Law & Order Special Victims Unit s27e20 Episode Script
Friends
1
In the criminal justice system,
sexually based offenses
are considered especially heinous.
In New York City,
the dedicated detectives
who investigate these vicious felonies
are members of an elite squad
known as the Special Victims Unit.
These are their stories.
Hello?
Anybody up yet?
I got the goods.
I got bagels
and cream cheese and lox.
Oh.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
♪
Oh, oh!
Oh, my
Oh, my God, Nora.
Nora?
Nora?
Oh, my God, are you okay?
Nora?
Somebody help!
Come down here, guys!
- What's happening?
- It's okay.
Call 911!
Call 911!
Honey, it's okay. I'm here.
I'm here.
Don't move, don't move,
don't move, don't move.
So when do you
think you'll be cleared?
Probably next month, technically.
We'll see if the DEA actually
wants me or if I want them.
Well, find out if they
have any openings.
- You don't have to go back, you know.
- [SCOFFS]
Well, if you're suggesting
that I should retire,
I'm gonna puncture your other lung.
I'm not saying anything.
I'm just giving you your own advice.
You gotta go where
you're doing the most good.
Is SVU still that place for you?
You know, Joe, for
the first time in my life
I don't know anymore.
Did the union lawyer file an appeal?
Yeah, he did a couple of days ago.
So I haven't
I haven't heard much,
but I'll follow up.
Eventually.
Look, Tynan is strategic.
She wouldn't have
suspended me if she didn't think
that she could see it through.
Thinking and knowing
are two very different things.
Especially when you're going
up against Captain Olivia Benson.
But first, you have to
get back in the fight.
It's not the worst pep talk.
I try.
Rollins.
- So you're just back?
- Yeah.
Reassigned to SVU as of this morning.
I mean, I'm thrilled, but it's
It's weird, right?
No explanation?
Well, my gut is saying Griff
had something to do with it.
Why do I feel like
there's gonna be a catch?
Cimino.
Captain.
Friend found Nora
Pontius in here at 7:35 a.m.
Cracked her head here on the counter.
She reported pain that was
consistent with sexual assault.
- The victim stable?
- With paramedics.
They'll take her to the hospital
for her rape kit and some stitches.
She also reported a ring stolen.
All right, that's good work, Cimino.
- How many people are in the house?
- Five.
One with the victim, and we're holding
everyone upstairs while we
lock down the crime scene.
- Everybody was here overnight?
- Yeah.
All asleep when it happened.
Lot going on in this place.
Welcome back, Curry.
Thanks. You too.
Yeah, not how I wanted it, but yeah.
Tynan made him
acting SVU supervisor.
Oh, wow.
Not my idea of a good
time, but here we are.
Any sign of forced entry?
Well, there's bars on
all these kitchen windows.
I've checked.
They're all locked from the inside.
Everybody in the
house stays on the radar
till we have a reason
to take them off.
Did the victim get a
look at the attacker?
Well, she talked
to officers outside,
and she can't remember anything,
she's pretty upset.
Okay, Rollins, talk to her.
See if you can get
her to open up a bit.
Curry and I will talk
to the hangover crew.
Mm-hmm.
Supervisor Tutuola
looks good on him.
Just don't tell him that.
Nora, can you tell me what
happened to you last night?
We were all drinking.
A group of friends from college.
It was our
It was our 20 year college reunion.
Columbia.
It was a special occasion.
We had a lot of alcohol.
More than usual.
I was so drunk, so tired.
I just passed out on my bed.
Is that the last thing you remember?
Yes.
Until I woke up to
Angela screaming and
Blood everywhere,
pain between my legs.
No idea how I got there.
And they
They told me
that you're missing a ring?
My grandma's.
Gold with a little diamond,
and it's not worth much.
When was the last time you saw it?
I was wearing it last
night, but when I woke up
in the kitchen, it was gone.
Hello. I'm Sergeant Tutuola, SVU.
This is Captain Curry.
You all were here last night
when Nora was attacked?
Yeah, asleep till I woke
up to Angela screaming.
We bolted out of bed.
I did, at least.
I think you were still half drunk.
- I was right behind you, Soph.
- Same here.
Ran into Preston in the hallway.
I headed downstairs to
see what was going on.
Everyone was asleep all night?
No one got up?
No runs to the bathroom, nothing?
My head hit the pillow, I was out.
Preston Winthrop,
this is your place?
Uh, yeah, kind of.
It's a family home, so.
You own the house, Presto.
It's yours.
It feels weird, but yeah.
What kind of security
do you have here?
Uh, not sure, really.
I call a guy when it
won't stop beeping.
- Did you wanna see?
- Yeah.
Okay, so there
was a party last night.
Did anybody get too messed
up, you know, act out of character?
No, it was sick.
Best night in years, maybe ever.
You seem to disagree, Sophie.
No, I mean, it was fine.
It wasn't a party.
Just seven people,
some who still drink
like they're in a frat.
Seven?
They told me it was
Ryan, Preston, Adam,
Sophie, Angela, and Nora.
That's six.
- You're missing Josh.
- Who's Josh?
One of us.
Old college crew.
He went to bed with the rest of us.
Gone when we woke up, though.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
What's up?
Bleach.
This patch right here, spotless.
And then look at this.
You see that?
- It's a shoe print.
- Yeah, at least part of one.
So somebody messed
with this crime scene.
Hey, so there are no
cameras on the security system,
but, sensors document
whenever windows or doors open.
Last night, nothing
opened after 10:00 p.m.
Today, the front door
opened three times.
- 5:00 a.m
- 5:00 a.m., I bet that's Josh.
