01x08 - Pipe Cleaner

[bunniefuu]

Previously on CSI: Vegas...

I know who k*lled Kline

and framed Hodges... all of it.

He represented everyone
associated with the att*ck

on Jim Brass. He was
calling all the sh*ts.

Anson Wix is the attorney
for the class action

against the state.

SIDLE: We ID'd the thread
in that grenade.

GRISSOM: Belonged to an Anna Wix.

Anson's sister.

Look at the world.

The best story wins.

It's David Hodges

who's easiest to picture
faking evidence.

We can't have even the appearance

- of a cover-up.

ROBY: The judge set a trial date
for David Hodges.

Fast-track.

You contacted the head

of the Washoe Crime Lab.

Effective immediately,

you're no longer head of Criminalistics.

♪ ♪

My dude said he installed it
over the credenza.

What the hell is a credenza?

This guy's got some crazy stuff.

There. Hey, yo, I'm-a get started.

See what he has in the bedroom.

(SAW WHIRRING)

(SNIFFING)

Ugh. (EXHALES)

♪ ♪

(GRUNTS)

(SHUDDERS)

(BEEPING)

. What's your emergency?

Spring Drive in Summerlin.
Hurry. You gotta hurry.

What's the problem, sir?

It's in the bathroom.
It's-it's horrible.

You gotta believe me.

I didn't do it.

Didn't do what?

RAJAN: Undersheriff.

Sir, I wrapped the Anido case.

She confessed.

Yeah.

Are you redecorating?

Yeah, I got tired of looking
at Max Roby's family.

Woman's the reason I haven't
seen mine in three weeks.

But you won't have to
pull double duty down here

for much longer though, right?

I mean, she was suspended, not...

She was suspended "indefinitely".

In my experience...

Well, we'll see.

The only reason she called
the lab in Washoe was to

make sure they were processing
the evidence correctly.

It's Rajan, right?

Yes.

Anson Wix says

the calls that she made are
proof that David Hodges' friends

at CSI were covering for him.

Which explanation do you
think plays better?

And I wouldn't raise my voice too loudly

in Maxine Roby's defense.

Probably not a big future in it.

Janice Woo. You ever hear that name?

Wix's new expert witness.

Wonder if she knows that he blew up

his last expert with a grenade.

"Mr. Wix pledges to keep fighting.

Ms. Woo, a forensic artist, will help

expose the rot in
the Criminalistics division".

The trial starts Monday.
We'd better hope

something turns up in Wix's trash.

Not again. My ring is loose.

It keeps coming off
when I take off my gloves.

You ever hear of a sandwich?

You know, a hunger strike's
not gonna help David Hodges.

The stress is getting to you,
too, you know.

Yeah. Well...

- (PHONE VIBRATES)
- It's his sister, this Anna Wix.

She's a part of this thing, Sara.

Don't take it.

I have to keep him happy

so he gives us our space.

Undersheriff. How can we help?

FOLSOM: They couldn't get into it,

but apparently the safe
is all the thieves wanted.

Dreadful lack of imagination.

I'd have taken all this stuff.

I like the T. rex myself.

But, uh, yeah. They swear they'd

only been here ten minutes
before they called the cops.

- They turned themselves in?
- They were terrified

we'd find them and think
that they were responsible

for what's upstairs.

What's upstairs?

FOLSOM: Never seen
anything quite like it.

It's like the guy just... melted.

Newton's law of cooling is a good alibi

for the burglars. This brew started

hours before they got there.

Homeowner's an Erik Shaw.

Runs a convention center off the Strip.

Not much left of Erik.

If that's who lost the fight here.

Was hoping that'd be full
of his DNA, but...

SIDLE: Not if the k*ller
used sulfuric acid

and hydrogen peroxide
to dispose of the body.

Piranha solution.

Rips organic matter down
to base elements in minutes.

Nobody ever solved a m*rder
with a big, nasty vat

full of water and carbon.

I'm afraid all our hopes have
gone down the drain.

(BUBBLING)

♪ ♪

♪ Who... are you? ♪

♪ Who, who, who, who? ♪

♪ Who... are you? ♪

♪ Who, who, who, who? ♪

♪ I really wanna know ♪

♪ Who... are you? ♪

- ♪ Oh-oh-oh ♪
- ♪ Who... ♪

♪ Come on, tell me who
are you, you, you ♪

♪ Are you! ♪

♪ ♪

(GRUNTING)

(SHOUTING)

(GRUNTING)

(SIZZLING)

Seems like Erik Shaw put up a fight.

