Law & Order Special Victims Unit s03e14 Episode Script
Counterfeit
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, 2 Edward, and 65 shows no warrants, no warrants, It ain't stolen.
Someone could afford a nice car like this, you think they'd get a room.
Yeah, but it's empty.
You're out of luck.
This is no free show tonight.
Couldn't have been here very long.
It's still in one piece.
Could have broken down and the owner went for help.
With the keys in the ignition? Who's going to do that? The guy that can't afford the payments on his lease.
I bet he left the car here, and he reports it stolen in a day or two.
You bet, you lose.
What? What are you talking about? All right.
Nice dress.
Yeah.
It was a nice date.
Where's Munch? He banged in sick.
He's such a hypochondriac.
How many times has he had anthrax this week? Victim's name is Paula Grace.
No driver's license in her wallet, just cash and credit cards.
Her car registration says she lived in the East 50s.
Nice dress.
What have we got? Rape-homicide.
Fluid on her thighs, perineal tears.
Lots of pre-mortem bruising.
Cause of death? Massive head trauma.
Any signs of a weapon? Bloody rock underneath her head when we rolled the body.
Won't know for sure till we get her back to the morgue.
Thanks.
We have any idea what she was doing down here? Cops say this is like a lovers' lane.
Could have been a romantic interlude gone wrong.
What did you find inside the car? Nothing but her purse.
I haven't checked the trunk yet.
Trunk release isn't working.
Keys either.
You see this in Narcotics.
Drug dealer's too cheap to put in a stash spot so they re-key the locks, then disable the manual release.
Were you a car thief in a former life? Nah, baby.
Boy Scout.
Always prepared.
What the hell is Rytex? Whatever it is, she's got a pharmacy back here.
Burning the midnight oil? Just like you ordered.
What've we got? Paula Grace.
She worked in a pharmaceutical company called Quantum, up in Westchester.
She couldn't have walked out of the office with all those drugs and nobody noticed.
She didn't.
Her company doesn't make Rytex.
Morning.
Nice dress.
Don't start.
We find out what this Rytex is yet? Yeah.
It's a hot new cancer drug.
Doc Warner says a 10-week course costs about $25,000.
Which makes the supply in the victim's trunk worth a cool million.
Who knows what on the black market? Anybody who knew those drugs were there could have driven off in her car.
Well, if the murder isn't about the drugs, what was she doing under the West Side Highway? Could be she was supposed to meet a buyer there and some random predator got to her first.
Buyer shows up, finds the body, can't get the trunk open, isn't going to risk driving off in a murder victim's car.
CSU found the trunk key hidden under the carpet.
Which means she didn't want anybody to know what was in there.
Let's find out why.
I can't believe this happened to Paula.
We're all in shock.
This is where Paula worked, on one of our drug research teams.
What kind of research? Squamous cell esophageal cancer.
We're very close to testing a promising new treatment.
Is that something your company's working on alone? No.
There's a drug on the market called Rytex, but we believe that ours will be more efficacious.
When did you last see Miss Grace? Last night, around 8:00.
She said that she was finishing up.
I assumed that she was heading home from here.
It's a long commute to Manhattan, Mr.
Ragolia.
She always drive? Paula always said that it was the best part of her day, her chance to clear her head.
That's why she would never move up here.
Does she have any family, a boyfriend? Both her parents are dead.
She never mentioned anyone special.
She mostly kept to herself at work.
I insisted that she spend the holidays with me, my wife and my kids.
Sounds like you really took her under your wing.
In this business, nurturing talent can make you billions.
Paula was on her way to a very bright future here.
What a waste.
Your victim has vaginal bruising and lacerations from the rape.
No semen, just Rough Rider.
I ID'd the brand of condom lubricant using the FBI database.
What about the rock? Embedded in the ground, but definitely what killed her.
The trauma is to the lower right quadrant, but with an upward impact.
Fracture pattern of the skull indicates one fatal blow, probably while she was trying to fight him off.
So if the perp didn't hit her with the rock, he may not have realized why she suddenly stopped resisting.
She get a piece of him? Just his clothes.
Navy blue fibers under her fingernails.
Already sent it to the lab.
I'm running the fibers now.
No prints in the car other than hers.
Too much time on your hands? My kid visits, always leaves something behind in my office.
My son used to love these, too.
Used them to make a model of your crime scene.
Here's the car.
We found her clothes over here.
Nothing but garbage around the body.
Any idea how the perp got there? There were tire tracks behind her car, made by different tires.
Goodyear radials, very worn.
But what was in her trunk is much more interesting.
The Rytex? I tested it.
It's fake.
A million dollars worth of sugar pills? Why? Drug counterfeiting is a booming industry.
Huge amounts of fake antibiotics have been sold over the Internet and at Mexican pharmacies.
What about these? High grade knock-offs.
Look like the real deal, worthless for treating cancer.
But worth a hell of a lot to Paula.
Nice place.
I wonder how many cancer patients had to die so she could get these views.
How long had Miss Grace lived here? Almost a year.
Nice lady.
Good tipper at the holidays.
What about boyfriends? Visitors? None that I ever saw.
But Miss Grace didn't look like she had guys knocking down her door.
How much longer is this going to take? You got a train to catch? Some prospective tenants are coming to see the place.
How about a little respect? The lady's been dead less than a day.
She said she was moving out.
See for yourself.
You have any idea where she was moving? AII I know is the owners called and said to start showing the place.
Gucci, Prada, Chanel, it's pretty pricey stuff for a lab tech.
Living above her means.
You ladies are all alike.
Do you have a copy of her lease? I don't think she had one.
She knew the owners.
We're going to need to talk to them.
I'll get you the number.
Name's Ragolia, Mr.
and Mrs.
You seen either of them around here recently? Mr.
Ragolia, about once a week.
Said he was measuring for renovations.
How much of this do you think Mrs.
Ragolia knows? It's terrible what happened to Paula.
How well did you know her? She came for Thanksgiving and Christmas the past two years.
One of those introverted science types.
But you felt you could trust her in your apartment.
That was Kevin's idea.
I was more concerned with finding someone who could afford $7,500 a month.
That's a lot on a researcher's salary.
Kevin said Paula had family money she inherited when her parents died.
I think she went through most of it.
Is that why she was moving out? She told Kevin she wanted to live closer to the office.
She could rent a place up here for a third of what she paid us, still have enough left over for a car.
I thought she had a car already.
Didn't she drive to work? No.
Paula told me herself she hated taking the train every day.
We checked Paula Grace's financials.
She never paid a nickel in rent to Ragolia.
Or chipped in on the car she leased.
Ragolia co-signed and made all the payments.
So she gets tired of being a kept woman, he gets jealous-soon-to-be- ex-lover's disease.
Ragolia's wife is a knockout.
Why cheat on her with somebody who looked like Paula Grace? Maybe she had something else he wanted.
Oh, I can't wait to hear this.
Your sympathy's overwhelming.
What happened to you? Skydiving.
Hard landing.
He said he wiped out riding his friend's Harley.
Yeah, and the only thing he's riding now is a desk.
Dump on the victim's cell phone just came back.
Let's find out who she called.
Sure, make the gimp do the busywork.
How much longer is the trial? Couple more days of testimony.
You know, I got a background check on Paula Grace.
Got a Bachelor's from the Pennsylvania College of Pharmacy, Master's in Biochemistry from Cornell.
So, why are the drugs in the trunk fake? Industrial espionage? Well, if she's acting as a spy for the makers of Rytex, they're not paying her too well.
She has a little under $2,000 in her combined bank accounts.
She's a mole, all right, but for the good guys.
Paula made two calls last night.
A short one to Ragolia, and a very long one to an unlisted number.
I called the number.
It's our friends at the FBI.
She's blowing the whistle on her own company.
Quantum's about to test their version of Rytex.
So they conspire to undermine the competition.
They sell fake Rytex under the table at half price to pharmacies around the country, knowing that when the drug fails, doctors are going to look for an alternative.
They didn't count on Paula Grace going to the Feds with her trunk full of evidence.
Which gives Ragolia a couple hundred million reasons to shut her up.
