ACT ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. LAS VEGAS (STOCK) - NIGHT

To establish.

EXT. CSI - CORRIDOR - NIGHT

CATHERINE charges down the hall toward ECKLIE and Internal Affairs representative JACKIE. Jackie has been drug out of bed for this and has made a half an attempt to look professional. She's making her way through her second latte.

CATHERINE
My CSI had nothing to do with Capri
Martinez's murder. Why are you
questioning us?

Jackie acts as though she doesn't feel Catherine's anger. She is an investigator like Catherine and she is out for the truth no matter who it destroys. She pays close attention to everything he says, and doesn't say.

ECKLIE
You three have a history with
Capri, which makes you suspects
until I.A. clears you.

CATHERINE
You know as well as I do, Conrad,
that Nick, Greg and I had nothing
to do with this! Especially Greg.
Why is he being questioned?

JACKIE
Why are you so certain CSI Sanders
didn't murder her?

Catherine avoids the question.

CATHERINE
You know we didn't do this, Conrad!

JACKIE
Catherine, I'm not interviewing
just you three. I'm interviewing
everyone who held a grudge against
Capri Martinez. In the meantime, I've
agreed to allow your other CSI to
remain on the case. But if there's
going to be a problem, I can assign
other CSI to it. What do you prefer?

Catherine curbs her anger and doesn't answer. She has the sense to realize Langston and Riley can help them if they remain on the case.

JACKIE (CONT'D)
Wait outside interview room A with
CSI stokes and Sanders. I'll call
you when I'm ready for you.

Catherine leaves. She glances back to make sure they aren't watching and then turns into the Chem Lab, surprising HENRY Andrews.

CATHERINE
Give me a piece of paper and a pen.

Henry hands her a notepad and pen. She scribbles a note, folds it, and hands it to Henry.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
When I go into the interview
with the I.A. Rep, take this to
Greg. Then take this to Ray
with Greg's answers. Understand?

HENRY
What is it for?

CATHERINE
It might help exonerate Greg.
Will you do this?

Catherine glances back, seeing Jackie headed her way. Henry glances back at Jackie. Henry snags the note and slips it under a folder.

Catherine smiles, patting his shoulder. She leaves, catching Jackie's eye. Jackie slows, turning into the chem lab. Henry turns, pretending he hasn't seen her. She walks up behind him.

JACKIE
Excuse me.

He turns.

JACKIE (CONT'D)
You were just speaking with your
supervisor. What was it regarding?

HENRY
It was a personal matter.

JACKIE
What was it regarding?

HENRY
I'd rather not talk about it with you.

JACKIE
Unless you answer the
question, I'll charge you
with attempt to impede an investigation.

Henry stares at her. He lets out a forlorn sigh.

HENRY
I wanted to make sure she got
my time off request for my
colonoscopy next week. Thanks
for making me share that with
a complete stranger!

Henry turns his back on her and pretends to be angry. Jackie isn't sure what to of this. She turns on her heel and quickly leaves. Henry waits until she's gone to smile about his evil plan gone well.

INT. CSI - BREAK ROOM - NIGHT (RE-ENACTMENT)

SUPER: November 5, 11:45 PM

Catherine, Greg, RILEY, and NICK are sitting around the table, waiting for assignments. They all look at GRISSOM when he comes in shuffling through calls.

GRISSOM
Assignments.

He passes them out, handing two to Nick. He doesn't notice Greg, Catherine, and Riley snicker. Nick is not happy with his two calls.

NICK
Why are these addresses on the same street?

GRISSOM
Likelihood they're related, Nicky.
I have to have the reviews in
tomorrow, so I won't be available
unless it's an emergency.

Catherine walks over to the coffee machine and pours himself a cup. He turns to find the four snickering at him.

GRISSOM
What?

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
You slept at your desk again,
didn't you?

Catherine doesn't answer her. Greg taps his forehead.

GREG
You shouldn't forget to call Sheila
about the requisition form you
submitted.

Catherine pulls the sticky note off his forehead. He heads for the door, ignoring their giggles. In the hall an officer stops him, handing him yet another call.

He reads it, and returns to the break room. He plucks the calls from Catherine and Greg's hands, and hands one each to Nick and Riley. He hands over the new one to Catherine and Greg.

NICK
I have to do three?

GREG
Whiner.

NICK
I am not whining! I don't know
where this address is, I'm not sure
how to get around the construction
to get to these two, and I am not
looking forward to relying on some
dimwits bass ackwards directions.

RILEY
That's whining.

