Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001–2011): Season 3, Episode 9 - Law & Order: Criminal Intent - full transcript

[Man Narrating] 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.

What did you think? I wasn't
gonna find out, Russell?

You are such a
heartless bastard!

Paula! Let go.

If you show up with one of
your whores tonight, Russell,

I swear to God you'll regret it!

What's the matter,
Jason? You're not hungry?

He's been throwing up. I think he's nervous
about singing at the recital tonight.

God gave you a beautiful gift.



And he'll give you the courage to
use it. [Paula]Stupid son of a bitch!

All I did is try and find
out when he was coming to

the recital tonight, and
he practically ran me over.

You children, go
get ready for school.

If your father tries
to talk to you tonight,

make sure you get
me or Helen, okay?

We'll be there at 6:45, okay?

Okay, we'll see you
then. Oh, my poor brother.

Paula had some kind of screaming
fit in front of his office this morning.

About tonight, Brenda, I'm gonna be
late. I have to wait for some test results.

Okay. I'll see you
soon. Okay, bye.

How's Jason? Is
he feeling better?

He's still in the
bathroom throwing up.

Maybe I should go back.
Sam says he will be fine.



I'm sure he will.

Has my future ex arrived? No.

But his sister's here.

Hey. Did you see
Russell out there?

No. He hasn't shown up?

I should call him. Sam said
Jason's been sick all day.

[Footsteps] Here comes trouble.

You're late.

There was a thing on the subway.
[Woman] Welcome, parents, friends.

Our gifted students have
all worked very hard...

to make this evening special.

♪♪ [Piano]

♪♪ [Singing "Ave Maria"]

♪♪ [Continues]

Mr. Connors's housekeeper found him.
Time of death was sometime last night.

Kids live here? All of
this sports equipment...

Connors's wife moved
out with the kids last winter.

Anyway, looks like he
interrupted a burglary.

Haven't found the
point of entry yet.

Who has the keys?
Just the housekeeper.

Connors changed the
locks after the separation

with keys you can only
get from the manufacturer.

Anything in particular
worth stealing?

A stamp collection
up in the study.

Tried to break into the cabinet.

Connors's attorney over there gave
us that inventory of the collection.

The lawyer talked to
Connors just after 6:30.

He was running late
for his kids' recital.

The burglar probably didn't
expect him to be home.

The towel is damp.

Connors had probably
just taken a shower...

and then got attacked
right about here.

He staggered over here.

He put his hand down on here
just long enough to-to bleed on it.

But he didn't run, you know.
He didn't defend himself.

He could've used these
statues, but he didn't.

He went down... here.

He got hit again and again.

Left for dead. Connors must've
come to, tried to get to the phone.

There's a bruise
here. It's curved...

like a field hockey stick.

It's got a curved head. There could've been
one with the sports equipment downstairs.

Yeah. The killer grabs it on his way
up to break into the stamp cabinet.

Blood. Maybe from
the murder weapon.

He killed Connors first,
then broke into the cabinet.

Yeah, but he didn't
get at the stamps.

Ran out of time? Maybe
he had to get somewhere.

Somewhere like a recital.

Russell wanted to bring a vocal
coach from Juilliard to hear Jason sing.

He was so proud of him and Sam.

Paula thought he was bringing
a date, and she went ballistic.

What, she was, uh,
jealous? She has a boyfriend.

Yeah. Eddie Malloy,
the felon. Felon?

Was he at the recital? Yes.

With Paula and Helen, the nanny.

Not to point any fingers,

but Malloy got there just
as the concert was starting.

Yeah. That-That's good to
know. Thank you, Dr. Friedman.

We'll be in touch.

The recital hall's
three blocks away. We

need a search team...
Dumpsters, trash cans.

Okay? Thanks.

I told Russell to keep those
stamps in a safe deposit box.

He was just inviting trouble.

[Goren] From anyone
in particular? I can just

imagine the kinds of women
he had in that bedroom.

Who was at the recital
with you last night?

Our nanny. And my
friend, Mr. Malloy.

Mr. Malloy was late.
He was delayed at work.

He called to tell you? There's no reception
in that recital hall. It's like a tomb.

