Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001–2011): Season 1, Episode 21 - Faith - full transcript

In New York City's war on crime,

the worst criminal offenders
are pursued by the detectives

of the Major Case Squad.

These are their stories.

Woman: Make a left
up here at this light.

We're driving in circles. You
think that's going to fool me?

You know how Erica
feels about her privacy.

Why? You ever ask yourself that?

I don't need to.

Now pull up to this
driveway on the left.

Erica is just real
upset about this, Doug.



I mean, think about it. It's as big an
insult as you can give another person.

If that's the way she feels,
she can tell me to my face.

I deserve at least that much.

It's making her sick, on top of
everything she has to deal with.

I just want to talk
to her. She agreed!

Man: You're
going to talk to her.

She said she'd talk
to you, didn't she?

Then what's the problem?

She wants you to sign something.

What kind of a game is this?

You come here, you
make all your demands.

You want to talk to
her, you just sign that.

This is ridiculous!
I'm out of here.

Are you threatening me?



Please, we're only making
things worse for Erica.

He's the one
making the problems.

I came all the way
out here to see her

and now you're
laying this crap on me?

You bet I'm going
to make problems!

I'll talk to her. Toby, you too.

Why are you being so difficult?

Don't be a fool, Christine.

This whole house of
cards is coming down.

I gave all of you
your opportunity.

Douglas... Get
yourself a lawyer.

Erica is extremely...
disappointed in you, Doug.

Do I get to talk to her or not?

Go home. She just
wants you to go home.

Maybe if I talk to her?

Erica says we have to let him
do whatever he needs to do.

You can't stop someone
from walking into their own hell.

Hey, it's
5:00-something. Let's go.

This guy, you should have heard
him. More rules than the NFL playbook.

I'm like, "Why do you have to make
it so complicated, you fat moron?"

Last time I checked,
all the parts fit together.

You don't have to be
so damn complicated."

- (dull bang)
- Oh, my God!

(women screaming)

Fire! Help!

Help! There's somebody
on fire here! Call 911!

(theme music plays)

The fire set off this can of
butane in Mr. Lafferty's coat pocket.

That accounted for the fireball.

The fire died
down pretty quickly.

"Lucy Hotpants" there, thinks the
guy died of spontaneous combustion.

Right after he's
"spontaneously" hit in the head.

I count three impact wounds
on the right side of his skull.

- What started the fire?
- They put a match to his coat.

Fire marshal said it smelled
like it was soaked with acetone.

- Nail polish remover.
- His wallet's missing.

We had ID'd him off his
press badge in the glove box.

There's blood and
scalp tissue on the tip.

The perp was seated here...

and rammed it into his head.

He wasn't murdered
in this location.

This blood stain didn't spatter
here when he was killed.

It most likely came

when his head was
resting against the door.

His body was moved into the
passenger seat after he was killed.

The killer then drove him here,

put him back behind the wheel...

set him on fire

to destroy evidence
he was killed elsewhere.

Eames: "Elsewhere," where?

We start where he started.
There's a garage-door opener

on the end of his keychain.

(police radio chatter)

Looks like part of the umbrella.

Probably fell out of the
car when the killer got out.

Make-up products. I need a bag.

Nail polish, emery boards,

manicure clippers...

everything but
nail polish remover.

Looks like he was
killed in the garage.

Somebody defragged his
computer to wipe out files.

The family silver's
all accounted for,

including Mr. Lafferty's gold
watches and diamond cufflinks.

And Pulitzer Prize...

for his coverage of the
Tet Offensive in 1968.

This guy was a war correspondent

before he owned a magazine.

Tough old bird.

News magazines.

News magazines.

No hobbies, no
special interests.

I spoke too soon.

It's a catalog for
medical equipment.

Probably for his late
wife. She died last year.

He still keeps her
things in the garage.

Tough, sentimental old bird.

Maybe not that sentimental... his bank
statements for the last three months.

He was withdrawing
cash on a regular basis...

