CSI 12x11 Ms Willows Regrets

The beginning of the end has begun.

At least as far as CSI Catherine Willows is concerned.

So… previously on CSI:

We’re continuing with the storyline that started back in “Zippered”. A story of big, bad guns arriving in Vegas – (you know, the P90s that Sam Carter loves)


With Cath’s childhood friend, Laura, being in the middle of it as her husband’s a “big bad” himself.


And of course, that means FBI McHottie and FBI McHottie Jr as well.


Does that refresh your memory?


Okay then, let’s get to Ms Willows Regrets:

* We begin in the offices of Malcolm Turner, one of Sam Braun’s old lawyers. The same one whose name was on the business card that Catherine gave to Laura at the end of “Zippered”. A mysterious woman waiting in the lobby and a guy bringing in a cart of water bottles shoot the receptionist, Turner’s assistant, and eventually Turner himself. A guy in a trench coat comes in and finishes off the assistant, who had been trying to crawl away.

* DB, Nick & Vartann are at a crime scene that includes three skeletal corpses, which had been eaten away by numerous bugs. Nick thinks something’s fishy with the bugs being there.



* DB, Doc & Super Dave are in autopsy examining the corpses.
DB: Xiomara will be able to tell us what it is. You ever heard anyone named Xiomara before?
Doc: no
Dave: there was a Xiomara in my gross anatomy class. Let me tell you, her anatomy was anything but gross *laughs* if you know what I mean. Haha okay, I have bodies to wash.
Doc: indeed

Poor Super Dave. Oversharing again, but it’s always funny.



* Doc gives the teeth of the victims to Henry, who processes them and comes up with names. He gives the information to DB and Cath, who recognizes Turner. Cath tries calling her friend, Laura, who is not answering. Laura had given Catherine a key to her condo. She went to check things out.
C: (to Brass) I went to Laura’s condo. Her things were all there, but there was no sign of her.
B: and the doorman hadn’t seen her since Saturday night
C: no
B: you really think something happened to her?
C: I do, and I think I know who’s responsible.
B: (looks over her shoulder) well, we’re about to find out if you’re right.
Mark Gabriel arrives at PD. Cath & Brass interview him, but he eventually feels threatened by them and lawyers up.

Did they really think Gabriel was going to tell them anything? Maybe they were hoping he’d slip up a bit, but I can’t believe they would think they were going to get anything from him.



* Cath is having it out with DB in his office
C: the son of a bitch killed her.
DB: I don’t like the guy any more than you do, but let’s just back up for a second. Malcolm Turner wasn’t just any lawyer, the guy was a fixer, he had enemies, and as far as we know, your friend Laura might just have run away.
C: yeah, she ran to Malcolm Turner. I sent her there because of him. We know that Mark Gabriel dumped guns on the streets of Vegas
DB: and we can’t prove it
C: because our best witness ended up dead. Laura had information
DB: about what? About Gabriel’s businesses?
C: she was afraid to say
DB: so, we’re still not sure, right?
C: I’m sure that it got her killed.

DB’s calm, laid-back attitude is kind of annoying me here. Maybe it’s just because I seem to be standing on Cath’s side of this argument this time. I wish he would have ended with “so find me some evidence”. That’s what Grissom would have said.



* Nick is playing with the bugs. Greg comes into the lab & they discuss the decomposition of the bodies. Greg says Turner’s widow was talking to the receptionist at 8pm last night, yet the bodies were all picked clean by the bugs a few hours later. Nick gets an idea. He thinks it’s time for he & Greg to eat lunch. Greg puts a basket full of extra crispy chicken on the counter. Nick takes a piece of chicken, without the skin, puts it in a glass container & dumps in all the bugs. Then Greg goes to take a bite of his own drumstick.
N: Now wait a minute. You know we can’t eat in here, dude.
G: well, I won’t tell Russell if you won’t
N: yeah, okay. Sounds like a deal
They both start eating while watching the bugs munching in the glass container

First of all….. EWWWWWWW. Secondly, every time I see all those bugs together, I keep thinking of that disclaimer “no insects were harmed in the making of this episode”. Thirdly, it was so cute to have Greg ready to just start in and eating away right in front of all those bugs. That’s SO Greg.


