Law & Order Special Victims Unit s17e17 Episode Script

1 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.
(dramatic music) (pop music) I don't trust any of them, but at least At least he looks he looks honest.
I had my heart set on a place in Bushwick last spring.
Couldn't find a two-bedroom for less than $3,500.
- A month? - Yeah.
- For a two-bedroom? - Pathetic.
- In Bushwick? - I know! Man! Where do you get that kind of money? Where do you get that kind of money? You know, I don't understand Brooklyn anymore.
I really don't.
This is what men talk about when their wives aren't around? There's no way that girl's 18.
Hang on.
Is that Judge Wheeler? Yeah, I see a Bronx ADA, two assemblymen, and a councilman, too.
You think this nurse knew what she was tipping us off to? Maybe.
She said that the girls were scared, and she wouldn't give up any names.
- Okay, when do we move in? - Easy, Dodds.
We gotta wait till they do something more incriminating.
How close do you wanna cut it? Because Judge Wheeler has his hand up that girl's skirt.
(girl coughing) - Where are you going, young lady? - I just need to use the bathroom.
Stay a little longer.
We don't bite.
- Hey, excuse me, you need some water? - She's fine.
You'll get your turn.
- What's going on here? - Nothing.
There's no problem.
Like she said, no problem.
Girl just needs a break.
- Hey, Jersey, mind your own business.
- Get your hands off me.
- John, come on, not tonight.
- You wanna do this? Let's go! - Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
- Hey, hey, you're done, pal.
That's enough! Back off! Gun, gun, they got a gun.
Dodds, Rollins, go.
All right, all right, my mistake.
All right - NYPD, hands up! - Hands up! You guys move over where we can see you.
Are you going somewhere? Get him out of here.
Lieutenant Benson.
Guns down now! We're on the job.
Vice.
SVU.
- Color of the day.
- Yellow.
Son of a bitch.
Lieutenant, you just derailed a two year operation.
(dramatic music) (dramatic music) Listen, girls, I need to know how you heard about this party.
- How you got there.
- From friends.
What friends? What are what are their names? They weren't really friends.
We met them at a Wiz Khalifa concert.
- They told us about it.
- And what did they say exactly? Lieutenant.
What fresh hell awaits? We responded to a tip that underage girls would be at a sex party, and in attendance was Bronx ADA Winn, two assemblymen, a retired DA investigator, a councilman, and I'm sure that you recognize Judge Wheeler.
Why am I not surprised? What about the girls? Are they talking? Oh, no.
Their pimps have them completely under control.
Haven't even bothered to send a lawyer, and no one will admit to knowing whose party it was, - who supplied the girls - All par for the course.
Well, it gets worse.
Detectives Russo and Jefferson, Vice, were working the case from another angle.
They pulled their guns and badges as we made the bust.
- They must know who threw the party.
- Well, if they do, they're not saying.
They claimed that we ruined their UC operation.
Don't worry, I called their captain.
You mean he wasn't there too? Was there anybody at this party who wasn't a public servant? Her.
Nina Kelly.
This is her only ID.
She's a nun.
Well, we're trying to verify.
Nina, so I was just talking to our ADA, and he was wondering why a nun would be at a sex party.
I'm not comfortable with him.
The sister would prefer to talk to a woman.
So I'm gonna take another run at the Johns.
Thank you.
I'm I'm not comfortable with male cops.
Oh, I can imagine.
As a madam, you've had your share of run-ins, huh? You know, I I'm not a madam.
So what are you? Waitress? I'm a nun.
Look, I've spent months trying to infiltrate this ring to save the girls.
You saw who was there.
Politicians, police.
It's rigged.
Well, I'm not part of the good old boy network.
- So why don't you work with me, Nina? - (sighs) Why don't you tell me who throws these parties, who procures these girls, and I will go after them, and get those girls to a shelter.
No.
Look, if they think I'm cooperating, I won't be able to save anyone else.
It took a long time.
I had to earn the trust of a lot of people.
Who? Who hired you? - Why don't you ask the Johns that? - Because they haven't been forthcoming.
Yeah.
Yeah, of course they haven't.
Because they know they'll get away with it.
