♪ ♪
(distorted): Bitch!
Someone...
Help.
(distorted): Do you want to order another drink?
What?
Did you want to order another...
(echoing): Hey, are you okay?
Maybe you should get some air.
(echoing): Maybe you should get some air.
♪ ♪
(tires screeching) Help! Somebody!
What happened?! Oh, my God!
I think she's dead. Call 911!
Help!
All right, follow the pen and keep your head still.
No one was in the street when I turned the corner.
I was looking for parking.
I swear.
If no one was on the street, how'd she end up under your car?
I told you, I didn't see her.
All right. Open your mouth and blow on that.
I thought I hit a dog.
I-I got out to check and, and saw her...
Hang tight.
Well, our driver was sober.
He said he didn't see the vic in the alleyway.
We got a cause of death?
Her cervical vertebrae and lateral malleoli are crushed.
So she's got a broken neck.
Not exactly. These injuries suggest she was already on the ground when run over.
And look...
frothing.
And...
Ocular miosis.
Which tells you what?
These are all symptoms of being poisoned by a nerve agent.
Odds are she was already dead when the car hit her.
So what you're saying is, the car was unrelated to her death.
She's cyanotic.
I'd say she was poisoned minutes ago at most.
Maybe the killer's still inside, Horatio.
Frank, lock it down. Nobody leaves.
♪ Yeah! ♪
♪ We don't get fooled again ♪ ♪ Don't get fooled again ♪ ♪ No, no! ♪
SIMMONS: Everybody settle down!
Please settle down!
Now we can't release you until you've all been questioned individually.
(crowd groans, murmurs) Yes, exactly.
So the sooner you shut up, the sooner you go home.
Thank you.
Why don't you just save us the time and tell us what you put in her drink.
Her drink was empty.
I asked if she wanted a refill.
That's my job.
This test will tell us whether or not you're telling the truth.
Come on, she was drooling on herself when she came to the bar.
(phone rings) DELKO: Hey, guy slips drugs in a girl's drink and then gets his way with her.
You think it's the first time we've heard a story like that?
Do you mind?
No, it's fine. I got this.
Hi. This is CSI Duquesne.
Yes, of course. How are you?
Absolutely. A meeting today still works.
2:00 p.m. is perfect.
Okay. I know that you have my fingerprints on file, but if you should need a blood sample, I'm happy to provide it.
Wonderful. Okay.
Thank you again.
Sorry.
So?
Swabs are all negative.
Doesn't appear to be any trace of nerve agent in any of these glasses.
DUQUESNE: You said that the victim was sick when she got to the bar.
Yeah. Hunched over. Coughing.
You see where she was before she came to the bar?
Yeah, I think I saw her step out of the bathroom.
Okay. Great. Thank you.
I'll meet you in the bathroom. All right.
(sighs) So far, I've got nothing here.
Yeah, I got nothing at the sink either.
Hey. There's a purse in the trash.
I just I.D.'d our victim-- Denise Baines.
She's got a Carol City address.
25 years old.
Hmm.
All right, well, let's, uh, let's test the stuff in her purse, see if anything pops positive for poison.
Okay. Have you got enough in your kit for me?
Have I ever not?
So, um...
you thinking of becoming a private detective or something?
A private detective?!
Well, I heard you on the phone earlier.
You eavesdropping? No.
I was not eavesdropping.
You were three feet away, I could hear everything.
(chuckles) Okay, well that's fair.
Well, the answer is not in a million years.
But you know that.
Bingo.
This thing just popped positive for yellow.
That means there's a G series nerve agent present in that.
If she put a drop of that in her eye it would shut down her body almost immediately.
LOMAN: The three G series nerve agents are Tabun, Soman, and Sarin.
Did it have a color?
No, no, it didn't have any color at all.
It was a clear liquid.
Which narrows it to Tabun and Sarin.
LOMAN: Did it have a fruity odor?
No. No smell at all. No odor.
Then that confirms Denise was poisoned with liquid Sarin.
A few drops of it can kill someone within minutes.
Hey, Doc, how easily could others have been exposed?
