Braun's right arm and hand. GRISSOM takes out a container.)

Sara: (to the COURIER) Eight rolls. Two copies. Case is hot. Put a rush on it.

Courier: Okay.

(THE COURIER leaves. SARA sees something on the carpet and picks it up. She holds it up for closer inspection.)

Sara: Lose an earring?

Grissom: Looks like somebody did.

(SARA bags the earring backing. GRISSOM uncaps the container and uses the cover to take a sample of the clear sticky goo on Tony Braun's wrist.)

Grissom: He's got adhesive residue on his wrists.

Sara: He was restrained. Some sort of tape.

Grissom: Well, that would be the obvious.

Sara: Braun had company.

Grissom: Welcome ... or unwelcome?

Sara: Where's the purge? Car blows its engine, there's an oil leak. A guy ODs, where's the body fluid? Urine, vomit, excrement.

Grissom: Did somebody clean him up?

(SARA notices and focuses in on three red spots on Tony Braun's upper chest.)

Sara: Interesting love bites on the chest.

Grissom: Curious, isn't it?

(SARA realizes something else and puts her flashlight down.)

Sara: And he's posed.

(Camera sh*t of Tony Braun's body flat on his back on the floor with his arms a little away from his sides shows us what SARA sees. She turns to GRISSOM.)

Sara: When did you know this was a homicide and not an O.D.?

Grissom: Initially?

Sara: Yeah.

Grissom: When I saw the TV on.

(GRISSOM points to the television set. The camera cuts to the television screen where the football game continues.)

CUT TO:
[EXT. TONY BRAUN'S RESIDENCE - BACKYARD - DAY]

(NICK is playing with and vigorously petting Tony Braun's dogs inside the backyard near the gate. CATHERINE walks by, she stops as she puts on her latex gloves and watches the interaction. NICK notices CATHERINE and smiles up at her.)

Catherine: Well, I'll tell you one thing -- if those were my dogs, I wouldn't be leaving this gate open.

Nick: Yeah, you're talking about a dog owner on heroin. How responsible can he be?

Catherine: Gardener said it was the first time in five years that he'd found this gate unlocked.

(NICK stands and looks at CATHERINE through the gate bars.)

Nick: What's so different about this morning?

Catherine: Last morning of Tony Braun's life? Well, either somebody inside the house opened it, or somebody had a key because this lock hasn't been forced. There's no pry marks. No metal shavings.

Nick: So ... why was the gate open?

CUT TO:
[INT. TONY BRAUN'S RESIDENCE - BEDROOM - DAY]

(CLOSE UP of about 12+ pill containers on the dresser top - both prescription (from SKADDEN'S PHARMCY) and over-the-counter -- little black, red and white balloons scattered, an open white box of cigarettes along with other stuff.)

(In the background near the door, BRASS is going through the contents on top of a second dresser.)

Warrick: A heroin addict's confetti. Nothing like going on a binge.

(WARRICK picks up a single empty, open small red balloon with forceps.)

(Flash to white. The camera does a quick CGI flash close-up journeying into the balloon and shows black residue stuck to the inner walls of the rubber. The balloon itself is empty of its contents. Flash to white.)

(Cut back to WARRICK holding the red balloon with forceps.)

Warrick: Black tar heroin. This is the difference between a Cadillac and a Pinto.

Brass: How would you know?

Warrick: It's my job. (he puts the balloon back on the dresser) I count at least six balloons, and that's just in the bedroom. The dealer must have come down the chimney. It's like Christmas in July here.

(WARRICK crouches down so that he's eye level with the prescription bottles on the dresser.)

Warrick: Not that Braun even needed any more dr*gs.

Brass: Yeah, looks like the guy had a pill for everything. Can you get a print off those balloons?

(WARRICK throws BRASS a look.)

Warrick: I can get a print off the air.

CUT TO:
[INT. TONY BRAUN'S RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - DAY]

(SARA is going through TONY BRAUN'S KITCHEN. She shuts the cabinet door under the sink, stands and moves to look through another cabinet. She's looking for something.)

(GRISSOM walks in.)

Grissom: Any luck?

Sara: I have gone through every garbage can in the house.

Grissom: What about the cans outside?

Sara: First thing I checked. Zip.

(GRISSOM walks out of the kitchen.)

(SARA opens another cabinet door under the counter and pulls out the kitchen garbage bin. It's full. She puts the garbage bin on the counter and begins to go through it.)

(She removes an empty clear package and puts it aside. She pulls out an empty box of Saltine Crackers, shakes it and hears something in it. She opens it and uses a pair of forceps to pull out a scrunched up wad of silver-gray colored duct tape.)

CUT TO:
[EXT. TONY BRAUN'S RESIDENCE - BACK DOOR - DAY]

(NICK is walking along the back of the house. He hears a dog's whimper. He stops and scratches his left ankle. He notices the doggie door in the back door is open. He pauses and looks at it. Considers the possibilities.)

(He tries the door knob. It's locked. He runs his latex-gloved finger along the top of the doggie door and pulls out the supplies to print the entire section.)

CUT TO:
[INT. CSI -- FORENSIC AUTOPSY BAY -- DAY]

(GRISSOM enters.)

Grissom: Hey, Doc.

Robbins: Leg fell asleep.

(ROBBINS is legless. He looks up from working on his leg and puts it back on. He gets up and moves toward the body.)

Robbins: I always wondered which one of us coroners would get to carve Tony.

(He and GRISSOM get to work on the body.)

Robbins: His lifestyle was no secret -- sex, dr*gs and a big bankroll. No needle marks on his arms. The guy plays golf; short-sleeved shirts checked between the toes ... groin area. Whatever he did went up his nose.

(ROBBINS leans in to point toward the inside of TONY BRAUN'S nose.)

Robbins: His nasal cavity looks like raw hamburger.

(The camera does a low pan from TONY BRAUN'S upper chest, up his neck, past his mouth and in toward his nose. The camera view continues to show an extreme close-up of the inside of his nose. Flash to white. Back to GRISSOM looking down on the body.)

Grissom: These abrasions around his mouth? What? Hard to shave when you're stoned?

Robbins: Or they're pressure marks. For example, if someone places a pillow or object against someone's nose and mouth in the climate of struggle.

Grissom: Petechial hemorrhaging? Also suggestive of suffocation.

