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.

I am so sorry.

Take it easy. You made it, you made it.

Come here. Sit down.

Excuse me, can I get a glass of wine here?

Did you hear from your mother?

Yeah, the last report from Staten Island

is that the kids are making popcorn,

they're watching movies

that they probably shouldn't be watching,

but everybody's happy.

Thank you.

Liv keep you late, or...?

No, she had to kick me out.

I... I just... I lost track of time.

I'm really sorry. - No, no, no.

Relax, relax. Look.

Sounds to me like you're finally back

in a job that makes you happy.

I am.

Happy.

It's just weird.

- Why is that weird? - I don't know.

I'm just... I guess I'm just used to

hopping around different jobs, and this feels...

permanent.

Enjoy it.

Be bored.

Just for a minute.

Here.

Happy second anniversary.

Yes.

I don't think that's how it goes.

Silence is almost eerie.

Hear me complaining?

Hey, I'm gonna take a shower.

Don't you go anywhere.

Sonny?

Sonny?

Drop it.

Lower the gun.

Drop it or I'll shoot.

Shoot and Counselor Carisi dies, Sergeant Rollins.

It's okay, it's okay.

Put it on the ground. Kick it to me.

There's still time to get out of this.

Do it!

I said to me!

Just forget about the gun.

Just... just tell us what you want.

Back up.

All right.

He walks over slow.

You tie him up.

I'm not doing that.

I'm in control.

Amanda.

Do it!

Unravel it.

No.

Unravel it!

Don't move.

- Are you okay? - I'm okay, I'm okay.

Go, go. Go.

- Amanda, it's funny. - Anything?

Not yet,

but we have every cop in the city on the lookout.

Okay, just make sure that they have his full description.

Um, he was white.

Um, he was young, 20s, probably.

He had medium build. He had brown eyes.

Okay, Amanda, we got it.

Why don't... why don't you have a seat, honey?

Okay?

Look, is there anything at all familiar about him?

Did you... the sound of his voice, a familiar scent?

No, if we know him, we didn't recognize him.

No.

But he sure as hell knew who we were.

Yeah, he knew our names. And he knew how to break in.

He was waiting here for us, Liv.

Did he say anything that gives us motive, anything?

He wanted us both dead.

Okay? He didn't need to say it.

And the way he referred to us, Sergeant, Counselor...

like, I know that we're looking at a targeted attack,

but I think it could be revenge.

I'm sending a protective detail, okay?

To Staten Island for your kids and your parents.

And I'm putting you two in a hotel until we know more.

- Good. - This could've...

this could have been really, really bad.

And it wasn't because you kept your head about you

and you protected yourself.

And you are safe and your children are safe.

We're gonna- Widen the perimeter.

And I want a patrol car on every block

a mile out until we say otherwise.

Hey, I just wanted to see with my own eyes

that you were all right.

We're fine. Thank you, Chief.

The department is devoting

every available resource to this.

We will be meticulous and swift.

Um, my personal number.

Call any time. - Appreciate it, Chief.

Yeah.

You all right?

You want the honest answer?

Me neither.

When it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.

Yeah.

I'm here to support you, whatever you need.

Well, I want is for you to take the lead on this.

And before you answer...

Done.

Wow, okay.

Thank you.

She'll, need to be on modified

while the shooting is being reviewed.

Of course.

Give up her gun,

which I imagine will go over like a lead balloon.

She... she understands protocol.

Still, if you need me to be the bad guy, I'll take the hit.

Tell her I won't listen to reason.

I appreciate that.

I'll handle it. - Sure.

And, um, I'll get her on top of the list for the psych eval.

You just find who did this.

I will.

Hey, what did we get from the witnesses?

Neighbor's a bust.

He heard the guy in the fire escape.

He couldn't get a good look.

But the Amazon driver did,

said that he saw a man in a COVID mask

get into a blue Honda.

We get a license plate?

No. Let me show you why.

The plate's got some kind of cover on it.

The guy knows what he's doing.

It's too far away to ID the driver,

but the perp gets into the passenger side.

Which means that he had an accomplice.

Did any other cameras pick this up?

No, none better than this.

We'll put out an APB on what we got.

Okay, did we get anything back from the labs?

