All language subtitles for Law and order SVU S23E20

In the criminal justice system,

sexually based offenses

are considered
especially heinous.

In New York City, the
dedicated detectives

who investigate these
vicious felonies

are members of an elite squad

known as the Special
Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

[light music]

♪

Wow.

This is a blast from the past.

Where did you find this?

The cloud.

It's for a class project.

"Where it began,
where it is now."

Mm.

I can't believe you
said I was good.

You were good.

You know, I think there's
an even older one.

It's okay.

We gotta go anyway.

You wanna tell me
what's going on?

It's a surprise
for Mother's Day.

♪

That's me, Mommy, and Daddy.

Well, that's a nice
Mother's Day card.

And is that your sister,
Elizabeth, by herself?

I thought you liked her.

I do, but Beth is away.

It's been a really long time.

Since last Sunday.

Away? Where'd she go?

Someplace far.

With Luke.

Luke?

Is he a relative?

No, but he's a grown-up.

Mommy and Daddy said she's fine,

but I don't think
she's ever coming back.

♪

The principal
called her parents,

but they insisted she
was in bed with the flu.

But her little brother
said that she was gone.

Yeah, since last weekend.

He said she left with
a man named Luke.

- Who's Luke?
- The parents say

it's Elijah's imaginary friend,
but he's not that kind of kid.

Something's off.

Oh, my goodness.

This is all a complete
misunderstanding.

Beth and, um, Luke Davis...
He's a trusted family friend...

They are on a mission trip
upstate rebuilding houses

for refugees.

And that's her there?

- Yeah.
- Yes.

So why tell the school
that she was sick

and that Luke was your
son's imaginary friend?

We should've just
told the truth.

- Yeah.
- But, uh, we didn't want her

to be judged for missing class
for a church project, so.

So where are they
exactly right now?

In Bloomingburg.

Our church runs a
housing mission up there.

Yeah, Beth really wanted to go,

and Paul and I had work,
so Luke was generous enough

to rent a car and drive her up.

They're staying at the mission

with all of the other
kids and the chaperones.

When's the last time
you heard from Beth?

Well, uh, we don't let
her have a cell phone.

- Yeah.
- Um, but, um, Luke did text us

a picture the Sunday
that they left.

- Yeah.
- And... and yeah.

He did say that cell
service would be spotty

once they got up to the woods.

Well, even so, we'll
need his number.

- Okay.
- Yeah.

The school made a police report

so we are gonna have to
verify your daughter's safety.

- Oh.
- [both laugh]

Okay, well, uh,

I have a number for the
head of the mission,

but he doesn't
always pick up, so...

There's really nothing
to worry about.

She's gonna be back
by Mother's Day.

Yeah.

[suspenseful music]

So we cannot verify

that this girl is
at the mission.

- No.
- Do we know that it exists?

Well, according to
the county sheriff,

it does, and the number
that the parents gave us

for the guy who runs
the mission is legit,

but his mailbox is full.

Thank you.

We got a bigger problem.

The number for Luke
Davis is a recent burner.

It's turned off.

It's gone off
straight to voicemail.

I'll alert the state police.

Drive up to Bloomingburg.

Find this girl.

I told the trooper,
my mailbox is full

because I hate to delete
people's nice messages

- and the service up here...
- Yeah, I know. It's spotty.

We just need to know

if you've seen this
girl, Beth Lee.

She would've been with
a man named Luke Davis.

Yeah, he's a worship
leader in the city.

Comes up here every year
with a bunch of kids.

He's great with them.

Was he and Beth
here this past week?

No.

Luke called to set it up,
but like I told the trooper,

they never made it up here.

I thought it might be COVID.

Maybe you should call him.

If you hear from
him, let us know.

What are we looking at here?

Nothing good.

♪

[dramatic music]

♪

- Oh, my God.
- Something must've happened.

- A car accident or...
- Well, we've actually checked

with local authorities
and hospitals,

and no one matching your
daughter's description

has shown up.

