Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 11, Episode 24 - Shattered - full transcript
When an 8-year-old boy is kidnapped off a city street, Detectives Olivia Benson and Eliot Stabler are called to investigate. They soon find that the boy is in his father's custody, and his mother has a history of overstepping her bounds. As the case comes to a head, members of the SVU team find themselves in a life-threatening standoff and learn shocking details about ADA Jo Marlowe's past.
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.
That's a neat necklace.
Your mom gave you that?
- Yeah.
- Can I see?
It's an amulet
from the mosuo people.
Where'd you get it?
She brought it back
from tibet.
It's supposed to keep me safe,
so I can't take it off.
That's so cool.
Text me if you figure out
those fractions.
- Bye, nicholas.
- Bye, becca.
nicholas.
Hey, watch
where you are going.
- The light said to cross!
- Is that what they teach you
in school?
To back talk to adults?
Hey, it wasn't your fault, kid. Jerk
almost ran me over a block back.
Hey, you don't move your asses,
I'm running everybody over.
- Shut up!
- Shut up, both of you.
Ah! Help!
Someone help!
Hey, call 911.
Just tell me what happened.
The boy ran in front of my cab,
It was not my fault.
- Then he was gone.
- There was
a delivery van on the curb.
- Catch a plate?
- No, but it was red and yellow
With flowers painted
on the side.
It was blue and green
with bunny rabbits.
And the kid,
what'd he look like?
I'd say ten, brown hair,
this tall.
This tall. Eight, black hair.
- What about the van driver?
- No one saw him.
Of course, I saw him.
It was a white man.
Guy was dark-skinned.
Foreign.
They're idiots.
Only his hands were visible,
- And they had gloves on.
- She is the idiot.
I know what I saw.
- Three witnesses,
ten different stories.
All we know for sure is there's
a kid out there Who needs help.
And time's running out.
did you get footage
of the crime scene?
Leading up
to the kidnapping.
Atm camera got the kid
coming down 89th.
Can't be more than eight.
Store across the street
got a good shot
Of the cabbie
almost running him over.
Did you get the van
or not?
Courtesy of the security camera
On the apartment building.
I'll be damned.
Flowers and bunnies.
Can we see the kidnapper?
Blow it up.
It's too dark inside the van.
Only a pair of gloved hands,
But we did get this.
"garry's goof-o-rama.
Kids' parties
are my specialty".
Go show him ours.
Freeze. Nypd.
- My balloons are getting away!
- Well, you're not.
- Where's the boy?
- What boy?
The one you snatched
an hour ago.
I've been here all day,
Taking orders
and doing inventory.
- Who does your deliveries?
- It's all just me.
- Gary.
- Where's your van?
It's over there.
It hasn't run in six months.
I blew the heads, so I've been
using my wife's car.
Perp is smart.
He copied the van.
Yeah, so we'd collar
this clown.
Ah, that was
a bonzo birthday bouquet.
I'm sending nypd a bill.
- Knock yourself out.
- Fin just found the real van.
- Is the boy inside?
- I hope not.
Let me guess.
No one saw who lit it up.
Or anyone running away
from it.
Perp's a pro.
Diverts our attention
By faking bozo's ride.
He torches the vehicle
to get rid of the evidence.
I hate to say it, but I hope
he took the boy with him.
Detectives,
I got something.
- Tell me it's not remains.
- Human, no.
Homework, maybe.
That's the boy's backpack.
Or what's left of it.
It's his schoolbook.
Property of whitethorn academy.
WHITETHORNE ACADEMY OFFICE
OF PRINCIPAL CAROL HUSTON
TUESDAY, MAY 18
Of course I know him.
That's nicholas olsen.
I tell him to not run
in the hall ten times a day.
He's a third-grader here.
We're gonna need his parents'
contact information.
He lives with his father, paul.
- What's going on?
- We think nicholas
was abducted On his way home
from school today
About a block from where the bus
dropped him off.
Oh, my god,
she really did it.
- She?
- Nicholas's mother,
sophie gerard.
She's french
and a bit unbalanced.
Even before paul was awarded
sole custody of nicholas.
Mom losing her kid?
That's unusual.
Paul got a restraining order
when she said She wouldn't
honor the court's decision.
Sophie claimed
she's nicholas's true parent.
The father's not answering
the phone.
The secretary says he's
showing a house Out in montauk.
This looks like a domestic snatch.
At first, sophie would barge
onto the playground
When nicholas was at recess.
The school guard must have
kicked her out a dozen times.
But the next day
she'd be back?
When I went out
to confront her,
She said I had no right
to keep her away from her son
And pushed me aside.
- You call the police?
- I threatened to.
She backed off.
Now she makes sure not
to set foot on school property.
But the moment
that bell rings...
Did sophie show up today?
There she is.
And here comes nicholas.
Can't blame a mother
for wanting to hug her son.
He doesn't look too thrilled
to see her.
Wish we could hear
what she's saying to him.
"I have something for you,
nicholas.
All the way from tibet".
"what is it, mom?"
"a way to keep you safe".
What is she saying now?
"just remember,
whatever happens,
"don't be scared.
"don't be scared.
"je t'aime.
Je t'aime, nicholas".
You did good.
Got a deaf grandmom
that'll be happy to know that.
Did you find my boy?
Is that bitch
in jail yet?
You must be nicholas's father?
Who else would I be?
Sorry. Sorry.
Yes. My name's paul olsen.
Unfortunately, mr. Olsen,
We have not located
your son yet.
We're hoping that you can
help us locate your ex-wife.
Not my wife.
Never my wife.
Sophie didn't believe
in marriage.
- Because she's french?
- No.
Because she's nuts.
She's an anthropologist,
has a fellowship at columbia,
She's obsessed
with matriarchal cultures.
You think maybe
that's why she considers herself
Nicholas's true parent?
You know, I am so sick
of hearing that.
Never stopped her
from leaving us.
One summer,
it was a dig in india,
The next winter,
it's some jungle in peru.
Is that what led
to the split?
Two years ago, she discovered
some godforsaken tribe in china,
And she wanted to drag nicholas
along with her,
Right before school started.
I said no.
She went crazy.
Crazy enough to kidnap him
or hire someone else to do it?