No prints on the cord that was left behind,

but they're pushing his blood through CODIS.

Hey, where's... where's Rollins?

So tell me you wanna be alone

without telling me you wanna be alone.

I just needed to focus.

Yeah, focus on your old cases?

I've got it narrowed down.

- Based on what? - Motive and recent releases.

Here's Robert Watson.

He was a fire escape peeping Tom

we collared few weeks ago for the third time.

Somehow he made bail.

Michael Simmons, a rapist who was escalating

when I arrested him ten years ago.

He was released last month.

Then we got Bruce Ingram.

He threatened to kill Carisi after his arraignment.

Um, he was just found not guilty at trial.

Yeah, I remember him.

He had a bogus alibi.

But then DNA exonerated him in the final hour.

Could still hold a grudge, so I figured I'll run 'em down,

rule 'em out with their voices.

Yeah, okay, so, we knew that the review of the shooting

would come back clean. - Yeah.

But you still need to clear psych.

Yeah, but look, Bruno's out, you know, for a funeral.

We're down a man, so I just figured...

You figured... figured what?

You figured I'd just let you skip that part?

No, that's... that's... it's just not good for anyone.

Plus, Tynan, is expediting your appointment.

- Great. - Yeah.

All right, so the quicker it's done, the better.

Yeah, the quicker you talk to someone, the better.

Because, if you don't, it'll only get worse.

In the meantime, I'll have Curry and Griffin...

Pay these three a visit.

Talk to my attorney.

Not the best way to start, Bruce.

But they found me not guilty.

Can't you people just leave me alone?

This isn't about that case.

It's about Assistant District Attorney Carisi.

- Never heard of him. - No?

Well, he's the prosecutor that you threatened to kill

after your arraignment.

Or does that not ring any bells?

What about him?

He and his wife were attacked last night.

It's got nothing to do with me.

So threatening to kill him was what, a hilarious joke?

I was mad.

Cops accused me of hurting that girl.

That prosecutor tried to seal the deal.

He ruined my life.

Sounds like motive.

You already got my DNA.

Yeah, we do.

But if you want me out of your hair faster,

give me a voice recording and an alibi.

I was here working.

And I did my time. Don't I get a second chance?

Yeah, looks like you're living it.

Only place that would hire me.

It's better than being locked up like some caged animal.

Well, ten years, oof, it's a long time.

Maybe long enough to want Sergeant Rollins dead.

She's dead?

No, but someone tried.

And it looks like that doesn't surprise you.

I didn't do it.

But you hear things on the inside.

I'm not the only one she put away.

Anyone who's capable of doing this?

None I'd be willing to say.

Hey.

You like being out of the cage, right?

Let's keep it that way. Give me names and your voice.

Shoot, and Counselor Carisi dies, Sergeant Rollins.

- It's not them. - Are you sure?

No, I'm positive.

Anything on the names that Simmons gave us?

Griffin checked them out. They're all still in prison.

Okay, and did we talk to Robert Watson?

Talked to his parole officer.

Watson was in Central Booking at the time of the attack.

Still nothing on the blue Honda?

Not yet.

I mean, my guess is, they either ditched it

or they're laying low somewhere.

Or they uncovered the plates

and they're halfway to the Midwest right now

and we are back to square one.

- Okay. - Yeah.

Perp's blood came back from the lab.

Matched an attempted murder from a week ago in Brooklyn.

Vic's name, Diana Vitale, 62.

Neighbor found her tied up with a cord.

Multiple stab wounds... - Wait, I know that name.

Diana Vitale. She's a court reporter.

She's retired now,

but she worked a lot of trials with Carisi.

Brooklyn Homicide get any leads?

Not yet, no. But Vitale survived.

She's still in the hospital.

Great, I'll talk to her.

I can...

Amanda, you still need to get to your psych eval.

You gotta do it. - Yeah.

Thanks.

Diana Vitale.

A stab in the back that led to paralysis.

Two more to the abdomen, one of which punctured her stomach.

Led to sepsis we couldn't control.

She was one of yours?

She is now.

Ready, Amanda?

You come out of retirement just for me?

I still fill in from time to time,

especially at Olivia's request.

Yeah, so I'm sleeping fine.

There's no insomnia, no nightmares.

