Original subtitles

- 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.

- Brand-new building in NoMad just hit the market.

And the amount of space I'm holding for this room.

It's me, fam, back with an update.

If you saw my Get Ready with Me this morning,

you know I'm at another exclusive open house.

Ugh. Who's coming on a tour?

Say hi to the DJ, chat.

You're crushing it.

- They already got three offers.

You want it, I'd go up to 40.

- I don't see a Jacuzzi out here.

- That's 'cause there's three of them.

- This place is sending me.

It's giving rich, it's giving ethereal.

Vibes are off the freaking charts.

[upbeat music playing]

- OK, I just want to--

- Drop a heart in the chat

if you think this place slaps, y'all.

And ladies, when you're partying,

always remember the buddy system.

Oh, my God. Girl, what are the chances?

- Hey, we're talking here.

- Can you believe it's been a year

since Annie's bachelorette?

Fill me in, babe. It's been, like, forever.

[sighs] You're a mess.

What's your name?

- Skylar. - Here.

- I drank too much.

- For real.

First time?

Hang here. I'll grab you some water.

OK?

♪

[tense music]

♪

- [grunting]

[door slams]

- Skylar!

You OK?

- She's fine. Go away.

- Skylar? - [gasps]

- Open the door. I'm calling the cops.

Skylar!

- Hey! Knock it off.

- Someone needs help in here.

- I think you need to leave.

- A drunk girl's in there with some guy!

What are you not hearing?

- All I heard was a guest complain about you.

- What? - Let's go.

- Literally, don't touch me!

I swear to God, you're so cooked, bro.

Look, I'm calling the cops!

- NYPD!

[indistinct chatter]

- Can I help you? - Yeah, lock it down.

Don't let anyone leave.

- All right, ladies and gentlemen, we're with the NYPD.

- We're looking for a girl. - I need your full cooperation.

- Skylar. She's in a locked bedroom.

- Which way to the bedrooms?

♪

- Perp took the sheets.

Hey.

It's OK. It's OK.

Are you Skylar?

- Room's clear. - Hey, Skylar.

Hi.

Get an EMT in here immediately.

Hey, Skylar?

Skylar, I'm with the NYPD and I'm here to help you.

Your hair is wet.

♪

- [weakly] I was raped.

- OK, we're going to get you some help, OK?

I'm going to get you some help.

Put a blanket on her.

And I need a rape kit immediately.

- She seems pretty out of it. Drugged?

- Yeah. Her dress is on inside out.

The 911 caller said this was an open house.

- The whole building's a brand-new development.

- Well, then so is the plumbing.

♪

- It's got to belong to our vic, no?

- And if we're lucky, our rapist.

[dramatic music]

♪

[elevator dings] - I'm telling you, it was him.

Super creepy.

He had a leather jacket, scruff.

- We're talking to everyone who was at the party.

- Well, but I also think that that security guy

should, like, get his license revoked or whatever.

Chat, your girl is standing on business.

- No filming in the precinct, chat.

- So you were working the party, not a guest.

- Yeah, I was there for atmosphere.

- Atmosphere? What does that mean?

- Uh, just there to chat, keep the energy up,

and obviously get content.

- What kind of content?

- The kind that gets people talking

about the properties that are for sale,

so live streams, tours, stuff like that.

- And you've been hired to work these types of parties before?

- A few. Uh, LA, Vegas, Chicago.

- Is there an expectation with this atmosphere

to provide something else?

- Like a collab?

- Like sex.

- Ew, no.

I'm asexual.

- Seems like kind of a dangerous situation

to put yourself in.

- I mean, it's no more dangerous

than going to a club or getting in an Uber.

I mean, if I'm at risk just existing,

I might as well get something out of it.

Oh, my God, that's the guy.

- I did not do anything to her.

- That's him!

- Hey, seriously.

Stop.

- I'm just a buyer.

I was there to view the penthouse.

I don't even know that girl!