If the liquid evaporated into a vapor, anyone standing within several feet of it could get sick.
You know, I interviewed that valet, he said he put a woman in a cab who was half dead.
If she was exposed, she'll die without an immediate dose of Atropine.
All right, we've got to find her right away.
She's our only link to the killer.
DELKO: You remember what the woman looked like?
She was tall, like, six feet; brown hair.
You said she looked sick. How sick?
Eyes were watering, coughing real bad, and uh...
and she was real sweaty.
And then she puked right there on the curb.
Hey, hey, hey.
You've gotta go to the back. You've gotta go to the back.
Ew. MAN: Oh, come on.
WOMAN: That's nasty.
Just put me in a cab.
You got it, lady.
VALET: She slipped me $100 bill \h to let her cut.
Damn.
All symptoms of Sarin poisoning.
Yeah. We're gonna need that bill that she gave you.
SIMMONS: Yeah, the bill. Give it up, fool.
That's evidence in a murder investigation.
Yeah, it's yellow.
That means she was in direct contact with the poison.
Great. Our only lead is dying, we don't know where she is.
Hold up. Poison?
I touched that bill.
Am I gonna get sick?
No, you'll be all right.
You'd be showing symptoms already.
What was the cab company that you called?
Sunstar Taxi.
Yeah. This is CSI Walter Simmons MDPD.
I need to track a recent pick up.
Yeah, 25 Azure Avenue.
Uh-huh. Single female passenger.
No, about 30 minutes ago.
Yeah.
You do? Okay.
All right. Thank you.
You got a drop-off location?
Yeah.
Sure you got the right address?
I don't know. That's what the cab company said Why would a sick girl want to be dropped off here?
Good question.
If you see anything call me, got it?
Got it.
WOMAN: Please... help me.
(coughing) Please...
Help me.
Ma'am.
(coughing) It's all right, ma'am.
Miami Dade Police.
Were you at a club downtown today?
Yes. Please, my throat.
I can barely breathe.
It's okay.
I'll, uh... I'll get you to a hospital.
Hey!
Don't even think about it!
Thanks for that.
Oh, so she took apart your gun, Frank?
While it was in your hand?
Don't start with me, Owens.
That woman had some sort of special training or something.
Don't be too embarrassed.
That gun's easy to dismantle.
Just pulled passports from your bag.
Which one of these is your real name?
Take your pick.
You're a professional...
paid to kill Denise Baines, and this place is your money drop.
And you're trying to get rid of that file 'cause it's the only thing that links you to the murder.
You're not the smoothest killer. You poisoned yourself.
Just a few drops, not enough to do any real damage.
She turned around faster than I expected.
♪ ♪
Hello?
Oh. I'm sorry.
No problem.
Who paid you to kill her?
Like you said, I'm a professional.
Discretion is also a virtue.
Well, you're about to go away for life unless you tell us something right now.
(laughs) Then I'll take life.
Get her the hell out of here.
Something's weird.
And why hire a professional to take out some random party girl?
Only one good reason for that.
Our victim's not random.
Let's go.
BOA VISTA: This is Denise \h Baines' apartment.
You got the keys? \h DELKO: Yeah.
(door closes) Wow.
Denise lived at her desk.
Yeah.
A lot of books.
I guess she wasn't the party girl we thought she was.
No.
Chinese.
So she never left her desk.
Let's see what this is all about.
Looks like she was writing a draft of an article for the Miami Beacon.
Maybe that's what she was onto then.
She's onto something big, and that's why she got targeted.
Big story in the Miami Beacon?
I don't think so.
Well, there's gotta be some sort of needle in this file stack.
Yeah, well, let's, uh, let's hope so.
♪ ♪
Yeah, I'm not finding anything significant over here.
Miami Beacon.
Look at this... more Chinese food.
What was this girl, like a hundred pounds maybe?
How much could one little girl eat?
She had a pretty healthy appetite.
Unless she had a guest.
See...
Now you're onto something.
Got a dress.
In a size two, so that's probably right around the size that she wears.
So this is hers, but, uh...
I'll bet that contribution isn't.
Want to bag that up? Sure.