Look, Dodds, right? We'd like to help you out, man, but this is way above our pay grade.
Mm.
Well, your captain is on his way.
Hey, out of curiosity, how were you guys in there undercover, with badges and guns? We're dirty cops.
That's our cover story.
Okay.
They like to have us at the parties, to keep everybody in line.
Yeah? They? Hey, come on, fellows.
Throw me a bone here.
I mean, there's nothing in the system about you guys being undercover there.
Our captain told us straight up not to put this into DECS Too many of the Johns have access.
- Hey! Hey, hey.
- Captain Gerbic.
I am sorry to drag you down here in the middle of the night.
Oh, Vice never sleeps.
It looks like the same can be said for SVU.
I didn't know you were still here.
Your father said you were moving up.
Oh, my lieutenant has a few questions.
Absolutely.
One minute, fellows.
Cap.
Ah, well, this is a cluster, huh? The timing was bad.
I know your guys' cover was blown, and this is not ideal.
To say the least.
We gotta get new guys in there now.
Sets us back big-time.
And what were your people doing at this party in the first place? Actually, an anonymous tip.
But I'm hoping now that we're all in this together - that we could - No, I wish I could help.
But we're playing the long game here.
You've seen the pedigree of your Johns.
- Anybody talking? - Not yet.
No, no.
Ask yourself why.
Who are they protecting? This is deep UC.
I'm going out on a limb here - even acknowledging this - And I appreciate that.
But underage girls are still being raped and trafficked.
Well, where SVU sees victims, we see willing participants.
These girls are not exactly madonnas.
Well, okay.
Never mind that.
We care just as much about these traffickers as you do.
We are gonna nail these guys.
I just think that SVU is better equipped I hear you, but we're already inside.
You move in now, the carnival just picks up, goes to a different lot, and the games keep getting played.
Now, how about I get my guys out of here? You know what? Let me run it by the ADA first.
Why don't you call the Deputy Inspector? See what he says.
So that's it? We're shut out? They say they're deep UC.
So if they are investigating that, I mean, I get it.
Okay, so a UC investigation that we can't investigate because of who they're investigating.
That's a Mobius strip.
Maybe my father has some intel.
- It's worth a try.
- Yeah.
So all these girls are with Social Services? I'll take another run at them tomorrow.
Please.
Hey, Lieutenant, what? We'll just let these Johns go too? - For now.
I'll call Barba or not.
- Lieutenant Benson? - Sister, something the matter? - Yeah, I don't understand.
You're just gonna let those bastards go? - Sister, that's none of your concern.
- So because they have badges, it makes it okay for them to assault 16-year-old girls? - What are you talking about? - Multiple girls.
Multiple times.
They're not cops.
They're rapists.
Yes.
That's Sister Nina.
- So you know her.
- Very well.
She's brought several abused and trafficked girls to our shelter.
She's doing God's work.
- Is Sister Nina in trouble? - (sighs) She was picked up in a raid.
We have her in our holding cell.
She claims she knows about dirty cops who are raping teenage girls.
If Sister Nina says it happened, it happened.
Okay, she she gave me one name of a girl that she brought to you, Cara Gutierrez? Oh, yes.
Nina brought Cara here about six months ago.
Very troubled girl, but I believe she's healing.
So would it be possible for me to speak with her? She won't say a word unless Sister Nina is with her.
Of course.
I understand.
Thank you.
It's good to see you again.
Ah How's her little boy, Noah? You adopted him, yes? I did.
He's, um He's thriving.
We still say the Rosary for Ellie every year.
Thank you.
I'm not sure.
These detectives are on our side, Cara.
That one.
He's one of them.
Russo.
What did he do, exactly? He was at all the parties, always grabbing us, touching us Making us do stuff.
His partner too.
That one.
It's Jefferson.
Cara, I know how hard this is, and I need you to tell us exactly what happened.
Go ahead, Cara.
It's okay.
They were always there first.
They'd make me and some other girls go down on them.
- They forced you to perform oral sex.
- Mm -hmm.
We had to pretend we liked them.
My last party, somewhere on Edgecombe Avenue, they they got really drunk.