FOLSOM: Doesn't look like we
got anything to show for it.

You find any evidence the k*ller
was nicked, bled,

- even lost a hair off his head?
- No.

It's a pretty good bet
this guy was a lot bigger

than his victim, though.

I think somebody's

skull smashed into that wall

about six and a half feet
off the ground.

(GRUNTING)

Uh... I was always taught
you preserve the crime scene.

Fear not. This is a precision operation.

- Huh.
- (GRUNTS)

The undersheriff said
it was all hands on deck.

Vic was melted in acid
and poured down the drain?

Yeah, if we jet the system with water,

what's left will be lost
or jumbled, so we have to

extract him pipe by pipe,

before he, uh, oozes

- into the sewer main.
- Mm.

Who was the victim?

The World's Most Interesting Man?

Erik Shaw... managed a convention
center. Apparently,

weird memorabilia comes with the job.

Mm-hmm. Uh, detective out front

said they're tracking down his ex.

Apparently they're in the
middle of a rough divorce.

Mm. Do you two want to go talk to her

and see if she was exposed

to these chemicals?

Gil and I can finish up here.

We'll get the safe and, uh, his... goo.

Mm. Messy tub, messy
divorce. Tough call.

You haven't seen the tub.
I'm just gonna say "thank you".

(CHUCKLES)

(EXCITED CHATTER)

- Nice!
- Cash! There it is, baby.

Hey, who got next?

Miguel? Diego?

What about you, mama?

No. I'm good.

You sure?

Yeah.

Hey, let's run it back.
Let's run it back.

(CHATTER RESUMES)

PLAYER: Ah, you can't
hold it, man. Take the sh*t.

(OVERLAPPING CHATTER)

♪ The top is calling me ♪

♪ I know it... ♪

Honey. Get your chin up.

FOLSOM: I'm sorry, Ms. Shaw.
I know this can't be easy.

Erik's... gone?

It looks that way, ma'am.
This watch is all

we've been able to recover so far.

- Do you want to go someplace quiet?
- Mm.

Me and Erik separated last year. We...

we always said, you know,
maybe there's a chance,

but... I guess...

How am I going to tell my girls?

RAJAN: Ms. Shaw, we have to ask.

Do you still have access
to your husband's home?

Of course.

But you can't think...

He gave me my babies. I would never.

There's a way to verify that.

I'd need a hair sample
and certain chemicals

- would be present if...
- Whatever you need.

Tammy, please. Could y'all?

Chartrina's about to do
her tumbling and...

What's happened? Are you okay?

Erik's dead. Someone k*lled him.

My God. Was it random or...
his business?

I'm sorry. How do you know Mr. Shaw?

I'm Chase Starr.

I own and manage all this.

Little Beauties Child Pageants
and Scholarship Program.

We used to rent a space
at Erik's convention center.

Didn't go great.

Erik did his business in cash.

He got in trouble for tax evasion once.

There were always shady people.

And good people.

When his girls started competing,

we tried to throw some business his way.

The folks he kept company with...

You got a job ahead of you.

May he rest in peace.

So I... I can't see him?

♪ ♪

How's your appetite now?

Gil...

My ring.

When'd you have it last?

Um...

(SIGHS) Okay, look.
Hugo has got to go through

all this anyway. He'll find it.

Mm-hmm.

(R&B MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY)

- Hey, buddy.
- Hey.

- Right on time.
- Ooh.

Frosted maple pecan.

Geez, Ma. Is this all you did today?

Yep.

I'm worried about you.

I'm going to be fine.

Not if you don't kick it into gear.

You didn't do anything wrong.

Why aren't you fighting back?

Because it's political.
But you know what?

My union rep says
that if I just sit tight...

- What is that?
- What?

- This.
- No!

Nora... Cross?

Isn't this the same lady who... ?

You're working on something.

You could just let me know
what you're really cooking.

For now, just cookies.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

You need an accessory,
you know where I live.

Mm-hmm.

You still got it.

SIDLE: Three weeks
collecting Wix's trash

and all I've learned is he's careful.

Seems that he was protecting
against identity theft,

not covering up his crimes.

So if there's nothing in this garbage,

maybe we can get back
to our day job, huh?

Allie said that she would
cover for us if I thought

we were getting close.