You know, and I'll take the keys back to the landlord, and I'll meet you at the lab. Yeah.
See you there in a few minutes.
MAN: What did you say, bitch?
WOMAN: I said, "Touch me again with those grimy hands and you'll regret it!"
(slapping) (screams) You're such an ass! And you're a bimbo!
Giving out your number like that? We ordered pizza, moron.
I had to give that guy my number. What did I tell you?
What did I tell you? MDPD! Break it up!
Aah!
Oh, my gosh. I am so sorry.
Are you okay? That's assault. You gonna arrest her?
No one's getting arrested, all right? Just relax.
You people live in this building?
We live right there.
You know Denise Baines, that lives around the corner?
Yeah. Heard she died.
You see anybody coming to visit her last night?
Um, well, like, a different guy every night.
She's what you call, like, promiscuous.
That's the understatement of the century.
If you saw photos of any of these people, would you'd be able to I.D. them?
Depends.
I only saw a couple from behind.
But they were tall, dark and hot.
Are you sure you don't want to press charges on assault or...
No one's pressing charges. I told you that.
I'll give you my card.
You see any one of these people, you make sure you give me a call. Understand?
Go to your apartment, get inside.
You... you go cool off somewhere.
You know what you're doing?
Mm, I've done this before.
You're gonna miss your 2:00 appointment.
No. I'll make it.
(gentle laugh) Fingerprints, blood tests...
You, uh, joining the Feds, or you getting married?
(laughs) Oh, gosh.
If I need fingerprints to get married, I'm in trouble.
Nah, it's nothing like that.
Well, what is it?
I'm thinking about adopting Austin North and his sister.
Wow.
That's... that's great.
Well, if you need any help doing that, I-I'd love to help.
I don't know.
I think this is something I have to do on my own.
It's hard parenting alone, you know.
I think what these kids need is stability and...
you know, you and I, we're on, we're off, we're on.
It's anything but stable. Yeah.
Putting the kids first.
You're already thinking like a mom.
I guess I am.
All right.
That'll heal.
You're still handsome.
And I have to go.
Horatio, it's Nat.
I just ran the sample on Denise Baines' dress...
and I-I don't know how to handle this one.
The DNA contribution belonged to Randall Stafford.
Exact-- that Randall Stafford.
The head of Miami's City Council.
As councilman, I promise the city that this drone will be the first unmanned aircraft in civilian airspace in Miami's history.
Any questions?
Were you involved in the murder of Denise Baines?
Uh, it looks like my time here is up.
One of the top advisors from the FAA will now answer any further questions.
Thank you.
How dare you hijack my press conference.
You didn't answer my question, councilman.
Denise's murder is obviously under tragic circumstances.
You had a relationship with the lady, didn't you?
No. That's decidedly untrue.
Well, then you better explain the DNA we found on her dress, councilman.
I think you might want to do that.
This is neither the time or the place.
You either answer my question, or I'm gonna cuff you in front of that pretty wife of yours.
Okay, look, Denise was writing a profile on me for the Miami Beacon.
She was shadowing me.
Over time, we got close.
Be honest in your portrayal.
Don't hold back.
Nothing is off-limits.
Heard that before.
I said that before.
This time...
...this time I mean it.
It was a mistake, Horatio.
She was a mistake.
I want my attorney present before you... I think we can facilitate that.
Why don't you make a call.
I'll be inside.
Horatio.
Well, you look a little different since I last saw you.
Been working on your tan?
I thought I told you to stay out of Miami.
Oh, I know.
I'd love to accommodate you, but the truth is, my firm's new Miami branch is thriving, and so my priority clients-- uh, hi, councilman-- they demand my priority time.
DELKO: Oh, I'm sure.
Our evidence links your priority client to a murder.
Ah, yes, of course.
The infamous stained dress, yeah.
By the way-- sorry-- but who is this guy?
His name is CSI Eric Delko. Ah.
CSI Eric Delko. Oh.
One of Miami's finest foot soldiers, no doubt.
Gabby, where are we at here?
So, after collecting this stained dress from Denise Baines' apartment, CSI Delko, where did you put it?