- The hell's Josh?
- Another one of these clowns.
Left before everybody woke up.
- There's a suspect.
- CURRY: But not our only suspect,
because Angela's bagel run accounts
for the other two times
that the door opened.
No one else came or left this house.
Nora's attacker didn't break in.
It's one of her friends.
Okay, listen up, everybody.
Shoes off.
Hand them over.
Okay?
Not just the shoes on your feet.
I want every shoe in this house.
Well, I have, like, 50 pairs.
I only have two.
How are we supposed
to go out without shoes?
You're not.
Clear your schedule.
Order in.
No one leaves this house.
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
Testable DNA on Nora's
rape kit, likely from one suspect.
You got that already?
Just the initial report.
I waited at the
hospital, drove Nora's kit
to the medical examiner, and I begged.
Okay, we gotta move on this fast.
Suspects agreed to stay in the house,
- but you know that won't last.
- Yeah.
Adam, Ryan, Preston,
- and Josh.
- Track him down?
I have his address at
his home and his work.
Huh.
- Hi.
- Hello.
- You're back?
- Well, uh, for now.
So the suspension is stayed.
Hearing is gonna be in about 30 days.
And the union lawyer
thinks there's a good chance
that this will go away.
Is there a national holiday
that I don't know about?
Well, Bruno is still
out on trial testimony,
and Griff is at a
firearms training refresh.
Okay.
Acting supervisor,
this is your meeting.
- [CHUCKLES]
- Actually,
the view from here is kind of nice,
so you take the lead on this, Fin,
and I'll be your right hand.
Okay.
CSU got a partial shoe
print from the crime scene.
They're comparing it against
the other shoes we collected,
but we still have to
put Josh in the mix.
Oh, the warrant for
his place just came in.
Okay, you go to his apartment.
I'll see if he's still at work.
- Nora's still at the hospital.
- Okay.
Break the news to
her about our suspects.
Her relationship with these
guys might give us something.
On it, boss.
Nora, I'm Captain Benson
from the Special Victims Unit.
I was hoping we
could talk a little bit,
I could ask you a few questions.
Sure.
So, um,
I understand that you
met this crew in college?
That's so great.
It's so great that
you're all still friends.
Yeah, we were all in
the same freshman dorm.
They broke us into groups
for stupid little icebreakers.
Ohw.
My group just ended up being
one of the best parts of
my life for the past 20 years.
So, Nora, my team and I
have been trying to piece together
what happened to you, and
And what we found is, it's, um
It's unlikely that anybody
broke into the house
during the time frame of your attack.
But
But that doesn't make any sense.
Is it possible, that maybe it
was one of the men in the house
that did this to you?
No.
No, it's not possible.
I'm sorry, Nora.
So how about we start with
you telling me about
your day yesterday?
Uh, I went to Pilates
with Sophie and Angela.
When we got back, Preston
had ordered in brunch.
Anything stick out about brunch?
Any strange interactions?
Adam told me about
his new promotion.
I don't
I don't really understand
his job in big tech.
Then we went to a reunion event and
Ryan and I chatted about his new baby.
He's like a whole suburban dad now.
We're really close.
It's easy to talk to each other.
Oh, Preston cornered me at one point,
talking about his newfound life goal,
opening a bar.
And what about
What about Josh?
Oh, yeah, um
Josh and I talked a lot
at dinner, I just forgot.
And what'd you talk about?
Um, my work.
Yeah, Josh is
He can be a little harsh.
We
Sort of fought.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
Josh Ortega?
Yeah.
Sergeant Tutuola, SVU.
I need you to account
for your whereabouts
between 2:00 and
5:00 a.m. this morning.
Why are you asking me?
Just answer the questions
and make this easy.
I
I don't know, I was asleep.
I mean, look, I was
partying with some friends.
I had too much to drink.
I passed out on my
friend Preston's couch,
set my alarm for 5:00,
went home, showered, and came here.
Where's that couch?
It's downstairs, towards
the front of the house.
Were you wearing those shoes?
Yeah, I'm a minimalist, you know.
No one needs more than four pairs.
Well, I'm gonna need
you to take those off.
I got the other three
pair from your apartment.
[SCOFFS]
- You got a warrant?
- What do you think?
I don't know what to think.
You haven't told me
anything of substance.
And you haven't even
asked me what this is all about.
[SCOFFS]
Nora Pontius was
sexually assaulted last night.
What?
Whoa.
Wait, hold on.
I-I would never hurt
Nora. We're friends.
Yeah, you're gonna have to
do better trying to convince me,
considering I know you
and her had a fight last night.
What?
Who told you that?
- That's not important.
- Uh, very important.
You're accusing me
of something horrible.
So is was one of my
friends, apparently.
You know, whoever told you
about some irrelevant argument
between me and Nora
is probably your guy.
Deflecting, pointing fingers.
Okay, you're me.
You're looking at this house.
Who would you bet on?
Take your pick, man.
Look, Adam doesn't
understand the word no.
Ryan's, like, in love with Nora.
And Preston's an, I don't
know, unpredictable drug addict.
If anyone assaulted Nora
in that house, it is Preston,
it is Ryan, or it is Adam, period.
But you already took our shoes.
None of the shoes matched
the prints from the crime scene.
Which means someone
here is lying to us.
You look nervous there, Preston.
- Yeah, I'm overwhelmed.
- Hmm.
This whole situation,
everybody at my house.
Friends stay at your place a lot?
It's the first time.
Nora was the one who pushed for it.
She wanted us all together.
My house just made sense.
Look, I didn't hurt Nora.
