All language subtitles for Law.and.Order.SVU.S21E18.HDTV.x264-SVA - m

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.

It's going to be amazing.

My daddy says
you're a hard worker.

‐
‐ He does?

Well, that's good to know.

‐ It's true.
‐ Do you have a gun too?

I do, but I don't
bring it to parties.

Wow, your family's so lovely.

And you didn't tell me
that your wife is gorgeous.

And‐‐and hilarious.

Lamai balances me out.
All right.

Heads‐up,
I know that look in her eye.

‐ Olivia, did Chris tell you‐‐
‐ You know I didn't.

Our dear friend, Edgar.

He's a partner at my old firm.
Edgar, Olivia.

‐ Hello.
‐ Olivia.

You're as stunning
as Lamai said you were.

‐ Hey.
‐ Oh.

You okay?

Yeah, well, I spent
the weekend with my mother.

Beth okay?
So that's a no.

- Other than that?
‐ What, end of the shift,

I'm sent to Special Frauds

where a sticky‐fingered church
bookkeeper may want to flip.

- Does life get better than that?
‐ So that's another no?

Right over here.

Ms. Blake, this is Detective
Rollins from Special Victims.

I've told her a spot audit
revealed that you've embezzled

more than $400,000
from your church.

And you're looking
to trade information

about a sexual predator?
Who?

It's okay.

He's an official
at my church.

Go on.

Cards on the table, Sherry.

He's had sexual relations

with teenage girls
in the congregation

and used church funds
to pay them off.

‐ Gonna need his name.
‐ We're gonna need assurances.

As I've told you,
the DA will consider any‐‐

I'm worried about the NYPD.

‐ Excuse me?
‐ This church official?

He's a close personal friend
of your boss.

So, normally I stumble
my way through grace.

‐ No, no.

Uh, but Reverend Chase,
would you do us the honors?

Shall we?

Dear Lord, thank you
for the gift

of gathering in the warmth
of the Garland home

on a cold winter's night,

to visit with old friends
and to meet new ones,

to savor
Lamai's masterful cooking...

to...

To be interrupted
by a doorbell.

‐ Excuse me.

Cheers, everyone.

- Cheers.
‐ Here's to a lovely evening.

‐ Sorry to bother you, Chief.
‐ We tried calling.

It's a no‐cell phones dinner.
Your captain's here.

We know.
We need a minute.

Come in.

Carisi, Rollins,
what's going on?

We got a credible tip about
a serial sexual predator.

Couldn't wait until morning?

The informant claims
it's someone you know.

She wants assurances that

you'll let
the investigation proceed.

Of course I will.
Who is it?

Reverend Delman Chase.

I find that
very hard to believe.

Wasn't that just him
saying grace?

How well do you
know each other?

H‐he and his wife Laura
are like family.

Been my spiritual advisor
for over a decade.

He was the minister
at my wedding.

*LAW AND ORDER*
Special Victims Unit

*LAW AND ORDER SVU*
Season 21 Episode 18

Title: "Garland's Baptism By Fire"

Aired on: April 02, 2020

So Garland's minister's

doing teenage girls
at his church?

Fin, we don't know that.

Then why would
this accountant make it up?

Because she's facing
serious fraud charges.

Anyway, Garland
doesn't believe it.

‐ So he's gonna shut us down?
‐ No, that's not his way.

Or his call.

‐ Hey, check this out.
‐ Hey.

Praise dancing
at Harlem Heights Baptist?

Turns out Reverend Chase

is a big supporter of the
church's all‐girl dance troupe.

They perform
all over the country,

win all kinds of awards.

‐ Whoo!

Hallelujah!
Oh, praise the Lord.

Oh, yeah, wonderful job.

Oh, that was wonderful.

‐ Good job, good job.
‐ Whoo!

Our praise dancers
always lift my spirit.

‐ Amen.
‐ Amen.

‐ We're so blessed.
‐ We are so blessed.

That's Chase's wife
and co‐pastor, Laura.

They've been at Harlem Heights
for 20 years.

Uh, their sermons
are nationally broadcast.

‐ So he's a for‐profit pastor?
‐ Uh, yeah.

They got the two mansions,
a church‐leased private plane.