Robbins: Not always. For as much as pathology is an absolute science, it isn't. Vessels can rupture under innocent circumstances such as a violent cough.

Grissom: These three, circular, red marks on his chest? They're not bug bites.

Robbins: No neurotoxins present but that's not to say some overanxious paramedic trying to save a legend's life didn't cause them in the moment.

Grissom: CPR wasn't performed.

Robbins: Then I don't know what they are.

Grissom: It's hard to OD just inhaling heroin. I know he was restrained which leads me to believe that someone forced him to ingest lethal amounts of heroin and Xanax.

CUT TO:
[EXT. TONY BRAUN'S RESIDENCE - FRONT DOOR -- DAY]

(A blonde-haired woman holding a digital camcorder and walking rapidly to the house nearly collides with a police officer holding a clip board. There is indistinct radio chatter in the background.)

Janine Haywood: Excuse me.

(The woman makes her way into the house.)

CUT TO:
[INT. TONY BRAUN'S RESIDENCE - THE FOYER - CONTINUOUS]

(BRASS and CATHERINE are exiting the living room when they have the misfortune to be the first to come upon the blonde-haired woman.)

Janine Haywood: Boy, are you lucky my lawyer's on a golf course. I've been standing out here, in the heat for hours, answering these stupid questions. Here's your answer, okay. This is my house. Okay? This is half my house anyway.

(JANINE HAYWOOD turns her digital camcorder on and begins to walk around the room ... recording.)

Catherine: Who's this?

Brass: It's Braun's "Squeeze". She's an ex-stripper, too. Perhaps you two met in a professional capacity.

Janine Haywood: (in the background) These are my things ...

Catherine: And, uh, where has she been the past 12 hours?

Janine Haywood: (in the background) Oh, my god.

Brass: Uh, let's see.

(BRASS pulls out his notebook, flips open to a couple of pages getting ready to answer CATHERINE'S question.)

Brass: Quote: "Out." Endquote. When Tony's drug dealer showed up, she split. She slept at a friend's house. She didn't like the way Tony acted when he was cruising on magic carpets.

(JANINE HAYWOOD turns her camcorder on BRASS and CATHERINE.)

Janine Haywood: Listen -- if anything is missing from this house I'm going to add you to my lawyer's "to sue" list.

(BRASS moves to block the camera's view, CATHERINE moves off to the side to look for something in her kit, and JANINE puts her camcorder down.)

Brass: Why don't you just put the camera away before you get arrested?

Janine Haywood: You can't arrest me in my own house.

Catherine: Right now, your house is our crime scene ... and we can do whatever we want and that includes fingerprinting you.

(CATHERINE pulls out her fingerprint kit and starts fingerprinting JANINE.)

Janine Haywood: Why? Didn't do anything.

Catherine: Thumb to pinkie.

Janine Haywood: I just lost my boyfriend, okay? You're a woman. I'm just looking out for my end here, you know? Things start to disappear. If Tony were here right now, he'd tell you himself, "just make sure Janine's taken care of."

Brass: That's a lawyer's call.

Janine Haywood: Hey, I'm in the will.

Catherine: Of course you are.

CUT TO:
[EXT LAS VEGAS (STOCK) sh*t OF THE TANGIERS CASINO -- DAY]
[INT. CASINO - DAY]

(CATHERINE walks up to the reception desk.)

Receptionist: Can I help you?

Catherine: Yeah. Is Sam Braun in?

Receptionist: He's not seeing anyone today.

Catherine: Would you let him know that Catherine Willows is here to see him?

(The receptionist passes the message along (through the computer keyboard) and waits as she gets a response back over her headset.)

Receptionist: Just one second, please.

(The Receptionist leaves CATHERINE at the desk. It doesn't take long before an older white-haired man appears behind her.)

Sam Braun: Mugs?

(CATHERINE turns around, she smiles and gives the old man a hug.)

SHORT TIME CUT TO:
SCENE #12

[INT. CASINO - THE MAIN FLOOR - DAY]

(CATHERINE and SAM BRAUN walk arm in arm along the casino floor.)

Sam Braun: I remember the first time I saw you. You didn't have any clothes on.

Catherine: Yeah, well, that was a long time ago.

Sam Braun: I would've taken you home right then if I could have.

Catherine: I know, but you were married and I was a baby. It would've never worked. Sam ... how are you holding up?

(Before he can answer her, WALT BRAUN appears in front of them.)

Walt Braun: Hey, dad, I got the press clogging up valet. Should I call security or just handle it, or what?

Sam Braun: I'll take care of it. You go back to the pit. Make sure nobody's robbing us blind.

(SAM BRAUN turns away from his son leaving him standing there. He takes CATHERINE'S arm and continues to walk across the Casino Floor.)

SHORT TIME CUT TO:
SCENE #13

[INT. CASINO - RESTAURANT TABLE - DAY]

(CATHERINE and SAM BRAUN reminisce over their drinks.)

Sam Braun: You know, back in, uh ... in '67 I was in my 20s and ... I was drinking in a dive in downtown Buffalo. At the end of the bar was this pro quarterback drinking double scotches, two at t time midnight to 7:00 in the morning. It's Sunday, game day, mind you. So you know what I did? Called my bookie, bet against him. Guess what? I'll be damned if he didn't throw six touchdown passes.

Catherine: (Laughing): Yeah ... sounds like Tony.

Sam Braun: You know, even when Tony was juicing he could run circles around these college, Harvard types ... and I'm not saying that just because he was my kid. Tony was the best damn casino exec this town has ever seen and just between you and me ... I couldn't hold a candle to him. Now he's dead. Overdose.

Catherine: Sam ... the bigger the pedestal the bigger the target.

Sam Braun: Nobody sh**t at that target without going through me.

Catherine: Well, that's business. What about personal?

Sam Braun: What do you mean?

Catherine: Did you ever talk to Tony about any of his girlfriends?

Sam Braun: Which one? I mean, they were all trying to pick the gold out of his teeth.

Catherine: Janine Haywood.

Sam Braun: She's the worst ... and he loved her the most. Can you believe it?

Catherine: Yeah, I do.

Sam Braun: If I know her type, now that she has the gold she'll be going after the silver.

(Camera holds on CATHERINE.)