I followed protocol-- I put it in a sealed evidence box.
Wasn't there an altercation in her hallway during the time you were there?
And how would you know that?
Due diligence, Horatio.
We're viciously thorough.
Hm.
Yeah, there was-- a domestic dispute.
VOGEL: Mm-hmm. And where did you put the evidence when you intervened in this dispute?
I put the evidence down on the floor in front of Denise's apartment.
VOGEL: The floor. Hm.
But I thought the dispute took place down the hall and round the corner.
Yeah, it did. So what?
So that would put the evidence out of your line of sight.
Look, I might have lost sight of the evidence for...
a minute, maybe.
One minute?
60 long ticks of the clock, sir.
CAINE: And the point is?
My point is that CSI Eric Delko left evidence unattended, (chuckles): and, you know, judges, they love unattended evidence.
They also love putting people in jail.
Mm!
So we're done here?
VOGEL: Yes, councilman, we are. We're leaving.
Uh...
Don't get comfortable.
You know I love Miami.
Hey, can you recommend any good restaurants?
You heard what I said.
Oh, come on, you're such a grouch.
Cheer up.
All right, have a nice day.
You... I don't care.
We need to talk.
There's no way that evidence was tampered with, H. I agree, Eric.
Well, how did they know about the dispute?
The line of sight? 'Cause they've been following us.
Well, that's because they know that the councilman's guilty, they want to keep him out of jail.
They wouldn't have gone to this length if he was innocent, would they have?
Denise must know something much bigger about the councilman. Let's find out.
BOA VISTA: Look at this.
All Denise's notes are written in shorthand.
It's all one sound, one syllable.
Who uses shorthand?
Well, a journalist trying to conceal sensitive research.
'Cause it's all code.
Hmm. What are all the...
the S's with the circles around them?
They're all followed by phrases like "approved shutdown,"
"signed legislation"
and "office will not comment."
The "S" means staffer. Yeah, it's got to. So you're absolutely right-- this didn't have anything to do with sex.
This was all about Denise trying to get info on Stafford.
What's that one?
BOA VISTA: "Power to the local union building out 90 minutes Thursday night."
Hang on a second, I just read an article...
Something here...
Here it is. Denise, she wrote an article about power outages that cancelled an important union meeting.
Mm. She also wrote another draft on a city firehouse that was for sale and a street repaving.
Those are all city services that are influenced by the councilman.
What was that-- wait a minute, let me see that one about the street repaving.
That's kind of convenient.
The street repaving was behind Delonte Cassell's nightclub.
Delonte Cassell-- that's... Remember?
That's the club owner that was suspected of killing one of his own customers?
Yeah.
Was a couple of weeks ago, right?
Yeah. What's that about? Hang on a second.
The vic was Jimmy Ruiz.
Says here he was found in a Dumpster a couple of blocks from the club.
Cassell and Ruiz got into a fight before Ruiz left the club, and that was the last time he was seen alive.
Can you find out what happened with the case, what the verdict was?
Yeah.
Looks like he got off; lack of evidence. (Boa Vista groans) Well, let's see if Denise has anything to say about it in her notes.
Um...
yes, "Councilman Stafford ordered the street behind the club repaved the morning after Ruiz was shot.
Why would the councilman have to act so fast?
I mean, what was his rush?
I'll betcha I know where I can dig up an answer.
BOA VISTA: Oh...
WOLFE: Look at that.
It's a spent shell casing.
If I had to guess, it's from a nine-millimeter.
And that's what Ruiz was shot with.
Let's see what else we can get.
Blood...
and a whole lot of it.
We just found where Ruiz was shot.
(dance music playing in distance) Put your business back in your pants and get the hell out of here.
And if you ever touch one of my girls like that again...
(chuckles) (laughing)
(shutter clicks) (footsteps approaching) OWENS: Hey, so we ended up pulling five nine-millimeter shell casings from the pavement behind the club.
That's not enough to charge Cassell in the reshooting.
You know? I need something that puts him at the scene.
Yeah, I'm still looking.
So, are you coming over tonight?
(chuckles): Yeah, of course.