But he also runs a charity that
works with local non‐profits.

And he started
a charter school

for underprivileged girls.

And the church also funds
a dorm for at‐risk youth.

Okay, that could be
a hunting ground.

What do we have on his payouts?

Uh, Chase told his bookkeeper
that these checks

were for families in need,
the girls' college funds.

Code for hush money.

Over 50 checks
from the last seven years,

all varying amounts,
almost all 15K or under.

Uh, sorry to interrupt.
Captain.

Yes, okay, great.
Here you go.

Come in.

Thank you for
coming last night.

It was a lovely evening.

Huh, until it wasn't.

Look, after everyone left,
it, uh...

it crossed my mind
to call Del back.

You wanted to give him
a heads‐up?

I did, because I don't
believe he's capable of this.

But Lamai had the good legal
sense to talk me out of that.

To be clear, you're in control
of the investigation.

I'll recuse.

You can report
to the Chief of D's.

I appreciate that.

But because he trusts you...

and the community trusts you...

I may need your help
with this.

Okay.

In that case, Laura Chase
pulled me aside last night.

She's worried about
the embezzlement.

Might be an opening.

We appreciate your
cooperation, Reverend Chase.

Call me Laura.
But aren't you Special Victims?

We are, but Chris Garland
asked us to look into this

- on behalf of Special Frauds.
‐ Christian's a good man.

When I heard Sherry Blake
stole collection‐plate money

to go on shopping sprees,
I was sickened.

Not just collections.
We flagged some checks that

may or may not be legitimate.
W‐would you mind taking a look?

Of course.
Let's go to my office.

These two... we never used
a catering service, I'm sure.

Okay, so put those
in the fraudulent pile.

And now we have
three different car payments.

Yeah, we each have our own
car and there's a church van.

We also found a, uh, series
of checks made out to...

to different girls.
Do you recognize this name?

Yeah, Breyona Taylor...
she's a student.

$10,000.

The church sometimes helps
young girls with family need.

Yeah.

This one is from
four years ago.

Destiny Hall?
We had such high hopes for her.

Poor girl just lost her way.

$75,000?

Yeah, three checks
in the same month.

Renee Lee, 75,000.

Sade Ferguson, 75,000.

And $100,000
PraiseRaise fund

for, uh, Sade Lee.

Renee is a student,

and Sade is her mom.
And they were struggling.

But there's no way the church
would've paid out $1/4 million.

Sister Sherry must have

written out the checks
and laundered them.

My husband will be
beside himself.

Yes, it's my check.

It's made out to me,
Breyona Taylor.

Can you tell us
what it was for?

I told the Rev that I wanted
to go to medical school

to become a pediatrician.

He said it would cost a lot,
but he could help.

And he just gave you
the check?

We put it in an account,
just like that.

Did he expect anything
in return?

Just to keep
working towards my dream

and to give all glory to God.

The Reverend called it
a down payment on my future.

What that mean?

‐ It meant keep my mouth shut.
‐ About what?

About him being nasty.

He gave me a loan,

asked if I have bad thoughts,

asked me to tell him
about my temptations.

‐ Anything else happen?
‐ I shut him down.

Took his check.
That money is long gone.

- ‐ You ever tell anyone?
- ‐

Everyone at that church
thinks he's God.

Thanks for speaking
with us, Michelle.

You're here about
that accountant?

Everyone knows about it?

Yeah.
The girls are all upset.

I'm the dorm mom,
so I hear it all.

Is Renee Lee here today?

Front and center,
like always.

Thanks.

Reverend Chase is
generous to all us girls.

- He's a true Christian.
‐ I'm sure he is, but...

$250,000?

My mom broke her back.
She hasn't worked in a year.

And was that
the only reason

the Reverend gave
your family the money?

Like, breaking
your back isn't enough?

It's just a lot more
than the other donations

made by the church,

and if the Reverend
asked for anything in return...

Like what?
You saying the Rev's a creeper?

He's not.

Anyway, I gotta rehearse now.

‐ I'm new and all, but...
‐ You're not that new.

Something happened here,
and it wasn't spiritual.

Who's gonna
tell Chief Garland?

How long's it been
since we've done this?