CUT TO:
[INT. CSI -- PRINT LAB]

(GRISSOM AND HIS LAB EXPERIMENT to get the fingerprints off of the plastic prescription drug pill container.)

(GRISSOM takes the empty prescription bottle and hangs it on an upside-down stand. He proceeds to process the bottle to extract the fingerprints on it by heating glue and exposing the bottle to the fumes in a sealed environment. He removes the bottle from the stand and gently brushes it. When he's done, there are lots of fingerprints around the bottle.)

(Camera close-up holds on the prescription bottle with visible fingerprints.)

CUT TO:
[INT. CSI - PRINT LAB]

(CATHERINE is at the computer monitor. GRISSOM is sitting on the chair next to her.)

Catherine: Okay, on the left, Braun prints we got from the coroner and on the right, gold digger prints I got from Janine Haywood.

Grissom: Here's where it gets interesting. I took six prints off this bottle.

Catherine: And?

Grissom: They all belong to one person.

Catherine: Good thing or ... bad thing?

Grissom: It's good if you're us ...

(The computer beeps. The print on the left is place on the print on the right. It rotates 180 degrees till it's upside down and shows no differences. The red print on the right enlarges and moves to the center of the screen. It shows a match.)

Grissom: Bad if you're Janine Haywood.

(CATHERINE and GRISSOM both look pleased.)

FADE TO BLACK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[INT. CSI -- HALLWAY]

(GRISSOM walks out of a room into the hallway traffic. He takes a sip of coffee from the cup he's holding. His face shows his distaste with the cup's contents. He's met up by WARRICK. They continue walking.)

Warrick: Have you seen Brass?

Grissom: Not tonight, no. Why?

Warrick: Oh. "Print off air." Orange balloon. Cyanoacrylate. Dead bang, drug dealer.

(WARRICK heads off in another direction. GRISSOM nearly walks into SARA as she's in a rush to get to wherever it is she's going. She's holding a plastic bag with the wad of duct tape from the kitchen garbage bin.)

Sara: Ooh, ooh, watch it! Evidence.

Grissom: Where did you get it?

Sara: cr*cker box. It was all stuck together, muckety-muck. I don't want to ruin any potential prints but I saw this TV dinner commercial and it hit me. I'm going to put it in the freezer.

(SARA continues down the hallway. GRISSOM turns around and continues on to his destination.)

CUT TO:
[INT. CSI - BREAK ROOM]

(GRISSOM reaches the Lounge/Break Room (whatever it's called). NICK is sitting at the table working on something.)

Grissom: Did you try this coffee?

Nick: Mm-mmm. [Translation: No.]

Grissom: The last cup I had tasted like motor oil.

(GRISSOM picks up the pot of coffee. From straight down the hallway, GREG runs to intercept the coffee pot and GRISSOM'S cup. He stops in front of GRISSOM.)

Greg: Oh, don't touch it. That's my pot!

Grissom: Your pot?

Greg: Yeah, you know, from my own private stash. (He picks up the coffee bag.) Blue Hawaiian -- $40 a pound. Only grown a couple times a year on the Big Island hand-picked to perfection.

Grissom: Good. You're using my water so I guess that makes it community coffee.

(GRISSOM pours himself a cup. He turns and offers NICK a cup also.)

Grissom: You want a cup, Nick?

(NICK looks over at GRISSOM and scratches his lower leg.)

Nick: No, thanks.

Grissom: What's the matter with your leg?

Nick: I don't know, man. Something back at that house must have bit me.

(NICK opens the bottle of rubbing alcohol on the table and begins to soak up the cotton wipe. GRISSOM is drinking his coffee and reading the back of the coffee bag. GREG reaches for the coffee pot, pours himself a cup and sees NICK do this.)

Greg: Oh, is that alcohol on a bug bite? That's like butter on burns, man. Wives' tale.

(NICK is definitely rubbing the alcohol on the bug bite.)

Nick: Yeah, this is the guy who told me to put hemorrhoid cream on my acne.

(GRISSOM smiles at this.)

Greg: It worked, didn't it?

(GREG grabs his bag of Blue Hawaiian coffee out of GRISSOM'S hands and leaves the room.)

Grissom: (about the coffee) This is pretty good.

(Approaches NICK at the table and looks down at the bite on NICK'S leg.)

Grissom: Let me see the bite before you get gangrene. Chigger bite.

Nick: Yeah?

Grissom: Probably picked it up walking through the ferns in Braun's backyard. See if Catherine's got some clear nail polish. It'll seal it off from the air, keep it from itching.

Grissom: Ah -- Whatever happened with that doggy door?

Nick: Something definitely two-legged went through it. Got mostly partials. Print lab's working on it now.

Grissom: Be sure to check it against Janine Haywood's prints.

(NICK nods. GRISSOM and his cup of coffee leave the room.)

HARD CUT TO:
[INT. FORENSIC AUTOPSY BAY]

(ROBBINS' holding up a clear container of brown liquid stuff.)

Robbins: Braun's stomach contents. No food. Plenty of dr*gs.

Grissom: Xanax?

Robbins: And heroin.

(ROBBINS hands the container to GRISSOM.)

Catherine: I thought he inhaled it.

Robbins: Inhaled and ingested.

Catherine: He ate it?

Robbins: Got there somehow.

(GRISSOM holds the container up to the light and is looking for something inside it.)

Grissom: Where are all the undissolved pills?

Robbins: Didn't find any.

Grissom: Most OD's die before digestion's complete, right?

Robbins: My guess, someone mashed up the Xanax, dissolved them in red wine, which I did find.

Grissom: Okay, so what do we know that we can write home about?

Catherine: Well, Braun was a heroin addict using heavy just before he d*ed which means he was probably meek as a lamb.

Grissom: Wouldn't have taken much to bind his hands with duct tape.

Catherine: And make him drink hemlock. It's a lot easier to pour liquid down a guy's throat than it is to make him swallow a hundred pills.

Robbins: It wasn't a hundred pills.

Grissom: How many?

Robbins: Educated, unofficial guess: No more than fifty.

(GRISSOM looks at the container he's holding.)

CUT TO:
[EXT. LAS VEGAS (STOCK) -- NIGHT]
[EXT. ALLEYWAY -- NIGHT]

Brass: Based on your pupes, I could take you in right now.