Why this fixation with Eddie? Did
Russell's posse put you up to it?

They said that Eddie
was a painting contractor.

What else did they
say about Eddie? Oh.

He... was a paroled felon...

who served a year for
possession of stolen...

I told you. Eddie was
with me all evening.

What you said was he was late,

and you weren't
sure... That's not true.

I called him at his job.
His partner said he was

on his way. And then
he arrived. It's no mystery.

Well, the mystery is that, uh,

the reception in the
recital hall, it cleared up.

Because a moment ago,
you said it was like a tomb.

My sons'll be home for lunch soon. It
would be so nice if you weren't here.

First she alibis Malloy.
Then she blows his alibi.

She doesn't seem
stupid. Oh, uh, she isn't.

She's-She's cutting him loose.

They were in a
Dumpster off 65th.

Uh, blood belongs to the victim.

No fingerprints on the hockey
stick. Shirt's chambray, size large.

Well, that fits Eddie
Malloy. Fits me too.

[Eames] Yeah, but you're not
dating a widow with $40 million.

There's no perspiration. There
would be if the killer exerted himself.

This greenish stain, you
have any idea what it is?

We haven't analyzed it yet, but
it looks like some kind of tarnish.

Well, I'm gonna need to have
blowups of this. Do you have any? Yeah.

I don't mess with collectibles. Check
my rap sheet. Strictly TVs and toasters.

But you knew about the
Connors's stamp collection?

I know they keep money in banks,
but I don't break in and take it.

Well, that's admirable.
You were late to the recital.

I was working.
I forgot the time.

Your arthritis bother
you when you paint?

'Cause I was noticing
your copper bracelet.

Does it work for you?

Yeah. Seems to. I was
thinkin' of gettin' a bracelet.

Yeah, but I hear that they
tarnish and stain your shirt.

You get that? I never looked.

- Well, let's look at it now.
- Hey.

Huh. Yeah.

There's a green stain.

Hey, you know, this
reminds me of another shirt.

Yeah.

Same stain.

This shirt has a lot of
other stains on it too.

Red ones.

Russell Connors's
blood... on your shirt.

No way. I didn't do this.

I was working late. You ask your
partner. You said Paula called them.

She said she called after she said there
was no phone reception in the recital hall.

She pooched your alibi.

Okay, look.

Paula cannot know this.

I was with another girl,
okay? That's why I was late.

And if Paula knew, that
would end your hopes...

for marrying her and... And
getting half of-of Connors's money.

No, wait. Uh, he's dead,
so she gets all his money.

I did not kill him. Just don't
tell Paula about this girl.

She goes nuts over this stuff.

[Boy] Mommy!

Mommy!

He was having another nightmare.

It was the same dream.

But it was just a dream.
And now you're awake, see?

Everything scary has gone away.

You go back to sleep now.

I'll stay here
until he drops off.

Sam is very lucky to
have a brother like you.

Eddie was here, okay? I closed
early so we could be alone.

He used the phone
here to call his partner

in case Mrs. Moneybags
was looking for him.

Is-Is that a new phone jack?
You-You've had work done?

Yeah. I had the phone company
out here. They said I have low voltage.

[Door Chime Jingles] Now would
that be eight volts or 12 volts?

Eight volts. That's
what the guy said.

Excuse me.

The power was being
drained by a phone tap.

Paula. She knew that
Eddie was cheating.

She set him up. She killed two rats
with one trap. A dream come true.

We traced a fingerprint on the wig store's
switch box to a private investigator.

Paula Connors hired
him to follow Malloy.

She found out Eddie
was cheating, so she made

it look like he killed her
husband? That's rich.

She wore one of his shirts over
her own when she killed Connors.

It's why there was no
sweat on it. Backtrack a bit.

We think she went to Connors's house,
rang the doorbell, and he just let her in?

Maybe he thought
she came to apologize.

Does she strike you as the apologetic type?
I don't think Connors would be fooled.

- You don't seem convinced she did it.
- I'm trying to imagine how she did it.

She didn't break in, she
didn't have a key. I really...

Nail down the basics.
Check her alibi.