You said he left
in a rental car.

Do you know what agency?

- Um...
- No.

- Um, I will...
- Yeah.

Text Luke again.

Mrs. Lee, the number you gave us

came from a burner
cell, a throwaway.

Uh, Luke said his old
phone wasn't working...

That he had to get a new one.

From our experience,

people that use burner cells

usually have something to hide.

Maybe... maybe
they got carjacked.

- Luke is always so trusting.
- I know.

- You hear about...
- Why didn't he text you then?

I don't know! I don't know.

Maybe he's dead in
a ditch somewhere.

Where's Beth though?

You said that your daughter
doesn't have a phone,

but does she have, um,
a laptop or an iPad?

Just for homework,
not social media.

Still, any detail
might be helpful.

So Mr. Lee, would you mind
Sergeant Tutuola her bedroom?

- Yeah.
- Thank you.

- She goes to school.
- She goes to church.

She's a good girl.

It's, uh, right here.

- I can see that.
- How'd you meet Luke?

Uh, through our church.

He's part of our Life Group,

the Bible study we host.

Is that where he met Beth?

Yes, and, uh, he also
teaches her guitar.

He's a songwriter...
How he makes a living.

Listen, we always felt
like we could trust him.

Even so.

Fathers worry.

Upstate for over a week.

That's a lot of time.

[suspenseful music]

Beth felt called to go.

Claire said yes.

I have been Zooming for
work ten hours a day.

I wasn't paying
enough attention.

[sighs]

Oh, God. What did we do?

- Luke'll text me back.
- He always does.

What can you tell me about him?

Uh, ooh.

I've told you everything.

Uh, he's a godly man.

He loves our family.

Well, do you have an address
or you have his email?

Uh, no.

But he lives in
the neighborhood.

I think. I haven't actually been

to his apartment.

Okay. How 'bout a photo?

Oh, he's camera-shy.

Always the one
taking the pictures.

You know what, I
might have something

from Beth's birthday party
at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

He didn't know I was
recording. [laughs]

That would be helpful.

♪

Black and sweet.

And Benson said to
tell you thank you

for coming in so late.

Downside of our
captains getting along,

they move us around
like chess pieces.

What've you got?

27 Luke Davises in New York

whose birth dates put
them between 30 and 50.

No cell, address?

No, he knows how to
stay off the grid.

Benson and Fin are
with the parents now.

They just let some guy
take their 14-year-old away

- for a week?
- Yeah.

- Wouldn't happen in my family.
- [phone chimes]

Benson just sent this.

And then you'll go back to G.

- Yeah?
- That's great.

[laughs]

[indistinct talking]

- Like that?
- Make sure you hold tighter.

[soft guitar music]

That's good.

Yeah, he didn't find Jesus.

He found Beth.

And then you'll go back to G.

Okay.

Come this Sunday to
Two Echoes Church.

We'll sing and pray together

and celebrate the
word of the Lord.

Nice, babe.

Pastor Adams?

Can we help you?

Yeah. NYPD.

We've been talking to the Lees

about their missing daughter.

Oh, yes. They called us.

But I'm sure Beth's not missing.

She's with Luke. He texted
us. Everything's fine.

Okay, but we haven't been
able to reach either of them.

Well, I know they're
not at the mission,

but Luke's taken church
kids up there lots of times.

He probably just found
another house to work on.

How long have you
two known Luke?

He joined our ministry
three years ago?

He's very active with
the teenage members

in the music program.

Do you know anything
about his background?

As we said, we're having
trouble locating him.

There are a lot of Luke
Davises in New York.

Okay, but you really
don't have to worry.

We did a thorough
background check.

Anyone who works with kids...

Yeah, I know we promised
confidentiality, Daniel,

but these are cops,
and they sound serious.

- I think we should tell them.
- Tell us what?

- I don't understand.
- Who's Nick Pearce?

The man that you've
known as Luke Davis.

