Law & Order Special Victims Unit s24e18 Episode Script
Bubble Wrap
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.
The constant, endless criticism
I feel terrible about myself.
Martin, it's important to remember
that behind each of Connie's
criticisms is an unspoken wish.
Connie, maybe you can tell
Martin what those wishes are.
I wish I was enough.
Martin, try to be non-reactive.
I want to matter to you as
much as you matter to me.
My whole life revolves around you.
[INHALES]
- It always has.
- Why do you push me away?
I need more space.
That's all.
Say it to Connie.
I need freedom, volition, agency.
For what?
To be happy.
Your happiness has always come first.
Then why do I feel like an
eel flipping around the deck
of a boat, gasping for breath?
Well, that's hyperbolic, isn't it?
All I ask is for one
night a week, just us.
But it's never one night, is it?
It's canasta before bed
followed by Fox News
under a cotton duvet.
She gets mad if we don't
commute to work together.
My life is an unending Mobius
strip of violent closeness.
Are you going to let
him talk to me like that?
You control everything,
even these sessions.
It's called support.
I am asphyxiated by your support.
While gorging yourself on my money.
As an exercise, I'd like
you both to switch roles.
Try to see what it feels
like to be the other one.
- [SCOFFS]
- BOTH: No.
[TENSE MUSIC]
This view never gets old.
Oh, I can see the headline now.
Connie Parish shatters
the glass ceiling.
I didn't shatter anything.
Simply built the higher ceiling.
Yeah, the first female
developer to build
a hundred floors of luxury in Manhattan.
You realize what a
goddamn icon she is, right?
She reminds me of it every day.
[HAMMERING]
Martin [CHUCKLES]
I have matcha mouth.
Thank you. Eugene?
All right, so we are
on completion schedule,
code compliant fire inspection signed.
And sales?
80% of units closed.
- Check out the net total.
- [GASPS]
Oh, we're making history and money.
Care to christen a
a room?
Which one's your favorite?
- I'm fond of the upstairs terrace.
- Me, too.
Eugene and I will be a moment.
[COUGHS]
You're not the only one
who needs a little bit of freedom here.
[COUGHING]
Are you OK, Martin?
They're not exactly being subtle.
- It's OK to be pissed.
- [SIGHS]
If I get angry, she wins.
Wins what?
Battle of who can care less.
Self-medicating helps.
So would a lobotomy.
I can help with the former.
You want to come over for
a glass or two of wine?
I like hanging out.
I really do, but
You don't feel worthy?
I like your guidance.
I'm scheduling next week's stagings
for the D line units in the 20 building.
Let me just run some looks by you.
[GIGGLING AND CHATTER FROM UPSTAIRS]
We'll keep it PG.
I can be free in an hour.
♪
Martin, I'm going to
run home and freshen up
before our dinner.
I can't meet you, not tonight.
[CHUCKLES] Well, it's Friday night.
- I made plans.
- [LAUGHS]
Plans? Martin.
With whom?
None of your business.
Well, I'm making dinner,
followed by cards and a bottle of wine.
[INHALER CLATTERS]
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
You don't cancel on me.
I just did.
[SIGHS]
[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]
I like the color
palette and the styling.
Question is, will Connie like
it for the North River Suites?
Mm, predicting the whims
of an overt narcissist
is that really how you
want to launch your career?
Her checks cash, don't they?
I'm tired. Do you have any coke?
Did you already finish the
stuff I brought last time?
[SIGHS]
Here you go.
♪
[SNIFFS]
[SNIFFS]
You can keep the rest.
It's nice of you to invite me over.
Honestly, it was just an excuse
to get you away from her.
I like that you want to protect me.
Makes me feel safe.
We both know this isn't smart.
You didn't seem to have a problem
the last dozen or so times.
A private eye came to see me.
[TENSE MUSIC]
[SIGHS]
One of Connie's flying monkeys.
What did you tell him?
Nothing. Chill.
But he did ask how
often you come over here.
And now you don't want to do this?
Maybe it's for the best.
I mean, focusing on me
like this, I can't say no.
Because of my relationship to Connie?
Because you're my boss, technically,
and it makes me unable to know
whether I'm good at my job.
Martin, are you listening?
- Are you?
- No, Martin.
- [YELLS]
- [GASPS]
- You don't say no to me!
- Martin. [GASPS]
[SHRIEKS] Stop, stop, stop!
- I got you, babe ♪
- [BOTH GRUNTING]
They say our love won't pay the rent ♪
Before it's earned, our
money's all been spent ♪
[SONNY & CHER'S "I GOT YOU BABE"]
I guess that's so,
we don't have a pot ♪
But at least I'm sure
of all the things we got ♪
[VOLUME LOWERS]
Hello?
I got you, babe ♪
I got you, babe ♪
I got flowers in the spring ♪
Am I too late to eat?
I got you ♪
- I made London Broil.
- To wear my ring ♪
Left a plate warm for you in the oven.
When I'm sad, you're a clown ♪
And if I get scared ♪
What happened to you?
Mom, I need your help.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
[CRYING] I hurt someone.
♪
I took out all my anger. I
Shh.
Mama's here. Mama's here. Mama's here.
I won't let anything happen to you.
Shh.
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
You know we have coffee here, right?
I just like things a certain way.
Yeah, starting to see that.
You want a donut?
- Late night?
- [YAWNS]
Brushing up for my Masters of
Public Administration and Leadership.
The MPAL.
You really are going to
run the city someday, huh?
For now, I just settle on
running things by Benson.
[CHUCKLES]
How's your brother Teddy doing?
I kind of think he's seeing someone.
Oh, you think? You don't know?
Well, he knows what a bitch
I am to the women he dates,
but the guy deserves it 'cause
he's got the worst taste in women.
It's nice to see Muncy
and Churlish talking.
Don't get excited.
They're the only ones here.
Velasco's off, and Bruno
just comes and goes.
Ah, is he still auditioning us?
Must be nice not to need a paycheck.
We're lucky to have
him when we have him.
He's a good cop.
That kind of optimism should be a crime.
- Ah, so arrest me.
- [PHONE RINGS]
Benson.
Uh-huh, and she's
getting a kit done now?
I'll send somebody over
to take her statement.
Yeah.
Well, that was Mercy Hospital.
Mona Stewart, 22,
raped last night by
somebody she works with.
Who's the guy?
Martin Parish of Parish Enterprises.
The builder's son?
He's got money. We know that.
That explains how you got a direct call.
So who do I take, Muncy or Churlish?
How about we let them go alone together?
Could be a good bonding exercise.
I should have called 911 last night,
but Martin brought coke.
I did some. I didn't
want to get in trouble.
You won't. That's not why we're here.
Can you tell us what happened?
He has these weird compulsory
dinners with his mother.
He usually likes coming to my
place after as some sort of refuge.
Was it a date?
We're colleagues.
I do interior design for the company.
I mean, we snuggle,
sometimes watch a movie.
He's rich, but he
doesn't have many friends.
Then what happened?
We had some wine, did some coke.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
We were just hanging out.
Then he made a move.
And how did you respond?
- I tried to push him away.
- And what did he do?
He got angry,
ripped my shirt,
bit my breasts hard,
then raped me.
I just laid there frozen.
It's called fawning.
It's OK. It's normal.
Did he say anything to you after?
He left.
I left a voicemail for my roommate.
He came home and saw the
bite marks, freaked out.
That's when I called 911.
I was just going to forget about it,
but I'm no one's fawn.
I don't care if I lose my job.
I want this bastard charged with rape.
So we're looking at Martin Parish,
the only son of Connie and Peter Parish.