NICK
Shut up!

Nick gets up, knocking over his chair. He storms out, muttering curses and obscenities under his breath. They all watch him disappear down the hall. Grissom turns back to the three.

GRISSOM
What's wrong with him?

RILEY
On his first call tonight, our
favorite dispatcher sent him to an
imaginary crime scene at an imaginary
address with imaginary stiffs.

Catherine looks up at Grissom, bats her eyes and dramatizes a whiny, manipulative teenager.

CATHERINE
Doctor Grissom, I'm giving you the
address from the static map. How
was I supposed to know that was a
dead end road? There's construction
all over town! Doctor Grissom,
Gary said that address was right.
Gary said. Doctor Grissom, your
CSI are being rude and mean. Doctor Grissom...

Grissom and Greg aren't amused, but Riley and Catherine are in stitches.

GRISSOM
Capri has only been on the job for
three weeks. She's getting better.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
Better? I think it's possible she's
gotten worse. Maybe if everyone
didn't let her off because of her
double D's, she might figure out
how to do her job.

GREG
Capri's nice and she's really
trying to improve.

RILEY
I was fooled by her first impression
too, until I found myself in Henderson
and my call was in Paradise.

GRISSOM
You should have known better.

Grissom leaves.

GREG
You should give her a couple more
weeks, at least. She'll get better.
I made mistakes my first couple months.
Remember the luminal incident
Catherine? So we should all--

RILEY
Greg, are you dating Capri?

GREG
No.

He stands up, picks up his coat and heads for the door. Catherine follows him out, leaving Riley alone with her coffee and two call sheets.

EXT. SUNSET VIEW APARTMENTS - NIGHT

The crowd hasn't reduced. Police guard the door of apartment 152.

INT. APARTMENT 152 - BEDROOM - NIGHT

CSI RILEY Adams is processing the bedroom. Assistant coroner DAVID is examining the body. She glances at him when he gently lifts the victim's head to examine the tubing.

RILEY
Hold it, David.

She snatches up her camera and snaps off a few pictures. He looks over the tubing, and then pulls it away from Capri's neck.

RILEY (CONT'D)
I doubt anyone will mourn her death.

David slowly looks up at her. It's unlike David to glare, but what she's just said hit the wrong nerve.

DAVID
Actually, there is someone who is
going to be devastated when he finds
out she's dead, Riley. Just because
you didn't like her, doesn't mean
you have to be so heartless. I have
to go get a gurney.

He's out of the room before she can apologize for her insincere remark. She goes back to examining the room.

David comes in and they don't speak while he moves the corpse onto the gurney and leaves. As he goes out the door, she spots something.

CSI POV

There is a bloody half thumbprint that's been lightly smeared.

BACK TO SCENE

Riley snaps off photographs and lifts it. She notices something behind the dresser and crouches down to retrieve it.

It's a photograph of Greg. He's been caught pretending to serenade a broom and is waving the photographer off as he laughs. She sets it back where she found it, and continues searching the room.

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

SUPER: November 6, 12:30 AM

Catherine drives down a dark paved road. She has the call sheet pinned to the steering wheel with her thumb, referring to it as she drives.

Greg sits in the passenger seat munching an energy bar and sipping from a travel coffee mug. She slows as a road sign comes into sight. She glances at the call sheet.

CATHERINE
Get a road map out. I have no idea
where this is.

Greg sets his meal in the middle console and digs a map out of the door pocket. He turns on the map light and starts looking.

GREG
Let me see the address.

She hands over the call sheet. He looks again.

GREG (CONT'D)
It's not on here.

CATHERINE
It has to be.

He looks again.

GREG
Not on here, but this is a state
map. It doesn't have all the roads.

CATHERINE
Try the county map.

Greg searches the pocket, then the glove box.

GREG
No county map.

CATHERINE
Maybe it's in the back.

Greg unbuckles and starts to climb into the back.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
Greg.

He stops, looking at her. She glances at him.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
Are you sure you're old enough to
drink? You do not climb into the
back in a moving vehicle.

He plants his butt back in the seat with a sheepish grin, which makes her smile. She pulls onto the shoulder. Greg gets out and runs to the back.

She hears him rummage through the back. He closes the back, and climbs into the back seat and searches. He turns and sits down on the middle bench seat.

GREG
(boyish shrug)
No county map.

She chuckles, and picks up her radio.

CATHERINE
Oh Nicky, Nicky, Nicky.

GREG
What?

