Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 17, Episode 18 - Unholiest Alliance - full transcript

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.

I know having your lieutenant
transferred abruptly

is unsettling,
but ours is not to reason why.

How long is Liv gonna be gone?

Best hope... temporarily.
For now, keep doing your jobs.



You're in good hands
with the sergeant here.

First off, I was as blindsided
by this as all of you,

and second,

I'm gonna need your help.

- Copy that, Sergeant.
- What are we supposed to do?

Leads me to my third point.
The lieutenant was recused

because of the allegations
against Captain Tucker.

So what's that got
to do with Liv?

I can't speak to that,
and neither should any of you,

but this is still our case,

and since charges have been
made against Tucker,

Barba's been pressuring us
to follow up on them,

so start following up.

_



If Detectives
Russo and Jefferson

claim they told me
about this ring, they're lying.

I called them in
on a completely separate matter.

They're alleging
you blackmailed them

into cutting you
in on the operation.

They're dirty.

SVU busted them in the raid.

Whosever running this thing
told them to blame me.

We have two priests, Captain,

Father Eugene O'Hanigan
and Monsignor Patrick Mulregan,

who confirm parts of the story.

Are you saying they're in
on a conspiracy too?

I don't know.

Father Eugene is my cousin,

so... some of this
might be personal.

There is a nun, though,
a Sister Nina Kelly.

She suggested to me

that Father Eugene
was somehow involved.

Have you spoken to her yet?

[tense music]

♪ ♪

Sister, is anyone else coming?

Not today.
Just... just get in.

Barba.

We're not supposed
to be talking.

No?

Did you know
that I was getting transferred?

1PP doesn't keep
the DA's office apprised

- of its Byzantine maneuvers.
- No? Well, let me fill you in.

You told them
about me and Tucker,

and a few hours later
I'm getting pep talks

about what a great asset
that I would be

to women in Community Affairs.

Liv, you're seeing someone
I'm investigating.

1PP had to know.

Tucker is not a sex trafficker.

Then the investigation
will clear him.

Until it does,
just stay out of it.

Whoever's behind this
murdered Cara,

and while you and 1PP
are chasing their Trojan horse,

other girls are in danger.

We can't talk about this.

Wha...

[cell phone rings]

- Hello?
- This is Nina.

Did you tell them that
I'm not cooperating anymore?

Okay, Nina...
Nina, where are you?

Jusjust tell them
that I'm leaving town

and that they don't have
to worry about me.

Wait, Nina, wait.
Listen to me...

- I have to go.
- Nina, hold on...

Nina? Hello?

[suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

Ed, hey.

How are you holding up?

Group One's been grilling me
since 8:00 a.m.

They can't think
that you're in on this.

Oh, yeah, they can.
What do you got?

You need to be careful.

Somebody's after Sister Nina,
and you might be next.

What are you talking about?

She called me this morning,
spooked,

and now I can't reach her.

Dodds is tracking her phone.

Great.
All right, keep me posted.

Listen, I'm due back upstairs.

More questions about
me and my cousin Eugene.

♪ ♪

Okay, I know
you can't violate any oaths,

but when these girls
confessed to you...

I became concerned

that the girls
were being preyed upon

by the two Vice cops,
and I suggested to the monsignor

that he talk to my cousin
in Internal Affairs.

- When was this?
- A year ago,

March 14th... that's the date
of the letter

I sent to Ed Tucker
outlining these crimes.

You still have that letter
on your computer?

I write by hand,
but I kept a photocopy

if you'd like to see that.

Yeah, please.

Yep, last March, hmm.

And you... are you sure
he got this?

I me... did you hear back
from Captain Tucker?

Tucker calls my partner and I
and says he wants to meet.

- When was this?
- March 16th, last year.

Here's a print out
of Detective Russo's calendar.

Was your lawyer or rep
with you?

No, Tucker said
that it was off the record,

strictly for intel.

- So we go to...
- Wait just a minute.

Let me make clear

anything my client
says to implicate Tucker

cannot be used against him.

Go on.

We go down.

Tucker's there
without his partner,

says he knows about us
and the girls

and that it can go
one of two ways:

We lose our badges
and we do some hard time,

or we cut him in on our action

and he closes this file out.

Do you have any way
to verify this?

Were the meetings
with Tucker recorded?

No, it was Tucker,
my partner, and me.

I told my captain about it.

[knocks on glass]

Yeah, give me a few minutes.