- We're friends.
- I get it, you're all friends.
Yeah.
Excuse me?
Yes, hi. You
Please do not touch that.
That shouldn't be touched.
You know, I love these old houses.
It's a bunch of small spaces
we don't have use for anymore, right?
Like servants' quarters
and dumbwaiters.
[TAPS]
You gonna open up
your little secret room
or am I finding a sledgehammer?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
Whoa.
Lot going on in here, Presto.
You should know the BDSM
community is all about consent.
- Wait out there.
- You
Back.
♪
- These are all prescribed.
- Mm-hmm.
Look, I just, I didn't
want everyone to see
all the stuff it takes to
make me feel normal.
♪
Look, I
I didn't even know that I
stepped in blood until
Not until you asked me for the shoes.
Look, we were just having a good time.
What's having a good time?
Cocaine.
How much cocaine
did you do last night?
[SIGHS]
A little.
It was just to be a good host.
I
Ryan is a new dad.
He said he wanted to
party like the old days.
And did he?
Yeah, he
He did enough he couldn't blink.
Ry was all gas, no brakes.
Well, we all drank too much
and, yeah, did some cocaine,
but that was just a few lines each.
Nothing crazy.
Even, uh, Preston?
Yeah, it was a bit concerning.
He's supposed to be in recovery.
- Nobody tried to stop him?
- No.
It's complicated.
Preston gets upset if
people tell him what to do.
Mm.
Planning on getting
lucky this weekend?
With my wife, Liz.
Child care fell through last minute.
She doesn't like birth control,
and I'm not ready to be a dad again.
Right.
I'm serious.
I didn't wanna come without Liz.
She and Nora conspired to get me here.
Are your wife and Nora close?
They are.
Yeah, Liz isn't the jealous type,
which is lucky, because Nora and I
It's just always been
an easy friendship.
Ever see yourself
as more than friends?
No, just friends.
- Good friends.
- Hmm.
Well, you know, uh, lying to me
is not a great idea, Ryan.
I had a crush on
Nora for, like, a week
when we first met.
I don't feel that way about her.
Because Josh's
perspective is a little different.
He says you are in love with Nora.
Well, he would say that.
- He would?
- Mm-hmm.
I thought you all were
supposed to be good friends.
Honestly, I don't even
think Josh has any real friends.
But if he does,
- they're not women.
- What about Angela and Nora?
Look, there are women
Josh is into sexually
who act how Josh thinks they should,
and then there's all other women,
who he doesn't respect or value.
And what category is Nora?
Not sure, but I definitely know
what Josh thinks about Angela.
Why is that?
Josh blamed Angela for her
own assault back in college.
You should talk to Angela about it.
Actually, talk to Adam too.
It's their story, not mine.
That is ancient history.
Okay, but when you heard
about what happened with Nora,
I mean, did a part of
you think that maybe
- Adam could have
- No, no.
No, I have moved on.
I have completely
moved on, and I'm over it.
It's so long ago.
I understand, but I'd still
like to hear what happened.
Okay, um.
Okay, it was the
middle of freshman year,
and, um, I hooked up with Adam.
I was immature, you know,
and, he had a lot more experience
than I did, and I
I knew how far I wanted to go.
Neither of us had much experience.
Look, Angela said she
didn't wanna have sex,
unless she was in a relationship,
but, she was different
once we were hooking up.
Different how?
I asked her if she still
didn't wanna have sex,
and she
She just unbuttoned her pants.
What was I supposed to think?
I said no a million times.
He forgot every ten seconds.
Eventually, I got tired
and I stopped trying.
You know, it took months
for me to admit that
he had crossed a line.
But I told Nora, and Nora told Ryan,
and he stood by both of us.
So you're saying
she's making all this up?
I'm saying Angela made a decision,
and then afterwards, she
wished that she hadn't.
I've heard that one before.
I'm sure I did something
stupid that night,
just not, like
Sexual assault?
[TENSE MUSIC]
Look, my wife can vouch for me.
We were together in
bed the whole night.
They were sloppy,
reminiscing the same
20 stories over and over,
so, I left around midnight.
What time did Adam come to bed?
A few hours later.
He was loud.
I was trying to sleep, unsuccessfully.
Well, he said that
he was next to you
the rest of the night.
That true?
Yes.
I don't get the feeling
that you're having
the best time here, Sophie.
It's not my reunion.
I went to Stanford.
Long way to travel for
a school you didn't attend
to spend time with people
you don't really seem to like.
Unless you flew all the way
from San Francisco to New York,
just to keep an eye on your husband.
[SCOFFS]
No point.
Adam does whatever he
wants, whenever he wants.
Did he ever push your boundaries,
make you do something
you didn't wanna do?
- No.
- Because we know about his history.
We know about what
happened with Angela.
Angela's an unreliable
narrator, okay?
She made Adam feel
like he was a monster.
A monster?
'Cause you see him that way?
I'm married to him.
Okay, well, what about, um
What about Nora?
Is she a storyteller?
Adam did not attack Nora.
What do you think of Nora?
Nora's a friend.
She's like family.
She's
She's godmother to one of my kids.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
What's going on, Sophie?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
I was awake when Adam got into bed.
I was also awake when he left,
ten minutes later.
I guess he thought I
was asleep by then.
You can't be serious.
No, you don't you
don't need to cuff me.
This is not this is crazy.
No, guys, guys, guys.
Preston, come on, say something.
Come on.
You have to know I didn't
Soph, Soph!
What did you tell them?
♪
I didn't hurt Nora.
And you didn't hurt Angela either.
She wouldn't say that,
and neither would Nora.