Bring him in.
Thank you for coming in.
We just got a few things we need to clear up.
Anything I can do to help.
It was really admirable of you, making Paula a part of your family.
Well, my wife's just as responsible for that as I am.
She liked Paula a lot.
Really? Then how come she didn't know that you paid for her apartment and her car? How dare you talk to my wife behind my back? We don't need your permission.
We found enough fake Rytex in the back of Paula's car to stock about two dozen pharmacies.
Fake Rytex? Yeah.
Why would I know anything about that? No, you're not that smart, are you? But Paula was.
That's why you seduced her.
Big executive like yourself interested in the mousy, shy little girl, paying for her apartment, paying for her car, and she helps you out with your little scheme.
What scheme? Quantum's stock is taking a dive while your promising competition to Rytex is 18 months behind schedule.
So you flood the market with fake Rytex to damage its reputation.
Then, when your product comes out, your company rakes in all the profits.
You were set to cash in, till you find out she was working for the Feds.
What? She was on her way to bring the fake Rytex, and you, to the FBI when she was killed.
I didn't kill her.
I needed her.
Till you were done with her.
She wanted me to leave my wife.
I said, "No way.
" Later, she called me.
Said she was going to make me sorry.
I didn't think she'd go to the Feds.
That's it until I get my lawyer.
I wouldn't get too comfortable.
He lawyered up.
We're handing Ragolia off to the FBI.
Paula Grace was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Another victim? Same area, same M.
O.
, but this one is still breathing.
Victim made the 911 from her cell phone.
Couldn't get a word out of her.
Okay.
We got it from here.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Hi, I'm detective Benson.
I'd like to ask you a few questions.
What's your name? Francesca Jesner.
Can you tell me what happened? He made me get out of the car.
I thought he was going to kill me.
Did you see his face? Not really.
How about what he was wearing? It was a blue uniform.
He was a cop.
A client of mine had a party at Lucio's.
I was driving home when the cop pulled me over.
Tell me what happened next.
He walked up to my window and shined a light in my eyes, so I couldn't see him.
He said I was weaving and asked for my license.
Then he made me get out and take a breathalyzer.
Had you been drinking? No.
He said that if I would have sex with him, he wouldn't arrest me.
When I refused, he got angry.
So I pretended to pass out.
He dragged me from the car and said that he knew I was faking, and that he was going to kill me.
So I let him.
During the attack, did he say anything? Nothing.
What did the car look like? Unmarked.
Had a red light on the dashboard.
It was a dark color.
Dark blue or black.
Francesca, is there anything else that you can remember? Anything at all? He used a condom.
This is really, really important.
Do you remember what he did with the wrapper? He put it in his pocket.
I remember thinking, "Why would he keep that?" Oh, my God.
He kept my driver's license, too.
He knows where I live.
How's Francesca's rape kit? It looked clean, but we got a problem with her blood alcohol.
Over the limit? Way over.
Doc says she would have blew about 0.
12.
She said she never had a drink.
Well, that's a good way to get out of a DWI.
Accuse the cop of rape.
Well, he sure thinks like a cop.
Took the condom wrapper so now we can't get prints.
If there was a condom.
You think Francesca's Iying about the rape? She lied about being drunk.
Maybe it's just a habit.
Francesca Jesner has two prior DWIs.
The last one, she got belligerent with the arresting officer and was charged with resisting.
So this time she figured she'd lie her way out of it.
Or maybe she's telling the truth.
These cases have too much in common.
Same area, same time of night Paula Grace's homicide was front page news.
Enough details for Francesca to fake her story.
There is no way that she could have faked that traumatized.
I'm telling you, Captain, this woman was raped.
I just don't want to send the rat squad on some witch hunt and screw some innocent cop.
Neither do I.
Could've been anybody in a uniform.
Didn't have to be a real cop.
It doesn't matter.
This woman is a rape victim until we prove otherwise.
Nobody is jumping to any conclusions until we investigate this case, okay? Two DWIs and she's still behind the wheel? Her license was revoked once before.
She just got it back.
She is one moving violation away from losing it for good.
Which gives her the motive to lie when she got pulled over last night.
I'll have Munch pull all citations and radio runs from that precinct.
You two check out the victim's story, and not a word to anybody.
It was a big party.
Some hip artiste rented the whole place out.
Open bar, top-shelf booze, everybody off the A-list.
Must've been Was she one of them? Vodka-coke, no ice.
Three hundred guests and you remember her that quick? She must've been chained to the bar.
She was knocking them back pretty steady.
Alone? No, she was all over a guy, hot and heavy.
When she started getting sloppy, I think he walked her out.
What did this guy look like? I don't know.
Blonde, tall.
You know, every woman's dream.
I didn't leave with anyone.
Bartender says otherwise.
Parking attendant says he saw both of you leave in your car.
I say a cop raped me, and you stick up for your own.
Francesca, you lied about being drunk.
I want to believe you.
I do.
But you're not making it easy for me.
I didn't tell you about the drinking because I knew you would think I made up the rape.
What about the guy you left with? I used to work with him.
He's married.
I don't want him involved.
Well he's going to be, unless you start telling the truth.
Excuse me.
We parked and had sex.
When we finished, he caught a cab.
I started to drive home and the cop pulled me over.
You should've told me that from the beginning.
We'll be back.
What's up? CSU wants us back at the crime scene.
So what's here that you couldn't tell us on the phone? A picture's worth a thousand words.
Take me through your victim's account of what happened.
Francesca said that the perp walked through the alcohol field test here and as she was coming back is when he grabbed her.
See these drag marks? They match the shoes your victim was wearing.
We found gravel inside them.
These are your perp's footprints, and the tire tracks match the ones from across the way, where Paula Grace was found.
Shoe prints tell us anything about our mystery man? Based on the depths of the shoe impressions and their size, I'd say he's about six foot, 200 pounds.
Are there any cops on your list of suspects? What makes you think it's a cop? The blue fibers from under Paula Grace's fingernails are consistent with NYPD issue uniform pants.
If Francesca Jesner was pulled over by a cop, he did not write a summons.
In fact, there were no traffic stops or checkpoints anywhere near the area, either night.
What about radio runs? All cars accounted for in the 22 both nights.
Except one.
Unmarked? Anticrime.
The cops worked in uniform.
Both nights, MIA during the time of the attacks.
Missing for how long? Forty-nine minutes unaccounted for at the time of Paula Grace's homicide, and 36 last night.
We have names? Yeah.
Al Marcosi and Roger Graves.
Marcosi's got more than 10 years on, most of it on midnights.
Graves got out of the academy last spring.
Victim says it was a white guy, so Graves gets a pass.
Unless he knew what his partner was doing on traffic stops.
We got to get their car down to CSU, see if the tire tracks match.
Which means we're gonna have to involve IAB.
I'll call the action desk, have their jackets pulled, see if either one's been a target before.
Captain, before you do that, let us take a run over at the 22.
If this Marcosi is a wrong cop, I don't want him wise that we like him for this.
Yeah.
Lieutenant over there is my old boss who works midnights, Phil Urzi.
I'll finesse him.
That strip under the West Side Highway, worst spot in the whole precinct.
Car strippers, prostitution, narcotics.
But this is the first homicide down there in years.
We're thinking that something scared our perp off, that's why we're checking all police presence in that sector at the time of the attack.
We listened to the division radio-tapes.
Two of your guys, we can't figure out where they were.
Marcosi and Graves.
How'd you know? My problem children.
Two gold shield wannabes who don't play by the rules.
We can't account for them for about a half-hour.
Well, last night, they were still marked at a job, but they'd been gone Cleared the job quick when they heard I was out looking for them.
But why haven't you ripped them yet? Because Marcosi and Graves bring in the big collars.
Guns, drugs.
Stopped a robbery in progress three nights ago.
You mind if we have a little chat with them? Not to bust their chops, but we're thinking maybe they saw something that can help us out with our case.
I don't mind.
But I guarantee Marcosi will.
Probably wants the collar himself.
Man, can you believe it? Hey, guys, got a minute? You are? Olivia Benson, Special Victims.
This is Fin Tutuola.