I didn't have the heart to tell her.

That the Wixes like
microwavable tamales?

Hodges' trial is two days away.

I just wish there was something
else that we could be doing

besides going through Wix's trash.

We could expand our search.

Not all of his accomplices
were as careful

as his twisted sister.

True. But they are all in jail or dead.

Yeah. What about his new expert witness?

This "forensic artist". Janice Woo.

SIDLE: You think she's in on it?

Somebody had to forge
Hodges' fingerprints.

Woo is better qualified at that
than all his other pets were.

Could be more than
just an expert witness.

So, now we dive into her dumpster.

Maybe, uh, we can do better
than looking through her trash.

Maybe we can hire her.

I appreciate you coming down
on such short notice, Mrs. Woo.

I admit I was surprised
by the invitation.

Oh, we actually use outside consultants

- pretty routinely.
- I have no doubt.

But how often are they scheduled
to testify against your friends?

- Surely you're aware.
- I am.

It's why I thought of you. I am
not a "former forensic artist".

That's how you were
described in the paper.

That's accurate.

Right. So, I have a case

that has nothing to do
with David Hodges.

Uh, we just need help

getting a safe open. It
belonged to a m*rder victim.

And it's biometric?

Yes. And I sent you his ten card

from a prior arrest.

Well, easy enough
to duplicate fingerprints.

Does that come up often in your work?

I charge by the hour.

I'm sure you'd like me to get started.

Yeah. Uh, if you don't mind,

um, I'd like to watch.
Maybe I'll learn something.

- Hmm.
- (KEYS CLACKING)

And we finish

with a spritz of triglycerides.

Would you like the honor?

Yes.

(SAFE UNLOCKS)

Just like the real thing.

You are a wizard.

RAJAN: Sara said Woo's just ice-cold.

You know, since all this started,

half of her competition's
either dead or on trial.

She might be in on it.

Definitely warrants
further consideration.

Who warrants further consideration?

Um, a development on Shaw.

Our victim was cooking the books
at the convention center he ran.

Might be why he ended up down the drain.

Hmm.

I heard the burglars

who called weren't
able to open this up.

If they had, they would've
been disappointed.

Mm. Just, uh, Shaw's ledgers
and a couple of lawsuits.

He was at w*r with a couple companies

who had their conventions

canceled by the pandemic.

FOLSOM: He declined to refund

their "advanced deposits".

- WYATT: Mm.
- Bribes.

Booking event space in Vegas pre-COVID

was a cutthroat business.

- People would k*ll for less.
- RAJAN: One of the plaintiffs

is Chase Starr. He owns
Little Beauties Child Pageants.

He was glued
to the victim's ex-wife, Tammy.

Shaw kept a little file on them.

WYATT: Doesn't exactly look

like the corpse-melting type.

Who else was suing him?

The Prepper People.

A doomsday preparedness company.

Owner's a guy named Herman Maddock.

He once stood trial

for attempted m*rder. He walked.

I know who I'd put my money on.

RAJAN: We'll see. Looks like
a clash of the titans to me.

RAMIREZ: Whether it's pageant
people or preppers,

someone knows their chemistry.

Barely any bones left,

much less evidence.

No kidding. Bucket number three is down.

No remnants that could confirm identity

or tell us cause of death.

RAMIREZ: Still no ring?

- FOLSOM: Mm-mm.
- RAMIREZ: Huh.

- You're not superstitious, are you?
- Uh, not usually.

When I was with my first wife,

I lost mine on a waterslide

in Peru. We got divorced
three months later.

Huh.

I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to suggest

- that...
- It's fine. Yeah. Uh,

- it'll turn up, right?
- Uh, y...

I found a glass button

and a few jean rivets over here.

FOLSOM: There any, um...

... marrow in these bone fragments?

Completely dissolved.
I did find a toenail

stuck to some cartilage, though.

The meniscus, I think.

Weird, right?

Must have got jumbled in the pipes.

Huh.

- What?
- These bones that were left in the tub?

I got two femurs here.

Erik did have two legs.

They're not the same length.

You guys pulled more than
one victim out of those pipes.

♪ ♪

So, every hair in the bed
appears to be from Shaw.

All his meals were eaten
solo. Only one toothbrush.

He was separated from his wife.

Just doesn't give us any more
idea who the second person was

who went down that drain.

Doesn't appear Shaw had many friends.