Maybe not right now, but
that's what evidence is for.
So there's DNA in Nora's rape kit,
and I'm betting that
yours is gonna be a match.
I'm guessing that you think so too.
So, Adam, you have two options.
You can consent to a swab,
or, we can wait for a court order.
It's your choice.
- I'll do the swab.
- Great.
Wait, wait, wait. Please stop.
This is just
God, this is so out of control.
I don't
All right.
You're not gonna believe me,
but I have to say something.
Okay.
Nora and I,
we slept together last night.
Wow.
While your wife was in the house?
Yeah, I know.
But you have to believe me,
- it was consensual.
- Mm-hmm.
Look,
I-I snuck into Nora's room
when everyone went to sleep.
And, I mean, we
we haven't had a
chance to talk about it.
And you're betting that,
- she doesn't remember?
- No, no, no, no.
I, like
I think she remembers.
I
I hope she remembers.
But, it's been a long time coming,
and, we both knew exactly
what we were doing.
Just talk
Please talk
Talk to Nora.
Ask her.
Please.
Okay.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Oh, my God, this is
gonna ruin our lives.
This is gonna ruin our marriages.
Sophie's my best friend.
[SIGHS]
Our kids love each other so much.
What we did was wrong. I know that.
But I just don't
I don't get why he told you.
He promised.
I think he broke your promise
because he was gonna be
charged with sexual assault.
Adam didn't assault me.
Okay.
I'm sorry.
I'm just really embarrassed.
You guys probably
think I'm a train wreck.
We're not here to judge you.
We're here to get justice for you.
But the only way that we can do that
is if you tell us the
truth, Nora, all of it.
So, do you remember Adam
leaving your room last night?
Yeah.
I guess, like, 3:00 a.m.
- Mm-hmm.
- 3:00.
Okay.
And then what?
I, um, I got the spins,
and I know I wanted
water from the kitchen.
I don't know if I made it.
I
That's all I remember.
Because your rape kit
shows internal injuries,
and that could be from your assault,
or, it could also be from
your encounter with Adam,
especially if it was rough or
Oh, my God, no.
No. No, no, no, no.
Nothing like that.
We were
We were really quiet
Gentle.
And Nora, even if we can clear Adam,
right, there are three
other men in that house.
Is there anything you can tell us?
I keep thinking over everything else.
I've known these people for 20 years.
They're uncles to my kids.
And one night, and now I feel
like I don't know any of them.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
♪
[LINE RINGING]
[PHONE BUZZING]
Hey, Curry, what's up?
You're not going to like this.
Preston's gone.
Snuck out the back
like I wouldn't notice.
I've got unis tailing him.
You want me to pull him in?
No, no.
I'm very interested to see
where Preston is heading.
Hey, Preston.
Are you skipping town?
No, uh
I'm just taking a trip.
Looks like they're ready for me.
Hey, unless you want
that trip to be to the hospital,
put your hands where we
can see them and stop moving.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Listen, a family friend
owns this chopper.
Can we just keep this low key?
It's up to you.
Let's go, man.
Come on.
♪
Massachusetts, huh?
- Running to Mom and Dad?
- No.
We used to have a summer
place up near Hyannis Port.
Sold it.
Let me guess, 15 years ago?
Poked around after we
saw where you were running.
The local paper up
there is a small outfit,
but they archive everything
they've ever published.
- It's not what you think.
- Accident 15 years ago,
your father's boat,
two people aboard, Kate Morton dead.
Only 20 years old.
But no police report ever filed.
No record of who was with her.
I think you ran from that girl too.
Mom and Dad bought you a
place in Paris the same year,
made all your problems disappear.
No, they made me disappear
[SCOFFS] To rehab, to Paris.
No internet, no phone.
For the family reputation, not for me.
Kate was my friend.
I tried to save her.
I really tried.
What happened to
Nora, an accident too?
I didn't hurt Nora, but
Nora did get hurt in my house,
and I was oblivious.
I walked into the
kitchen and I just lost it.
I couldn't stay there.
You couldn't save Kate 15 years ago,
but Nora's still here.
You can still help her.
Okay, look
I love Josh.
He's my best friend.
Like, out of all of them,
he's the only person
I think I'd be friends
with no matter what,
like if we met today.
Okay, what'd Josh do?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Asked me how much
Nora's ring was worth.
Mm.
Josh guessed maybe a few hundred,
but that Nora owed
him much more than that.
Nora's ring.
If anyone has it
Josh.
♪
[SCOFFS] What now?
Why are you back here?
Why do you think we're here, Josh?
You know, I can't help you
if you don't tell me what you want.
I'm good without your help.
I want you to consider
this an opportunity for you
to tell us the truth.
- About what?
- Nora's ring, dumbass.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
Keep it as some kind of sick trophy?
Again, I don't know
anything about that.
I need you to stand over here.
It's gonna take her a
minute to search this place.
I'm gonna start right here.
This your bag, yeah?
Yep.
Nothing sharp in here, right?
Nope.
What do you got
stuffed down in there?
Nothing.
Doesn't look like nothing.
The
Okay.
That's not mine.
That's
[SIGHS]
You can't prove that I
did this because I didn't.
- Is that a dare?
- No, it's a fact.
So either this is a mistake
or somebody's setting me up.
Then clear things up for me.
Start with the ring.
- I
- Don't lie.
We're past that.
So where is Nora's ring?
It's at my work.
Inside the mouth of a porcupine.
Look, I was gonna pawn it,
and then I found out about
what happened to Nora.
But I did not take it as
some, like, creepy trophy.