Skinny (drug dealer): Hey, man, I'm in mourning. It's tears you see. I lost a customer. It's like losing my job, kind of.

Warrick: You're Braun's grocery store.

Skinny: But I deliver.

Brass: When did you last deliver?

Skinny: Night before he croaked. About nine o'clock -- ask his woman. She's fine, too.

Brass: Well, she told us as soon as you got there, she left.

Skinny: Oh, she didn't go that fast. I dropped off some balloons, Braun paid me, she gave me a tip.

Brass: What? "Shave the soul patch?"

Skinny: No. Thirty Xanadus.

Warrick: Xanax?

HARD CUT TO:
[INT. CASINO/HOTEL LOBBY]

Janine Haywood: I told you I dropped them down the bathroom sink.

Brass: First time I heard that.

Janine Haywood: Look, I took two, gave Tony two and I accidentally dropped fifteen or twenty down the sink. It was an accident. You know, an accident? Haven't you ever spilled a drink?

Catherine: Not lately. We found fifty Xanax in Tony's stomach.

Janine Haywood: Don't pin that on me. I'd left.

Catherine: I'll tell you what you left -- your fingerprints all over the prescription bottle.

Janine Haywood: I went to the pharmacy waited in line picked up the prescription signed for it brought it back to the house. You know, Tony did nothing for himself except work and get high.

Brass: Got you a brand-new Mercedes, didn't it?

Janine Haywood: Yes, it did. And it'll buy me the dress I wear at Tony's funeral, too.

Brass: Look, when you left your half a house where did you go?

Janine Haywood: A friend's.

Brass: Well, let's get her on the line.

Janine Haywood: She's out of town.

Brass: Let me guess -- she's incommunicado.

Janine Haywood: That means you can't reach her? Yeah.

CUT TO:
[INT. CSI -- HALLWAY]

(CATHERINE is carrying a big life-sized dummy down the hallway. She bumps into two men as they walk by her. She seems in a hurry and knows where she's going.)

Catherine: Oh, mind the dummy.

(CAMERA travels seemlessly into the next office which just happens to be ... )
[INT. CSI - GREG'S LAB]

(GRISSOM appears in the room. He glances down at his watch.)

Grissom: It's been 24 minutes, Greg. When's this thing going to be done?

Greg: Well, with all due respect, sir, it's not a baked potato. It's Braun's blood and with all the impurities in his system it might take a little extra time.

(GREG nods his head and changes the subject.)

Greg: Did I ever tell you I used to live in New York?

Grissom: Is this going to be a short story or a novel?

(The mass spectrometer beeps and spews out the test results.)

Greg: Excuse me. You know, heroin has a nine-minute half-life. After that, it metabolizes into morphine.

Grissom: What's the 6-MAM count?

Greg: A hundred fifty-eight (158) nanograms per mil. Definitely not lethal. The same with your Xanax. Quarter-mil tabs, hundred (100) micrograms per liter. Again, not lethal. There's addicts walking around times square with more dr*gs in their system.

Grissom: So Braun should still be walking around.

(GRISSOM starts to leave the room, but stops as he passes GREG'S desk. He's just gotta ask ... )

Grissom: ... and the point of your New York story was ... ?

Greg: Oh, I was just going to tell you about another way to take heroin -- a suppository up the coolee. You just stand on your head, and then you let gravity ...

(Off GRISSOM'S strange look, GREG decides to ... )

Greg: ... forget it.

(GRISSOM leaves. Hold on GREG.)

CUT TO:
[INT. CSI - LAYOUT ROOM]

(CATHERINE drops the dummy on the floor. GRISSOM walks in holding a paper package containing some kind of evidence.)

Grissom: Braun didn't die of a drug overdose accidental or otherwise.

Catherine: I figured. So why'd I bring the dummy?

(GRISSOM opens the package, takes out its contents and drops the empty package on the floor.)

Catherine: Braun's shirt.

Grissom: Robbins opened him up. His lungs were compressed. Remember Burke and Hare the two 19th century Scottish body snatchers who made a living intoxicating innocent victims and suffocating them? Sold their cadavers to teaching hospitals? Got away with it, too, until a medical student discovered his fiancée on a slab.

Catherine: Is this part of the Sherlock Holmes Fan Club Kit?

(Together, CATHERINE and GRISSOM start to dress the dummy.)

Grissom: Janine Haywood said that she left the house when the drug dealer arrived. I think she came back.

Catherine: So Braun would have been on his third or fourth balloon by then.

(Quick Flashback to Tony Braun doing dr*gs. He lights up the foil and inhales. Flash to white. Camera on GRISSOM.)

Grissom: Would have been easy to tape his wrists mash up fifty pills ...

(Quick Flashback to: A woman's hand holding the Xanax prescription bottle and pouring a bunch of pills into an empty ash tray. Flash to white. The woman using a sh*t glass to mash the pills in the ash tray. Flash to white. The white powder being poured into a wine glass. )

Grissom: ... and force-feed him a Xanax cocktail.

(Continuing Flashback: A woman holding Tony Braun's head back and getting ready to pour the mixture down his throat. Tony Braun swallowing some of the mixture. Flash to white. End of Flashback. Resume Present.)

Grissom: So everything was going great until the gardener showed up. Then I think her plan turned to panic. It takes time to OD -- time Janine didn't have.

(GRISSOM and CATHERINE finish dressing the dummy. GRISSOM begins to rub carbon-paper on the buttons of the shirt to stain them.)

Grissom: Burke would kneel on his victim's chest, right, covering their mouth and nostrils.

Catherine: But when you're doing dr*gs, you're a slob; and when you're being manhandled, you're even sloppier. Like this.

(To demonstrate the theory, CATHERINE grabs the shirt the dummy wears and puts her knee on the dummy's chest.)

(Quick Flashback to a woman's knee on Tony Braun's chest while covering his nose and mouth.)

(CATHERINE gets off of the dummy and opens up the shirt to reveal three black stains on the dummy's white chest. She smiles.)

Catherine: He was "burked".

(The telephone rings. GRISSOM stands to answer it.)

Grissom: (on phone) Hello.

(Over the phone, we can make out a lot of static and an unrecognizable voice talking.)

Grissom: (on phone) Where?

(Still more static and unrecognizable voice.)

Grissom: (on phone) Brass, you're breaking up.

