♪ ♪
Want to come in? I got to go. Oh, five more minutes? All right. Oh, five more minutes? All right. ( electronic gunshots ) MAN: Turn it off. I'm not going to say it again. Dad, just five more minutes and I'll be on level nine. Now! GIRL: Dad! You said I can watch Nickelodeon. You've watched enough TV for tonight. It's time to go to bed. How come he doesn't have to? Both of you, bed, now!
Dad! You got to save it first. This game saves it automatically.
Oh, no, no, you know how much sugar's in that thing?
Get down! ( gunshots )
Son, are you all right? ( car tires squealing ) Aimee? Aimee! Aimee! Aimee?
♪ ♪
BROWN: Hey. GRISSOM: Didn't you grow up in this neighborhood? Yeah, not too far away. My grandmother still lives down the block. Lot of familiar faces. MAN: Hey, Brown, you going to find the guy who did this? We're going to do our jobs.
Jason Gilbert. Shot through and through. He's going to be all right, though. What was he doing here? BRASS: Visiting his girlfriend next door. He hit the deck when the shooting started. Didn't see a car. Drive-by. His girlfriend see anything? Nobody saw a thing. Little girl inside wasn't so lucky. Aimee Phelps, age nine. Phelps? Father operates a rec center down the block.
What happened, man?
They killed my baby. ( sobs ) I'm sorry, man. I'm sorry.
BROWN: I got here as quick as I could. What happened? Cops said they were aiming at some white kid. I thought I was making a difference. ( sobs ) You are making a difference. I'm living proof. I'm sorry.
( sobs, sniffs ) I'm sorry.
♪ ♪
( exhales ) You going to be able to handle this?
I want this case. ♪ ♪
♪ 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 ♪ ♪ Oh, you! ♪
Matt told me his house was broken into about a week ago. They took all of his awards, his medals. Everything in his case.
I hope whoever took it, it meant as much to them as it did to him. ( sighs ) Well, we're obviously looking for an automatic. BROWN: No doubt. All this damage.
The bullets went through the glass, shed their jackets, or disintegrated completely on impact with the wall.
All we have left are lead cores, which are of no comparison value.
The only bullet that may help us is inside that little girl.
HyperTrix? Sounds like a breakfast cereal. Some internet service thing. I stopped thinking about that stuff when I found out my NASDAQ fund was worth less than my son's comic book collection. ( chuckles ) Dot com, dot bomb. The office floor where the DB's located is restricted-- authorized employees only. I'll need the access log. I already spoke to building security. Cool. ♪ ♪
Night shift started at 6:00 p.m. STOKES: And since then, four people have entered the building, and nobody left. VEGA: Three of them are still breathing.
( beeping ) Ooh. Hey, David. Nick. Cool enough in here for you? I'll manage. Most computers dissipate over two-thirds of the energy they consume as heat. AC's here for them, not the worker bees. Victim's name's Garret Kwan. Job title, CTO. Chief Technology Officer. T.O.D.?
Ambient here's about 65 degrees, which makes core temp drop roughly two degrees per hour. Figure he's been dead five to seven hours. Apparent blunt force trauma. Minimal seepage around the wound. No blood on the floor. The paramedics roll him? Uh, yeah. Said they found him face down, head towards the rack. Any sign of a weapon? Nothing obvious. No windows. Only one way in or out. Yeah, but there's plenty of places to hide. ( yelps ) Okay. One dead boss. Three live employees.
I like the odds.
BRASS: So, Jason Gilbert, the kid who was shot, not too popular in the neighborhood. Just in a fight last week, down the street. Yeah? Uh-huh. You saw his girl. She was hot. They're probably macking on her.
Matt said he heard tires screech. Mm-hmm. And the bullets went from right to left. Uh-huh.
There?
You know, it's a federal offense to mess with the postal service. Took that corner pretty hard, huh? Yeah.