We caught the two cases under the West Side Highway.
How can we help you? We thought maybe you saw something if you guys were down there the other night.
Usually it's the first place we check at the top of the tour because that's where most of the crimes are committed in the precinct.
But both times we were someplace else.
I wish we were there.
We've been searching for the vehicle in the bulletin ever since.
Can we call you if we need anything? Sure, you know where you can find us.
Thank you.
They were probably off handling some investigation they didn't want your lieutenant friend to know about.
Yeah, well, maybe you should have asked them.
What, you got a problem? Yeah, I do.
You softballing them like that.
I'm not going to go hard on two good cops unless I think they done something.
What side are you on? The victim's, where we're supposed to be.
Yeah, well, what about the truth? Your victim's definitely not telling that.
Oh, and your cops are? You didn't even ask them.
You sounded more like their union rep than anything else.
I just call it how I see it.
Yeah? We just blew our chance.
And now it's IAB's call.
Your detectives went against policy.
They were following my orders on our case.
For which a cop may be a suspect.
We investigate cops.
And we investigate sex crimes.
Look, it's not like we were trying to hide anything from you.
You spoke to a target without us.
You of all people should know better, Captain.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
You knew about Marcosi before we called you? He's been under investigation for six months.
Having sex with a prostitute in exchange for a reduced charge.
And you didn't nail him? Oh, we tried.
But we couldn't find her.
She's been missing ever since.
You're getting pretty good with those.
Better than lifting weights.
Best workout I've had in a long time.
When you going to tell me how you really got hurt? Why should I give that up when you never even once mentioned that you have offspring? My son? What, Olivia told you that? I bare my soul to you, and you can't even share that there's a little Tutuola running around? He's not little.
He's 18.
What did you find out? Prostitute's name is Raquel Stephens.
Missing Persons has no record of a report.
How did IAB get onto him? Anonymous tip.
Well, maybe there's something in her previous collars.
I already cross-referenced them with other prostitutes picked up at the same time.
Raquel was joined quite regularly by a Miss Mandy Mangum.
Including the night of the alleged incident.
You come to remind me of my right to remain silent? You're Raquel's friend.
And Marcosi's yours.
And if he made Raquel disappear, he's no friend of ours.
Why the hell should I trust you? Because cops like Marcosi make the rest of us look bad.
If he did something to Raquel, he's going down.
You got our word on it.
I used to share a place with Raquel.
She disappeared about a week after we got busted.
We know you two were collared together that night.
What happened? We were cuffed to a bench in the precinct, and Marcosi came by.
Raquel bummed a cigarette, and he took her into a break room to smoke it.
She tell you what he said? She give him a freebie, and he'll get our case dropped.
So she did it right there in the precinct.
Marcosi offer you the same deal? No, but he had a real woody for Raquel.
Next day he called her, asked her for a date.
She was excited.
Thought she might have a permanent get-out-of-jail-free card.
When I left for the weekend she had plans with him.
Did you tell any other cops about this? Some guy from Internal Affairs came by about six months ago.
I played dumb.
I don't want to disappear, too.
If you think of anything else, give us a call.
You convinced now? Not on the word of some hooker.
Those fibers under Paula Grace's fingernails could have come from any one of 40,000 cops.
But the tire tracks on the perp's car didn't.
When did these go on? Yesterday, according to Motor Pool.
At whose request? The cops who drive it.
Said someone stuck an ice pick in two of the tires.
Guess Motor Pool figured, might as well replace them all.
Even if we find them on some pile, the chain of custody's broken.
Looks kind of clean for an anticrime car.
Someone had the undercarriage washed.
So we're screwed? Not totally.
Gravel.
From all four wheel wells.
Consistent with what we found in Francesca Jesner's shoes.
Your captain called.
You got to get back.
What's going on? Trouble.
News is running a story on a rapist cop in the morning edition.
How did it leak? Hopefully not from here.
You're looking at four of the five people who know about this, and nobody wants the media badmouthing the job.
Well, now that it's out, we're running on borrowed time.
The paper won't hold the story to safeguard the investigation? They feel public safety overrides.
What about the safety of the roads? Story breaks, nobody stops for the police.
And Marcosi gets rid of his evidence.
We need a warrant for his locker.
Well, my bosses are going to want more than a couple rocks and fibers before they go after a cop.
Then put a spin on it as a necessary step to clear Marcosi if he's not involved.
Alex, we don't move fast on this, we lose them.
Okay.
Thanks.
I smell a rat.
Make that three.
Come on, fellows.
Here we go.
157.
He's quite the ladies' man.
Let's bag everything.
Bingo.
Rough Riders.
Our favorite brand.
Hey, that's private property.
Yeah? These private property, too? Locker belongs to the city.
The contents are mine.
You can't do this.
Well, this says we can.
You got to talk to us.
Have your union delegate meet you over at SVU.
I don't need a union delegate.
I got nothing to hide.
You think that I killed a girl under the West Side Highway? Are you nuts? You fit the description of the suspect.
Along with 100 other guys in my command.
But the only one unaccounted for at the time of both crimes is you.
I bend the rules a little, so what? Well, then there's your vehicle, matches what the perp drove, and Forensics places you at the crime scene.
Along with a dozen other cars.
We're constantly checking the area.
Why'd you take it to the car wash? It was caked in mud.
Is that why you conveniently had the tires replaced? We came out and found two flats, courtesy of an ice pick.
You got an out for everything, don't you? I don't have to explain how I work to you.
Nobody in that precinct brings in more collars than me.
Really? Well, how many cops in the precinct date hookers? Oh, I get a little bit on the side.
I don't pay for it.
That's not a crime.
It is when you make them disappear.
What are you talking about? IAB is investigating you for Raquel Stephens.
Excuse me.
Raquel? Yeah, Raquel.
You collared her last year.
She gave you a freebie.
You let her walk, then she just disappears after her little date with you.
She went to an alcohol rehab somewhere upstate.
You remember where? She didn't say.
I swear, I didn't do anything to her.
You want to go down for this? I am not going down.
I didn't rape those girls.
I break the rules a little bit, but I get results.
We're trying to help you here, Al.
Why should I believe you? You just got to take my word for it.
We're talking rape-homicide here.
If you didn't do it, worst thing IAB can do to you is a five-day rip.
I was down there the night of the murder, under the West Side Highway.
Doing what? I had a date in the car.
Where was your partner? Looking out for me, and it's a good thing he was.
He see anything? Yeah.
Our boss, Lieutenant Urzi, came driving towards us.
So Graves comes up, knocks on the window.
We got out of there, no lights, before Urzi caught us.
Who was the girl? Some random citizen picked me up.
She offered.
I don't even know her name.
Give us a second.
Marcosi's talking.
Put himself at the scene the night of Paula Grace's murder.
We got another victim.
Marcosi's been with us for hours.
No, no, no.
It could still be him.
This is six weeks old.
And she's just reporting it now? She was afraid to accuse a cop, came forward after she saw it on the news.
Where is she? Interview.
Fin, I want you on the phone to IAB.
They're sweating Marcosi's partner Graves now.
I want to know everything they got.
Olivia, I'm calling in Huang.
I want you and him in with the victim.
I came off the West Side Highway, took a shortcut.
He stopped me, said that I was speeding.
He told me to get out of the car.
Then he told me to take off my clothes.
I just obeyed.
I kept staring at the gun on his belt.
You didn't have a choice, Stacia.
Maybe I should have screamed, fought back.
A cop with a gun stopped you.
You made the right decision.
You survived.
Stacia, can I ask you a question? During the rape, did he experience any sexual difficulties? He was on top of me, and then he stopped, and at first I thought that he'd finished, but then I realized that he lost his, you know His erection.
Yeah.
So then, how did he react to that? I opened my eyes and he slapped me across the face so hard that I cried out.
And then he started again.
Stacia, do you recognize any of these men? It was dark and my eyes were closed.
I never saw his face.
Thank you.
Excuse me.
I called IAB.
Graves isn't talking.
Where was Marcosi? I checked the roll call.
He wasn't working that day.
He's got everything else covered.
