CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2015): Season 15, Episode 17 - Under My Skin - full transcript
While investigating the murder of a man, they discover that the victim was with the daughter of the head of the crime lab in San Diego, who offered Nick a job. They learn the man is in Las Vegas. He tells them that she was with her sister who lives in Las Vegas with his ex-wife. Later a video is posted that shows the girls were abducted. Nick does his best to find them.
# #
- # Say my name #
- # Ah #
- # It got a ring #
- # What? #
# Hotter than my diamonds
from Tiffany's #
# Make you copy, cut,
paste and click on me #
- # I'm glistening #
- # Ah #
- # I'm glistening # -# Ah #
# Yeah, I'm on that,
you can't afford #
# You can't afford, I'm maxing
out on Forbes list... #
Look. This dress is sick.
You'd totally rock it.
It looks a little short.
Trust me, guys like when
you show a little bit of skin.
I don't know.
It's not really me.
Cara, you can't wear baggy jeans
and skater shoes
your whole life.
It's $400!
Relax. I swiped
Dad's credit card.
- Lexi...
- Come on.
I'm giving you a makeover.
# I'm-a change your life,
I'm-a change it #
- # Hustle Gang, homie # -# I'm-a
change your life # -# Life #
# I'm-a change
your life, I'm-a change it #
- # Real talk # -# I'm-a change
your life, life #
# I'm-a change your life #
- # I'm-a change your life #
- # Life #
# You used to dealing
with basic... #
# All the time, I'm a new
classic, upgrade your status #
# From a standby
to a frequent flyer #
# Damn, stamped passports
where they all pass ports #
# Till the clocks fast-forward #
# Then we got blue shores
where they don't do chores #
# We just get chauffeured #
# This is the life #
# With all access granted #
# In the country
where the accents are grand #
# And they landin'
on top of foreign mansions #
# I'm-a change your life #
- # I'm-a change it #
- (wolf whistle nearby)
# I'm-a change your life, life #
# I'm-a change your life,
I'm-a change it #
- # I'm-a change your life #
- # Life... #
People are staring at me.
You're hot. Own it.
(indistinct chatter,
men laughing)
- What's up, Lex?
- Hey.
MAN:
Parking okay?
- (car horn beeping)
- MAN 2: Yeah, good.
(indistinct, distant chatter)
Your sister?
Yeah, that's Cara.
My buddy Pete.
Hey.
LEXl:
Um, so, Axel and I
are gonna split for a while,
so you just stay with Pete?
Can't we all
just hang out together?
Don't worry,
I'll be back in an hour.
(siren blaring)
- So...
- You want to go somewhere?
- I should probably wait here.
- It's kind of crowded.
I know a place we can hang,
just the two of us.
Come on.
Let's go.
(quietly):
Okay.
(camera shutter clicking)
PHILLIPS: Nobody should have
to die like this.
Lot of blood drops on the floor
- over here, so I don't think
he puked himself to death. - Hmm.
STOKES:
Pretty big gash.
Yeah, it-it looks like
somebody cut his throat
and just left him to bleed out
in the toilet there.
The body is still warm.
The rigor hasn't even started.
He's been dead
less than an hour.
Hang on a second.
- You see something? - Looks like
some type of bug carcass.
Could have fallen
off the killer.
I'll scoop it up,
get it back to the lab.
Yeah, now.
There's no wallet.
But we got...
a cell phone.
Maybe we could get an I.D.
- (beep)
- Locked.
Use his thumb.
- (beeps) -PHILLIPS:
Got to love technology.
According to the phone's I.D.,
the victim's name
is Pete Corday.
His camera app was open.
Some of these pictures
were time-stamped
right before he was murdered.
Maybe he got a shot
of the killer.
It's him and a girl.
PHILLIPS: Looks like he's having
a pretty good time.
Mm. Right up
until someone ended it.
# 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 #
# Are you! #
Talked to the janitor
who found the body.
He said he got suspicious
when he saw
the "Closed for Cleaning" sign
on the restroom door.
STOKES:
Killer was
trying to buy more time
till the body was found.
Got blood in the sink...
he must've cleaned up in here.
So the victim's throat
was slashed over the toilet
to catch the blood.
(grunts)
Then the knife
was washed off in the sink,
put the sign on the door.
- Smart.
- You know, he was
with this girl right
before he was murdered.
(distant siren blaring)
I figure either
she was involved,
or at the very least
she's a witness.
Any idea who she is?
No. Finlay's pulling
surveillance now.
Seeing if we can track
her movements.
I mean, maybe
somebody knows her.
SIDLE:
Well, that's a Dempsey's bag.
Judging by the size,
I would say jewelry or makeup.
We could show her photo
to the store clerks.
If she paid with a credit card,
we might be able to get a name.
BRODY:
Russell.
- Yeah?
- Got a lead on our mystery girl.
The credit card
that she used earlier today
belongs to a guy
named John Nolan.
- Nolan. Why-why do I know
that name? - He's the director
of the crime lab in San Diego.
Right. She used his credit card
here in Vegas?
Did he report it stolen?
Not yet, but according
to Nolan's assistant,
he's here in town
for a family wedding.
Nick's talking to him now,
says he knows him.
Nolan offered him a job
a few years ago.
Hey, John.
(clears throat softly)
Sorry to drag you down here.
I thought you were investigating
the murder of a young man.
We are, and a person of interest
has been using your credit card.
Do you recognize that girl?
Oh, my God.
- It's Cara.
- Cara?
She's my 13-year-old daughter.
Do you, um?
Do you know the victim,
Pete Corday?
- No, I've never seen him before.
Who is he? - 23-year-old
from Phoenix.
He's got a couple
of misdemeanors
for drug possession.
Why would she be hanging out
with a guy like that?
Where is she, Nick?
Can I see her?
(sighs)
We don't know where she is.
What?
When's the last time
you saw her?
Uh... at 10:00 this morning.
She wanted to go
to the mall with Lexi.
- Lexi? - Yeah,
my oldest daughter. She's 17.
They don't get to see
each other very often.
Why is that?
Well, after the divorce,
Lexi wanted to live
with her mother here in Vegas.
I was dead set against it.
Tori, my ex... she'd rather be
a friend than a parent.
Have you talked to either one
of them since this morning?
No, I was at a lunch
with out-of-town guests.
They didn't show up. I texted
them... they never answered.
Okay, what about the ex-wife?
Or family members?
No one has heard from them.
Give me their phone numbers.
We'll ping their cells,
we'll track them down.
Of course.
And I need a current picture
of Lexi.
(wry chuckle)
It's a picture that was taken
at the rehearsal dinner
yesterday.
I'm gonna find your girls.
If anyone can, it's you.
- Hey, boss.
- Yeah?
What do you got for me, David?
Hadrurus arizonensis.
Otherwise known as the giant
desert hairy scorpion.
Nick found a piece of the molted
exoskeleton next to Pete
Corday's body in the restroom.
- You were able to trace it?
- Unfortunately, no.
The giant desert hairy scorpion
is quite common in Nevada.
You know, last spring,
my cousin Karen
went to go put on her
running shoes for her daily jog.
Didn't know one was hiding
in there; it stung her big toe.
- Was she okay?
- Oh, yeah. But the venom
is no more harmful
than a bee sting.
Ah.
- Hey, Doc.
- Hey. I just finished
Pete Corday's autopsy.