Big chunks... Seven
grand, 10 grand...

He found himself a
high maintenance hobby.

116 grand in the last
six months to who?

A bookie, a girlfriend? The
guy was a lonely widower.

If he had a girlfriend, we
couldn't find any trace of her.

His address book and
appointment book are missing,

his computer disc
was wiped clean.

We're still waiting
on his phone records.

You don't like the
girlfriend angle?

I'm open to anything.

Let's say the
perpetrator was a woman.

She had excellent
improvisational skills.

She created an
incendiary device,

she relocated the body
to a high crime area.

For all the good it did her, she might
as well have left him in the garage.

That's the point.

She overthought the event.

She was careful but almost...

neurotically anxious...

about hiding her tracks.

Lafferty might have been
the target of her anger,

but he wasn't the
object of her passion.

She wasn't
emotionally involved...

with him.

She was emotionally
involved with his bank account.

Lafferty had two kids, right?

A son and daughter.
They're coming in for the ID.

I invited him to join my wife
and some friends for dinner,

but he wanted to stay in.

Did you suspect
he had other plans?

Since Mom died, Dad's
been a little difficult.

He's been grieving.

Ms. Lafferty, any time
you want to jump in.

It's obvious, isn't it?

Look at where you found
my father... on 11th Avenue.

- He turned into a sex addict.
- Lafferty: She's right.

A couple of weeks ago, I
was in Bulgari's, with my kids,

shopping for Mother's Day.
Dad was at the jewelry counter.

Did you talk to him?

Yes. He wasn't too
happy to see me.

As soon as the salesperson
came back with his receipt, he left.

I thought he was buying
jewelry for some girlfriend.

Did you see what he bought?

No.

The salesperson told him to
come back and pick it up in a week.

He was having it inscribed.

Mr. Lafferty bought
a lady's watch in gold.

Lucky lady. He had
some engraving done?

It's on the next page.

"To Erica for giving me a
reason to go on. Douglas."

So romantic, don't you think?

You don't want to
know what I think.

Which model is it? This one.

This watch has a
clasp on the band.

It says on the receipt
that Mr. Lafferty

switched it with
an expansion band.

It's easier to take on and
off. He said that the lady

might find a band with a
clasp too difficult to use.

I think she had a little
handicap with her right hand.

Thank you very much.

We're going to Queens.

The medical equipment
catalog in Lafferty's den...

That's where they
have their store.

Woman: Erica needs
more. We have to move.

Rethink this, Barb,
please, for Erica's sake?

We know what's best.

I don't know how we're
going to make do with this.

Tell me where you're going.

I'll see what I can do.

I'll tell Erica. I know
you're trying to help.

She'll call you, okay?

We supplied Mr. Lafferty with a
wheelchair when his wife was sick.

Then three months ago
he ordered another one.

It had to be motorized
with a joystick control.

A left-handed joystick? Yes.

The young lady had lost
the use of her right hand.

He said she might eventually
need a mouth-control stick.

Where were you supposed
to deliver the wheelchair?

To an Erica Windemere.
I don't have the address.

Mr. Lafferty was going to tell me when
he came in to make the last payment.

It's been ready
now for three weeks.

This chair's for a child.

Mr. Lafferty said she's 14
and weighs only 90 pounds.

The new love of his life...
A little girl in a wheelchair.

Wheelchair, respirator,
heart monitor.

Over 30,000 total,
just in medical supplies.

- Who is this girl, a relative?
- His kids have never heard of her.

She's somebody he
met in the last six months.

Maybe he's involved
with her mother.

Goren: It's about what
was inscribed on the watch.

His wife is dead, his
kids don't like him.

Helping this girl
filled a void in his life.

(elevator bell rings) His phone
records came in this morning.

No calls to anyone
named Windemere,

but a lot of calls to numbers that
never showed up before six months ago.

Check them out.

I was blown away when I
heard what happened to Doug.

He's just such a decent guy.

Where did you know him from?

We had, you know,
common interests.