I have something on the stove. I don't
know when Mrs. Connors will be home.

This is a beautiful piano.
Is it Mrs. Connors? No.

It's her youngest son, Sam's. He
accompanies his brother when he sings.

They get their talent
from Mrs. Connors?

Sam and Jason were
adopted. Mr. and Mrs. Connors...

brought them back
from an orphanage in

Romania when they
were small. [Timer Ringing]

Yeah. I-I hope it's not burning.

The Connors must've
loved each other very

much to make that kind
of commitment together.

Yes, they did love each other.

But after the children came, the
missus got so focused on them,

and Mr. Connors
got so busy at work.

And now she has Mr. Malloy.
I'm sure that he's very devoted.

[Bishop] Did they arrive
at the recital together?

No. She came
alone. He arrived later.

I thought you and Mrs. Connors
went to the recital hall together?

No. She was on the
phone with her attorney.

So I went ahead with the children.
Jason wasn't feeling well. His stomach...

He was in that bathroom up until the time
he performed. You were backstage with him?

Yes, I was there.

Why didn't you give
him some of this? Ginger.

Ginger snaps, ginger
tea, ginger candy.

That's the missus. She
likes it for her digestion.

So when did Mrs.
Connors get to the recital?

A few minutes after I did. No.

I-I thought you said
that you were backstage.

Helen, you-you can't
have it both ways.

Either you were with Mrs.
Connors, or you were with the kids.

I guess I'm not sure
when the missus arrived.

I'm sorry. Yeah, by the way,

is there an extra key
for Mr. Connors's house?

- Because we forgot ours.
- No.

Mr. Connors never gave out keys.

A woman called two days ago.
Said she found a set of keys,

and she gave me a serial number
that corresponded to Mr. Connors's keys.

But your keys don't
have serial numbers. No.

What she had was the I.D. tag that
we send with new keys, uh, like this one.

So what did she want to know?

Who the keys belonged
to so she could return 'em.

But you don't give that
kind of information out.

Boy, was she mad.

But finally, she very
politely asked me if

the keys belonged to
an address on East 67th.

Since she asked nice, I said
yes. Do you have her name?

No, but our system
has caller I.D.

Paula's cell phone.

The keys from Paula's office.

No I.D. tags. None of
them match Russell's key.

Paula's wearing shoes two
sizes larger than she used to.

Uh, same with her clothes. She's
got all her old dresses pushed back.

New clothes are...

three sizes bigger,
all blouses, slacks.

Maybe the reason is
in here. Oh, it's locked.

Probably doesn't want her kids
seeing what she's been bingeing on.

Still haven't been
able to find that key.

More ginger.

Tea. Oh, here it is.

One place her kids would
be too embarrassed to look.

Well, well. Quite a drugstore.
She stripped the labels off,

but this could be,
uh, lidocaine, uppers.

We'll take samples,
then, uh, lock it back up.

Jason's backhand is
really coming along.

It's all right. It's just routine
police business. Right, Detective?

Right. Your mother's just
helping us with the investigation.

Can I speak to you
for a moment upstairs?

I wanted to ask you about a phone call
you made to the, uh, Secure Key Company.

Caller I.D. said it came
from your-your cell phone.

It was two days ago. You-You
gave them a serial number?

Oh, yes. A tag fell out of Eddie's
pants when I was folding them.

I wanted to know if it
belonged to a woman.

But they didn't
tell you, did they?

No. So I threw it out.

You okay, Mrs. Connors? I'm just
tired. I haven't been sleeping well.

Well, um, thanks for your help.

It's prednisone. And the
syrup is probably, uh, prelone.

She's taking steroids. That's
why she's put on weight.

And the ginger, that's
probably for the nausea.

So she's sick?

Yes. Could be cancer.

She's been on drugs for a while.
Maybe a-a maintenance program.

The fact the fridge is locked, the nanny
didn't know what the ginger tea was for...

Paula hasn't told anyone.

Maybe because there's no cure.

Any medical bills
over there? Uh...

Here.

This is a bill from an
allergist for her son, Jason.

Russell was killed with five
whacks from a hockey stick.