Too long.

And I thought here would be
a better place to talk

than either of our offices.

If this is about
the embezzlement, Del,

I assure you the investigation
will proceed

- with due diligence.
‐ Will it?

There are bitter and racist
eyes on us, Christian.

Eyes that don't wanna see me
raise up this community

through my church, my school.

Eyes that don't wanna see
a black man rise in the NYPD.

But I have risen.

As have you.

These investigators are
making salacious implications,

concocting conspiracies.

I worry folks will think

there must be fire
underneath that smoke.

Whatever stories
your people are hearing,

I need to know.

Promise me you won't be
a corbie‐messenger.

Understood.

That's all I need to know.

I'm always here
for you, Christian.

At this point, I'll resign.

If I taught you anything,

it's how to protect your king.

All right, man.

Well?

‐ Protested far too much.
‐

He asked for my word
that I have his back.

‐ I'm so sorry.
‐ So am I.

I have a sick feeling
the Lord had nothing to do

with why he wrote those checks.

I'm happy to help
if I can, Captain.

My wife said this was about

the checks
to Renee Lee's mother.

Yeah, your wife thought

that they were fraudulent.

No, the other ones
she caught were,

but on these,
Laura was mistaken.

So the quarter million
is legit?

I don't recall
the exact amount,

but Renee's needs were great.

How do you mean?

Renee's mother,
who had worked on her feet

her entire life,
suffered a serious back injury.

She couldn't pay
her mortgage, her heat.

Renee would've had to drop out
of school, go home, work.

And her home was
a troubled environment.

So you saved her?

The church saved her
with the Lord's help.

Okay.

Did the church's hierarchy
approve these checks?

Payments are
at my discretion,

with the Lord's guidance.

So the Lord told you to
make three separate payments,

including a check
made out directly to Renee?

Separating the payments

was definitely
Sister Sherry's idea.

And... and I don't recall
this last one at all.

I'd say ask her,

but we already know we
can't believe a word she says.

Now, if you'll excuse me,
I have a sermon to prepare.

About yielding to temptation?

No, about forgiveness.

‐ So where are we?
‐ Giving money away is legal.

Chase claims not to recall
one payment to Renee.

Renee insists

that the Reverend
gave her and her mother

all three checks,
no strings attached.

‐ So what does the mother say?
‐ She lives up in Syracuse.

- I sent Fin and Kat up there.
‐ Good.

Tell them they can
threaten her with fraud

if she doesn't tell the truth.
I'm not in a forgiving mood.

Fraud at the church?

Well, that's terrible.

Well, my money's legitimate.
I hurt myself.

Yeah, we heard that
you had some kind of a fall.

I had a table full
of Karens riding me,

and cleared too fast
and I slipped.

You know, I would
have lost my home

if Reverend Chase
hadn't sent that check.

And the PraiseRaise fund?

Well, that was
for my medical.

Renee kept saying,
"Just keep praying

and trusting in God, and..."

But all the money came
from the Reverend's church.

The Reverend
always looked out for her.

She was a wild child,

and I was about
to put her out the house.

But then my sister
saw the Reverend on TV,

so Renee sends in
her praise dance audition tape,

and right away he sends
a ticket for her

to come to New York.
It was a miracle.

‐ Praise Jesus.
‐ Amen.

Have you ever
met the Reverend?

No.
Only person I've ever spoken

with is the dorm mom girl,
Michelle.

She told me how much
everyone loves Renee.

$250,000?
Are you sure?

It seems like
a lot to you.

After all he's done for her,
and this is how she repays him?

What do you mean, Michelle?

Reverend Chase would never
give her all that money.

Renee must have stolen it.

Maybe she's in on it
with that bookkeeper.

He's such a good man.

He doesn't see people
for who they are.

That's what we thought.

Thank you.

There's no way
Renee stole that money.

No, but maybe
we should give her

a chance to refute the charge.

You want to use
a false charge as leverage

to pressure a victim
to disclose?

He's a revered minister.

If we want to make this case,

we may not have a choice.

I hate to say this, Renee,

but you could be in
serious trouble here.

Why am I in trouble?

Well, the Reverend doesn't
remember the check

- made out to you.
‐ That's impossible.