Doesn't that dent look a little high to you? Like a truck or an SUV? ( brakes squealing, metal crunching ) Yeah. I'm not just another pretty face, you know. There's a silver paint transfer, though, right here. Captain. Just got a call. PJ's Tavern, a few blocks away. Guy was brandishing an automatic weapon. They're holding him at the site. ♪ ♪ This guy's a punk. Hey, tell me what you're telling him. This guy's no good. He's been in here before, and every time it's trouble. BRASS: All right. So this time I exercised my right not to serve him. Okay. You know what the little freak does? Okay. You know what the little freak does? Lifts up his jacket, and shows me a piece. I tell him to take a hike. BRASS: Yeah? ♪ ♪ Then he proceeds to tell me how I better watch my back, 'cause it wouldn't be the first time tonight he killed somebody. No kidding. All right. Jay... Jaycobs? No, it's Gene Jaycobs. Gene Jaycobs. I know that kid. I went to school with him. He got kicked out. Okay, let's see what the lad has to say for himself. Thanks a lot.
Hey, Gene, what's happening? Uncuff him. ( cuffs unlocking ) Do I know you? Put your hands out in front of you. Oh, it's like that, huh? ♪ ♪ ( indistinct radio chatter ) ♪ ♪ I can process this now. It would tell me if you fired a gun within the last couple of hours. But I'm going to take this back to the lab, make you sweat it out. BRASS: Okay, Officer, I think someone needs their cuffs put back on. ( cuffs locking ) I know what that is. You're checking me for blood spatter. I watch the Discovery Channel. Look, I found the body, I called the police. Not too smart if I'm the one who killed the guy. ( quietly ): That's good.
( indistinct talking ) Not too... not too smart if I'm the one who... Mr. Benton, could you stand up for me, please?
I know what that... is.
I know what that is. You're checking me for blood spatter.
I watch the Discovery Channel. Look, I... I found the body, I called the police. Not too smart if I'm the one who killed the guy. Thanks for pointing that out. When was the last time you saw Garret Kwan? I didn't, not tonight. I was working. Working halfway to carpal tunnel syndrome. So-called ergonomic chairs. Should be a crime, if you ask me. The chairs are... Okay, you know, it's, it's not like my office has a good view of the door. You should be talking to Charlie. Charlie has the good view. Charlie?
Yeah, okay, um, yeah, Charlie... Charlie doesn't work here anymore, so that doesn't really help you. Could you hold your hands out for me, please?
Pretty easy to see the door to the server farm from here. That is a fact. And here's another: I didn't see anything. I was coding. Link. Compile. Debug. All night. The work absorbs me. What kind of work? My code monitors internet traffic and server load. So you make your computer watch other computers that other people are watching? Just because you can't see the beauty in data flow doesn't mean it doesn't exist. What was your relationship to Garret Kwan? I'm employee number seven. Kwan was employee number six. Big brain by reputation, my boss by random chance.
You know, they, um, they confiscated all my murder weapons when I left Microsoft, so I don't know if you'll find anything. Yeah, you don't exactly fit the corporate image. Well, it's my image. The company doesn't get a say in it. VEGA: Looks like you get special treatment around here. Yeah, well, I earn it. I optimize net infrastructure. I saved this company $8.3 mill last year. Got a five-figure bonus. And, uh, yes, I did see Garret go into the server farm around 6:00, 6:30. STOKES: So, your boss is laying there dead for five-and-a-half hours-plus, and you never even notice he's gone.
Oh, well, I mean, nobody else did, either. Look, I was, you know... Working. That is what we do here. Right. Bullet entered through the throat, severing the spinal column. C2's adjacent to the brain stem. Sever that, respiration shuts down, resulting in almost immediate death.
Wood splinters embedded in the jacket. Well, it went through a bookcase.
Nine millimeter.
Thanks.
( water splashes in tank ) Hey.
All right. Bingo. Your bullet came from that gun. You're sure. Yeah, I'm sure. We got him.
So, Jason Gilbert-- what did he ever do to you? Drawing a blank. The kid you shot! I didn't shoot nobody, man. The kid you shot! I didn't shoot nobody, man. Jason's girlfriend told us that you were practically stalking her. She must have turned you down 100 times. You didn't like that, did you? Is that what she told you? You didn't like that, did you? Is that what she told you? Yeah. Lying bitch! I found that gun!