That guy's got his story down.

Well, if Jefferson and Russo
met with Tucker,

IAB is sure to have
a record of it.

[door opens] Hey, Sergeant,

this is a copy of the letter
the monsignor sent Tucker

outing the vice cops.

Either Tucker's dirty

or somebody's
setting him up good.

Okay, I'll give this
to Group One.

Next problem,
the lieutenant called.

Sister Nina might be in trouble,

and her burner phone's
going straight to voicemail.

- A burner... so no GPS.
- TARU just triangulated.

The last call came
from Saxon Woods.

I got an emergency exception to
put a Triggerfish on her phone.

If it's on, we'll find it.

Where was the last
call made from?

TARU said
less than a mile from here.

The minivan is Nina Kelly's?

No, it belongs to
an Episcopal Church in Yonkers.

I left word.

- Can you call again?
- Sure.

Well, somebody
ran her off the road.

Yeah, and look.
You see these drag marks?

Go over here
to the tire tracks.

So they... they put her
in their vehicle

- and they took off.
- That's not good.

- No.
- I got two suitcases.

It's women's clothes.

This one is Nina's.

[police radio chatter]

And that one looks like
a teenage girl's, right?

So we got two vics.

Okay, church lady says
the van is usually driven

by their reverend,
a Father Joseph Leahy.

Another priest?

You got to be kidding me.

_

Yes, that's our minivan.

I loaned it to Nina
this morning.

She said she was in trouble.
Is she okay?

Do you have any idea
where she was headed?

I gave her the keys to my
family's lake house in Vermont.

You did?

All right, so you
two must be... must be close.

Episcopalian reverend,
a Catholic nun.

How'd you meet?

I used to be a Catholic priest.
That's when Nina and I, uh...

Became involved?

We were in love.

I asked her to marry me,
to start a new life together.

But she turned you down?

She said she had
too much work to do.

Girls were being abused.

I asked her to stop,
but Nina's dogged.

She never quits anything,
not even the Church.

When you gave her the keys
to the car,

was she traveling alone?

She was very anxious
about the girls.

I think she was trying
to get them out of town.

Okay, thank you.

Margaret's at home.
Danielle is at the shelter.

They said Nina called them,
but she wasn't making any sense.

Do you know which hospital
she went to?

Okay, thank you.

Natalia's foster mother
said Natalia left

early this morning...
didn't say where she was going.

- Now she's at the hospital?
- Yeah, she OD'd.

They should've just let me die.

I can't stop seeing her face.

Who, Sister Nina?

You're here
because you found her, right?

Right, but we need you
to tell us what happened.

No.

He said he would do
the same thing to me.

"He"?
He who?

Natalia, what we know...
that you were with Sister Nina

when that van got rammed.

- And you saw the driver.
- Right?

What did he look like?

He was black.

He was dressed like a priest.

Did he have an accent
when he talked to you?

African, I think.

He forced Sister Nina and me
into his van,

and he... he drove
into a dead end.

Okay. Go on.

He made us walk into the woods,

and, um, he said if I ran,

he'd... he'd shoot her.

Then he raped her.

And when he was done,
he shot her anyway.

He said I should tell
all the other girls that

that's what would happen
to them if they talked.

And that's when you went
to score?

No, no, I didn't.

He... he drove me
back to the Bronx,

and he loaded that needle
in front of me,

and he put it in my hand.

He said,
"The Lord is my shepherd."

Then I woke up here.

[police radio chatter]

Tire tracks stop here.

Yeah, Natalia said
he pulled them both

out of the car
and into the woods.

Can we get the dogs?

[suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

Sergeant, they found her.

Move.
Move!

[somber music]

♪ ♪

All right, call it in.

You know what?
Don't worry.

I got it.

♪ ♪

I'm sorry, Lieutenant.

Sister Nina
wasn't paranoid at all.

She was right.
What did the M.E. say?

She confirmed
what Natalia told us.

Sister Nina was raped
and shot point-blank.

And Natalia ID'd
Father Akintola?

Yeah, picked him
out of a photo array.

Said he was wearing
his priest collar.

Where is he now?

Maybe in the wind,

and nobody at St. Fabiola's
is returning our calls.

Of course they're not.

Go and sit outside
their offices

for as long as it takes.

[dramatic music]

_

Sister, any word?

I'm sorry.
It looks like the monsignor

won't be coming in today
after all.