Any re-experiencing?

- A little. - What crosses your mind?

What I would have done differently.

What... what...

could have happened if my kids were home.

When you go to that place, how do you feel?

Angry.

Powerless.

But after that, um, you know, I feel focused.

So I've heard.

Benson tells me you've hit the ground running.

What else does she tell you?

She told me you returned recently to SVU.

Before that, a stint at Intel, professor at Fordham.

You like to move around.

I don't see how that's relevant.

I'm not trying to trick you, Amanda.

You and I both know

that you'll come up with a good answer

for every question that I ask you,

but what you should also know is that all I want out of this

is for you to be honest.

So why don't you like to stay put?

I guess it comes from how I grew up.

Abusive father, addicted sister.

That must be a very unsettling way to grow up.

Yeah, you're always waiting for the shoe to drop.

And you're always braced for impact.

I got out of there as quick as I could.

Still, it couldn't have been easy.

Must have felt like you had no control over your life.

Like you were powerless.

Yeah.

It's easy to equate movement with survival.

Evolutionarily, it makes sense.

Motion has always meant life.

If you stay still, you get left behind.

I guess I don't like being still, then.

Then I'd like to give you a little advice.

After I clear you and you return to the field

and you find the man who did this,

what I would like for you to do is to slow down.

What else do we know about Diana Vitale?

Not much... retired last year,

widowed, no kids, no known enemies.

Aside from the dozens of scumbags

she reported on the court she shared with Carisi.

And me.

So there's 82 cases where.

Vitale, Carisi, and I intersect.

- Okay, any stick out? - I'm narrowing it down,

but I opened it up to ViCAP and I got a hit in Queens.

Julia Pratt, all right?

She, um, she's 20.

Same MO... the break in and wait.

She was tied up with the black cord

and she was murdered in her apartment building

with a knife two weeks ago.

Any connection to law enforcement?

Not in ViCAP, but her sister Rose is in Astoria.

She might be able to tell us more.

Okay, you two stay on Diana Vitale.

Phones, emails. See what you can dig up.

Okay.

How'd it go with Wong?

- Fine. He cleared me. - Yeah, I know.

He... I talked to him.

You checking up on me?

Yes, Amanda, I am.

The same way you would do if it were me.

Captain.

Dispatch called about a white male at an urgent care.

Nurse said it's a gunshot wound, left shoulder.

Change of plan. Head to the urgent care.

He came in dodgy, aggressive with my receptionist.

And what'd he say had happened to him?

Said he was working construction.

Said someone clipped him with a nail gun,

but I took one look at it and I knew that it was a bullet.

They tried to cut it out themselves.

They tried to clean it.

- Who is they? - He was with a woman.

White, brown hair. She looked strung out.

Okay.

We are gonna need the footage from those cameras.

They don't work, but I did see them drive off.

- Blue Honda? - Yeah.

Caught the first few digits of the license plate.

My sister lit up every room she walked into.

I still can't understand who would wanna hurt her.

I'm so sorry, Rose.

We just have a few more questions for you, okay?

So we understand that Julia worked in fashion.

Is that right?

She went to FIT.

Her internship gave her a job after she graduated.

Was there ever a time that she explored law enforcement?

Law enforcement?

No.

Why?

Because the man who hurt her

may have been targeting the justice system

and we're trying to figure out

if Julia had some other connection to it.

Our aunt is a judge.

She took us in after our mom walked out,

became our legal guardian, retired to Florida in May.

Your... your aunt is Judge Anita Wright?

Diana Vitale, me, and Carisi,

there's 82 overlapping cases,

but only 5 including Judge Anita Wright.

So it could have been the defendant

in any one of those cases.

No, no, I know who it is.

Henry Mesner.

We first encountered him in 2013.

He was abusing his little sister, Ruby.

Yeah, so he was released from juvenile detention in 2021.

He got out, he raped a college student,

and then he murdered his family.

Yeah, I remember this case.

Rollins saved his sister after he took her hostage.

And after we arrested Henry, he stabbed Carisi

in a competency hearing.

This guy's not still just walking around out there?

No, no, no. He stood trial.

He's 5 years into 60 at Sing Sing.

But that doesn't mean he's not still pulling the strings.