Damn. Gun was jammed, I cleared it. You cleared it, all right-- into Mr. Phelps's home, killing his daughter! No, it was the last bullet. What are you talking about? You threatened a bartender with an empty gun? He didn't know that. ( exhales ) I can show you where I found it: an alleyway behind Washington Avenue, ( over speaker : next to a big yellow dumpster. BROWN: Oh, come on. That's it? That's his genius story? We only found a small amount of GSR on his hands. It could have been transfer from just picking up the murder weapon. He's lying.
( indistinct radio transmissions ) BROWN: Our shooter isn't only a liar, he's a thief. Found tons of electronic equipment in there, still in the boxes. Well, either he's buying in bulk, or that stuff's hot. No guns or ammo, but I do have his car keys. ( thunder claps ) ♪ ♪
( indistinct radio transmissions ) ( car alarm chirps )
♪ ♪
I'm afraid the only bullets in here are silver bullets. I may have something here. The shooter's vehicle took out a mailbox. The dent's in the right spot, and the car is the right silver color. You got any paint transfer? Nothing visible. Call auto detail, we'll tow it back to the lab. Blow came from an object roughly rectangular in shape, resulting in a depressed fracture of the parietal bone, with radiating linear fractures extending outward from the point of impact. Based on the fracture pattern, I'd say it was a single strike to the head. Explains the lack of spatter at the scene. First hit's free. Killer knew what he was doing. And, uh, take a look at this. Black plastic. Found it in the wound. Possible transfer from a murder weapon?
( kids talking, whistle blows ) MAN: Hustle.
Come on, let's go!
Hey. I heard you got the shooter.
It's not that simple. You think it's him. We got all our guys on this, Matt, all right? Yeah.
You still using those same old uniforms? That stuff's expensive, man. Yeah. But we managed to get the basketball court tarmacked, thanks to contributions from folk like you. Hey, I ain't stupid. I know where I came from. I wouldn't be anywhere, if it weren't for this place. Well, you was always going places. You just lacked discipline. Still do. I don't recognize this ugly-ass gang symbol. You know, it's, it's hard to keep up with it all. I just don't know anymore. What with all the break-ins... Break-ins? Rec center's van was stolen a couple of days ago. How am I going to tell these kids that they can't play in the semifinals 'cause I got no way of getting them there?
I'll look into it for you, all right? We'll get them there.
Yeah. When's Aimee's service?
Wednesday. Matt, if there's anything I can do... Just get me five minutes alone with the shooter. Just five minutes. Look, I know it's not going to bring Aimee back, but I can't sleep at night, knowing that he's still breathing out there.
Can you? ( cell phone ringing ) Brown. BRASS: Jaycobs has an alibi. What? BRASS: Meet me at P.D. How you holding up, man? I haven't slept in days; not in days. Mr. Phelps, it's good to see you again, sir. Would you excuse us a moment? Warrick.
What's he doing here? If Jaycobs is going to slip through our fingers, I need someone else to explain to him what went wrong. This was not a good idea.
BROWN: That's supposed to be his alibi?
David Artiss. Says he was with our suspect the night of the drive-by. Says he dropped him off at PJ's Tavern right before we picked him up. Says he also saw him find the Mac. BROWN: Clothes he slept in, bloodshot eyes. The guy's a junkie, Grissom. You can see it, I can see it, and the jury will see it. D.A. listened to the alibi statement. He knows it's questionable, but, uh.... But what? Well, half an hour before the house was shot up, Jaycobs and his alibi were at the Sports Chalet. Come on. Salesperson remembered seeing both of them. They bought a baseball bat. Artiss even has the receipt. Sports Chalet is ten minutes away. That's no alibi. I don't know. After what the D.A. heard, he said he's not going to file charges. Doesn't want the clock to tick. So that's it? BROWN: As easy as that, he walks. BRASS: Look at it this way-- you have more time to build your case. Is that him?
Why are they letting him go? Why are they letting him go?!
No! No! He can't leave! BROWN: Not here. Come on.
PHELPS: What are you doing?! He killed my daughter! BROWN: Come on, come on. We'll cool off. Come on, let's go. They're going to put Jaycobs in protective custody to avoid repercussions in the community. Where are we going to put Warrick?