(GRISSOM hangs up.)

Grissom: (to CATHERINE) Said he was in Blue Diamond, digging something up.

HARD CUT TO:
[EXT. DESERT ROAD TO BLUE DIAMOND -- DAY]

(Five police cars race down the dusty sand road. Their sirens are wailing, lights flashing. Lead car license plate #52980.)

CUT TO:
(A lone man is using a shovel and digging in the dry ground in front of his parked white Isuzu truck/van. He stops and holds up his hands as the police cars park.)

Curt Ritten: Hey ... hey, what's going on?

Brass: Anybody ever tell you to call before you dig?

Curt Ritten: I got permission to be here.

Brass: Oh, is that right? From who? A dead man? You got a name?

Curt Ritten: My name's Curt Ritten. Look, Tony Braun was a friend of mine, right? This is his property. He calls me about a month ago. He says "if anything should happen to me, you start digging. You take care of what's mine at all costs." That's what I'm doing.

(GRISSOM peers in and sees something in CURT RITTEN'S truck. He notes it to CATHERINE. Inside the truck, we see three rolls of silver-gray duct tape.)

Brass: Do me a favor, Curt Ritten. Put down the shovel.

Curt Ritten: Okay.

Brass: Stand over there.

Curt Ritten: Okay.

Catherine: (to GRISSOM) Maybe Janine had a helper.

Brass: (to GRISSOM and CATHERINE) Hey, guys, you might want to check out the basement.

(GRISSOM and CATHERINE approach to see what CURT RITTEN was digging up. In the ground is a large padlocked door.)

CUT TO:
(The padlock is broken open.)

CUT TO:
[INT. UNDERGROUND BASEMENT -- DAY]

(The door opens.)

(GRISSOM and CATHERINE descend the stairway into a cave filled with lots of loot. Shelves of silver bullion, silver candelabras, silver dishes. They seem absolutely astounded by the vault.)

Grissom: "A sable cloud turns forth its silver lining to the night."

[Note: Quote is from John Milton's "Comus" (1634).]

Catherine: That's a lot of motive.

Grissom: And a lot of silver.

CUT TO:
[INT. CSI -- LAB]

(SARA opens the freezer door and removes the wad of duct tape that she found in Tony Braun's kitchen garbage bin. She puts it on the lab table and begins to unravel it. It unsticks easily.)

(With a brush, she "paints" on a solution made with liquid soap and black print powder. With a washer, she washes it away to reveal the fingerprints underneath. She holds her find up to the light just as WARRICK walks in. He holds up a string with the tape on it.)

Warrick: Okay, three rolls of tape found in the truck owned by Curt Ritten.

Sara: Nice. Let's see if that's where my print came from.

CUT TO:
[INT. CSI -- LAB]

(Under the microscope, the edges of the duct tape do not match the tape sample SARA found in the garbage bin.)

Warrick: No match!

Sara: Oh, listen to you. Would you rather hit a home run in the fourth or the bottom of the ninth?

(WARRICK throws SARA a look.)

Sara: Let me ask you something. Braun collected silver -- coins, bullion -- 23 tons of it. Why bury it in Blue Diamond?

Warrick: 'Cause he was smart. In the past 20 years the value of silver's gone to nothing and a commodity broker's going to charge you a storage fee per troy ounce and there's only one thing worse than losing seven to eight percent on silver a year and that's losing nine to ten percent because of some stupid storage fee.

(As he talks, WARRICK checks the duct tape sample against the other duct tape rolls. The second try doesn't work.)

Sara: What good's collecting silver coupons when you're dead?

Warrick: Depends on who's doing the clipping.

(WARRICK checks the final duct tape roll and finds ... )

Warrick: Oh, we got a positive association. Roll to tape. Curt to Tony.

FADE TO BLACK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[INT. BLUE DIAMOND UNDERGROUND VAULT -- DAY]

(BRASS questions CURT RITTEN. GRISSOM is behind them. He just got off the cell phone and is holding the phone close to his chest.)

Curt Ritten: You arresting me for digging?

Brass: No, burglary, theft and conspiracy, to start.

Curt Ritten: Tony asked me to move his silver collection up to his ranch in Wyoming. I'm doing what I was told.

Grissom: Mr. Ritten ... it appears that we may have physical evidence connecting you to the m*rder of Tony Braun.

Curt Ritten: Look, I had nothing to do with the dr*gs. I swear to you, I haven't messed around with that stuff in a long time. I was always telling Tony, as a friend to get off of it, to walk away.

Brass: How'd you know where the silver was buried?

Curt Ritten: Because I built the vault for him. I'm a contractor. That's what I do.

Brass: Ever work on his house?

Curt Ritten: No. We did ... we did talk about me building a basement for him once. It never got off the ground.

Brass: Oh, so, you've been to his house?

Curt Ritten: (to BRASS) We were friends. I've been to his house plenty of times. I was there a couple weeks ago. We were watching the Notre Dame game together.

Grissom: Did you ever leave anything there? Did you ever bring anything over to his house?

Curt Ritten: (to GRISSOM) Yeah, I brought a six-pack and some chips - (to BRASS) sour cream.

Brass: Tools of the trade, Curt. Construction items -- hammer, duct tape?

Curt Ritten: No. Why would I do that? I got no idea what you're talking about.

Brass: Yeah, well, whatever you don't tell us, we'll find it.

CUT TO:
[INT. CURT RITTEN'S RESIDENCE - DAY]

(The door unlocks and opens. CATHERINE and DET. SAM VEGA walk into a darkened living room. The Detective is holding a warrant.)

Det. Sam Vega: That's the quickest warrant I ever got.

Catherine: Yep. Braun family. Long arms.

Catherine: I thought you said that Ritten's wife lives in Carson City.

(CATHERINE notices a woman's skirt draped on the back of the couch.)

Det. Sam Vega: She does. They both do. He just stays here when he's working.

Catherine: Or digging up silver.

(They hear a noise coming from another room. DET. SAM VEGA unholsters his g*n.)

CUT TO:
(DET. SAM VEGA and CATHERINE make their way down the hallway.)

Catherine: Mrs. Ritten?

(No response.)

Catherine: Criminalistics.

(Now, we can hear the sounds of water running in the shower.)

Det. Sam Vega: Police officer.