I wouldn't put it past her.
She's very smart.
I loved that about her.
But I'll tell you something.
The minute she got
on that plane to china,
I changed the locks on the door
and filed for sole custody.
APARTMENT OF SOPHIE GERARD
TUESDAY, MAY 18
Yes?
- Sophie gerard?
- Yes.
Detective benson.
This is detective stabler.
What is this about?
We should talk inside.
okay.
Did my neighbors call you?
Sometimes I play my music too loud.
This is about your son, nicholas.
-What about nicholas? Is he okay?
- You tell us.
You saw him earlier today
In violation of a court order.
No, I didn't.
3:01 p.M.
Outside of whitethorn academy.
Doesn't look too happy
to see you.
Yes, because he is worried
they'll catch me.
Who? The school?
The cops? His dad?
Listen, nicholas's father has
his head filled with lies About me.
That why you grabbed your son?
To steal him away from paul?
What are you saying?
Where's nicholas?
Where's my son?
You taking him somewhere?
Paris? Peru?
Don't you touch his things,
please.
- Okay?
- Let's talk downtown.
Where is my son?
Tell me what happened
to my son!
Can you please tell me
what's going on?
We'll ask the questions.
Like where is nicholas?
- I don't know.
- Wrong answer.
What, I have rights.
I'm his mother.
No, you're not.
A mother raises her child.
Makes him breakfast, takes care
of him when he's sick,
Tucks him into bed at night.
Don't you dare judge me.
- You abandoned your child.
- I came back.
You came back to steal him.
He's lying to you.
Don't listen to him.
Where is he?
Where is my boy?
- I don't have him.
- Tell me right now
- Where he is!
- That's enough. That's enough.
Get dr. Gerard out of here.
Him too.
Let's go.
Go toss sophie's place.
Anything to help us find
this kid.
- Where's nicholas?
- I told you, I don't know.
Why aren't you out there
trying to find him?
Just waiting for you
to lead the way.
But I didn't take him.
Someone else did.
Oh, god.
Nicholas must be so scared.
Really?
Now you care?
You're the one who has a habit
of leaving him behind.
Who told you that? Paul?
He's the one
who scares nicholas.
He tore him away from me.
After you went jetting out
of the country.
I have to travel for my work.
I study tribal cultures
that are dying out.
Right. The ones
where mothers are in control.
Well, the few that remain
exist in remote areas.
Nicholas understood
why I had to go.
Children need consistency.
They need a routine.
But, see, that's not sophie.
Sophie despises
anything conventional.
She actually believes
nicholas would be better off
With yak herders
than at whitethorn academy.
Now in my book,
that's child abuse.
Did sophie ever physically
abuse nicholas?
No.
But she became increasingly
violent with me Towards the end.
About him going to china
with her.
Yeah.
I put my foot down.
She nearly cut it off
with one of her axes.
The axe is from
the karamojong people of uganda.
It's a ceremonial status object,
not a weapon.
But you attacked paul
with it.
I was trying to save it.
Paul was angry, he was starting
to destroy my artifacts,
He shattered this irreplaceable...
That's not the way he tells it.
He's lying to you.
He twists everything.
She's a pathological liar.
Please.
You have to find nicholas.
I know she has him.
Looks like father knows best.
Sophie's place
was a gold mine.
EVIDENCE
Thanks.
Thank god.
A woman.
You must understand
I would never hurt nicholas.
I'm his mother.
Who'd do anything
to get her son back.
A french passport
For nicholas.
I wanted him
to have his citizenship.
Well, sure, so you could use it
To take him out of the country.
No.
We searched your computer.
You booked him a ticket
to beijing
And another for yourself,
both one way.
I just wanted my boy back.
He should be with me.
In a village in china?
And nicholas would love it
there.
Children are still allowed
to have their childhood.
You're destroying
nicholas's childhood.
You think it's fun for kids While
mom and dad play tug-of-war?
- Tell us where he is.
- I don't know.
You do know.
You've got him.
You searched my house.
- You know I don't have nicholas.
- Okay, so...
you stashed him somewhere.
What, with a friend?
An accomplice?
No, I don't know where he is.
Oh, my god.
You can can-can your ass off,
dr. Gerard,
But you've got some explaining
to do.
Like why you borrowed $50,000
From your parents
two weeks ago.
What, that is no crime.
The day the money transferred,
you started calling
A pre-paid cell phone.
A week later,
you withdrew $25,000
To pay whoever you hired
to steal your son.
Who'd you hire, sophie?
Who did you hire?
He said it wouldn't happen so soon.
He?
Who is he?
I met this man.
I was told
he could get nicholas back,
But he said I would be there
So nicholas wouldn't be afraid.
What's the man's name?
I...
He said never to tell.
He's very dangerous.
If he's got nicholas,
I would worry about the danger
your son is in.
who's got your son, sophie?
Who's got your son?
Jason culross.
She has the right
to be afraid.
Culross is a green beret,
Specializes in covert ops
for the army.
Is he still on active duty?
He mustered out in '05.
Signed on with blackwater.
He spent four years
in afghanistan
Handling kidnap
and ransom cases.
He does k and r.
He knows how to snatch a kid.
Maybe he got tired of handing
over million-dollar ransoms,
Decided to go
for a big payday for himself.
We got his location?
File address
is a p.O. Box in brooklyn.
It's s.O.P. For a guy who
spends all his time overseas.
Check property records.
See if he owns anything.
Way ahead of you.
Culross owns a warehouse
in red hook.
I'll notify e.S.U.
Hey, captain,
maybe we should handle it.
I mean,
if nicholas is there,
The last thing we need is a bunch
of guns And stun grenades.
Culross is a mercenary.
The army trained him.
Yeah,
and the marines trained me.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19
Someone's in there.
Liv, it's a set-up.
- Liv!
- Hold it!
You picked the wrong place
to rob, douche bag.
Nypd.
Drop it.
Put it down.
Back away.
I'm sorry.
I didn't know you were a cop.
So's she.
Come on.
Time to wake up.
Wakey-wakey.
You put all your visitors
in a sleeper hold?
I never would have done it If
I knew you were the good guys.
You want to let me go now?
No,
'cause you're under arrest.
Court'll throw it out.
I have a right
to defend myself.