* Sara, Morgan and Vartann arrive at Malcolm Turner’s office and begin processing. They find absolutely nothing. In fact, it’s almost too clean. Yet, the “cleaners” only had less than a 45 minute window to get everything taken care of.
M: I gotta get these guys to clean my place.
S: not a single smudge or print. You know, the only janitor I know who was this thorough turned out to be a serial killer.

A Natalie Davis reference. Nice.


* Back at the lab, Nick is astounded that the bugs had cleaned through that drumstick in less than an hour. Greg calls them “Super Beetles”.

Okay, enough with all those bugs. I’d like to be able to eat lunch again sometime soon.



* Back at the Turner offices, Morgan & Sara are still looking for any kind of evidence. Even the gunshot holes are covered. After spraying everything with luminol, however, Sara & Morgan do find lots of blood. That’s how they’re able to put the pieces together.
S: this office is definitely our primary, but only you, me, the walls and the carpet know it.
M: and do you smell what I smell?
S: nothing. No bleach. They used ethanol to destroy the DNA. It’s smart.
M: any blood, fingerprints, any trace of what happened here is gone.
S: They even walked bodies out of here without anybody noticing
M: call logs said the last call came in at 8:07. Janitorial crew got here at quarter to nine. We’re talking less than 45 minutes.
S: Russell said the hit was professional…cleanup was professional too.
M: who are these guys?

Have I mentioned lately that I like these two working together? I like that Morgan has the CSI experience, but is just a little short on the Vegas experience. One thing I found odd here is that Sara & Morgan were spraying the luminol without any masks on. I know the show takes liberties with that type of stuff, but those are aerosol cans. You would expect them to wear little white masks on their faces.


* Morgan is back at the lab with DB & Catherine. They’re watching video of the fake water delivery guy, as well as men delivering “office furniture” into the building around that time as well, and came out just as the real janitorial crew arrived. They also notice a man standing on the corner in a rain coat. Morgan recognizes him as the same guy who is on the video going into the elevator at the office around 8pm, and off 10 minutes later.

All of this hit-man and clean-up crew stuff is kind of reminding me of La Femme Nikita, though we only ever had glimpses or mentions of the clean-up crew.


* Nick’s bugs are dying, so he’s doing an autopsy on one of them. He brings his information to Catherine, who’s in her office.

C: hey Nick, what’s up?
N: well that’s just it. I’m not real sure, and I could use your help.
C: okay.
N: okay, Greg & I did a little experiment with the beetles we found at the dump site, they have an appetite unlike any other bug I’ve ever seen before. Check that out. (gives her some pics) now, that explains how the bodies were picked clean in half a day, but it doesn’t explain this (hands her another pic)
C: what am I looking at?
N: that’s the beetles’ equipment. Enhanced.
C: obviously
N: and completely useless. My guess is they were irradiated.
C: where are you going with this?
N: I think someone’s bio-engineering these bugs. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s like something has switched off their “I’m full” button, made them great eaters, bad breeders so they do their job & then they just disappear.
C: along with their dinner
N: yeah. Pretty crazy, right?
C: no. No, that’s actually pretty consistent with Mark Gabriel & Ceresis. That company is into all kinds of covert ops, weapons development, you name it. (her phone beeps) Ballistics came back from our victims – the main caliber used was 5.7 by 28.
N: 5.7 by 28, that’s the same caliber as the bullets that killed the ballistics last month, right?
C: it’s the same caliber as the assault rifles that went missing in Pakistan and ended up here in Vegas.
N: but I thought we got all those off the streets.
C: apparently not
N: okay, but Mark Gabriel claimed he had nothing to do with those guns.
C: Yeah, just like he had nothing to do with his wife’s disappearance. (she dials her phone)
N: so who you calling now?
C: The FBI.