(The bathroom door is slightly open. The light is on inside. The two approach the bathroom and promptly run into ... )

Janine Haywood: Geez! You scared me. How'd you get in here?

Catherine: I don't have to ask you that question.

CUT TO:
[INT. CSI LAB]

Warrick: How can this be, Mandy? We found the duct tape in the guy's truck.

(Both WARRICK and SARA are in the lab. MANDY is on the computer telling them the bad news about the prints on their duct tape.)

Sara: You're telling us the prints on that tape aren't his or hers?

Mandy: Well, if their names are Curt Ritten and Janine Haywood the answer's, "no, it's not their prints."

Sara: This is ridiculous.

Warrick: This thing must have a virus.

(He taps the side of her monitor for emphasis.)

Mandy: Maybe you have the wrong suspects.

Warrick: Well, that's easy for you to say. All you do is scan prints all day and hit "enter."

Mandy: Look, I'm not your beast of burden. Sara, this is your thing.

(MANDY stands up getting ready to leave it to SARA when NICK walks in. He's in a cheery mood.)

Nick: Mandy ... give me something dandy.

Mandy: I'll give you something dandy. Your doggie-door prints. Good-bye, I have to go on a break now.

(MANDY leaves. NICK reads the report. There's no reaction from him prompting WARRICK to comment ... )

Warrick: See what I mean?

Sara: Your prints came back unknown, too?

Nick: No. Came back: "Walt Braun".

CUT TO:
[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - WAITING ROOM]

Grissom: Who is he?

Catherine: He's Tony Braun's brother. He's a pit boss at the Tangiers which is why his prints were on file -- gaming card.

(GRISSOM and CATHERINE are sitting down in the police department's waiting room. They're both sitting sideways on back to back seats, facing forward.)

Grissom: He's family. Why's he using the doggie door and not the front door?

Catherine: Go figure. The more evidence that shows up the more this case doesn't make sense. We got two suspects in custody and neither of their prints are on the duct tape.

Grissom: Or on the doggie door ... but the brother's are.

Catherine: Mm-hmm.

Grissom: So, call the print lab.

Catherine: It's been done. They're not Walt Braun's prints on the tape. Came back unknown.

(BRASS enters and takes a seat on one of the waiting room chairs.)

Brass: Hey. I've got Detective Vega rounding up Walt Braun. Apparently, this Janine Haywood really got around.

(FLASH CUT to JANINE HAYWOOD in the interrogation room. She's chewing gum and looking bored. The camera moves over her shoulder and beyond and reveals that in the next interrogation room is CURT RITTEN. He's on his feet and pacing the floor. Flash cut back to CATHERINE.)

Brass: When she wasn't at Braun's house playing girlfriend, she's over at "vault boy's" flat playing mistress ... which gives neither of them a credible alibi.

Catherine: Flimsy alibis don't prove m*rder. What else have we got?

Grissom: Nothing probative.

Brass: Then I let the girlfriend go. Curt Ritten goes back to lock-up until he posts bail.

Grissom: Look, forget Curt. Forget Janine. Forget the suspects. It's simple. We got to figure out how a piece of duct tape from a roll we found in Curt Ritten's truck ended up wrapped around the wrists of our victim.

Catherine: Without Curt's prints on it.

CUT TO:
[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - HALLWAY]

(CURT RITTEN and JANINE HAYWOOD along with a Guard walk out into the hallway. CURT RITTEN immediately starts arguing with another brown-haired woman standing there.

Janine Haywood: Curt, we're out of here.

(The woman sees JANINE HAYWOOD and gets angry. From the other end of the hallway, GRISSOM, CATHERINE and BRASS all round the corner and witness the exchange.)

Bonnie Ritten: Oh, you're going to take this, too, huh?

Curt Ritten: Bonnie ...

Bonnie Ritten: I come down here with a check to bail my husband out and you say to him, "we're out of here"? No, honey, you're out of here!

Curt Ritten: Bonnie, take it easy.

Bonnie Ritten: Take it easy?!

Bonnie Ritten: (to JANINE) How many men do you need, huh?

Janine Haywood: Hey, at least I can take care of mine.

Bonnie Ritten: (to CURT) I've stuck by you through the bankruptcies the flings, the lies, and I have had it, okay? So, you choose. Me or her?

Curt Ritten: Sorry, Janine.

Janine Haywood: Yeah ... heard that before.

(She leaves.)

Janine Haywood: (o.s.) Call me.

Brass: Bail processing is this way.

(As they leave, BONNIE and CURT RITTEN pass CATHERINE and GRISSOM.)

Catherine: Been there.

CUT TO:
[INT. CASINO]

(GRISSOM and DET. SAM VEGA are questioning WALT BRAUN.)

Walt Braun: You came down here to ask me about a doggie door? I could've just told you over the phone.

Grissom: It's a quirk. I always like to discuss fingerprints in person.

Walt Braun: Hmm. Tony and I went to dinner.

Grissom: How long ago?

Walt Braun: A while back.

Grissom: Be more specific.

Walt Braun: Uh, about a month and a half ago. We ate at Piero's talked a little business -- I dropped him off.

<FLASHBACK>

(WALT BRAUN is sitting behind the wheel in his car. TONY BRAUN is on the back door porch.)

Tony Braun: Hey Walt ... Come over here for a second, will you?

(CUT TO. TONY and WALT are at the back yard gate. He unlocks the gate with his own key.)

Walt Braun: My key still works here. How come it doesn't work on the front door?

Tony Braun: I changed the locks.

(CUT TO: WALT BRAUN squeezing in to the house via the doggie door. Cut to WALT BRAUN'S feet walking on the inside which probably signifies that he made it through the doggie door.)

</FLASHBACK>

Walt Braun: And, so, I used the doggie door walked through the house, opened the door, let Tony in.

Police Officer Vega: Guy with that kind of money doesn't have a security alarm?

Walt Braun: When you're a Braun there's nothing you can't replace.

Grissom: You can't replace your brother.

(GRISSOM glances down at WALT BRAUN'S leg. Apparently he's been scratching or doing something strange that we really haven't noticed (because they really didn't show it to us).)

Grissom: What's the matter with your leg?

Walt Braun: I don't know something must've bit me.

Grissom: Mind if I take a look?

Walt Braun: What are you, a dermatologist?