And nicholas olsen,
does he have rights?
You've been stalking him,
recording his every move.
His mother hired me
to recover him.
Recover?
Don't you mean kidnap?
No, I locate
and retrieve children
Who are abducted
by non-custodial parents.
Which nicholas is not.
He lives
with his biological father,
Who's the sole legal guardian.
And once I found that out,
I told sophie I couldn't help her.
She still thinks
you've got nicholas.
'cause she's obsessed
with her son.
You return the 25 large?
Oh, that's nonrefundable.
I put in a lot of legwork
on this case Before
I found out that sophie was lying
to me About the custody angle.
I guess she didn't
read the fine print.
What I do is unorthodox,
But it isn't illegal.
And it's necessary.
Who else
is gonna bring these kids home?
Police can handle
parental abductions.
Yeah?
When a kid gets taken overseas,
You gonna go to jordan
and get him out?
Right.
So parents hire me
to defend their rights
And get their kids back. I'm
doing what law enforcement can't.
Where were you last night?
brazil.
- I flew back this morning.
- Stabler.
Don't believe me,
check with the tsa.
My seatmate was an air marshal.
He'll verify my story.
He better.
For what it's worth,
When I pulled out,
Sophie asked me if I knew anyone
who could help her.
I told her
I don't know any criminals.
She found one on her own.
Sophie's credit card was just used
To rent a motel room on long island.
A man checked in
with a little boy.
GOODNIGHT MOTEL
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19
The target's in room 116.
That's his vehicle, so we figure
he's still inside.
Well, it's pretty deserted.
Easy for the perp to check in,
come back for the kid,
And hustle him straight inside.
I got a guy covering the back.
- Any other guests?
- Yeah, three rooms were occupied.
We evacuated 'em, Plus a maid
who was servicing the rooms.
We're set to go.
Let's do it.
Police!
Don't move.
How the hell'd
he get out of here?
El, adjoining door.
nicholas?
Oh, my...
Okay.
You're all right.
- Thank you.
- Okay, tell me what happened.
- Tell me what happened.
- The man next door,
he attacked me,
And he took my clothes.
- And he took my car keys.
- Okay,
- was there a little boy with him?
- Yes. Yes.
He put him in my cart.
- The maid we told
to get out of here...
Is our kidnapper.
That's him.
Son of a bitch
didn't even change his shoes.
He was 30 yards away.
Looked like a gal coming out
of the room,
So I waved her off,
and she ran.
With our victim
stuffed in that cart.
You have a camera
on the parking lot?
Sure do.
The maid said that he stole
the keys to her '96 buick.
I already issued a bolo
and sent cars after it.
Don't worry.
If they're still in the area,
we'll find 'em.
- Oh, that kid looks terrified.
- At least he's still alive.
This is suffolk county 202.
I've got the car
from the motel kidnapping,
And I'm in pursuit.
'96 buick,
northbound on avenue a.
All units be advised, a child is
in the car. Use extreme caution.
He's still heading north
on a, passing lincoln drive.
Now he's passing elder.
- Guy's flying.
- Any cars in the vicinity
Of a and weddington avenue,
Pull over and set up
a roadblock.
Hold on. He took the feeder
westbound along the sound.
Going way too fast.
Damn it!
Oh, no.
Unit 202,
Chase has ended.
I need harbor, aviation
And an ambulan right away.
Anything on the kidnapper?
His name is keith bradman,
35, out of toledo.
His long sheet
has breaking and entering,
Forgery, scams,
you name it.
- I could shovel the dirt myself.
- Amen.
I'll pull
the prick's cell phone records.
Shouldn't be hard
connecting him to sophie.
Liv, it's time
to get her confession.
Right now?
Captain, she's been
through a lot.
Nicholas was killed
in the course of a kidnapping.
That's felony murder.
Sophie gerard was as culpable
in his death As anyone else.
Sophie.
dr. Gerard.
We need your cooperation.
Sophie, we need you
to tell us what you did.
No, I need to go home.
Nicholas will be
out of school soon.
I always take him
a little snack.
Nicholas is not at school.
I need to go home.
Nicholas will be
out of school soon.
He loves the monkey bars.
She's become psychotic.
Catastrophic stressors can splinter
An already fragile psyche,
Triggering a break
with reality.
She's got
a hell of a lot of guilt.
Is that what pushed her
over the edge?
Possibly.
But whatever the reason,
Brief reactive psychosis
Can lead to delusions,
hallucinations,
Even catatonia.
- Well, how brief is brief?
- Hard to say.
Give it a shot.
Days.
Perhaps months.
Well, what are we supposed
to do?
Just sit here on her hands
While she gets her brains
banged out in a booby hatch?
All right, what she's saying
is we need
Sophie to confess her role
in nicholas's death.
The woman heard the worst
words a mother can hear.
But maybe
it's the unreality of it,
Sitting here,
talking only to cops,
That facilitated her retreat
into fantasy.
Make it real for her.
Sophie.
Sophie.
Quoi?
Come on.
We're leaving.
Que'st-ce que vous dites?
To see nicholas.
- I don't want to do this.
- You have to, sophie.
- To understand what happened.
- No.
- Yeah.
- You need to see your son.
This is a dream.
That was supposed
to keep you safe.
May I take it?
Thank you.
Je t'aime, nicholas.
Sophie.
Tell us what happened.
I have nothing to say.
How did you meet
keith bradman?
Who?
Who is keith bradman?
The man that you hired
to kidnap your son.
My son is dead.
Sophie.
Sophie, you can't stay here.
What?
Sophie?
- Get away from him.
- Nelson, what is he doing here?
I was told to take him home.
He asked to come here first.
I want you people to get her
away from my boy.
- Now step back.
- He's not your son.
- He belongs to me.
- I have custody of him.
You're crazy.
Get away from him.
Get away from him!
- Don't touch my boy!
- Get away from him.
He's my son.
You bastard.
Sophie.
Sophie, put the gun down.
No, you put yours down,
or she will die.
Everyone will die.
Do it!
Sophie,
Okay.
Okay?
Let's calm down.
Give it to me.
Now you get paul out.
All of you out!
- Go.
- Vite!
- I'm not going anywhere.
- Out!
What is wrong with you?