He died from exsanguination
- due to massive sharp-force
trauma. - Can you tell us
anything about our killer
from the wound?
Depth and angle indicate
a right-handed individual
of considerable strength,
in all likelihood male.
That rules out
the Nolan sisters.
Okay. So what do we know?
Cara Nolan was with Pete Corday
right before he was killed.
And now both she and her sister
are missing.
You think
Corday's killer has the girls?
RUSSELL:
If they saw his face,
maybe he took them
to keep them quiet.
And if that's the case,
we need to find them, fast.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Were you able
to pull up the footage
from outside the bathroom?
- Uh, that camera was not
working. - Figures.
Yeah. So I retraced
the girls' steps.
We know that they bought makeup
at Dempsey's at 12:53.
'Cause that camera was working.
And look what I found.
SIDLE: Oh, that's our victim,
Pete Corday.
Who's the other guy?
FINLAY: Obviously a close
personal friend of Lexi's.
I'm putting him through
facial recognition right now.
SIDLE:
He has a rap sheet.
Axel Vargas, age 25.
FINLAY:
Drug possession, burglary.
- Pandering?
- He's a pimp?
No, worse. Look at that.
Federal charge... tried to take
an underage girl into Mexico.
That sounds
like sex trafficking.
Maybe that's what he's got
planned for Lexi and Cara.
What's that tattoo on his neck?
Mm. Let me zoom in.
A scorpion.
Nice tattoo on your neck.
You like scorpions?
- They're cool.
- Keep any as pets?
No. Why?
We found a piece
of a scorpion exoskeleton
on the body of a murder victim.
Your buddy, actually.
Pete Corday.
We know you were with him,
Lexi and Cara Nolan
at the mall this afternoon.
Now he's dead
and they're missing.
It's got nothing to do with me.
You have a history of forcing
young girls into prostitution.
You'd get top dollar for Lexi
and Cara, so what happened?
Did Pete decide he wanted
to keep the girls for himself?
Or maybe he decided
he wanted a cut.
- I didn't kill Pete.
- Where are the girls?
I'm telling you, I don't know.
I met Lexi a week ago at a bar.
She wanted me to meet her
at the mall today, so I went.
We hooked up in a dressing room,
and I split.
- Where'd you go?
- Work.
I'm a bartender at McCarthy's.
Cops picked me up
in the middle of a shift, too.
I'm gonna miss
a whole day's pay.
I'm gonna need
to talk to your boss
and verify when you showed up.
Nick said Nolan's
putting on a brave face,
but obviously he's upset.
Well, we've both been there.
Father's worst nightmare.
Our girls made it.
Hopefully, his will, too.
Listen, I want the department
to do everything in its power...
resources, personnel,
I don't care...
whatever it takes to bring those
girls back and close this case.
- Absolutely.
- Oh, and do me a favor.
John's a good guy.
As a professional courtesy,
let's give him access,
keep him up to date.
Yeah, I'll make sure
everybody knows.
Thanks.
Any luck tracking down Lexi
and Cara's cell phones?
Thankfully,
they're still transmitting.
I've triangulated their location
to somewhere in North Las Vegas.
All right.
Can you get any closer?
I'm trying.
There they are...
off the 215 near Sahara.
Signals aren't moving.
Could be where
the girls are being held.
(sighs) Or where their bodies
were dumped.
I'll call for backup.
(sirens blaring)
(sighs)
Big search area.
Yeah, but their phones
are still transmitting.
They should be
right around here.
I got one.
Screen's broken.
SANDERS:
Here.
Their phones were tossed.
(sighs)
Yeah, but I don't see
any bodies.
It means
the girls could still be alive.
(phone chirps)
It opened up to a video.
Looks like it was taken
inside a vehicle.
LEXI (crying):
Where are you taking us?
Please just let us go.
Shut up.
LEXl: My sister's only 13.
She's just a kid.
You don't need both of us.
Just please let her go!
- (tires screeching)
- You stupid bitch!
(Cara whimpering)
Give me the phone,
or I will slit her throat.
- Lexi!
- (crying): No!
Lexi got her captor on camera.
Couldn't see much of his face,
but no scorpion tattoo.
That wasn't Axel Vargas.
Then who was it, and what
does he want with these girls?
Nick.
Nick. Just heard
the suspect was released.
What the hell's going on?
Yeah, his alibi checked out.
But he was with Lexi and Cara
right before they disappeared.
He has to be on the top
of the suspect list.
Yeah, I just saw
the video that Lexi
shot in the abductor's vehicle.
It's not Axel Vargas
behind the wheel.
Do-do you have any idea
who the guy was?
Actually, I was hoping you could
help us out there, John.
You've been running
that San Diego office
for a long time now.
You must have made some enemies
along the way?
Can you think of anyone who...
who might want
to snatch up your girls
to hurt you in some way?
God, I don't know. I...
A family member of someone
you recently put away.
Or someone who was recently
released from prison?
Something like that?
We-we just brought down
a biker gang
- that killed a city supervisor.
- That's good.
Have your lab send
that file over
right away,
and we'll look into that.
In the meantime, I want
to take a look at that video.
- (sighs)
- Lf this is about me,
maybe I'll recognize the guy.
LEXI (crying):
Where are you taking us?
Please just let us go.
My sister's only 13.
She's just a kid.
You don't need both of us.
Just please let her go!
- (tires screeching)
- MAN: You stupid bitch!
Give me the phone,
or I will slit her throat.
- Lexi!
- LEXl: No!
STOKES: I'm sorry you had
to see that, John.
Do you recognize him?
No.
What if they're dead already?
I mean, he had a knife.
He's already
killed one person today, right?
You shouldn't even be
thinking like that.
Not when there's a chance
they're still alive.
We'll work it till we find 'em.
BRODY:
It looks like Lexi was trying
to send this clip
to somebody. She entered
this phone number,
but it didn't go through.
STOKES: Well,
it's a silent call for help.
Whose number is that?
It's mine.
She was trying to send it to me.
You weren't in her contact list?
I guess not.
Lexi and I haven't had much
of a relationship
since she moved here
to live with her mother.
Well, you were
the first person
she thought of to reach out to
when she was in trouble.
That's got to mean something.
Okay, all right, where are we?
Did you find out anything
about the motorcycle gang
that Nolan helped take down?
Yeah. Most of them
are in prison.
San Diego PD verified
the whereabouts of the others.
Is there anyone else who might
have had a grudge against Nolan?
Well, Nolan's lab
just cracked a series
of Mexican cartel murders
along the border,
but he hasn't received
any threats lately.
No, I think
if somebody wanted to get
back at him, why would they come
all the way here to Vegas?
Right. All right,
all right, look,
maybe this has absolutely
nothing to do with him.
The guy's got two beautiful
daughters, right? They're young,
they're attractive,
they're in the mall.
The mall is like a hunting
ground for sexual predators.
Maybe this was a...
a crime of opportunity.
Well, I looked
at all the surveillance video
from the mall.
Cara and Lexi left through the
west doors, but they were alone.
Okay, but that doesn't mean
that the kidnapper
wasn't already
following them, right?
I mean, he could have been
laying in wait outside,
and then forced them into a car.
Hey.
I was looking
through Lexi's text messages,
and I found something
interesting.
Seems she has an admirer
who likes to send her pictures
of his... genitals.
I'll take your word for it.
Well, she told the guy to stop,
the images kept coming.