- He handed it to me.
‐ He did?

What was it for?
‐ Like I said, expenses.

My future.
‐ Huh.

Well, you and your mom
got over ten times more

than anybody else.

Now, it's been suggested
that, uh, that you stole it.

I didn't steal anything.

I hope not.

Charges for grand larceny
are serious.

I could go to jail?

I just did
what he wanted.

And what...
what was that, honey?

If I tell the truth,
can my mom keep the money?

I wasn't lying
about her.

We're gonna do
everything we can to help you.

But you need to tell us
the whole story.

When I started at the school,
my grades were bad,

really bad.

He called me into his office,
but he didn't yell at me.

He said he would
tutor me privately.

It would be our secret.

Did you and he
have other secrets?

Sometimes he'd tutor me.

Sometimes
he'd massage my body.

After dance, that felt
really good, but then he...

I sh... I shouldn't talk
about this anymore.

Hey, Renee, listen to me.

There's nothing
that you can tell us

that we haven't heard before.

Can I just show you?

I told Rev I had deleted it.

That's why he gave me
the money.

How old were you here?

Fifteen.

Who is the man in this video?

Reverend Chase.

Garland's a cop,
a deacon at the church.

And he's telling us
he didn't know his own pastor

- was a child rapist?
‐ Fin.

I'm not saying he knew
and kept it quiet.

I'm saying
he should've known something.

Are we arresting
this guy or not?

Detectives.

Reverend Chase,
we'd like you to come with us

down to the station.

Is this about
the embezzlement?

‐ No, it's about Renee Lee.
‐ I don't understand.

She's made
an allegation of rape.

What did you say
to that poor girl?

She also has a tape.

Am I under arrest?

Not if you come with us
down to the station.

We'd rather not cuff you.

‐ Delman, what's wrong?
‐ Call Adams.

And Christian Garland.

You should know that
Garland sent us.

It's all right, baby.

You knew he was
being brought in?

I did.

How could you
let this happen?

After 15 years?

We've eaten at
each other's table,

prayed together.
He's Abby's godfather.

‐ Laura, please sit down.
‐ Why is this girl lying, huh?

Why does she want to hurt us?

There's a video.

I don't believe it.
I wanna see it.

‐ I don't think...
‐ This is my husband's life

we're talking about, Christian.
I wanna see it.

Thank God it's not him.

So why are you
doing this, Christian?

‐ Laura...
‐ It's a fake.

That's not Del.
You need to tell them.

Tell them.

What reason would
this girl have to lie?

And the payments to her
and her family...

$250,000?

I can't make this go away!

If you can't...

then our relationship is over.

No one in our church will
ever speak to you

or your wife

or your little daughter again.

Did he say anything
in the car?

He was very polite.
He prayed.

Olivia.

Edgar.

I'm here to see my client,
Reverend Chase.

- You're a criminal attorney?
‐ Yeah, I used to be.

But it doesn't matter.
Since Reverend Chase is not

a criminal, he called me.

I'm of counsel to the church.

I'm sorry to tell you this,

but there... there may be

a side to your client
that you're not aware of.

Where's Delman?

Renee Lee
secretly recorded this?

Yes, and that's
clearly her in the tape.

She was 15 years old.

That's the entirety
of the video?

What, you wanna see more?

Well, I see nothing
that implicates my client.

All that's visible is
a black male torso.

- That could be anyone.
- Renee said

that Reverend Chase

sexually abused her
for three years,

until six months ago.

Uh, my heart goes out
to the poor girl,

but she's lying.
I need to talk to her.

- Pray with her.
‐ Shut her up?

Wasn't that what
the $1/4 million was for?

That money,
given out of compassion,

apparently only showed her
how deep my client's

and the church's pockets are.

This is obviously
an extortion attempt.

Renee didn't come to us.

And at first, she said
that it was charity.

I‐I think
she's troubled, confused.

- Reverend...
- These young girls

and their teenage temptations.

You sure know a lot about
their temptations, don't you?

She had
an unhealthy fixation on me.

I prayed with her,

told her it would pass.

She must have found someone
else to act it out with.

Why would she say
that's you on the video?

Captain, Sergeant, we've
cooperated as much as we can.