Have you gone
completely insane?
Melinda!
- Sophie, we need an ambulance.
- No!
- Sophie, please.
- No!
- She's gonna die.
- Yes, just like my son!
I just got kidnapper's
phone record.
And once I prove
it's sophie's number on here,
It's her ticket to jail.
Elliot, shots were just fired
in the morgue.
Sophie's barricaded
herself inside.
I'll take care of that.
- What the hell have you done?
- That was a mistake.
But this is not.
Sophie,
this won't solve anything.
- Give me the gun.
- No.
What are you gonna do?
Shoot me?
Shoot detective benson?
Well, if I have to.
- Sorry.
- No,
you're doing great.
Just keep up the pressure.
Jo, get her some...
some sterile gauze. Over there.
Oh, my god.
- Here.
- Thank you.
I'm sorry.
She got my piece.
- Did you call e.S.U.?
- They're all up
at the gw bridge for a jumper.
E.T.A. On a hostage negotiator's
a half an hour.
Okay.
We're not waiting.
Sophie,
it's detective stabler!
Get away. Don't come in.
- I won't.
I won't.
Let's just relax here.
Get me the blueprints
to the building now.
Sophie, how can we make
the situation better?
Just tell me
what you want.
No!
No talking or I'll shoot him!
I'll shoot all of them.
Sophie, you don't want
to hurt any of us.
Shut up.
Melinda.
Melinda, what do you need?
Bullet got lung.
Tension hemopneumo.
Need a chest tube.
Sophie, this woman
is dying.
We need to get her
out of here.
No, you're trying
to trick me.
No trick.
Blood filling up.
I won't be able
to breathe.
I need you to help me.
Jo, in the cabinet
behind me,
Get a scalpel,
a length of tubing.
And betadine.
I don't know
if I can do this.
Then get ready
To watch me die.
Okay.
Swab the area
With betadine.
And make
a one-inch incision here.
Just do it.
It'll be fine.
Do it, liv.
Harder. Harder, liv.
Good. Good.
Insert the tube.
Insert the tube.
Insert it.
Good girl.
Sophie,
what do you want?
Want?
What do you think?
I want my son back with me
where he belongs.
You want him back?
Don't you get it?
He's dead.
Because of you.
You are out of your mind.
Don't you dare talk to me
like that in front of my son.
She's right.
Nicholas shouldn't hear
such things.
Apologize to him.
What?
- Now.
- Okay.
Nicholas, I'm sorry..
Your mother loves you
very much.
Dr. Warner's losing
a lot of blood.
You don't want your boy
to see this, do you?
You don't want him
to be upset.
Of course not.
Detective benson,
you can take her out.
- Paul.
- Yo.
We need some help here.
- Let's go.
- Come on.
Okay.
You got it?
Hold that in there.
- Okay, go. Go on.
- Jo.
- Yes, go on. You go.
- Jo.
That's it. Wheel her out.
- Dr. Warner's coming out.
I need medical assistance.
Jo.
Back off, vultures.
I'm not dead yet.
There's got to be another way
in there.
Your partner
already found it.
Sophie.
Answer the phone.
Pick up, pick up,
pick up.
Sophie,
that's probably benson calling.
I don't want
to talk to her.
I want quiet.
And nicholas is asleep.
He's sleeping.
He needs his rest.
Olivia, sophie wants you
to stop calling.
She doesn't want
the phone to keep ringing.
Nicholas is sleeping,
and she doesn't want him To wake up.
There.
Is that better?
Sophie.
For nicholas's sake,
- You need to let us go.
- Shut up!
- He would not want you to do this.
- You know nothing of what he wants.
You never did.
Sophie,
you're scaring nicholas.
Oh, don't play games
with me.
He's not scared
or sleeping.
He's dead.
Okay.
Oh, sweet little boy.
Mon petit garcon.
He is sweet.
Your sweet boy.
Tell me about him.
He was
the most beautiful baby.
Everyone said so.
I know
they say that to all mothers,
But nicholas
was truly beautiful.
Tell me what he liked.
first, boy things.
Cars, trucks, trains.
We used to ride the metro,
Always asking questions.
"mommy, why the sky blue?
What makes the wind?"
Nicholas had the mind
of a scientist.
He should have traveled
the world with me.
He should have lived.
But you took him away.
And I have nothing without him.
You will find a way
to keep going.
No!
Without nicholas,
my life is over.
It feels like that now,
But things do change.
What do you know?
Have you lost a child?
- No.
- So you have lost nothing.
Last year,
I got diagnosed with cancer.
A very aggressive kind.
I had to have
a biteteral radical mastectomy.
I had reconstructive surgery,
But it wasn't good enough
for my lover.
He wouldn't talk to me.
He wouldn't look at me.
He wouldn't touch me.
I died inside.
I couldn't go to work.
I spent six months on the couch
sleeping in my clothes.
I lost myself.
Sophie...
I understand.
It's not easy.
You have to change.
I came back to work,
I came here,
Among these people.
And in this last month,
I...
Sophie, I found myself.
You can.
You can refind yourself.
You have to.
For nicholas.
You have to.
Sophie, no.
Sophie,
You... you don't want
to do this.
Sophie, no, no.
Put the gun down, sophie.
Sophie.
Sophie, please clam down.
"It was Paul. He hired Bradman.
Got credit card in Sophie's name".
You'll come out the other side
of all this pain.
It takes time.
You can do it.
You will come out
of all this pain.
You will heal.
It takes time.
But you will.
You will come out the other side
of all this pain.
- No, listen to me.
- How did you get here?
- I'm on your side.
- I will kill you.
I know
you didn't kidnap nicholas.
- You do?
- You're innocent.
The hiring of bradman...
The credit card
with your name on it,
It was just a set-up
to make you look guilty.
So you believe
I didn't do it.
I know you didn't.
I know you didn't.
Sophie...
It's over.
Put down the gun.
Let's go home.
- It was you.
- No. No.
- Sophie.
- You did this.
- No, no, he's lying.
- Sophie, look at me.
You murdered my son.
- No.
- You murdered my nicholas.
You were gonna take him away.
You were gonna take him
to china.
I was not gonna let you
have him.
I didn't mean for this
to happen.
The crash was an accident.