What do you want to bet he's got an alibi? Doc, can you help us out here? The badge, the uniform and the gun all bolster your perp's sense of power, which enhances his masculinity and his control.
That's probably why he became a cop in the first place.
He keeps their driver's licenses as trophies.
Strong possibility.
Every time he looks at them again, he relives the thrill.
She didn't resist, he couldn't perform, so he hits her.
I mean, this guy gets off on violence.
And killing the first victim probably gave him an appetite for more.
If that car hadn't come by, he would have killed Francesca Jesner, too.
Marcosi fit your profile? Well, I'd like to spend some time with him.
Do it.
I've seen your arrest record.
It's very impressive.
Ever since I was a little boy, all I wanted to be was a detective.
Thrill of the chase? I make a collar, I get a real rush.
The same rush you get when a beautiful woman comes on to you? Yeah.
Yeah, it's kind of the same, you know? It's like a game.
"Will she? Won't she?" And if she says no? Plenty of fish in the sea.
What about on duty? What do you do when you meet a woman on the job? Department regs say stay away, but I can't help it if these girls call the command and they come looking for me.
You do all this great work on the street, and they won't give you a gold shield.
That must frustrate you.
You know what frustrates me? Everybody is so concerned about my personal life.
You can't make detective, you break a few rules.
You can't get a woman to sleep with you, what do you do? You are so wrong.
I don't need to rape.
You think I did this? Give me a chance to clear myself.
You bring in your victims.
I'll stand in a lineup.
How's Francesca going to pick Marcosi out of a lineup when she couldn't even give us a sketch? What the hell's going on over here? Hey, what's up? If you're looking for Franny, you're too late.
Francesca Jesner? That girl sure knows how to party.
Your buddy got her in the car without your help.
A cop? They've arrested her before.
Thought she was going to claw his eyes out before he got the cuffs on her, yelling he raped her.
Perp must have seen a news story and snatched Francesca up so she couldn't ID him.
Neighbors get a make on the car, or a plate? All they gave us was a dark sedan, red light on the dash.
Marcosi's still here.
Rule him out.
How much time we got, Doc? He chose not to kill her in the apartment because he wanted the thrill of arresting her.
I'd guess he'd keep her for a while, until he got tired of her.
Anything? I checked Communications.
No cars called in on a job or a response anywhere near Francesca's apartment.
Maybe Fin's right and our guy isn't a cop.
You said that the badge makes our perp feel like a real man.
Ted Bundy and how many other serial killers did the exact same thing? What if our guy's just some schmuck playing dress up? Men impersonate cops for the same reason that they rape and kill.
It's a lack of confidence combined with the need for the ultimate power trip.
Not to mention the perfect disguise.
Nobody's going to question a cop pulling them over.
Or making a collar.
Francesca's neighbors didn't think twice when they saw our guy take her away.
Also explains why he was alone in the car.
No partner.
Your impersonator unit help us out? I'll pull the files, see if anybody fits.
The night Paula Grace was killed Marcosi said he thought he saw Lieutenant Urzi following them.
Now if Urzi and our perp both drive a dark Crown Vic Then it could have been our perp.
Get away from me.
Take it easy.
What, are you kidding me? I know I'm not pure, but you and your buddy from rat squad, they got me riding a desk.
For what? You made yourself look wrong, and we were just doing our jobs.
Had you been in our position, you would have done the exact same thing.
Now do yours and help us out.
You got some nerve asking me for help.
The perp snatched up one of his previous victims.
You wasted your time fingering me.
You're right.
So hate us but don't let her die.
That happens, it's on you.
Go to hell.
We can rule out these guys.
Interested in the toys, but they don't play with them.
Whoever this guy was, he needed the gear.
You can't buy uniforms without departmental ID.
How about vendors? Only a dozen stores in the Tri-State sell NYPD equipment, and we keep a pretty tight watch on them.
I'll make a call.
I got all the violent ones.
They use the uniform for bank robberies, home invasions, rapes.
I ran the entire lot for prior sexual assaults, with and without impersonation as an M.
O.
Came up with 13.
By the time we get through these, Francesca could be dead.
Thanks.
Three stores in the last year caught selling NYPD gear to anybody willing to pay.
We closed two of them down before your attacks.
Third one's still open, but on probation.
Let's go.
We check ID on everyone.
Sure, now you do.
After you were investigated last year for selling phony police shields.
They were replicas.
Came with a disclaimer.
And the Kevlar vests IAB caught you selling to drug dealers, they replicas, too? They had ID.
I checked.
I swear.
IAB cleared me.
And now they're foaming from the mouth to de-authorize you.
All those academy grads spending $5,000 a pop to buy their new gear, taking their business elsewhere.
Okay.
Okay.
Everything over the counter was legit.
There might be some guys on the mailing list who aren't.
Okay.
Let's have them now, along with your sales records for the last six months.
Let's go.
Let's go.
Now! A couple of these names have already come up in the impersonator files.
What do you expect? That place is a police buff's wet dream.
One of them bought handcuffs and a gun belt.
Here's two uniform shirts, a nightstick, another one with full highway patrol gear, one red dashboard light.
You know how many red dashboard lights are sold each year? It'll take us a week to track them down.
Look what just blew in.
What are you doing here? You were going to ask me whether or not I was sure it was Lieutenant Urzi that followed me the night of Paula Grace's murder.
I got that right? You going to ask questions or answer them? I only saw the car, not him.
But I wrote down a partial license plate number to check against his car back at the precinct.
It wasn't his.
It's got to be your perp's.
Give us the number.
We'll run it.
I already did.
It's not a department vehicle, and there's only one dark blue Crown Vic with anything like it in the city.
It's registered to a Jeffery Trapani.
That's right in the middle of the crime zone.
Look, we don't have Trapani, but I've got a Jeffery Trapper.
One red dash light and a set of uni blues.
He was a guest of the state for burglary two until he made parole about a half a year ago.
I'll get Cabot on standby for a warrant.
Tell her what we're doing.
Have her meet us at the location.
Thank you.
You did the right thing.
Go! Go! Go! It's clear.
Kitchen's clear.
Entrance clear.
They were here.
Looks like spatter from a beating.
No police gear.
Place hardly looks lived in.
Hey, he's got to keep his stash somewhere.
Maybe where he's stashing Francesca.
Let's go.
Any idea where this guy could be? Munch checked.
Trapani's got a job with the Parks Department.
Part of his work release.
Bring him in.
Run a lineup.
Guy like this isn't going to confess.
We know where Trapani is.
Let's put him under surveillance.
Too risky.
If we lose him, he might snatch another victim.
What about the one he already grabbed? We play by our rules, not his.
Captain? We'll keep somebody on the apartment in case Trapani comes back.
You two, get to the park and pick him up.
There he is.
Look at him stab that stuff.
Who you calling? Munch.
Yeah, we're at the park.
Tell the Captain and Cabot Trapani's not here.
If this goes south, you know we're both back in uniform.
And if we don't try, Francesca's dead.
You don't know somebody till you work with them.
There he is.
Figures he'd drink at a cop bar.
There's no guarantee he's going anywhere near Francesca.
Unless we give him a reason.
Two beers.
You hear about this cluster over at the 22? Not much out there.
IAB's got such a tight lid on it.
I know a lot of guys over there.
Can't figure on any of them doing something like this.
Thanks.
Yeah, that guy's got a set on him, grabbing her up in broad daylight like that.
You think she's dead? She's got to be.
Keeping her alive is too high-risk.
She's a one-way ticket to death row.
Hope, for her sake, you're wrong.
They like anybody for this? I got a friend in the DL says they're real close.
Not soon enough for me.
I got to tell you, even I'm freaked to drive over there.
If Francesca's not his next stop, we got to pick him up.
We should have followed him closer.
He would have made us.
Over here.
Police! Back away from her! Put your hands on your head.
Okay, back away slowly.
Come down here.
Get on the floor.
Assume the position.
He said that we were almost finished and I was next.
Don't worry, Francesca.
He can't hurt you anymore.
Check this out.
That's quite a trophy wall, but you're not much of a cop, are you? Followed you straight to her, and you didn't even spot us.