Peter Parish sold his
side of the business,
ran off with the nanny years ago,
so Connie has been suing him for
one thing or another ever since.
We know this family
has lawyers on retainer.
What do we know about Mona Stewart?
- Mona's credible.
- And resourceful.
She gave me and Muncy the
wine glass Martin drank from.
The lab pulled DNA from her rape kit.
Great. We have an outcry witness?
Yeah. She called a roommate,
Stanton Garber that night,
left a message, and then told him
- the whole story this morning.
- Enough to arrest?
Yeah, it is, but if you do that,
Martin's just going to lawyer up.
So let's get his side first.
Mona went to the police?
That's crazy.
When I left, she was fine.
So you were at her apartment.
She was going over her designs for
the D line at North River Suites.
- Nothing romantic?
- Why? What is she saying?
Look, we're not HR, Mr. Parish,
so if you two had sex,
that's that's your business.
We, uh, cuddled.
Nothing more than that?
Before you answer that,
you should know that
Mercy Hospital photographed
quite a few bite marks,
so we did a rape kit.
We were high on cocaine.
It's an aggressive drug.
It's not the first time we've
left bite marks on each other.
It's not the first time, OK,
but last night, she called the police.
Any idea why?
My mother was about to fire her.
She might have gotten wind.
This is all starting
to make sense right now.
She was blackmailing you?
I never should have gone over there.
I knew it was a risk given
her tenuous employment
Martin, that's enough.
I'm Captain Benson.
This is Sergeant Tutuola.
I take it you're Martin's mother.
I am. So what's this all about?
We got a complaint from
one of your employees,
Mona Stewart.
Well, that wouldn't be the first time
a soon-to-be ex-employee
tried to shake us down.
We found her story quite credible.
- She let me snuggle with her
- Shut up, Martin.
I appreciate you're doing your jobs,
but my son won't be answering any
more questions without counsel.
I apologize, but you understand.
We understand very well.
We'll be in touch.
♪
- Mommy was pissed.
- Well, that's not anger, Fin.
That's jealousy.
So the Parishes lawyered
up. No surprise there.
- Our witness is cooperating?
- So far.
We have Martin's DNA on the rape kit,
her outcry to her roommate.
OK, what are you not telling me?
She admits to prior encounters.
Her kit shows alcohol and cocaine.
Which normally wouldn't matter,
but Connie Parish is trying
to get in front of this,
claiming they were about to fire Mona.
Sorry to interrupt.
Mona. This is ADA Carisi.
How you doing? We're
just going over your case.
Well, you can stop. I changed my mind.
- This wasn't really rape.
- Hang on, Mona.
- Let's think about this.
- No.
I'm just here because
you won't stop calling.
I'm sorry.
Looks like Mommy protected her
baby boy with a lot of zeroes.
Carisi, please tell me that we
can make this case without her.
Maybe I can get an indictment,
but convincing a jury's something else.
So he's just going to get away with it?
We have the rape kit.
We have her outcry witness.
That's probable cause.
It's enough to arrest him, if
that'll make you feel better.
Oh, it will.
♪
- Martin is sleeping.
- That's OK.
We'll wake him up.
We're here to arrest him.
It's good. We got it.
[TV CHATTER]
Oh, the TV's still
on. He might be awake.
NYP
[GASPS]
What the hell is this?
We could ask you the same thing.
We're here to arrest
your son, Mrs. Parish.
Stand up, hands behind your back.
Don't you touch him.
Do not move, or we will arrest you, too.
- Martin.
- [HANDCUFFS CLICKING]
OK. I'm calling my lawyer now.
That's a good idea because
you're going to need one.
♪
Dude had his head on Mommy's boobs?
Sure what it looked like.
Could explain his issues.
What, are you working
for the defense now?
Excuse me, Captain Benson.
Can I help you?
Ron Cohen. I have a few questions.
You can call the NYPD press office.
But this is about Mona Stewart,
the young woman who's
stalking Martin Parish,
- making false accusations.
- And who hired you?
Connie Parish?
Do you know about Ms.
Stewart's personal life,
- work performance?
- Get the hell out of here, man.
Hey, this is an extortion plot.
Tell your employer,
if she has questions,
she knows where I work.
The court accepts the
defendant's plea of not guilty.
People on bail?
$1 million, Your Honor.
Mr. Parish has unlimited means,
including access to private jets.
We consider him to be a flight risk.
My client is willing to
surrender his passport.
- Your Honor
- I'm granting ROR.
Keep your powder dry, Mr. Carisi.
Bailiff, next case.
[COUGHING]
I'll take what I have to the grand jury,
but I can't guarantee an indictment.
Pessimist.
Look, I have faith in you, Carisi.
I appreciate that, but I'd rather have
Mona's cooperation at the very least,
that testimony from the
outcry witness, Stanton Garber.
We're working on that. What else?
Just make sure that Martin
doesn't get on a private jet,
fly to Moscow, and move
in with Edward Snowden.
Was Carisi this cranky
when he was a detective?
Yes.
Where are we with Mona's roommate?
I couldn't get a hold of him.
He moved out of Mona's
rent-stabilized place
a few days after the rape.
All right, so he took a payoff, too.
I put Muncy and Churlish on the case.
Well, she looks fired up. You need me?
No. You secure the outcry witness.
I can handle the mother.
Captain Benson, a word?
Just us?
Where's your, uh, pit bull PI?
Well, as a mother, I'm
sure you'll appreciate
how helpless you feel when
you see your child in trouble.
Your son shouldn't have committed rape.
Sure about that?
I heard she changed her story.
Because you paid her.
I'm doing everything I
can to protect my son
like you'd do, what
what you have done.
That gang case?
So you follow the news.
I admire you, raising your son alone,
climbing the career ladder,
being mother and
father at the same time.
Well, I guess we have
that in common, don't we?
You know, when my husband ran off,
Martin was all I had.
So there was nothing
that you wouldn't do
to protect your son,
including bribing rape victims.
Well, sounds like you
have an axe to grind
with people who have money.
With people who abuse their privilege?
Yes.
You've had a rough few months.
The DOJ called in to clean up SVU
that must have been really embarrassing.
Yeah, that wasn't my squad.
Maybe not, but you are
at the end of your career.
You can't afford to look
like you're slipping.
You're sacrificing my son to
keep your reputation intact.
So your son is a rapist,
and no matter how much
you're willing to spend,
that will never change.
I'll do what I have
to, just like you did.
Do you honestly think
you're the only mother
who would do everything in her
power to keep her child safe?
I didn't break the law.
[SOFTLY] But we both
know you would have,
so please, let's not
disrespect each other
by pretending otherwise.
Captain.
[EXHALES]
Yeah, we're waiting, Sarge.
We won't leave until he shows.
Copy.
And far as I can tell, Martin's
never had a serious girlfriend.
Yeah, 'cause he's got his mom.
There he is, Mona's ex-roommate.
Somebody going shopping.
I can't even pronounce
half these brand names.
Don't look at me. Stanton Garber?
I told you guys I don't know anything
about what happened to Mona.
And we're telling you you're lying.
Mona told me she was lying.
She changed her mind
after she got a payout
from the Parishes.
I'm guessing you did, too.
One-bedroom condos in this
building start at a million.
And that's the real crime.
We pull your phone records, we can prove
that Mona called you that night.
We can also get a search
warrant for your phone
to retrieve her message.
I don't like being harassed.
How about arrested?
Interfering with a police investigation.
- Obstruction.
- Perjury.
And fair warning, even the cheap lawyers
will go through that payout faster
than you can file bankruptcy.