God, it was just accident.
- Tell god in person.
- No, no, sophie, don't.
No, sophie.
Your son needs you.
Nicholas needs you.
Hold him.
Je t'aime.
Je t'aime.
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.
That's a neat necklace.
Your mom gave you that?
- Yeah.
- Can I see?
It's an amulet
from the mosuo people.
Where'd you get it?
She brought it back
from tibet.
It's supposed to keep me safe,
so I can't take it off.
That's so cool.
Text me if you figure out
those fractions.
- Bye, nicholas.
- Bye, becca.
nicholas.
Hey, watch
where you are going.
- The light said to cross!
- Is that what they teach you
in school?
To back talk to adults?
Hey, it wasn't your fault, kid. Jerk
almost ran me over a block back.
Hey, you don't move your asses,
I'm running everybody over.
- Shut up!
- Shut up, both of you.
Ah! Help!
Someone help!
Hey, call 911.
Just tell me what happened.
The boy ran in front of my cab,
It was not my fault.
- Then he was gone.
- There was
a delivery van on the curb.
- Catch a plate?
- No, but it was red and yellow
With flowers painted
on the side.
It was blue and green
with bunny rabbits.
And the kid,
what'd he look like?
I'd say ten, brown hair,
this tall.
This tall. Eight, black hair.
- What about the van driver?
- No one saw him.
Of course, I saw him.
It was a white man.
Guy was dark-skinned.
Foreign.
They're idiots.
Only his hands were visible,
- And they had gloves on.
- She is the idiot.
I know what I saw.
- Three witnesses,
ten different stories.
All we know for sure is there's
a kid out there Who needs help.
And time's running out.
did you get footage
of the crime scene?
Leading up
to the kidnapping.
Atm camera got the kid
coming down 89th.
Can't be more than eight.
Store across the street
got a good shot
Of the cabbie
almost running him over.
Did you get the van
or not?
Courtesy of the security camera
On the apartment building.
I'll be damned.
Flowers and bunnies.
Can we see the kidnapper?
Blow it up.
It's too dark inside the van.
Only a pair of gloved hands,
But we did get this.
"garry's goof-o-rama.
Kids' parties
are my specialty".
Go show him ours.
Freeze. Nypd.
- My balloons are getting away!
- Well, you're not.
- Where's the boy?
- What boy?
The one you snatched
an hour ago.
I've been here all day,
Taking orders
and doing inventory.
- Who does your deliveries?
- It's all just me.
- Gary.
- Where's your van?
It's over there.
It hasn't run in six months.
I blew the heads, so I've been
using my wife's car.
Perp is smart.
He copied the van.
Yeah, so we'd collar
this clown.
Ah, that was
a bonzo birthday bouquet.
I'm sending nypd a bill.
- Knock yourself out.
- Fin just found the real van.
- Is the boy inside?
- I hope not.
Let me guess.
No one saw who lit it up.
Or anyone running away
from it.
Perp's a pro.
Diverts our attention
By faking bozo's ride.
He torches the vehicle
to get rid of the evidence.
I hate to say it, but I hope
he took the boy with him.
Detectives,
I got something.
- Tell me it's not remains.
- Human, no.
Homework, maybe.
That's the boy's backpack.
Or what's left of it.
It's his schoolbook.
Property of whitethorn academy.
WHITETHORNE ACADEMY OFFICE
OF PRINCIPAL CAROL HUSTON
TUESDAY, MAY 18
Of course I know him.
That's nicholas olsen.
I tell him to not run
in the hall ten times a day.
He's a third-grader here.
We're gonna need his parents'
contact information.
He lives with his father, paul.
- What's going on?
- We think nicholas
was abducted On his way home
from school today
About a block from where the bus
dropped him off.
Oh, my god,
she really did it.
- She?
- Nicholas's mother,
sophie gerard.
She's french
and a bit unbalanced.
Even before paul was awarded
sole custody of nicholas.
Mom losing her kid?
That's unusual.
Paul got a restraining order
when she said She wouldn't
honor the court's decision.
Sophie claimed
she's nicholas's true parent.
The father's not answering
the phone.
The secretary says he's
showing a house Out in montauk.
This looks like a domestic snatch.
At first, sophie would barge
onto the playground
When nicholas was at recess.
The school guard must have
kicked her out a dozen times.
But the next day
she'd be back?
When I went out
to confront her,
She said I had no right
to keep her away from her son
And pushed me aside.
- You call the police?
- I threatened to.
She backed off.
Now she makes sure not
to set foot on school property.
But the moment
that bell rings...
Did sophie show up today?
There she is.
And here comes nicholas.
Can't blame a mother
for wanting to hug her son.
He doesn't look too thrilled
to see her.
Wish we could hear
what she's saying to him.
"I have something for you,
nicholas.
All the way from tibet".
"what is it, mom?"
"a way to keep you safe".
What is she saying now?
"just remember,
whatever happens,
"don't be scared.
"don't be scared.
"je t'aime.
Je t'aime, nicholas".
You did good.
Got a deaf grandmom
that'll be happy to know that.
Did you find my boy?
Is that bitch
in jail yet?
You must be nicholas's father?
Who else would I be?
Sorry. Sorry.
Yes. My name's paul olsen.
Unfortunately, mr. Olsen,
We have not located
your son yet.
We're hoping that you can
help us locate your ex-wife.
Not my wife.
Never my wife.
Sophie didn't believe
in marriage.
- Because she's french?
- No.
Because she's nuts.
She's an anthropologist,
has a fellowship at columbia,
She's obsessed
with matriarchal cultures.
You think maybe
that's why she considers herself
Nicholas's true parent?
You know, I am so sick
of hearing that.
Never stopped her
from leaving us.
One summer,
it was a dig in india,
The next winter,
it's some jungle in peru.
Is that what led
to the split?
Two years ago, she discovered
some godforsaken tribe in china,
And she wanted to drag nicholas
along with her,
Right before school started.
I said no.
She went crazy.
Crazy enough to kidnap him
or hire someone else to do it?
I wouldn't put it past her.
She's very smart.
I loved that about her.
But I'll tell you something.
The minute she got
on that plane to china,
I changed the locks on the door
and filed for sole custody.