I swear we never had this much focus on bugs in all of the Grissom episodes combined – yet he was the entomologist. Oy. Anyway, that means it’s now time for a reappearance by FBI McHottie and FBI McHottie Jr.

* Pratt & McQuaid are with Cath & DB in the lab.

P: look, I’m sorry, a few bullets & bugs isn’t enough for us to put the target back on Mark Gabriel.
C: what about his wife & her lawyer coming forward? Laura Gabriel was coming to you with information.
Brass walks in
B: so the FBI is brought in on a case and nobody thinks to call me?
C: Jim, I…
DB: yeah, you see, that was my bad. I-I called them. I should’ve given you a heads-up .
B: okay. … the heads-up can start now.

Awww Brass is getting terretorial again. And I love how DB covered for Catherine and took the blame for calling them. All I can say is “thank you, DB”. I really don’t want to get back to the Cath/Brass angst again – at least now when Cath’s leaving.

* information is being shared
DB: you remember special agents Pratt & McQuaid
B: yeah, you’re working the Ceresus case.
DB: and they just agreed to provide background that might help us out on our current investigation. Isn’t that right?
P: that’s about right.
DB: the truth is, you wouldn’t have responded quickly to my phone call if you didn’t think that Mark Gabriel was guilty of more than gun running. Right?
P: we’ve had reason to believe that Ceresus has been engaged in a number of illegal activities here in the US.
B: what illegal activities exactly are you talking about?
Everyone looks at each other
P: full disclosure?
C: *snorts* that would be refreshing
P: we’ve been looking at Mark Gabriel for almost a year now. We believe that Ceresus is heavily involved in gun running, corporate espionage, computer hacking, the list goes on
Mc: bringing their international expertise to a domestic market. Corporations, cartels, whoever’s got the highest bid
DB: how about murder for hire? (Pratt & McQuaid look at each other) okay, I guess we take that as a yes.
Mc: okay, what have you got?
DB: a lot more than you think. (he puts photos of the “clean up” crew on the screen) you know these people?
P: yeah, we’ve seen them before, but we haven’t been able to connect them to Ceresus or Mark Gabriel. I mean, the guy doesn’t make mistakes.
DB: thank you for the full disclosure. As for mistakes, I beg to differ. (puts up a pic of the three skeletal corpses) He made three.

I’ve come to realize that DB is pretty good at winning pissing matches. I wish there had been more Brass, Cath & McQuaid involvement in this scene than standing around & looking pretty (which they did quite well, anyway)


* McQuaid comes up to Catherine



Mc: I’m sorry about your friend.
C: me too
Mc: look, I was going to call you.
C: it’s probably better that you didn’t.
Mc: maybe we could (Vartann comes in the background)
C: we’ve got work to do.
Mc: yeah.
McQuaid leaves & Vartann comes up to Cath.
V: hey, who was that?
C: that’s agent McQuaid with the FBI. They’re cooperating on the Gabriel case.
They walk out into the hall
V: I ran down Laura Gabriel’s financials. She closed out her bank account five days ago. Withdrew $28,000.
C: sounds like she was scared. She tried to go on the run.
V: well I don’t think she got very far. Activity on her cell phone stopped the day before the hit at the law office. … are you all right?
C: I will be. When we nail Gabriel.

A tad jealous there, Mr Lou? I find it funny that Cath seems to be a bit miffed with both of them. Maybe it’s just her concern for Laura that’s overshadowing everything.


* Lily is sitting in Catherine’s office. She seems unnerved. Cath walks in.

