A five star hotel on The Strip. Valet parking, concierge, somebody to press the buttons in the elevator for you, thick carpets, a lot of gold, platinum and expensive paintings. Marble floor in the bathroom, a golden faucet for the spa, flowers, champagne and right in the middle a crime scene.

The scene was a mess. Four dead bodies, all in line, all killed with a bullet into the forehead. Execution style. Not the first time they saw something like this.

"The third time." Greg shook his head. "One week and three crime scenes that look the same. This isn't a coincidence. The mob is back." The first crime scene had been an Italian restaurant a few blocks away from the Strip. One week ago two men were found in a dumpster, bullets in their foreheads. Three days ago another two were found in a casino not too far away from this one, also with bullets in their heads.

"Oh please." Sara rolled her eyes. It wasn't like she believed in coincidences, but to get seventy years back when Vegas was ruled by mobster, was a little bit too much for her. Of course the mob was still around, but she liked to believe the city was in the hand of the police and other government authorities.

"Come on, it's mob style, you have to acknowledge that."

"It looks like mob style yes. It can be also a serial killer. They've got a pattern too." This was the first case she worked with the Graveyard Shift after moving to Swing. Her and Grissom's relationship had changed a few things, one of these things was her not working on the same shift like her boyfriend. Ecklie wasn't happy when he got her back to nights this week but with Cath on holidays in Europe and Nick on a sick leave, nights needed people and there was no point in bringing in somebody else than her. She worked here for years, she could just start like she hadn't been away. Of course eyes lay on her and Grissom whenever they were in the same room. A lot of curious looks and talking behind her back. She didn't care.

"No, this is mob. You know it was much as I do."

"Okay." She sighed. He was right. These murder scenes looked like they were taken from the time when Vegas was ruled by the mobs. Since the 1980s the casinos were out of hand of the mobster. At least this was the official statement. Men like Sam Braun, who was active in the year 2000 showed them, the time of the mob wasn't over yet. It was a business that made a lot of money when you were on the right team, worked with the right people. As long as you could make money with something people would continue to do it.

"Eight victims. I bet these four are also somehow connected to the gambling area." The man and woman shot in the restaurant were a gambling control man and his wife. A former gambling control employee and his friend were found in the other casino.

"Anthony Mc Cullen is one of the managers of Gambling Control. He closed a casino last week. Guess who owned it." Sofia stepped into the room. Her blonde hair was tied up to a pony tail and her face was very serious.

"Officially or for real?" Sara shot back dryly.

"For an A plus I want both."

"The "Lucky Hand" is officially owned by Trevor Cards, who is the brother-in-law of Luigi Castello. Castello is known as one of the active Las Vegas resident mobster of our time. Without his approval they don't even put a new roll of toilette paper in the bathroom over there. He tells them what to do, he knows what's going on. Cards is nothing more than a marionette. Last week LVPD shot the casino down because Las Vegas Gambling Control found out, the casino was cheating. They assumed the casino controlled who won by manipulating the machines, tables, cards and only let guests win every now and then to appear as an ordinary casino. The electronic specialists of LVPD found out the accusation was correct. Apparently they made ten million dollar per week and in good weeks even more. Most of the money wasn't claimed to tax, they got in trouble for the black money too. Not a good week for Castello and a reason to be very mad at gambling contro."

"You get you're a plus for an excellent test and an extra star for good homework."

"What was Mc Cullen doing here?" Sara wondered.

"Hah, now I can earn some stars and an A plus." Greg smiled. "This casino is owned by Mario Moreno. For real. The Moreno family hates the police, rain and especially the Castello family. These two fight with each other since three generations. If somebody enjoys the closed Lucky Hand, it's Moreno. It wouldn't be the first time he bribes somebody of Gambling Control. Or he'd call it an invitation to let gambling control check on his casino in style and full luxury to make their work easier."

"Another perfect student. I go and see if I get Moreno and will also contact Castello and Cards. Who wants to bet they try to accuse the other one?"

"I don't expect anything else. What connects Castello and Cards to the crime scene?"