You're hurting me.
That's going to be the least of your problems, pal.
Someone could afford a nice car like this, you think they'd get a room.
Yeah, but it's empty.
You're out of luck.
This is no free show tonight.
Couldn't have been here very long.
It's still in one piece.
Could have broken down and the owner went for help.
With the keys in the ignition? Who's going to do that? The guy that can't afford the payments on his lease.
I bet he left the car here, and he reports it stolen in a day or two.
You bet, you lose.
What? What are you talking about? All right.
Nice dress.
Yeah.
It was a nice date.
Where's Munch? He banged in sick.
He's such a hypochondriac.
How many times has he had anthrax this week? Victim's name is Paula Grace.
No driver's license in her wallet, just cash and credit cards.
Her car registration says she lived in the East 50s.
Nice dress.
What have we got? Rape-homicide.
Fluid on her thighs, perineal tears.
Lots of pre-mortem bruising.
Cause of death? Massive head trauma.
Any signs of a weapon? Bloody rock underneath her head when we rolled the body.
Won't know for sure till we get her back to the morgue.
Thanks.
We have any idea what she was doing down here? Cops say this is like a lovers' lane.
Could have been a romantic interlude gone wrong.
What did you find inside the car? Nothing but her purse.
I haven't checked the trunk yet.
Trunk release isn't working.
Keys either.
You see this in Narcotics.
Drug dealer's too cheap to put in a stash spot so they re-key the locks, then disable the manual release.
Were you a car thief in a former life? Nah, baby.
Boy Scout.
Always prepared.
What the hell is Rytex? Whatever it is, she's got a pharmacy back here.
Burning the midnight oil? Just like you ordered.
What've we got? Paula Grace.
She worked in a pharmaceutical company called Quantum, up in Westchester.
She couldn't have walked out of the office with all those drugs and nobody noticed.
She didn't.
Her company doesn't make Rytex.
Morning.
Nice dress.
Don't start.
We find out what this Rytex is yet? Yeah.
It's a hot new cancer drug.
Doc Warner says a 10-week course costs about $25,000.
Which makes the supply in the victim's trunk worth a cool million.
Who knows what on the black market? Anybody who knew those drugs were there could have driven off in her car.
Well, if the murder isn't about the drugs, what was she doing under the West Side Highway? Could be she was supposed to meet a buyer there and some random predator got to her first.
Buyer shows up, finds the body, can't get the trunk open, isn't going to risk driving off in a murder victim's car.
CSU found the trunk key hidden under the carpet.
Which means she didn't want anybody to know what was in there.
Let's find out why.
I can't believe this happened to Paula.
We're all in shock.
This is where Paula worked, on one of our drug research teams.
What kind of research? Squamous cell esophageal cancer.
We're very close to testing a promising new treatment.
Is that something your company's working on alone? No.
There's a drug on the market called Rytex, but we believe that ours will be more efficacious.
When did you last see Miss Grace? Last night, around 8:00.
She said that she was finishing up.
I assumed that she was heading home from here.
It's a long commute to Manhattan, Mr.
Ragolia.
She always drive? Paula always said that it was the best part of her day, her chance to clear her head.
That's why she would never move up here.
Does she have any family, a boyfriend? Both her parents are dead.
She never mentioned anyone special.
She mostly kept to herself at work.
I insisted that she spend the holidays with me, my wife and my kids.
Sounds like you really took her under your wing.
In this business, nurturing talent can make you billions.
Paula was on her way to a very bright future here.
What a waste.
Your victim has vaginal bruising and lacerations from the rape.
No semen, just Rough Rider.
I ID'd the brand of condom lubricant using the FBI database.
What about the rock? Embedded in the ground, but definitely what killed her.
The trauma is to the lower right quadrant, but with an upward impact.
Fracture pattern of the skull indicates one fatal blow, probably while she was trying to fight him off.
So if the perp didn't hit her with the rock, he may not have realized why she suddenly stopped resisting.
She get a piece of him? Just his clothes.
Navy blue fibers under her fingernails.
Already sent it to the lab.
I'm running the fibers now.
No prints in the car other than hers.
Too much time on your hands? My kid visits, always leaves something behind in my office.
My son used to love these, too.
Used them to make a model of your crime scene.
Here's the car.
We found her clothes over here.
Nothing but garbage around the body.
Any idea how the perp got there? There were tire tracks behind her car, made by different tires.
Goodyear radials, very worn.
But what was in her trunk is much more interesting.
The Rytex? I tested it.
It's fake.
A million dollars worth of sugar pills? Why? Drug counterfeiting is a booming industry.
Huge amounts of fake antibiotics have been sold over the Internet and at Mexican pharmacies.
What about these? High grade knock-offs.
Look like the real deal, worthless for treating cancer.
But worth a hell of a lot to Paula.
Nice place.
I wonder how many cancer patients had to die so she could get these views.
How long had Miss Grace lived here? Almost a year.
Nice lady.
Good tipper at the holidays.
What about boyfriends? Visitors? None that I ever saw.
But Miss Grace didn't look like she had guys knocking down her door.
How much longer is this going to take? You got a train to catch? Some prospective tenants are coming to see the place.
How about a little respect? The lady's been dead less than a day.
She said she was moving out.
See for yourself.
You have any idea where she was moving? AII I know is the owners called and said to start showing the place.
Gucci, Prada, Chanel, it's pretty pricey stuff for a lab tech.
Living above her means.
You ladies are all alike.
Do you have a copy of her lease? I don't think she had one.
She knew the owners.
We're going to need to talk to them.
I'll get you the number.
Name's Ragolia, Mr.
and Mrs.
You seen either of them around here recently? Mr.
Ragolia, about once a week.
Said he was measuring for renovations.
How much of this do you think Mrs.
Ragolia knows? It's terrible what happened to Paula.
How well did you know her? She came for Thanksgiving and Christmas the past two years.
One of those introverted science types.
But you felt you could trust her in your apartment.
That was Kevin's idea.
I was more concerned with finding someone who could afford $7,500 a month.
That's a lot on a researcher's salary.
Kevin said Paula had family money she inherited when her parents died.
I think she went through most of it.
Is that why she was moving out? She told Kevin she wanted to live closer to the office.
She could rent a place up here for a third of what she paid us, still have enough left over for a car.
I thought she had a car already.
Didn't she drive to work? No.
Paula told me herself she hated taking the train every day.
We checked Paula Grace's financials.
She never paid a nickel in rent to Ragolia.
Or chipped in on the car she leased.
Ragolia co-signed and made all the payments.
So she gets tired of being a kept woman, he gets jealous-soon-to-be- ex-lover's disease.
Ragolia's wife is a knockout.
Why cheat on her with somebody who looked like Paula Grace? Maybe she had something else he wanted.
Oh, I can't wait to hear this.
Your sympathy's overwhelming.
What happened to you? Skydiving.
Hard landing.
He said he wiped out riding his friend's Harley.
Yeah, and the only thing he's riding now is a desk.
Dump on the victim's cell phone just came back.
Let's find out who she called.
Sure, make the gimp do the busywork.
How much longer is the trial? Couple more days of testimony.
You know, I got a background check on Paula Grace.
Got a Bachelor's from the Pennsylvania College of Pharmacy, Master's in Biochemistry from Cornell.
So, why are the drugs in the trunk fake? Industrial espionage? Well, if she's acting as a spy for the makers of Rytex, they're not paying her too well.
She has a little under $2,000 in her combined bank accounts.
She's a mole, all right, but for the good guys.
Paula made two calls last night.
A short one to Ragolia, and a very long one to an unlisted number.
I called the number.
It's our friends at the FBI.
She's blowing the whistle on her own company.
Quantum's about to test their version of Rytex.
So they conspire to undermine the competition.
They sell fake Rytex under the table at half price to pharmacies around the country, knowing that when the drug fails, doctors are going to look for an alternative.
They didn't count on Paula Grace going to the Feds with her trunk full of evidence.
Which gives Ragolia a couple hundred million reasons to shut her up.
Bring him in.
Thank you for coming in.
We just got a few things we need to clear up.