- She seemed to know you, Chuck.

- She wasn't the only one who saw you

creeping on a young woman.

- Creeping?

We were having a friendly conversation.

- Guessing it was pretty one-sided

since she could barely form a sentence.

- OK. I was hitting on her.

- Huh.

- But when I saw she was wasted, I backed off.

That girl out there, she pulled her away,

and--

I didn't drug or rape anyone.

Maybe you should check out the bartender.

- Why would we do that?

- 'Cause he had a thing for over-pouring

only the girls' drinks.

- Are you saying he spiked them?

- I'm saying it wouldn't surprise me.

Uh, maybe you should ask him.

- Well, we'll do that.

Once you give us your DNA.

- Blood, sweat, tears.

Take my sperm, if you need it.

- OK, preliminary report on the shower drain hair.

Specimens from at least two people, maybe more.

- I thought it was a brand-new building.

How many people showered in there?

- Could be from a contractor, a plumber, a decorator.

- Well, you can add Chuck's DNA to the pile.

- So did he give you anything else?

- Definitely the ick.

But considering he was willing to hand over

his firstborn child, might not be our guy.

- He also gave us a bartender, no name,

but Chuck said that he was heavy-handed

with the women's drinks.

- Any bartenders questioned at the scene?

- No, but there were at least 40 guests.

Got DNA samples from most

and the others alibied each other out.

- Perp did have a 25-minute window

from when Grace called 911 and when we got there.

- So enough time to attack Skylar,

clean her up, and run out the back.

- Which is why we need a list of the attendees--

the staff, the guests, and, you know,

anyone who left before we showed up.

- The guy who set up the party could probably help with that.

According to Grace, his name is Marvin Gibbs.

He's an event planner with an office in Tribeca.

- OK, so you two, see if Marvin is in the mood to share.

Track down this bartender.

- Terrible what happened yesterday.

Exactly why I hire security.

- Anything like this ever happen before?

- Every once in a while, I'll hear about

one of the guests overdoing it at the bar,

but something like this?

Not at my events.

- We understand yesterday's event was for an open house.

- Ellis National Realty, one of our many clients.

- Who hire you to do what exactly?

- Depends on the event, but it's promotions, marketing.

I curate the guests, hire the staff.

- And influencers

who all happen to be young, attractive women.

- Most influencers are.

- So your job is to hire hot women to entertain guests.

- Is that a crime?

- Depends on what your definition of entertain is.

- All I care about is reach, follower count,

brand deals, anything to publicize the property.

Totally legit, and everyone is handsomely compensated.

- Then you got nothing to worry about.

We just need a list of names of everyone who attended

that party, and we can get out of your hair.

- I can't give that to you.

These guests are very rich, powerful.

I'd have to make some calls.

- Or we could make a call for a warrant.

Blow this whole thing up on social media.

- Event planner invites young women across state lines

and then sends them to parties to get assaulted?

- Sounds more like a pimp than a planner to me.

- Or you can just give us the list.

- [sighs]

- Alex Somer?

- Can I help you? - Hope so, yeah.

You bartended an open house party yesterday, yeah?

- Party where an intoxicated woman

was attacked in the bedroom?

- Jesus!

I, uh--I mean, I worked the party,

but I don't know about all that.

- Why'd you leave before the cops showed up?

- I mean, I--I dipped when the open bar ended, you know?

And I'm late for a shift.

- What's the matter? Scared of getting fired again?

- We spoke to some of your ex-employers.

We found out you've been let go from a few different bars

over the years.

- Not for being late. - [sighs]

- But for inappropriate behavior with female patrons.

- [sighs]

Look, I, um-- I got nothing to do with this.

- You can prove it with just a quick swab of the cheek.

- I'm good, thanks. Told you I'm late.

- Well, we'll come along

and we can share with your current boss

the phone numbers to all those ex-employers we spoke to.

- [sighs]

[tense music]

- How long's this gonna take?