I thought you said
he was already here.

I've been waiting
since 9:00.

Oh, you must have
misunderstood.

He's in seclusion,
praying for Nina.

Monsignor Mulregan
finally called me back.

He thinks Father Akintola's
out of the country.

Out of the country?

He believes the Father had
a family emergency in Cameroon

three days ago.

What about Father Eugene?

- Isn't he in school today?
- No, no, he's not.

Sister, please, this is about
getting justice for Nina.

I understand,
but we've been told

for the good of the church

that it's best
not to answer any questions.

- Well, who told you that?
- The monsignor.

He reminded us that God's plan

will be unveiled with time.

Does the monsignor

know how to get
in touch with Father Akintola?

No, but Bishop Catalano
might know more.

I've been here all day.
No sign of the bishop.

He's got to come in or out
at some point.

Hold on... call you back.

How you doing?

I'm trying
to reach Bishop Catalano.

I'm sorry, Officer,
this is not a good time.

You're the bishop, aren't you?

I'm looking for Father Akintola.

Call my secretary,
and she'll take care of you.

Can I please talk to you
for five minutes?

Please, we have a funeral mass
to attend to.

♪ ♪

Huh.
Horrifying.

And no one in the church
knows where Akintola is?

- Nah, they're in seclusion.
- On full lockdown.

Not available,
not returning calls.

I assume you don't want us
to bust down the rectory door

- and haul 'em in.
- They assume that too.

Well, Monsignor did send word
through Sister Ida

that he'd heard Akintola

went back to Cameroon
three days ago.

Then when you met with him,
did he mention

anything about a flight?

I'm not sure
he actually took one.

ICE has no record
of him leaving the country

on a commercial
or private flight.

Yeah, and there's no record
of him coming into the country.

All right, we're out
to the FBI and Interpol,

but this guy could be anywhere

or anyone in the world
right now.

Okay, all right,
identity issues aside,

he was the priest who met
with Cara right before she OD'd?

Yep, and Natalia told us,
after he drove her to the Bronx,

he gave her the syringe
she OD'd with.

Whoever the players are
in this,

they are closing ranks fast.

And killing Sister Nina like that,
they're sending a message.

All right,
where are you on the warrants

for the priests' financials?

As of last count,
I have three judges

not getting back to me.
What do you expect?

No judge wants to take
on the Church.

Well, hang on.

What about this guy?
Judge Wheeler?

He still maintains
he thought the sex party

- was a fundraiser.
- Oh, yeah?

Well, I still
have surveillance photos

of this guy groping
a 16-year-old girl on his lap.

This is blackmail.

- More like a courtesy call.
- Yeah.

You see, Your Honor,
with the death of that nun,

the press is all over us,

so if photos like that were to,
God forbid, leak out...

I never had any contact
with a nun.

Yes, you did.

That's her right there,
serving you a drink.

Yeah,
maybe you didn't notice her

with that, uh, underage girl
sitting on your lap there.

I can't get you warrants

for half the priests
in the Archdiocese.

All right, well,
start with these four:

Akintola, Eugene O'Hanigan,
Monsignor Mulregan...

- Bishop Catalano?
- Mm-hmm.

You must be joking.

You know, it's my signature
on these warrants.

No, not yours.

You're gonna get one
of your judge friends

to do it for you.

No financials
at all for Father Akintola?

If he even is a priest.

The Archdiocese
has no record of him.

What about Monsignor Mulregan?

No extra accounts,
no car leases, credit cards.

This guy's good
at hiding his profits.

Yeah, or he's actually
just a good priest

who has nothing to do
with this.

- And Father Eugene?
- I may have something.

Father Eugene is paying $600
a month for a Bronx walk-up,

and he's also renting a loft

- in Fort Greene for $3,500.
- $3,500?

His salary's $2,500 a month.
That doesn't add up.

Does if he's part of this ring.

Maybe this loft's
another party location.

Rollins, keep digging
into his accounts.

Fin and Carisi, go check out
Father Eugene's loft.

_

- E. O'Hanigan... number three.
- His name's on the door?

That's brazen.

[intercom rings]

- Hello?
- Uh, yeah, this is UPS.

We have a package here
for a Eugene O'Hanigan.

[door buzzes]

Oh.

Oh, you're not the UPS guy.

And you're not Father Eugene.

What's your name, cowboy?

Lance... uh, Woodstone.

Eugene's not here, though.