Pearce is the son

of a wealthy family
in Rhode Island,

and they told us
through their attorneys,

they have no idea where he is.

No cell phone, no credit
card, no bank account.

Nothing to track him.

No, but this... [laughs]

This is not possible.

This man is not who he
told you that he was,

and he didn't take your
daughter where he told you

he was going to take her.

Mrs. Lee...

We believe that your
daughter has been kidnapped.

[tense music]

Son of a bitch.

- I'm sorry.
- You're entitled, Mr. Lee.

As far as we can tell,
Nick's been using the alias

Luke Davis since he
met Beth in 2019.

- Where is he?
- Where's my daughter?

We're trying to find them.

Pearce has been renting
an apartment in Gramercy.

Police are tearing
that apart now.

We're also checking the
rental car agencies.

He took my daughter.

Why?

Daniel and Molly told us

that he was a good person.

They told us that it... that...

Because he manipulated them too.

Nick told them when
he joined the church

that he was impressed
by some young teens

he had seen praying together

in a youth group,
including Beth.

Yes, he confided in me
that he envied the kids

at our church, that his home
lacked a spiritual center.

Mrs. Lee.

Claire, I need you
to listen to me now.

This man joined your church,

and he changed his name,

and he befriended your family

because he was targeting Beth

from the moment that he saw her.

That isn't true. He wasn't.

- I know this is hard to...
- No.

You do not understand.

He was targeting me.

[dark music]

Paul can never know.

Luke and I are
very much in love.

♪

.

Claire Lee and Nick Pearce
were having an affair

for over a year?

Playing the long game.

Seducing the mother to
get to the daughter,

but I don't think that
the parents are complicit.

Where are the Lees now?

Home. Claire is telling Paul.

Well, what about Nick
and Beth's relationship?

Oh, we scoured her computer.

Mostly they exchanged
Bible verses.

A lot of Paul to
the Thessalonians.

- Oh, so love letters.
- So he's grooming her.

Pearce rented a car
from JFK a week ago.

Troopers found it
in an overnight lot

in Middle town.

Key was in the drop box.

So he hasn't used
the credit card

since he rented the car.

So maybe they're on
foot, hitchhiking.

Here it is. PurposeMusic, LLC

in Rhode Island.

- Meaning?
- Well, Claire told us

that Nick had Venmoed her money
from an old business account,

so maybe he Venmoed
somebody else.

I'm looking, but his
account's private.

I'll get a subpoena.

Thanks.

How did you find me?

I haven't talked to
Nick Pearce in years.

Through his old LLC.

He Venmoed you about
$5,000 three years ago.

May I ask why?

Uh, we were dating.

I lost my job.

He offered to help me buy a car

so my daughter didn't have
to take the bus to school.

I should have declared it.

- We don't care about that.
- We're just trying to find Nick.

Do you've a contact number?

No. What's he done?

He may be involved
in an abduction.

Lemme guess. A young girl?

Why, something happen
to your daughter?

[tense music]

Eva was 12.

The three of us, we were
gonna spend the summer

at Nick's lake cabin upstate.

But then my ex bumped on that.

He insisted Eva spend
the summer with him.

The next day, Nick dumped me.

I guess I wasn't
the one he wanted

to spend the summer with.

Okay, did Nick ever spend
time alone with Eva?

I used to work the night shift.

But she swore to
me that they just

watched movies and cuddled.

But you were worried about it?

I could never say a
bad word about him.

It was like he brainwashed her.

Right, and this lake house,
do you remember where it was?

He showed us pictures. A map.

The town, the cabin.

It was pretty remote.

- Okay.
- Near Tupper Lake.

I remember it was off
Gentle Rain Drive.

The most powerful act
of love is forgiveness.

- I am working on that.
- Oh, good.

Because your daughter is
gonna need both of you.

- You found her?
- We're close.

Nick's family has a cabin
on Tupper Lake upstate.