Anything I can do to help.
It was really admirable of you, making Paula a part of your family.
Well, my wife's just as responsible for that as I am.
She liked Paula a lot.
Really? Then how come she didn't know that you paid for her apartment and her car? How dare you talk to my wife behind my back? We don't need your permission.
We found enough fake Rytex in the back of Paula's car to stock about two dozen pharmacies.
Fake Rytex? Yeah.
Why would I know anything about that? No, you're not that smart, are you? But Paula was.
That's why you seduced her.
Big executive like yourself interested in the mousy, shy little girl, paying for her apartment, paying for her car, and she helps you out with your little scheme.
What scheme? Quantum's stock is taking a dive while your promising competition to Rytex is 18 months behind schedule.
So you flood the market with fake Rytex to damage its reputation.
Then, when your product comes out, your company rakes in all the profits.
You were set to cash in, till you find out she was working for the Feds.
What? She was on her way to bring the fake Rytex, and you, to the FBI when she was killed.
I didn't kill her.
I needed her.
Till you were done with her.
She wanted me to leave my wife.
I said, "No way.
" Later, she called me.
Said she was going to make me sorry.
I didn't think she'd go to the Feds.
That's it until I get my lawyer.
I wouldn't get too comfortable.
He lawyered up.
We're handing Ragolia off to the FBI.
Paula Grace was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Another victim? Same area, same M.
O.
, but this one is still breathing.
Victim made the 911 from her cell phone.
Couldn't get a word out of her.
Okay.
We got it from here.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Hi, I'm detective Benson.
I'd like to ask you a few questions.
What's your name? Francesca Jesner.
Can you tell me what happened? He made me get out of the car.
I thought he was going to kill me.
Did you see his face? Not really.
How about what he was wearing? It was a blue uniform.
He was a cop.
A client of mine had a party at Lucio's.
I was driving home when the cop pulled me over.
Tell me what happened next.
He walked up to my window and shined a light in my eyes, so I couldn't see him.
He said I was weaving and asked for my license.
Then he made me get out and take a breathalyzer.
Had you been drinking? No.
He said that if I would have sex with him, he wouldn't arrest me.
When I refused, he got angry.
So I pretended to pass out.
He dragged me from the car and said that he knew I was faking, and that he was going to kill me.
So I let him.
During the attack, did he say anything? Nothing.
What did the car look like? Unmarked.
Had a red light on the dashboard.
It was a dark color.
Dark blue or black.
Francesca, is there anything else that you can remember? Anything at all? He used a condom.
This is really, really important.
Do you remember what he did with the wrapper? He put it in his pocket.
I remember thinking, "Why would he keep that?" Oh, my God.
He kept my driver's license, too.
He knows where I live.
How's Francesca's rape kit? It looked clean, but we got a problem with her blood alcohol.
Over the limit? Way over.
Doc says she would have blew about 0.
12.
She said she never had a drink.
Well, that's a good way to get out of a DWI.
Accuse the cop of rape.
Well, he sure thinks like a cop.
Took the condom wrapper so now we can't get prints.
If there was a condom.
You think Francesca's Iying about the rape? She lied about being drunk.
Maybe it's just a habit.
Francesca Jesner has two prior DWIs.
The last one, she got belligerent with the arresting officer and was charged with resisting.
So this time she figured she'd lie her way out of it.
Or maybe she's telling the truth.
These cases have too much in common.
Same area, same time of night Paula Grace's homicide was front page news.
Enough details for Francesca to fake her story.
There is no way that she could have faked that traumatized.
I'm telling you, Captain, this woman was raped.
I just don't want to send the rat squad on some witch hunt and screw some innocent cop.
Neither do I.
Could've been anybody in a uniform.
Didn't have to be a real cop.
It doesn't matter.
This woman is a rape victim until we prove otherwise.
Nobody is jumping to any conclusions until we investigate this case, okay? Two DWIs and she's still behind the wheel? Her license was revoked once before.
She just got it back.
She is one moving violation away from losing it for good.
Which gives her the motive to lie when she got pulled over last night.
I'll have Munch pull all citations and radio runs from that precinct.
You two check out the victim's story, and not a word to anybody.
It was a big party.
Some hip artiste rented the whole place out.
Open bar, top-shelf booze, everybody off the A-list.
Must've been Was she one of them? Vodka-coke, no ice.
Three hundred guests and you remember her that quick? She must've been chained to the bar.
She was knocking them back pretty steady.
Alone? No, she was all over a guy, hot and heavy.
When she started getting sloppy, I think he walked her out.
What did this guy look like? I don't know.
Blonde, tall.
You know, every woman's dream.
I didn't leave with anyone.
Bartender says otherwise.
Parking attendant says he saw both of you leave in your car.
I say a cop raped me, and you stick up for your own.
Francesca, you lied about being drunk.
I want to believe you.
I do.
But you're not making it easy for me.
I didn't tell you about the drinking because I knew you would think I made up the rape.
What about the guy you left with? I used to work with him.
He's married.
I don't want him involved.
Well he's going to be, unless you start telling the truth.
Excuse me.
We parked and had sex.
When we finished, he caught a cab.
I started to drive home and the cop pulled me over.
You should've told me that from the beginning.
We'll be back.
What's up? CSU wants us back at the crime scene.
So what's here that you couldn't tell us on the phone? A picture's worth a thousand words.
Take me through your victim's account of what happened.
Francesca said that the perp walked through the alcohol field test here and as she was coming back is when he grabbed her.
See these drag marks? They match the shoes your victim was wearing.
We found gravel inside them.
These are your perp's footprints, and the tire tracks match the ones from across the way, where Paula Grace was found.
Shoe prints tell us anything about our mystery man? Based on the depths of the shoe impressions and their size, I'd say he's about six foot, 200 pounds.
Are there any cops on your list of suspects? What makes you think it's a cop? The blue fibers from under Paula Grace's fingernails are consistent with NYPD issue uniform pants.
If Francesca Jesner was pulled over by a cop, he did not write a summons.
In fact, there were no traffic stops or checkpoints anywhere near the area, either night.
What about radio runs? All cars accounted for in the 22 both nights.
Except one.
Unmarked? Anticrime.
The cops worked in uniform.
Both nights, MIA during the time of the attacks.
Missing for how long? Forty-nine minutes unaccounted for at the time of Paula Grace's homicide, and 36 last night.
We have names? Yeah.
Al Marcosi and Roger Graves.
Marcosi's got more than 10 years on, most of it on midnights.
Graves got out of the academy last spring.
Victim says it was a white guy, so Graves gets a pass.
Unless he knew what his partner was doing on traffic stops.
We got to get their car down to CSU, see if the tire tracks match.
Which means we're gonna have to involve IAB.
I'll call the action desk, have their jackets pulled, see if either one's been a target before.
Captain, before you do that, let us take a run over at the 22.
If this Marcosi is a wrong cop, I don't want him wise that we like him for this.
Yeah.
Lieutenant over there is my old boss who works midnights, Phil Urzi.
I'll finesse him.
That strip under the West Side Highway, worst spot in the whole precinct.
Car strippers, prostitution, narcotics.
But this is the first homicide down there in years.
We're thinking that something scared our perp off, that's why we're checking all police presence in that sector at the time of the attack.
We listened to the division radio-tapes.
Two of your guys, we can't figure out where they were.
Marcosi and Graves.
How'd you know? My problem children.
Two gold shield wannabes who don't play by the rules.
We can't account for them for about a half-hour.
Well, last night, they were still marked at a job, but they'd been gone Cleared the job quick when they heard I was out looking for them.
But why haven't you ripped them yet? Because Marcosi and Graves bring in the big collars.
Guns, drugs.
Stopped a robbery in progress three nights ago.
You mind if we have a little chat with them? Not to bust their chops, but we're thinking maybe they saw something that can help us out with our case.
I don't mind.
But I guarantee Marcosi will.
Probably wants the collar himself.
Man, can you believe it? Hey, guys, got a minute? You are? Olivia Benson, Special Victims.
This is Fin Tutuola.
We caught the two cases under the West Side Highway.