Grissom: I'm an entomologist, actually. I-I know all about bugs.

Walt Braun: Sure. Can you tell me what to put on it? It's k*lling me.

(WALT BRAUN pulls the sock down and shows us big ole bug bites. GRISSOM can barely contain his excitement at the discovery.)

Grissom: Chigger bites. You might want to try some nail polish, keep it from itching. Would you mind if I took a photograph for my bite collection?

(GRISSOM reaches into his kit and pulls out his camera.)

Walt Braun: Whatever rubs your Buddha.

Grissom: (to DET. SAM VEGA) We're almost done.

Det. Sam Vega: Mr. Braun, uh, where do you live?

Walt Braun: Shoshone Hi-Rise -- J.W. Brown Road.

Det. Sam Vega: And you work here?

Walt Braun: Yeah, I'm a glorified pit boss.

Grissom: In the, uh, last 48 hours have you been anywhere else besides those two places?

Walt Braun: No. My life's pretty routine.

(GRISSOM pulls the picture from the camera and looks at it.)

Grissom: It might just get a little more routine.

(Camera hold on WALT BRAUN'S expression.)

CUT TO:
[EXT LAS VEGAS CITY (STOCK) - NIGHT]
[INT. CSI -- LOCKER ROOM]

(NICK is sitting alone in the locker room. GRISSOM enters.)

Grissom: Nick, I need your leg. Show me your bite.

Nick: Oh, it's no worries. I got some cream.

Grissom: Hey.

Nick: All right. It's no big deal, really.

(NICK shows GRISSOM his bug bites. GRISSOM puts the photo he took of WALT BRAUN'S bug bites up against NICK'S leg to visually compare the two. GRISSOM takes a seat.)

Grissom: What time did you log in at the Braun house?

Nick: 9:15 that morning.

Grissom: How long after that did you start processing the backyard?

Nick: About a half hour.

Grissom: You're not the only one with chigger bites.

(GRISSOM shows NICK the photograph.)

Nick: Who is this?

Grissom: Walt Braun. It's now 9:30 at night. Approximately 36 hours ago, you were bitten. Three hours earlier than that Tony Braun was m*rder*d. Chiggers run a predictable course.

[* Flash CGI clip of chigger bites -- of the chigger doing exactly what GRISSOM describes.]

Grissom: A chigger attaches itself to a hair follicle injects a digest enzyme into the skin which ruptures the surrounding cells allowing the chigger to suck em up leaving behind a red, itchy bump.

Nick: So ... ?

Grissom: Walt Braun lied. We now have an entomological timeline that places him at the house on the day his brother was m*rder*d.

(GRISSOM stands to leave the locker room. NICK stops him.)

Nick: Ah -- I don't know, boss. I mean, ask yourself the question: Are doggie-door prints and chigger bites enough to get a man for m*rder?

(GRISSOM thinks about it. He leaves without saying a word. NICK resumes putting the creme on his bug bites.)

FADE TO BLACK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[EXT. LAS VEGAS (STOCK) - EARLY EVENING]
[INT. CSI CONFERENCE ROOM]

(Everyone's gathered at a dinner meeting.)

Catherine: What've we got?

Brass: Well, I got motive. According to the family lawyer, the drug addict ...

Catherine: (interrupting) Now, Jim, that's just a little callous.

Brass: I'm calling it what it is. I know you're friends with the family but the guy used heroin. He was a drug addict who stood in line to inherit the old man's fortune.

Sara: What about the brother?

Brass: Walt's out of the picture. He's left out in the cold.

Catherine: He is?

Brass: Yeah. Tony promised he'd take care of him. Whatever he got, he split 50-50 all in ... silver included ... up until about a month ago.

Nick: But Tony changed his mind, which changed the will.

Catherine: So, wait a second -- Janine, the stripper claims that half of everything is hers so that's actually more than just wishful thinking?

Warrick: Bet Walt wasn't too happy about that. It's 50-50 going 75-25 the wrong way.

Sara: Curt was digging up the silver to protect Janine's interest.

Nick: So, what's right in front of us that we're missing?

Grissom: What evidence do we have that's still open?

Catherine: I just got the references off of Walt Braun gave the samples to Greg.

Sara: Couple of things on the priority list that haven't been processed yet: Tape lifts, adhesive residue, I got the earring back.

Nick: Where'd you find that?

Sara: Living room, near the body.

Grissom: We have to deal with that earring.

Catherine: We got to test it against Janine.

CUT TO:
[EXT. POOLSIDE -- DAY]

Janine Haywood: You want to swab me, go ahead but I can save you the-tip. That's really not my style.

Grissom: Ms. Haywood ... you have pierced ears.

Janine Haywood: Yeah. He doesn't understand. I don't wear studs. Haven't worn studs since, like ... god, seventh grade.

Catherine: Mm-hmm.

Janine Haywood: Can I see that picture? (she holds out her hand. GRISSOM hands her the photo.) Thanks. See? This is an earring back. It goes to a stud earring. I don't wear studs. I'm more of, like, a dangle gal. I like chandeliers. They move with you. They're on wires. They don't have a back.

Catherine: Are you finished? Open your mouth.

(CATHERINE takes the sample and JANINE hands the photo back to GRISSOM.) Don't bite down. Wouldn't want you to swallow it.

Grissom: How about your girlfriends or Tony's girlfriends -- any of them wear studs?

Janine Haywood: Look, rule number one: No women allowed in the house. Tony had a wandering eye, he had a wad of cash who needed that drama?

Catherine: What about the maid?

Janine Haywood: No. Rule number two: Heavyset, over 50, no makeup, no jewelry, no english.

Catherine: Wow. You got this whole thing down don't you?

Janine Haywood: Yeah. This is my house. I didn't do anything wrong. And I inherited Josie, and she cleans real good.

Grissom: How often does she vacuum?

Janine Haywood: Every day. Except on her day off.

Grissom: Hmm. The day Tony d*ed.

Janine Haywood: Hmm.

CUT TO:
[INT. CSI -- LAB]

(GREG is standing in front of a machine processing the sample. GRISSOM and CATHERINE are standing one on each side of him waiting for the results.)

Grissom: Well, if the maid is as good as Janine says she is ... then ...

Catherine: The earring back was lost that day.