Paula'd barely be
able to manage one.

A dry cleaning receipt for items
picked up two days after the murder.

They probably don't give next-day
service for bloodstained clothes.

This total includes
a prepaid amount for

clothes that were
brought in for cleaning...

the same day that this
order was picked up.

Prepaid in the hopes
that we wouldn't notice...

that they had clothes cleaned...

two days after the murder.

[Paula] I didn't like those policemen
snooping around the children's room.

Yes. They made
quite a mess of things.

They didn't take anything besides
the papers from my office, did they?

No. I would have told you.

Let's hope we've
see the last of them.

Here's that order. Thanks.

I'm not finding any bloodstains.

These look like
the nanny's uniform.

Mothballs.

The signature scent
of a resale shop.

You'd think Paula could
afford new uniforms for Helen.

But if Helen wanted
to replace something

without Paula noticing,
she'd buy them used.

Helen could've dropped the kids off
at the recital and gone to Russell's.

What would she get
out of killing Russell?

Paula's dying. Russell's dead.

The kids. Custody.

I didn't find a will or a
trust agreement on file.

But when I ran the name Helen
Reynolds through the system,

I did find there was a request for
a death certificate six months ago.

All right. Dylan Reynolds.
Died 1989, age seven.

Helen had a child.

This certificate was requested
by a trust officer at Paula's bank.

They'd need it if Helen was being
made guardian of Paula's kids.

She'd only get custody if
Russell's out of the way.

Then she'd get the
kids and the 40 million.

To a woman who's lost a child,
the money would be secondary.

Yes, my son and my husband
were killed by a drunk driver.

[Goren] And Mrs. Connors's
bank needed proof of this?

Yes. It's a legal requirement to
make me the guardian of the children.

If anything happens
to Mrs. Connors,

it was her wish that life for
Sam and Jason go on just as it is.

Well, you're-you're the
obvious choice, right?

I mean, you have a mother's
devotion to the kids. Huh?

And you're, um,
uh... Well, you're fit.

I'll bet you have a-a
devastating tennis serve, huh?

I'll bet you really just,
you know, clobber that ball.

- The children keep me active.
- Something else has us confused.

The cleaners said
you brought these in...

two days after
Mr. Connors was murdered.

And it looks to us like
you bought these at a

resale shop and replaced
them for another outfit.

Maybe one that you threw away.
See, that's the trouble with blood.

When it sets, you
can't get rid of it.

Blood? [Chuckles]

You think I killed Mr. Connors?

Well, it makes sense. A mother
haunted by the death of her own child.

Those children would become your
children. Those children have a mother.

For now. But Mrs. Connors
hasn't been in the pink lately.

It's anemia. She
just has anemia.

She told you that?
No. Dr. Friedman did.

Mr. Connors's
brother-in-law? When?

Two weekends ago, I picked up the kids
from Mr. Connors's house, and he was there.

He asked me about Mrs. Connors's
health, her fatigue, what she ate.

He told me then it
sounds just like anemia.

There's nothing wrong
with me. I'm just...

Well, I'm missing a few hormones. Well,
that might account for your mood swings,

but not the nausea or...

your difficulty in
judging distances.

You know, the
staircase. You had to

concentrate that your
foot landed on the step.

I'm a little distracted.
You would be too...

if your husband was murdered
and everyone thought you did it.

We don't think that
anymore. Good.

You don't have the strength.

Not with all these
drugs you're taking...

Prelone, prednisone.

You have, uh, cancer?
Maybe a deep cerebral tumor?

[Bishop] Have you
told anyone? No.

I don't want anyone, um, feeling sorry
for me. I don't want to alarm my children.

Do you anticipate anyone
challenging your nanny for custody?

Maybe Mr. Connors's
sister or brother-in-law?

The Friedmans? They were
Russell's choice, not mine.

Dr. Friedman get
along with Russell?

Why this interest
in Dr. Friedman?

We believe he guessed that
Ms. Connors is terminally ill.

You think he killed Russell?

Well, he wouldn't do anything
without confirming your condition.

With your permission, we'd like to
check if he accessed your medical records.

Oh, yes. You most
definitely have my permission.