Maybe they weren't a friend.
Maybe they were a foe.

You think Shaw was facing two attackers?

One who donated a femur
to the stew there.

And the second tall
enough to bump his head

here.

I thought we were done
pulling this place apart.

This isn't ours.

I don't know that it's Shaw's, either.

The k*ller's?

If they dismembered Shaw first,
it might explain

why the remains were
out of order in the pipes.

Might explain more than that.

The Prepper People.
Where did you find this?

In his toolbox.

The only new tool in there.

Those nuts are suing him.

Why leave branded evidence behind?

They're preparing for
the zombie apocalypse.

Let's not try and follow
all their logic.

RAJAN: That's not bone.

That's linoleum.

(CAMERA CLICKING)

Hmm.

Hugo found one of these in the pipes.

Towel they used to clean up
was pretty small.

Couldn't have been that much blood.

Looks like they gave up after one limb.

Probably realized
how hard hacking up a body is,

decide to melt him instead.

If Shaw didn't die
in that fight in the bathroom,

- this was either a pit stop, or it was...
- Where it happened.

They did a great job
getting rid of the body,

but...

They didn't get rid of everything.

FOLSOM: The b*llet that k*lled
Erik Shaw was jacketed.

- It must've hit bone and...
- Shed its skin.

RAJAN: There's no grooves

on the core we recovered.

If we're ever gonna match it to a g*n,

the jacket we need probably broke off

in the body.

Must be in there somewhere.

With Sara's wedding ring.

I was going to surprise her

with this.

(BEEPS)

We can make use of it now.

A metal detector. That's a good idea.

Don't sound so surprised.

- (METAL DETECTOR WHIRRING)
- Oh.

First time's the charm.

Ought to take you to Vegas.

(CHUCKLES)

I don't see anything.

Stop.

(METAL DETECTOR WHIRS)

The salt in the remains.

(WHIRS)

Right. And the iron content
and... Of course.

Guess there's no shortcut

through all that sludge,

but at least you'll have help.

I'm gonna need a minute.

- Mm-hmm.
- (PHONE VIBRATING)

Ooh.

Ah. I wish I could stick around

and help, but...

What, have you got a date?

Sort of.

I'm late.

Um, well, h-have fun.

ROBY: Yeah, well, I
stopped going to work,

but I didn't stop working.

These files are gonna help.

- (KNOCK ON DOOR)
- Thank you, Marcus.

I'd like that.

Okay. Bye.

(EXHALES)

Did you tell anyone
where you were going?

Come on.

Try being flattered.
I trust you the most.

Boss, what are we doing?

I'm gonna show you something
that'll make your hair stand up.

Are you really not gonna tell
me who you went out with?

Mm.

I bet it was that pageant mom

- with the turquoise cowboy hat.
- (g*n FIRES)

FOLSOM: Excuse me, sir?

You got a minute?

This is private property.

Mr. Maddock, uh, I'm Allie Rajan

from the Las Vegas Crime Lab.

- This is Josh Folsom.
- We're investigating

a homicide. A man you were suing.

Erik Shaw.

Oh, right.

Yeah, I heard about that.

Guess I can drop the case, huh?

You're fishing in the wrong pond.

This saw

was used to carve up Shaw's body.

We have your fingerprints on
file from your last arrest

and also here.
On the butt of the handle.

We don't have to do this here.

I'm not leaving this property
unless you drag me off it.

I gave that saw to Shaw.

Because you were such good buddies?

Because I was trying
to do business with the man.

That's the way it worked.
You got to ply him with money,

swag.

I needed his space for our convention.

So my prints on that saw
don't prove a thing.

Hmm, this might.

Another present you gave to Shaw?

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY) Miss,
that a*mo is store-bought a*mo.

I melt mine here.

Course, I'm gonna need to see

a warrant before I let
you tour my armory.

We'll get one.

(MUFFLED SPEAKING)

You get your house in order now.

Dr. Grissom.

Let me guess. You want to know
why we called Janice Woo.

Mr. Wix is upset?

- What the hell's going on?
- We needed some assistance

in fingerprint duplication.

How many outside experts
does this lab need?

One more, evidently.

You thought it would be a good idea

to recruit the woman who's gonna
testify against your buddy?

Well, she's an expert forensic artist.

Well, if you ask me,
it's awfully suspicious.

I didn't ask you.

(EXHALES)

When I got married the second time,

Melinda and I got ring tattoos.