- All right, five men on Marvin's list

had already left the party when we showed up.

- Few of them are uber-rich,

the rest are uber creepy, but none had criminal records.

- OK, what about the bartender?

- Alex Somer.

Bruno and Griffin got his swab to the lab.

- Speaking of which, we hear back on Skylar's rape kit?

- No foreign DNA,

but her tox screen did test positive for ketamine.

- Ah, Skylar is out of the hospital,

and I'm holding hope that she remembers something.

- [sighs] I can't.

I'm sorry.

- That's OK, that's OK, that's OK.

So how about--

how about we start at the beginning?

OK?

Why don't you, um--

why don't you take me through your day, right,

leading up to the party?

- [sighs] OK. Um--[sniffles]

The event planners flew me private from Chicago.

- Mm-hmm.

- Got me a car service to this fancy hotel in Midtown.

- OK. Were there any red flags there?

- No. - Mm.

- I checked in, I got ready.

I think I talked to a few people once I got to the party.

I don't know. Things are still kind of fuzzy.

- Well, we did confirm that you were drugged.

So... - [sighs]

- Do you remember anyone offering you a drink?

- I don't think so.

But I do sort of remember Grace pulling me away from that guy.

- Mm-hmm. And then what happened?

- Um...

I think someone,

a guy, led me into the bedroom.

- OK.

- And after that,

all I have are, like, these feelings.

- OK. What kind of feelings?

- Like, he's on top of me.

[somber music]

All of his weight

on my arms and on my legs.

But he's also by the door just watching me.

Like--like he's in two different places.

- OK.

So can you see him?

His height, his weight, his skin color?

[knock at door]

OK. - Uh--[sighs]

- Excuse me just for one second.

OK?

I'll be right back.

♪

- The shower hair.

The labs came back, and it showed three sets.

- One belongs to Skylar,

and the other two, both males, unknown.

- Oh, so not a match to Alex or Chuck.

- No, and none in CODIS either.

But what's interesting is, both unknowns share

about a quarter of their DNA on the father's side.

They're brothers.

[dramatic music]

- Half-brothers.

[sighs]

♪

- OK, Nathan and Paul Ellis, 28, 32,

of Ellis National Realty.

- OK, what do we know?

- No wife and kids, grew up in Morris County, New Jersey,

half-brothers from separate marriages.

- The two mothers and a little sister are out of state now.

The father is Raymond Ellis, venture capitalist.

Invests in companies via hostile takeover,

bumps the stock, then dumps it for a profit.

Now, Intel looked into him for insider trading,

but nothing stuck.

- He did help his sons start their real estate empire.

Dozens of properties sold over the years

and even more in development.

- Brothers are all over "Page Six"

selling homes of celebrities and pro athletes.

- It's all fantastic, but what about criminal records?

- None.

However, they were involved

in a fatal automobile accident in 2017 in New Jersey.

Vic's name was Alicia Williams.

- But we have nothing

that puts them in the room with Skylar

except for this shower hair.

- I say we pick 'em up, we shake 'em down,

we compel DNA--

- Unfortunately, the shower hair is not

going to prove much because these two guys

still own the penthouse.

- Not to mention guys like this,

they usually got a long line of high-powered attorneys

that are just chomping at the bit to fight this,

so if these are our guys,

our best bet's going to be to find

everything we can on them before we confront them.

- Well, if they're throwing parties all over the country,

probably not the first time something's happened.

- Exactly.

So you and Griff, dive into their social media.

Find other atmospheric women through tagged photos,

follower lists, and I want you two

to really dig into this fatal car crash.

- Car drove headfirst

into the concrete wall of a Home Depot.

Hood looked like a crushed can of Coke

when I got to the scene.

- Who was behind the wheel? - Nathan.

Refused breathalyzer, but he was wasted.

Paul was on the passenger's side,

and in the back was the victim.

- Alicia Williams. - 30s. Just got engaged.