Yeah, I don't believe you.
Well, you should, because
Nora owes me money.
Oh?
No, that's not what
Ugh.
Okay, look.
Three years ago, she told me
she was starting her own business.
Okay, she needed a way to,
like, get out of her marriage.
So I gave her $2,000.
I didn't know that her "business"
was selling essential oils.
So instead of paying me back,
I've been watching her
sink any cash she does have
into a scam on Instagram every day.
It's infuriating.
So you and Nora fought about
that the day she was assaulted?
It wasn't a fight. It
was a reality check.
Look, I told Nora if she
wants to pay me back,
she needs to get a real job.
- Nice approach.
- So I'm direct.
Yeah, I tell the truth.
Look, that is why you
have to believe me.
I did not hurt Nora.
- No, you just steal from her.
- Oh, my God.
She left the ring on
the bathroom sink.
Probably would have gone
down the drain anyway.
So yeah, I took it.
I just
I didn't mention it to you because,
I knew it would look bad.
It does.
And so does the bloody shirt.
Oh, my God.
That is not mine.
It's small.
It'd be like a crop top on me.
Okay
Then who put it in there?
- How should I know?
- Think!
Where did you leave it?
[TENSE MUSIC]
My bag was by the
front door all night.
Anyone could have gotten into it.
Great.
Thanks, Carisi.
So the court orders for DNA
for Josh, Ryan, and Preston
will be in momentarily.
Lab paperwork's in.
We'll get the swabs.
- We'll have an answer by morning.
- Great.
Might not have to wait
till tomorrow morning.
Got a bar code here.
That's how the dry cleaners
keep track of their stuff.
Anything?
24 Hour Elm Street Cleaners.
Okay.
- It's on Long Island.
- Boom.
We got our guy.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Hey, funny timing.
Was just thinking about you.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
You know, I mean, I've
been loving this little vacay.
Can't remember feeling so rested.
But I'm catching the train back
out to Long Island tomorrow.
Wifey's expecting me.
Ryan, come on.
You really think you're
going home tomorrow?
I do.
You can't keep me here.
- I mean, you'd have to
- Arrest you?
That's funny timing. I was
just thinking about that.
Hands where I can see them.
- Let's go.
- No.
- Yeah.
- What? What
What the hell?
You guys have the wrong guy.
You
What, this is a mistake!
Ryan, hey.
So I'm Captain Benson.
Uh, before we get started,
do you need anything?
You need water or anything like that?
Is this you playing good cop?
Well, for that strategy to work,
there'd have to be a bad
cop, too, and it's just me, so no.
Um, anyway, listen, I've been
out of the office for a few days,
so I am playing catchup,
which is the worst.
So I just need you to bear
with me for a minute here, um.
Sorry, I can't
My eyesight is going.
All right.
So what do we have here?
Um, I need you to help
me understand, Ryan.
So Nora, she blacked out at 3:00 a.m.
And your shirt, which
had Nora's blood on it,
was found in Josh's backpack.
How did that happen?
I have no clue.
You're saying it was my shirt?
- It doesn't mean I was wearing it.
- Oh, okay.
Well, fair enough.
That's true.
So, um
Maybe we'll find
somebody else's DNA on it
other than yours and Nora's.
Oh, and sorry, you should
know that we are searching
the room again at Preston's.
So if there's any
reason that we would find
Nora's blood on your
clothes or, you know,
a towel or your bed,
then you should tell me now.
I saw Nora briefly
after I said I was in bed.
Oh, you lied about that.
Well, why?
I was protecting myself,
because I'm innocent,
- and I saw what was happening.
- Okay.
All right, so let
Clean slate here, okay?
Let's, let's start over.
'Cause as I said, 'cause
I'm new to all of this,
and the reason that
I'm here is to listen, right,
to find out what really happened.
So, can you tell me that?
Okay.
Uh
I went for a snack in the kitchen.
- Mm-hmm.
- Um, guess I scared Nora.
She slipped, hit her head.
So I helped her, like always.
Oh, okay.
So, you touched her?
That's, that's how you got
her blood on your shirt?
So it's your shirt?
Yeah, I talked to her, I held her.
Well, it sounds like Nora
was lucky that you were there.
Yeah, I mean, that's our
relationship in a nutshell.
You know, Nora has a
problem, I swoop in and fix it.
And, you know, I'm
basically her therapist.
You sound like a very good friend.
I mean, wow, especially
after all these years.
Well, less in the last
few years, you know.
She's probably going to
see a real therapist finally.
But before this weekend,
she was at it again,
texting saying she missed me.
The relationship sounds like a lot.
It sounds like it's very demanding.
It's a toll I'm willing to pay.
Why?
Is it because you think she
owes you something in return?
Hey,
I see what you're doing.
What?
You completely ignore
the nuance of my very
- complicated situation.
- All right.
Sorry.
Hold on.
Let's start again.
I'm sorry.
What
I missed something.
I
What did I misunderstand?
- Tell me.
- Context.
Nora and I have a long shared history.
You can't understand
it in only a few days.
Ryan, the only thing
that I need to understand
is, what happened
between the hours of
3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Did
Did Nora ask you to have sex with her?
I won't be saying
anything like that out loud,
Captain Benson.
Okay.
So, Ryan, I'm gonna
I'm gonna be straight with you.
I think that the reason that Nora
sort of pulled away from you,
has something to do with Adam.
Nora and Adam
had sex last night at Preston's house.
Nice try.
- No, they didn't.
- Yes, they did.
- Sophie was there.
- Mm-hmm.
And from what I hear,
she wasn't too happy.
♪
Adam.