- You mean Erica?
- You know Erica?

We're trying to get
in touch with her.

Just leave a message for
her on the web site... "Erica W."

There's a chat
room and everything.

That's how I met Doug.

We need to actually talk to her.

I can't help you with that.

You're worried about
Erica? So are we.

She's already
been through a lot.

I mean, you read the book.

Yeah, sure... the
book. My partner hasn't.

You should. It's so right on.

He's been after me to get
into it. What's it called again?

"Through The Darkness."

What did you like most about it?

She never gives up.

My sister died of breast
cancer three years ago.

She left behind two kids.

Erica's book helps
me to talk to them.

You've got to read it, okay?

Since it came out last fall, it's
been one of our biggest sellers,

which surprised me. It was
pretty raw when we got it.

Thank God for editors. (knocks)

Christine?

These detectives need some
information about Erica Windemere.

Oh, one of my favorite
authors. How can I help you?

We're investigating the
murder of Douglas Lafferty.

Oh, yes. In fact, Erica
e-mailed me yesterday,

telling me how upset
she was about his death.

- They were good friends?
- Yeah, she was very fond of him.

I just got the book.

- Oh, so she has ALS?
- Christine: Yes.

"Lou Gehrig's Disease."
That's degenerative.

"Your body is destroyed...

while your soul stays intact."

That's what it says
here on the cover.

That's the least of
which she's had to face

in her short life. She
could teach us a lot.

And we have a lot to learn. We
need her address and phone number.

You know she's just
a bedridden little girl?

Well, she might know something
she doesn't even know she knows.

She sounds like the kind of
person who'd want to help.

Yeah. I don't have a
phone number for her,

but I can give you her e-mail.

Is that how you worked on the
book with her... through her e-mails?

Yes, and she calls me.

She can't give out her
address or her phone.

The book explains why.

How about her book royalties?
How do you get the checks to her?

Her foster mother,
Barb, comes to the office.

Eames: She doesn't
live with her parents?

No. Child Welfare
took her from them.

Is there a foster father?

There's Toby, he's
the physical therapist.

And she has you.

I'm sorry for all the secrecy.

It's just that's it's the only
way to protect Erica's safety.

You really do need
to read the book.

Okay, thanks. Two days for the
subpoena, a couple of more days

for the e-mail
account information.

Probably another dead end.
This kid doesn't want to be found.

She writes she's been
dodging death threats.

Her parents were members of a violent
drug gang that sexually abused her.

Sexually abusing a
kid with ALS. Lovely.

No, before the ALS
kicked in at age 11.

Her father is serving 10
years for the sex abuse.

Her mother vowed to kill
her if she ever finds her.

What are you writing?
I'm sending her an e-mail.

That's how everybody
else gets her attention.

"Dear Erica, I've just
finished reading your book.

I've met a lot of people
in my line of work,

but I've never met anyone with your courage
and power to forgive." You get the idea?

And then I tell her
I want to talk to her

about Lafferty and I
include my phone number.

While you're waiting
for an answer,

let's see if Child Welfare
knows where she is.

Child Welfare has no
record of a girl with ALS

going through their
system in the last five years,

no record of a girl being used
as a sex toy by a dope gang,

no record of foster parents
named "Barb" and "Toby."

But people have talked to this
girl, right? The editor of the book?

We found a few people through her
web site who said they got calls from her.

They all described
the same thing...

A sweet girl with a bad
disease and a positive attitude.

(phone rings)

Captain Deakins.

Erica Windemere... for
you. You want to take it here?

Hello, Erica? This is
Detective Alexandra Eames.

- Hello, Detective.
- Call me Alex.

(breathy voice) Am I
on speakerphone, Alex?

Yes. I'm here with my
boss, Captain Deakins

and my partner, Detective Goren.

We're all anxious
to speak with you.

Okay. I was so
glad you wrote me.

If there's any way I can help,
of course I want to do that.

When was the last time
you spoke with Mr. Lafferty?

We spoke all the
time about his children.