Just to be safe.

Where'd you two meet?

At one of her shows.

She's a fire performer.

Juggles it. Eats it.

Never really cooks with it,

- but...
- (LAUGHS)

Her job is why we moved to Vegas.

You moved here for her career?

Yeah.

I was... I was happy in New York.

Had some momentum in the art scene.

Nice boss at the morgue.

But she had to be here for
work, so we took the plunge.

Looks like you got something there.

They're teeth.

No roots. Veneers.

You know, the porcelain
they use on fake teeth

resist acid just like
the chompers we're born with.

Bet we'll find the
rest of them in there.

SIDLE: Erik Shaw's smile was natural.

These must've come
from our second decedent.

Odontologists have to
take a D intraoral scan

- to make all those.
- I should do a bite reconstruction.

RAMIREZ: You should find Folsom.

He's good at those.

♪ ♪

The veneers are really
well-made. High quality.

Figure we sh**t that model
to all the best odontologists

in the area, and...

we can cross our fingers and...

What?

FOLSOM: Nothing. It's... It's just...

It's a really familiar smile, right?

I swear I've...

Hold on.

That sure looks like

- the same smile, right?
- Yeah.

Our second decedent is Chase Starr.

Makes sense. His name's

all over one of the lawsuits
against Erik Shaw.

That man is alive. I met him

when I interviewed Tammy Shaw.

Big, old, bright Donny Osmond smile.

Well, if Chase Starr is alive,

he can't also be down Erik Shaw's drain.

McKenzie, what is going on
with that sashay?

It's one, two, three.

(POP MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY)

- Mr. Starr. It's good to see you again.
- Folks,

- this is a closed rehearsal.
- We'll make it quick, Grayson.

You lied to us the other day.
You said your name was Chase.

I'm sorry, who told you it wasn't?

- I'm-I'm just confused here.
- RAJAN: Did you know

identical twins don't have
identical fingerprints?

Those are formed in the womb,
where you met this guy.

All right, yeah, I'm Grayson.

I-I'm filling in for my brother.

"Filling in"? That's...

That's not a thing.

Identity theft is. m*rder is.

WOMAN: Hi, Chase.

All right, uh, what you
might could find out

is one of the mamas
has a restraining order

against me. She's not
here today, so I'm not

in-in violation.

But I'm not supposed to cover
for Chase anymore.

What was I supposed to do?

He disappeared right before
our biggest event of the year.

That's the only reason
you're impersonating the man?

Because the show must go on?

Go ahead and mock,

but these kids have worked
their entire little lives

to compete in this pageant.

Why didn't you let the authorities know

that Chase was missing?

You don't want me to waste your time.

It's pills. It's always pills.

Last time, I found him

detoxing in some ashram
in the Mojave. He'll turn up.

I'm so sorry, Mr. Starr,

but, um...

your brother's dead.

- What?
- FOLSOM: We were able

to confirm with dental records.

- He-he...
- We have the same dentist.

Are-are you sure?

(CRYING): How?

- Wh-Where did this happen?
- FOLSOM: We're gonna answer

your questions, but first,

we're gonna have to ask you some.

- Where were you two nights ago?
- Um,

I was here.

I was covering for Chase.

I was helping a-a few kids
with their routines.

- Which families?
- GRAYSON: Um,

the Sizemores, the Otts.
Tammy Shaw and her girls.

Chase was in those pipes, too?

- (EXHALES)
- It's possible he had a hand in your husband's m*rder.

I know they didn't get along,

- but...
- RAJAN: We found part of a . -caliber b*llet

at the scene.

Mr. Starr has a w*apon
of the same caliber

registered in his name.

Which Mr. Starr?

Chase. But we...

But we want to ask you about Grayson.

He suggested you might be able
to alibi him for Tuesday night.

We were here for extra practice
with Grayson.

We left

after Carrie's run-through,
but he stayed.

Well, if you knew that Grayson

was filling in for Chase,
why didn't you tell us

- the other day?
- It's none of my business.

What, you think I want problems

with the heads of the
pageant? (CHUCKLES)

What happened to your leg there?

It looks like a chemical burn.

No.

It was this.

That looks more like an exothermic ulcer

than a hot glue mishap.

I was putting rhinestones
on Quinn's shoes.

It hurt

- like the dickens.
- RAJAN: Yeah.

Uh, I'd like to take a swab
of your wound, please.