I didn't look at her
records. I'd lose my license.

So it's a coincidence the
oncology department down the hall...

asked Paula's insurance
company for a copy of her records?

What does the oncology department have
to do with me? I'm an orthopedic surgeon.

What was it that you
said to the nanny?

That Paula had, uh, anemia?

I was just making conversation.

I don't know anything
about her condition.

Lucky for us, Dr. Friedman,
uh, you're a terrible liar.

- I'm not talking to you.
- He's not so good
at covering his tracks either.

The log shows he was researching
Paula's cancer three weeks ago.

Here. Central
nervous system tumors.

Yeah, look at the date. It's two
days before he asked the nanny...

about Paula's health.

And a week before he
got her medical records.

How'd he know to research her
specific cancer before seeing her records?

Hand me that day planner.

Dr. Friedman? Hold on.

Do you remember where you were
the afternoon of September 24...

between, uh, I don't
know, like 3:00 and 4:00?

Wednesday afternoon.
I'm usually in surgery.

Yes. Yes, that's right. I was
doing hand surgery. Why?

Well, uh, someone was
on your computer at 3:15...

downloading articles on
central nervous system tumors.

Yeah, I ma... I made a mistake.
The surgery was canceled.

I was on the computer.

Are you sure? Yes, I
was doing that research.

And, uh, if you want to question
me anymore, you can call my lawyer.

Okay?

He had an alibi.
He didn't use it.

That's because he was covering
for somebody using his computer.

Um, Jason's allergist...
What was his name?

Uh, Dr. Charters. Yeah.

I wonder where
he holds his clinic.

[Bishop] Jason's allergist has a clinic in
Dr. Friedman's hospital every Wednesday.

According to the staff, afterwards
Jason visits his Uncle Ralph.

Apparently, they're great pals.

The boy could've overheard his
mother talking about her illness.

He'd be curious, like any kid. He
might've talked to his uncle about it.

Dr. Friedman probably showed
him how to look it up on the computer.

And that's how Dr. Friedman found
out Mrs. Connors is terminally ill.

The kid could've
also told the nanny.

If she knew her employer was dying,
she'd make her move to get the kids.

Didn't you tell me they
were eliminating suspects?

That's what I thought
they were doing.

Maybe we have.

If they think Uncle Ralph killed
Dad, what will happen to him?

Well, if he's guilty,
he'll have to go to jail.

But it won't be a bad place.
We'll make sure of that.

Well, how long would he have
to stay there? Well, that'll depend.

We'll make sure that Aunt
Brenda gets a good lawyer for him.

You know what I was thinking
about? For Christmas this year,

we should all go
back to Vail again.

We had such a good time there.

Maybe I'll even get out
on the slopes this year.

Can you imagine me on
those big skis slipping around?

♪♪ ["Ave Maria"]

Difficult piece. [Bishop]
He makes it sound easy.

After throwing up all day,

his throat muscles
would be sore.

You know, the vocal chords
raw from his stomach acids.

See how he switches registers?

And-And...

how he hits this
series of high notes.

His voice is perfect.

[Bishop] He wasn't sick.

Voice like an angel.

Neither Mrs. Connors nor the
nanny could've been with Jason.

We don't allow parents
backstage. But he was sick?

Mm-hmm. You saw him?

Well, no. He was in the bathroom.
His brother, Sam, told me he was sick.

Has Jason ever had stage
fright before? No, never.

But this time you didn't
question it. Why-Why is that?

Has he had other problems?

A few weeks ago, we took a group
to Boston for a music competition.

It was an overnight. The next
morning, we couldn't find Jason or Sam.

They ran away?
No. After an hour,

we found them asleep behind
some cushions in a closet.

And they wouldn't
say why they did it.

I told Mrs. Connors. She said
they sometimes do this at home.

Uh, can we see their desks?

Thanks. I thought I was the
only 14-year-old kid this tidy.

Mmm, you still are.

Jason keeps a clean
desk, except for this.

That's a button that
I lost two weeks ago.

Where'd you lose
it? In the music room.

I heard it drop,
but I couldn't find it.

School has a counselor?