When she threatened
to share the pics with the cops,
the perv wrote back,
"You bitch,
you're just like your mother."
He knows Tori Nolan.
- Did you run the number?
- Yeah.
Came back to a used car salesman
named Dennis Hayes.
- Let's bring him in. - Police are
trying to track him down.
In the meantime, Sara's gonna
talk with Tori Nolan.
- LEXl: Please let her go!
- MAN: You stupid bitch!
Give me the phone,
or I will slit her throat.
CARA:
Lexi!
LEXI (crying):
No!
Is that Dennis Hayes?
I'm not sure.
I... I've only met him
a couple of times.
How do you know him?
He was a friend
of my ex-boyfriend.
Oh, my God.
Do you think he did this?
Do you think he took my girls?
That's what
we're trying to figure out.
Mrs. Nolan, we found
some pretty graphic photos
and texts
that Dennis sent to Lexi.
What was the nature
of their relationship?
She barely knew him.
He came to our house
for a party once.
Lexi wasn't feeling well,
and she went up to bed.
I decided to go check on her
about a half an hour later, and
she was passed out on the bed.
And Dennis was on top of her,
trying to take her clothes off.
- What did you do?
- Well, I pulled him
off of her, and I told him
to get the hell out of my house.
You called the police.
No, I didn't.
Why not?
Because we had been drinking.
And taking "E."
Lexi wanted to try it, and...
I let her.
(chuckles)
I didn't want the cops
to find out.
I didn't want them
to take her away from me.
You didn't report Dennis Hayes,
and now he may have abducted
both of your daughters.
Do you have
any idea
where he could have taken them?
I wish I did.
What the hell kind
of mother are you?
- Mr. Nolan.
- You brought that monster
into our daughter's life.
And now he's taken her and Cara!
- I didn't know.
- I should never have let you
have custody of Lexi.
She didn't want
to live with you.
SIDLE: Hey, your daughters
are missing, and this is not
gonna help us find them.
Let's just focus on bringing
Lexi and Cara home.
Please.
All right.
(keyboard keys clicking)
We still haven't found Hayes.
Please tell me
you got something.
As a matter of fact, I do.
I've been analyzing
the video that Lexi took, and
from the dashboard, I can tell
that the vehicle
they were abducted in was
a 1986 Chevrolet Suburban.
Does Dennis Hayes drive
one of those?
No, but, I mean,
he's a used car salesman.
He has access
to all kinds of vehicles.
- (phone chimes) -All right,
I'll call the dealership,
and, uh, I'll see if they have
an '86 Suburban in inventory.
(phone beeps)
What is it?
(siren toots)
Where is she?
In the Dumpster.
One of the construction guys
accidentally threw out
some lighting fixtures.
The foreman came back
to retrieve 'em, found the body.
(dog barks, siren toots)
She one of the girls?
Yeah, that's Lexi,
the older sister.
MITCHELL: Not the way
we were hoping to find her.
No, it's not.
Ecchymosis.
Means she suffered
blunt-force trauma to the head.
Fresh cuts on the bottoms
of her feet.
Looks like
she tried to run away.
Any sign of Cara?
She's not in here.
Then there's a chance
she might still be alive.
# #
(distant chatter)
(dog barking)
(distant siren blaring)
SANDERS: Hey, I thought
Nick was working this one.
He's at the morgue.
He wanted to be the one
who processed Lexi's body.
I found a necklace.
There's not much blood
in the Dumpster.
She was killed somewhere else
and dumped here.
They said they searched
the house under renovation.
No sign of Cara.
No evidence
the girls were ever held there.
What about the other houses
in the neighborhood?
Unis are still canvassing.
One neighbor did report hearing
a metallic squeaking sound
around 10:30.
Hinges on the doors
of the Dumpster, maybe?
By the time she looked out
the window, all she could see
were taillights speeding away.
Some type of SUV.
But if the killer
opened these doors,
he would have had
to have touched the latch.
I'll dust for prints.
(sighs)
I don't think
you should be in here.
I had to see her.
I'm really sorry.
JOHN:
Her fingernails are broken.
She put up a fight.
That's Lexi.
Strong. Fearless.
STOKES:
Yeah,
just like her old man.
That's probably why
we butted heads so much.
You know, when she was 12,
she wanted to camp out
all night for concert tickets,
and I wouldn't let her.
She snuck out of the house,
and I found her at 2:00
in the morning at the venue
with her friends.
I dragged her home.
(crying): She didn't talk to me
for a week.
This is my fault.
- No. No, it isn't.
- I should have fought harder
to keep her after the divorce.
But she was so unhappy.
She was acting out,
skipping school.
I didn't...
I didn't know what else to do.
Don't put yourself
through this, man.
What happened
to Lexi is not your fault.
It's not your fault.
(sighs)
You're right.
I shouldn't be here.
# #
(door opens)
Hey, Nick.
Just finishing up here.
Was a damn shame.
Nick, sometimes,
despite our best efforts,
we don't get the result we want.
Yeah.
- You have any news
on her sister? - No.
We're still trying
to track down Dennis Hayes.
- What's her cause of death?
- She had a significant
longitudinal fracture
on the back of the head.
Crushing blows causing massive
cerebral hemorrhaging.
And does the injury indicate
what type of weapon was used?
Her head was smashed
into a very hard, flat surface.
Okay. I found traces of stone
in the wound.
And the fingernail scratches
around the ligature marks
indicates
that she tried to get away.
Mm.
- Any evidence of sexual assault?
- No physical findings.
She had consensual sex
earlier in the day.
DNA can sort out
any multiple donors.
STOKES: And what is that bite
on her shoulder?
Is that a sting,
some type of insect?
Based on the redness
and the inflammation,
I think you're right.
Hey, do you think
it could be a scorpion sting?
- I don't know. Why?
- I found a piece
of exoskeleton on the dead body
in the restroom.
Same guy Cara Nolan was with.
Will you extract some tissue
from around the sting
and have it analyzed
- right away?
- You got it.
SIDLE:
How's Nolan?
He's holding it together
as best he can.
This is a guy
who sees dead bodies in autopsy
every day, but when it's
your own kid laying there...
Oh. I can't even imagine.
John's a good guy.
He doesn't deserve this.
Didn't he send you
an autographed Chargers jersey
a few years ago?
Yeah, Dan Fouts.
One of the best
passing quarterbacks
in the NFL.
It was his attempt
to lure me
to that San Diego office.
You ever regret that?
Not taking the job out there?
No. I mean, it wasn't a
promotion or anything like that.
Yeah, but
- the money had to be better
than here. - Uh, not really.
I mean, San Diego's
an expensive town to live in.
Besides, this is my home.
I got all my friends here.
This is where my family is.
And look, the Chargers got
a good football team,
but they're no Dallas Cowboys.
Those are my boys.
Go, Cowboys.
Hey, Russell.
RUSSELL:
Mm.
Doc confirmed that the sting
on Lexi Nolan's
- shoulder was from a scorpion.
- Same type
- as the exoskeleton
that Nick found? - No.
This wasn't
a giant hairy scorpion.
The histopath report
identified chlorotoxin
and maurotoxin, consistent
with a deathstalker scorpion.
They common to Nevada?
Indigenous to Israel.
Well, then, how is she stung
by one of these?
It had to be intentional.
Some people keep them as pets,
which is crazy.
