ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
EXT. LAS VEGAS (STOCK)
To establish.
INT. CSI BUILDING - MAIN LAYOUT ROOM - DAY
Aerial photographs of seven properties are spread across the light table -- including the South Carolina, Kentucky, and Texas properties. They all show people working in the area, and the graves are marked.
The largest concentration of marked graves is on the ranch in Texas. Next to the open holes in the ground -- made evident by the angle of light showing three-dimensional details -- there are blue tarps with bodies.
The red dresses help to easily identify the bodies from workers or the ground. The graves have been numbered. Riley holds a stack of papers she's reading from. Catherine is using a red wax pencil to write on the photographs.
RILEY
Number seventeen. Emily Grant. Missing since
August 14, 1994.
Catherine starts writing. She pauses when Nick walks in. The two watch him sit down on a stool and stare at the floor. She finishes writing.
CATHERINE
Rough interviews?
He nods.
CATHERINE (CONT'D)
Do you need a break?
Nick shakes his head.
NICK
Can we arrest America's sweetheart actor yet?
He was around or had contact with the six
deceased and Natalie.
CATHERINE
I showed the judge your preliminary reports
and how many bodies we found on his past
properties that were identified with DNA. He is
writing warrants as we speak.
Nick gets up and joins her at the table.
NICK
These are all graves?
RILEY
Yes. The largest number of human remains
has been found on the property he owned in
Texas. You're hunch paid off, Nick.
NICK
(quiet)
Not soon enough.
BRASS walks to the door with two pieces of paper.
BRASS
Good news or great news?
NICK
Great news first.
Brass holds up one paper.
BRASS
This little paper says we get to arrest Jonathan Massie.
He holds up the other.
BRASS (CONT'D)
This little paper says we get to search his
entire property. Who wants to join me?
ALL THREE
Me.
They drop what they're doing and follow him out.
EXT. MASSIE VINEYARD - DAY
The drive up to the main house is bordered with healthy grape vines infested with workers tending them. Sitting in the seat behind Catherine, Nick watches them. The workers are trying not to notice the parade of police cars, unmarked CSI Denali, CDC vans, and ambulances.
GREG and Riley have joined them -- a rare occasion to have the entire graveyard CSI in one vehicle. The processions stops in front of the house as Jonathan and his lawyer, LEHMAN, come out.
Everyone gets out, but Brass and the front officer are the only ones to approach the two at first.
BRASS
Jonathan Massie?
JONATHAN
Yes.
BRASS
You are under arrest for murder. We also have
a warrant to search your home and property for
women you are being holding against their will.
Lehman holds his hand out for the warrants, which Brass hands over. He reads them and his face tells Jonathan this is not good.
LEHMAN
You have to go with them, and they are
allowed to search the property.
The CSI and two more officers approach.
JONATHAN
I didn't do anything wrong!
He finds Nick among the people.
JONATHAN
(to Nick)
You're behind this. What lies did you tell them?
That I was nice to someone? Is that a crime?
Nick doesn't answer. Jonathan is handcuffed and led away, followed by Lehman. Brass and several officers go inside to clear the house.
CATHERINE
Nick, you and Greg take the perimeter. We'll
start on the house. I'll let you know if we find anything.
Nick nods. He and Greg head to the back of the house.
EXT. VINEYARD TANK FARM - DAY
Nick and Greg walk out of the vineyard and are confronted by an old stone building with a padlocked door.
GREG
I'll go back and radio for a lock--
Nick draws his side arm and shoots off the lock.
GREG (CONT'D)
Or we could just shoot it. Never mind it's
evidence... Fingerprints and all.
Nick doesn't comment. He pulls off the lock and pushes the door open with his gun. A breath of cool air greets them, but they can't see inside the darkness.
Nick sets his kit down by the door and pulls his Maglite off his belt. With light over gun, he moves slowly into the building. Greg follows close behind.
INT. VINEYARD TANK FARM - DAY
Greg flicks the light switch just inside the door, revealing a room full of wooden barrels from floor to ceiling. They walk through the building, Nick probing the dark areas with his flashlight and gun ready. Near the back, and almost hidden, he spots a door.
He slips between the barrels, to get to it. The door is locked with a chain lock, a sturdy eye and hook, a dead bolt with the dial on this side, and a New York lock Ð this door is meant to keep things in.
Nick holsters his gun and pulls a glove from a pocket. He unlocks the door and swings it open, prepared for anything. But all that greets him is the soft sound of someone singing and a curving staircase. The lights of the room below dimly light the staircase.