I'm not comfortable discussing this
without Mrs. Connors's permission.

When abuse is suspected, it's
your duty to report it to the police.

Sam told me he had bad dreams, but
he wouldn't tell me what they were about.

Jason won't discuss it at all.

Anyway, I'd already
vetted them for abuse.

So at one time you
did suspect abuse?

Not physical. A few months ago,

Mr. Connors gave them each a cell phone, so
they could call him whenever they wanted.

A teacher found
them in the trash.

Sam told me they
threw them away.

He said Mr. Connors gave them
the phones so they'd get brain cancer.

They thought he was trying
to kill them? Apparently.

When I asked them, they
admitted he never hurt them,

never even raised
his voice at them.

Any other incidents
in the last few weeks?

Just one Friday.

Mr. Connors came to pick them up. He
was taking them to Bermuda for the weekend.

But they wouldn't go with him.

They were afraid. Terrified.

[Bishop] Did you say
anything to Mrs. Connors?

Yes. She didn't seem concerned.

Their file have the name of the
agency that handled their adoption?

I think I received some records
from them a few years ago.

Maybe not physical
abuse. Maybe psychological.

And maybe not by their father.

Even if they were
in fear for their lives,

the murder was so
cold-blooded and brutal...

No, no. Look. Violence and
brutality aren't alien to these children.

What's this? It's an account of their
life at the orphanage in Romania.

I, uh, I see your
point, Detective.

But there's equally
compelling evidence against

Mrs. Connors, the
nanny and Dr. Friedman.

They all have
motive, leaky alibis,

and they've behaved in ways
that indicate a guilty mind.

Maybe it indicates something else.
Maybe we should have a family reunion.

You think you can arrange one?
Custody seems to be the issue on the table.

I can probably get a hearing
scheduled. What did you have in mind?

Well, uh, Solomon
threatened to split the child.

This time, maybe we
should let the child decide.

We should go find a
pair of gray flannel pants.

[Carver] Good morning.

I'm Assistant District
Attorney Ronald Carver,

and I've just been told Judge
Palnick is stuck on the L.I.E.

[Attorney] I'll say this now, Mr. Carver.
This petition for new guardianship...

is completely
outside your authority.

The murder evidence
points to all parties,

and until I charge someone,

I don't want any of you to
have custody of these children.

Well, everyone in this room knows
who did it except, apparently, the police.

What, you mean Eddie
Malloy? You're-You're right.

He's a terrific suspect.

Except he has an alibi.

He was with his
other girlfriend, Josie.

You would take the word of that
shop girl? We're taking the word...

of the manicurist next door who
saw Eddie leave the wig shop.

[Goren] Such a great suspect.

You know, we have a better one.

- Old Uncle Ralph.
- That's ludicrous.

He knew that Paula was sick.

We have proof.

The research that you did
on your computer at the office.

You knew what kind of cancer Paula
had two weeks before Russell was killed.

Only Russell stood
between you and the kids.

Between you and the trust fund.

[Brenda] Ralph would
never... Come on. You know...

that you wanted Jason and Sam at
home with you, safe, in your happy home.

Our home would be the best
place for those poor children.

[Goren] Best place... for them?

The best place for you?

Come on, Doc. You've
got motive in spades.

For God's sakes.

I didn't kill him. Why
are you doing this to me?

The shirt. Eddie's bloody shirt.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But he could've put it
over his clothes and then killed Russell.

Well, how'd he
get his hands on it?

Right. Mrs. Connors, on the other
hand, she had access to Eddie's shirt,

and she had every reason to
want to frame him for murder.

You had the key. You called
the key company with the I. D. tag.

I told you. I found the tag in
Eddie's pants after the murder.

I had no reason to kill Russell.

Not even to deny him custody of
your precious children that you raised...

while your husband was working?

While he was busy
with his women?

I wouldn't do that to my children.
I would not kill their father.

[Goren] Well, maybe she would...

if she had the strength.

But I know that you don't.

You do, Helen. The
I.D. tag that Mrs. Connors

found... it was among
your things, wasn't it?

[Paula] No, I told you.
They were in Eddie's pants.