[FOREBODING MUSIC]
[TEARFULLY] Stanton, call me back.
I can't believe this.
Martin just attacked me.
He bit me. He raped me.
Can you please come home?
That is a message that
Mona left for her roommate
- the night of the assault.
- Uncorroborated.
That's inadmissible.
Well, her roommate will testify
at the grand jury and at trial.
We'll get a hearsay
exception for the message.
It's an excited utterance.
Mona made this whole
thing up to blackmail me.
We already know she's not testifying.
I can compel her.
She'll be a hostile
witness, but the jury
will hear her voice testifying
that that message is from her.
You don't want to go to trial.
Maybe you're right about that,
so let's start clean.
I'm not pleading guilty to anything.
Martin, take a timeout.
My mother says that the only
reason you're coming after me
is because of our family name.
Hey, Martin,
we're going after you
because you're a rapist,
and for the first time in your life,
your mother can't help you.
♪
How is this possible?
I could go to jail if I don't testify?
If you don't comply with the subpoena.
But believe me, our captain doesn't like
threatening victims with contempt.
So I have an idea. Don't.
You were raped, Mona.
That kind of trauma doesn't go away
by moving into a bigger apartment.
Tell your story on the stand.
Take ownership of what happened to you.
So this is you guys worried about me?
I'm doing just fine.
And when the money runs out?
You had a job you were proud of.
You have a lot to live for.
Don't let what this guy did to
you make you lose self-respect.
It's not worth it.
Connie Parish is never going to let
her "widdle baby boy" go to prison.
You guys are deluded if
you think you could win.
So if Mona doesn't want to pursue
and she's incentivized
to turn the other way,
this feels like a non-starter.
We're police officers.
Yeah, I'm just trying to see both sides.
Like you did with Velasco?
Churlish, life isn't pass-fail.
We just got a call from Mona's building.
Her new super found
her body. She's dead.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
♪
I was trying to let
some delivery guys in,
used my key, found
her lying on the floor.
What are we looking at?
We did CPR, took a shot at Narcan,
but she was already gone.
OD?
Whole world is laced
with fentanyl these days.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
♪
You thinking what I'm thinking?
The night before the grand jury,
and Mona just happens to overdose?
We'll get an autopsy and a
forensic analysis on the drugs.
And bring Martin in for questioning.
We found cocaine in her system
but not enough for an overdose.
Any fentanyl in it?
Trace amounts, not
nearly enough to kill her.
So what did?
X-rays we took show some type of
prolonged microscopic scarring.
That's not from the cocaine.
If I didn't know whose
lungs I was looking at,
I'd say she was at
ground zero during 9/11.
Well, she's too young for that.
She suffered a fatal pulmonary insult.
Couldn't get oxygen
into her bloodstream.
So she suffocated from the inside out?
- How?
- Nothing on the tox screen.
I can dissect the lung
and order some tests.
For now, if I had to
guess cause of death,
it's looking like asphyxia.
We just don't know from what.
So what do we know?
Well, Mona was about
to go to the grand jury,
and now she's been silenced for good.
Maybe Connie's getting desperate.
Maybe she poisoned Mona somehow.
Well, according to the medical examiner,
whatever killed her sure
took the scenic route.
Unless the whole point
of this was torture.
Well, who would want to torture Mona?
Connie was jealous of Mona.
I mean, she treats her son like
he's some kind of boyfriend.
It wouldn't be the first time
somebody got poisoned for cheating.
All right, Churlish, Muncy,
where did Mona say she got the coke?
She said Martin brought it over.
If it was laced with something,
maybe he's getting infected, too.
Let's see if we can talk to him.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
What is this?
This is a scan of Mona's lungs.
What the hell does this prove?
Nothing.
It proves she was murdered last night.
- Well, that's good news.
- Is it?
We'll be filing a motion
to dismiss the rape charges.
Who would do such a thing?
We were hoping you could tell us.
You two did cocaine together?
Yeah, but not last night.
Evidently, whatever killed
her is pretty slow acting.
When did you two start hanging
out and doing coke together?
Right after she started the job.
Six months ago?
About that, but she
did way more than I did.
Martin, any chance your mother knew
you and Mona were snuggle buddies?
Oh, God. Mona did mention a private eye.
[INHALES]
How long have you been
using that inhaler?
A few months.
You might want to get
an X-ray of your lungs.
What the hell is going on?
Well, in case you haven't noticed,
we're trying to keep your client alive.
OK, OK, uh, can you
drive me to a hospital?
First, we're going to need
the name of your coke dealer.
This is a scan of Martin's lungs.
That looks familiar.
Same type of scars as Mona's lungs.
Yeah, it's not a coincidence.
Did Martin say where
he got the cocaine from?
Well, here's where it gets stranger.
He says he got it from his
mother's middle-aged guy Friday,
who lives out near her
property in Long Island.
- Henry Caputo.
- Caputo?
This guy got a record, mob connections?
Well, it's not as
stereotypical as it sounds
coming from you, Carisi.
Let's just say a little of both.
Well, it turns out that
the world of construction
in New York is as
shady as we all thought.
I get why Connie might
want to slowly poison Mona,
but her own son?
Maybe she wants to keep him helpless.
I mean, Munchausen by proxy is a thing.
The guy takes care of the one
property she owns in Long Island,
makes about half a
mil a year doing that.
Half a million dollars? That
sounds like payola to me.
So can we get a warrant
for the property?
Hey, you can't just come in here.
Actually, we can. We have a warrant.
I got to call Mrs. Parish.
Please do.
[SHUTTER CLICKS]
[SHUTTER CLICKS]
She's very particular about this place.
Yeah, I can see that.
This is the first model home her
father built when she was a kid.
This is like a shrine to her father?
She comes here sometimes
to be close to him.
What we want to know is
where you got the cocaine
you gave to Martin and Mona.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Detectives, found something.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Dog alerted us to the
cocaine stash in the freezer.
Any poison?
A bucket of industrial abrasive.
Looks an awful lot like cocaine to me.
Industrial abrasive
that'll do a job on your lungs.
Bag it all.
That's been sitting there for years.
Well, you're coming
with us. Call Carisi.
Get a warrant for Connie's arrest.
That's my stash of cocaine you found.
- For personal use?
- That's right.
The ME told us that
last batch that Mona got
was mostly industrial abrasive.
You want to tell us how
that got mixed into it?
I should go to the
hospital or something?
Maybe it's in my lungs. [COUGHS]
- I had a cough lately.
- Nice try.
You think I mixed it in?
Why would I poison myself?
What I want to know is what's
your relationship to Connie.
I work for her, do odd jobs.
- Whatever she tells you to do?
- That's right.
That's what she pays
me for hard work.
Sex?
And discretion.
Well, if we can prove
that Mona and Martin
got that cocaine from you,
you're looking down
the barrel at murder.
[EXHALES]
I think I need a lawyer now.
He's not as dumb as he looks.
If you think Connie's
going to get you a lawyer,
she's already paying for a few.
My client has absolutely
nothing to do with any drugs.
So you had nothing to do with murdering
a woman who was about to testify
against your rapist son?
Who you also tried the poison.
No. Now why would I do that?
- I'm horrified.
- Mm.
Now I thought I knew Henry.
He's like a second son to me.
Maybe Henry was jealous of Martin,
or Martin was jealous of Henry.
Oh, so this is just a
cocaine and Abel story, huh?
This is not about Martin.
This is not about Henry.
The real jealousy here is your jealousy,
your jealousy for Mona.
Oh, please, why would I be jealous
of a 22-year-old interior
decorator with horrible taste?
Horrible taste?