APARTMENT OF SOPHIE GERARD
TUESDAY, MAY 18
Yes?
- Sophie gerard?
- Yes.
Detective benson.
This is detective stabler.
What is this about?
We should talk inside.
okay.
Did my neighbors call you?
Sometimes I play my music too loud.
This is about your son, nicholas.
-What about nicholas? Is he okay?
- You tell us.
You saw him earlier today
In violation of a court order.
No, I didn't.
3:01 p.M.
Outside of whitethorn academy.
Doesn't look too happy
to see you.
Yes, because he is worried
they'll catch me.
Who? The school?
The cops? His dad?
Listen, nicholas's father has
his head filled with lies About me.
That why you grabbed your son?
To steal him away from paul?
What are you saying?
Where's nicholas?
Where's my son?
You taking him somewhere?
Paris? Peru?
Don't you touch his things,
please.
- Okay?
- Let's talk downtown.
Where is my son?
Tell me what happened
to my son!
Can you please tell me
what's going on?
We'll ask the questions.
Like where is nicholas?
- I don't know.
- Wrong answer.
What, I have rights.
I'm his mother.
No, you're not.
A mother raises her child.
Makes him breakfast, takes care
of him when he's sick,
Tucks him into bed at night.
Don't you dare judge me.
- You abandoned your child.
- I came back.
You came back to steal him.
He's lying to you.
Don't listen to him.
Where is he?
Where is my boy?
- I don't have him.
- Tell me right now
- Where he is!
- That's enough. That's enough.
Get dr. Gerard out of here.
Him too.
Let's go.
Go toss sophie's place.
Anything to help us find
this kid.
- Where's nicholas?
- I told you, I don't know.
Why aren't you out there
trying to find him?
Just waiting for you
to lead the way.
But I didn't take him.
Someone else did.
Oh, god.
Nicholas must be so scared.
Really?
Now you care?
You're the one who has a habit
of leaving him behind.
Who told you that? Paul?
He's the one
who scares nicholas.
He tore him away from me.
After you went jetting out
of the country.
I have to travel for my work.
I study tribal cultures
that are dying out.
Right. The ones
where mothers are in control.
Well, the few that remain
exist in remote areas.
Nicholas understood
why I had to go.
Children need consistency.
They need a routine.
But, see, that's not sophie.
Sophie despises
anything conventional.
She actually believes
nicholas would be better off
With yak herders
than at whitethorn academy.
Now in my book,
that's child abuse.
Did sophie ever physically
abuse nicholas?
No.
But she became increasingly
violent with me Towards the end.
About him going to china
with her.
Yeah.
I put my foot down.
She nearly cut it off
with one of her axes.
The axe is from
the karamojong people of uganda.
It's a ceremonial status object,
not a weapon.
But you attacked paul
with it.
I was trying to save it.
Paul was angry, he was starting
to destroy my artifacts,
He shattered this irreplaceable...
That's not the way he tells it.
He's lying to you.
He twists everything.
She's a pathological liar.
Please.
You have to find nicholas.
I know she has him.
Looks like father knows best.
Sophie's place
was a gold mine.
EVIDENCE
Thanks.
Thank god.
A woman.
You must understand
I would never hurt nicholas.
I'm his mother.
Who'd do anything
to get her son back.
A french passport
For nicholas.
I wanted him
to have his citizenship.
Well, sure, so you could use it
To take him out of the country.
No.
We searched your computer.
You booked him a ticket
to beijing
And another for yourself,
both one way.
I just wanted my boy back.
He should be with me.
In a village in china?
And nicholas would love it
there.
Children are still allowed
to have their childhood.
You're destroying
nicholas's childhood.
You think it's fun for kids While
mom and dad play tug-of-war?
- Tell us where he is.
- I don't know.
You do know.
You've got him.
You searched my house.
- You know I don't have nicholas.
- Okay, so...
you stashed him somewhere.
What, with a friend?
An accomplice?
No, I don't know where he is.
Oh, my god.
You can can-can your ass off,
dr. Gerard,
But you've got some explaining
to do.
Like why you borrowed $50,000
From your parents
two weeks ago.
What, that is no crime.
The day the money transferred,
you started calling
A pre-paid cell phone.
A week later,
you withdrew $25,000
To pay whoever you hired
to steal your son.
Who'd you hire, sophie?
Who did you hire?
He said it wouldn't happen so soon.
He?
Who is he?
I met this man.
I was told
he could get nicholas back,
But he said I would be there
So nicholas wouldn't be afraid.
What's the man's name?
I...
He said never to tell.
He's very dangerous.
If he's got nicholas,
I would worry about the danger
your son is in.
who's got your son, sophie?
Who's got your son?
Jason culross.
She has the right
to be afraid.
Culross is a green beret,
Specializes in covert ops
for the army.
Is he still on active duty?
He mustered out in '05.
Signed on with blackwater.
He spent four years
in afghanistan
Handling kidnap
and ransom cases.
He does k and r.
He knows how to snatch a kid.
Maybe he got tired of handing
over million-dollar ransoms,
Decided to go
for a big payday for himself.
We got his location?
File address
is a p.O. Box in brooklyn.
It's s.O.P. For a guy who
spends all his time overseas.
Check property records.
See if he owns anything.
Way ahead of you.
Culross owns a warehouse
in red hook.
I'll notify e.S.U.
Hey, captain,
maybe we should handle it.
I mean,
if nicholas is there,
The last thing we need is a bunch
of guns And stun grenades.
Culross is a mercenary.
The army trained him.
Yeah,
and the marines trained me.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19
Someone's in there.
Liv, it's a set-up.
- Liv!
- Hold it!
You picked the wrong place
to rob, douche bag.
Nypd.
Drop it.
Put it down.
Back away.
I'm sorry.
I didn't know you were a cop.
So's she.
Come on.
Time to wake up.
Wakey-wakey.
You put all your visitors
in a sleeper hold?
I never would have done it If
I knew you were the good guys.
You want to let me go now?
No,
'cause you're under arrest.
Court'll throw it out.
I have a right
to defend myself.
And nicholas olsen,
does he have rights?
You've been stalking him,
recording his every move.
His mother hired me
to recover him.
Recover?
Don't you mean kidnap?