(GIRL CRYING)

Mom, Carrie's crying again.

(SPEAKING QUIETLY)

Check it out, lady in the hat.

Trey, don't let him do you like that!

Get your hands up! Get your hands up!

Hey, mama.

That's my ball.

Huh?

- That's my ball.
- Oh, sure, sure.

- It's all good.
- ROBY: Yeah.

FOLSOM: You're lucky, Ms. Shaw.

The burn on your leg
could've been much worse.

Sulfuric acid is no joke.

I told you that I b*rned myself
with a glue g*n.

Where are my girls?

There's an officer with them.

Tammy, uh,

where did you go

after your rehearsal
with Grayson the other night?

Home to put my daughters to bed.

And after that?

Gil, it's, uh, Wix's trash day tomorrow.

Yeah, well, looks like they
got this covered, so I'll go.

No, you know what? You stay.

Finish it.

May be the last case we work.

RAJAN: You're a secretary

at Stockton Paper.

Is that right, Ms. Shaw?

What-what does that
have to do with anything?

You knew both victims.

And you had access to the chemicals

that dissolved them. Sulfuric
acid, hydrogen peroxide.

These are used in paper
manufacturing and recycling.

(BREATHES DEEPLY) Uh...

(EXHALES)

Chase asked me to get him those bottles.

He gave me a list.

Why steal for him?

We were...

in love.

I-I didn't ask questions. I
didn't know what it was for.

But whatever he did, I don't know.

Tammy, what...

What really happened in there?

Why did both men you loved have to die?

I have no idea.

I mean, they kind of hated
each other, but...

I mean,

I didn't do anything.

We're gonna go get

a detective who can, uh...

take it from here.

I didn't k*ll anyone.

Please, please, don't take me away

- from my girls.
- (DOOR OPENS)

(CRYING)

How could you think

I did this? How?!

Now, that's a good question.

- ANNA: Come on!
- What?

- I said I needed you.
- No, I'm just taking out

the broccoli. It's gross.

- ANNA: Well, hurry up.
- Talk like that, Anna,

I'm gonna have to kick your ass

- in Double Jeopardy!
- ANNA: Not likely.

Hello, Anson.

Did you forget something in here?

Well, you must be desperate,
rooting around in my trash.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

No,

I think we both know
who we're dealing with.

You're not gonna find anything, Sara.

Every criminal makes mistakes.

That right there.

That is what I hate about CSIs.

It's that certainty. That-that...

deluded belief

that if you just know where to look

and you know how to look,

you're gonna see the truth.

Don't talk to me about truth.

(LAUGHS): Oh, right.

I am so sorry. You are the expert.

What would I know?

You know? People can't digest

the horror of this world,

so you spoon-feed them

a story just one molecule at a time.

But, you know, all your
lights and your lasers

and your potions?

You know, nobody on a jury
understands any of that.

You know, that is just special effects

to create an illusion of certainty.

And it's my job... No, it is my job

to fight that with doubt, Sara,

- and that's how I win.
- Anson.

There's not gonna be any doubt.

(CAR DOOR CLOSES)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

GRISSOM: Oh, good.

- More garbage.
- (CHUCKLES)

Folsom told me they arrested
Tammy Shaw three hours ago.

Yeah.

I went fishing for that
missing b*llet jacket

on the off chance that
Tammy Shaw had help

throwing her accomplice
all around the crime scene.

I didn't find it, but I did...

I met him. Wix.

- What?
- It was an accident.

- Sara.
- He didn't tell me anything, but, uh...

maybe whoever left this will.

I need

your help with this.

Wix lives with his sister.

How do we know
this didn't come from her?

SIDLE: You are the
geneticist. I'm hoping

you can tell me.

Found it in a small trash
bag full of tissues,

floss and men's deodorant.

It must have come

from Wix's upstairs bathroom.

Anna would not have been up there.

So maybe he has a confidant.

We need to find them.

The standard STR showed
too much degradation

in the sample, so I don't even know

if there's anything
else that can be done.

I'm giving PreCR a sh*t.

It's an enzymatic process
that repairs broken DNA.

Mitochondrial or genomic?

Both.

It can play ball with
all kinds of damage.

Mechanical, heat. Radiation.

Liquid at the bottom of a trash can?

(CHUCKLES) Cross your fingers.

And...

you may even have results

before the Hodges trial starts tomorrow.

I got to get out of here

before somebody remembers
I don't run this lab.