C: Mom. What are you doing here? (Lily stands up)
L: at the desk they said it was okay.
C: well, sure it’s okay, but why are you here?
Lily hands Catherine an envelope
L: this came in my mail. But the card was meant for you.
Catherine opens the envelope. It contains a singing birthday card – with no music playing.
C: “Catherine, sorry I couldn’t make it. I tried. David Campbell” … David Campbell?
L: I know. Laura’s father. I-I-I don’t understand, the man died 20 years ago. Catherine, what is going on? Did something happen to Laura?
Cath grabs a tissue from her desk & uses it to hold the card
C: has anyone else touched this?
L: just me & the mailman & now you.
C: I’m going to have someone escort you home.

It’s LILY. Yay. I wish we’d have been able to see more of her through the years. Anita Gillette does a great job portraying Cath’s mom. It’s scary to think that now Lily is involved in all of this mess as well. Now if only Sam Braun was around. I miss him.


* Cath & Sara are processing the card & envelope.



S: card’s the same story as the envelope. Besides you & your mom, just partials. Nothing usable. I’ll swab it for DNA.
C: Laura mailed the card a day before the murders at the law office. And sent it directly from a post office in Pahrump.
S: she wanted to make sure you got it.
C: And make sure that Gabriel didn’t intercept it. That’s why she sent it to my mom.
S: you really think Mark Gabriel’s reading your mail?
C: I wouldn’t put anything past him.
S: you & Laura close?
C: *chuckles* yeah, at one time, yeah. When we were kids, Laura’s house was like my second home. Until Sam, her dad was like the closest thing I had to a father. We were…like sisters.
S: (still looking over the card) this card play music when you got it?
C: no, but I just assumed it wasn’t working.
Sara cuts open the card & finds a phone chip.
S: well, I think I know why you got cheated out of a birthday song. this is a cell phone memory card.

Okay, cover your ears. You know what’s coming.
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Yes, it’s my two girls working together side-by-side and actually having a lovely discussion. It’s about time. And Cath/Sara doing fingerprints reminds me of Season 6 “Bite Me” as well.


* Archie is going over the pics of the memory card with Catherine. They all seemed to be vacation pics, but one was different. It’s a pic Laura took of herself in front of an old ranch-style house. Catherine recognizes the place as Laura’s cousin’s house – a place she went as a kid.

Awwww at least we get a little bit of Archie.


* A police convoy rushes to the house, led by Vartann, Cath & Sara.



Awww Cath & Sara. My girls with guns. I love that it’s Sara with her on this one. One last hurrah for my two girls.


* There are lots of shell casings, things tipped over, and as they continue the search, they find both a man & woman dead on the kitchen floor. Cath identifies them as Laura’s cousin & her husband. There’s a trail of blood across the kitchen floor.

For some reason, this is giving me flashbacks to – which episode was that? Season 7 “Leaving Las Vegas”, I think. The one where the lady was killed in the kitchen, and the kid was hiding under the sink. There was also a cloth covering below the sink in that one, just like this one. What’s that about? Are they trying to get us to think someone’s hiding under the sink? Oh, and BTW – why was the back door flapping open & shut? There was no breeze. The leaves on the trees outside the door weren’t moving, and no indication of a strong breeze as they were coming to the scene. Oy.


* Cath remembers as a kid that Laura’s grandfather used to have hiding places so he didn’t have to use a bank. She notices something interesting about the floor, takes out her knife and pops open a hidden door to a crawl space in the floor. It’s there that she finds something (or someone) interesting. Laura.


It’s good to realize that Laura’s alive. So far. Oh, and that crawl space is just like the one under my house – the one where I need to go to do any fixing on the water pipes. It makes me claustrophobic just thinking about it. *shudders*


* Sara is on the phone with DB, giving him the good news
DB: Laura Gabriel is alive?
S: yeah, we found her hiding in a crawl space under the house. Catherine’s talking to her right now.
DB: You think it’s the same crew that hit the law office?
S: ah, it doesn’t look like it. The place is a mess. Unless they’re losing their touch
DB: maybe they got interrupted. Okay, uh, finish processing the scene. I’ll let the FBI guys know.
S: I got it (she goes back towards the house)


I love seeing Sara in charge, and that’s how she looked as she hung up the phone & walked back to the house. And she’s darn hot in that forensics vest. In my perfect post-Catherine CSI world, Sara would be in charge of the team instead of DB. Sara’s so great when she’s “in charge”, but it’s not something we’ve gotten to see much of.