Deathstalkers are
highly aggressive.
When they sting their victims,
the venom rushes
into the bloodstream,
causing increased heartbeat,
blood pressure, and,
if enough venom is released,
convulsions and death.
Well, now, Doc said
that Lexi Nolan died
from blunt-force trauma, right?
Yes, but I think
the scorpion sting may have
contributed to her death.
See, Lexi had cuts
on the bottom of her feet.
If she tried to run,
with that venom in her system,
she wouldn't have
gotten very far.
Allowing her killer
to catch up with her.
So, do we know if Dennis Hayes
has a thing for scorpions?
He's not our guy.
Police tracked him down
to a motel in Nebraska.
He's been there three days.
So we know that
whoever killed Lexi Nolan
had access
to a deathstalker scorpion.
And if they're not native
to Nevada,
then where'd the guy get one?
Hey, turns out there are
seven places in Nevada
that sell
deathstalker scorpions.
Seven places too many,
if you ask me.
I guess some people
get a kick out of
owning something
that can kill you.
Deathstalkers only live
two to six years,
so I got a list of everyone
who purchased one
from 2008 to now.
BRODY: We cross-reference this
with everyone who drives
a 1986 Chevrolet Suburban,
and we might get our guy.
Great minds think alike.
Here.
Kieran Clark,
528 Cactus Ridge Lane.
(tires squeaking)
LVPD!
Kieran Clark! LVPD!
Clear inside.
All clear.
Nobody's here.
That means no Cara.
This is Clark's address,
but it doesn't look like
he lives here.
Terrariums.
A lot of them.
Oh! Oh, God.
(Brody sighs)
Guess he's not just
into scorpions.
Hey, Morgan.
Check this out.
Stalker photos.
Cara Nolan was only in town
for the past few days.
What, has he been
stalking her the whole time?
Wait a minute.
That's somebody else.
That's not Cara Nolan.
Who is it, then?
- Another victim?
- I don't know.
But whoever she is...
she's a dead ringer for Cara.
I already heard.
You didn't find Cara.
No. Not yet, but
we know who took her,
and we know why.
A guy named Kieran Clark.
There was a-a shrine
in that barn.
It seems as though the suspect
has an obsession
with a young woman.
We haven't identified her yet,
but she looks just like Cara.
He took my two girls
because Cara
reminded him of someone?
That's what it looks like, yeah.
But... only a matter of time...
Before we get Cara back.
Is that what you're gonna try
and sell me?
John, I'm not trying
to sell you on-on anything here,
but I'm sure as hell
not ready to quit.
We're gonna find her.
No doubt we will.
Just like we found... Lexi.
I'm sorry about Lexi.
But, hey, you can't just fold
and throw in now. Come on.
I'm no tourist, Nick.
I've run a crime lab
for 17 years.
Cara's been missing
for 24 hours,
and that lunatic
already killed Lexi.
You and I both know how
this thing's probably gonna end.
I'm not about to quit.
And you're not either.
- (sighs)
- You hear me?
- (sniffles)
- Hey, look at me.
I will find her.
Okay, what do we know
about Kieran Clark?
He's known as the Bug Guy.
He goes around to schools
and kids' birthday parties,
educating them
about insects and reptiles.
It's terrifying
that he works around children.
And the young woman
in these photos,
the one he's obviously
obsessed with?
SIDLE:
According to the police report,
her name is Jennifer DeMarcus.
She used to work
at a pet shop in Henderson.
That's where they met.
She had one date with Clark
before she realized
he was a head case,
and then she told him
that she wasn't interested.
- Let me guess... he wouldn't
take no for an answer. - He kept
coming around the pet shop,
and then he started
parking his car in front of
Jennifer's apartment at night.
She called the police
on him several times.
Did she get a restraining order?
Left town.
Moved back to Georgia.
Put as much distance between her
and Clark as she could.
Clearly, he's still
obsessed with her.
So, what do you think?
Kieran goes to the mall,
sees Cara looking
very much like Jennifer,
and he decides to grab her.
Except Cara was
with Pete Corday,
so Clark had to get rid
of him first.
(grunting)
(blood splashes, Pete coughs)
And by the time he was done with
Pete, Cara was with Lexi,
- so he had to take them both.
- Right.
The stone particles
that Nick found in Lexi Nolan's
head wound were coated.
I identified a mixture
of ethanol, alkylalkoxysilane
and isopropyl acetate.
Oxysilane?
That sounds like
a sealant of some kind.
Actually, it's an
impregnating sealant,
used to protect concrete
from water and staining...
uh, primarily
walkways, driveways.
There was no evidence of sealant
in the Dumpster
where Lexi's body was found,
which means it had to come from
where she was actually murdered.
Lexi tried to escape.
She was still feeling distress
from the scorpion sting.
Maybe she was near a driveway
when Kieran Clark
caught up to her
and smashed her head into it.
(grunting)
HODGES:
The sealant in Lexi's wound
wasn't entirely cured,
meaning that it was
probably applied
within the last couple of days.
Okay. All right.
Let's do a search
within a five-mile radius
of where Lexi's body was found.
We're looking
for somebody who recently
had their concrete driveway
sealed.
- STOKES: Hey.
- Hey.
I heard you got something?
Yeah. Lexi's body
was found right here.
Two miles away,
on Harvard Drive,
this house had their driveway
sealed on Wednesday.
Now, we know that when Lexi ran,
she didn't get very far,
so Clark's got to be holding
Cara somewhere nearby.
- I should get out there.
- Wait for backup.
I will.
# #
LVPD!
KIERAN:
Get over here.
Kieran Clark!
CARA:
No! Let me go!
Drop the knife.
Don't come any closer.
Put the knife down.
I'll slit her throat.
Hey, me and you,
we can work this out.
But you don't need to hurt her.
What I need is
for you to leave.
Now, we both know
that's not gonna happen.
- Go!
- (gasps)
I will kill her.
I know about the girl
from the pet store.
Jennifer... I mean,
isn't that the girl you liked?
- I love her.
- Okay.
All right.
But she's not her.
Her name's Cara Nolan.
She's 13 years old.
She's never done anything
to hurt you. I know...
when you saw her at the mall,
you thought, "That's Jennifer."
(gasping)
But take a closer look.
It's not her.
She's a child, and she...
she needs to go home.
(gasping)
You're wrong.
She's mine.
- STOKES: Let her go.
- I can't let you take her.
(Cara panting)
(shell casing clinks,
Cara pants)
It's okay.
It's all right.
I'm a friend of your dad's.
Thank you.
It's gonna be all right.
(woman speaking indistinctly
over P.A.)
(knock at door)
(elevator bell dings)
How's she doing?
Physically, she's okay.
She's been through
a hell of an ordeal, but...
she's alive because of you.
You never gave up.
Thank you
for bringing her back to me.
You're welcome.
You know, Nick...
I've been thinking
about the choices I've made.
Working weekends and evenings.
Missing school plays,
soccer games.
Sometimes going days
without seeing my girls.
For years, I've been putting
other people's families
ahead of my own.
I don't want to do that anymore.
So, what are you saying?
You're gonna hang it up?
Well, Cara needs me.
Now more than ever.
It would be a big loss
for your crime lab.
Not with you there.
John, we've talked about this.
I've already got a job.
I'm not asking you
to just join the team.
I'm asking you to run it.
You want me to take over
the crime lab in San Diego?