Temped at the father's company.

Brothers worked there summers.

But Williams wasn't in the back seat

when we got there,

because she was the only one not wearing a seat belt,

if you get what I mean.

- Well, the official report said that the COD

was blunt force trauma to the head from the accident.

- You got another theory?

- Williams was dead before she got in that car,

and it's not just a theory.

Coroner confirmed it.

- How did nothing ever come of this?

- We arrested Nathan on the DUI.

DA had the coroner report.

Next thing I know, the charges get dropped

and all my cases are under a microscope.

Chief says he's getting anonymous complaints

about my conduct.

Pretty soon,

I'm doing this for eight years now.

- You think the Ellis brothers have that kind of pull?

- I think their daddy does.

All I can tell you is,

if you come up against this family,

do what I should have done eight years ago.

- What's that?

- Look the other way.

[tense music]

♪

- So you've hung out with Paul and Nathan at the parties?

- A little. Why?

- We're investigating an assault

from a party a few days ago.

I just want to know if you've seen anything similar.

- OMG.

No.

- Can you tell us what you have seen?

- Just that the bros are joined at the hip.

But Paul's a sweet guy.

He's outgoing, charming.

- What about Nathan?

- Well, Nathan's different from Paul.

I mean, he's cold, awkward.

He looks right through you like you're not even there.

- You ever have a bad experience with him or Paul?

- What do you mean bad experience?

- Something you didn't consent to?

- I haven't.

But there was this one girl, Carly.

She was, like, the life of these parties,

but then one day, she just ghosted, stopped coming.

- You ever find out why?

- I tried, but she unfollowed me,

never answered my DMs.

I always wondered if something bad happened.

[upbeat music playing]

- I thought influencers were dumb,

and then I started posting videos of me making pizza,

and people followed.

- When'd you meet Nathan and Paul?

- This past April

at a new building they opened in Queens.

Paul came up to me at the bar and I thought, wow.

You know, like, here's this rich, cute guy,

and he wants to talk to me. [chuckles]

- What happened?

- I went back to the bedroom with him.

I thought we were just going to make out a little.

Then it--

I was dumb.

After a few minutes, somebody knocked on the door.

And Paul opens it and Nathan walks in.

[tense music]

- What did Paul do?

- Nothing.

So Nathan gets on the bed

and he starts taking his clothes off.

I tried to leave, but Nathan just

pushed me back down on the bed.

He held my arms down.

- And Paul didn't try to stop it?

- He just stood there in the corner, watching.

After it was over,

Paul, he, uh, handed me my shirt.

Like, what?

Like, you're going to be a nice guy now?

- Hey.

I'm sorry this happened to you, Carly.

- No, I-- I know what you think.

It's all my own fault. And, like, what do I think?

I'm just going to get all this free stuff for nothing?

- No, no, no, no, that's not what we think.

- That's why I didn't call the police.

I--I knew they wouldn't believe it.

- We do.

- It's too late anyways.

- No, it's not.

- After it happened, some lawyer reached out.

They paid me money,

and I had to sign a paper saying I wouldn't do anything.

- Do you remember the lawyer's name?

- I've got his email.

[indistinct chatter]

- Oh, Marvin.

- I already gave you my list, told you everything I know.

- You left out the best part, Mr. Gibbs.

We didn't know you were a lawyer too.

- Quite an achievement.

- [chuckling] Now, look, look--

- The emails sent to Carly Wilson buying her silence

were traced to this office's IP address.

I assume she didn't send them?

- I'll tell them you're running late.

- Great idea.

- Listen, I was just doing what Nathan and Paul told me.

[handcuffs clicking] - Mm.

- It's not me who picks the girls, it's them.

- You do know that you have the right to remain silent?

- They call it a target list. They tell me who to get.

What happens after that isn't my fault.

- It's called conspiracy to commit rape.

And you're just as guilty as Nathan and Paul.

- This isn't just a home. It is a masterclass in design.