* Catherine is talking to Laura outside on a gurney next to the ambulance, as a medic works on Laura.

L: it happened so fast. I heard them break in. Helen told me to hide. They had Derek. They were yelling at him. Helen was screaming. The next thing I know they were shouting at her, hitting her. And then…she wouldn’t tell them. They were beating her & she still wouldn’t tell them anything.
C: could you tell how many there were?
L: no. I heard one of them. He got a phone call. It sounded like he had an accent. After that, they left. When I heard footsteps again, I thought they’d come back. I was sure that they’d find me. But it was you.
C: Laura. Laura, what is it that you know that has Mark so worried?
L: remember when I told you I overheard something? One night Mark was in the study with a man. They were talking about cleaning the offices of Stanley Merrill.
C: why do I know that name?
L: Stanley Merrill was a military contractor, rival of Mark’s. Went missing 11 months ago. Mark killed him, I know it. You’re here, so I’m assuming you got the card I sent.
C: yeah, and the memory card. With the photo that you took. You knew I would recognize the house.
L: there were more photos on that memory card.
C: vacation photos?
L: more than that.
C: what do you mean?
L: when Mark conducted business, he always swapped out the memory card on his phone. That one was in his pocket, I took it. I know Mark. There has to be something more.
We see a man in a vehicle spying on Cath & Laura as they talk.

Which begs the question – why were Cath & Laura out there talking all that time - out where everyone could see? They’d have to know that the bad guys would have the place under surveillance since they didn’t find Laura the first time. That’s a no-brainer, and the biggest DUH moment of the ep. DUH.


* at the lab, Archie is going through the pics from the phone card more thoroughly. Hodges comes to annoy…er, help him.
H: there really is nothing more tedious than to have to sit through a slide show of somebody else’s vacation photos. My mother went to Anguilla over Christmas with her new boyfriend – he’s a regular Ansel Adams. I sat through four hours of sand, sea & sunset.
A: I didn’t know your mom had a new boyfriend.
H: yeah, I don’t want to talk about it.
A: good. Me neither.

LOL leave it to Archie not to play along with Hodges. And Mrs Hodges with a new boyfriend. Oy. That’s one saga that I don’t think I really want to hear either.


* With Hodges’ help, Archie finds data in the picture of Mark & Laura with a marlin. It’s some kind of code made up on 1s & 0s. Now they just have to find out what it all means.

Give a pat on the back to Hodges for coming up with the “no shadow” find on the marlin.


* Pratt & DB are at PD talking to Martens, Mark Gabriel’s second-in-command. They show him how the timing of certain events ( and hits) coincides with money entering Gabriel’s Swiss bank account. After much discussion and not giving up anything, he finally acknowledges seeing the man in the tan rain coat. But he says they’ve never called on that guy for his “expertise” at any time. And now he wants protection.

Even the bad guys need to hide from the badder guys? Yikes.


* Cath is talking to Laura in the hospital. Mark Gabriel tries to see her, but McQuaid & Catherine deny him access.
C: she’s going to bury you.
MG: no, you’re the one trying to bury me.
C: well if I was going to bury you, I’d put you in the ground where they’d never find you.
MG: really, is that a threat?
Mc: Do you need help finding the door?
MG: we’re not done.

This guy really, really gives me the creeps. I have to wonder how Laura married him to begin with. I love the Cath/McQuaid united front at the door.


* They’re getting Laura ready to leave
C: she’s scared.
Mc: yeah, well, she’s got reason. Wish I could say it’ll go away with time, but I’d be lying. You can never completely outrun your past.
C: I’m never going to see her again. … What about you?
Mc: well, that’s your call.
An agent brings McQuaid his vest.
Mc: don’t worry, I’ll be with her the whole time.