He wanted to have a
better relationship with them.

And he was such
a big support to me.

Erica, is there any
way that we could meet

and talk to you in person?

(whimpering) It depends on my
health. I've had so many bad days lately.

- Alex, do you
have any kids?
- No.

Your voice reminds me
of my kindergarten teacher.

It's a very warm voice,

like you spend a lot
of time talking to kids.

I hope you have some someday.

Erica...

your book says
you contracted ALS

when you were just 11.

That's pretty rare, isn't it?

Yes.

Goren: You still have
the use of your right hand?

No, I don't.

But you have the
use of your left hand?

Yes.

That kind of
asymmetric disability

is unusual for ALS sufferers,

isn't it?

I don't know what "usual" is.

What's happening to
me is what's usual for me.

One more thing.

How has ALS affected
your menstruation?

(stammers) I... you mean...

I don't want to embarrass you.

In your book, you're very frank

about your development
as a young woman.

- (Erica stammering)
- Goren: If it makes you
uncomfortable...

It's not that.

How has your
condition affected you?

(falters) I...

Is this something that
you have to think about?

I can't believe I'm
being attacked like this.

Alex, people can't destroy
you unless you let them.

(crying, handset clatters)

Angry woman: What did
you people say to Erica?

- Who's this?
- This is her foster mother.

Erica's crying right now. How
could you people take five minutes

of whatever precious time
she has left on this planet

to do this to her? Shame on you!

(hangs up, dial tone hums)

(tone off)

If I hadn't heard it
with my own ears...

Well, it was a
legitimate question.

She was just trying to come
up with the right answer.

The right answer is whatever's
happening to her body.

She shouldn't have
to think about it.

That's why Doug Lafferty never
took delivery of the wheelchair...

She's a fake...

and he found out.

I remember my wife
telling me about this book.

It made some talk
show book club selection.

They called her "the
next Anne Frank."

Except Anne Frank
actually existed.

- No one's ever met this girl?
- Goren: Maybe someone has.

This is from the introduction
by Professor David Cantler.

"Erica's easy smile

hides a will of iron which refuses
to succumb to the ravages of life."

Her "easy smile" wouldn't be
easy to see over the telephone.

Cantler... the geneticist
with the bestseller?

Two bestsellers and four wives.

Apparently the professor
likes the ladies...

and vice-a versa.

You know us... we like men who
play with the building blocks of life.

- Eames: Professor Cantler?
- Hello.

I'm a graduate... sorry.

Alex Eames... in social
work. I'm a graduate student.

What can I do for
you, Alex Eames?

My thesis is on survivors
of child sex abuse

and I know you wrote
the introduction to...

"Through the Darkness"? Yes.

You see, I want to
interview Erica for my thesis

and if you could help me...

Well, I have a
confession to make.

It wasn't possible to
actually meet with her.

But your introduction? Yes,
I know. A little poetic license.

I went to meet her, but her health was
so fragile she just wasn't strong enough.

But you got to see where
she lived? Yes, I did that, but...

My thesis partner.

Hi.

I'm Detective Robert
Goren. How you doing?

Did Alex mention
she's a detective, too?

And her "thesis"? That's
actually a subpoena

that we need to serve on
Erica and her foster parents.

Er, look, I actually don't
know where she lives.

They had me drive out to
a gas station on Long Island

and this man, Toby, picked me up

and drove me around in
his van for about half an hour.

Eames: You know what
the house looks like, right?

We'll just drive
around until we find it.

There's still
food in the fridge.

Whoever lived here
must have just moved out.

Gravel from the driveway.

I waited to meet with Erica
right here in this living room.

She was in the bedroom.
She was too sick to come out.

"Hook, line and sinker," Professor.
I can't believe you fell for this.

Erica exists. She's
a gentle loving soul

who's been through great
trials in her very fragile life.

I've spoken to her many times.

On the phone.

You're a scientist.

I don't have to stick my fingers in
the wounds to believe, Detective.