They forced me into a room and took turns raping me.
I started crying, but they didn't care.
Did you tell anybody afterwards? No.
Not right away, but Sister Nina looked out for me.
Cara was skeptical at first, but eventually we established a bond.
That's why she disclosed to me that night, and I brought her to the E.
R.
Did she do a rape kit? No.
Cara would run away.
We'd have lost her.
- Then Sister Nina took me here.
- Cara - who took you to these parties? - No! She's not talking about that.
That is too dangerous.
(tense music) So you bust a sex party and find a madam who says - she's a nun? - Which we confirmed.
And two Vice cops who say they're undercover.
Yeah, and now we have a teenage vic who claims that these guys raped her while they were supposedly on the job.
I don't believe they're undercover.
They're whole story is BS.
But their captain did confirm it to me.
Yeah.
Obviously he is in on it too.
I mean, did he give you details, a target? Easy.
If they really are investigating high level corruption, it would be on a need-to-know basis.
And that gives them permission to rape? This girl did seem credible to me.
(clicks tongue) No witnesses, no outcry, rape kit? This isn't gonna be easy.
So you just look the other way and I have to go back to Barba and tell him that IAB is not investigating? Hey, I thought we were friends.
I didn't say I'm passing on these two.
I've dealt with these two particular cops before.
Last time was about a year ago.
When were you gonna mention that? Well, nothing stuck, and accusations against Vice cops are a dime a dozen.
But if I get them in here, and they are part of a high-level investigation, they will have to give that up in order to save their shields.
How many times are we gonna dance to this same song, Tucker? I have allegations.
I need your side.
And who exactly is making these allegations? Hookers? - Try high school girls.
- Are you talking about the party chicks - that BX9s have been pimping out? - That's it? Your top secret, high level, two-year target is a street gang? Look, they're the low hanging fruit.
The roots of this tree we cannot discuss.
And so this investigation is so critical that you've allowed underage girls to be sex trafficked? Tragic as it may be, yeah.
- That's the job.
- I'm not so sure it is.
You wanna quarrel about policy? Take it up with Detective Russo's superiors.
Phone calls are being made.
Is raping 16-year-old girls while supposedly undercover Is that also part of that policy? These girls aren't dumb.
We're cops, okay? We don't engage in the sexual activity, so they make us as cops.
- That's why they're coming after us.
- They're not coming after you.
Our witnesses are reluctant, scared.
Of what? That their families are gonna find out they're living the life? That's not the case here.
Okay, so her pimp bought her something shiny, put her up to it It's preemptive.
They're just trying to create reasonable doubt since SVU busted them.
Give us names.
We'll run down that angle.
You know, if One P-P won't give you the target, maybe that should tell you something.
(dramatic music) Vice claims that BX9 is pimping out these girls to cops and politicians? It doesn't sound like the M.
O.
for a street gang.
I'm telling you.
These guys aren't undercover.
They're the muscle, or they're running it themselves.
Either way, they called my bluff.
These two would rather risk a morals change than name names.
So we hit another brick wall.
Rollins, you talked to the girls at the party again, right? Danielle went back to her shelter, and Natalia and Margaret's foster families picked them up.
- No one is cooperating.
- So what about friends, classmates? I mean, somebody knows how these girls got caught up.
I mean, we can ask.
Natalia and Margaret both went to St.
Fabiola's.
- So did Cara Gutierrez.
- St.
Fabiola's? It's an all-girl's parochial high school in the South Bronx.
Yeah, I know it I might know somebody who works there.
My cousin Eugene he's a psychologist and a priest.
The last I heard, he was a counselor up there.
Last you heard? He's your cousin.
And a priest.
Our interests diverged.
Estranged Irish relatives.
How rare.
- Okay.
You mind talking to him? - I can do that.
Tucker, you never told me that your cousin was a priest.
You never asked.
Eugene? - It's been a long time.
- (gasps) Eddie Tucker in a church? Is this safe? Am I gonna be struck by lightening? Eddie, what? Someone died? - Aunt Caroline? - No, no.
Still alive.
Still smokes three packs a day.
I'm here on police business.
SVU picked up two of your students during a raid on a sex party.