"Only the fact their casino was shut down by the man who lies here dead. As you said before, a very expensive reason."

"What about the other guests? The other victims?"

"Surprisingly nobody heard anything, I asked around. We haven't an I.D. on the other vics, their wallets are gone. My money is on they're from the gambling control too."

"You shouldn't bet." Greg said.

"Only when I win. I talk to you later."

"Time to concentrate on the crime scene." Sara took a few photos. It was time to get some evidence for their suspicion and find out who really was the killer. Or killers. If she remembered the stories about mobster right, it wasn't over when family killed somebody of the other family. And eight victims weren't many for them. They had to find any evidence to convince one – or even better both – heads of the mafia families. If they weren't stopped a lot of more people had to die in Vegas. Very soon.

"A caliber .37 just like the other killings. No doubt this scene belongs to the other two scenes." Sara said. Everything pointed towards a mob killing. She wondered how many people more had to die until the families stopped. Probably they'd stop when LVPD got one or better both of them.

"This casino belongs to Moreno and these other three men…I'm sure I saw one of them somewhere." Greg stared at the body of a approximately twenty-five years old man. "In the news? No…a magazine! What did you do Who are you?"

"I really wanna know…is one of them famous? Which magazine, Greg?"

"What do I read...a surf magazine...no...nothing with cars …Casino Today! He's a poker player! Won a million last month and accused a casino to cheat. Guess which one."

"One of Moreno's casinos."

"Yes. Apparently he played dirty. At least that's what the other player said – one of them was Moreno himself. Die for fame, die for the success, die for winning against the Godfather."

"We need to talk to Moreno."

"Need a ride?" Sofia came into the lab. "I want to go there, why don't you join me?"

"Sure." Greg jumped up. A trip to a real mobster, what a great chance for a new chapter in his book. If he bent the rules a tiny little bit…okay, a lot, he could use some photos for his book. A book about how Moreno ended up in prison and exclusive photos of his home.

"Not you, Sara."

"Why?" The brunette had no bigger intentions to go with Sofia. She was fine in the lab.

"Because Greg is too excited. I don't need a mob fan, I need a CSI."

"Oh come on."

"No. You didn't want to take carpet back to the lab because it was a part of Vegas history when it was nothing more than an old, stinky carpet. You stay away from mobster, I don't need to push their ego because you take photos of their belongings and interview them for your book."

Greg blushed. Busted. Caught in the act and guilty.

"I'm…"

"He's professional enough to remember the job, aren't you Greg?"

"Uhm…I hope so…maybe…why don't you go? And tell me later what you saw."

"I won't be your source."

"Told you, he's too much a fan. Move it, Sidle, it's you and me against the mob."

"Great." Sara sighed and followed Sofia. Her quiet time in the lab was over. Questioning a mobster wasn't one of her favorite past times. Plus this interview pushed the time she could go home to noon or later. So much for going home on time, eat some breakfast and sleep for at least eight hours. It was already eight in the morning.

"Do we have a warrant?" Sara asked when they were in the car and on the road.

"No. We just want to talk to him. After all, we found four dead bodies in his casino."

"Didn't you talk to him last night?"

"I tried, he wasn't available. Apparently he left the house without his cell phone to have a quiet night without getting disturb."

"I don't believe he wants to talk to us."

"In that case we have to wonder why. And where he was last night."

"And don't have enough evidence to get a warrant. All we have is circumstantial, a theory that sounds nice but we can't prove he even knows of the killings. His lawyers will laugh their asses off."

"There are no such things as coincidence."

"There are crazy coincidences. Mostly you don't find them in our cases."

"You don't find them in our cases at all. I don't say Moreno killed these four people himself, but I bet he has something to do with it. He ordered the kill and because he can't get through to Castello, he tries to ruin him. Castello has a reason to be mad at Mc Cullen while the poker player got a million of Moreno, a reason for him to kill."

"We haven't found any connections between the other victims and Castello."

"Not yet. We will."

"So we find out he knows them all, so what? Still no warrant."

"Why are you so negative, Sara?"