She had a taste for your son,
until, of course, he raped her.
That is an unsubstantiated,
uncorroborated,
and unacceptably false accusation.
You'll never make a case for rape.
Maybe not, but I can definitely
make a case for murder
against your client.
I had nothing to do with that
poor girl's horrible death.
- Connie.
- Please.
Now, my son did that cocaine.
Are you saying that I
poisoned him as well?
That's exactly what we're saying.
Why would I do that?
Have you ever heard the
phrase "devouring mother"?
You're so afraid to lose control
over Martin that you
were willing to risk
crippling him, or even worse.
Somebody in the grave can't leave you,
and you always know where he is.
My mother loves me.
She'd never let anything happen to me.
In fact, it's just the opposite.
Have you ever heard the saying
"a spoonful of industrial abrasive
helps the medicine go down"?
- No.
- Neither have we.
You're a smart guy.
You saw your lung scan, your asthma.
So I did a little too much coke.
Keep your mouth shut. This
isn't a coffee klatsch.
We're here because of a cocaine charge?
No, the coke was doctored
on your mother's orders, huh,
to teach you a lesson and to kill Mona.
She'd never do that.
The ME dissected Mona's lungs.
He found the same exact substance
as we found in the cocaine
on your mother's property.
That's all Henry.
Well, Henry didn't have a
reason to teach you a lesson,
but your mom did.
Why?
Because she wanted to
keep you bubble wrapped
all for herself,
to infantilize you so
you'd always need her.
[COUGHING]
♪
It worked.
I do need her.
Your mother may be
going down for murder.
Only if Henry turns against her.
Or you do, Martin.
I want to entertain what they're saying.
No.
That's never going to happen.
- It can't.
- Why not?
[SIGHS] You don't understand.
I've already lost my father.
If I lose my mother, too, I'll
I'll be an orphan.
♪
So this caretaker, Henry
he won't turn against Connie.
He lawyered up and shut up.
He's in holding.
Oh, it's hard to get a
guy to solve a problem
that his paycheck relies on.
Look, what about Martin?
Is he actually that blind to
his own mother's complicity?
He might be 32, but
he's like a little boy.
Yeah, he's been stunted.
OK, well, I cannot bring a murder case
without any corroborating witnesses.
She's got plausible deniability.
I know that she kept him in the nest,
but it seems like the rest
of the family wanted to run.
Her father's dead. The
ex-husband is in the wind.
Martin did say he's
afraid of being alone.
If that is the only
thing that's keeping him
from testifying, then maybe his father
can talk some sense into him.
We'll track him down.
You know, I hope there's one person
in this young man's life who actually
wants the best for him.
Just a reminder, Liv,
Martin is a rapist.
I'm not making excuses for him,
but Carisi, he is also a victim.
And if we want him to flip,
then we need to treat him like one.
♪
Peter Parish is here already?
That was fast.
He took a red-eye from the Azores.
So he really does care
about his son, huh?
He wasn't surprised to hear his
ex-wife was a murder suspect.
OK, and that's the current Mrs. Parish?
That's Bianca, their former nanny,
with their baby daughter.
- And we sent Connie home?
- With Martin.
We didn't have enough
to hold either of them.
Well, it's a damn shame.
She's missing this.
Uh, invite Martin and Connie back.
- All right, Muncy, will you?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, I got you.
- Thanks.
You ready?
Mr. Parish, thank you
for coming in so quickly.
I was hoping that my son would be here.
Well, he's on his way. I'm ADA Carisi.
We got a few questions
for you, if you don't mind.
Sure.
So I'm going to jump right in.
Can you tell us why
you left your family?
Uh, well,
Connie tried to murder me.
What happened?
She was putting industrial-grade
abrasives into my smoothies.
I started to have digestive problems
and internal bleeding.
I was slowly dying, and Bianca
put two and two together.
I I didn't just run away
with her because she's the nanny.
She saved my life.
You have any idea why your
wife would want to poison you?
Any idea? I know absolutely why.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
Martin was 12, and by then,
I was already cheating on Connie.
And she sought comfort
in the wrong place.
She was I don't know how to say this.
She was nestled up with Martin.
I caught them in bed together.
I think she was breastfeeding him.
- Did you confront her?
- Of course.
She begged me not to
talk to Martin about it,
and she swore that it would stop.
- But it didn't.
- I don't know.
I hoped so.
I had moved out to the guest house
to try to figure out my next move,
and then a few days later,
I noticed the decline in my health.
Then you left with the nanny.
Yeah, I couldn't stay.
But you left Martin with her.
I thought I was doing the
right thing at the time.
And I had asked him to move to
the Azores with us, and he said no.
But you didn't call child services?
I didn't want him to
end up in foster care.
A dysfunctional mother
is better than no mother.
OK, look, whatever you think of me,
I love my son.
♪
Oh, Dad, I missed you so much.
Oh, I missed you, too.
What Mom did, I had
nothing to do with that.
I made a mistake, and I
deserve to be punished.
But I can't do it alone.
Don't worry. I'm here for you.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
♪
Peter? [SCOFFS]
You think you can just
waltz back into our lives
and steal my baby away from me?
I'm never going to let that happen.
It'll be hard to stop
from a prison cell, Connie.
I had nothing to do
with killing that girl.
No, but you tried to kill me.
That plan didn't work
out so well, did it?
Oh, there she is.
You steal my husband, and now you're
laughing at me, you little bitch?
Mom, stop it. Leave her alone.
- Martin
- Leave me alone.
- You don't mean that.
- I do.
Mrs. Parish, let's step into my office.
Not without me.
I don't need you.
I don't need anyone,
not even you, Martin!
All right, let's go.
Let's go.
Hey, bud, come here.
Well, congratulations, Captain.
You've managed to
turn my son against me.
You call this police work?
You just don't get it, do you?
Your son's a rapist.
OK, I don't want to keep hearing that.
I raised a good boy.
No, you raised a son
who is still a little boy
who is afraid of displeasing you,
so he does everything
that you tell him to do.
You've crippled him, and
that is not parenting.
Parenting?
I had no parenting. I parented myself.
That house you went to, that
was my father's real child,
and I swore I would never
let that happen to my son.
I'm a tough woman,
and I'm a tough mother
because I want what's best for Martin,
because my career
wasn't the most important
thing in my life.
He was.
He needed me.
Maybe when he was little,
but you never let him grow up.
He wasn't ready.
Is that what you tell yourself?
No, Connie, you see,
you needed him, and you used him.
He loves me, and I love him.
That's not love.
That's not mothering.
That's narcissism.
OK, that's enough.
I know that your husband wasn't perfect,
and misguided as it was,
he did what he thought was right.
But now, he's putting Martin first.
That's love, Connie.
That's love.
♪
We just made a deal.
Connie took a plea to manslaughter.
She didn't want Martin to
have to get on the stand
and testify against her.
No, she knew if she was
found guilty at trial
that she'd do double the sentence.
- Oh, spoken like a true pessimist.
- I'm not a pessimist.
I'm a realist, and I just
know how sociopaths work.
Connie Parish has a
has a pathology where
a personality should be.
Eh, neglect will do that to you, huh?
What about Martin? The
guy's still a rapist.
Yeah, his father says
that he'll stick by him
as long as he confesses to Mona's rape.
He's going to confess? So he'll do time.
It's not a happy ending, but
it's an ending nonetheless.
Oh, look who's a pessimist now.
You headed home?
Yeah, you know, it's just
been one of those days.
The only sane way to deal with
it is a nice glass of Cabernet.
I'm thinking more
like a hug from my son.
Good night, Benson.