Okay, the “never outrun your past” line has me concerned. Does McHottie FBI have deep dark secrets, like maybe on the wrong side of what’s to come?


* They bring a vest for Laura, and the FBI transport team is waiting to go. Cath walks by them, and we see evil lady who shot up the lawyers office as one of the FBI transport team.

Yeah, I knew this wasn’t going to end well.


* Cath, Sara, DB & Morgan are checking out rain coat man – who now has a name, Paul Obrecht.
C: Laura said the man that Gabriel hired to kill Stanley Merrill, the man that she heard at her cousin’s house, had an accent.
M: these guys are pros.
DB: yeah, but they’re not infallible. And their loyalty’s only to themselves.
C: right. So if we catch them, maybe we can get them to flip on Gabriel.
DB: right
S: FBI sent over the case file on Stanley Merrill’s disappearance.
M: putting our bad guys there too. (puts the pics on the screen) same cast of characters. Including one we overlooked at the law firm, and at Stanley Merrill’s office 11 months ago.
C: push in on the woman’s face. (Morgan zooms in) I just saw her.
DB: where?
C: at the hospital. She’s on the FBI transport detail.

Leave it to Cath to put the details in place. Unfortunately, just a little too late, my dear.


* Cath’s on the phone to Brass. DB’s on the phone to Agent Pratt.
DB: how long ago did you lose contact?
C: Jim, we’ve got a situation.
DB: come on, Pratt. All your vehicles have got GPS, right?
C: where? … when?
DB: no, Willows identified her, she’s on the “hit” team, I’m sure of it.
C: are you sure?
DB: well keep me in the loop.
They hang up. DB looks back at Cath who has a stunned look on her face.
C: LVPD found them.

Oh my goodness. That scene was such a Rizzoli & Isles ripoff.


* Cath & DB arrive at the scene. A car burnt out, with bullet holes sprayed across the side. Cath takes a closer look at the car.

One of the bodies in the back has a striped shirt, bullet proof vest & FBI badge on a chain around the neck. The other is the white long-sleeved shirt Laura was wearing in the hospital, and a big ring on her finger. Cath is enraged as she comes up to Pratt.
C: how could you let this happen?
P: CSI Willows, please.
C: how could you allow an assassin to infiltrate team and got four agents & my friend killed?
P: this. Is not. The time.
DB: Catherine. Let’s let them do their job, okay?
C: well, it’s a little late for that. They should be our crime scene. You should be on the phone getting everybody down here. All hands on deck.
DB: hey, hey, Listen, I know how you’re feeling right now, believe me. I’m going to give you some advice someone gave me once. Walk away. Right now.
C: Walk away?
DB: yes, go to the office. Leave your notes on my desk. Then go home.
C: just like that?
DB: yeah, just like that.
Catherine walks away.
DB: (to Lou) don’t let her drive herself.

Ooookay. Something’s really fishy. Other than the fact that there’s someone on the inside. DB seemed a bit off here as well. It all smells of cover-up. Catherine’s right. Any other time, this would have been an “all hands on deck” time for the CSI gang. Is Pratt dirty? He didn’t seem too concerned about all of this. Does DB think Pratt’s dirty and is trying to make it look good? Was that really McQuaid & Laura in the car? Is that why they gave us a real close-up look at their clothes & burned bodies? I think they're both still alive.


* DB arrives in his office and turns on his computer. He’s got an email from Catherine. It’s her resignation.


“Dear DB Russell,

Effective immediately, I tender my resignation.

This is a decision I’ve been considering for a while, and it is with profound regret that I am submitting this letter. For 19 years, I have been a proud member of this lab and this team. For 19 years, I’ve dedicated myself to this lab and worked to make it the preeminent forensics facility in the country. However, recent events make it impossible for me to continue as an effective member of the team.

My authority has been questioned, my decisions ignored and my professional objectivity doubted. Though I graciously accepted an unwanted demotion from Grave Shift Supervisor, I now find my lesser role unsatisfying and untenable.