NICK
Go get the paramedics, Greg.
GREG
You think they're down there?
NICK
Yes. Go.
Greg runs off to obey. Nick starts down the steps.
INT. UNDERGROUND PRISON - DINING ROOM - DAY
The stairs open into a richly decorated dining room. Along the walls are cages, terrariums, and aquariums with exotic pets, including a collection of spiders. The singing is coming from a bird that is imitating someone it's heard.
At the far end is a metal door with a sliding plate in the middle of it, like one found on a solitary cell in a prison. Next to the door is the key. Nick approaches the door, sliding on gloves. He takes down the key, unlocks the door, and pulls it open.
Nick makes a face as the stench of sickness and decay hits him. The room beyond is dark, but from the light of the dining room he can see cells and arms, legs, and one woman's face staring blankly at him. He spots the light switch next to the door and flicks it.
He has to swallow hard to keep his cool. Six women are in the cages at varying levels of starvation. They are dressed in dirty cotton gowns. Two lay lifelessly, showing no emotion. The others watch him with wide, terrified eyes. Including the teenager Jonathan signed the autograph for at the casino.
CATHERINE (O.S.)
Nick.
Nick takes a step into the prison. A hand grabs his shoulder and pulls him back. He turns his head, staring at Catherine.
CATHERINE
We can't go in without suits, Nick. They're likely
infected with scabies.
He looks at the women but doesn't resist her guiding him out of the way.
INT. CSI - INTERVIEW ROOM A - NIGHT
Jonathan and his lawyer, Lehman, sit at the table. Catherine and Brass enter. Catherine carries a large folder with the aerial photographs.
LEHMAN
We've been in here for eight hours and no
official charges have been filed. If you don't
charge my client, then you will release him.
BRASS
He's being charged for murder in the first
degree, kidnapping, torture, assault, rape, and
sexual abuse. Texas is planning to press the
same charges when we get done. And South
Carolina and Kentucky are adding cruelty to
animals to the list, as well as keeping exotic
pets without permits. I guess they thought
since the book was being thrown, why not add
a few chapters.
That takes some wind out of Lehman. He looks at Jonathan, but the man is a good actor, and he shows no emotion.
Catherine takes out an aerial of the South Carolina property, setting it before Jonathan. He glances at it, but doesn't react.
CATHERINE
Mister Massie, I'd like to talk to you about this
property.
He glances at it.
JONATHAN
I don't know where that is.
CATHERINE
This is 452 Rosehip Lane, in Rolling Hills,
South Carolina. At present local law
enforcement have uncovered fourteen graves
on the property, each containing a dog that
appears to have been starved to death. Do you
care to explain that?
JONATHAN
I know nothing about them.
CATHERINE
I doubt that. In June of 1994 you sold your
property in South Carolina and purchased this
property.
Another photograph is placed in front of Jonathan. Still no reaction or emotion.
CATHERINE
This is 4325 County Road 57, near Lexington,
Kentucky. Twelve graves have been found with
the remains of chimpanzees. Forensics in
Kentucky has been able to determine that all
the chimpanzees died of starvation.
Lehman opens his mouth to comment, but she cuts him off.
CATHERINE
And before you argue that the chimpanzees
could be anyone's, Mister Lehman, several of
them had microchips tags. All of them were
purchased by your client.
Lehman doesn't speak. Catherine places the aerial of the Texas ranch, then another two next to it.
CATHERINE
In 1998 you sold your Kentucky property, and
purchased 12453 County Road 56, Paris,
Texas. These photographs show the three
locations graves have been found. There were
a few with chimpanzees, but the rest contained
human remains, all female, all starved to
death. Also found on the property was a prison
similar to the one found at the vineyard.
Catherine points to the photograph of the location. It's not far from the back of the main house.
CATHERINE
The staircase had been filled in. Five bodies
were recovered from this. We have been able
to match DNA from most of the victims to
persons missing from Texas and surrounding
states.
LEHMAN
My client did not murder any of these women
or animals. These charges are false.
Undeterred, Catherine continues.
CATHERINE
But then the pattern alters just slightly. You
sold the ranch in Texas, purchasing a farm
near Missoula, Montana. There were no graves
of dogs, chimpanzees or humans. And you
kept it for four months before you moved to the
vineyard in Moapa Valley. And then you started
leaving the bodies for people to find. Showing
off your skills, perhaps?