Good night, Carisi.
[WOLF HOWL]
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.
The constant, endless criticism
I feel terrible about myself.
Martin, it's important to remember
that behind each of Connie's
criticisms is an unspoken wish.
Connie, maybe you can tell
Martin what those wishes are.
I wish I was enough.
Martin, try to be non-reactive.
I want to matter to you as
much as you matter to me.
My whole life revolves around you.
[INHALES]
- It always has.
- Why do you push me away?
I need more space.
That's all.
Say it to Connie.
I need freedom, volition, agency.
For what?
To be happy.
Your happiness has always come first.
Then why do I feel like an
eel flipping around the deck
of a boat, gasping for breath?
Well, that's hyperbolic, isn't it?
All I ask is for one
night a week, just us.
But it's never one night, is it?
It's canasta before bed
followed by Fox News
under a cotton duvet.
She gets mad if we don't
commute to work together.
My life is an unending Mobius
strip of violent closeness.
Are you going to let
him talk to me like that?
You control everything,
even these sessions.
It's called support.
I am asphyxiated by your support.
While gorging yourself on my money.
As an exercise, I'd like
you both to switch roles.
Try to see what it feels
like to be the other one.
- [SCOFFS]
- BOTH: No.
[TENSE MUSIC]
This view never gets old.
Oh, I can see the headline now.
Connie Parish shatters
the glass ceiling.
I didn't shatter anything.
Simply built the higher ceiling.
Yeah, the first female
developer to build
a hundred floors of luxury in Manhattan.
You realize what a
goddamn icon she is, right?
She reminds me of it every day.
[HAMMERING]
Martin [CHUCKLES]
I have matcha mouth.
Thank you. Eugene?
All right, so we are
on completion schedule,
code compliant fire inspection signed.
And sales?
80% of units closed.
- Check out the net total.
- [GASPS]
Oh, we're making history and money.
Care to christen a
a room?
Which one's your favorite?
- I'm fond of the upstairs terrace.
- Me, too.
Eugene and I will be a moment.
[COUGHS]
You're not the only one
who needs a little bit of freedom here.
[COUGHING]
Are you OK, Martin?
They're not exactly being subtle.
- It's OK to be pissed.
- [SIGHS]
If I get angry, she wins.
Wins what?
Battle of who can care less.
Self-medicating helps.
So would a lobotomy.
I can help with the former.
You want to come over for
a glass or two of wine?
I like hanging out.
I really do, but
You don't feel worthy?
I like your guidance.
I'm scheduling next week's stagings
for the D line units in the 20 building.
Let me just run some looks by you.
[GIGGLING AND CHATTER FROM UPSTAIRS]
We'll keep it PG.
I can be free in an hour.
♪
Martin, I'm going to
run home and freshen up
before our dinner.
I can't meet you, not tonight.
[CHUCKLES] Well, it's Friday night.
- I made plans.
- [LAUGHS]
Plans? Martin.
With whom?
None of your business.
Well, I'm making dinner,
followed by cards and a bottle of wine.
[INHALER CLATTERS]
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
You don't cancel on me.
I just did.
[SIGHS]
[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]
I like the color
palette and the styling.
Question is, will Connie like
it for the North River Suites?
Mm, predicting the whims
of an overt narcissist
is that really how you
want to launch your career?
Her checks cash, don't they?
I'm tired. Do you have any coke?
Did you already finish the
stuff I brought last time?
[SIGHS]
Here you go.
♪
[SNIFFS]
[SNIFFS]
You can keep the rest.
It's nice of you to invite me over.
Honestly, it was just an excuse
to get you away from her.
I like that you want to protect me.
Makes me feel safe.
We both know this isn't smart.
You didn't seem to have a problem
the last dozen or so times.
A private eye came to see me.
[TENSE MUSIC]
[SIGHS]
One of Connie's flying monkeys.
What did you tell him?
Nothing. Chill.
But he did ask how
often you come over here.
And now you don't want to do this?
Maybe it's for the best.
I mean, focusing on me
like this, I can't say no.
Because of my relationship to Connie?
Because you're my boss, technically,
and it makes me unable to know
whether I'm good at my job.
Martin, are you listening?
- Are you?
- No, Martin.
- [YELLS]
- [GASPS]
- You don't say no to me!
- Martin. [GASPS]
[SHRIEKS] Stop, stop, stop!
- I got you, babe ♪
- [BOTH GRUNTING]
They say our love won't pay the rent ♪
Before it's earned, our
money's all been spent ♪
[SONNY & CHER'S "I GOT YOU BABE"]
I guess that's so,
we don't have a pot ♪
But at least I'm sure
of all the things we got ♪
[VOLUME LOWERS]
Hello?
I got you, babe ♪
I got you, babe ♪
I got flowers in the spring ♪
Am I too late to eat?
I got you ♪
- I made London Broil.
- To wear my ring ♪
Left a plate warm for you in the oven.
When I'm sad, you're a clown ♪
And if I get scared ♪
What happened to you?
Mom, I need your help.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
[CRYING] I hurt someone.
♪
I took out all my anger. I
Shh.
Mama's here. Mama's here. Mama's here.
I won't let anything happen to you.
Shh.
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
You know we have coffee here, right?
I just like things a certain way.
Yeah, starting to see that.
You want a donut?
- Late night?
- [YAWNS]
Brushing up for my Masters of
Public Administration and Leadership.
The MPAL.
You really are going to
run the city someday, huh?
For now, I just settle on
running things by Benson.
[CHUCKLES]
How's your brother Teddy doing?
I kind of think he's seeing someone.
Oh, you think? You don't know?
Well, he knows what a bitch
I am to the women he dates,
but the guy deserves it 'cause
he's got the worst taste in women.
It's nice to see Muncy
and Churlish talking.
Don't get excited.
They're the only ones here.
Velasco's off, and Bruno
just comes and goes.
Ah, is he still auditioning us?
Must be nice not to need a paycheck.
We're lucky to have
him when we have him.
He's a good cop.
That kind of optimism should be a crime.
- Ah, so arrest me.
- [PHONE RINGS]
Benson.
Uh-huh, and she's
getting a kit done now?
I'll send somebody over
to take her statement.
Yeah.
Well, that was Mercy Hospital.
Mona Stewart, 22,
raped last night by
somebody she works with.
Who's the guy?
Martin Parish of Parish Enterprises.
The builder's son?
He's got money. We know that.
That explains how you got a direct call.
So who do I take, Muncy or Churlish?
How about we let them go alone together?
Could be a good bonding exercise.
I should have called 911 last night,
but Martin brought coke.
I did some. I didn't
want to get in trouble.
You won't. That's not why we're here.
Can you tell us what happened?
He has these weird compulsory
dinners with his mother.
He usually likes coming to my
place after as some sort of refuge.
Was it a date?
We're colleagues.
I do interior design for the company.
I mean, we snuggle,
sometimes watch a movie.
He's rich, but he
doesn't have many friends.
Then what happened?
We had some wine, did some coke.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
We were just hanging out.
Then he made a move.
And how did you respond?
- I tried to push him away.
- And what did he do?
He got angry,
ripped my shirt,
bit my breasts hard,
then raped me.
I just laid there frozen.
It's called fawning.
It's OK. It's normal.
Did he say anything to you after?
He left.
I left a voicemail for my roommate.
He came home and saw the
bite marks, freaked out.
That's when I called 911.
I was just going to forget about it,
but I'm no one's fawn.
I don't care if I lose my job.
I want this bastard charged with rape.
So we're looking at Martin Parish,
the only son of Connie and Peter Parish.
