Synopsis  

It was a dark and stormy night in Las Vegas, when Theresa Shea, a news anchor for KVKC died on set, on a closed set. While presenting the news on the storm, the power went out. When it came back up, Theresa was dead of a single puncture wound to the back of the neck. No one else was in the room.

Sara and D.B. Russell are the leads on the case, but it’s an all-hands-on-deck case, especially since almost everyone has a motive. The autopsy reveals the knife went in at the perfect spot to sever the brainstem, meaning the killer was either really lucky, or really good.

The power outage was caused by a transform that exploded, which isn’t unheard of, though the traces of explosives imply it was done on purpose, as part of a plan to kill Theresa. The temporary co-anchor, Ella St. James, was reporting from the field at the time, only her video was proven to haven been taken at a different time in a different location. Ella admits she was in a different location, but it’s because she was having an affair with her camera man (who confesses as well). Ella knew that Theresa was working on a big, secret, case, which the CSIs find … stuck to the walls in Theresa’s bedroom.

The case was all about a series of warehouse fires in the furniture district from 1996, which were all unsolved, and yet resemble the device used to blow up the transformer the night of Theresa’s murder. They also resemble the devices made by a demolitions expert turned motivational speaker, who had been killed via a stab wound to the back of the neck, just like Theresa, and his devices were all the same type as the ones used in the arson 17 years ago, and the transformer from the night before.

It’s not until after the CSIs engage in a game, to see who could kill Theresa, that they peg it on the producer, Fred Paulson. He had been doing favors to friends who helped him with the arson years ago, which he’d done to make his name in news. When Theresa found out, he killed her.

Review  

While working on the case and chasing rabbits, Sara puts off calls from Grissom, avoiding him because she doesn’t want to talk. And he ’needs to talk.’ She avoids the call once while heading down to Theresa’s autopsy, looking troubled. When DB calls her while she’s in autopsy, she hesitates, worried it’s Grissom again.

At Theresa’s house, Sara mentions that her place looks similar when she brings work home, even though she’s married. That is until she sees Theresa’s bedroom, which does not resemble the Sidle/Grissom home.

Both Russell and Finn notice Sara’s a little off, Finn when Sara ignores another call from Grissom, and gently ask her about it, though she rebuffs their inquiries. The third time Grissom calls, Sara is with DB in his office, and he leaves to give her the privacy to answer.

Notes  

• Sara still knows quite a bit about baseball (likely from her marriage).
• Sara brings work home with her, when she goes home and doesn’t stay up all night chasing rabbits.
• Doc Robbins notes that Sara’s instincts are always good.

Quotes  

David Phillips: When we dissected frogs, when I was in high school biology, you’d pith it, by sticking a pin right here. The frog would get all makes a face. None of the girls in class wanted to do it, so they asked me to. I became known as the ‘designated pither.’
Sara: I would have gone with ‘relief pither.’
Phillips: That’s better.

Russell: Looks like it pays more to report on crime that it does to solve crime.
Sara: You could say that about any job. Except crime. I heard it doesn’t pay.
Russell: Heh heh.

Sara: I know when I bring work home, it usually finds its way into the bedroom.
Russell: Yeah but you’re not single, you’re married.
Sara: pause Yeah I am. But … My place? Often looks a lot like this.

Finn You must be running on fumes. You should go home!
Sara: Home is where the coded notebook is. (sees call from Grissom, sends to voicemail)
Finn Have you talked to him since the NTSB guy?
Sara: Nothing happened with NTSB.
Finn How come you can’t pick up the phone?
Sara: Because I feel like when I do, I’m going to be very sad when I hang up.
Finn How do you know?
Sara: ‘Cause he wants to talk.
Finn Do you want some help?
Sara: Oh that’s … really nice. You should go home, have some fun.
Finn This is fun! I’m really good at crosswords.
Sara: Yeah. Okay.

Sara: So we’re looking at a locked room mystery, tucked into an enigma, wrapped in dynamite paper.
Russell: You can say that again…. Hey, Sara, let me ask you something. You doing alright?
Sara: I’m fine.
Russell: You just seemed a little bit … down. When we were at Theresa’s place.
Sara: Um. I don’t know… A woman married to her career, without much to show for it. It’s a little depressing.
Russell: Yeah. I don’t mean to pry–
Sara: Pause right there.
Russell: I know I’m supposed to be your boss, separation of church and state–
Sara: No no no! Hit pause with the remote and back it up a little bit.

Sara: Hello.
Grissom: You’ve been hard to get a hold of.
Sara: Yeah. Um. I’m so sorry. How are you?
Grissom: I’m okay. Is, uh, now a good time?