Adam, really?
Oh, he's always
skated by on his looks,
because he has
nothing better to offer.
I mean, what advice
could Adam offer Nora?
Tell me.
Tell her what football game to bet on.
You feel betrayed by her.
Anyone would be.
Oh, Jesus Christ, man.
All those
All those
All those vapid books
I read over the years
and all those phone calls.
All those phone calls that we
We spent hours talking.
We spent hours talking.
Nora used me.
Well, she told me she wanted me.
Day after day, for years,
one way or another, I know she did.
And then she had the audacity.
She got all upset
when she actually got what
she's been pretending to want.
♪
Come on.
Do you get it now?
How unfair it is?
All my effort for sloppy seconds.
Ryan, I don't know.
I'm not really seeing, you
know, the good guy here.
What I'm seeing is, um
Is a delusional guy.
Who thinks that Nora
finally wanted to be with him.
So he brought condoms,
not for your wife.
You made your move on Nora,
and she rejected you.
She pushed you away,
and she hit her head,
and your ego got hurt.
So you raped her,
and then you left
her on the cold floor.
You put your shirt in Josh's backpack
to get it out of the house.
And the condom,
you flushed it down the toilet.
Am I getting the nuance now?
♪
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.
Hello?
Anybody up yet?
I got the goods.
I got bagels
and cream cheese and lox.
Oh.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
♪
Oh, oh!
Oh, my
Oh, my God, Nora.
Nora?
Nora?
Oh, my God, are you okay?
Nora?
Somebody help!
Come down here, guys!
- What's happening?
- It's okay.
Call 911!
Call 911!
Honey, it's okay. I'm here.
I'm here.
Don't move, don't move,
don't move, don't move.
So when do you
think you'll be cleared?
Probably next month, technically.
We'll see if the DEA actually
wants me or if I want them.
Well, find out if they
have any openings.
- You don't have to go back, you know.
- [SCOFFS]
Well, if you're suggesting
that I should retire,
I'm gonna puncture your other lung.
I'm not saying anything.
I'm just giving you your own advice.
You gotta go where
you're doing the most good.
Is SVU still that place for you?
You know, Joe, for
the first time in my life
I don't know anymore.
Did the union lawyer file an appeal?
Yeah, he did a couple of days ago.
So I haven't
I haven't heard much,
but I'll follow up.
Eventually.
Look, Tynan is strategic.
She wouldn't have
suspended me if she didn't think
that she could see it through.
Thinking and knowing
are two very different things.
Especially when you're going
up against Captain Olivia Benson.
But first, you have to
get back in the fight.
It's not the worst pep talk.
I try.
Rollins.
- So you're just back?
- Yeah.
Reassigned to SVU as of this morning.
I mean, I'm thrilled, but it's
It's weird, right?
No explanation?
Well, my gut is saying Griff
had something to do with it.
Why do I feel like
there's gonna be a catch?
Cimino.
Captain.
Friend found Nora
Pontius in here at 7:35 a.m.
Cracked her head here on the counter.
She reported pain that was
consistent with sexual assault.
- The victim stable?
- With paramedics.
They'll take her to the hospital
for her rape kit and some stitches.
She also reported a ring stolen.
All right, that's good work, Cimino.
- How many people are in the house?
- Five.
One with the victim, and we're holding
everyone upstairs while we
lock down the crime scene.
- Everybody was here overnight?
- Yeah.
All asleep when it happened.
Lot going on in this place.
Welcome back, Curry.
Thanks. You too.
Yeah, not how I wanted it, but yeah.
Tynan made him
acting SVU supervisor.
Oh, wow.
Not my idea of a good
time, but here we are.
Any sign of forced entry?
Well, there's bars on
all these kitchen windows.
I've checked.
They're all locked from the inside.
Everybody in the
house stays on the radar
till we have a reason
to take them off.
Did the victim get a
look at the attacker?
Well, she talked
to officers outside,
and she can't remember anything,
she's pretty upset.
Okay, Rollins, talk to her.
See if you can get
her to open up a bit.
Curry and I will talk
to the hangover crew.
Mm-hmm.
Supervisor Tutuola
looks good on him.
Just don't tell him that.
Nora, can you tell me what
happened to you last night?
We were all drinking.
A group of friends from college.
It was our
It was our 20 year college reunion.
Columbia.
It was a special occasion.
We had a lot of alcohol.
More than usual.
I was so drunk, so tired.
I just passed out on my bed.
Is that the last thing you remember?
Yes.
Until I woke up to
Angela screaming and
Blood everywhere,
pain between my legs.
No idea how I got there.
And they
They told me
that you're missing a ring?
My grandma's.
Gold with a little diamond,
and it's not worth much.
When was the last time you saw it?
I was wearing it last
night, but when I woke up
in the kitchen, it was gone.
Hello. I'm Sergeant Tutuola, SVU.
This is Captain Curry.
You all were here last night
when Nora was attacked?
Yeah, asleep till I woke
up to Angela screaming.
We bolted out of bed.
I did, at least.
I think you were still half drunk.
- I was right behind you, Soph.
- Same here.
Ran into Preston in the hallway.
I headed downstairs to
see what was going on.
Everyone was asleep all night?
No one got up?
No runs to the bathroom, nothing?
My head hit the pillow, I was out.
Preston Winthrop,
this is your place?
Uh, yeah, kind of.
It's a family home, so.
You own the house, Presto.
It's yours.
It feels weird, but yeah.
What kind of security
do you have here?
Uh, not sure, really.
I call a guy when it
won't stop beeping.
- Did you wanna see?
- Yeah.