There's a theorem... Godel's
Great Incompleteness Theorem.

"Every axiomatic system
will contain truths..."

"That cannot be proven."

"But the absence of
proof can be proof."

This was Erica's bedroom?

The bed was in here?

I don't see any marks

or indentations on the carpet,

- or the wall. Do you?
- That's not conclusive.

I don't see a 220-volt hook-up

for the respirator Doug
Lafferty bought for Erica.

Doug Lafferty bought
her a respirator?

And you bought her
one too, didn't you?

I'm sure they made a nice
profit selling the equipment.

I've been a fool.

Wanting to help
someone is not foolish.

But now you have to
help us find these people.

There's a pharmacy...

Sometimes they ask me
to pay for her prescriptions.

Goren: I'm a friend
of David Cantler's.

He was supposed to drop off
some money for a kid's prescription...

Erica Windemere? He
asked me to take care of it.

Is that okay?

Sure, I guess so.
How much is it?

Let's see. She's on the Rilutek,

in addition to the Zanaflex and the
Roxanol. That's $800 for all three.

$800?

This girl never heard
of medical insurance?

Doesn't have any.
That's all I know.

I don't mean to be
rude, but how do I know

you're going to actually
send her the drugs?

We do this all the time.
Somebody pays for the drugs

and I call Erica's foster
mother to come get them.

Can you show me Erica's
prescriptions for the drugs?

Why would I want to do that?

Because I'm a cop.

And you're five seconds
away from being arrested

for selling prescription
drugs without a prescription.

(stammers) I... just pass it on
to Barb for Erica. It's a donation.

After you take a handling fee?

Okay, Murray, this is
what you're going to do.

You're going to call Barb

and tell her a big
donation just came in

and that you need her to
come by before you close.

Have you ever seen
her? Have you, Christine?

I've never seen
JD Salinger either,

but that doesn't make
me doubt his existence.

Go ahead and be flip.
I'm telling you if you publish

any further editions of the book,
I want my introduction excised.

This is happening because of
Barb. She's too overprotective.

Erica would be happy to meet
with people if Barb would let her.

Christine, you got
taken, and I got taken.

Now, let's just hope
when this hits the papers

we don't look like total
idiots. I'll tell you what I hope.

I hope that I never lose
faith in one of the kindest,

most spiritual human
beings I have ever met.

I feel sorry for you.
Feel sorry for yourself!

(glass breaks)

You're not just betraying Erica,
you're betraying all children!

Erica is safe
where we left her...

With friends.

We found your motel room.

There were none of Erica's
personal belongings there.

Not even a picture of her.

Barb: We know what she looks
like. We don't need a picture of her.

And all of her
things are with her.

Toby's in the next room. You
sure he's telling the same story?

Yes, I'm sure,
because it's the truth.

What's wrong with you that
makes you want to destroy

someone good like Erica?

(chuckles)

I'm just a natural born skeptic.

Maybe I haven't had enough
tragedy in my life... like Doug.

His wife is gone,

his kids hate him,

death staring him in the face.

Doug was full of love.
Erica opened his heart.

Eames: Not to
mention his wallet.

I'm not even going
to speak to that.

(bag crinkles)

Doug had doubts.

(rattling)

Huh?

Isn't that why...

he was at the house...

the night that he died?

(rattling)

He wasn't there.

This is gravel...

From your driveway.

Gravel...

It gets around, all
the way to Manhattan.

This is the same kind of gravel.

We found it in the
tires of Doug's car.

He did come out that night.

He and Erica needed
to talk, and they did.

Well, now we know one thing...
You're not above lying to us.

I'll do whatever I
need to protect Erica.

Including killing an old man
who threatens to destroy you?

People can't destroy
you unless you let them.

I've heard that before...

from Erica.

- Did she teach you that?
- Yes, she did.

Strength of character,
strength of will.

These are the tools you've been given
to make yourself what you would be.

And you made Erica

into what you'd
like yourself to be?

Erica made herself.