(The machines prints out the report.)

Greg: There. Well, maybe not. The earring back -- not Janine's. But it was in the ear of a female.

Catherine: So, I guess rule number one was broken. There was a woman in the house.

(GRISSOM doesn't say anything. He does have a look on his face. CATHERINE picks up on it.)

Catherine: Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Grissom: Whoever's prints are on the duct tape is missing an earring back. Who's the only other woman in the story?

Catherine: She lives in Carson City.

Grissom: She's here now.

Catherine: She has access to Curt's truck.

Grissom: We saw the fight in the police department.

Catherine: "Hell hath no fury ... "

CUT TO:
[INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT -- INTERROGATION ROOM -- DAY]

(BONNIE RITTEN puts the photo back on the table.)

Bonnie Ritten: It's not mine. I don't wear earrings.

Grissom: It's funny, just recently I had a little education in earrings and I noticed that you have pierced ears.

Bonnie Ritten: Yeah. So what?

Catherine: If you don't wear earrings for a while the holes will close up.

Brass: Will you volunteer us a DNA sample? It will confirm your story or confirm ours.

Bonnie Ritten: I'm not giving you anything.

Grissom: It's okay, Jim, we have enough.

Catherine: You should've let your husband rot in jail.

(CATHERINE pushes an evidence baggie containing the bail check toward BONNIE RITTEN.)

Catherine: We lifted your thumbprint from the check that you posted for his bail.

Grissom: We compared it to a set of unknown prints that we found on some duct tape at the crime scene.

Catherine: Just like a pair of earrings-- identical.

Brass: So you were at Tony's house the morning he d*ed. Along with Walt Braun whose prints we confirmed on the doggy door.

[White flash to FLASHBACK clips of:
* WALT BRAUN opening the back yard gate. Flash to white.
* WALT BRAUN crawling in through the doggie door. Flash to white. He gets in and unlocks the front door to let BONNIE RITTEN inside. Flash to white.
* While doing dr*gs, TONY BRAUN is interrupted by BONNIE RITTEN and WALT BRAUN. Flash to white.]

[Present day sh*t of BONNIE RITTEN. Flash to white.]

[Resume FLASHBACK clip of:
* BONNIE holding the duct tape. WALT BRAUN subduing TONY. TONY struggling. BONNIE ripping off some duct tape. While TONY struggles, he hits BONNIE and her earring back flies off hitting the floor. Flash to white.

[Present day sh*t of BONNIE RITTEN and cut to GRISSOM. Flash to white.]

[Resume FLASHBACK clip of:
* TONY BRAUN'S hands being taped up while WALT BRAUN holds him down. Flash to white.
* WALT BRAUN forcing the wine down TONY'S throat while holding his nose shut to force his mouth to open. Flash to white.]

[End of Flashback sequence. Resume Present day. Camera on BONNIE RITTEN.]

Grissom: You know, sometimes, doing the job that we do our biggest break comes from the most innocent circumstance. It was the maid's day off, but not the Gardener's.

Curt Ritten: That's the thing about m*rder you never think to have a backup plan. The dogs lead the Gardener right to you ...

[Quick FLASHBACK showing BONNIE RITTEN and WALT BRAUN being interrupted while dogs bark and whine (o.s.). Flash to white. Back to present. Resume camera on BONNIE RITTEN.]

Grissom: So you had to wing it. The gardener came to the window ...

[FLASHBACK clip of the inside camera view of the gardener peering in through the window. BONNIE and WALT are back against the wall. BONNIE almost panics. Dogs can be heard off screen. Flash to white. End of Flashback. Resume present.]

Grissom: ... but he didn't see you ... so you removed the tape from Tony's wrists ... and made it look like an OD.

Catherine: What I don't get is ... you and Walt Braun didn't move in the same circles. How'd the two of you hook up?

(BONNIE RITTEN doesn't respond.)

Brass: News flash, sweetheart: Can't make a deal if you keep your mouth shut.

CUT TO:
[INT. JAIL CELL]

Walt Braun: That's the thing about my father: He could never give advice but he had a million stories. "Scorpion and the Frog."

(WALT BRAUN is in a jail cell talking to BRASS and GRISSOM.)

Walt Braun: Scorpion needed to get across the creek and asked the frog for a ride. Frog says, "I can't trust you, you're a scorpion." Scorpion says, "sure you can." Hops on the frog's back. Midway across, the scorpion stings the frog. Frog looks at him. "Why would you do that? Now we're both gonna die." Scorpion says ... "I can't help it. I'm a scorpion."

Walt Braun: If Tony hadn't thrown a party ... the two of us would never have been standing at that bar.

<FLASHBACK>

(In the middle of the casino party, CURT RITTEN walks up to JANINE HAYWOOD.)

Curt Ritten: Hey, Janine, you're lookin' good.

(CUT TO: WALT BRAUN walks up to the bar where BONNIE RITTEN is nursing her drink. They watch as JANINE openly flirts with CURT. The two laughing and having a grand time.)

Walt Braun: You're looking at my brother's trophy?

Bonnie Ritten: No, my husband's bimbo.

(WALT introduces himself.)

Walt Braun: Walt Braun.

Bonnie Ritten: Bonnie Ritten.

(The two shake hands.)

</FLASHBACK>

Grissom: And an opportunity presented itself. Tony had erased you from the will and Bonnie wanted the people that hurt her to pay.

Brass: Ain't love grand?

CUT TO:
[INT. CASINO MAIN FLOOR -- NIGHT]

(SAM BRAUN and CATHERINE walk. His arm around her shoulders.)

Sam Braun: You know, this ... this could've all been his. His and Tony's.

Catherine: It's not your fault.

Sam Braun: Sure it is. I committed the cardinal sin. I loved one son more than the other.

Catherine: It's human nature. We can't deny our feelings.

Sam Braun: But you can hide it. And I didn't. They're my sons ... I made them, I raised them ... and one kills the other.

Catherine: Hey, Sam ... you still got me.

Sam Braun: You know, I should've married your mother.

Catherine: Well, considering I was six months old when you guys lit the flame ... a lot of time has passed. You had plenty of chances.

Sam Braun: Just wasn't in the cards, Catherine. It just wasn't in the cards.

(With an arm around her shoulders, the two walk off screen.)

FADE TO BLACK.

End
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