I know it would be
in good hands
with you at the helm.
(sighs)
(stammering):
That's a big job.
You don't have to answer me
right now.
Just promise me...
you'll think about it.
Thank you, Nick.
- # Say my name #
- # Ah #
- # It got a ring #
- # What? #
# Hotter than my diamonds
from Tiffany's #
# Make you copy, cut,
paste and click on me #
- # I'm glistening #
- # Ah #
- # I'm glistening # -# Ah #
# Yeah, I'm on that,
you can't afford #
# You can't afford, I'm maxing
out on Forbes list... #
Look. This dress is sick.
You'd totally rock it.
It looks a little short.
Trust me, guys like when
you show a little bit of skin.
I don't know.
It's not really me.
Cara, you can't wear baggy jeans
and skater shoes
your whole life.
It's $400!
Relax. I swiped
Dad's credit card.
- Lexi...
- Come on.
I'm giving you a makeover.
# I'm-a change your life,
I'm-a change it #
- # Hustle Gang, homie # -# I'm-a
change your life # -# Life #
# I'm-a change
your life, I'm-a change it #
- # Real talk # -# I'm-a change
your life, life #
# I'm-a change your life #
- # I'm-a change your life #
- # Life #
# You used to dealing
with basic... #
# All the time, I'm a new
classic, upgrade your status #
# From a standby
to a frequent flyer #
# Damn, stamped passports
where they all pass ports #
# Till the clocks fast-forward #
# Then we got blue shores
where they don't do chores #
# We just get chauffeured #
# This is the life #
# With all access granted #
# In the country
where the accents are grand #
# And they landin'
on top of foreign mansions #
# I'm-a change your life #
- # I'm-a change it #
- (wolf whistle nearby)
# I'm-a change your life, life #
# I'm-a change your life,
I'm-a change it #
- # I'm-a change your life #
- # Life... #
People are staring at me.
You're hot. Own it.
(indistinct chatter,
men laughing)
- What's up, Lex?
- Hey.
MAN:
Parking okay?
- (car horn beeping)
- MAN 2: Yeah, good.
(indistinct, distant chatter)
Your sister?
Yeah, that's Cara.
My buddy Pete.
Hey.
LEXl:
Um, so, Axel and I
are gonna split for a while,
so you just stay with Pete?
Can't we all
just hang out together?
Don't worry,
I'll be back in an hour.
(siren blaring)
- So...
- You want to go somewhere?
- I should probably wait here.
- It's kind of crowded.
I know a place we can hang,
just the two of us.
Come on.
Let's go.
(quietly):
Okay.
(camera shutter clicking)
PHILLIPS: Nobody should have
to die like this.
Lot of blood drops on the floor
- over here, so I don't think
he puked himself to death. - Hmm.
STOKES:
Pretty big gash.
Yeah, it-it looks like
somebody cut his throat
and just left him to bleed out
in the toilet there.
The body is still warm.
The rigor hasn't even started.
He's been dead
less than an hour.
Hang on a second.
- You see something? - Looks like
some type of bug carcass.
Could have fallen
off the killer.
I'll scoop it up,
get it back to the lab.
Yeah, now.
There's no wallet.
But we got...
a cell phone.
Maybe we could get an I.D.
- (beep)
- Locked.
Use his thumb.
- (beeps) -PHILLIPS:
Got to love technology.
According to the phone's I.D.,
the victim's name
is Pete Corday.
His camera app was open.
Some of these pictures
were time-stamped
right before he was murdered.
Maybe he got a shot
of the killer.
It's him and a girl.
PHILLIPS: Looks like he's having
a pretty good time.
Mm. Right up
until someone ended it.
# 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 #
# Are you! #
Talked to the janitor
who found the body.
He said he got suspicious
when he saw
the "Closed for Cleaning" sign
on the restroom door.
STOKES:
Killer was
trying to buy more time
till the body was found.
Got blood in the sink...
he must've cleaned up in here.
So the victim's throat
was slashed over the toilet
to catch the blood.
(grunts)
Then the knife
was washed off in the sink,
put the sign on the door.
- Smart.
- You know, he was
with this girl right
before he was murdered.
(distant siren blaring)
I figure either
she was involved,
or at the very least
she's a witness.
Any idea who she is?
No. Finlay's pulling
surveillance now.
Seeing if we can track
her movements.
I mean, maybe
somebody knows her.
SIDLE:
Well, that's a Dempsey's bag.
Judging by the size,
I would say jewelry or makeup.
We could show her photo
to the store clerks.
If she paid with a credit card,
we might be able to get a name.
BRODY:
Russell.
- Yeah?
- Got a lead on our mystery girl.
The credit card
that she used earlier today
belongs to a guy
named John Nolan.
- Nolan. Why-why do I know
that name? - He's the director
of the crime lab in San Diego.
Right. She used his credit card
here in Vegas?
Did he report it stolen?
Not yet, but according
to Nolan's assistant,
he's here in town
for a family wedding.
Nick's talking to him now,
says he knows him.
Nolan offered him a job
a few years ago.
Hey, John.
(clears throat softly)
Sorry to drag you down here.
I thought you were investigating
the murder of a young man.
We are, and a person of interest
has been using your credit card.
Do you recognize that girl?
Oh, my God.
- It's Cara.
- Cara?
She's my 13-year-old daughter.
Do you, um?
Do you know the victim,
Pete Corday?
- No, I've never seen him before.
Who is he? - 23-year-old
from Phoenix.
He's got a couple
of misdemeanors
for drug possession.
Why would she be hanging out
with a guy like that?
Where is she, Nick?
Can I see her?
(sighs)
We don't know where she is.
What?
When's the last time
you saw her?
Uh... at 10:00 this morning.
She wanted to go
to the mall with Lexi.
- Lexi? - Yeah,
my oldest daughter. She's 17.
They don't get to see
each other very often.
Why is that?
Well, after the divorce,
Lexi wanted to live
with her mother here in Vegas.
I was dead set against it.
Tori, my ex... she'd rather be
a friend than a parent.
Have you talked to either one
of them since this morning?
No, I was at a lunch
with out-of-town guests.
They didn't show up. I texted
them... they never answered.
Okay, what about the ex-wife?
Or family members?
No one has heard from them.
Give me their phone numbers.
We'll ping their cells,
we'll track them down.
Of course.
And I need a current picture
of Lexi.
(wry chuckle)
It's a picture that was taken
at the rehearsal dinner
yesterday.
I'm gonna find your girls.
If anyone can, it's you.
- Hey, boss.
- Yeah?
What do you got for me, David?
Hadrurus arizonensis.
Otherwise known as the giant
desert hairy scorpion.
Nick found a piece of the molted
exoskeleton next to Pete
Corday's body in the restroom.
- You were able to trace it?
- Unfortunately, no.
The giant desert hairy scorpion
is quite common in Nevada.
You know, last spring,
my cousin Karen
went to go put on her
running shoes for her daily jog.
Didn't know one was hiding
in there; it stung her big toe.
- Was she okay?
- Oh, yeah. But the venom
is no more harmful
than a bee sting.
Ah.
- Hey, Doc.
- Hey. I just finished
Pete Corday's autopsy.
He died from exsanguination
- due to massive sharp-force
trauma. - Can you tell us
anything about our killer
from the wound?
Depth and angle indicate
a right-handed individual
of considerable strength,
in all likelihood male.