Okay, so there
was a party last night.
Did anybody get too messed
up, you know, act out of character?
No, it was sick.
Best night in years, maybe ever.
You seem to disagree, Sophie.
No, I mean, it was fine.
It wasn't a party.
Just seven people,
some who still drink
like they're in a frat.
Seven?
They told me it was
Ryan, Preston, Adam,
Sophie, Angela, and Nora.
That's six.
- You're missing Josh.
- Who's Josh?
One of us.
Old college crew.
He went to bed with the rest of us.
Gone when we woke up, though.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
What's up?
Bleach.
This patch right here, spotless.
And then look at this.
You see that?
- It's a shoe print.
- Yeah, at least part of one.
So somebody messed
with this crime scene.
Hey, so there are no
cameras on the security system,
but, sensors document
whenever windows or doors open.
Last night, nothing
opened after 10:00 p.m.
Today, the front door
opened three times.
- 5:00 a.m
- 5:00 a.m., I bet that's Josh.
- The hell's Josh?
- Another one of these clowns.
Left before everybody woke up.
- There's a suspect.
- CURRY: But not our only suspect,
because Angela's bagel run accounts
for the other two times
that the door opened.
No one else came or left this house.
Nora's attacker didn't break in.
It's one of her friends.
Okay, listen up, everybody.
Shoes off.
Hand them over.
Okay?
Not just the shoes on your feet.
I want every shoe in this house.
Well, I have, like, 50 pairs.
I only have two.
How are we supposed
to go out without shoes?
You're not.
Clear your schedule.
Order in.
No one leaves this house.
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
Testable DNA on Nora's
rape kit, likely from one suspect.
You got that already?
Just the initial report.
I waited at the
hospital, drove Nora's kit
to the medical examiner, and I begged.
Okay, we gotta move on this fast.
Suspects agreed to stay in the house,
- but you know that won't last.
- Yeah.
Adam, Ryan, Preston,
- and Josh.
- Track him down?
I have his address at
his home and his work.
Huh.
- Hi.
- Hello.
- You're back?
- Well, uh, for now.
So the suspension is stayed.
Hearing is gonna be in about 30 days.
And the union lawyer
thinks there's a good chance
that this will go away.
Is there a national holiday
that I don't know about?
Well, Bruno is still
out on trial testimony,
and Griff is at a
firearms training refresh.
Okay.
Acting supervisor,
this is your meeting.
- [CHUCKLES]
- Actually,
the view from here is kind of nice,
so you take the lead on this, Fin,
and I'll be your right hand.
Okay.
CSU got a partial shoe
print from the crime scene.
They're comparing it against
the other shoes we collected,
but we still have to
put Josh in the mix.
Oh, the warrant for
his place just came in.
Okay, you go to his apartment.
I'll see if he's still at work.
- Nora's still at the hospital.
- Okay.
Break the news to
her about our suspects.
Her relationship with these
guys might give us something.
On it, boss.
Nora, I'm Captain Benson
from the Special Victims Unit.
I was hoping we
could talk a little bit,
I could ask you a few questions.
Sure.
So, um,
I understand that you
met this crew in college?
That's so great.
It's so great that
you're all still friends.
Yeah, we were all in
the same freshman dorm.
They broke us into groups
for stupid little icebreakers.
Ohw.
My group just ended up being
one of the best parts of
my life for the past 20 years.
So, Nora, my team and I
have been trying to piece together
what happened to you, and
And what we found is, it's, um
It's unlikely that anybody
broke into the house
during the time frame of your attack.
But
But that doesn't make any sense.
Is it possible, that maybe it
was one of the men in the house
that did this to you?
No.
No, it's not possible.
I'm sorry, Nora.
So how about we start with
you telling me about
your day yesterday?
Uh, I went to Pilates
with Sophie and Angela.
When we got back, Preston
had ordered in brunch.
Anything stick out about brunch?
Any strange interactions?
Adam told me about
his new promotion.
I don't
I don't really understand
his job in big tech.
Then we went to a reunion event and
Ryan and I chatted about his new baby.
He's like a whole suburban dad now.
We're really close.
It's easy to talk to each other.
Oh, Preston cornered me at one point,
talking about his newfound life goal,
opening a bar.
And what about
What about Josh?
Oh, yeah, um
Josh and I talked a lot
at dinner, I just forgot.
And what'd you talk about?
Um, my work.
Yeah, Josh is
He can be a little harsh.
We
Sort of fought.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
Josh Ortega?
Yeah.
Sergeant Tutuola, SVU.
I need you to account
for your whereabouts
between 2:00 and
5:00 a.m. this morning.
Why are you asking me?
Just answer the questions
and make this easy.
I
I don't know, I was asleep.
I mean, look, I was
partying with some friends.
I had too much to drink.
I passed out on my
friend Preston's couch,
set my alarm for 5:00,
went home, showered, and came here.
Where's that couch?
It's downstairs, towards
the front of the house.
Were you wearing those shoes?
Yeah, I'm a minimalist, you know.
No one needs more than four pairs.
Well, I'm gonna need
you to take those off.
I got the other three
pair from your apartment.
[SCOFFS]
- You got a warrant?
- What do you think?
I don't know what to think.
You haven't told me
anything of substance.
And you haven't even
asked me what this is all about.
[SCOFFS]
Nora Pontius was
sexually assaulted last night.
What?
Whoa.
Wait, hold on.
I-I would never hurt
Nora. We're friends.
Yeah, you're gonna have to
do better trying to convince me,
considering I know you
and her had a fight last night.
What?
Who told you that?
- That's not important.
- Uh, very important.