That was a cool-looking office. It was kind of fun being out in the field. Pulling drives, collecting evidence... flashing I.D. I think I got a flair for it. You bucking for a promotion? Not bucking... Nudging. You know people put their lives on these hard drives? Yeah, yeah, that's what I'm counting on. ♪ ♪ ( pinging ) Hey, Arch.
Wow! Serena. Can defrag my hard drive anytime. ( chuckles ) Are these, uh, business emails? I'm a little confused.
No, um... this is actually harmless fun, so... VEGA: Court documents. Garret Kwan was suing you for sexual harassment. Are you, um, familiar with the term "spurious"? Are you familiar with the term "murder suspect"?
Look, I was just trying to let him know that I was available, okay? Low pressure. The guy freaked out, he thought I was trying to get him into some bogus lawsuit, so he preempted me with one of his own. It's called a scare tactic. Scared to lose your job? Your five-figure bonus? Scared enough to kill him? Okay, look, I was flirting with the guy. I will email you with the number for my lawyer.
( cup clatters ) ( door slams )
( hollow clanking ) ( clanking continues )
♪ ♪
This guy's been in Matt's house. What is this? Matt's team won this three years ago. This trophy was given to the rec center last year. I found all this stuff in Jaycobs' car. Look at this. Well, if this is evidence, it needs to be tagged and catalogued. This is the same guy who shot Matt's daughter in the head and he's walking around laughing at us. Can you prove that? What is this? I've been putting guys away like this for years. And now that it matters, it's like you're holding me back here. GRISSOM: The job, Warrick, is to process evidence objectively and without prejudice. I'm so tired of hearing that. and without prejudice. I'm so tired of hearing that. I've heard it a million times. I can't be like you. I'm not a robot, okay? I actually care about these people.
You know what? You're not working on this case anymore. I'll have another assignment for you tomorrow. Keep it.
Where were we? At a dead end. Go back to work.
Hey, Stokes. Yeah. We got to talk. Hey, did you We got to talk. Hey, did you I.D. that scraping from my vic's head wound yet? Yeah, yeah, it's a common plastic, polyethylterephthalate, P.E.T., used in everything from garbage bags to magnetic tape to floppy disks. Okay, thanks. Yeah, but that's not what I wanted to talk about. What, then?
Look, I thought that we had a relationship. What are you doing taking Archie out into the field instead of me? It's the right tool for the right job, man. You have to understand the world you're investigating.
Hey, Archie. Yeah? Hey, what's that Star Trek epise where the guy's got the forehead thingy, and the time portal...? In classic, TNG, DS9, Voyager, or Enterpr? Point taken.
Or were you thinking about Farscape? I have no idea what you are talking about. It doesn't matter. Look, I got something to show you here. I found this on Anders' computer. What is this, a video game? No, it's actually an FRPG: fantasy role-playing game. You see, players use avatars to represent themselves in a fantasy world. There's Serena, Todd, and Kwan in this alternate universe conjuring up a gateway, which summons a beast-like Anders... ( beast laughing ) ...who decapitates Kwan. You know a lot about this stuff, don't you? Mm-hmm. You got to get a girlfriend.
You first. It was merely a game, an entertainment. Nah, it's more like a place where you can play God, right? Maybe treat people the way you wish you could treat them in real life? VEGA: Virtual murder is not quite as satisfying as the real thing, is it? You look a little uncomfortable, Mr. Molyneaux. Well, this office is always uncomfortable. Ventilation sucks.
I put Kwan in my game because I was upset. Upset about what? I was designing characters for a new multi-player sim. On company time.
Kwan found out, somehow. Man always seems to be one step ahead of his underlings. How? If I'd known, he would've been working for me. In this instance, he informed the board. Unauthorized use of bandwidth. Nearly got me fired. But you didn't kill him. No. Am I sorry he's gone? No. ♪ ♪ ♪ Put on the red ♪ ( dogs barking ) ♪ Put on the red light ♪ ( loud clanking ) ♪ Put on the red ♪ ( vocalizing ) ♪ Put on the red light ♪ ( vocalizing ) ♪ Put on the red ♪ ♪ Put on the red, put on the red ♪ ( motor humming, brakes squealing ) ( vocalizing ) ( indistinct radio talk ) What's going on, fellas? Possible burglary. Homeowner's on vacation. Neighbor called it in last night. Just getting around to it.