"Because the FBI tries since sixty years to clear the city, apparently succeeded thirty years ago and we still have mobs killing each other and other people. What makes you think we can find anything to stop it?"

Sofia furrowed her brows. This didn't sound like the Sara Sidle she knew. The Sara Sidle she knew was a fighter, didn't give up only because the opponent was strong. Did it change after she changed shifts? Or had it something to do with Natalie? The brunette almost died, this could change your point of view.

"These things never stopped you before. What's different this time?"

Sara was quiet for a few seconds. "I've got a bad feeling about this case. A very bad one."

"We'll get our killer." The blonde was quiet for a few seconds. "How is it being back at night shift?"

"Good."

"I won't ask any questions about you and Grissom, that's your private life and you have a right to keep it private…all I want you to know is, I think they should have let you stay on nights. I'm aware of the rules, most times they're there for a good reason, in this case I think it wasn't necessary to get you to another shift. He never treated you any different than all others."

"Ecklie wasn't happy, the rules are on his side and...well, we can cope. It's not like we don't see each other anymore. But thanks, Sofia."

"You're welcome. If you need somebody who joins you in unison swearing about the lab weasel, you're more than welcome to come around."

Sara laughed shortly. "I might do that. After we've closed the case."

"Of course, first the work than the coffee and the gossip." Sofia stopped in front of a gate. Behind the iron gate was a three story villa. When she pressed the button a metallic voice appeared.

"Yes, please?"

"LVPD, detective Curtis. We need to talk to Mister Moreno."

"Do you have an appointment with Mister Moreno?"

"No, we need to talk to him."

"One moment please."

The gate was still closed.

"If they don't let us in we'll get him downtown." Sofia grumbled. Rich people always tried to play the police. She was used to these games.

"How? You want to get a Swat team?"

"If I have to, yes."

With a buzzing sound the gate opened. Satisfied Sofia drove up in front of the villa and got out of her car.

"Ma'am you can't park there." A man came out of the front door.

"It's detective and I can park there."

"But…"

"No but. We're not here for a social call, we're here on police business. Where is Moreno?"

"Mister Moreno isn't expecting company."

"Today is his lucky day, he can talk to us. Tell him we're here and we want to talk to him. Now and not in five or ten minutes. Otherwise we can take this downtown, with a lot of media and I'm sure that's not very convenient for your boss."

"And which legal rights do you have to drag me down town, detective Curtis?" A man in his late fifties, with black hair, a tied back ponytail and two bodyguards behind him, stepped out of the house.

"Obstruction of justice."

Moreno seemed to be a between amusement and annoyance. Annoyed that the police was at his home, amused they sent women. They couldn't be serious with these two chicks. Who were they? The Playboy section?

"Really? Very interesting. I can't recall that I did anything. What can I do for you?"

Sofia wasn't sure if they should talk here, outside, in front of the villa. "Do you want us to talk about it here?"

"There's no difference between here and inside. As long as you're real cops and not stripper."

"We are real. Like the bodies in your casino. I'm sure you know about them."

"I was informed about this and I'm very sorry for that. My men are cooperating with your men, I gave this order myself as soon as I heard of the incident. Listen, I'm sorry I wasn't available last night, but sometimes a man needs his time without being connected to the world."

"And you have no idea who killed these men?"

"Are you asking for an alibi, detective?"

"Do you have one for last night? From nine to eleven?"

"Let me see." He pulled his smart phone out of his pocket. "I had dinner with the mayor from eight until ten, after that I went to the "Zooner" and met Anna Angela, who had a gig there around midnight, I watched it from the VIP box and left with her around two. Do you need more details?" He smirked.

"She will confirm this?"

"Absolutely. For any more answers please contact my attorney, I've an appointment." He stepped down the stairs and magically a black Jaguar stopped in front of him. Before he got into the car, he turned and gave Sara and Sofia a good look over. "It's a real shame you're real cops." Without waiting for an answer he got into the car, closed the door.

"I think your visit here is over." Said the butler and closed the door.

Sara looked at Sofia. She knew something like this would happen. There was no way Moreno would give them the answers they wanted.