Mind if we come in, Lance?

Uh, yeah, yeah.

So you must be
Father Eugene's...

- Personal trainer.
- Oh?

CrossFit, Pilates...

Use this ball gag in Pilates?

We're gonna need
you to come down to the station

with us, Lance.

Um, do I have to?

Well, most good citizens
like to cooperate

when the police seek their help.

Yeah, I know he's a priest,
but he likes to stay in shape.

You been living
in that loft full-time?

Yeah.

Pay rent... expenses?

Yeah, I chip in.

Lance Woodstone, 25,

has an outstanding DUI warrant

and claims to be
a personal trainer.

- Any other clients?
- No, but he does seem

to spend over $1,000 a month
in liquor deliveries,

plus another $500 a month
on gift items

from the, um,
the Pirate Booty Treasure Chest.

Huh.

Lance, how long
you been training Father Eugene?

On and off, a few years.

On and off?
Uh-huh.

Look, can I call my girlfriend?

Um, she's a lawyer.

You're Lance Woodstone's
attorney?

I haven't met you before,
Counselor.

Heidi Aronson.
I'm a real estate attorney...

well, broker, but I have
some legal experience.

And you're Lance's girlfriend?

I'm also married.

What's relevant here
is he's my client,

and I'd like to know
why you're holding him.

For questioning about
his dealings with the Church.

Is this about Father Eugene?
Lance hasn't had anything to do

with that priest
for over a year.

- Are you sure about that?
- Yes.

I told him if he kept up that
sick relationship, we were over.

You did?

'Cause Lance has been
living in a loft

that Father Eugene
pays the rent for.

That son of a bitch.

I emailed the monsignor
about him two years ago.

- Monsignor Mulregan?
- Yes.

I told him Father Eugene was
stealing money from the church

to fund his deviant lifestyle.

What do you mean by "deviant"?

Here.

The good Father made
a whole series like this

on the church altar.

Does that answer
your questions?

I knew Eugene was
hiding something.

This trainer...
Eugene is his sugar daddy?

Pays for his loft,
his credit cards, S&M purchases.

And he's getting the money
from the trafficking ring?

We haven't been able
to track the cash,

but that's our working theory.

You're sure
that the monsignor knew?

Yeah, we are.
Now, it turns out

that Lance also had a sugar mama

who found out
about him and Eugene.

Here's a copy
of the outraged email

that she sent
to Monsignor Mulregan

two years ago.

Giving him leverage
over Eugene.

And the Vice cops,
Jefferson and Russo.

He knew that
they were raping his girls,

so he gets them
and Eugene to frame you.

Now, the problem is,

you actually met with Russo
and Jefferson last year.

I did, yeah, on a completely
unrelated matter.

A pimp accused them of
shaking down his girls.

Did you record
the conversation?

No.

This pimp had accused
half the NYPD.

It was pro forma,

and my partner
was out sick that day.

Then it's your word
against Vice

and the Catholic Church.

At least we know why
my cousin is lying.

You bring him in,
show him those pictures.

That's easier said than done.

Everyone at St. Fabiola's
has gone to ground.

They have?

Well, then I assume
that Eugene doesn't know

that you have his trainer.

- You're late.
- I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

There's a lot going on.

On the floor, you filthy bitch!

You have some respect
for your master.

Forgive me, sir.
May... may I come closer?

Eugene, stand up.

They made me.

They were gonna give me
a year on that DUI.

Lance, go put on
some clothes, now.

What are you doing here?
This is a private residence.

Well, there's been allegations

that you've illegally
been using church funds

to pay for this
private residence, Father.

Am I under arrest?

We have some questions for you,

or we could just
call your monsignor,

let him know we caught you
in a honey trap.

No, don't... do that.

♪ ♪

Those photos are from my past.

Really?

Because we just caught you
getting dommed

by, uh, Lance Woodstone.

If you did,
that would be a private matter.

Not if you're paying
for it with funds

from a sex trafficking ring.

How could you even
think such a thing?

How?
I don't know.

Loft rent we got here,

cognac bills, sex toys,
Internet porn...

You... you went through
my personal finances.

- Yeah.
- You want to tell us

how you can afford
this double life

on a priest's salary?

I didn't do anything illegal.

I-I sold family heirlooms
to pay for my sessions.

I'm a good man struggling
with some demons.

Father, cut the crap.

You know why you're here.