Has he ever mentioned taking
Beth or your family there?

- Mm-mm.
- Uh, no.

But apparently there's a lot
of things he didn't mention.

Paul, this is
about our daughter.

Mr. and Mrs. Lee,

this man has been
grooming your daughter

for over 2 1/2 years.

And now he's been alone
with her for over a week,

and in my experience, there
are many different ways

that a teenage girl could
react to a situation like this.

I... I am sure he
wouldn't hurt her.

We understand, Captain.

Just, uh, bring
our daughter home.

[tense music]

♪

NYPD!

♪

- Who are you?
- Beth, we're the police, okay?

- Hey, hey, hey, hey.
- Nick Pearce!

- What's going on?
- You have the wrong man.

His name's Luke, not Nick.

- Get your hands up!
- Don't hurt him. Please.

We're not gonna
hurt anybody, okay?

Call her parents.

They know she's safe here, okay?

Nick Pearce, you're under arrest

for kidnapping a minor.

- This is the devil in action.
- Don't be afraid.

Beth, it's time to
come home, okay?

I am home.

- You need to come with us.
- No.

- Honey. Come... come with me.
- No. No.

- Come on, come on.
- No! No!

You have the right
to remain silent.

Beth, stay strong.

The scriptures say
we'll be tested.

Test this: Anything you say

can and will be used against
you in a court of law.

- Beth.
- What are you doing?

He didn't kidnap me.

This is God's will.

♪

.

Hey. How's Beth doing?

She's lucid. Calm.

Nothing on the tox screen.

She's dehydrated, bug
bites, but otherwise

not physically harmed.

Sexual assault?

Talked to her in the ambulance.

She said all they did was hug,

but she sounded coached.

- Did you do a rape kit?
- We asked. She refused.

She also refused
a pregnancy test.

She's 14.

I mean, it's her
right to decide.

Her, uh, parents disagree.

I explained that to force her
is against hospital policy

and the law.

Good luck talking to them.

Mr. and Mrs. Lee,
so the good news

is that your daughter is safe
and not physically harmed.

And we are very grateful.

She said that Luke... Nick
didn't do anything to her

like that.

She's been brainwashed, Claire.

She was reluctant
to leave the cabin.

And him. She's attached.

Well, they've been
close for a long time.

That doesn't mean
that they had sex.

Did... did she
say that they did?

Uh, she said that they hugged.

Right, which is why we
need that rape kit, right?

To prove that nothing happened.

She's 14, and you understand
that we cannot force her

to consent to an exam.

- Why?
- I'm her mother. She's my child.

I... I force her to
eat her vegetables

and do her homework.

Why can't you sedate
her and just do it?

That's not an
option in New York.

- [sighs]
- Okay, Claire.

Now's not the time to
force her to do anything.

Maybe a test for
disease or pregnancy.

We cannot force her to
have a pregnancy exam

without her permission.

She's not pregnant.

- Paul, he wouldn't...
- Do you hear yourself?

We're still protecting him.

- He kidnapped Beth.
- We don't know that, Paul.

She is safe. They said.

And God's will is unknowable.

[suspenseful music]

♪

No, I love the Lee family.

I would never do anything
to hurt them or Beth.

Other than kidnapping her?

The Lees consented to
my client taking Beth

upstate for faith-based work.

Yeah, to build houses.

Not to spirit their
daughter away to a cabin

out of cell phone
service, out of contact.

You know, I love that
you use the word "spirit"

because that's
exactly what this was.

It was a spiritual
journey. It was a vision.

Nick, lemme do the talking.

No, no, no. Go on, Nick.

What vision?

Of Beth and I planting
the seeds of a new church.

Beth and I, we both felt it,
and we knew we were going

to need help, so I
was like, "Okay, God.

Yeah, you're in control."

And God told you
that this church

had to be planted at
a cabin in the woods?

Yeah, in the vision I was there.

I was surrounded

by the God-given
beauty of this place.