You have a girl here
with a history

of drug and promiscuity issues

against the word
of a renowned spiritual leader.

I can't imagine this
goes any further.

Oh, it can.

And it will.

Well, if your minds
are that closed,

I'd like a few moments
alone with my attorney.

"Blessed is the man who
remains steadfast under trial,

"for when he has stood
the test he will receive

the crown of life."

Yeah, now he's praying?
Little late.

Okay, while he prays,
can we get a subpoena

to photograph his torso
and his back?

That's tough
unless we arrest.

He's not under arrest yet?

Garland's looking
out for him?

More like the Eighth Floor.

And considering
the Reverend's profile...

And the voting bloc
he controls...

To be fair, Renee will be
a problematic witness.

It would be helpful
if we had some corroboration.

Kat, comb through
the financials again

and follow up with
any of the girls

that we haven't contacted yet.

‐ Copy that.
‐ Fin, Rollins.

See if any of the girls
in the dorm might break rank.

And then...
I know it's a long shot,

but get CSU to go
through Renee's dorm.

When I went to Renee's room
to call her for lunch,

she was gone.
She took everything.

She must've run away.

What did you say
to her, Michelle?

Just that
she would have to swear

on the Bible
to tell the truth.

That lying lips are
an abomination to the Lord.

You know where she went?

Not a person in this church
would take her in.

I heard her on the phone,
crying to her mother.

Breyona, honey,
you can't be in here.

I know she brought this
on herself,

but they didn't
have to do this.

Breyona's just a kid.
She don't know better.

But no one else feels bad.

Renee was lying
about the Reverend.

She knew that if
she continued on that path,

she'd be damning her soul
to hell for all eternity.

The Reverend was
having sex with Renee?

I don't believe it.

R‐Renee never said a word.

And... and I would know.
I'm her mother.

Sometimes mothers
are the last to know.

He's a man of God.
He saved us from being a...

You mean with the money?

He didn't make those payments
until he found out

that Renee had a video
of them having sex.

Now you... you listen here.

I've... I've paid my mortgage.

So if you're looking for
that money back, it's gone.

That's not why we're here.

When's the last time
you heard from Renee?

She called me.

Said the girls at the school
were being mean,

and she couldn't
take it anymore.

I told her life was
overcoming obstacles,

and she couldn't come home
crying to Mommy

just 'cause she had a bad day.

‐ So she wanted to come home?
‐ Yes.

Any other place
she could've gone?

Just one.

How'd you find me?

Your mom's worried about you.

You mean she's worried
about the money.

That too.

- Is your boyfriend home?
‐ He's at work.

Anyway, the cops can't care
about that anymore.

I'm 17.

We just wanna talk to you.

You can't convince me
to come back.

Everyone's saying
I'm a gold digger, I'm a ho,

just bringing a good man down.

We know that
he's not a good man.

You're cops.

Everybody at church,
even if they see the video,

they'll just say it's not him.

We show the video in court,
and you say it's him,

a jury will know.

Why would I want that
shown in court?

All those people...

I never should've
shown it to you.

If I kept my mouth shut
and kept the money,

let him move on to
his next special girl...

Which girl?

I don't know what
you're talking about.

And you better get out of here
before Carl comes home.

He hates cops.

- Two decaf, one regular.
‐ Great.

Let me know if you
need anything else.

Thank you so much, Lamai.

Where were we?

Uh, yeah, I was about to say

we can make the case
without Renee.

That's what I would've
said too, when I was a cop.

But her statement...
without the defense getting

a chance to cross‐examine her,
it won't be admissible.

‐ What about the video?
‐ We can use it, but again,

without Renee, we can't
even confirm that that's him

on the tape.
‐ Okay, there is one way.

If we arrest him, then
we can do a full body kit,

get his DNA,
and photograph his torso.

It's the Captain's call,
not mine,

but I do know the longer
we draw this out,

the more time he'll have
to call in favors.

I'll give you a head start,
before I alert Ms. Hadid.

At the risk of overstepping,
can I ask that we

not embarrass his wife
or the congregation

by arresting him in public?

I will call his attorney
and...

and arrange for the Reverend
to turn himself in.

Hold on.

