Synopsis  

Two girls run away from human traffickers, only to have one die at a rave in the middle of the desert when one of their abductors shoots at them. The CSIs notice the previous injury patterns, and begin looking for the other girl, however most of the witnesses were drugged out of their minds. Doc Robbins quickly verifies their fears, the deceased was involved in human trafficking and was likely a sex slave.

The second girl was rescued by Kitty, a med student at the rave, who tried to calm her down enough to turn in, but not before Morgan determined Kitty had more to hide. The trauma inflicted on the girl, who understands English, brings Morgan to tears: her tongue had been removed around six months prior. The girls escaped from their kidnappers after their transport (a cattle hauler) was in an accident with a car. Drivers of haulers were matched with registered owners of the gun used, to match up with Oliver Ruiz.

While the younger girl had no sexual trauma, she still refused to write down any information until after Morgan wrote her own down. Then she drew flowers and refused to explain. The DNA results came back to show they were sisters, which they track down to Jacinta and Rosa Flores, kidnapped a decade ago by their own mother. The father is found and brought to Las Vegas.

When Ruiz is found and brought in, they find another girl, hiding in his hauler. This girl does not have her tongue removed, and explains Ruiz is her cousin and brought her to America. She hadn’t even known the other girls were in the truck, and explains that the car that hit the hauler had run them off the road as he was chasing the girls. The Flores sisters had snuck on Ruiz’s trailer to escape their circumstances. The driver had stolen Ruiz’s gun and run off after the Floreses.

Trace evidence left on Ruiz’s shirt points to the father being the shooter. By the time they determine that, he had already removed Jacinta from the hospital. Still, they’re able to track them down and arrest the father as he lights his trailer on fire with Jacinta still inside. Morgan rushes in to save her. Jacinta confirms that her mother was dead, and their father faked the kidnapping to abuse them, but Rosa tried to save her sister.

Review  

Working a sex crime case while celebrating her anniversary long distance does not a happy Sara make. She disagrees with Doc Robbins as if the dead girl is better off dead. He feels she is, because the girl would never be whole. Sara feels she should have had the chance to try.

Notes  

• ‘Today’ is Grissom and Sara’s anniversary.
• Grissom is still working abroad.
• Sara doesn’t believe death is a ‘better’ place, because there’s no chance to try to heal.

Quotes  

Grissom: [Voicemail] This is Gil Grissom. I’m unable to take your call, please leave a message.
Sara: [To her phone] Hello, Gilbert. Happy Anniversary. I hope you’re out there celebrating. And it’s official, time differences really suck. Look, I miss you. I’m going to try to call you back later. It’s been a while, you know, since we really caught up. Love you.
Russel: [To his phone] … nah, I’m taking good care of myself. Matter of fact, I had leftover pizza for breakfast… I’m kidding honey! … I know you’re needed up there, but I need you down here, too… Love you too, sweetheart. Bye bye.
Sara: Welcome to the joys of long distance relationships.
Russel: I don’t know how you do it…