And I hadn't been there
since I was a kid.

It's a miracle that it
manifested itself to me.

It wasn't that
much of a miracle.

Remember your ex-girlfriend
Nadine and her daughter, Eva?

You were gonna take
them to the same cabin.

Yeah, I didn't.

They clearly were not
part of God's plan.

Can we get back to
the here and now?

My client did nothing that Beth
or her parents didn't approve.

This girl is safe and
unharmed. There is no crime.

You may doubt me.

I understand that's going
to happen, but talk to Beth.

She'll give you the
God's honest truth.

♪

- Hey.
- Where's Luke?

I wanna see him.

That's... that's not
possible right now, Beth.

Then can I just go home?

Back to the cabin?

No. I meant my home.

I miss Elijah.

- I have met Elijah.
- He's very sweet.

And he's the one that told
us that you were missing.

You're trying to
indoctrinate me.

Luke said that's
what nonbelievers do.

- Beth, I'm trying to help you.
- By treating me like a child?

Arresting Luke? He
didn't do anything.

Well, Detective Rollins may
not see how mature you are

because her daughters
are so young.

You know, Captain, you're right.

So your kids are in college?

Well, let's talk about you.

I just know how mature 14 can be

because I was the
same way myself.

And some of the strongest
women in the Bible

were as young as 12, right?

Esther and Ruth. Mary.

They ran empires.

Got married. Had
children of their own.

Is that what you wanna do, Beth?

With Luke?

I know what you're asking.

Luke and I are still pure.

Okay.

Okay, but you did just go
away together on vacation.

So... help me understand.

Is that like... is that
like father and daughter?

No, that's disgusting.

And he's nothing like my father.

- Okay.
- So more like a boyfriend or...?

♪

Or maybe somebody that
you're in love with?

I do love him.

And he loves me.

Just not like my father.

- Well, I can understand that.
- You're...

Look, you're old enough to
make decisions like that

about sleeping together
or getting married.

I... I can't tell
you about that.

Luke says no one will
understand God's truth.

That we'll be judged.

Well, I can see how
important this is to you.

And I respect that.

But will you...

Will you help me understand?

His plan was God's plan.

Jesus said, "I will come again."

And that day has come.

♪

Nick had a vision.

Well, at least he's consistent.

He's got Beth thinking that
he's the Second Coming.

Yeah, no rape kit,
no admission of sex?

Not for lack of trying,
but apparently I'm better

at talking to psychopaths
than teenage girls.

- Okay.
- Huh?

This guy has gotten so
deep into Beth's head.

So Khaldun, anything
from the cabin?

No contraceptives or anything

that would indicate
sexual activity.

We sent the bedding and
the towels to the lab.

Still waiting on
bodily fluids and DNA.

Which, without a rape kit,
isn't probative anyway.

Well, this guy was
prepped for the long haul.

He had a least three
months' worth of food

and medical supplies up there.

Where are the
parents in all this?

- Are they on the same page?
- The husband seems

to have a little more clarity.

And Claire believes

that "Luke" can be redeemed.

Oh, so she's still
in love with him.

Yeah.

This is gonna be a
problem in trial.

Yeah, just keep him behind bars.

Even if he can walk on
water, he can't bend steel.

I'll see what I can do.

Nick Pearce, on the
charge of kidnapping

in the second degree?

Not guilty, Your Honor.

- People on bail?
- Remand.

Mr. Pearce is being charged

with abducting a
14-year-old girl

for over a week.

He's been living under
an assumed identity

for the last 2 1/2 years.

- We consider him a flight risk.
- Your Honor,

there was no kidnapping.

My client had permission
from her parents

to accompany Beth upstate.

Not to a remote
cabin in the woods

with living supplies for months.

I request my client
be ROR'd, Your Honor.

He has no record.

He's a well-respected
member of his church.

A church that he
insinuated himself into...

Okay. Well, well...

Just like he did the Lee family.

- Hold up. Hold up.
- My client is the victim here.