Yes, horrible.
I pray Natalia and Margaret will come back to school.
- So you've spoken to them? - Oh, I check in every day.
I even took one of their confessions.
Did either of them mention anything about this? - How they got involved? - Come on, Eddie.
Between the seal of the confessional, and the HIPAA laws - Eugene, they're being trafficked.
- I know.
It's the It's the homes.
There's no parenting.
All right, without violating any confidentiality, have you noticed any other troubled girls? Late for school? Falling asleep in class? Many, unfortunately.
Do you know a student named Cara Gutierrez? Cara? Yes, yes.
She dropped out six months ago.
Drugs.
Is she caught up in this? Well, her name came up in the investigation.
Poor soul.
An addict, in foster care.
These gangs they know who to prey on.
- Which gangs? - Oh, Father Eugene.
Oh, Monsignor.
Remember my cousin, Eddie Tucker of the NYPD.
Yes, of course.
Oh, I know.
(Sighs) I know why you're here, Captain Tucker, and I want you to know that they're good girls.
Well, I'm just trying to find out who led them astray, Monsignor, but my cousin here, he's hiding behind the collar.
Oh! I betray their confidence, they're lost to me, to us.
He's right.
I'm afraid we can't talk about our students.
How about a nun by the name of Sister Nina Kelly? She helps these girls.
Maybe she's spoken to either of you.
I know a Sister Nina.
She's never worked at the school.
I believe she's still out on medical leave.
Do you know about the kind of work she does? No.
And I'm concerned to hear she's been in contact with students.
Why's that? (sighs) Sister Nina's medical leave is for psychiatric reasons.
The Church has learned the hard way that we need to be proactive.
We cannot sanction her being around children.
You think detectives from Vice are involved in trafficking, and your key witness, the nun from the party, has mental health issues? Or that's the word that they put out to discredit her.
Either way, the word is out.
What about the Johns? Any help from them? You mean the Judge? The ABA? We think someone maybe at Vice told them that this is going away.
And they're probably right.
Russo and Jefferson stonewalled IAB.
Okay, the Johns are out, the cops are out, the nun is out.
The girls? There is one earlier rescued vic, Cara Gutierrez, who was talking.
She alleges that the Vice cops raped her, but - she's way too scared to testify.
- One step at a time.
Find out if she's at least willing to come and talk to me.
Cara's been in her room all day.
She didn't even come down for supper.
Well, our D.
A.
wanted us to reach out.
I really don't think she'll be up for this.
Well, if she tells us that, then we'll leave, all right? Cara.
Cara! (tense music) This is Detective Sonny Carisi.
I'm at St.
Bernad We don't need a bus.
She's gone.
We have any idea how Cara got this heroin? We're asking.
But no, no idea.
Sister Ida said she was in her room all day.
This is a halfway house, so any one of those girls could've smuggled in drugs.
So they all swore that they didn't.
Mechanism of death Respiratory arrest due to pulmonary edema.
- And the cause? - Acute drug intoxication.
Bad heroin.
- Accident or suicide? - You tell me.
When was the last time this girl used drugs? She's been clean for six months.
(sighs) Sometimes addicts, after they're sober, go back to their old dosage.
Is it possible somebody gave her a hot shot? Well, I can't prove that, but if this concentration were going around, we'd be seeing a lot more overdoses.
So you're leaving the manner undetermined.
Pending your investigation, yes.
And, if it helps, it's actually a very humane death.
She would've been fast asleep by the time her lungs filled with water.
A drug overdose? No.
That couldn't have been an accident.
(crying) I never should've brought you to Cara.
- They killed her.
- Okay.
You keep saying, "They," Nina.
- Who are they? - I told you from the beginning that all I wanted to do was save the girls, and you gave me your word you would protect them.
We can't do that if you don't tell us who to protect them from.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Who knew? Who knew? Who knew Cara was at that shelter? It had to have been somebody in your squad.
No, no, no.
That's not possible.
Yeah? Well, someone tipped them off, and I'm next.
Listen, you're right to be worried.
That's why we don't think that you should stay here.
I have nowhere else to go.