That rules out
the Nolan sisters.
Okay. So what do we know?
Cara Nolan was with Pete Corday
right before he was killed.
And now both she and her sister
are missing.
You think
Corday's killer has the girls?
RUSSELL:
If they saw his face,
maybe he took them
to keep them quiet.
And if that's the case,
we need to find them, fast.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Were you able
to pull up the footage
from outside the bathroom?
- Uh, that camera was not
working. - Figures.
Yeah. So I retraced
the girls' steps.
We know that they bought makeup
at Dempsey's at 12:53.
'Cause that camera was working.
And look what I found.
SIDLE: Oh, that's our victim,
Pete Corday.
Who's the other guy?
FINLAY: Obviously a close
personal friend of Lexi's.
I'm putting him through
facial recognition right now.
SIDLE:
He has a rap sheet.
Axel Vargas, age 25.
FINLAY:
Drug possession, burglary.
- Pandering?
- He's a pimp?
No, worse. Look at that.
Federal charge... tried to take
an underage girl into Mexico.
That sounds
like sex trafficking.
Maybe that's what he's got
planned for Lexi and Cara.
What's that tattoo on his neck?
Mm. Let me zoom in.
A scorpion.
Nice tattoo on your neck.
You like scorpions?
- They're cool.
- Keep any as pets?
No. Why?
We found a piece
of a scorpion exoskeleton
on the body of a murder victim.
Your buddy, actually.
Pete Corday.
We know you were with him,
Lexi and Cara Nolan
at the mall this afternoon.
Now he's dead
and they're missing.
It's got nothing to do with me.
You have a history of forcing
young girls into prostitution.
You'd get top dollar for Lexi
and Cara, so what happened?
Did Pete decide he wanted
to keep the girls for himself?
Or maybe he decided
he wanted a cut.
- I didn't kill Pete.
- Where are the girls?
I'm telling you, I don't know.
I met Lexi a week ago at a bar.
She wanted me to meet her
at the mall today, so I went.
We hooked up in a dressing room,
and I split.
- Where'd you go?
- Work.
I'm a bartender at McCarthy's.
Cops picked me up
in the middle of a shift, too.
I'm gonna miss
a whole day's pay.
I'm gonna need
to talk to your boss
and verify when you showed up.
Nick said Nolan's
putting on a brave face,
but obviously he's upset.
Well, we've both been there.
Father's worst nightmare.
Our girls made it.
Hopefully, his will, too.
Listen, I want the department
to do everything in its power...
resources, personnel,
I don't care...
whatever it takes to bring those
girls back and close this case.
- Absolutely.
- Oh, and do me a favor.
John's a good guy.
As a professional courtesy,
let's give him access,
keep him up to date.
Yeah, I'll make sure
everybody knows.
Thanks.
Any luck tracking down Lexi
and Cara's cell phones?
Thankfully,
they're still transmitting.
I've triangulated their location
to somewhere in North Las Vegas.
All right.
Can you get any closer?
I'm trying.
There they are...
off the 215 near Sahara.
Signals aren't moving.
Could be where
the girls are being held.
(sighs) Or where their bodies
were dumped.
I'll call for backup.
(sirens blaring)
(sighs)
Big search area.
Yeah, but their phones
are still transmitting.
They should be
right around here.
I got one.
Screen's broken.
SANDERS:
Here.
Their phones were tossed.
(sighs)
Yeah, but I don't see
any bodies.
It means
the girls could still be alive.
(phone chirps)
It opened up to a video.
Looks like it was taken
inside a vehicle.
LEXI (crying):
Where are you taking us?
Please just let us go.
Shut up.
LEXl: My sister's only 13.
She's just a kid.
You don't need both of us.
Just please let her go!
- (tires screeching)
- You stupid bitch!
(Cara whimpering)
Give me the phone,
or I will slit her throat.
- Lexi!
- (crying): No!
Lexi got her captor on camera.
Couldn't see much of his face,
but no scorpion tattoo.
That wasn't Axel Vargas.
Then who was it, and what
does he want with these girls?
Nick.
Nick. Just heard
the suspect was released.
What the hell's going on?
Yeah, his alibi checked out.
But he was with Lexi and Cara
right before they disappeared.
He has to be on the top
of the suspect list.
Yeah, I just saw
the video that Lexi
shot in the abductor's vehicle.
It's not Axel Vargas
behind the wheel.
Do-do you have any idea
who the guy was?
Actually, I was hoping you could
help us out there, John.
You've been running
that San Diego office
for a long time now.
You must have made some enemies
along the way?
Can you think of anyone who...
who might want
to snatch up your girls
to hurt you in some way?
God, I don't know. I...
A family member of someone
you recently put away.
Or someone who was recently
released from prison?
Something like that?
We-we just brought down
a biker gang
- that killed a city supervisor.
- That's good.
Have your lab send
that file over
right away,
and we'll look into that.
In the meantime, I want
to take a look at that video.
- (sighs)
- Lf this is about me,
maybe I'll recognize the guy.
LEXI (crying):
Where are you taking us?
Please just let us go.
My sister's only 13.
She's just a kid.
You don't need both of us.
Just please let her go!
- (tires screeching)
- MAN: You stupid bitch!
Give me the phone,
or I will slit her throat.
- Lexi!
- LEXl: No!
STOKES: I'm sorry you had
to see that, John.
Do you recognize him?
No.
What if they're dead already?
I mean, he had a knife.
He's already
killed one person today, right?
You shouldn't even be
thinking like that.
Not when there's a chance
they're still alive.
We'll work it till we find 'em.
BRODY:
It looks like Lexi was trying
to send this clip
to somebody. She entered
this phone number,
but it didn't go through.
STOKES: Well,
it's a silent call for help.
Whose number is that?
It's mine.
She was trying to send it to me.
You weren't in her contact list?
I guess not.
Lexi and I haven't had much
of a relationship
since she moved here
to live with her mother.
Well, you were
the first person
she thought of to reach out to
when she was in trouble.
That's got to mean something.
Okay, all right, where are we?
Did you find out anything
about the motorcycle gang
that Nolan helped take down?
Yeah. Most of them
are in prison.
San Diego PD verified
the whereabouts of the others.
Is there anyone else who might
have had a grudge against Nolan?
Well, Nolan's lab
just cracked a series
of Mexican cartel murders
along the border,
but he hasn't received
any threats lately.
No, I think
if somebody wanted to get
back at him, why would they come
all the way here to Vegas?
Right. All right,
all right, look,
maybe this has absolutely
nothing to do with him.
The guy's got two beautiful
daughters, right? They're young,
they're attractive,
they're in the mall.
The mall is like a hunting
ground for sexual predators.
Maybe this was a...
a crime of opportunity.
Well, I looked
at all the surveillance video
from the mall.
Cara and Lexi left through the
west doors, but they were alone.
Okay, but that doesn't mean
that the kidnapper
wasn't already
following them, right?
I mean, he could have been
laying in wait outside,
and then forced them into a car.
Hey.
I was looking
through Lexi's text messages,
and I found something
interesting.
Seems she has an admirer
who likes to send her pictures
of his... genitals.
I'll take your word for it.
Well, she told the guy to stop,
the images kept coming.
When she threatened
to share the pics with the cops,
the perv wrote back,
"You bitch,
you're just like your mother."
He knows Tori Nolan.
- Did you run the number?
- Yeah.
