Some viewers excused themselves to use the restroom, others busied themselves with other tasks, but many began discussing the episode and searching online for the actress playing Vanita Casson. A few particularly curious viewers even called the TV station directly, only to find the on-duty staff unable to provide answers. On discussion boards frequented by fans, such as the CSI section of IMDb, threads about "Vanita Kasson" had already attracted dozens of replies. People were intrigued by this suddenly appearing actress—her mature acting skills, powerful presence, and striking beauty. A few die-hard fans even claimed she "elevated the episode's quality."
However, by the second half of the episode, these new fans felt somewhat disappointed. Without decisive evidence, Vanita was released from custody after her detention period ended. Nick led several colleagues in a surprise search of her home and the crime scene—the lounge at Caesar's Palace—but found nothing. The judge refused to sign another search warrant, temporarily clearing Vanita of suspicion—which also meant her screen time dwindled after her brief appearance. The spotlight then shifted to the main cast.
Through meticulous deduction and examination of the victim's accounts, the team deduced she had been blackmailing Vanita. However, the blackmail materials vanished along with the murder weapon. Only sporadic transfer records proved financial ties between Vanita and the victim. Yet the judge dismissed this evidence, noting the victim had been Vanita's longtime costume designer. As the case threatened closure due to insufficient evidence, Nick clung to a final hope, heading to Caesar's Palace to coax a clue from Vanita—specifically, the scene Jenny had performed during her audition.
"May I come in?" Nick knocked on the door.
"Come in." Vanita's languid voice drifted out. Viewers glued to their screens perked up—those familiar with TV drama pacing knew this was likely the episode's final twist. Perhaps Vanita would slip up now, or maybe she'd become one of CSI's rare killers who slipped through the net.
If so, she would become the second CSI killer to walk free, unproven guilty. The first was also a woman, appearing in Season 1, Episode 21. Beyond that, criminals facing CSI almost never escaped their investigation. Such special treatment seemed fitting for a "special" killer like Vanita.
"I'm here to congratulate you," Nick said, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. "Heard you're all the rage now. The whole country's talking about that murder case. I imagine that's a good thing for you."
"A good thing for me?" Vanita repeated slowly, her gaze lingering suggestively on Nick's face as her voice softened. The audience collectively sensed she was extending a silent invitation to Nick. "Tell me, how exactly is this good for me? Becoming famous for a murder case, driving my PR team crazy? You know what PR is? Public relations."
Vanita kept mocking Nick with industry jargon, yet her teasing always carried a hint of flirtation. Nick, ever oblivious, never responded in kind. Now, too, he remained serious. "Celebrities never complain about too much attention. You taught me that the day you got arrested."
Vanita's expression shifted. She shot Nick a withering look before turning to touch up her makeup.
Nick pulled out the evidence bag containing the victim's blood-soaked gloves. "You know what this is."
Vanita watched Nick through the mirror, her tone cold and bored. "Judy's gloves. What are you implying? — Aren't these the same ones in the photos you showed me?"
"Yes, these are Judy's gloves. She was wearing them when she died, in the costume room a hundred yards away. She suffered a fatal stab wound and frantically covered the wound with them, soaking them in her blood. But we couldn't find the primary crime scene. The bloodstain pattern in the dressing room was too small, no spatter. The killer dragged her from the primary scene to the dressing room. Then they cleaned up the blood. Did a thorough job. We found no evidence." Nick spoke slowly, his eyes fixed on Vanita, who remained utterly unmoved, her presence completely overwhelming his.
Nick continued, "We searched your dressing room. No blood reaction."
Vanita finally lost patience. She rolled her eyes at him. "You're wasting my time, Officer. I have a very important interview to attend. Vogue. V-O-G-U-E."
Nick flashed a composed smile, as if everything was under his control. Suddenly seizing the initiative, he began to step closer to Vanita. "Let me share a theory with you, Ms. Casson. Suppose—just suppose—you killed Judy because, as I mentioned, she was threatening you with some of your past. Suppose you've already covered all your tracks. we all know that, conveniently, your room was scrubbed with bleach by the cleaning staff after the murder—at your request. And bleach is potent enough to destroy any residual bloodstains, leaving us unable to extract viable samples. Suppose, furthermore, that we still haven't secured your alibi. At this point, this hypothetical version of you, backed by a formidable legal team, would likely evade legal consequences, wouldn't you agree? We lack concrete evidence to establish your motive, insufficient proof of your presence at the primary crime scene, and we haven't even located that primary scene... So does this hypothetical scenario mean you've effectively cleared yourself of guilt?"
This dangerous exchange seemed to intrigue Vanita. She offered a guarded smile. "Hypothetically speaking, it appears that way?"
"However, Ms. Vanita," Nick replied calmly, his tone confident, "I came today to share some good news. Judy left more than just her blood at the scene. We've deduced this was a crime committed by someone familiar to her. It happened suddenly. After being stabbed, Judy fought back fiercely against the killer, likely leaving some injuries on the perpetrator."
Without thinking, Vanita followed Nick's gaze to a scar on her shoulder—the very reason she had been considered a suspect earlier.
Nick had moved so close to Vanita he nearly pinned her against the chair back. "And these are cashmere gloves. The back of the hand shows tearing marks, proving the killer ripped her gloves during the struggle. Based on our crime scene reconstruction, Judy rapidly lost the ability to resist after severe blood loss. As she fell to her knees, she tried to find something to brace herself against but failed, instead sustaining several impact injuries from the rough wall surface. This left wounds on her palms and fingertips—look, the damage is quite obvious. These torn wool gloves provided us with a crucial, invaluable clue during this process—wool fibers. At the primary crime scene, she left behind incriminating evidence: blood-stained wool fibers."
