CSI: Miami

Season 3 - Episode 20 - Killer Date

Teleplay by Elizabeth Devine & John Haynes
Directed by Karen Gaviola

Club Prone exudes sex, featuring beds with sheer curtains populated by patrons in pairs and threesomes lounging around enjoying drinks … and more. On one of the beds, Kim Burton whispers in Robert Smith’s ear, then steps up to the bar where she strikes up a conversation with Linda, one of the beautiful young women there. Kim soon brings Smith into the conversation with Linda and soon, Smith is leading Linda back to his bed. Kim pays bartender Mickey Shanigan the $1,500 rental for a vacant bed and proceeds to it. Margarita in hand, Kim sits, puts her purse on the bed, then leans back and takes in the scene around her.

Horatio and Alexx assess the scene where Kim’s lifeless body occupies the bed. Alexx finds no visible marks on Kim, and suspects smothering. Kim’s broken fingernails indicate a struggle.

Calleigh and Delko approach the club, but Delko is refused entry because he doesn’t have his badge. Calleigh vouches for him; he admits to her he lost it during an anonymous sexual encounter. With Wolfe on the way to the scene, she sends Delko to find his missing badge.

Tripp interviews a witness named Gabrielle Marinelli, who was at the bar when Kim hooked up Linda with Robert Smith. Gabrielle tells Tripp she thinks Kim was a Madam. Calleigh and Wolfe inspect the scene with the crimescope and discover a salty substance; Kim must have spilt her margarita. The bedding is collected for lab testing. Tripp learns Kim worked out of her home.

Delko tells Horatio his badge is missing and Horatio orders him to find it lest it end up in the wrong hands. Delko is panicked.

Calleigh and Tripp interview Kim’s roommate and business partner, Noelle. Noelle explains their business, Wingchicks. It’s a service that introduces men to beautiful young women, based on the theory that a woman is more comfortable meeting a new man when introduced by another woman. Noelle says they have a strict screening policy -- no shorties, fatties or baldies, mouth breathers, or uglies. Smith was the client Kim was working at Club Prone. Calleigh takes Noelle’s client book.

Stetler grills Delko about his reckless behavior and Delko divulges his wireless dating escapades, called bluetoothing, or “toothing.” Stetler tells Delko his behavior might have something to do with Speedle’s death. Visibly upset, Delko abruptly leaves Stetler’s office.

Wolfe finds a breath strip in Kim’s bedding, which is traced to Harry Klugman, who was at Club Prone the night of Kim’s murder and was also rejected by Wingchicks six months prior for being too ugly. Now worked out and tan, Klugman claims Kim approached him that night and said he was a perfect candidate for Wingchicks. Wolfe says he was a perfect candidate for her murder. Klugman says he never touched Kim; Calleigh demands his DNA to prove it.

Tyler unsuccessfully attempts to help Delko find his “date” via his cellphone. Delko then revisits the scene of his encounter and lifts some prints from the glass wall where they had sex. The prints belong to Patti Welborn.

Valera concludes the DNA from the pillow suspected as the murder weapon is female. Calleigh swabs Noelle, who reveals their clients were MBL (married but looking). Tripp and Calleigh interview Smith, whose real name is Butch Raleigh. Raleigh has scratches and a fat lip, but denies he had anything to do with the murder. Raleigh’s wife, Lucy, gets swabbed by Calleigh.

Horatio informs Delko a suspect in a recent shooting flashed a badge. Horatio and Yelina investigate the shooting; the victim, Ed Godfrey, is face down at the scene. The car belongs to Clint Roster, who tells Horatio he and Godfrey were talking when a cop walked up, flashed a badge then shot Godfrey. The bullet hole indicates it entered while the trunk was open, and Horatio suspects a drug deal gone bad. In the crowd, Horatio spots Bob Keaton, the guy who is supposedly serving time for killing his brother, Ray. He looks again but Keaton is gone. Horatio can’t let it go, and has Stetler look into Keaston’s whereabouts.

Valera ID’s the DNA on the pillowcase as Gabrielle Marinelli’s, however, Valera can’t tell Wolfe because Marinelli is a rape victim and to do so would violate her privacy. While Valera’s back is turned, however, Ryan sees Gabrielle’s name. The State Attorney is livid with Valera and says Gabrielle is untouchable in this case.

Calleigh re-interviews a few witnesses; Shanigan says he saw Gabrielle sit down on Kim's bed that night. Calleigh interviews Gabrielle and gingerly confronts her about the salt on the bottom of her purse. Gabrielle denies she murdered Kim.

Delko finally contacts Patti Welborn, who says she has his badge at her house. They figure out her brother Randal took the badge to use in the Godfrey shooting. Welborn confesses to Delko.

Since Valera is now off-limits for this investigation, Calleigh has Tripp run a search on Gabrielle. Gabrielle filed a rape charge six months earlier. Calleigh re-interviews Gabrielle, who admits she was raped as a result of one of Kim’s Wingchick set-ups. Following the rape she went to the police but the prosecutor wouldn’t file because they were on a “date.” Since the rape she had been too frightened to go out, and the night of the murder was the first time she had ventured back out again – to face her fears. When Gabrielle stopped by to talk with Kim and found Kim unsympathetic to the concerns she raised about women that are set up with her male clients, Gabrielle grabbed the pillow and smothered Kim.

Valera is relieved from duty over the Gabrielle Marinelli disclosure. Delko makes a visit to Psychological Services. Horatio finds out Keaton is working undercover. Horatio says he thinks Ray is still alive; Keaton reveals nothing.