How can we help you? We thought maybe you saw something if you guys were down there the other night.
Usually it's the first place we check at the top of the tour because that's where most of the crimes are committed in the precinct.
But both times we were someplace else.
I wish we were there.
We've been searching for the vehicle in the bulletin ever since.
Can we call you if we need anything? Sure, you know where you can find us.
Thank you.
They were probably off handling some investigation they didn't want your lieutenant friend to know about.
Yeah, well, maybe you should have asked them.
What, you got a problem? Yeah, I do.
You softballing them like that.
I'm not going to go hard on two good cops unless I think they done something.
What side are you on? The victim's, where we're supposed to be.
Yeah, well, what about the truth? Your victim's definitely not telling that.
Oh, and your cops are? You didn't even ask them.
You sounded more like their union rep than anything else.
I just call it how I see it.
Yeah? We just blew our chance.
And now it's IAB's call.
Your detectives went against policy.
They were following my orders on our case.
For which a cop may be a suspect.
We investigate cops.
And we investigate sex crimes.
Look, it's not like we were trying to hide anything from you.
You spoke to a target without us.
You of all people should know better, Captain.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
You knew about Marcosi before we called you? He's been under investigation for six months.
Having sex with a prostitute in exchange for a reduced charge.
And you didn't nail him? Oh, we tried.
But we couldn't find her.
She's been missing ever since.
You're getting pretty good with those.
Better than lifting weights.
Best workout I've had in a long time.
When you going to tell me how you really got hurt? Why should I give that up when you never even once mentioned that you have offspring? My son? What, Olivia told you that? I bare my soul to you, and you can't even share that there's a little Tutuola running around? He's not little.
He's 18.
What did you find out? Prostitute's name is Raquel Stephens.
Missing Persons has no record of a report.
How did IAB get onto him? Anonymous tip.
Well, maybe there's something in her previous collars.
I already cross-referenced them with other prostitutes picked up at the same time.
Raquel was joined quite regularly by a Miss Mandy Mangum.
Including the night of the alleged incident.
You come to remind me of my right to remain silent? You're Raquel's friend.
And Marcosi's yours.
And if he made Raquel disappear, he's no friend of ours.
Why the hell should I trust you? Because cops like Marcosi make the rest of us look bad.
If he did something to Raquel, he's going down.
You got our word on it.
I used to share a place with Raquel.
She disappeared about a week after we got busted.
We know you two were collared together that night.
What happened? We were cuffed to a bench in the precinct, and Marcosi came by.
Raquel bummed a cigarette, and he took her into a break room to smoke it.
She tell you what he said? She give him a freebie, and he'll get our case dropped.
So she did it right there in the precinct.
Marcosi offer you the same deal? No, but he had a real woody for Raquel.
Next day he called her, asked her for a date.
She was excited.
Thought she might have a permanent get-out-of-jail-free card.
When I left for the weekend she had plans with him.
Did you tell any other cops about this? Some guy from Internal Affairs came by about six months ago.
I played dumb.
I don't want to disappear, too.
If you think of anything else, give us a call.
You convinced now? Not on the word of some hooker.
Those fibers under Paula Grace's fingernails could have come from any one of 40,000 cops.
But the tire tracks on the perp's car didn't.
When did these go on? Yesterday, according to Motor Pool.
At whose request? The cops who drive it.
Said someone stuck an ice pick in two of the tires.
Guess Motor Pool figured, might as well replace them all.
Even if we find them on some pile, the chain of custody's broken.
Looks kind of clean for an anticrime car.
Someone had the undercarriage washed.
So we're screwed? Not totally.
Gravel.
From all four wheel wells.
Consistent with what we found in Francesca Jesner's shoes.
Your captain called.
You got to get back.
What's going on? Trouble.
News is running a story on a rapist cop in the morning edition.
How did it leak? Hopefully not from here.
You're looking at four of the five people who know about this, and nobody wants the media badmouthing the job.
Well, now that it's out, we're running on borrowed time.
The paper won't hold the story to safeguard the investigation? They feel public safety overrides.
What about the safety of the roads? Story breaks, nobody stops for the police.
And Marcosi gets rid of his evidence.
We need a warrant for his locker.
Well, my bosses are going to want more than a couple rocks and fibers before they go after a cop.
Then put a spin on it as a necessary step to clear Marcosi if he's not involved.
Alex, we don't move fast on this, we lose them.
Okay.
Thanks.
I smell a rat.
Make that three.
Come on, fellows.
Here we go.
157.
He's quite the ladies' man.
Let's bag everything.
Bingo.
Rough Riders.
Our favorite brand.
Hey, that's private property.
Yeah? These private property, too? Locker belongs to the city.
The contents are mine.
You can't do this.
Well, this says we can.
You got to talk to us.
Have your union delegate meet you over at SVU.
I don't need a union delegate.
I got nothing to hide.
You think that I killed a girl under the West Side Highway? Are you nuts? You fit the description of the suspect.
Along with 100 other guys in my command.
But the only one unaccounted for at the time of both crimes is you.
I bend the rules a little, so what? Well, then there's your vehicle, matches what the perp drove, and Forensics places you at the crime scene.
Along with a dozen other cars.
We're constantly checking the area.
Why'd you take it to the car wash? It was caked in mud.
Is that why you conveniently had the tires replaced? We came out and found two flats, courtesy of an ice pick.
You got an out for everything, don't you? I don't have to explain how I work to you.
Nobody in that precinct brings in more collars than me.
Really? Well, how many cops in the precinct date hookers? Oh, I get a little bit on the side.
I don't pay for it.
That's not a crime.
It is when you make them disappear.
What are you talking about? IAB is investigating you for Raquel Stephens.
Excuse me.
Raquel? Yeah, Raquel.
You collared her last year.
She gave you a freebie.
You let her walk, then she just disappears after her little date with you.
She went to an alcohol rehab somewhere upstate.
You remember where? She didn't say.
I swear, I didn't do anything to her.
You want to go down for this? I am not going down.
I didn't rape those girls.
I break the rules a little bit, but I get results.
We're trying to help you here, Al.
Why should I believe you? You just got to take my word for it.
We're talking rape-homicide here.
If you didn't do it, worst thing IAB can do to you is a five-day rip.
I was down there the night of the murder, under the West Side Highway.
Doing what? I had a date in the car.
Where was your partner? Looking out for me, and it's a good thing he was.
He see anything? Yeah.
Our boss, Lieutenant Urzi, came driving towards us.
So Graves comes up, knocks on the window.
We got out of there, no lights, before Urzi caught us.
Who was the girl? Some random citizen picked me up.
She offered.
I don't even know her name.
Give us a second.
Marcosi's talking.
Put himself at the scene the night of Paula Grace's murder.
We got another victim.
Marcosi's been with us for hours.
No, no, no.
It could still be him.
This is six weeks old.
And she's just reporting it now? She was afraid to accuse a cop, came forward after she saw it on the news.
Where is she? Interview.
Fin, I want you on the phone to IAB.
They're sweating Marcosi's partner Graves now.
I want to know everything they got.
Olivia, I'm calling in Huang.
I want you and him in with the victim.
I came off the West Side Highway, took a shortcut.
He stopped me, said that I was speeding.
He told me to get out of the car.
Then he told me to take off my clothes.
I just obeyed.
I kept staring at the gun on his belt.
You didn't have a choice, Stacia.
Maybe I should have screamed, fought back.
A cop with a gun stopped you.
You made the right decision.
You survived.
Stacia, can I ask you a question? During the rape, did he experience any sexual difficulties? He was on top of me, and then he stopped, and at first I thought that he'd finished, but then I realized that he lost his, you know His erection.
Yeah.
So then, how did he react to that? I opened my eyes and he slapped me across the face so hard that I cried out.
And then he started again.
Stacia, do you recognize any of these men? It was dark and my eyes were closed.
I never saw his face.
Thank you.
Excuse me.
I called IAB.
Graves isn't talking.
Where was Marcosi? I checked the roll call.
He wasn't working that day.
He's got everything else covered.
What do you want to bet he's got an alibi? Doc, can you help us out here? The badge, the uniform and the gun all bolster your perp's sense of power, which enhances his masculinity and his control.