Came back to a used car salesman
named Dennis Hayes.
- Let's bring him in. - Police are
trying to track him down.
In the meantime, Sara's gonna
talk with Tori Nolan.
- LEXl: Please let her go!
- MAN: You stupid bitch!
Give me the phone,
or I will slit her throat.
CARA:
Lexi!
LEXI (crying):
No!
Is that Dennis Hayes?
I'm not sure.
I... I've only met him
a couple of times.
How do you know him?
He was a friend
of my ex-boyfriend.
Oh, my God.
Do you think he did this?
Do you think he took my girls?
That's what
we're trying to figure out.
Mrs. Nolan, we found
some pretty graphic photos
and texts
that Dennis sent to Lexi.
What was the nature
of their relationship?
She barely knew him.
He came to our house
for a party once.
Lexi wasn't feeling well,
and she went up to bed.
I decided to go check on her
about a half an hour later, and
she was passed out on the bed.
And Dennis was on top of her,
trying to take her clothes off.
- What did you do?
- Well, I pulled him
off of her, and I told him
to get the hell out of my house.
You called the police.
No, I didn't.
Why not?
Because we had been drinking.
And taking "E."
Lexi wanted to try it, and...
I let her.
(chuckles)
I didn't want the cops
to find out.
I didn't want them
to take her away from me.
You didn't report Dennis Hayes,
and now he may have abducted
both of your daughters.
Do you have
any idea
where he could have taken them?
I wish I did.
What the hell kind
of mother are you?
- Mr. Nolan.
- You brought that monster
into our daughter's life.
And now he's taken her and Cara!
- I didn't know.
- I should never have let you
have custody of Lexi.
She didn't want
to live with you.
SIDLE: Hey, your daughters
are missing, and this is not
gonna help us find them.
Let's just focus on bringing
Lexi and Cara home.
Please.
All right.
(keyboard keys clicking)
We still haven't found Hayes.
Please tell me
you got something.
As a matter of fact, I do.
I've been analyzing
the video that Lexi took, and
from the dashboard, I can tell
that the vehicle
they were abducted in was
a 1986 Chevrolet Suburban.
Does Dennis Hayes drive
one of those?
No, but, I mean,
he's a used car salesman.
He has access
to all kinds of vehicles.
- (phone chimes) -All right,
I'll call the dealership,
and, uh, I'll see if they have
an '86 Suburban in inventory.
(phone beeps)
What is it?
(siren toots)
Where is she?
In the Dumpster.
One of the construction guys
accidentally threw out
some lighting fixtures.
The foreman came back
to retrieve 'em, found the body.
(dog barks, siren toots)
She one of the girls?
Yeah, that's Lexi,
the older sister.
MITCHELL: Not the way
we were hoping to find her.
No, it's not.
Ecchymosis.
Means she suffered
blunt-force trauma to the head.
Fresh cuts on the bottoms
of her feet.
Looks like
she tried to run away.
Any sign of Cara?
She's not in here.
Then there's a chance
she might still be alive.
# #
(distant chatter)
(dog barking)
(distant siren blaring)
SANDERS: Hey, I thought
Nick was working this one.
He's at the morgue.
He wanted to be the one
who processed Lexi's body.
I found a necklace.
There's not much blood
in the Dumpster.
She was killed somewhere else
and dumped here.
They said they searched
the house under renovation.
No sign of Cara.
No evidence
the girls were ever held there.
What about the other houses
in the neighborhood?
Unis are still canvassing.
One neighbor did report hearing
a metallic squeaking sound
around 10:30.
Hinges on the doors
of the Dumpster, maybe?
By the time she looked out
the window, all she could see
were taillights speeding away.
Some type of SUV.
But if the killer
opened these doors,
he would have had
to have touched the latch.
I'll dust for prints.
(sighs)
I don't think
you should be in here.
I had to see her.
I'm really sorry.
JOHN:
Her fingernails are broken.
She put up a fight.
That's Lexi.
Strong. Fearless.
STOKES:
Yeah,
just like her old man.
That's probably why
we butted heads so much.
You know, when she was 12,
she wanted to camp out
all night for concert tickets,
and I wouldn't let her.
She snuck out of the house,
and I found her at 2:00
in the morning at the venue
with her friends.
I dragged her home.
(crying): She didn't talk to me
for a week.
This is my fault.
- No. No, it isn't.
- I should have fought harder
to keep her after the divorce.
But she was so unhappy.
She was acting out,
skipping school.
I didn't...
I didn't know what else to do.
Don't put yourself
through this, man.
What happened
to Lexi is not your fault.
It's not your fault.
(sighs)
You're right.
I shouldn't be here.
# #
(door opens)
Hey, Nick.
Just finishing up here.
Was a damn shame.
Nick, sometimes,
despite our best efforts,
we don't get the result we want.
Yeah.
- You have any news
on her sister? - No.
We're still trying
to track down Dennis Hayes.
- What's her cause of death?
- She had a significant
longitudinal fracture
on the back of the head.
Crushing blows causing massive
cerebral hemorrhaging.
And does the injury indicate
what type of weapon was used?
Her head was smashed
into a very hard, flat surface.
Okay. I found traces of stone
in the wound.
And the fingernail scratches
around the ligature marks
indicates
that she tried to get away.
Mm.
- Any evidence of sexual assault?
- No physical findings.
She had consensual sex
earlier in the day.
DNA can sort out
any multiple donors.
STOKES: And what is that bite
on her shoulder?
Is that a sting,
some type of insect?
Based on the redness
and the inflammation,
I think you're right.
Hey, do you think
it could be a scorpion sting?
- I don't know. Why?
- I found a piece
of exoskeleton on the dead body
in the restroom.
Same guy Cara Nolan was with.
Will you extract some tissue
from around the sting
and have it analyzed
- right away?
- You got it.
SIDLE:
How's Nolan?
He's holding it together
as best he can.
This is a guy
who sees dead bodies in autopsy
every day, but when it's
your own kid laying there...
Oh. I can't even imagine.
John's a good guy.
He doesn't deserve this.
Didn't he send you
an autographed Chargers jersey
a few years ago?
Yeah, Dan Fouts.
One of the best
passing quarterbacks
in the NFL.
It was his attempt
to lure me
to that San Diego office.
You ever regret that?
Not taking the job out there?
No. I mean, it wasn't a
promotion or anything like that.
Yeah, but
- the money had to be better
than here. - Uh, not really.
I mean, San Diego's
an expensive town to live in.
Besides, this is my home.
I got all my friends here.
This is where my family is.
And look, the Chargers got
a good football team,
but they're no Dallas Cowboys.
Those are my boys.
Go, Cowboys.
Hey, Russell.
RUSSELL:
Mm.
Doc confirmed that the sting
on Lexi Nolan's
- shoulder was from a scorpion.
- Same type
- as the exoskeleton
that Nick found? - No.
This wasn't
a giant hairy scorpion.
The histopath report
identified chlorotoxin
and maurotoxin, consistent
with a deathstalker scorpion.
They common to Nevada?
Indigenous to Israel.
Well, then, how is she stung
by one of these?
It had to be intentional.
Some people keep them as pets,
which is crazy.
Deathstalkers are
highly aggressive.
When they sting their victims,
the venom rushes
into the bloodstream,
causing increased heartbeat,
blood pressure, and,
if enough venom is released,
convulsions and death.