The Lees took advantage of
his search for spirituality

to seduce him into a
lifestyle of sexual deviance.

- Oh, Your Honor.
- Be careful, Mr. Pace.

- How can he just say that?
- I'm sorry.

If anything, the Lees' household

was endangering the
welfare of a minor, not...

That is not true!

Sit down, Mr. Lee. Sit down.

I also have evidence
that my client is willing

to testify to that
Paul Lee forced him

into demeaning sexual acts
that left my client open

to being blackmailed.

So given all of this,

I'll be bringing in a motion

to drop the charges.

[tense music]

♪

.

Did the judge believe that?

He... he just let
Nick out on bail.

- Don't worry.
- There's an Order of Protection.

No, no.

His lawyer should be
forced to go and admit

that that was a lie.

- Claire.
- No, what?

Let's not bring more
attention to this.

Detective Rollins, do
you think you could

take Claire to get some water?

Maybe a cup of coffee?

Absolutely, Counselor.

- Mr. Lee.
- Yeah.

Let's talk in private.

It's not what you think.

Nobody's making any judgements.

We need to know

if there's anything
Nick might know

that you haven't told us.

[sighs]

I should've told someone.

Told someone what?

[laughs]

I thought he was as
ashamed as I was.

Why don't you just tell
us what's going on?

I cannot believe that
lawyer was just allowed

to lie like that in court.

We don't know what
Nick told him.

Well, it was clearly a lie.

If anything like
that did happen,

Paul would've told me.

Well, Claire, there are things

that you didn't tell Paul.

[sighs] Well, I... I
didn't want to hurt him.

And Paul and I...

Things changed between
us after Elijah was born.

I was... I was lonely.

And you and Nick were together,

so he would've known that.

Of course, I told
Nick everything and...

He knew that I missed
being intimate with Paul.

So he knew Paul... Paul and
you hadn't had sex in a while.

My husband is not gay.

He's not.

[suspenseful music]

- Claire, I'm just trying...
- I'm... I'm...

I need to go pick
up Beth and Elijah.

Thank you for the coffee.

♪

We were breaking down the stage

after a service.

Loading the truck.

I guess, uh, we were
both a little loaded too.

Okay.

[sighs]

I don't... I don't usually drink,
but it was Nick's birthday.

He'd gotten some bourbon
and beer to celebrate.

And it's just the two of you?

I never got the sense
that he had friends,

so I felt like I
couldn't say no.

I get that.

What happened?

We were sitting in the theater.

Talking about our childhoods.

Drinking.

It got intense.

♪

We hugged.

Then

he put his hand on my leg.

I didn't... I didn't really
think anything of it.

But...

Then he unzipped my pants.

Uh...

I guess I just...

♪

[inhales deeply]

I guess I just went with it.

'Cause it was easier
than embarrassing him.

Okay. Then what happened?

He swore that he wasn't gay.

But that he just,
um, felt close to me.

And we agreed that it was
best not to tell anyone.

It was a sin.

We prayed.

Just that one time?

♪

[sighs]

Maybe once or twice after.

Does, uh, does
Claire have to know?

It would just hurt her.

Paul, she's gonna find out.

In my experience,
anything a defendant

can use against you,
they usually do.

♪

So this guy made moves on
the mother and the father

as insurance policies in case
he needs to blackmail them?

He is a sophisticated predator.

He gained their trust.
He got leverage.

All to be with Beth. He

he's obsessed.

- And dangerous.
- Not anymore.

I mean, can't Carisi get a
conviction on kidnapping?

It's not on Carisi,
and Beth won't testify,

and the parents
did give permission

for Nick to take her.

This level of manipulation,

he has to have done it before.

Is there no case to be made

with Nadine and the daughter?

Well, we tried, and
Nadine is willing to help,

but Eva's father is against it.

She's probably scared
of losing custody

so she won't cooperate.

This guy knows how
to pick his victims.