Contemporary sophistication, an industrial finish...

- A mezzanine-level library,

more space than you know what to do with.

- But the real selling point

is its focus on health and wellness,

which is why we built this.

- [laughs] Care to join me?

- Hey, race you to the top?

- You're on. - [laughs]

[elevator dings]

- Excuse me. This is a closed set.

- Nathan and Paul Ellis. - Excuse me. Who are you?

- NYPD. Turn around. You're under arrest.

[handcuffs clicking] - What's this about?

- Shut up. Don't say anything.

I'm sure this is a misunderstanding.

- Well, I'm pretty sure that it's not.

[tense music]

- Look, someone was attacked at our party.

We're just as concerned as you.

- Well, we really appreciate

your willingness to talk to us about it.

- Starting with how long were you and Paul

at the party the other night?

- About an hour.

We mostly go to show face to clients.

We make our rounds, we have a drink, take some pictures.

- Take pictures with who?

- Important clients, influencers.

- Oh, right, your-- your atmosphere women.

- Yeah, well, these days,

influencers have to be built into the business.

- Influencers like her?

Skylar, right?

You see her at the party?

- I saw that she was drunk.

That's not uncommon for these girls.

Hindsight, I should have had security ask her to leave.

- But you didn't. - No.

Because I left myself.

With my brother. We went home.

- You two happen to stop in the bedroom on your way out?

Or the bathroom, maybe?

- No.

Oh, but we did do a walkthrough before the party started.

And since we had come off a workout,

I thought I'd take a shower.

So did Paul.

- So you don't remember seeing her?

- I'm telling you, I don't know!

- Well, Paul, what do you know?

- That we did what we always do at the parties.

We show up, we do our thing, and we leave.

- And what thing is that?

- Our jobs. We sell the place.

And I would like to see my brother now.

- We're not here about your brother.

We're here about you.

- I'm sorry that this happened to her.

I don't know anything!

- OK. Then maybe you know about her.

- Oh, yeah.

Yeah, I remember her.

We had sex.

And it was entirely consensual.

- Walk us through that.

- Well, she came up to me at the bar.

She was giving me all the signs.

We went to the bedroom.

But before we got into it, she asked me about Paul.

- What about him?

- If he'd be interested in watching.

- Come on.

Are you-- are you serious right now?

- [laughs] I know how it sounds.

It's just the way she wanted it.

- It's too bad that's not what she told us.

- Well, then she's either mistaken or she's lying.

- And you just played along?

Just watched your brother have sex with her?

- Yeah, I did.

- Because you wanted to?

- Maybe Nathan roped you into it.

Why don't we, uh, talk about Nathan?

What was it like growing up with him?

- He looks out for me. He protects me.

- Protects you from what?

- Nathan--Nathan isn't there.

All right? He's over here.

And I gotta tell you,

he's getting the same chance you are.

- Chance to do what?

- To tell a story.

What do you think he's saying?

- I don't think he's saying anything.

- Well, for all you know,

he could be in there right now spilling his guts.

- There's nothing to spill!

And I'm done talking to you!

[groans]

- So we got an outright denial on one hand,

incestuous threesome on the other.

- Another way to say guilty.

- If we get enough distance between him and big brother,

we might be able to flip it.

- You really think that's--that's doable?

- Well, I just--

he's completely under Nathan's control.

- I mean, you saw the way he kept looking at the mirror.

- All right, so how do we lift Nathan's thumb?

- So we know they're privileged.

Dad covers things up, Nathan protects.

But, you know, psychologically,

I'd have to know more about where this dynamic comes from.

- It's worth a shot, all right?

Considering our evidence is shower hair and Marvin Gibbs.

- And the victim's statement,

which told us that Paul is just as culpable

even if he didn't commit the act itself.

I think that we have more than enough to prove it, don't you?

- [sighs] Certainly tried cases on less.

- Where are my boys?

- Captain. - Where are they?