And they're gonna find me anywhere I I know a place where you'll be safe.
Sister, now, are you sure that Cara didn't leave the house yesterday? Yes, I've gone over the log.
She hadn't been outside in three days.
Okay, so when was the last time you saw her? Midday yesterday.
She was very upset.
She wouldn't leave her room.
Priest even agreed to take her confession up there.
- Hang on.
She saw a priest? - Well, yes.
Every Wednesday, the priest comes to take confessions.
Cara always saw him.
Went to mass on Sundays too.
Did you see her afterward? I left her alone until you arrived.
Who is the priest? Father Akintola.
He's a lovely man.
West African.
He fills in sometimes.
So he wasn't your regular guy? Usually it's Father Riley, but he was called away yesterday by St.
Fabiola's.
Okay.
Where can we find Father Akintola? Poor Cara.
It just breaks my heart.
You took a confession.
I know you can't tell us what she told you, but - how did she seem to you? - She was struggling.
The rest of her former classmates just brought it all back.
You all right, Father? I should've never left her alone.
Did you think she was jonesing? I thought she was just anxious.
Well, did she mention any new friends, maybe, or did you see anybody come into her room? Not while I was there.
Ugh, but, look, Sister Ida, she has her hands full, keeping a house full of runaways from giving into temptation.
Cara was an addict.
They always find a way.
- Thank you, Father.
- Thank you.
Oh, if you like (clears throat) I can talk to the girls and see what they know.
Now that Cara is gone, they may want to come forward.
Yeah, that that'd be great, Father.
Thank you.
Sister Nina told us that Cara was in a very good place - and wouldn't have started using again.
- That's not what Father Akintola told us.
Yeah, well, I agree with Nina.
Someone gave Cara a hot shot to shut her up.
Let's hang on, all right? I'm all for paranoia, but who else knew that she was cooperating, besides us? Sister Nina, Sister Ida, Barba and IAB.
And the Vice cops.
I mean, they had motive and NYPD computer access.
Which is why I made sure not to put Cara's name in the system.
So no one else at IAB knew.
I didn't even tell my partner.
But you did ask your cousin about her.
Son of a bitch.
(tense music) - Eugene.
- Excuse me.
- What did you do, Eugene? What did you do? - What are you talking about? Cara Gutierrez, you remember her? You said she had it rough? Well, she got it a whole lot worse now.
- She's ice cold in the morgue.
- I know.
- I heard.
It's horrible.
These drugs - Oh, you think it was the drugs, huh? - Well, what else could it be? - Well, we don't know.
She may have overdosed.
She may have been murdered.
- Dear God.
- Oh, don't give me that, Eugene.
I've locked up better liars than you.
Who did you send after Cara? Eddie! You're not making any sense.
I told you we were talking to her, and you knew what that meant.
All I know is that you are acting like a madman.
The Vice cops Are you on their payroll, or are they on your payroll? Neither! I was Cara's guidance counselor! How could you even contemplate something like that? Why don't we calm down, Father? Step over here with me for just a second.
So, question: Is it possible that you may have inadvertently let Cara's name slip? No, I'd never make a mistake like that.
Why was Father Riley called away from St.
Bernadine's last Wednesday? Because I needed as many shoulders as I could get for the girls to cry on! You can't possibly think that this is some sort of conspiracy.
- How well do you know Father Akintola? - He is a good man.
He's a good priest.
Eddie! It's the Bronx! Cara was involved with the gangs, if she was cooperating, they'd find out The only person I mentioned Cara's name to was you! And now she's dead.
My cousin has been at IAB too long.
He thinks everybody is corrupt.
Eddie, that reflection you see in my eyes that's your soul! - Father - Not mine! It's you who turned your back on God, not me! Let's go, Ed.
They've got something on you.
You're unbelievable.
And you should leave now.
Please.
Let's go.
Let's go Ed! I know it was you, Eugene.
I know it was you! Tucker, enough.
I said enough! - That pious little snake is lying.
- He didn't kill Cara.
- He was at the school all day.
- But he set her up.
Or maybe he just let her name slip.
Not a chance; Eugene wouldn't do that he's a politician.
Every word out of his mouth is calculated.