"Have I become your enemy
by telling you the truth?"

Book of Galatians.

What, are you
Bible-splaining to me now?

No, I'm just explaining to you

that a lot uncomfortable
truths have emerged.

- You called this meeting.
- Yeah.

Where are we on
dropping the charges?

Nowhere, your client's still
looking at Kidnapping Two

at a minimum.

The thing is,

if you put my client on trial,

I'm gonna put the Lees on trial.

The jury will hear this
is a couple experimenting

with their sexuality,
jealous of each other.

Wait, is that necessary?

Haven't they been
through enough?

Well, you could
always plead guilty.

- Oh, to kidnapping.
- I didn't kidnap her.

We might consider
child endangerment.

A misdemeanor? Nice try.

- Endangerment, no.
- I protected Beth.

- Please.
- Listen.

The DA is never going to
agree to a misdemeanor.

Okay, guys, we're all
on the same side here.

Don't we all want
what's best for Beth?

What exactly do you think
that is, Mr. Pearce?

For the Lees to allow
me to marry her.

- Nick.
- No. Please, go on.

I gotta hear this.

Okay, I...

I want to protect her
for the rest of her life.

Till death do us part.

If her parents give us
permission to marry,

then none of this has
to be argued in court.

Her parents obviously
have marital problems.

They need time to be together
to heal, to focus on Elijah.

Look, I'm sorry.

I think I've heard enough.

We are not dropping the charges.

And I look forward to hearing
your client explain what's best

for Beth on the stand.

♪

Nick Pearce won't take a plea?

No, and his religious
conviction...

I'm starting to think
that it's not an act.

What does that mean?

It means he could read
as crazy to the jury.

So could the family.

Beth's still not
willing to testify?

- No.
- I tried to talk to her parents

about seeing a therapist,
but there's no way

they're gonna go to an outsider,

so they're having supper tonight

with their church group.

Well, without her cooperation,

I'm gonna need both
of you to testify.

Copy that, Counselor.

Well, keep me posted
if anything changes.

- See you tonight?
- You will.

Um, you can go ahead and
go. I'll do the DD5s.

- No, you should go.
- You're the one with kids.

- Mm.
- Two little girls, right?

Jesse and Billie.

That's... that's a lot
and working full-time.

I have a lot of help.

Carisi seems like
he's great with kids.

Mm-hmm.

Did he tell you that?

I'm a trained detective.

I kind of, uh, deduced it.

So do he and Captain
Murphy get along?

Did you deduce that,
too, Detective?

[laughs] No, uh,

there's a Hebrew phrase
my dad used to say to me.

[speaking Hebrew]

"You don't choose your family."

Mm.

Not good. It's the Lees.

Beth is missing.

Again.

♪

- You have to find her.
- You have to find her.

- Well, what happened?
- Um, we... we finished supper.

Our Bible study group,
they were loving on her.

She seemed so joyful.

- Okay, and then what?
- Um, uh, they...

She went to the bathroom inside.

We've been watching
her like a hawk.

I looked at Claire like.

"You should do in
there with her."

How long ago?

Uh, a half hour now.

She was only gone ten minutes,
and then Claire went in

- to check on her.
- And she was missing?

- Yeah.
- Did anyone see her

- inside the restaurant?
- Yeah.

Um, a waitress said

that they saw her leave
out the front door.

Well, she couldn't
have gone far.

I'll put out an alert.

This must've been Nick.

We're never gonna see
her again, are we?

♪

Time stamp says 6:00 p.m.,
and you saw her leave?

I... I told the parents.

Um, she was in the
bathroom for a while.

I knocked to ask
if she was okay.

- And what'd she say?
- She came right out.

Kinda giddy.

She said she was
late to meet someone.

I told her she looked pretty.

I think she changed
in the bathroom.

Did she say where she was going?

No, no, I had no idea
she was running away.

I... I... I should've
told the parents earlier,

but, you know, she
just seemed so happy...