And to find out how, we need to go talk to him.

Maybe not.

TARU found the blue Honda based on the partial plate.

It belongs to an 18-year-old

with a rap sheet for drug possession.

We know her?

- That... - That's Henry's sister.

That's Ruby Mesner.

Our son moved to California.

That's when we got the idea to foster.

Ruby was placed with us five years ago.

She hardly spoke at first.

But she had what she needed...

a bed, food.

We tried to love her.

We thought she'd be okay for a while, beat the odds.

And then she started having problems?

School called every other day.

Grades slipping, running away,

kept finding pills under her mattress.

We called her social worker,

and they put her into rehab for a month.

But things only got worse.

Was... was Ruby ever, violent?

Only with herself.

She cut her arms so deep, it was just awful.

After Ruby turned 18, got herself arrested for drugs.

That was enough.

I told her she had to leave, and I'm not sorry I did.

It was the right thing.

Do you have any idea where she might be

or who she might be with?

My guess is with her boyfriend.

What's his name?

Phillip something. We never met him.

She was with him

when she called begging for money a few weeks ago.

Heard her talking to him.

The number we have for Ruby traces back to this address,

but it went dead months ago.

It wasn't her phone she called from.

We still have the number. I... I tried it a few times.

Ruby never picks up.

TARU is looking into this number that Ruby called from.

Hopefully, it'll tell us something

about whoever this Phillip is.

It won't tell us about his connection to Henry.

We should be headed to Sing Sing right now.

Yeah, so Amanda, I haven't made a decision about

whether talking to Henry is the best idea.

Well, that's all we have.

Besides this phone number.

And we don't know if the killing spree is over yet.

But we do know Henry.

And we know that he'd love nothing more

than to string us along and play games

whether he knows something or not.

It's no coincidence that his sister is the getaway driver.

And Henry can play games all he wants,

but if he knows something,

I'll be able to tell just by looking at him.

I know you would.

But I would too.

And I'll be going to Sing Sing myself.

Henry hasn't caused any problems.

Was he close with anyone?

Maybe a guard or an inmate who's been released recently?

Not that I know of.

Have a seat.

- Thank you. - Yeah.

And what about his communication with the outside?

Nothing in his incoming mail to alert our staff.

And nothing outgoing.

So he hasn't made any calls lately or had any visitors?

No.

His last visit was a year ago... his sister, Ruby Mesner.

Well, you know what they talked about?

No, there's not much in the transcript.

The guards had to pull her out of the room pretty quick.

Why is that?

Because she tried to attack him.

Have a seat, Henry.

You look happy to see me.

It's been a long time since I had any visitors.

Well, I heard that you've actually adjusted quite well.

No disciplinary measures, no issues with other inmates.

I'll probably die in here.

Shouldn't I be making the most of it?

Well, that depends on what that means to you.

I think it means reform,

rehabilitation, responsibility.

For what you did to your family.

For what you did to Ruby.

I heard that she actually came to visit you a while back.

And, things got a little, little dicey?

I don't think you came here about my sister.

I think you're here about something else.

Why do you think I'm here?

Gotta say,

I'm surprised that you're the one coming to see me.

Were you expecting someone else?

Always had a soft spot for Detective Rollins.

Yeah, I remember that.

Well, she's actually a sergeant now.

Good for her.

And I heard she's married.

To what's-his-name?

Lawyer Carisi.

Tell them both I said hello.

I will.

After I tell them that I was right.

Right about what?

That talking to you was a waste of time.

Maybe I'm just talking to the wrong person.

You know, if Sergeant Rollins was here...

I'm not here to negotiate, Henry.

Well, then I guess we're both walking away empty-handed.

You wanna know what I think?

I think you got nothing to say.

Goodbye, Henry.

Hey, was just in the neighborhood.

I had to, um... had to pick up some stuff.

Yeah?

What stuff?

All right. Sue me.

Look, I'm just checking in on you.

Listen, this, this Henry Mesner thing.

Yeah. Benson thinks he's bluffing.

She won't let me go in.

Yeah, well, maybe she's got a point.

Look, at best, he's full of it.

At worst, he's... he's not. He could be dangerous.

Are you saying that as the ADA or as my husband?

I'm saying it as both.

