CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

"Death of a Dispatcher"

TEASER

FADE IN:

EXT. LAS VEGAS (STOCK) - NIGHT

To establish. The sun is almost gone on the western horizon.

EXT. SUNSET VIEW APARTMENTS - NIGHT

CATHERINE navigates her vehicle through Lookie Lous, around an ambulance and police cars. She stops next to the coroner vehicle.

She gets out and walks to the back, hauling open the back door. She checks her kit and turns, running into Officer GRENSKE.

GRENSKE
You can't be here.

She's surprised, but not about to take any lip from the officer.

CATHERINE
I was called here, so--

GRENSKE
Catherine, you can't be here. My
partner's calling for another CSI

CATHERINE
Who is the victim, Rich?

GRENSKE
Capri.

CATHERINE
Capri? Who?

Grenske doesn't answer; he's expecting her to know.

GRENSKE
Go back to the lab. I.A. is sending
a rep to talk to you.

Catherine realizes who he's talking about. She has to see this with her own eyes.

She dodges Grenske and dashes toward the open apartment door. She pushes through the crowd of officers and two paramedics. Officers turn as she rushes by, but she is past before they realize she can't be there.

INT. APARTMENT 152 - NIGHT

Catherine runs through the rooms until she comes to the bedroom.

Capri Martinez lies on the floor, her dead eyes staring at Catherine's shoes. Blood has soaked the back of her shirt and jeans.

Clear tubing is stretched around her neck too tight to be thought of anything but a murder weapon. The room is a mess from a struggle.

Grenske appears in the door behind Catherine.

GRENSKE
Catherine, you can't be here.

Catherine doesn't move. He lays his hands on her shoulders and pulls her away, guiding her back out.

EXT. SUNSET VIEW APARTMENTS - NIGHT

Catherine suddenly pulls away from Grenske and storms to her vehicle. She slams her kit onto the floor of the back and then leans in. Grenske comes around the door.

GRENSKE
Are you okay?

Catherine nods. Her phone starts ringing. She fumbles for it and answers.

CATHERINE
Willows.

ECKLIE (ON PHONE)
What is going on? I just received
calls from Gary at dispatch saying
you were being sent back, and to
call Nick and Greg back, and that
I.A. is sending a rep. He said it
had to do with your call.

Catherine turns, shooing Grenske off. As soon as he's out of earshot, she lets her worry out.

CATHERINE
It's Capri, Conrad. She's been murdered.

ECKLIE (ON PHONE)
The dispatcher that nearly got you
and Greg killed?

CATHERINE
Yeah.

ECKLIE (ON PHONE)
Get back here now.

The phone disconnects. Catherine slams the back door shut and walks around to the driver's side.

INT. CSI VEHICLE - NIGHT (RE-ENACTMENT)

She gets in and starts it. She reaches out to drop her phone in the middle console but misses, dropping it on the passenger seat. She looks down at it, caught up in a memory...

EXT. MOJAVE DESERT - NIGHT (RE-ENACTMENT)

The CSI vehicle jumps and hops, bouncing down a road that looks more like a wagon trail. The vehicle is somewhere between no man's land and Hell's half acre.

I/E. CSI VEHICLE - NIGHT (RE-ENACTMENT)

SUPER: November 6, 4:20 AM

Catherine is focused on the land ahead of her. She is driving faster than she should down a road in this condition.

Next to her, GREG has one hand wrapped around the handle over the door, and the other grips the side of his seat, and one foot is pressed against the center console.

If he weren't bracing himself, he'd be bounced all over like Catherine is.

GREG
You, uhm... Might want to slow
down, Catherine.

She starts muttering curses about "Capri" and the many ways she plans on killing her. Greg glances at her.

The road suddenly veers left and up. She gives it a little more gas and they head up the rutted, washboard road. Abruptly they come to a crossroads, according to the state.

There's a bent road sign, but it is an old sign colored brown with parts of white lettering. Something has run into it and it's bent over, indicating Road 92 is somewhere among the stars.

Catherine smashes the brake pedal, making the vehicle skid to a stop. In all directions, ghosts of roads disappear into the night. She looks at Greg.

CATHERINE
Well?

GREG
Well what?

CATHERINE
Which way?

GREG
Now you want my opinion?

She ignores his sarcasm. Catherine pulls a sheet of paper from her pocket, reading it.

CATHERINE
We were supposed to turn at road
89, go down to road 74, turn left,
and then right on road 92. Did you
see a road 74? And here's a sign
for 92.

GREG
Catherine, Capri got off work a
while ago. Let's go back to where
we had radio service, and get
directions again.

CATHERINE
The radio battery went dead three
hours ago.

GREG
Then cell service.

CATHERINE
We haven't had cell service for
four hours. Which way?

GREG
(impatient)
Then let's go back to a farmhouse,
explain that we're really lost, and
use a phone!

CATHERINE
Forward it is.

GREG
Oh my God! You are the worst!

CATHERINE
Excuse me?

GREG
You are a man trapped in a woman's body.

CATHERINE
What?

GREG
You refuse to stop for directions.

The vehicle jumps as it hit a large, jutting rock and slides off. Greg gets a tighter grip on the handle.

GREG (CONT'D)
This is a bad, bad, bad idea.

CATHERINE
You're a woman trapped in a man's
body. You won't stop whining!

GREG
We are lost! I said we were lost
when there were still telephone
poles
and cars passing us. That's not
whining. That's pointing out that--

The vehicle hops into the air and comes down hard. Metal groans and crunches. There's a strange whine, followed by metal scraping hard against something. Then the vehicle plows forward.

GREG (CONT'D)
SLOW DOWN!

The road suddenly smoothes out.

CATHERINE
Better?

Greg sniffs. He leans forward, pressing his forehead against the windshield. Smoke is coming out of the grill.

GREG
There's smoke coming from under the hood.

All the dash lights start coming on. The engine begins knocking, there are several strange sounds, and then the vehicle dies.

Catherine tries several times to start it. The lights begin to flicker and grow dimmer with each attempt. She stops trying when she smacks her hand against the steering wheel.

GREG (CONT'D)
You broke the vehicle, Catherine.

The headlights and interior lights FADE OUT. Out here, with only starlight, a person can barely see their hand in front of their face. The tick of the cooling engine, their breathing, and the soft rustle of clothing are the only sounds.

CATHERINE
I'm going to kill Capri.

GREG
This isn't her fault. You--

CATHERINE
I am going to
kill Capri.

GREG
Catherine, she--

CATHERINE
I'm going to shoot you if you don't shut up.

Silence.

SMASH CUT:

OPENING CREDITS.

FADE OUT.

END OF TEASER