No, I locate
and retrieve children
Who are abducted
by non-custodial parents.
Which nicholas is not.
He lives
with his biological father,
Who's the sole legal guardian.
And once I found that out,
I told sophie I couldn't help her.
She still thinks
you've got nicholas.
'cause she's obsessed
with her son.
You return the 25 large?
Oh, that's nonrefundable.
I put in a lot of legwork
on this case Before
I found out that sophie was lying
to me About the custody angle.
I guess she didn't
read the fine print.
What I do is unorthodox,
But it isn't illegal.
And it's necessary.
Who else
is gonna bring these kids home?
Police can handle
parental abductions.
Yeah?
When a kid gets taken overseas,
You gonna go to jordan
and get him out?
Right.
So parents hire me
to defend their rights
And get their kids back. I'm
doing what law enforcement can't.
Where were you last night?
brazil.
- I flew back this morning.
- Stabler.
Don't believe me,
check with the tsa.
My seatmate was an air marshal.
He'll verify my story.
He better.
For what it's worth,
When I pulled out,
Sophie asked me if I knew anyone
who could help her.
I told her
I don't know any criminals.
She found one on her own.
Sophie's credit card was just used
To rent a motel room on long island.
A man checked in
with a little boy.
GOODNIGHT MOTEL
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19
The target's in room 116.
That's his vehicle, so we figure
he's still inside.
Well, it's pretty deserted.
Easy for the perp to check in,
come back for the kid,
And hustle him straight inside.
I got a guy covering the back.
- Any other guests?
- Yeah, three rooms were occupied.
We evacuated 'em, Plus a maid
who was servicing the rooms.
We're set to go.
Let's do it.
Police!
Don't move.
How the hell'd
he get out of here?
El, adjoining door.
nicholas?
Oh, my...
Okay.
You're all right.
- Thank you.
- Okay, tell me what happened.
- Tell me what happened.
- The man next door,
he attacked me,
And he took my clothes.
- And he took my car keys.
- Okay,
- was there a little boy with him?
- Yes. Yes.
He put him in my cart.
- The maid we told
to get out of here...
Is our kidnapper.
That's him.
Son of a bitch
didn't even change his shoes.
He was 30 yards away.
Looked like a gal coming out
of the room,
So I waved her off,
and she ran.
With our victim
stuffed in that cart.
You have a camera
on the parking lot?
Sure do.
The maid said that he stole
the keys to her '96 buick.
I already issued a bolo
and sent cars after it.
Don't worry.
If they're still in the area,
we'll find 'em.
- Oh, that kid looks terrified.
- At least he's still alive.
This is suffolk county 202.
I've got the car
from the motel kidnapping,
And I'm in pursuit.
'96 buick,
northbound on avenue a.
All units be advised, a child is
in the car. Use extreme caution.
He's still heading north
on a, passing lincoln drive.
Now he's passing elder.
- Guy's flying.
- Any cars in the vicinity
Of a and weddington avenue,
Pull over and set up
a roadblock.
Hold on. He took the feeder
westbound along the sound.
Going way too fast.
Damn it!
Oh, no.
Unit 202,
Chase has ended.
I need harbor, aviation
And an ambulan right away.
Anything on the kidnapper?
His name is keith bradman,
35, out of toledo.
His long sheet
has breaking and entering,
Forgery, scams,
you name it.
- I could shovel the dirt myself.
- Amen.
I'll pull
the prick's cell phone records.
Shouldn't be hard
connecting him to sophie.
Liv, it's time
to get her confession.
Right now?
Captain, she's been
through a lot.
Nicholas was killed
in the course of a kidnapping.
That's felony murder.
Sophie gerard was as culpable
in his death As anyone else.
Sophie.
dr. Gerard.
We need your cooperation.
Sophie, we need you
to tell us what you did.
No, I need to go home.
Nicholas will be
out of school soon.
I always take him
a little snack.
Nicholas is not at school.
I need to go home.
Nicholas will be
out of school soon.
He loves the monkey bars.
She's become psychotic.
Catastrophic stressors can splinter
An already fragile psyche,
Triggering a break
with reality.
She's got
a hell of a lot of guilt.
Is that what pushed her
over the edge?
Possibly.
But whatever the reason,
Brief reactive psychosis
Can lead to delusions,
hallucinations,
Even catatonia.
- Well, how brief is brief?
- Hard to say.
Give it a shot.
Days.
Perhaps months.
Well, what are we supposed
to do?
Just sit here on her hands
While she gets her brains
banged out in a booby hatch?
All right, what she's saying
is we need
Sophie to confess her role
in nicholas's death.
The woman heard the worst
words a mother can hear.
But maybe
it's the unreality of it,
Sitting here,
talking only to cops,
That facilitated her retreat
into fantasy.
Make it real for her.
Sophie.
Sophie.
Quoi?
Come on.
We're leaving.
Que'st-ce que vous dites?
To see nicholas.
- I don't want to do this.
- You have to, sophie.
- To understand what happened.
- No.
- Yeah.
- You need to see your son.
This is a dream.
That was supposed
to keep you safe.
May I take it?
Thank you.
Je t'aime, nicholas.
Sophie.
Tell us what happened.
I have nothing to say.
How did you meet
keith bradman?
Who?
Who is keith bradman?
The man that you hired
to kidnap your son.
My son is dead.
Sophie.
Sophie, you can't stay here.
What?
Sophie?
- Get away from him.
- Nelson, what is he doing here?
I was told to take him home.
He asked to come here first.
I want you people to get her
away from my boy.
- Now step back.
- He's not your son.
- He belongs to me.
- I have custody of him.
You're crazy.
Get away from him.
Get away from him!
- Don't touch my boy!
- Get away from him.
He's my son.
You bastard.
Sophie.
Sophie, put the gun down.
No, you put yours down,
or she will die.
Everyone will die.
Do it!
Sophie,
Okay.
Okay?
Let's calm down.
Give it to me.
Now you get paul out.
All of you out!
- Go.
- Vite!
- I'm not going anywhere.
- Out!
What is wrong with you?
Have you gone
completely insane?
Melinda!
- Sophie, we need an ambulance.
- No!
- Sophie, please.
- No!
- She's gonna die.
- Yes, just like my son!