You may have to climb over. ( vocalizing ) What do you think? Want to give it a try?
( gate clanks ) ( vocalizing )
♪ ♪
Why don't you check on... ♪ ♪
( dog barking ) ( metal striking ) ( dog barking ) ♪ ♪
What have you got?
Stovepipe. Possibly jammed in our murder weapon. Never fired, never exposed to the heat. And you're thinking there might be a recoverable print. Yeah. Dare to dream. ♪ ♪
JOHNSON: Well, you were right. Kwanspy. On every employee's computer. Program runs in the background, invisible. Copies documents, emails, every keystroke. Then transfers the data to Kwan's machine. Big Brother. Company owns a network, company owns what's on it. Sick, but legal. Well, knowledge is power-- you know, Kwan had his computer set up to auto-burn a new disk every night. Here. This was made the night of the murder. If we find out who was away from their desk at the time of death... We've got our killer.
Nick, based on these time stamps, everybody in that office was working when Garret Kwan was killed. Great. We just eliminated all of our suspects.
BROWN: Assistant District Attorney Kelly's Office, please. This is Warrick Brown.
Oh, he's not in? Okay. Well, maybe you can help me out. I, uh, I have Gene Jaycobs' personal belongings, and I need to get them returned to him. I need his relocated address.
Yeah, I know it's not standard procedure, but, uh, I missed him at lockup, and I'm going to be in hot water if I don't get this stuff back to him, so... Good. ♪ ♪
It's just me. Nobody here. Got no heater. What, what, what can I do for you, Mr. Brown? I just thought I'd come by and let you know we're going to get you for robbery, if not murder. By the time you get to lockup, every roughneck in the joint is going to know you offed a nine-year-old little girl. ( snickering ) You know, in school, you were a nerd, Brown. You were, remember? Every kid there used to beat your ass. Thick glasses, hand-me-down clothes, always with a book in your hand, like you was better than everybody else. Nigga, I ain't scared of you.
Want to step outside, then?
DOCTOR: Fractured nasal bone, fracture of the right zygomatic arch extending into the maxilla. Fracture of the right anterior ribs... Assistant D.A.'s office, please. Who found him? Motel manager called it in. No weapon was found at the scene. Thank God his assailant only used his fists. Given the severity of force, anything else would have killed him. Thank you, Doctor. Yeah, this is Jim Brass. I'm at Desert Palm Hospital. I'm looking at a half-dead Gene Jaycobs. Now, only two people knew where he was. That was you and me. You want to tell me how the hell this could happen?
♪ ♪ What, you think I did this? I don't jump to conclusions. Well, I didn't. I'd like to shake the hand of the guy that did, though. Well, you may get a chance. Your new assignment.
Check out the pattern in the center of this contusion. It's probative.
No suspect. No motive. No weapon. You don't just spontaneously develop a fatal head wound. Somebody had to kill him. A guy goes into a room with no windows and no doors. How does he get out?
I don't know. Same way he got in.
You know, there is one thing that comes in and goes out of here all the time.
Cold air. ♪ ♪
Anything? Just black P.E.T., as far as the eye can see.
And possible transfer.
BROWN: Where were you last night? Right here, man. I'm going to need to see your hands.
Dad? Trav, go to your room.
Other side.
♪ ♪ Look, you went there, too. That's how I knew where to go. But I never touched the guy. He didn't kill your daughter! If he's guilty, we're going to put him away. Yeah, yeah. And then what? Lawyers? Trial? You wait ten years for somebody else's definition of justice. And they always put the criminal's rights before the victim's. You know, the first good night's sleep I had was last night. Eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind? You taught me that. Well, my perspective has changed. Aimee's dead.
I've got no choice here. My hands are tied.
I got to let them bring you in.
♪ ♪
It's going to be okay, Trav. I love you, son. Look, uh... Make sure they take care of him, all right? Of course. Thank you.