Vanita's expression finally shifted. She seemed to have completely lost control. Under Nick's overwhelming confidence, she involuntarily glanced toward a rough decorative wall.
Nick's eyes lit up. He sprang to the wall, switched on his flashlight, and meticulously examined the surface—
Yet he found nothing. The wall was spotless, bearing no traces whatsoever.
As he looked up in frustration, Vanita had already begun touching up her makeup. Their eyes met in the mirror. She flashed him an elegant smile, one brimming with smugness and cunning—poisonous yet captivating. Rising, she glided toward Nick, her hand reaching for the evidence bag. Nick swiftly tucked it behind his back. Vanita continued her movement, her hand gently caressing Nick's cheek. She took another step forward, her lips almost touching his in a kiss. Yet, just as she was about to touch his lips, she smiled faintly once more and stepped back with composed grace.
A collective sigh erupted from the television audience. Many young girls' eyes filled with hearts as they admired Vanita's allure, while male viewers instinctively imagined themselves in Nick's place, as if they were the ones succumbing to her powerful seduction.
"Her Chi is too strong," Jon couldn't help but exclaim. "Mom, you really haven't seen her in any shows? Maybe you have and just don't remember?"
Though she watched fewer dramas than her stay-at-home mother, Mom countered, "Why do you always complain about my memory? Are you sure you didn't find her online?"
Such questions echoed among countless viewers. On screen, Nick stepped forward as if to linger on her kiss, but quickly forced himself to withdraw. His eyes betrayed suppressed passion, while Vanita, her interest in him waning, replied politely, "I told you, I have a crucial interview. You have my search warrant, Officer. Proceed."
As Nick's expression hardened with reluctance, Vanita flashed an enigmatic smile before turning and gliding out of the dressing room. Passing the cleaning cart parked by the door, she glanced at the large cleaning bucket on it, then unconsciously touched the scar on her shoulder—her wound perfectly matched the logo on the cart's handle.
Several scenes cut in rapidly: After the murder, Vanita dragged the body to the door and loaded it into the cleaning cart. Her legs buckled, sending her crashing into the handle. Ignoring the pain in her arm, she stuffed the corpse into the large bucket, poured in ice, then slipped on the janitor's uniform and cap. Humming a tune, she pushed the cart toward the costume room. It was just after the concert ended, and the backstage chaos meant no one would give the janitor a second glance.
Upon reaching the dressing room, Vanita staged the scene, then meticulously arranged the costumes in order. Finally, she pushed the cleaning cart back to the lounge, locked herself inside, and carefully scrubbed the primary crime scene with bleach, astutely plucking fibers left by her gloves. Then, as if nothing had happened, she changed into her elegant gown, glided out of the lounge, drove to the pier, boarded the yacht, and mingled with the dignitaries.
When she stood alone by the railing, Vanita calmly reached into her evening bag, drew the murder weapon, and tossed it into the sea... Then, with a composed smile, she turned back to the reception, accepting a glass of wine from a waiter.
As if spotting a camera, she tilted her head slightly, flashing a triumphant, joyful grin at the lens and raising her glass.
A voiceover echoed, repeating a line Vanita had spoken earlier: "Anyone can be a star. All it takes is enough courage, enough practice, and most importantly, enough attention to detail. In this world, anything can be perfected if you pay enough attention."
The episode ended abruptly, the screen going dark as the closing credits rolled. This episode left viewers with many unanswered questions: What was Vanita being blackmailed for? Why did she show no remorse for murder? Would Nick abandon the investigation? Was this Vanita's first killing? Why did she seem so familiar? Could it be true, as she claimed, that she had practiced many times before?
And of course, the most crucial question: Who exactly was this beautiful superstar? What films had she starred in? She didn't seem like a newcomer to the entertainment industry, yet her face was unfamiliar elsewhere.
The credits, usually dismissed as filler during the trash time, now drew intense attention. Many watched intently, afraid to miss the rapid roll, until the line "Vanita Casson: Jennifer Jefferson" appeared. Only then did they breathe a sigh of relief and rush to look her up.
Meanwhile, in Beverly Hills, Lillian raised her hands in delight and cheered, " I'm so proud of you! Honey, you were amazing!"
Jim clapped enthusiastically beside her. Lillian had taken the day off and invited Jim over for dinner, hoping he'd join them for Jenny's screen debut.
"Absolutely brilliant," Jim praised without reservation. "I have such good taste, dear. The whole world will hate me now! Trust me, all of Hollywood will want you, but they'll just have to lament being too late—because Jim DeWitt already signed you! Ha ha, baby, they're gonna hate me!"
Jenny didn't bother correcting Jim's mistake—she'd signed with Cesare. She stared at the TV, confused and annoyed. "Wait—they spelled my name wrong! It's Jenny, not Jennifer."
"Oh." Jim cooled from his excitement, glancing at Jenny. "It's not a mistake... it's Cesare's instruction. From now on, your official name isn't Jenny anymore. Jen—it should be Jennifer."
"Why?" Lillian asked, bewildered. "Sure, they're just misspellings of the same name, but—"
She suddenly frowned. "Is this about Bell?"
—Jennifer Bell, the current A-list teen idol enjoying top-tier treatment, and Cesare's recently 'broken up with' former client.