You really think that he's running a sex trafficking ring? Or protecting it.
I don't know.
I want a warrant for his phone, his financials, his computer, everything.
I'm gonna tear into his life - until I find out what he's hiding.
- No, you're not, Ed.
He's your cousin, not a cop, okay? - If he is a suspect - He's more than a suspect.
Then let SVU pursue it.
Not your case.
Not your case.
I will ask Barba for the warrants.
That nun.
They're gonna be looking for her.
She needs to come inside.
She's safe.
So was Cara.
- That's so cool! - Sister Nina? There you are.
I fed him, 'cause he seemed a little hungry.
- I hope that's all right.
- Oh, of course.
Yeah.
Um, Sister Nina, this is Captain Tucker.
Okay.
Hi, my love.
Hi, what are you playing with? (kisses) - So who is he, and why is he here? - He's all right, Nina.
Captain Tucker, and he's investigating Russo and Jefferson.
The Vice cops who haven't been charged? - I'm working on that, believe me.
- Nina, it's okay.
Captain Tucker knows that Russo and Jefferson are dirty cops.
- He wants them off the force.
- And in jail.
- But I need your help to do that.
- Look.
We already know that most of those girls were students at St.
Fabiola's.
Is there someone at the school we should be looking at? - I don't work there.
- Please.
Please.
Okay, you know, sometimes the guidance counselors at these schools have their fingers on the pulse of what's going on.
Are you saying we should be talking to Father Eugene? What, you know him? Yes, we do.
Uh, Eugene is actually, uh, he's actually Tucker's cousin.
Father Eugene is your cousin.
Hey, you need any help with that, Noah? What are you doing? Did any of the girls say he may be involved? No one will know where it came from.
- I promise you that.
- You know what? Let's say good-bye to Mr.
Tucker.
- Bye.
- Bye.
He's gotta go.
He's gotta go right now.
- Nina - No, no, no.
She's right.
It's okay.
I'll go and let you two talk.
(door closes) Nina, I need you to put my son down.
Nina, listen to me.
Look, Tucker's gone.
All right? I know you wanna help those girls, but it's not what you think.
Nina, I need you to put my son down right now.
Thank you.
- Okay.
- Everybody wants to hug you.
Everybody wants to hug you.
Don't they, sweet Noah? Okay, baby, how about you and me, how about we go play with mommy's iPad, okay? Okay? I'll be right back.
Come here, baby, come here.
Nina.
You know, I actually thought you were on my side? - I am on your side.
- Father Eugene's cousin? He's in charge of the investigation? Yes, but listen to me.
There's no love lost there.
And if Eugene is involved, then Tucker and I will go after him.
You know, everyone said I could trust you Sister Ida, Jen.
I should've known that you were - gonna sell me out.
- I would never do that.
Are you gonna have me committed again, huh? - No.
- Sent for more shock treatment? I am not crazy! You bring Father Eugene's cousin here? Either you're in on this with them, or you're an idiot.
Nina, listen to me.
Just take a breath.
Listen to me.
I can't even imagine what's going through your mind right now.
But, please, please don't leave here.
It's not safe out there.
You know that.
You wanna know what's going through my mind? I think I think you brought me here to kill me.
- What? - But you don't have to.
Look, I don't know anything about your trafficking ring.
And I'm not talking to anyone about it ever again.
Stop, listen (dramatic music) Thank you, Monsignor.
I know I've put a heavy burden on you, but I have faith that the D.
A.
's office will do the right thing.
- Of course.
- Please, this has to end.
I want to spare these girls any more exploitation.
We all do.
Mike Dodds.
Monsignor Mulregan.
Ah, nice to see you.
- You know Lieutenant Benson? - I've heard only good things.
I wanna thank you for rescuing our girls.
I'm sorry that we lost one.
Cara Gutierrez.
I was there when she received confirmation.
Such a pretty young girl.
- What's the Monsignor doing here? - I'm still trying to figure that out.
What can I do for you? We're waiting on warrants for Father Eugene - and Father Akintola.
- So am I.
A lot of judges are reluctant to hand out financial and cell records of priests.