( car starts ) ♪ ♪ OFFICER: Sir. You, um, asked us to check on a stolen minivan? Yeah. You know, from the rec center? We located it. Oh, great. All right. Oh, great. All right. Thanks.
( distant thunder roaring ) ( garbled radio transmissions ) Hey.
♪ ♪
Blue paint transfer. Possibly from your mailbox? I found a jammed nine-millimeter cartridge in the backyard of a house a few doors down from where Jaycobs said he found the gun. Backyard of a house that had been broken into. You said he was a thief, right? Yeah. See, I think he lied about where he found the gun Yeah. See, I think he lied about where he found the gun so we wouldn't know he was breaking into houses. Apart from that, I think he was telling the truth. ( glass breaking )
Shall we?
♪ ♪
BROWN: Grissom. Matt used to have this really harsh rule about no eating in the van.
( knocking ) Yeah? Hugo Karlin? Yeah, uh, you know what? You guys aren't supposed to be back here. This is a restricted... Detective Vega, LVPD. This is a restricted... Detective Vega, LVPD. This is Nick Stokes from the Crime Lab. Uh, hey. What's up? Interesting choice of words. Facility management says you've been working on the air conditioning above HyperTrix. Yeah, well, I work this whole building. That's a lot of companies. I don't really keep track of the names, I just fix the air. Well, you'd remember this company. It's where you killed a guy... with that.
( banging ) ( clattering ) ( yelps ) ( body thuds, hammer clanks ) One in a million shot. It happens.
It was an accident. You got to believe me. I, I always keep my hammer right here. I don't even know how it came loose. Oh, it just came loose, huh? Yes. Okay. Well, then, how'd you pick it up?
Um, the same way I close the duct cover. ♪ ♪ I call this my grabby tool. ( rattling ) ♪ ♪
I made it myself. You know, people never notice me when I'm around here, and I just figured that if I covered my tracks, this time wouldn't be any different.
Why don't you, uh, show him our grabby tool? VEGA: You're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent.
♪ ♪
( laughing ) Greg. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? The world may never know. ( giggling ) Just see if you ( giggling ) Just see if you can get some DNA off of this stick, would you? All work and no play make Greg a dull boy. All play and no work make Greg an unemployed boy. WOMAN: Hey, Grissom. Your stovepipe.
WOMAN: Pulled a good thumbprint-- happens sometimes when they load the magazine.
Tyrel Constantine. Arrested last June for joyriding. Date of birth '87? This guy's a juvie. He's only 15. ( deep breath ) So, Tyrel, let me get this straight. You didn't know Jason Gilbert? I never heard of him. So you shot someone you didn't know? Who says I shot anyone? That would be me.
Tyrel Constantine. Oh, yeah, I knew him. He used to hang out at the rec center. He used to? Until he lost his privileges. So you threw him out? He was smoking weed on the field. Showing up late to practice, starting fights. When did this happen? A couple weeks ago. We found your saliva on this lollipop stick in Mr. Phelps's van, and we found your thumbprint on this bullet. BRASS: You stole a van from the rec center, didn't you? The van wasn't hot-wired, so I think you knew where Mr. Phelps kept his keys. Why, why, why you asking me about Tyrel? The vehicle that was used in that drive-by was the van that was stolen from your rec center. ♪ ♪
Oh, God. Look, we know you didn't mean to shoot anyone. It was a stray bullet that hit Aimee Phelps.
I just wanted to scare him. Scare who? Jason Gilbert? No. Mr. Phelps. No. That's it, we're done here. BRASS: Tyrel, talk to me. They need to know it was an accident. He shouldn't have thrown me out. Pushed me around like that in front of my friends. I just wanted to shake him up.
( firing ) ( tires squealing ) ( metal crunching ) So Jason Gilbert was just collateral damage. I was driving pretty fast, I didn't look where I shot.
( sighs ) What about Aimee?
I gave up on him. If I hadn't... He gave up on himself.
I blew it. Yeah.
But you're not the one who's paying for it. ( vocalizing )
♪ ♪ ( vocalizing ) ♪ ♪ ( chain and lock clicking )
♪ ♪
♪ ♪ izing )