Peter Parish sold his
side of the business,
ran off with the nanny years ago,
so Connie has been suing him for
one thing or another ever since.
We know this family
has lawyers on retainer.
What do we know about Mona Stewart?
- Mona's credible.
- And resourceful.
She gave me and Muncy the
wine glass Martin drank from.
The lab pulled DNA from her rape kit.
Great. We have an outcry witness?
Yeah. She called a roommate,
Stanton Garber that night,
left a message, and then told him
- the whole story this morning.
- Enough to arrest?
Yeah, it is, but if you do that,
Martin's just going to lawyer up.
So let's get his side first.
Mona went to the police?
That's crazy.
When I left, she was fine.
So you were at her apartment.
She was going over her designs for
the D line at North River Suites.
- Nothing romantic?
- Why? What is she saying?
Look, we're not HR, Mr. Parish,
so if you two had sex,
that's that's your business.
We, uh, cuddled.
Nothing more than that?
Before you answer that,
you should know that
Mercy Hospital photographed
quite a few bite marks,
so we did a rape kit.
We were high on cocaine.
It's an aggressive drug.
It's not the first time we've
left bite marks on each other.
It's not the first time, OK,
but last night, she called the police.
Any idea why?
My mother was about to fire her.
She might have gotten wind.
This is all starting
to make sense right now.
She was blackmailing you?
I never should have gone over there.
I knew it was a risk given
her tenuous employment
Martin, that's enough.
I'm Captain Benson.
This is Sergeant Tutuola.
I take it you're Martin's mother.
I am. So what's this all about?
We got a complaint from
one of your employees,
Mona Stewart.
Well, that wouldn't be the first time
a soon-to-be ex-employee
tried to shake us down.
We found her story quite credible.
- She let me snuggle with her
- Shut up, Martin.
I appreciate you're doing your jobs,
but my son won't be answering any
more questions without counsel.
I apologize, but you understand.
We understand very well.
We'll be in touch.
♪
- Mommy was pissed.
- Well, that's not anger, Fin.
That's jealousy.
So the Parishes lawyered
up. No surprise there.
- Our witness is cooperating?
- So far.
We have Martin's DNA on the rape kit,
her outcry to her roommate.
OK, what are you not telling me?
She admits to prior encounters.
Her kit shows alcohol and cocaine.
Which normally wouldn't matter,
but Connie Parish is trying
to get in front of this,
claiming they were about to fire Mona.
Sorry to interrupt.
Mona. This is ADA Carisi.
How you doing? We're
just going over your case.
Well, you can stop. I changed my mind.
- This wasn't really rape.
- Hang on, Mona.
- Let's think about this.
- No.
I'm just here because
you won't stop calling.
I'm sorry.
Looks like Mommy protected her
baby boy with a lot of zeroes.
Carisi, please tell me that we
can make this case without her.
Maybe I can get an indictment,
but convincing a jury's something else.
So he's just going to get away with it?
We have the rape kit.
We have her outcry witness.
That's probable cause.
It's enough to arrest him, if
that'll make you feel better.
Oh, it will.
♪
- Martin is sleeping.
- That's OK.
We'll wake him up.
We're here to arrest him.
It's good. We got it.
[TV CHATTER]
Oh, the TV's still
on. He might be awake.
NYP
[GASPS]
What the hell is this?
We could ask you the same thing.
We're here to arrest
your son, Mrs. Parish.
Stand up, hands behind your back.
Don't you touch him.
Do not move, or we will arrest you, too.
- Martin.
- [HANDCUFFS CLICKING]
OK. I'm calling my lawyer now.
That's a good idea because
you're going to need one.
♪
Dude had his head on Mommy's boobs?
Sure what it looked like.
Could explain his issues.
What, are you working
for the defense now?
Excuse me, Captain Benson.
Can I help you?
Ron Cohen. I have a few questions.
You can call the NYPD press office.
But this is about Mona Stewart,
the young woman who's
stalking Martin Parish,
- making false accusations.
- And who hired you?
Connie Parish?
Do you know about Ms.
Stewart's personal life,
- work performance?
- Get the hell out of here, man.
Hey, this is an extortion plot.
Tell your employer,
if she has questions,
she knows where I work.
The court accepts the
defendant's plea of not guilty.
People on bail?
$1 million, Your Honor.
Mr. Parish has unlimited means,
including access to private jets.
We consider him to be a flight risk.
My client is willing to
surrender his passport.
- Your Honor
- I'm granting ROR.
Keep your powder dry, Mr. Carisi.
Bailiff, next case.
[COUGHING]
I'll take what I have to the grand jury,
but I can't guarantee an indictment.
Pessimist.
Look, I have faith in you, Carisi.
I appreciate that, but I'd rather have
Mona's cooperation at the very least,
that testimony from the
outcry witness, Stanton Garber.
We're working on that. What else?
Just make sure that Martin
doesn't get on a private jet,
fly to Moscow, and move
in with Edward Snowden.
Was Carisi this cranky
when he was a detective?
Yes.
Where are we with Mona's roommate?
I couldn't get a hold of him.
He moved out of Mona's
rent-stabilized place
a few days after the rape.
All right, so he took a payoff, too.
I put Muncy and Churlish on the case.
Well, she looks fired up. You need me?
No. You secure the outcry witness.
I can handle the mother.
Captain Benson, a word?
Just us?
Where's your, uh, pit bull PI?
Well, as a mother, I'm
sure you'll appreciate
how helpless you feel when
you see your child in trouble.
Your son shouldn't have committed rape.
Sure about that?
I heard she changed her story.
Because you paid her.
I'm doing everything I
can to protect my son
like you'd do, what
what you have done.
That gang case?
So you follow the news.
I admire you, raising your son alone,
climbing the career ladder,
being mother and
father at the same time.
Well, I guess we have
that in common, don't we?
You know, when my husband ran off,
Martin was all I had.
So there was nothing
that you wouldn't do
to protect your son,
including bribing rape victims.
Well, sounds like you
have an axe to grind
with people who have money.
With people who abuse their privilege?
Yes.
You've had a rough few months.
The DOJ called in to clean up SVU
that must have been really embarrassing.
Yeah, that wasn't my squad.
Maybe not, but you are
at the end of your career.
You can't afford to look
like you're slipping.
You're sacrificing my son to
keep your reputation intact.
So your son is a rapist,
and no matter how much
you're willing to spend,
that will never change.
I'll do what I have
to, just like you did.
Do you honestly think
you're the only mother
who would do everything in her
power to keep her child safe?
I didn't break the law.
[SOFTLY] But we both
know you would have,
so please, let's not
disrespect each other
by pretending otherwise.
Captain.
[EXHALES]
Yeah, we're waiting, Sarge.
We won't leave until he shows.
Copy.
And far as I can tell, Martin's
never had a serious girlfriend.
Yeah, 'cause he's got his mom.
There he is, Mona's ex-roommate.
Somebody going shopping.
I can't even pronounce
half these brand names.
Don't look at me. Stanton Garber?
I told you guys I don't know anything
about what happened to Mona.
And we're telling you you're lying.
Mona told me she was lying.
She changed her mind
after she got a payout
from the Parishes.
I'm guessing you did, too.
One-bedroom condos in this
building start at a million.
And that's the real crime.
We pull your phone records, we can prove
that Mona called you that night.
We can also get a search
warrant for your phone
to retrieve her message.
I don't like being harassed.
How about arrested?
Interfering with a police investigation.
- Obstruction.
- Perjury.
And fair warning, even the cheap lawyers
will go through that payout faster
than you can file bankruptcy.
[FOREBODING MUSIC]
[TEARFULLY] Stanton, call me back.