You're the ASA on this? That's right.
That okay with you? Yeah, it's fine.
But I think you should know that we think Councilman Stafford helped Cassell cover up this murder. Why would one of Miami's highest-ranking public officials help one of its dirtiest scumbags?
AVERY: Cassell's a thug.
That's a good question-- I think we need to ask Cassell that.
What makes you think he'll talk?
Maybe a nail in his coffin.
I got a print.
(laughs quietly) You know what this is, Delonte?
It's a shell casing with your fingerprints on it.
And you know what it proves?
It proves that you killed Jimmy Ruiz two weeks ago.
So you say.
Is my lawyer here yet?
Yeah, your lawyer can come here.
But I'll tell you what, we got ASA Avery over here, and he's ready to make you a pretty sweet deal.
Really? What kind of deal we talking about?
Well, that depends-- tell us about your relationship with Councilman Stafford. Councilman?
Do I look like the type who hangs with a councilman, suit?
No, you don't, but, uh, we got a work order request for the city here to repave the street that you shot Ruiz on, and, uh...
it's signed by Councilman Stafford.
Two hours after Ruiz died.
That's not a coincidence.
I can make your life a whole lot easier if you just talk to us, Delonte.
Shut your mouth, Delonte.
Your words are attracting a lot of flies.
What the hell are you doing here?
We represent Mr. Cassell.
VOGEL: Well, we're allowed to have more than one client.
I mean, it helps with the very pricey overhead. (chuckles) Uh, now, could I see the evidence against Mr. Cassell?
Thanks, sir.
Well, this just looks like a bunch of, uh, nine-millimeter shell casings.
So? They have Cassell's prints on them.
Oh. Better put the glasses on, then, huh? Hmm.
(chuckles softly) Uh, Ruiz, he was killed with a nine-millimeter, correct? Yeah, you and your client would know about that.
Wait... wait a minute, there's a .45 casing here on your lab table.
Is that a .45 ca... What do you think?
Well, look at that.
Huh. Hm.
That's a .45 right there.
VOGEL: Yeah. Huh?
I mean, did you recover a .45 shell casing from behind Mr. Cassell's club?
No, we didn't.
Oh. Really? That wasn't there before.
VOGEL: Oh, yes, it was there. I mean, uh, that is your photo, sweetheart, yes?
Well, now, if...
you didn't find a .45 casing in the alley, where did it come from?
Oh! Unless it came from another case.
That's impossible.
I don't think so.
That's called cross-contamination.
Thus, the casings and the prints would be deemed inadmissible.
(quietly): How the hell did this happen, Sam?
VOGEL (chuckles): You see? Even ASA Avery, despite his lack of experience and cheap suits, (chuckling): he knows your case just flatlined.
DELKO: So, I've been scanning through our database, looking at all of Vogel's other clients that we've arrested.
Anything jump out?
You tell me-- am I crazy, or do you see a pattern here?
(laughing): Yeah!
Vogel's clients are all felons, got hit with light slaps on the wrist when they should've gotten serious time.
Thank you.
Hung juries, acquittals, insufficient evidence-- all thanks to Vogel.
Wait, hang on.
Go back.
That guy.
That's the guy from the hallway at Denise's apartment today.
That's the one that was having the fight with the woman that smacked me in the face.
The domestic you broke up this morning? Yeah.
Yeah, this guy, Clyde Novak, huh?
Booked last year on assault and battery.
Charges were dropped.
So, Clyde owed Vogel big-time.
Charges were dropped.
This guy staged the fight with the woman, so that I'd break our chain of custody.
Okay, okay, he's coming.
So, do-do you want me to draw blood?
Just make it sound real.
What'd you say, bitch?!
I said touch me again with those grimy hands, and you'll regret it. (screams) Louder. Louder.
Come on, louder.
Vogel's blackmailing his clients to do his dirty work.
Vogel was blackmailing his clients, wasn't he, councilman?
And Denise found out about it, didn't she?
(sighs) She came to me about it.
So, I confronted Vogel.
And that's how he found out about Denise, because you outed her, didn't you?
I never wanted her to get hurt.
But she did get hurt.