Girls from your school
have been raped and murdered,

and so has a nun.
Now, what happened?

Did those Vice cops find out
about your demons

and get you to run
those girls for them?

No, no, I already told you,
my cousin's behind that evil,

and I was not involved
in any way,

nor was anyone I know.

The girls attended his school.

He has an unexplained
cash flow...

yet he still blames Tucker.

He and the monsignor are
in on this up to their eyeballs.

Yeah, him, sure,
but the monsignor?

Carisi, the monsignor
came to me, unsolicited,

to dirty Tucker up.

He then handed you,
the good Catholic,

a photocopy
of a handwritten letter.

Which, obviously,
anybody could've backdated

and claimed they mailed... I mean,
I knew that was a possibility,

but...

But I guess I just wouldn't
let myself believe it.

He came to my office
full of righteous anger

and lied to my face,

and I doubted myself
for doubting him.

I have no idea
how he sustains his act.

It's all for the good
of the church.

- Excuse me?
- Sister Antonia told me

the monsignor instructed
everybody to stonewall...

For the good of the church.

Okay, well, then, maybe
for the good of the church,

we should give the monsignor
a heads-up

that Fathers Eugene and Akintola
are about to be indicted.

How did you get this?

That's not the issue,
Monsignor.

Did you receive that email
from Heidi Aronson?

Yes,
but it was over two years ago.

So you read the part
about Father Eugene

skimming money
from the school uniform fund

to pay for
his altar bondage play?

Yes, and I was
deeply disturbed by it.

Oh, you were?
Did you take any action?

I confronted Father Eugene
right away.

He went on sabbatical
to deal with the sickness,

and I asked the Archdiocese

to investigate
Ms. Aronson's allegations

that he'd misappropriated
funds,

but that claim proved
to be baseless.

- You sure about that?
- Yes.

I even forwarded her email
to the Bronx D.A.'s office.

He assured me that nothing
criminal had taken place.

And yet, you let Father Eugene
continue to guide students.

Well, why wouldn't I?

Father Eugene
confessed his sins.

He did a rigorous soul-search,
and he's...

And he's still
paying $5,000 a month

to be disciplined
by his naked cowboy.

[stammering]
I'm at a loss for words.

If-if this is true...
It's true, and you knew it,

and that's how you got him
to procure girls

for you to traffic.

To frame Tucker
for your crimes.

No.

No, you've got this all wrong.

I know what you think
of the Catholic Church,

but it's NYPD officers

who were trafficking
these girls.

Monsignor, please.

These girls' lives
are being destroyed,

and if you know something
about this, come clean.

Come clean?
How dare you say that to me.

I have been
to a Bronx ADA, IAB, SVU,

and the result: Sister Nina
and young Cara are dead.

The cancer isn't in my church.

It's within you...

and I will not rest
until it's been excised.

[door opens and closes]

[sighs]

Now what was the name
of that Bronx ADA

Monsignor sent that email
to about Eugene?

Joel Winn.

He was a regular
at the floating parties.

He was... we picked him up
on the initial sting.

That's how the powers that be

have survived
thousands of scandals

over hundreds of years.
[cell phone buzzes]

There's not a move
in the playbook

they don't have
at least a dozen defenses for.

Hold on.
Here's another one.

Excuse me.
Turn on the news, please.

- Thank you.
- It is with a heavy heart

that we find ourselves
here today,

to make public

a deeply disturbing scandal

that involves a member
of my own parish,

Father Eugene O'Hanigan.

We've learned
that Father O'Hanigan

has betrayed his vows

by committing sins
of the flesh.

More troubling still,

we believe that members
of the NYPD Vice Squad

and Internal Affairs Bureau,

after becoming aware
of his transgressions,

blackmailed Father Eugene

into helping them traffic
troubled girls from our school.

It's the scorched earth
defense.

I almost feel sorry for Eugene.

I don't.

We believe these police
officers are responsible

for the death
of one of the girls,

as well as Sister Nina Kelly.

The ring's hooks run deep,

not just into NYPD

but the Bronx D.A.'s office,
the City Council,

and the State Assembly as well.

Bishop Catalano.

Today we ask the
federal government to step in

and take this
investigation away

from the city's corrupt
judicial system.

We will fully cooperate
with complete transparency.

Our goal is justice
for these girls.

Words cannot express
my sorrow for the abuse

our precious children of God

have suffered.

You're lucky.