Max, thank you.

(SIGHS)

How many laws did you two just break?

A couple.

You're still stuck on this, huh?

A petite mother of two

did not make that dent.

SIDLE: No, she knocked
someone into the wall.

I wonder

how the head made impact
tipped back like that.

(EXHALES)

What is it?

Your shoulders.

If you were Erik Shaw

and that was made by
the back of your head,

where are your shoulders and your back?

Do you think that could have been made

by the crown of the head?

Maybe.

If he was knocked
completely off his feet.

We should've been looking for a
k*ller with superhuman strength.

I'm not sure the k*ller
was human at all.

♪ ♪

- Hmm.
- GRISSOM: Okay.

- Everybody back.
- All right.

- GRISSOM: Back, back, back.
- Okay.

Cover your ears.

- Ready, Allie?
- Oh, yeah.

Fire in the hole!

(BEEPS)

(SIZZLING)

(CHUCKLES)

(WYATT COUGHING)

- Whew.
- Wow.

Oh, God.

Another fine mess
you've gotten us into, Allie.

WYATT: I don't understand.

Where was Tammy Shaw standing?

FOLSOM: My guess,

about seven miles away
back home with her kids.

SIDLE: Chase Starr sh*t Erik Shaw.

He gave up dismembering him,
and he came up

with a different plan
to get rid of the body.

GRISSOM: The reaction of the chemicals

that Chase used blew him back
against the wall.

(SCREAMS, GRUNTS)

And then bounced into the tub.

Buonanotte, pal.

So, it was a m*rder

and an accidental death?

We've been solving the k*ller's death

the whole time.

First time for everything.

(EXHALES) Oh.

Just keeps on ticking.

I'm gonna treasure this.

Thank you for bringing it.

Thanks for... everything.

Oh, I didn't have anything to do
with your charges being dropped.

D.A. just didn't think
she could prove you knew

what you were getting
those chemicals for.

State of mind is hard to prove.

I have my own guess

about what you knew, but...

(EXHALES)

I love my daughters.

That's my state of mind.
I would never do

anything to get them taken away.

SIDLE: All right, thanks. Bye.

Max's repair job

on the lipstick sample worked.

Buccal DNA from two people.

Anson Wix

and Janice Woo.

I didn't think it was customary

to be kissing your expert witness.

Your accomplice, maybe.

Ugh, if we could get her to flip...

That'd be the ball game.

By the way, I found something
you were looking for,

and I better give it to you
before we go through

the metal detector.

(CHUCKLES)

Thank you.

You weren't really that worried
about the ring?

It, um...

It just felt like a bad omen.

Only Hodges would be
late to his own trial.

"Five minutes".

How can you say that to someone

- that you said...
- That-That's what you did.

- That was your action.
- JANICE: No. I'm done.

Ms. Woo. Is everything all right?

Apparently, I don't need to bother

watching the criminal trial.

I was just fired.

- I'm off the Hodges civil case.
- Why?

Anson's replacing me.

I guess he's worried
about how things look.

And now he's just...

done with me.

Excuse me.

If she knew anything,

he wouldn't cut her loose.

He would've k*lled her.

WOMAN: State of Nevada v. Hodges.

Please report to room nine.

Well, that's it.

We're out of time.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

PLAYER: Come on, now!

- (GUILLERMO GRUNTS)
- ROBY: Whoa.

Ah!

(CHUCKLES) Sorry, bro.

ROBY: That's my boy!

My bad, dude.

You're dirty, bro.

Well, if you're really hurt,

maybe you could just file
a personal injury suit.

- What the hell are you talking about?
- No, it...

It's a good idea. You could call
your lawyer, Anson Wix.

(GRUNTS SOFTLY)

How do you know that name?

ROBY: Well, for one thing,

he represented you
on trafficking charges

last year, right?

But maybe he could help you

with this. Now, that's the
game I really came to watch.

You can't prove there
were dr*gs in that bag.

ROBY: That's not why we're here.

We're here because we've discovered

that you are the link between Anson Wix

and a hit man.

You paid Estaban Ruiz
to k*ll a retired cop.

The name Jim Brass ring a bell?

You see, Estaban

ended up getting blown
away by a blind old man.

You picked a crappy assassin, bro.

If he were better,

- we wouldn't be here.
- ROBY: And you wouldn't have

to help us take down Anson Wix.

♪ ♪