All language subtitles for Law.And.Order.SVU.S23E20.WEBRip.x264-ION10

.

- 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 Middletown.

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?

♪

- Timestamp 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 screensaver.

♪

- 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]