- Oh, God. Speaking of Dad.

- Which way? Who's in charge? - Excuse me.

I am Captain Benson.

And you must be Raymond Ellis.

- The father of two men

I believe you've wrongfully arrested.

- And interrogated sans counsel,

which some might find to be prejudicial.

- Well, they've been advised their rights,

and they're talking to us willingly.

- Not anymore. Interviews are over.

- Oh, excuse me.

Ah--

- Shut up, Paul. - OK.

Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave.

You need to leave the precinct.

- Benson, is it?

- Yes. I can spell it for you.

Would you--would you like my badge number as well?

- Yeah, maybe I would. - OK.

Well, I'm happy to provide that for you

as soon as you and your bodyguard leave my precinct.

[tense music]

- What, are you just going to stand there?

- I've got it covered, Raymond.

- You need to leave, sir.

♪

Thank you.

♪

- Guess we know where it comes from.

- Wow.

- Your Honor, I'm requesting people's exhibit three

be entered into evidence.

These are emails Ms. Wilson received

from a purported lawyer for the defendants.

- No objection.

- Ms. Wilson, would you mind summarizing

what this lawyer said in these emails?

- That he knew I felt uncomfortable

with what had happened.

He wanted to make it right.

- And how did he want to make it right?

- By paying me $7,500 if I signed an NDA.

- What was the name of this-- this lawyer?

- He said it was Tom Miller,

but I later found out from SVU that it was Marvin Gibbs.

- Marvin Gibbs, the party planner

who hired you in the first place?

- Yes.

- Ms. Wilson, why did you sign something

that you knew was meant to silence your assault?

- Mr. Gibbs said that

the Ellis brothers had so many resources,

it wouldn't be worth it to do anything.

Nobody would take my side, so I believed him.

- Thank you. No further questions.

- Ms. Wilson, after this alleged assault happened,

how long did it take for you to go to the police?

- I didn't.

- How long did it take you to go to the hospital

or visit a doctor?

- I didn't do that either.

- No police, no hospital.

But you did take a payment from Marvin Gibbs.

- I already answered that.

- You did, but--[sighs]

I have to say if I'd experienced

what you say you've been through,

I'd have asked for more.

- Objection. Argumentative.

- Get to the question, Ms. Vega.

- Did you ask for more, Carly?

[tense music]

- Yes.

- Smart woman. How much?

♪

- I asked for 10.

- $10,000.

Given how horrible you say this was,

even that doesn't sound like enough.

- Your Honor, is the defense testifying?

- My apologies.

Nothing further.

♪

- It was Marvin's idea to offer Carly compensation

and ask her to sign an NDA.

He convinced me to go through with it.

- Convinced you based on what?

- Fear of false allegations.

In today's cancel culture,

an accusation like Carly's, even if it's untrue,

would kill my career.

Marvin was trying to protect me, in this way.

- Let's talk about Skylar Wright.

Do you remember seeing her at the party?

- Yes.

She was at the bar.

With my brother, Paul.

They were talking, having drinks,

and then I saw them go into the bedroom.

- Are you aware of what happened

after Skylar and your brother Paul went into the bedroom?

- No.

All I know is that I never saw Ms. Wright again.

- [scoffs]

Mr. Ellis, why is this the first time

that anybody is hearing about this?

- Hearing about what?

- Oh, the fact that you saw your brother

go into the bedroom with the victim

moments before she was attacked,

something that you neglected to disclose to SVU detectives.

♪

- I love my brother.

I've always tried to protect him.

When I spoke to the police, I was not under oath,

but I am now.

And I take that very seriously.

♪

- Mr. Ellis, in light of your brother's testimony,

I only have a few questions for you.

Now, did you interact with Skylar Wright

at the penthouse party?

- Um, yes.

- And did you have drinks at the bar with her?

- Yes.

- Carly Wilson testified to the same fact pattern

on another occasion,

that the two of you had drinks together

before you took things to the bedroom.