- You did nothing wrong.
- Thank you.

- And Nick somehow got to her.
- Yeah.

We got a problem.

Molly Adams from
the Lees' church?

Yeah, we talked to her
and Daniel earlier.

They don't know anything.

Yeah, well, she said
she didn't wanna

say this around her husband.

That Beth asked her to
get a message to Nick.

A Bible quote.

What Bible quote?

1 Corinthians 3:11.

"For no one can lay
any other foundation

than that which has been laid."

Molly said it was from Daniel's.

"Bridge Over Troubled
Water" sermon.

White dress and meeting someone?

She thinks that she's
getting married.

So somewhere near
water or a bridge.

She had the Brooklyn
Bridge on her screen saver.

♪

Nick Pearce!

Step away from the girl.

- What's this about?
- You violated the OOP.

- She asked to see me.
- I did.

Luke and I are exchanging vows.

- Beth, you need to come with...
- Hands behind your back.

- They can't do this to us!
- We need to get you to safety.

I am safe!

- Okay.
- We're the chosen ones!

Beth, they're not
gonna believe us.

"We walk by faith,
not by sight."

- You can't hurt us.
- I'm carrying God's baby!

[dramatic music]

.

You can't hurt us.

I'm carrying God's baby!

- What does that mean?
- Is she pregnant?

There's no way to know
if it's true or not.

Can't you just
put Nick away now?

He's kidnapped her again.

He violated the
protection order,

but he met Beth
at a public place.

That's not kidnapping.

And she did initiate
the contact.

Because of his hold over her.

He was... oh, my God.

He was planning this all along.

Wasn't he? He was
using me and Paul.

Oh, my God. [Sobbing]

He is obsessed
with your daughter.

And she is with him.

You're telling me there's no way

to get him out of her life?

Your daughter's gonna
be 15 next month?

There might be one way.

Why are we here?

I know how much you
wanna marry Nick.

Luke. Luke.

And your father and I,
we want you to be happy.

Then let me see him.

I'm... I... I'm trying
to figure it out.

There's the Order of Protection.

And whose fault is that?

We... we thought we were
doing the right thing, okay?

Uh, I know now
that we were wrong.

But your dad and I
might have a solution.

I'm keeping the baby.

And Luke and I,
when I'm old enough,

we're going to get married.

- No matter what you say.
- Here's the thing.

You turn 15 in a month.

Don't you?

So if you are pregnant

and if you have
parental consent,

you can get married in
the state of Maryland.

What if we gave permission?

You'd do that?

- You and Dad?
- Beth.

You know, we can't
stand living like this.

You unhappy, hating us.

The state is gonna need
proof of the pregnancy,

proof that Luke is the father.

I'd need to ask Luke.

Well, you... you can't.

But, listen, let's just
go to the hospital,

you and I, get this done.

I will... I will tell the ADA

that no one will
testify at trial,

and he'll have to
drop the charges.

I prayed for this.

So did I.

[soft music]

♪

Oh, gosh, needed to do
this for a long time.

I love you, Beth.

I love you, Beth.

Beth's confession
isn't admissible

unless she confirms
with the grand jury.

But since the fetus' DNA
was a match to Nick Pearce,

that proves Rape Two.

- But Beth won't testify.
- Doesn't matter.

With the DNA, his lawyer's not
gonna let this go to trial.

- [exhales heavily]
- Thank you both.

Does Beth know any of this?

We're going to tell her tonight.

Okay.

Look, I know this has been

an incredibly difficult
decision to make.

We're going to raise the
baby as our own, and, uh,

work on repairing
our marriage and

pray that Beth forgives us.

Eventually.

[somber music]

You'll get through this.

♪

Okay.

Can you open my present now?

Of course. I would love to.

[soft sentimental music]

What is this?

♪

Do you like it?

I love it.

Come here.

♪

You okay, Mom?

Yeah, I am.

♪

[dramatic music]

♪

[wolf howls]