I just got kidnapper's
phone record.
And once I prove
it's sophie's number on here,
It's her ticket to jail.
Elliot, shots were just fired
in the morgue.
Sophie's barricaded
herself inside.
I'll take care of that.
- What the hell have you done?
- That was a mistake.
But this is not.
Sophie,
this won't solve anything.
- Give me the gun.
- No.
What are you gonna do?
Shoot me?
Shoot detective benson?
Well, if I have to.
- Sorry.
- No,
you're doing great.
Just keep up the pressure.
Jo, get her some...
some sterile gauze. Over there.
Oh, my god.
- Here.
- Thank you.
I'm sorry.
She got my piece.
- Did you call e.S.U.?
- They're all up
at the gw bridge for a jumper.
E.T.A. On a hostage negotiator's
a half an hour.
Okay.
We're not waiting.
Sophie,
it's detective stabler!
Get away. Don't come in.
- I won't.
I won't.
Let's just relax here.
Get me the blueprints
to the building now.
Sophie, how can we make
the situation better?
Just tell me
what you want.
No!
No talking or I'll shoot him!
I'll shoot all of them.
Sophie, you don't want
to hurt any of us.
Shut up.
Melinda.
Melinda, what do you need?
Bullet got lung.
Tension hemopneumo.
Need a chest tube.
Sophie, this woman
is dying.
We need to get her
out of here.
No, you're trying
to trick me.
No trick.
Blood filling up.
I won't be able
to breathe.
I need you to help me.
Jo, in the cabinet
behind me,
Get a scalpel,
a length of tubing.
And betadine.
I don't know
if I can do this.
Then get ready
To watch me die.
Okay.
Swab the area
With betadine.
And make
a one-inch incision here.
Just do it.
It'll be fine.
Do it, liv.
Harder. Harder, liv.
Good. Good.
Insert the tube.
Insert the tube.
Insert it.
Good girl.
Sophie,
what do you want?
Want?
What do you think?
I want my son back with me
where he belongs.
You want him back?
Don't you get it?
He's dead.
Because of you.
You are out of your mind.
Don't you dare talk to me
like that in front of my son.
She's right.
Nicholas shouldn't hear
such things.
Apologize to him.
What?
- Now.
- Okay.
Nicholas, I'm sorry..
Your mother loves you
very much.
Dr. Warner's losing
a lot of blood.
You don't want your boy
to see this, do you?
You don't want him
to be upset.
Of course not.
Detective benson,
you can take her out.
- Paul.
- Yo.
We need some help here.
- Let's go.
- Come on.
Okay.
You got it?
Hold that in there.
- Okay, go. Go on.
- Jo.
- Yes, go on. You go.
- Jo.
That's it. Wheel her out.
- Dr. Warner's coming out.
I need medical assistance.
Jo.
Back off, vultures.
I'm not dead yet.
There's got to be another way
in there.
Your partner
already found it.
Sophie.
Answer the phone.
Pick up, pick up,
pick up.
Sophie,
that's probably benson calling.
I don't want
to talk to her.
I want quiet.
And nicholas is asleep.
He's sleeping.
He needs his rest.
Olivia, sophie wants you
to stop calling.
She doesn't want
the phone to keep ringing.
Nicholas is sleeping,
and she doesn't want him To wake up.
There.
Is that better?
Sophie.
For nicholas's sake,
- You need to let us go.
- Shut up!
- He would not want you to do this.
- You know nothing of what he wants.
You never did.
Sophie,
you're scaring nicholas.
Oh, don't play games
with me.
He's not scared
or sleeping.
He's dead.
Okay.
Oh, sweet little boy.
Mon petit garcon.
He is sweet.
Your sweet boy.
Tell me about him.
He was
the most beautiful baby.
Everyone said so.
I know
they say that to all mothers,
But nicholas
was truly beautiful.
Tell me what he liked.
first, boy things.
Cars, trucks, trains.
We used to ride the metro,
Always asking questions.
"mommy, why the sky blue?
What makes the wind?"
Nicholas had the mind
of a scientist.
He should have traveled
the world with me.
He should have lived.
But you took him away.
And I have nothing without him.
You will find a way
to keep going.
No!
Without nicholas,
my life is over.
It feels like that now,
But things do change.
What do you know?
Have you lost a child?
- No.
- So you have lost nothing.
Last year,
I got diagnosed with cancer.
A very aggressive kind.
I had to have
a biteteral radical mastectomy.
I had reconstructive surgery,
But it wasn't good enough
for my lover.
He wouldn't talk to me.
He wouldn't look at me.
He wouldn't touch me.
I died inside.
I couldn't go to work.
I spent six months on the couch
sleeping in my clothes.
I lost myself.
Sophie...
I understand.
It's not easy.
You have to change.
I came back to work,
I came here,
Among these people.
And in this last month,
I...
Sophie, I found myself.
You can.
You can refind yourself.
You have to.
For nicholas.
You have to.
Sophie, no.
Sophie,
You... you don't want
to do this.
Sophie, no, no.
Put the gun down, sophie.
Sophie.
Sophie, please clam down.
"It was Paul. He hired Bradman.
Got credit card in Sophie's name".
You'll come out the other side
of all this pain.
It takes time.
You can do it.
You will come out
of all this pain.
You will heal.
It takes time.
But you will.
You will come out the other side
of all this pain.
- No, listen to me.
- How did you get here?
- I'm on your side.
- I will kill you.
I know
you didn't kidnap nicholas.
- You do?
- You're innocent.
The hiring of bradman...
The credit card
with your name on it,
It was just a set-up
to make you look guilty.
So you believe
I didn't do it.
I know you didn't.
I know you didn't.
Sophie...
It's over.
Put down the gun.
Let's go home.
- It was you.
- No. No.
- Sophie.
- You did this.
- No, no, he's lying.
- Sophie, look at me.
You murdered my son.
- No.
- You murdered my nicholas.
You were gonna take him away.
You were gonna take him
to china.
I was not gonna let you
have him.
I didn't mean for this
to happen.
The crash was an accident.
God, it was just accident.
- Tell god in person.
- No, no, sophie, don't.
No, sophie.
Your son needs you.
Nicholas needs you.
Hold him.
Je t'aime.
Je t'aime.