As of now,
you're not bloodied up.

Quit while you're ahead.

What, you mean stand down?

The monsignor's the one
who was running this ring.

He had his own priest
put a hit out on Sister Nina.

The one from West Africa?

They'll claim
he was a rogue thug.

All right,

what happens
to the Vice detectives?

No judge, cop,
or ADA's going to jail

for seeing a hooker.
They'll plead out.

Now, Father Eugene,
the Church will send him

to some sanatorium
on the Isle of Skye

to work on his anxiety issues.

And Tucker?

Collateral damage.

You do know he's clean.

He went to see his cousin,
by himself,

and told him the name
of the girl who was cooperating.

She'd be alive
if he weren't so stupid.

So he's under the bus now too?

The hierarchy calls,
everybody backs off,

and it's all just taken care of.

Do you have any idea how much
heat there was even before this?

It's a career-killer.

Walk away.

[knock on door]

Hi.

In the spirit of transparency,
my father has made it clear

that he's willing
to throw you both under the bus.

Oh, yeah?
Are you driving it?

Ed, he called us.

He did say that you brought
this on yourself,

meeting with the Vice cops

and Father Eugene
without your partner.

Well, that's always been
your father's

one great strength, you know?

No one knows how to cover
their ass like he does.

How about we focus
on where we go from here?

I'm open to anything.

When we met with Eugene,

I saw a man that was close
to his breaking point.

And that was before they outed
him at the press conference.

Maybe he's ready
to save himself.

He'll never turn on the Church.

It's the only employer
he's ever had.

Then I don't know
what to tell you.

Enjoy being on the rack
at Group One.

But you got to love
the irony, though, huh?

All these years, telling cops
to put in their papers

before charges get filed...

now it's my turn.

Bottom line:
Tucker takes early retirement,

the Vice cops take a misdemeanor
sexual misconduct plea,

and, with any luck,
Benson gets her office back.

Okay, and what about
these priests, the monsignor?

They just get away with it
and you're all right with that?

No, but the brass
says this is over,

and so is SVU
if we keep looking into it.

And what about
Sister Nina's murder?

We have an eyewitness
that saw her get shot.

Interpol is looking
for Akintola,

and there's a warrant
out for his arrest.

And Father Eugene?

He is aware of the severity
of his wrongdoings.

He's repentant,

and they're making plans
to send him far away.

No, they hung this guy
out to dry, all right?

The least we can do
for these girls

is take one more run at him.

Tucker says there's no point.

His cousin doesn't have
a soul to save.

[bell tolls distantly]

Father?

What are you doing here?
Get out.

Wait, please.

I have nothing
to say to you or anyone.

Father, I'm a Catholic,

and I have something
I need to say to you.

Do you think you could
listen to me, please?

I was born and raised
in the Church.

I got two cousins
who, uh, who are priests.

I even thought that
I'd become one myself.

To me, there was
no higher calling.

Mm, mm.
Then I can imagine

what you must think
of the Church and me.

No.
No, you can't.

I still go to Mass
every Sunday.

During this case,
I've been doing twice a week.

What is it you want?

I want you to think
about Eugene as a kid,

about why you wanted
to become a priest

in the first place.

Those memories...
[murmurs]

they're lost to me.

No.
I saw you praying, Father.

You still believe in God,
don't you?

Well, He's here.

I know that you feel Him.

If He is,

He is damning me to Hell.

♪ ♪

"Forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those
who trespass against us."

"Confess and be absolved."

You can't imagine...

you can't imagine
how many times I have knelt

and... and prayed

to be relieved of this weakness.

Yes, I can,
and I'm sure you prayed more

when the monsignor used
that weakness to blackmail you.

I knew... I knew what
they were doing to those girls,

and I should've protected them,
and now it's too late.

No.
No, it's not.

You are standing
right here in front of Him.

Am I?

I can't see Him.
I can't...

I'm... I'm so blind to Him.

I've been blind to Him
since before you were even born.

Well, He's here now, Father,

and He sees you.

So look up,

and you tell Him
how truly sorry you are,

and you ask for His forgiveness,

and He will look
into your heart,

and He'll forgive you.

[somber music]

♪ ♪

[crying]

[suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

20 years...
what are we looking at?

Girls in compromising positions

with priests, cops, and johns.

Photos of the johns
are good for blackmail,

but why take
pictures of themselves?