I’ve made the decision to go away for a while, but first I have to do something. Some of these cases never close as you hope, and I have one last bit of unfinished business to clear my desk.

I consider many of my colleagues dear friends and wish them nothing but continued success. I take comfort in knowing my decision is what is best for the team.

Sincerely,
Catherine Willows

CC: Sheriff Sherry Liston
Undersheriff Conrad Ecklie”


Even though I knew it was coming…I still just… yeah.


* Lou drives Catherine home.

L: do you want me to come in?
C: it’s probably not a good idea
L: well, if you need anything, call me. Okay?
C: thanks.
Cath gets out of the car & looks through the window.
C: you deserve more, Lou.
Cath walks away, giving him a little wave as she goes.

ARGH Don’t make me start crying, damn it.


* Cath comes into her house, takes off her gun & looks through the mail while standing in front of the big glass windows.

as she’s looking out the windows, a bullet whizzes past her and hits a pic of her & Lindsey on the shelf behind her. That’s following by more bullets raining through her house. She knocks the lamp off the table to darken the house, then makes a dash to grab her gun before turning and firing a couple shots back towards the shooters.

Catherine runs out of the house and to the street, where she sees a vehicle barreling towards her. She points her gun at it and waits to fire.

The vehicle (a CSI tahoe) skids to the side. It’s DB. He yells at her to get in. As she does, the bullets rain towards them and the vehicle. Cath ducks into the back seat and DB squeals away as the bullets still flood the vehicle. They’re able to get away from the gunfire.
DB: are you okay?
C: I’ll live.
DB: Whoa.
It seems that Cath’s not exactly okay.


Oh my. So, in the context of it all, I’m guessing that DB was on his way to Cath’s house to talk to her about her resignation? Oh, and remind me again why Catherine had no security detail with her? She asked for security for her mother after Lily brought in the card. Why wouldn’t Cath have any security with her when she seems to be the one in the middle of all of this? I am not amused.

However, I’ve just got to say:

Catherine Willows ROCKS.

That it all you need to remember.


Final notes:

- Where’s Sam Braun when you need him?
- It was kind of a waste of a great actor like Kevin Dobson. I had been hoping that there would be some good interaction with Malcolm Turner & Catherine, considering their connection to Sam.
- I loved Annabeth Gish as Laura in this episode more than the last.
- I somehow get the feeling that Pratt is the dirty one. Even after seeing those bodies, I’m still not convinced Laura & McHottie are dead.
- Cath & Sara still make an awesome team.
- Poor Hodges. His mom’s got a new boyfriend, yet he doesn’t have a girlfriend. So mom’s getting more action than he is.
- It would have been nice to have an appearance by Lindsey at some point before Catherine’s departure, but unfortunately, that ain’t gonna happen. At least we got Lily.
- I'm still not believing that Laura & McQuaid are dead. Why, you ask? Maybe it's because of these promo pics from Catherine's final episode next week?

So maybe McQuaid was the dirty one? After all, he did mention "not getting away from your past", remember? And maybe it's the reason the burned out car was an FBI case, and not a CSI case. They didn't want the CSIs to find evidence that it wasn't who they thought it was.

** because people have been searching for & asking who's playing certain characters, here's the credit list:
Archie Kao as Archie Johnson
Alex Carter as Det. Vartann
Jon Wellner as Henry Andrews
Grant Show as Agent Viggo McQuid
Matt Lauria as Agent Pratt
Titus Welliver as Mark Gabriel
Annabeth Gish as Laura Gabriel
Anita Gillette as Lily Flynn
Louise Griffiths as Mrs. Hobart
Angela Gibbs as Amelia Gross
Kevin Dobson as Malcolm Turner
Hong Chau as Julie Blanch
Jack Dimich as Paul Obrecht, Trench Coat Man
Mark Aiken as Arthur Martens
Beth Kennedy as Helen