CATHERINE
I only have a quarter battery left.
Nick promised to put it on the charger
for me this morning. But that's not
the worst of it, Greggo. Capri is
working tonight.

GREG
Call into dispatch. She doesn't
answer the phones.

She pulls her cell phone off her belt. She has no signal.

CATHERINE
Do you have any signal?

Greg checks his cell phone.

GREG
Nope. We are in a
dead zone. Apparently
our carrier doesn't have a few
thousand people to follow us around
and make sure we have service.

CATHERINE
Are you sure that's only coffee in that cup?

GREG
It's apple juice. It's too warm for
coffee. Although, DJ Alfie said
it's supposed to drop to the low
thirties after midnight, but no
snow. I love winter in the desert.
It's so extreme.

CATHERINE
Was that your five-second weather update?

GREG
Yep!

Greg gets back into the passenger seat.

CATHERINE
I'm going to try my luck with
Capri. Maybe tonight she can
actually read a map.
(keys radio)
Willows to dispatch.

After a few seconds, CAPRI'S warm, sexy voice responds.

CAPRI (ON RADIO)
Dispatch. Go ahead.

CATHERINE
We need directions to our crime scene.

CAPRI (ON RADIO)
Give me the address.

CATHERINE
Address following. 34452 County
Road 92. Crossroads are not given.
Further details, sixty miles
northwest of Las Vegas municipal.

CAPRI (ON RADIO)
Stand by.

Catherine lowers the radio while she waits.

GREG
She's worked her way up from hold
please to stand by!

CATHERINE
I thought you liked her.

Before he can answer...

CAPRI (ON RADIO)
Directions to follow.

Catherine turns over the call sheet, grabs a pen, and keys the radio.

CATHERINE
Go for directions.

Catherine drops the radio as Capri rattles off the directions. It's a long set of directions. Catherine stares at the set when Capri stops talking. She picks up the radio, keying it.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
These don't look correct. These
directions take us southwest not
northwest. Have you confirmed these
directions?

CAPRI (ON RADIO)
Directions have been confirmed.

CATHERINE
By who?

CAPRI (ON RADIO)
The address has been confirmed.
Dispatcher 324 out.

CATHERINE
I want to know who confirmed these directions.

Capri doesn't respond.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
Dispatcher 324, who confirmed these directions?

Capri doesn't answer.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
Willows to dispatch.

No answer.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
Dispatcher 324, answer me!

She doesn't obey. Catherine tosses the radio on the dash, slams it into gear and squeals tires as she drives away.

GREG
Do you want me to try?

CATHERINE
No!

Greg starts eating again. Catherine's anger past as fast as it had come on. She glances at Greg.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)
Sorry I snapped at you.

He shrugs.

GREG
Even I thought that was pretty rude.

Catherine smiles and leaves him to his skimpy supper.

INT. CSI - CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Nick and Greg sit in chairs outside of Interview Room 'A.' Nick is too angry to notice Greg is broken hearted.

NICK
I always knew that girl was going
to get herself in trouble, but I
never thought she'd take us down
with her.

Greg doesn't reply. Nick glances at him.

NICK (CONT'D)
It's not like we did anything. This
whole thing is stupid politics!

Greg doesn't speak.

NICK (CONT'D)
Greg?

GREG
(emotionless)
What?

NICK
Are you all right?

Greg doesn't answer.

NICK (CONT'D)
Are you upset she's dead?

GREG
Leave me alone.

NICK
Why are you upset?

GREG
Leave me alone.

NICK
Why would you be upset about her
being dead? Do you remember what
she did to you and Catherine? You
were in ICU for two weeks because
of her!

GREG
(angry)
Shut up.

NICK
Man, you got way too soft'a heart
sometimes. She doesn't deserve
sympathy, even dead.

GREG
(grits his teeth)
Shut up, Nick.

NICK
She got an EMT killed when she sent
me and him and his partner to a
shootout. Two houses were lost
because the firefighters--

GREG
SHUT UP, NICK!

Greg turns a dark glare on him

GREG (CONT'D)
Stop. Talking. She is dead. You're
happy. Now shut the fuck up!

Nick doesn't argue. Greg looks away, his anger fading back into melancholy. Nick looks up when Henry walks up to Greg, handing him Catherine's note.

HENRY
I'm supposed to wait for an answer.

Greg reads it before crushing the note in his hand.

GREG
Tell Ray yes, a forty-four, and
several times since I asked her.

HENRY
Okay. Sorry, Greg.

Greg nods. Henry leaves. Nick watches Greg, who ignores him.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT ONE