- They get off on it.
- I found Eugene's

psychological profiles
of the girls they trafficked,

a few other counselors' too.

It's like a tip sheet
for predators.

And look... look, I've got
guest lists for every party,

meticulous accounting records
of rental receipts,

uh, alcohol purchases...
How much are they making?

Nothing.

Doesn't look
like they charge anyone.

Then what's the point?

They want to humiliate
the girls, control them,

force them to service
their powerful friends,

who, in turn, owe the church.

- Why keep all this?
- 'Cause they're Catholics.

They don't get rid of anything,
hey just bury it.

[dramatic music]

My name is Deanna Walsh.

15 years ago,
when I was a student

at St. Fabiola's,
Bishop Catalano

and Monsignor Mulregan would
call me into their offices.

They did things...

things I thought must be normal
because they were men of God.

What would they do?

They'd make us take
our clothes off,

sit on their laps... you know,
penance for our sins.

They'd touch us in what
they called a "Godly manner."

They also took photos?

Yes.

They made us pose naked,

touching them,

performing sex acts.

Did you ever tell anyone?

Monsignor Mulregan
said that if we told

they'd show the photos
to our parents

and tell them
what dirty whores we all were.

My parents were good Catholics.

It would've broken their hearts.

These priests
also forced you to have sex

with other men, didn't they?

At parties... cops,
lawyers, judges.

Who brought you?

The monsignor

or Father Eugene,

our school
psychological counselor.

When did these parties begin?

Uh, my understanding is
that they'd been going on

for over, uh, 20 years,

from when Bishop Catalano
ran the school.

So wh... why did you agree
to facilitate them?

Once Monsignor Mulregan
found out about my relationship

with Lance Woodstone,
he made it clear

that my life
in the Church would be over

unless I used my position
to find vulnerable girls

and procure them for him.

In our capacity at Vice,

we encountered
the trafficking ring.

Rather than expose it,
we became involved.

Right.
Okay, what did that entail?

Inappropriate behavior,

not reporting the parties
to our superiors,

and getting other precincts
to look the other way

when needed.

Anything else?

We were asked
by Monsignor Mulregan

to testify that
we had been blackmailed

by IAB Captain Ed Tucker

into letting him run
the trafficking ring.

- Was that true?
- No.

Tucker didn't know anything
about it.

You ever meet a girl
named Cara Gutierrez?

Cara Gutierrez was rescued
from this ring

by Sister Nina Kelly

and brought to me
at St. Bernadine's.

Where she died
of a drug overdose.

Who was the last person
to see her alive?

Father Victor Akintola.

Where is Mr. Akintola now?

I believe he's in Cameroon.

I bought his ticket.

- Who asked you to do that?
- Monsignor Mulregan.

He also instructed me to buy it

under a different name,
Father Boluwaji.

♪ ♪

_

[indistinct P.A. announcement]

Victor Akintola,
you're under arrest.

There's been a mistake.
I am a Nigerian national.

My name is Father Boluwaji.

You're no priest.

You're coming with us.

♪ ♪

Took a while to get in,
but we searched the whole place.

Bishop's not here.
Call the airports.

Liv's coming back?

First thing tomorrow morning.

Your long nightmare is over.

Oh, it wasn't that bad.

I want to thank you all
for a job well done,

but I'd be remiss
if I didn't also warn you.

You went after some big guns.

They've got long memories
and a lot of friends.

Keep your noses clean.

Is your dad always
that supportive?

- Has been my whole life.
- Hey, that was Barba.

The grand jury's on a roll.
As of 5:00 p.m. today,

they indicted three assemblymen,
a councilman, two judges...

What about Bishop Catalano?

That's the bad news.

The Vatican recalled him
yesterday.

Apparently he's en route
to a treatment center

they run on an island
off the coast of Chile.

- Wait, what?
- What?

So they knew
to get the bishop out,

yet they let Akintola
fly back to JFK,

even though we had a warrant
out for him?

- How does that happen?
- On purpose.

Akintola was a hired gun.
It was a trade.

A pawn for a bishop.

So you get to keep your job.

And you get yours back.

Congratulations to us.

[quietly]
Hi. Thank you.

What?

Nothing.
It's... it's just I thought,

you know... I know this has
been stressful and everything.

Thought we could
take it easy tonight.

Oh, okay.

I thought we were celebrating.

Oh, we are.

It's just...

I get it.

You're just looking out for me.

Always.

[soft music]

♪ ♪