Okay, I appreciate it, but right now,

me going in to talk to Henry might be the only way

we catch the guy that did this to us.

What is it?

TARU traced the number that Ruby missed her call from.

A Phillip Wingate. We've got an address.

Go, go, go, go!

Phillip Wingate, NYPD! We have a warrant!

Pushing up!

- Clear. - Clear!

Hey.

These are the names of the victims.

Yeah.

Public court records on Henry's cases, news articles about him.

Got movement upstairs.

Bedroom door. Ready to breach.

NYPD, coming in.

Okay. Okay.

Ruby?

Ruby, where is Phillip?

Phillip Wingate, 28, parents are deceased

and he's lived with his grandmother since he was three.

Spotty employment records.

He was fired from his last job six months ago

right around the time his grandma died

and left him the townhouse.

No criminal record.

Only juvenile, which is why his DNA wasn't in the system.

When Phillip was 12, he abused a younger cousin.

Guy had a thing for hunting squirrels in Central Park.

Checks all the boxes.

So what did we learn from these journals?

Yeah, guy is very prolific.

He writes his victims' names over and over and over again

with what seems like either poetry or gibberish.

And a lot of writing about Henry.

I mean, he's obviously obsessed.

But it doesn't explain how they met

or whether Henry put Phillip up to this.

And nothing that indicates

where he is now or where he's headed next.

There's over a dozen of these things

we're still sorting through.

I say we just ask her.

I know you.

Yeah, you do.

We helped you out a long time ago,

and we might be able to help you out now

if you're willing to talk to us.

I don't know where Phillip is.

Yeah, but you do know

how this whole thing started, don't you, Ruby?

We spoke with your foster parents.

They don't care about me.

I think they tried to.

But look, after everything that you've gone through,

I certainly understand how it feels,

like nobody cares, but that's not true.

We care. And we'd like to help you.

But we need for you to be honest with us

for us to do that.

Can you do that?

So why don't you tell us about Phillip?

How did you two meet?

He found me a few months ago.

He said he wanted to take care of me.

At first, it was fine.

He didn't really want anything from me.

Until he started asking questions.

About Henry?

Yeah.

What he was like.

How much I remember from when he'd hurt me.

Does Phillip know Henry?

No.

No, no.

He... he said he heard about him on a podcast

or the news or something.

Ruby, why is Phillip doing this?

I don't know.

He would just...

he would say things I didn't know what they meant.

Well, what... what kind of things?

He was like...

he was like, in service of Henry.

I don't... he was like, wanted to be close to him.

So that's... that's why he sought you out?

Once he did, I couldn't escape.

So you just...

went along with it?

You waited while he murdered those people,

and you drove the getaway car?

Phillip was gonna kill me. What was I supposed to do?

I don't know, go to the cops?

Call us?

Get out of there?

And instead, you helped him kill those people

and come after me and my family.

No, he just told me to drive.

I didn't... I didn't know what he was doing...

Yeah, you don't know a whole lot, do you, Ruby?

Like... like where Phillip is. You don't know that?

- Sergeant. - I was afraid!

I don't believe you, Ruby.

I don't.

I think you're protecting Phillip and your brother.

Okay, Sergeant, that's enough...

You know what? I saved your life.

I wish you didn't!

So do I!

Hey. We're done here.

Rollins, now.

Are you kidding me?

- Yeah? - What was that?

You need to cool down.

Cool down?

We need her to talk!

Yes, and in her current state,

I'm not sure that she can tell us...

Who cares about her current state?

There's a murderer out there, Liv, and she's involved!

I care about her current state, and so should you.

After everything that that girl has been through?

Are you kidding me? - She helped Phillip.

And now we don't know whether Henry's...

Henry's behind him.

Henry is playing us, and she just about confirmed that.

All that guy wants is your attention.

Yeah, well, he has it.

You know, and I could use that if you'd let me go talk to him.

Because I'm trying to protect you.

I don't need your protection.

I need you to trust me.

Okay, that's not what this is about.

Then why did you take me out of the room?

Because you're not yourself.

That girl needs our help, not an interrogation.

She's a victim of both Henry and Phillip.

And quite frankly, so are you.

- My God. - You never turn it off.

What does that mean?