I can't believe this.
Martin just attacked me.
He bit me. He raped me.
Can you please come home?
That is a message that
Mona left for her roommate
- the night of the assault.
- Uncorroborated.
That's inadmissible.
Well, her roommate will testify
at the grand jury and at trial.
We'll get a hearsay
exception for the message.
It's an excited utterance.
Mona made this whole
thing up to blackmail me.
We already know she's not testifying.
I can compel her.
She'll be a hostile
witness, but the jury
will hear her voice testifying
that that message is from her.
You don't want to go to trial.
Maybe you're right about that,
so let's start clean.
I'm not pleading guilty to anything.
Martin, take a timeout.
My mother says that the only
reason you're coming after me
is because of our family name.
Hey, Martin,
we're going after you
because you're a rapist,
and for the first time in your life,
your mother can't help you.
♪
How is this possible?
I could go to jail if I don't testify?
If you don't comply with the subpoena.
But believe me, our captain doesn't like
threatening victims with contempt.
So I have an idea. Don't.
You were raped, Mona.
That kind of trauma doesn't go away
by moving into a bigger apartment.
Tell your story on the stand.
Take ownership of what happened to you.
So this is you guys worried about me?
I'm doing just fine.
And when the money runs out?
You had a job you were proud of.
You have a lot to live for.
Don't let what this guy did to
you make you lose self-respect.
It's not worth it.
Connie Parish is never going to let
her "widdle baby boy" go to prison.
You guys are deluded if
you think you could win.
So if Mona doesn't want to pursue
and she's incentivized
to turn the other way,
this feels like a non-starter.
We're police officers.
Yeah, I'm just trying to see both sides.
Like you did with Velasco?
Churlish, life isn't pass-fail.
We just got a call from Mona's building.
Her new super found
her body. She's dead.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
♪
I was trying to let
some delivery guys in,
used my key, found
her lying on the floor.
What are we looking at?
We did CPR, took a shot at Narcan,
but she was already gone.
OD?
Whole world is laced
with fentanyl these days.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
♪
You thinking what I'm thinking?
The night before the grand jury,
and Mona just happens to overdose?
We'll get an autopsy and a
forensic analysis on the drugs.
And bring Martin in for questioning.
We found cocaine in her system
but not enough for an overdose.
Any fentanyl in it?
Trace amounts, not
nearly enough to kill her.
So what did?
X-rays we took show some type of
prolonged microscopic scarring.
That's not from the cocaine.
If I didn't know whose
lungs I was looking at,
I'd say she was at
ground zero during 9/11.
Well, she's too young for that.
She suffered a fatal pulmonary insult.
Couldn't get oxygen
into her bloodstream.
So she suffocated from the inside out?
- How?
- Nothing on the tox screen.
I can dissect the lung
and order some tests.
For now, if I had to
guess cause of death,
it's looking like asphyxia.
We just don't know from what.
So what do we know?
Well, Mona was about
to go to the grand jury,
and now she's been silenced for good.
Maybe Connie's getting desperate.
Maybe she poisoned Mona somehow.
Well, according to the medical examiner,
whatever killed her sure
took the scenic route.
Unless the whole point
of this was torture.
Well, who would want to torture Mona?
Connie was jealous of Mona.
I mean, she treats her son like
he's some kind of boyfriend.
It wouldn't be the first time
somebody got poisoned for cheating.
All right, Churlish, Muncy,
where did Mona say she got the coke?
She said Martin brought it over.
If it was laced with something,
maybe he's getting infected, too.
Let's see if we can talk to him.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
What is this?
This is a scan of Mona's lungs.
What the hell does this prove?
Nothing.
It proves she was murdered last night.
- Well, that's good news.
- Is it?
We'll be filing a motion
to dismiss the rape charges.
Who would do such a thing?
We were hoping you could tell us.
You two did cocaine together?
Yeah, but not last night.
Evidently, whatever killed
her is pretty slow acting.
When did you two start hanging
out and doing coke together?
Right after she started the job.
Six months ago?
About that, but she
did way more than I did.
Martin, any chance your mother knew
you and Mona were snuggle buddies?
Oh, God. Mona did mention a private eye.
[INHALES]
How long have you been
using that inhaler?
A few months.
You might want to get
an X-ray of your lungs.
What the hell is going on?
Well, in case you haven't noticed,
we're trying to keep your client alive.
OK, OK, uh, can you
drive me to a hospital?
First, we're going to need
the name of your coke dealer.
This is a scan of Martin's lungs.
That looks familiar.
Same type of scars as Mona's lungs.
Yeah, it's not a coincidence.
Did Martin say where
he got the cocaine from?
Well, here's where it gets stranger.
He says he got it from his
mother's middle-aged guy Friday,
who lives out near her
property in Long Island.
- Henry Caputo.
- Caputo?
This guy got a record, mob connections?
Well, it's not as
stereotypical as it sounds
coming from you, Carisi.
Let's just say a little of both.
Well, it turns out that
the world of construction
in New York is as
shady as we all thought.
I get why Connie might
want to slowly poison Mona,
but her own son?
Maybe she wants to keep him helpless.
I mean, Munchausen by proxy is a thing.
The guy takes care of the one
property she owns in Long Island,
makes about half a
mil a year doing that.
Half a million dollars? That
sounds like payola to me.
So can we get a warrant
for the property?
Hey, you can't just come in here.
Actually, we can. We have a warrant.
I got to call Mrs. Parish.
Please do.
[SHUTTER CLICKS]
[SHUTTER CLICKS]
She's very particular about this place.
Yeah, I can see that.
This is the first model home her
father built when she was a kid.
This is like a shrine to her father?
She comes here sometimes
to be close to him.
What we want to know is
where you got the cocaine
you gave to Martin and Mona.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Detectives, found something.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Dog alerted us to the
cocaine stash in the freezer.
Any poison?
A bucket of industrial abrasive.
Looks an awful lot like cocaine to me.
Industrial abrasive
that'll do a job on your lungs.
Bag it all.
That's been sitting there for years.
Well, you're coming
with us. Call Carisi.
Get a warrant for Connie's arrest.
That's my stash of cocaine you found.
- For personal use?
- That's right.
The ME told us that
last batch that Mona got
was mostly industrial abrasive.
You want to tell us how
that got mixed into it?
I should go to the
hospital or something?
Maybe it's in my lungs. [COUGHS]
- I had a cough lately.
- Nice try.
You think I mixed it in?
Why would I poison myself?
What I want to know is what's
your relationship to Connie.
I work for her, do odd jobs.
- Whatever she tells you to do?
- That's right.
That's what she pays
me for hard work.
Sex?
And discretion.
Well, if we can prove
that Mona and Martin
got that cocaine from you,
you're looking down
the barrel at murder.
[EXHALES]
I think I need a lawyer now.
He's not as dumb as he looks.
If you think Connie's
going to get you a lawyer,
she's already paying for a few.
My client has absolutely
nothing to do with any drugs.
So you had nothing to do with murdering
a woman who was about to testify
against your rapist son?
Who you also tried the poison.
No. Now why would I do that?
- I'm horrified.
- Mm.
Now I thought I knew Henry.
He's like a second son to me.
Maybe Henry was jealous of Martin,
or Martin was jealous of Henry.
Oh, so this is just a
cocaine and Abel story, huh?
This is not about Martin.
This is not about Henry.
The real jealousy here is your jealousy,
your jealousy for Mona.
Oh, please, why would I be jealous
of a 22-year-old interior
decorator with horrible taste?
Horrible taste?
She had a taste for your son,
until, of course, he raped her.