Now, is that also what happened with Skylar Wright?

Mr. Ellis, I'm right over here.

You can just look at me.

All right, I'm going to ask you again.

Is that also what happened with Skylar Wright?

- No.

- No? So your brother's lying?

- [sighs] No.

- What? So Paul, look.

It--it's a simple question.

Did you or did you not go into the bedroom with Skylar?

- Yes.

- OK, and after you and Skylar went into the bedroom together,

did your brother, Nathan Ellis, enter and assault her

the same way Carly Wilson testified to earlier?

♪

Or you can just tell the court

what it is that you are looking at.

- Your Honor, how is this relevant?

- Your Honor, I'm sorry, but I'm just wondering

how I'm supposed to question a witness

who is getting signaled by his codefendant in real time.

- That is a lie!

- That's enough. Do not speak unless spoken to.

And you, keep your eyes on Mr. Carisi.

♪

- Thank you, Your Honor.

I have nothing further for him.

♪

- Carisi.

- Do me a favor, Counselor. Make this quick.

What do you want?

- Paul pleads guilty to the entire indictment.

Nathan walks.

- [chuckles]

Oh, Paul--Paul agrees to that?

- Let me worry about Paul.

- The only thing I'm worried about, Ms. Vega,

is what this offer does for me.

- It guarantees you one conviction

instead of what may end up being zero.

♪

- So you're saying you think

that this whole thing is orchestrated by Nathan.

- You should have seen them,

eyeing each other in the courtroom.

And you heard about Nathan's testimony, right?

- I heard that he tried to implicate his brother.

- Yeah, I bet the jury just ate that up.

- You're not-- you're not thinking about

accepting the deal that Vega offered?

- No, not for a second.

In fact, I think she's improperly representing Paul.

It's because of that that I'm considering

offering him a deal of my own.

- What, to flip Paul?

The man who led these victims to their assault,

who stood by and did nothing while it was happening?

- Liv, we have a very strong case

against Paul, but we don't for Nathan.

And I think most people would agree

that he's the greater of the two evils here,

so if we can flip Paul,

then there is a chance

that we could land them both behind bars.

[buzzer blares]

- What's going on? - Have a seat, Paul.

[buzzer blares]

- Did your lawyer tell you about the deal she offered me?

- What deal?

- The one where Nathan walks away

not guilty, and you go down for everything.

- You're lying.

- Nah. I wish we were, Paul.

But your brother put you in that room with Skylar.

He doesn't care about you.

He was going to throw you right under the bus.

- And your attorney just let it happen.

Which is why, uh, despite the unforgivable things

you've done, we wanted to give you

one more chance to help yourself.

- How?

- It's called shadow counsel.

The court will appoint you a new, separate attorney,

somebody that's gonna work in your best interest only.

- No.

I'm not doing that. - Hang on.

Your brother will never know.

- And nor will his attorney.

Just the judge, us, whoever your new lawyer is.

He's going to sit behind me in the gallery.

- Paul, you said that your brother protected you.

Your brother was using you.

He was manipulating you,

just like you manipulated Skylar,

like you manipulated Carly.

That's not protection, Paul.

That's control.

And it's the same kind of control that I saw

when your father just walked into the squad room

and started yelling at you in front of everyone.

Now--[sighs]

That doesn't excuse the things that you've done.

But it does give us an opportunity

to help you free yourself from them.

And after all this time, after all those years,

my God,

don't you want that?

[somber music]

♪

- [sighs]

♪

Nathan couldn't talk to girls.

He would just freeze up.

That's why he'd send me in.

- Send you to do what?

- Get them to like me, trust me.

Sometimes I'd put something in their drink.

Lots of times, I didn't need to.

They would just...

come with me.

- So you were the lure.

- Is that what you did with Carly?

And Skylar?

♪

- It's not just them.

Nathan would take over.

At first, I was just supposed to be the lookout.