I was just lucky enough to
meet her in her time of need.

(laughs)

You're quick. Just like Erica.

Do you ever get jealous about
all the attention that she gets?

No.

Because some of
it falls on you, right?

I'm just there to help Erica.

And you take care of Erica,
and you control access to Erica.

That makes you a
very important person.

Isn't that what
this is really about?

(door opens)

Mr. Jacobs here has been hired
to represent the Windemeres.

Goren: Now some
people pretend to be sick

for the, attention, the love.

Some women, they make their
children sick for the same reason.

Some women kill their babies.

But this woman,

she invented a sick child

for the attention, for the love.

But if somebody like Doug
Lafferty gets in the way...

No, she's not violent.

No, she believes

that she can talk her
way out of anything.

And these people
are con artists...

but I don't think
they killed Lafferty.

Goren: Someone showed Doug
Lafferty the way to the house

and then drove back
to the city with him.

Someone Barb and Toby trusted.

They've got thousands of
e-mails to Erica catalogued here

from every state...
And all the replies.

This was a full-time job.

A full-time salary too.

These are drafts of the book
with handwritten revisions.

Looks like most of
the book was rewritten.

Not just rewritten, transformed.

This paragraph here about
Erica being told she had ALS,

in the originals...

I think the word you're
looking for is "awful."

Yeah, but the new
material, it breaks your heart.

Whoever made these changes,

it was a labor of love.

What you've done
is cruel and heartless.

Arresting Barb and Toby?

That puts Erica
in terrible danger.

Have you talked to
her since their arrest?

No. She's probably
too afraid to call me.

Well, maybe you're
hoping she doesn't.

After all, she might ask
you to take care of her.

I would do that without
a moment's hesitation.

That doesn't intimidate me.

It should. You're single, no one to
help you. You have a full-time job.

Erica would be my full-time job.

Goren: You have no doubt

that she's a
flesh-and-blood little girl?

No, I don't.

You had a scare last summer.

One of your co-workers told
us you had a bad pap smear.

I had a pre-cancerous

cervical condition
which I was treated for,

not that it's any
of your business.

Did it raise the question on whether
you'd ever have your own children?

Is that the void
that Erica filled?

Erica restored your
faith in the human spirit.

She gave you courage
in the face of evil.

No one was going to tell
you that she doesn't exist.

To deny her was to deny you.

Okay, this is ridiculous.

Is it?

I don't know where
Erica ends and you begin.

You are insane! This is all her!

This is her! This is her
life! These are her thoughts!

Douglas Lafferty's faith
wasn't as strong as yours.

He wanted proof, didn't he?

Is that why you took
him to the house?

Or maybe Doug Lafferty's
suspicions weren't appeased

and he was going
to make trouble.

No.

Maybe driving back to the
city you tried to reason with him.

You told him how
much Erica meant to you.

The closer you got to his home,

the more frantic
that you became.

I stayed home all night.
I never left the house.

Eames: We checked the logs of the
messenger service your company uses.

That night they tried to
make deliveries to you

at 9:00 and midnight.

There was no answer either time.

We don't doubt the sincerity
of your beliefs, Ms. Wilkes.

You were taken advantage of.

And I'm willing to take
that into consideration

if you'll tell us the truth.

I stayed home all night.

I went to bed early and that is
why I didn't hear the buzzing.

Now, if you'll excuse
me, I would like to leave.

The power of faith.

Goren: No. She really
believes Erica is real.

Maybe a little faith in
Erica isn't such a bad thing.

They freely admit Douglas
Lafferty was at their house that night.

They wouldn't admit that
unless they had nothing to hide.

Or they wanted to create an
impression they had nothing to hide.

I might have been more
pliable a few days ago,

but now that the insurance
policy has come to light...

Attorney: What insurance policy?

Ask your clients.

Four months ago,

Douglas Lafferty changed the
beneficiary on his insurance policy,

naming Erica Windemere
to receive a payout...

of $2 million.

We didn't know
anything about that.