- Hey, Chief, doing okay?
‐ No.

It's never easy
when mentors fall.

Laura, can we talk?

You didn't have the decency

- to call him in yourself, Christian?
- I'm sorry.

I am too.

He's not capable of this,
Christian.

‐ I always...
‐ He's a good man.

I always thought so.

That's why I refused
to believe it at first.

This girl Renee,
she must be out for our money.

It's not about money.

She's been vilified by
her classmates, ostracized.

This is the last thing
she wanted.

Maybe she's upset because
everybody knows she's lying.

She's been to our home.
Delman looked out for her.

He spent more time
tutoring her in math

than he did working
on his own sermons.

And why is that, Laura?

Reverend Chase, on the charge
of rape in the second degree,

how do you plead?
‐ Not guilty.

‐ Not guilty, Your Honor.
‐ People on bail?

We request remand,
Your Honor.

This charge is the first

of what we believe
will be many others.

He works with young women
in his church, at the school.

We believe he's a risk.
‐ Your Honor,

Reverend Chase has led a career
of profound public service,

unblemished by
so much as a hint of scandal.

He has no intention to flee,
only to clear his good name.

We ask he be released
on his own recognizance.

I will grant bail
in the amount of 50,000,

with the condition
the defendant

has no unsupervised contact

with any underage girls
pending trial.

I am grateful for
the prayers and support

of my wife and co‐pastor.

Even standing here
wrongfully accused,

I'm a blessed man.

Turning courthouse steps
into his pulpit?

You see that coming?

And his wife
standing by his side?

She perceives it
as her duty.

Down to the dress
she's wearing.

There is no truth
to today's charges.

My accuser is full of lies.

A girl who only seeks payment,

who through perfidy
and deception,

has stolen hard‐earned dollars
from our church's coffers.

But she's not alone
in her assault on our church.

Look, Chief, you don't need
to be here, really, let's...

If he's going to revile me,
I'd rather he do it to my face.

My calls to justice
have always been

a threat to the NYPD,

and they found a Judas
quick to do their bidding.

And as Jesus forgave his Judas,

I forgive my betrayer.

Deputy Chief Garland,

a member of my own flock,

so eager to prove his worth

to the lily‐white establishment
of the NYPD,

that he has concocted
a sickening conspiracy

to try and bring me down.

And I know there are those
who will believe

and swallow these lies,

like those who believed
the lies the Romans told

about our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ.

What did He do to deserve
being nailed on the cross?

- I can't.
‐ Yeah.

‐ You okay, Chief?
‐ I've been cast out before.

It's a recurring theme.
‐

Hey, listen,
don't take it personally.

There's a reason
they call 'em a "flock."

- He'll never lose them.
‐

Maybe.

But I think he's losing the
one person he needs the most.

Why don't you have
a seat right there?

Del has been lying to me
all these years.

It's the first time
I've ever lied to him.

He thinks I'm paying
a bereavement call.

I didn't tell him that it was
you who called me last night.

Thank you for coming in.

After we spoke,
I thought about, uh...

how... how did you say it?

I think that
I said that predators

can often groom
their victims

under the cover of mentoring.

I was awake all night.

All those hours Del
told me he was tutoring...

My God, how could I let
that happen to those girls,

under my watch?

Under my roof?

This morning,

I reached out to them.

Michelle, Renee, Breyona.

There could be others.
I have no idea.

And what did you say?

I asked for
their forgiveness.

And I asked that
they cooperate with you.

What did I do?
My God.

I couldn't believe
he knew my name.

I felt so blessed.

And when did things change?

One night, he asked me
to stay late after practice.

That's when he offered
to give me a massage.

He was hugging me.

It turned into a kiss.

He put his tongue
in my mouth.

He told me that

he had never done this before
with any other girl.

That it would have
to be our secret.

That the feelings were
so strong, it was God's will.

Tell me about the video.

When he said he was
coming to my room again,

I set up my laptop with
the video camera recording.

And when did you
show him the video?

Last November.

I saw he was beginning
to pay attention to Breyona.

I guess I was jealous.

I didn't understand at
the time why Renee was upset.

And did he offer you money?

He set up a scholarship fund
and gave me a job.