And then he asked me to watch.

- Why?

- Power.

Paul was the second son.

Paul was from the second marriage.

And Nathan wanted to make sure

that you never forgot who was in charge.

♪

- Both of them, they don't care

what anybody else thinks or feels!

They're in charge. They're the boss.

Consequences don't apply. [sniffles]

Even if someone ends up hurt.

♪

Or even if someone...

ends up dead.

♪

- You mean like--

like Alicia Williams?

♪

Like the girl from New Jersey that died in the car accident?

♪

Is that what you mean?

- [sniffles and sighs]

- It wasn't an accident.

Dad told us to crash the car to cover it all up.

- To cover what up?

♪

- That he killed her.

♪

- [sighs]

Where the hell is Paul?

- Where the hell's the judge?

- Apologies, ladies and gentlemen.

I've just received some distressing news.

[dramatic music]

♪

[indistinct radio chatter]

- Hey. What happened?

- He got shivved in the neck by an inmate an hour before trial.

- OK, did they say if he's going to make it?

- It's an inch from his jugular.

They stabilized him enough to bring him here,

but it doesn't look good.

♪

- So the judge hit the pause button on trial

until Paul's able to testify.

- And the surgeon was able to stitch him up,

so it looks like he's going to be able to pull through.

- Well, we know this isn't a coincidence.

What we don't know is how it happened.

- Daniel Boyd,

awaiting transfer to Green Haven for murder.

Inmate who stabbed Paul

now in solitary pleading the fifth.

- More like covering for whoever's behind this.

- My money's on the lawyer.

She's been protecting Nathan from jump.

- Yeah, but does Vega have the juice

to pull something like this off?

- Probably not. But you know who does?

The father.

- Yeah, venture cap Daddy Warbucks,

he tries to kill one son to protect the other.

- Or protect himself,

after what Paul told you about Alicia Williams.

- Well, the question is how did he find out about it?

- Wouldn't be shocked if Paul got cold feet,

somehow squealed on his brother.

- OK, Paul--Paul was solid.

He wanted to cooperate with us.

- Yeah, somebody inside that jail

leaked our meeting with him.

They got the word out.

- And we just need to find out who.

So, you two, find out who has the big mouth.

[suspenseful music]

♪

- That's my phone! You can't do that!

- Yeah, according to our warrant, we can.

It seems like you got two jobs, Officer Hickey.

- CO by day,

moonlighting bodyguard for Raymond Ellis by night.

- That's not illegal. - No, it's not.

But it is illegal to have Paul Ellis killed

and grant Daniel Boyd the access to do so.

- You got the wrong guy. - Yeah?

Then why all these phone calls to Raymond

the same day as Paul's attack?

♪

- I want a lawyer. - Yeah, you'll get one.

- And I'm sure they'll convince you to cooperate.

♪

- Mr. Ellis, were you a willing participant

to your brother's scheme?

- [rasping] Yes.

- And what did this scheme involve?

- Finding women like Skylar Wright

and Carly Wilson on social media,

sending them to our parties,

and me luring them in

for Nathan to assault them.

- Did you witness these assaults?

- I saw everything.

♪

[door slams]

- Real estate titan Nathan Ellis

was found guilty of rape in the first degree

while his brother Paul received a plea deal in the final hour.

- Raymond Ellis, remember me?

- I remember everything, Captain Benson.

- Ah? Even trying to kill your own son?

- That's ridiculous.

Excuse me. - Not this time.

You're under arrest.

- You have no idea who you're dealing with, do you?

- Well, actually, I do.

And you will be dealing with Deputy Feldman

from Morris County.

Now, you remember him, don't you?

Because he has a couple of questions

about the murder of Alicia Williams.

♪

Get him out of here. - Come on.

- Mr. Ellis.

- Sir, can you tell us why

you're being taken into custody?

Mr. Ellis.

[overlapping chatter]

- [sighs]

[wolf howls]