Are we are we making the wrong turn here? Where's IAB on Vice? Well, Tucker's keeping that investigation active, but we have reason to believe that priests are involved in Cara's death.
And you're getting all this from Sister Nina? Sister Nina is no longer involved in this investigation.
Why not? Because when Tucker and I spoke to her, I mentioned that he was Father Eugene's cousin, and let's just say that she had a bad reaction.
- Like what? A panic attack? - No, it was much more than that.
She became convinced that Tucker was in on the whole thing, that we were gonna have her committed, have her killed.
I mean, she was paranoid, and completely shut down.
Can you blame her? Vice and God knows who else have been trafficking these girls to elected officials.
Somebody leaked that Cara was cooperating.
Listen, who beside Tucker knew about Cara? My squad, you, Sister Nina, and Father Eugene.
Dodds, can you give us a minute? Sure.
You wanna tell me what's going on? - You sure Father Eugene knew? - Oh, yes.
Tucker told him.
What do you really know about Tucker? We go way back, he's a straight shooter, intense.
No nonsense.
You've never known him to To abuse his power, overreach, or he almost destroyed both of your old partners.
Yes, he arrested me too, but we're way past that.
Wh what is this about? (sighs) Monsignor's Mulregan's visit was not a social call.
He has made some very serious allegations.
Yeah.
Against Father Eugene.
No.
Against Tucker.
Allegations against Tucker? - What did the Monsignor say, exactly? - He said that he and Father Eugene went to Tucker a year ago.
That they had information that Vice was running some of their students.
Father Eugene even violated the seal of the confessional to provide evidence.
- He claims that? - They also named Russo and Jefferson.
- And Tucker buried it.
- And he's telling you this now? This is about protecting Father Eugene.
I was there, at that church, when Tucker confronted him.
I thought he was gonna rip his head off.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I mean, maybe that's Maybe that's what he wanted you to think.
No, Ed is not capable of that.
Since when? I thought SVU hated this guy.
He's gone after each and every one of you.
That's his job.
He has to be relentless.
You're wrong about him.
Trust me.
Wait.
Are you involved with him? Don't ask me that.
When were you gonna tell me? I am informing you that a captain at IAB may be involved in a sex trafficking ring, and you don't mention that the two of you are sleeping together? You're wrong about him.
Bring him in here, ask him yourself.
You and I are done talking.
(somber music) - Thanks for coming.
- Of course.
- Nobody saw you, right? - Here? No.
- So what have you heard? - That Group One is investigating you for sex trafficking, corruption, murder? Yeah.
I've been invited to come in early tomorrow morning.
Oh, my God.
Cousin Eugene really set me up good.
You get those warrants yet? No, they're stalled.
I don't know if it was before or after Barba found out that I was biased towards you.
Oh.
Okay.
You know how this goes.
Don't stick your neck out.
It'll look like you're covering for me.
Hey.
They can't prove anything, because I haven't done anything.
All right? I'm gonna be fine.
And we just let these guys skate? You wanna go after the Church, City Hall, and Albany for an IAB investigator who's loathed by half of NYPD? Stay out of it.
(cell phone buzzes) Well, it just might be too late.
One-P-P wants to see me.
Immediately.
Whatever's going on, Barba wouldn't talk about it in front of me.
- Did you call your dad? - Yeah.
He's not calling me back.
Someone high up the chain must be starting to sweat.
Because we're taking on the Catholic Church.
- Sorry.
- No, I get it, Rollins.
Look, 99% of these priests are good guys.
The Church just brought this on themselves.
At least the Monsignor came to Barba on his own, right? - That's got to be a good sign.
- Yeah, they probably realized transparency's their only salvation.
- If you say so.
- Rollins, Carisi.
- Get me some evidence boxes, please.
- Uh, yeah, on it.
Dodds, a minute.
- Is everything all right? - Oh, I'm fine.
Lieutenant, what's going on? You'd know better than me.
Did something happen? You're telling me that you didn't know? Know what? That I'm out.
Effective immediately.
Uh, Carisi, Rollins, as of now, Sergeant Dodds is acting commander of SVU, so congratulations.
That's it.
You're dismissed.
(dramatic music)