He bought my mom a car.

Four months ago,
after I showed him the video,

he confiscated my computer,

and he gave me
and my mother $250,000.

And was that Reverend Chase
in the video?

Yes.

And how old were you
at the time?

Fifteen.

I know because I recorded it
on my birthday.

Thank you, Renee.

Thank you for coming in.

I wanted to give you
the heads‐up

that Renee Lee testified
before a grand jury today.

It's pretty damning.

Renee.

I see clearly now how
she led me to temptation.

She's no innocent.

She used her lithe body,

her suggestive smile
to lure me to her,

no different from Bathsheba,
bathing on the rooftop,

20 yards from King David.

‐ So you didn't assault her...

‐ I would never assault anyone.
‐ More of a seduction?

You got that right.
Getting all gussied up

every time I came over
to tutor her.

She entrapped me.
Why else would she video...

‐ Reverend...
‐ And... and then lie to me

that she deleted the only copy?

She's the one who should be
charged here with extortion.

Yeah, maybe.
But she was underage.

A jury will look at her,
and then at me,

and decide for themselves.
‐ I hear you.

And... and to be honest,
I‐I'd be nervous,

if I didn't have two other
girls from the church

who also testified to

the exact same pattern
of grooming, seduction,

and sexual predation.
‐ Were these girls...

Underage?
All of them, at the start.

By the time they turned 17,
the good Reverend here

only seems to get tempted
by a younger girl.

T‐they're setting me up.

It's gotta be part
of a coordinated shakedown.

They know the church has money.
Someone must've got to them.

‐ Delman.
‐ Your client's right.

Someone did meet with them.

To extort money
from the church?

No, to give them permission
to tell the truth,

without fear of
reprisal from you.

I demand to know
who in my congregation

would plot against me.

There's no plot, Reverend.

She was seeking
their forgiveness.

"She"?

Your wife.

Laura?

You... you turned her against me?

No, you did that.

And she'll never
forgive herself

for what happened
to those girls.

Reverend Chase's
lawyer is here.

Want me to tell him
to go away?

That's not a bad idea,
but, uh, no, thanks.

‐ I'll be outside.
‐ Thanks, Fin.

Your sergeant's
protective of you.

Always.
So...

the Reverend took the deal?

He did.

I told him, going forward,
I can no longer

be of counsel to the church
and represent him.

So I arranged for
other counsel to take over.

Can we talk off the record?

Of course.
Have a seat.

I want you to know
that I've gone over this

in my head a hundred times.

Never saw any of the signs.

I'm sick over it and ashamed.

If it helps, I've heard
hundreds of spouses,

of friends, of parents...

tell me exactly
what you're telling me.

When there's
a skilled predator,

one that's been
operating for decades,

they are adept at
shielding their dark side

from everyone,

except their victims.

A wolf in sheep's clothing.

And I am so sorry
for my part in this.

You were doing your job,
defending your client.

What he did,
there is no defense.

Counselor, um,
for what it's worth,

I wish we hadn't met
under these circumstances.

Me too.

Christian.
It was good of you to come.

How are you, Delman?

Enduring the tribulations

the Lord has deemed
fit to send me.

I was relieved to hear
you decided to plead guilty.

I wanted to spare
the young women

the burden of
having to testify.

You mean spare yourself
the humiliation?

You sound angry, Christian.

I'm struggling.

‐ You wanna talk about that?
‐ Not with you.

Then why are you here?
To gloat?

To castigate?

Other than my new lawyer,
you're my only visitor.

Laura won't even take
my phone calls.

Do you blame her?

You know, Laura and I were
never able to have a child?

And I thought
God was testing me,

and that was
the worst punishment

He could visit on me.

But now, to knock me down
like this,

take away my church,
put me behind bars...

You're not Job in this story.
Laura is.

No, He's testing me.

God hasn't abandoned me,
Christian.

This is all a part of His plan.

He wants me to minister
to the souls

of all the men
behind these bars.

- That's why He did this to me.
‐ You did this to yourself.

And until you realize that,
there's no path to forgiveness

from Laura, me, or God.

Well, then.
You've said your piece.

You needn't visit again.

Tomas?

Delman.

I will pray for you.

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