She got killed right over there.
Because of you, he killed her before she could publish what she uncovered about him: How he used his clients to get other clients out of trouble.
What do you want from me, Horatio?
I need your testimony, councilman.
I can't testify against Vogel.
Look what he does to people who cross him.
I-I have a family.
You don't have a choice.
You do have a family, and they're gonna be next.
You need to think about that.
(phone ringing) (phone beeps) You need to think about it.
Yes, Natalia?
You won't believe who just showed up.
I'm on my way.
VOGEL: Ah, Horatio, thank goodness you're here.
I've been trying to get ahold of you for hours.
Actually, I'm fresh off a conversation with Councilman Stafford.
Well, that must have been a bit one-sided.
Not a great conversationalist, is he?
Well, come to think of it, neither are you.
(chuckles) Till now.
All right, come on, what is it?
What is it?
The suspense is killing me here.
For starters, we know you had two of your clients go over and stage a fight at Denise Baines' house today so you could compromise evidence.
It seems, Mr. Vogel, that she found out the truth about you and lost her life for it.
Really?
Well, do tell me, what is this truth exactly?
Blackmail.
Because we know you're blackmailing your clients like Councilman Stafford.
My dear, those are some wild, wild allegations.
Really?
Listen, I can't speak to the blackmail part of this, but I can speak to the other allegations.
That won't be necessary at this time.
Well, excuse me, I beg to differ there, Horatio.
Miss Wade has something that she wants to tell you.
I hired Clyde Novak and another client to stage the fight at Denise Baines'.
I also hired that contract killer to poison her.
I acted alone.
I perceived a threat to my clients and acted independently.
There.
Feels better now, doesn't it, just to get that off your chest, Gabby.
Now, listen, I'm gonna make sure you get the best representation.
Hell, I may even do it myself.
Thank you, Horatio.
Without you, Miss Wade here would continue to be a blight Miss Wade? on my firm.
Have you ever actually been to prison?
No.
Well, then, I commend you on your blind sense of loyalty.
You know you don't have to be the scapegoat, right?
This is your only opportunity to tell us what he has on you.
HORATIO: Miss Wade?
I'd like to give my official statement now.
Without the councilman's testimony, we have nothing.
This whole thing falls on Gabrielle Wade.
Yeah, Vogel played us real good.
He was a step ahead of us the whole time.
VOGEL: The judge agreed to this... What's going on?
because we discovered that... Son of a bitch.
the Miami-Dade Crime Lab mishandled evidence in a recent case.
What? Are you kidding me?
VOGEL: The CSI Samantha Owens used improper procedures, which puts into question not only her work Oh, my God.
on this particular case, but every single case that she's worked on including our client's, Esteban Navarro's.
Now, I can't say any more at this stage.
I will be making a statement later, but thank you so much.
It's a beautiful day; enjoy it.
I am going for lunch.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
(sighs) I'm guessing you heard?
Esteban Navarro's getting out, and all the cases that I processed evidence on are falling apart.
(wry laugh) God, I guess I really screwed this up.
No, I don't think you did, Sam.
Well, what are you talking about?
VOGEL: Sorry to keep you waiting.
I've had another busy, busy, busy day.
(chuckles) Well, of course, you'd know that, wouldn't you?
Somebody compromised the evidence when they planted this casing; someone close to us who is working for Vogel.
Ryan, you don't think that I would even...
Sam, let me ask you something.
What?
Where did you meet your boyfriend?
Josh?
At the gym, why?
Did he approach you?
Yeah, he did.
Wh-what's the point?
Sam, he had access.
He was there.
You've been very loyal, my boy.
Very loyal.
What do you want me to do now, Darren?
Wha...
You think that he planted the casing?
He's the assistant state attorney.
He would never....
He had access to our trace lab.
Well, I think the first order of business is to make sure that Lieutenant Caine and his CSIs never bother this law firm or any of its clients ever again.
(sighs) If this is true, then I'm done.
I'm finished.
Not if I have anything to say about it.
Captioning sponsored by\h CBS, C.S.I. PRODUCTIONS Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH\h access.wgbh.org