It means not everyone deserves your empathy, Olivia.

I can't have you on this case anymore, Amanda.

You're off.

Hello, Amanda.

I had a feeling you'd come.

You asked for me, didn't you?

Do you remember the last thing you said to me?

I'm surprised if you do,

considering how drugged up you were.

If you ever go after anyone in my family again,

it'll be your last day on Earth?

Is that why you came?

- To kill you? - No.

You can't do that until you know it was me or not.

I know who it is.

Why I'm here is to see if you do.

You want to know if I recognize them?

No, I know you do.

These are all people that helped put you away.

And the person who's going after them, Henry,

I gotta tell you, they're pretty good at it.

But this person is smart, organized,

like they're on a mission.

It's your sister, Henry. It's Ruby.

Ruby didn't do any of this. She's not capable.

Are you sure about that?

Are you dumb?

She's weak, pathetic.

She's a victim, always will be.

Okay, thank you.

W... what I meant to say was

she couldn't have done it by herself.

She couldn't have known how to hold the knife

or what it would feel like when you push it into someone.

The soft belly, the bony throat.

It's a very specific skill set.

And who do we think helped her navigate all that?

Who had that... that right set of skills?

I did.

It wasn't very hard.

Guards are easy, let me use their phones.

I had a plan.

I just needed someone to help me carry it out.

You know, Ruby works best being directed.

No, Henry, I think she did this alone.

I think she broke into these people's houses

and she stabbed them to death all by herself.

She couldn't have done anything without me.

So you're the mastermind?

Yes, I am.

No, you're not.

But you are pathetic.

And you got one thing right.

Ruby didn't kill these people.

A man named Phillip Wingate did.

He's the mastermind,

and you are a cautionary tale at best.

You're nothing.

And now we both know it.

If I tell you what I know, will you come back to see me?

It's too late, Henry.

Goodbye.

I know him.

I know of him, technically,

and I can tell you about it if you promise.

And I mean really promise to come back and see me

every now and again.

Yeah, if what you tell me is actually helpful,

I'll come visit you.

I get a bunch of fan letters.

Never read them, but...

I know a ton of them came from someone who signed them as PW.

Judge's niece, court reporter.

Next I say hello to the childhood doctor.

Liv, Phillip is going after the doctor

that Henry saw when he was a kid.

He's going after Wong.

He's already here.

Okay, go, now.

Go, go, go, go!

- Clear! - Move in.

Wong, are you all right?

You sure?

Where'd he go?

He... he heard the sirens and he went out the back.

Okay. Get an EMT in here now!

All right, all units, suspect is on foot.

Back exit. I repeat, back exit.

Stop right there!

Hey!

No getaway driver?

'Cause you took her from me.

She was never yours to begin with.

Drop the knife.

You're under arrest.

But I already got what I wanted, Sergeant Rollins.

For Henry to see me.

I saw Henry.

He didn't even know who you were until we told him.

Those letters? He never read 'em.

Don't do it!

- Cover! - Shots fired!

He can't hurt anyone anymore, including you.

What happens now?

Given the circumstances,

the DA's willing to make you a deal.

Conspiracy in the third.

You'll do five years' probation.

The first year will be inpatient rehab.

But that deal only stands

if you're willing to agree to do something for us.

The next time you're in...

a bad situation,

you call me.

Why?

Because I know what it's like to feel stuck, Ruby.

I know what it's like to feel powerless.

And the next time you feel that way,

I wanna be there to help you with that.

She's the one who helps her. It's amazing.

Hey, sorry to interrupt.

I was just...

Nosy, just nosy.

How are you, Doctor?

All right.

Recommitting to retirement.

- Yeah. - How about you?

You know, just, getting back to normal.

Well, I'm grateful for your insubordination,

if that helps to break the ice.

Does not.

Hey.

Thank you. - Of course.

Talk soon?

Yep, talk soon.

Amanda, be well.

Thanks.

Liv, I just wanna say...

Don't... don't apologize if you don't mean it.

I'm...

I'm sorry I lost some of your trust.

Look, I understand why you did what you did.

The same way you understand

that you will never do it again.

All right.

Deal.

And hopefully, that's the last time

we'll ever have to think about Henry Mesner again.