That is an unsubstantiated,
uncorroborated,
and unacceptably false accusation.
You'll never make a case for rape.
Maybe not, but I can definitely
make a case for murder
against your client.
I had nothing to do with that
poor girl's horrible death.
- Connie.
- Please.
Now, my son did that cocaine.
Are you saying that I
poisoned him as well?
That's exactly what we're saying.
Why would I do that?
Have you ever heard the
phrase "devouring mother"?
You're so afraid to lose control
over Martin that you
were willing to risk
crippling him, or even worse.
Somebody in the grave can't leave you,
and you always know where he is.
My mother loves me.
She'd never let anything happen to me.
In fact, it's just the opposite.
Have you ever heard the saying
"a spoonful of industrial abrasive
helps the medicine go down"?
- No.
- Neither have we.
You're a smart guy.
You saw your lung scan, your asthma.
So I did a little too much coke.
Keep your mouth shut. This
isn't a coffee klatsch.
We're here because of a cocaine charge?
No, the coke was doctored
on your mother's orders, huh,
to teach you a lesson and to kill Mona.
She'd never do that.
The ME dissected Mona's lungs.
He found the same exact substance
as we found in the cocaine
on your mother's property.
That's all Henry.
Well, Henry didn't have a
reason to teach you a lesson,
but your mom did.
Why?
Because she wanted to
keep you bubble wrapped
all for herself,
to infantilize you so
you'd always need her.
[COUGHING]
♪
It worked.
I do need her.
Your mother may be
going down for murder.
Only if Henry turns against her.
Or you do, Martin.
I want to entertain what they're saying.
No.
That's never going to happen.
- It can't.
- Why not?
[SIGHS] You don't understand.
I've already lost my father.
If I lose my mother, too, I'll
I'll be an orphan.
♪
So this caretaker, Henry
he won't turn against Connie.
He lawyered up and shut up.
He's in holding.
Oh, it's hard to get a
guy to solve a problem
that his paycheck relies on.
Look, what about Martin?
Is he actually that blind to
his own mother's complicity?
He might be 32, but
he's like a little boy.
Yeah, he's been stunted.
OK, well, I cannot bring a murder case
without any corroborating witnesses.
She's got plausible deniability.
I know that she kept him in the nest,
but it seems like the rest
of the family wanted to run.
Her father's dead. The
ex-husband is in the wind.
Martin did say he's
afraid of being alone.
If that is the only
thing that's keeping him
from testifying, then maybe his father
can talk some sense into him.
We'll track him down.
You know, I hope there's one person
in this young man's life who actually
wants the best for him.
Just a reminder, Liv,
Martin is a rapist.
I'm not making excuses for him,
but Carisi, he is also a victim.
And if we want him to flip,
then we need to treat him like one.
♪
Peter Parish is here already?
That was fast.
He took a red-eye from the Azores.
So he really does care
about his son, huh?
He wasn't surprised to hear his
ex-wife was a murder suspect.
OK, and that's the current Mrs. Parish?
That's Bianca, their former nanny,
with their baby daughter.
- And we sent Connie home?
- With Martin.
We didn't have enough
to hold either of them.
Well, it's a damn shame.
She's missing this.
Uh, invite Martin and Connie back.
- All right, Muncy, will you?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, I got you.
- Thanks.
You ready?
Mr. Parish, thank you
for coming in so quickly.
I was hoping that my son would be here.
Well, he's on his way. I'm ADA Carisi.
We got a few questions
for you, if you don't mind.
Sure.
So I'm going to jump right in.
Can you tell us why
you left your family?
Uh, well,
Connie tried to murder me.
What happened?
She was putting industrial-grade
abrasives into my smoothies.
I started to have digestive problems
and internal bleeding.
I was slowly dying, and Bianca
put two and two together.
I I didn't just run away
with her because she's the nanny.
She saved my life.
You have any idea why your
wife would want to poison you?
Any idea? I know absolutely why.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
Martin was 12, and by then,
I was already cheating on Connie.
And she sought comfort
in the wrong place.
She was I don't know how to say this.
She was nestled up with Martin.
I caught them in bed together.
I think she was breastfeeding him.
- Did you confront her?
- Of course.
She begged me not to
talk to Martin about it,
and she swore that it would stop.
- But it didn't.
- I don't know.
I hoped so.
I had moved out to the guest house
to try to figure out my next move,
and then a few days later,
I noticed the decline in my health.
Then you left with the nanny.
Yeah, I couldn't stay.
But you left Martin with her.
I thought I was doing the
right thing at the time.
And I had asked him to move to
the Azores with us, and he said no.
But you didn't call child services?
I didn't want him to
end up in foster care.
A dysfunctional mother
is better than no mother.
OK, look, whatever you think of me,
I love my son.
♪
Oh, Dad, I missed you so much.
Oh, I missed you, too.
What Mom did, I had
nothing to do with that.
I made a mistake, and I
deserve to be punished.
But I can't do it alone.
Don't worry. I'm here for you.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
♪
Peter? [SCOFFS]
You think you can just
waltz back into our lives
and steal my baby away from me?
I'm never going to let that happen.
It'll be hard to stop
from a prison cell, Connie.
I had nothing to do
with killing that girl.
No, but you tried to kill me.
That plan didn't work
out so well, did it?
Oh, there she is.
You steal my husband, and now you're
laughing at me, you little bitch?
Mom, stop it. Leave her alone.
- Martin
- Leave me alone.
- You don't mean that.
- I do.
Mrs. Parish, let's step into my office.
Not without me.
I don't need you.
I don't need anyone,
not even you, Martin!
All right, let's go.
Let's go.
Hey, bud, come here.
Well, congratulations, Captain.
You've managed to
turn my son against me.
You call this police work?
You just don't get it, do you?
Your son's a rapist.
OK, I don't want to keep hearing that.
I raised a good boy.
No, you raised a son
who is still a little boy
who is afraid of displeasing you,
so he does everything
that you tell him to do.
You've crippled him, and
that is not parenting.
Parenting?
I had no parenting. I parented myself.
That house you went to, that
was my father's real child,
and I swore I would never
let that happen to my son.
I'm a tough woman,
and I'm a tough mother
because I want what's best for Martin,
because my career
wasn't the most important
thing in my life.
He was.
He needed me.
Maybe when he was little,
but you never let him grow up.
He wasn't ready.
Is that what you tell yourself?
No, Connie, you see,
you needed him, and you used him.
He loves me, and I love him.
That's not love.
That's not mothering.
That's narcissism.
OK, that's enough.
I know that your husband wasn't perfect,
and misguided as it was,
he did what he thought was right.
But now, he's putting Martin first.
That's love, Connie.
That's love.
♪
We just made a deal.
Connie took a plea to manslaughter.
She didn't want Martin to
have to get on the stand
and testify against her.
No, she knew if she was
found guilty at trial
that she'd do double the sentence.
- Oh, spoken like a true pessimist.
- I'm not a pessimist.
I'm a realist, and I just
know how sociopaths work.
Connie Parish has a
has a pathology where
a personality should be.
Eh, neglect will do that to you, huh?
What about Martin? The
guy's still a rapist.
Yeah, his father says
that he'll stick by him
as long as he confesses to Mona's rape.
He's going to confess? So he'll do time.
It's not a happy ending, but
it's an ending nonetheless.
Oh, look who's a pessimist now.
You headed home?
Yeah, you know, it's just
been one of those days.
The only sane way to deal with
it is a nice glass of Cabernet.
I'm thinking more
like a hug from my son.
Good night, Benson.
Good night, Carisi.
[WOLF HOWL]