That's probably why he became a cop in the first place.
He keeps their driver's licenses as trophies.
Strong possibility.
Every time he looks at them again, he relives the thrill.
She didn't resist, he couldn't perform, so he hits her.
I mean, this guy gets off on violence.
And killing the first victim probably gave him an appetite for more.
If that car hadn't come by, he would have killed Francesca Jesner, too.
Marcosi fit your profile? Well, I'd like to spend some time with him.
Do it.
I've seen your arrest record.
It's very impressive.
Ever since I was a little boy, all I wanted to be was a detective.
Thrill of the chase? I make a collar, I get a real rush.
The same rush you get when a beautiful woman comes on to you? Yeah.
Yeah, it's kind of the same, you know? It's like a game.
"Will she? Won't she?" And if she says no? Plenty of fish in the sea.
What about on duty? What do you do when you meet a woman on the job? Department regs say stay away, but I can't help it if these girls call the command and they come looking for me.
You do all this great work on the street, and they won't give you a gold shield.
That must frustrate you.
You know what frustrates me? Everybody is so concerned about my personal life.
You can't make detective, you break a few rules.
You can't get a woman to sleep with you, what do you do? You are so wrong.
I don't need to rape.
You think I did this? Give me a chance to clear myself.
You bring in your victims.
I'll stand in a lineup.
How's Francesca going to pick Marcosi out of a lineup when she couldn't even give us a sketch? What the hell's going on over here? Hey, what's up? If you're looking for Franny, you're too late.
Francesca Jesner? That girl sure knows how to party.
Your buddy got her in the car without your help.
A cop? They've arrested her before.
Thought she was going to claw his eyes out before he got the cuffs on her, yelling he raped her.
Perp must have seen a news story and snatched Francesca up so she couldn't ID him.
Neighbors get a make on the car, or a plate? All they gave us was a dark sedan, red light on the dash.
Marcosi's still here.
Rule him out.
How much time we got, Doc? He chose not to kill her in the apartment because he wanted the thrill of arresting her.
I'd guess he'd keep her for a while, until he got tired of her.
Anything? I checked Communications.
No cars called in on a job or a response anywhere near Francesca's apartment.
Maybe Fin's right and our guy isn't a cop.
You said that the badge makes our perp feel like a real man.
Ted Bundy and how many other serial killers did the exact same thing? What if our guy's just some schmuck playing dress up? Men impersonate cops for the same reason that they rape and kill.
It's a lack of confidence combined with the need for the ultimate power trip.
Not to mention the perfect disguise.
Nobody's going to question a cop pulling them over.
Or making a collar.
Francesca's neighbors didn't think twice when they saw our guy take her away.
Also explains why he was alone in the car.
No partner.
Your impersonator unit help us out? I'll pull the files, see if anybody fits.
The night Paula Grace was killed Marcosi said he thought he saw Lieutenant Urzi following them.
Now if Urzi and our perp both drive a dark Crown Vic Then it could have been our perp.
Get away from me.
Take it easy.
What, are you kidding me? I know I'm not pure, but you and your buddy from rat squad, they got me riding a desk.
For what? You made yourself look wrong, and we were just doing our jobs.
Had you been in our position, you would have done the exact same thing.
Now do yours and help us out.
You got some nerve asking me for help.
The perp snatched up one of his previous victims.
You wasted your time fingering me.
You're right.
So hate us but don't let her die.
That happens, it's on you.
Go to hell.
We can rule out these guys.
Interested in the toys, but they don't play with them.
Whoever this guy was, he needed the gear.
You can't buy uniforms without departmental ID.
How about vendors? Only a dozen stores in the Tri-State sell NYPD equipment, and we keep a pretty tight watch on them.
I'll make a call.
I got all the violent ones.
They use the uniform for bank robberies, home invasions, rapes.
I ran the entire lot for prior sexual assaults, with and without impersonation as an M.
O.
Came up with 13.
By the time we get through these, Francesca could be dead.
Thanks.
Three stores in the last year caught selling NYPD gear to anybody willing to pay.
We closed two of them down before your attacks.
Third one's still open, but on probation.
Let's go.
We check ID on everyone.
Sure, now you do.
After you were investigated last year for selling phony police shields.
They were replicas.
Came with a disclaimer.
And the Kevlar vests IAB caught you selling to drug dealers, they replicas, too? They had ID.
I checked.
I swear.
IAB cleared me.
And now they're foaming from the mouth to de-authorize you.
All those academy grads spending $5,000 a pop to buy their new gear, taking their business elsewhere.
Okay.
Okay.
Everything over the counter was legit.
There might be some guys on the mailing list who aren't.
Okay.
Let's have them now, along with your sales records for the last six months.
Let's go.
Let's go.
Now! A couple of these names have already come up in the impersonator files.
What do you expect? That place is a police buff's wet dream.
One of them bought handcuffs and a gun belt.
Here's two uniform shirts, a nightstick, another one with full highway patrol gear, one red dashboard light.
You know how many red dashboard lights are sold each year? It'll take us a week to track them down.
Look what just blew in.
What are you doing here? You were going to ask me whether or not I was sure it was Lieutenant Urzi that followed me the night of Paula Grace's murder.
I got that right? You going to ask questions or answer them? I only saw the car, not him.
But I wrote down a partial license plate number to check against his car back at the precinct.
It wasn't his.
It's got to be your perp's.
Give us the number.
We'll run it.
I already did.
It's not a department vehicle, and there's only one dark blue Crown Vic with anything like it in the city.
It's registered to a Jeffery Trapani.
That's right in the middle of the crime zone.
Look, we don't have Trapani, but I've got a Jeffery Trapper.
One red dash light and a set of uni blues.
He was a guest of the state for burglary two until he made parole about a half a year ago.
I'll get Cabot on standby for a warrant.
Tell her what we're doing.
Have her meet us at the location.
Thank you.
You did the right thing.
Go! Go! Go! It's clear.
Kitchen's clear.
Entrance clear.
They were here.
Looks like spatter from a beating.
No police gear.
Place hardly looks lived in.
Hey, he's got to keep his stash somewhere.
Maybe where he's stashing Francesca.
Let's go.
Any idea where this guy could be? Munch checked.
Trapani's got a job with the Parks Department.
Part of his work release.
Bring him in.
Run a lineup.
Guy like this isn't going to confess.
We know where Trapani is.
Let's put him under surveillance.
Too risky.
If we lose him, he might snatch another victim.
What about the one he already grabbed? We play by our rules, not his.
Captain? We'll keep somebody on the apartment in case Trapani comes back.
You two, get to the park and pick him up.
There he is.
Look at him stab that stuff.
Who you calling? Munch.
Yeah, we're at the park.
Tell the Captain and Cabot Trapani's not here.
If this goes south, you know we're both back in uniform.
And if we don't try, Francesca's dead.
You don't know somebody till you work with them.
There he is.
Figures he'd drink at a cop bar.
There's no guarantee he's going anywhere near Francesca.
Unless we give him a reason.
Two beers.
You hear about this cluster over at the 22? Not much out there.
IAB's got such a tight lid on it.
I know a lot of guys over there.
Can't figure on any of them doing something like this.
Thanks.
Yeah, that guy's got a set on him, grabbing her up in broad daylight like that.
You think she's dead? She's got to be.
Keeping her alive is too high-risk.
She's a one-way ticket to death row.
Hope, for her sake, you're wrong.
They like anybody for this? I got a friend in the DL says they're real close.
Not soon enough for me.
I got to tell you, even I'm freaked to drive over there.
If Francesca's not his next stop, we got to pick him up.
We should have followed him closer.
He would have made us.
Over here.
Police! Back away from her! Put your hands on your head.
Okay, back away slowly.
Come down here.
Get on the floor.
Assume the position.
He said that we were almost finished and I was next.
Don't worry, Francesca.
He can't hurt you anymore.
Check this out.
That's quite a trophy wall, but you're not much of a cop, are you? Followed you straight to her, and you didn't even spot us.
You're hurting me.
That's going to be the least of your problems, pal.