You couldn't risk
losing those children...

to fill that void in your
life. No, she didn't do it!

Sam, please. It's all made up.

We didn't make up these clothes.

You bought them to replace the clothes
you wore when you committed the murder.

- Jason...
- Stop it! You're scaring the children!

They're afraid of
losing you? You?

Out of all these people, you?

Nothing like that will happen. I did
not kill their father, and you know it!

I know that if none of you
people killed Russell Connors,

there's only one
other explanation...

for your suspect behavior.

Wanna tell me, Doc?
What was the first hint?

Was it Jason's remarkable recovery after
being hunched over the toilet all day...

and having to sing a difficult
aria but not hitting one false note?

I-I don't know what
you're talking about.

And after Russell's death,

you remembered the
research that Jason did

on your computer,
and it all fell into place.

- No. No.
- That's why you told us
you used the computer, not Jason.

You were covering
for your nephew.

And the I.D. tag you found was
among your children's things!

And these clothes were...

They were to disguise a
purchase of another item...

One that really
needed to be replaced.

[Bishop] You noticed when
Jason came home from the recital,

he was wearing a different pair of
pants than the ones he wore when he left.

[Goren] Because the ones that
Jason wore had stains of blood.

Your father's blood.

You see what your family did?

Without telling each other,

they protected you.

My children are not killers.
Russell was their father.

Oh, right. Their father who was
gonna kill them with a cell phone?

Who was gonna kidnap
them the first chance he got?

That's what you told
them. They're smart kids.

They knew that I was just venting.
Russell would never hurt them.

It was just stories.
Just stories.

What, like the Big Bad Wolf?

Hmm?

But this wolf, it had
a face and a name.

You remember?

The Constantin Virnav Orphanage.

That's where you
found Jason and Sam.

Where their father was
gonna send them back to if

he ever got custody.
You really told them that?

I never said that!
That's not true!

Sam.

When you were at the orphanage,
did you sleep in the cupboard?

It made you feel warm
and-and-and safe?

Did it? Yeah.

Is that the reason why you slept in
the closet at the hotel and at home...

Because you were scared?

Yeah.

And what about you, Jason?

Hmm? Were you afraid your father was
gonna send you back to the orphanage?

You leave them alone!

Is that why you went to
see him before the recital?

Didn't you hear me? I
forbid you to speak to them!

[Carver] All right, Detective.

You haven't convinced
me the children did it.

On the other hand, the evidence
against you, Ms. Reynolds, is compelling.

Detective.

No! Don't! Jason, tell them!

- Jason, don't say anything.
- Father was gonna send us back.

Mother said so. We were
afraid. Jason, tell them.

- Were you afraid, Jason?
- Listen to me! I did it! I killed Russell.

You hear what I said,
Jason? They can't hurt me.

Come on. Were you
afraid? You're afraid now.

I'm not afraid.

I'm not afraid of that place!

Don't you remember?

Don't you remember
being cold and hungry?

Don't you remember sharing a cot
with three other children and no blanket?

You remember the beatings? Huh?

The medication they
gave you to keep quiet?

It wasn't like that!

It was a place! Like a school!

I'm not afraid to go back!

Don't say that.
They'll send us back.

It's all right. I'll
take care of you.

When you were in the orphanage,
you collected things, huh?

Little things?

Like a button, bits
of string, glass...

No. They were useless
little things, you know,

but having them made
all the difference because

they were yours, and
nobody could take them away.

You see, that's what children
do when they grow up in...

In terrible places...
Concentration camps, prisons...

and the Constantin
Virnav Orphanage.

And you became afraid...

when you thought that your father
was gonna send you back there.

I'm not afraid.

No? You wanna show me
what you have in your pocket?

No.

Helen, he needs your help.

- Jason?
- I don't want to.

I know.

But remember how you
feel after you tell the truth?

Much better.

Father never even
raised his hand to stop me.

He just kept asking, "Why?"

And I couldn't tell him.

I didn't know. I didn't know.

From a Romanian orphanage
to an American divorce.

I hope New York State will prove
a better guardian for these children.

Well, from your
lips to God's ear.

[Howling]