Well, now, Doc said
that Lexi Nolan died
from blunt-force trauma, right?
Yes, but I think
the scorpion sting may have
contributed to her death.
See, Lexi had cuts
on the bottom of her feet.
If she tried to run,
with that venom in her system,
she wouldn't have
gotten very far.
Allowing her killer
to catch up with her.
So, do we know if Dennis Hayes
has a thing for scorpions?
He's not our guy.
Police tracked him down
to a motel in Nebraska.
He's been there three days.
So we know that
whoever killed Lexi Nolan
had access
to a deathstalker scorpion.
And if they're not native
to Nevada,
then where'd the guy get one?
Hey, turns out there are
seven places in Nevada
that sell
deathstalker scorpions.
Seven places too many,
if you ask me.
I guess some people
get a kick out of
owning something
that can kill you.
Deathstalkers only live
two to six years,
so I got a list of everyone
who purchased one
from 2008 to now.
BRODY: We cross-reference this
with everyone who drives
a 1986 Chevrolet Suburban,
and we might get our guy.
Great minds think alike.
Here.
Kieran Clark,
528 Cactus Ridge Lane.
(tires squeaking)
LVPD!
Kieran Clark! LVPD!
Clear inside.
All clear.
Nobody's here.
That means no Cara.
This is Clark's address,
but it doesn't look like
he lives here.
Terrariums.
A lot of them.
Oh! Oh, God.
(Brody sighs)
Guess he's not just
into scorpions.
Hey, Morgan.
Check this out.
Stalker photos.
Cara Nolan was only in town
for the past few days.
What, has he been
stalking her the whole time?
Wait a minute.
That's somebody else.
That's not Cara Nolan.
Who is it, then?
- Another victim?
- I don't know.
But whoever she is...
she's a dead ringer for Cara.
I already heard.
You didn't find Cara.
No. Not yet, but
we know who took her,
and we know why.
A guy named Kieran Clark.
There was a-a shrine
in that barn.
It seems as though the suspect
has an obsession
with a young woman.
We haven't identified her yet,
but she looks just like Cara.
He took my two girls
because Cara
reminded him of someone?
That's what it looks like, yeah.
But... only a matter of time...
Before we get Cara back.
Is that what you're gonna try
and sell me?
John, I'm not trying
to sell you on-on anything here,
but I'm sure as hell
not ready to quit.
We're gonna find her.
No doubt we will.
Just like we found... Lexi.
I'm sorry about Lexi.
But, hey, you can't just fold
and throw in now. Come on.
I'm no tourist, Nick.
I've run a crime lab
for 17 years.
Cara's been missing
for 24 hours,
and that lunatic
already killed Lexi.
You and I both know how
this thing's probably gonna end.
I'm not about to quit.
And you're not either.
- (sighs)
- You hear me?
- (sniffles)
- Hey, look at me.
I will find her.
Okay, what do we know
about Kieran Clark?
He's known as the Bug Guy.
He goes around to schools
and kids' birthday parties,
educating them
about insects and reptiles.
It's terrifying
that he works around children.
And the young woman
in these photos,
the one he's obviously
obsessed with?
SIDLE:
According to the police report,
her name is Jennifer DeMarcus.
She used to work
at a pet shop in Henderson.
That's where they met.
She had one date with Clark
before she realized
he was a head case,
and then she told him
that she wasn't interested.
- Let me guess... he wouldn't
take no for an answer. - He kept
coming around the pet shop,
and then he started
parking his car in front of
Jennifer's apartment at night.
She called the police
on him several times.
Did she get a restraining order?
Left town.
Moved back to Georgia.
Put as much distance between her
and Clark as she could.
Clearly, he's still
obsessed with her.
So, what do you think?
Kieran goes to the mall,
sees Cara looking
very much like Jennifer,
and he decides to grab her.
Except Cara was
with Pete Corday,
so Clark had to get rid
of him first.
(grunting)
(blood splashes, Pete coughs)
And by the time he was done with
Pete, Cara was with Lexi,
- so he had to take them both.
- Right.
The stone particles
that Nick found in Lexi Nolan's
head wound were coated.
I identified a mixture
of ethanol, alkylalkoxysilane
and isopropyl acetate.
Oxysilane?
That sounds like
a sealant of some kind.
Actually, it's an
impregnating sealant,
used to protect concrete
from water and staining...
uh, primarily
walkways, driveways.
There was no evidence of sealant
in the Dumpster
where Lexi's body was found,
which means it had to come from
where she was actually murdered.
Lexi tried to escape.
She was still feeling distress
from the scorpion sting.
Maybe she was near a driveway
when Kieran Clark
caught up to her
and smashed her head into it.
(grunting)
HODGES:
The sealant in Lexi's wound
wasn't entirely cured,
meaning that it was
probably applied
within the last couple of days.
Okay. All right.
Let's do a search
within a five-mile radius
of where Lexi's body was found.
We're looking
for somebody who recently
had their concrete driveway
sealed.
- STOKES: Hey.
- Hey.
I heard you got something?
Yeah. Lexi's body
was found right here.
Two miles away,
on Harvard Drive,
this house had their driveway
sealed on Wednesday.
Now, we know that when Lexi ran,
she didn't get very far,
so Clark's got to be holding
Cara somewhere nearby.
- I should get out there.
- Wait for backup.
I will.
# #
LVPD!
KIERAN:
Get over here.
Kieran Clark!
CARA:
No! Let me go!
Drop the knife.
Don't come any closer.
Put the knife down.
I'll slit her throat.
Hey, me and you,
we can work this out.
But you don't need to hurt her.
What I need is
for you to leave.
Now, we both know
that's not gonna happen.
- Go!
- (gasps)
I will kill her.
I know about the girl
from the pet store.
Jennifer... I mean,
isn't that the girl you liked?
- I love her.
- Okay.
All right.
But she's not her.
Her name's Cara Nolan.
She's 13 years old.
She's never done anything
to hurt you. I know...
when you saw her at the mall,
you thought, "That's Jennifer."
(gasping)
But take a closer look.
It's not her.
She's a child, and she...
she needs to go home.
(gasping)
You're wrong.
She's mine.
- STOKES: Let her go.
- I can't let you take her.
(Cara panting)
(shell casing clinks,
Cara pants)
It's okay.
It's all right.
I'm a friend of your dad's.
Thank you.
It's gonna be all right.
(woman speaking indistinctly
over P.A.)
(knock at door)
(elevator bell dings)
How's she doing?
Physically, she's okay.
She's been through
a hell of an ordeal, but...
she's alive because of you.
You never gave up.
Thank you
for bringing her back to me.
You're welcome.
You know, Nick...
I've been thinking
about the choices I've made.
Working weekends and evenings.
Missing school plays,
soccer games.
Sometimes going days
without seeing my girls.
For years, I've been putting
other people's families
ahead of my own.
I don't want to do that anymore.
So, what are you saying?
You're gonna hang it up?
Well, Cara needs me.
Now more than ever.
It would be a big loss
for your crime lab.
Not with you there.
John, we've talked about this.
I've already got a job.
I'm not asking you
to just join the team.
I'm asking you to run it.
You want me to take over
the crime lab in San Diego?
I know it would be
in good hands
with you at the helm.
(sighs)
(stammering):
That's a big job.
You don't have to answer me
right now.
Just promise me...
you'll think about it.
Thank you, Nick.