Oh, really?

The money was
to be held in trust

with your client as trustee.

$2 million to spend
any way she wanted.

Goren: The best part of it is,

you would have been
able to keep all of it

without ever having to
prove that Erica exists.

Carver: A murder conviction
will, of course, void the policy.

Crime isn't supposed to pay.

We didn't kill Doug, we swear.

Well, if not you, than who?

I just found out
the District Attorney

is seizing Erica's
book royalties.

That is inhumane. What
is she supposed to live on?

What's the DA supposed to
do? We did find new evidence

implicating Barb in
Doug Lafferty's murder.

Okay, I am not
defending what Barb did.

I am just here to
protect Erica's interests.

She sent you here to talk to us?

No. No, I e-mailed her, I told
her it was urgent I speak with her.

I don't even think she
has a computer anymore.

You see, this is the
precarious situation she's in.

Without those book
royalties, she has nothing.

I thought she had hundreds
of people sending her money?

What? She's in hiding.

How do you expect them
to get the money to her?

- Barb said she was safe.
- Barb is a liar!

Barb needs to be
kept away from Erica!

Oh...

You know what's
best for her. Yes, I do!

There's a call for Ms.
Wilkes. It's her office.

- Tell them she's busy.
- They said it was important.

They're holding a call
from an Erica Windemere.

Put it through in here.

- Christine?
- Erica!

Yes, it's me. I'm here. Hi.

- I'm so happy
to hear your voice.
- I am too, Erica.

I'm here with the
police right now.

So tell me how you're doing.

All right. But I'm very scared.

I'm taking care of everything.

You don't have to worry about
anything. I'm not going to let you...

Did they tell you about Doug?

Barb told me on the phone
that he had insurance,

but I don't understand
these things.

He had a life policy
that left Erica $2 million.

That's incredible!
That's a miracle!

(sobbing) Only
now I won't get it...

because of Barb and
what she did to Doug.

Since Barb's the trustee
and she killed Doug,

the policy's void and
Erica gets nothing.

What's going to
happen to me, Christine?

The people I'm with can't
afford to take care of me.

We don't have any
money. Barb had it all.

(sobbing)

Erica? Listen to me, sweetheart.

Nothing bad is going
to happen to you.

She needs more health insurance.

I'm going to end up in a home.

No. No, you're not.

I'm going to make sure of that.

How? With what money?

I mean...

Erica's at the end of her
rope. Isn't that right, Erica?

I'm so sorry, Christine.

I tried to be brave,

but losing Barb and Toby...

- Erica...
- It's just too much.

You taught me so much
about accepting loss

and uncertainty and hardship...

and appreciating

what is beautiful
and hopeful in life.

Beauty won't help.

Her disease is
going to get worse.

That's what she has
to look forward to...

More hardship,
loss and uncertainty.

Erica, you know that I would
sacrifice everything for you.

You better mean it...

because she's got no one else.

You're the only one
I have left, Christine.

- I know... what... Erica?
- (Phone clicks, dial tone hums)

Erica? Erica?

Erica?

Erica?! Erica?!

Erica...?

- (dial tone stops)
- (sobbing)

Goren: What are you
going to do, Christine?

That money could
change everything for her.

It could save her life.

Whatever you did...

you did to defend
your faith in her.

Your heart was pure.

Now it's time to
take the final step...

to give Erica the greatest gift.

You need to do this...

or your faith in Erica
will have been...

a lie.

(whispers) I did it.

Not Barb.

I killed Doug.

Tell me what you did.

I killed him in his garage.

I used nail polish remover
and I set him on fire.

He was going to hurt Erica.

He kept saying
she wasn't real...

and I couldn't let him say that.

You know, I just
couldn't let him say that.

(sobbing)

So, now I get the insurance
money, right? When do I get it?

Sorry. What?

Erica isn't the only
thing that doesn't exist.

You lied?

You lied to me?

I helped you and...

You ruined everything.

Erica will be so
disappointed in them.

(theme music playing)