Nick enters the room and leans against the one-way mirror. Jonathan shows his first emotions when he glares at Nick, but Nick himself is too angry to be intimidated by a look.
CATHERINE
What I find interesting is that during your time
in Missoula you had your first run in with the
legal system. A consultant for the police
department filed stalking charges and a
restraining order. And you left Missoula the
same time she did. When she settled in Las
Vegas, so did you. Why is that? Why did you
change your pattern?
LEHMAN
Is this about murder and kidnapping charges,
or a past stalking charge?
CATHERINE
All three. From your bedroom closet we
recovered a dozen silk dresses and boxes of
pearl necklaces. The cloth from the dresses
matches the dresses the starved victims were
found in. The pearls on the necklaces are
identical in composition and mineral traits as
those found on the victims. We asked your
girlfriend about them, she said you told her
they were gifts for special fans. What special fans?
JONATHAN
(to Nick)
How many women were found dead?
CATHERINE
Six.
JONATHAN
(to Nick)
Six women? I didn't do this.
CATHERINE
Why? Because the numbers aren't adding up?
Nick leans on the table, looking Jonathan in the eyes.
NICK
Didn't you hear, Jonathan? Natalie Greer
survived. She intentionally made your spider
bite her so it would paralyze her. She took a
chance you'd dump her where she'd be found.
See, the problem every serial killer that's
caught runs into, is they let their pride cloud
their judgment, and they leave behind evidence
or a survivor that ultimately leads us right to them.
JONATHAN
She's not alive.
LEHMAN
Jonathan, shut up!
NICK
He can't shut up. He doesn't want to believe he
actually made a mistake, not after at least fifteen
years of starving women to the brink of death,
and then giving them the best meal in their
lives, just so he could watch them die in agony.
Jonathan doesn't answer. Nick shrugs.
NICK
Doesn't matter. The survivors have identified
you as their kidnapper and five of the deceased
that were held captive with them. But why were
you so determined to get Natalie? The lengths
you went to in order to get your hands on her...
It exposed you. Put your hobby in the open.
Did you leave those bodies for her? What
made her so special?
Jonathan looks at his hands, some memory or fantasy taking him away from this place. Nick shakes his head, then walks to the door.
JONATHAN
(dreamy)
She has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.
Her voice is like smooth chocolate.
Nick turns at the door. Catherine looks up. It's their first glimpse of the psychopath hidden beneath the kind words and beautiful smile that lured women to their death.
LEHMAN
Stop talking, Jonathan. If you keep talking, I
can't help you.
His client obeys, clamping his mouth shut.
NICK
I don't know that you can help him, Mister
Lehman. I'm afraid Jonathan Massie won't be
viewed as America's sweetheart for much longer.
Catherine gets up and gathers her folder. She looks into Jonathan's eyes and does something very rare for her.
CATHERINE
The problem you had with Natalie was you
underestimated her, Jonathan. Even when
hunger, malnutrition, and abuse had made her
forget things, her instincts as a detective
couldn't be erased. You chose poorly.
Catherine taps the folder on the table once, and then leaves with Nick.
INT. CSI BUILDING - CORRIDOR - NIGHT
They walk silently for a few minutes, Nick glancing at Catherine.
CATHERINE
That last comment he made makes me think
we may be able to build an even stronger case
if we get a forensic psychologist to evaluate him.
NICK
I can't believe you just did that, Catherine.
CATHERINE
Did what?
NICK
You just taunted a suspect.
CATHERINE
That wasn't taunting. I just felt he needed to
know he was out of his league with Natalie.
She was way too smart for him.
Nick grins.
NICK
Call it whatever you want, Catherine, you were
taunting him.
Catherine doesn't reply, just smiles.
NICK (CONT'D)
Maybe, when she's better, we could invite
Natalie to consult for us.
Catherine looks surprised.
NICK (CONT'D)
Every good lab needs a good forensic
entomologist. And she's helped police before
so she's familiar with procedures.
CATHERINE
You think she's cool, don't you?
NICK
Heck yeah! Do you know many female entomologists?
CATHERINE
I'll take it under consideration, Nicky. I'm going
to go finish up paperwork for the D.A. Go tell
Joseph that Natalie would like to see her
family now.
The words Nick has been waiting to hear.
NICK
See ya back here tomorrow. Same crime time!
The two turn down separate halls.
CATHERINE
Same crime channel.
FADE OUT.
THE END