You're accusing me
of something horrible.
So is was one of my
friends, apparently.
You know, whoever told you
about some irrelevant argument
between me and Nora
is probably your guy.
Deflecting, pointing fingers.
Okay, you're me.
You're looking at this house.
Who would you bet on?
Take your pick, man.
Look, Adam doesn't
understand the word no.
Ryan's, like, in love with Nora.
And Preston's an, I don't
know, unpredictable drug addict.
If anyone assaulted Nora
in that house, it is Preston,
it is Ryan, or it is Adam, period.
But you already took our shoes.
None of the shoes matched
the prints from the crime scene.
Which means someone
here is lying to us.
You look nervous there, Preston.
- Yeah, I'm overwhelmed.
- Hmm.
This whole situation,
everybody at my house.
Friends stay at your place a lot?
It's the first time.
Nora was the one who pushed for it.
She wanted us all together.
My house just made sense.
Look, I didn't hurt Nora.
- We're friends.
- I get it, you're all friends.
Yeah.
Excuse me?
Yes, hi. You
Please do not touch that.
That shouldn't be touched.
You know, I love these old houses.
It's a bunch of small spaces
we don't have use for anymore, right?
Like servants' quarters
and dumbwaiters.
[TAPS]
You gonna open up
your little secret room
or am I finding a sledgehammer?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
Whoa.
Lot going on in here, Presto.
You should know the BDSM
community is all about consent.
- Wait out there.
- You
Back.
♪
- These are all prescribed.
- Mm-hmm.
Look, I just, I didn't
want everyone to see
all the stuff it takes to
make me feel normal.
♪
Look, I
I didn't even know that I
stepped in blood until
Not until you asked me for the shoes.
Look, we were just having a good time.
What's having a good time?
Cocaine.
How much cocaine
did you do last night?
[SIGHS]
A little.
It was just to be a good host.
I
Ryan is a new dad.
He said he wanted to
party like the old days.
And did he?
Yeah, he
He did enough he couldn't blink.
Ry was all gas, no brakes.
Well, we all drank too much
and, yeah, did some cocaine,
but that was just a few lines each.
Nothing crazy.
Even, uh, Preston?
Yeah, it was a bit concerning.
He's supposed to be in recovery.
- Nobody tried to stop him?
- No.
It's complicated.
Preston gets upset if
people tell him what to do.
Mm.
Planning on getting
lucky this weekend?
With my wife, Liz.
Child care fell through last minute.
She doesn't like birth control,
and I'm not ready to be a dad again.
Right.
I'm serious.
I didn't wanna come without Liz.
She and Nora conspired to get me here.
Are your wife and Nora close?
They are.
Yeah, Liz isn't the jealous type,
which is lucky, because Nora and I
It's just always been
an easy friendship.
Ever see yourself
as more than friends?
No, just friends.
- Good friends.
- Hmm.
Well, you know, uh, lying to me
is not a great idea, Ryan.
I had a crush on
Nora for, like, a week
when we first met.
I don't feel that way about her.
Because Josh's
perspective is a little different.
He says you are in love with Nora.
Well, he would say that.
- He would?
- Mm-hmm.
I thought you all were
supposed to be good friends.
Honestly, I don't even
think Josh has any real friends.
But if he does,
- they're not women.
- What about Angela and Nora?
Look, there are women
Josh is into sexually
who act how Josh thinks they should,
and then there's all other women,
who he doesn't respect or value.
And what category is Nora?
Not sure, but I definitely know
what Josh thinks about Angela.
Why is that?
Josh blamed Angela for her
own assault back in college.
You should talk to Angela about it.
Actually, talk to Adam too.
It's their story, not mine.
That is ancient history.
Okay, but when you heard
about what happened with Nora,
I mean, did a part of
you think that maybe
- Adam could have
- No, no.
No, I have moved on.
I have completely
moved on, and I'm over it.
It's so long ago.
I understand, but I'd still
like to hear what happened.
Okay, um.
Okay, it was the
middle of freshman year,
and, um, I hooked up with Adam.
I was immature, you know,
and, he had a lot more experience
than I did, and I
I knew how far I wanted to go.
Neither of us had much experience.
Look, Angela said she
didn't wanna have sex,
unless she was in a relationship,
but, she was different
once we were hooking up.
Different how?
I asked her if she still
didn't wanna have sex,
and she
She just unbuttoned her pants.
What was I supposed to think?
I said no a million times.
He forgot every ten seconds.
Eventually, I got tired
and I stopped trying.
You know, it took months
for me to admit that
he had crossed a line.
But I told Nora, and Nora told Ryan,
and he stood by both of us.
So you're saying
she's making all this up?
I'm saying Angela made a decision,
and then afterwards, she
wished that she hadn't.
I've heard that one before.
I'm sure I did something
stupid that night,
just not, like
Sexual assault?
[TENSE MUSIC]
Look, my wife can vouch for me.
We were together in
bed the whole night.
They were sloppy,
reminiscing the same
20 stories over and over,
so, I left around midnight.
What time did Adam come to bed?
A few hours later.
He was loud.
I was trying to sleep, unsuccessfully.
Well, he said that
he was next to you
the rest of the night.
That true?
Yes.
I don't get the feeling
that you're having
the best time here, Sophie.
It's not my reunion.
I went to Stanford.
Long way to travel for
a school you didn't attend
to spend time with people
you don't really seem to like.
Unless you flew all the way
from San Francisco to New York,
just to keep an eye on your husband.
[SCOFFS]
No point.
Adam does whatever he
wants, whenever he wants.
Did he ever push your boundaries,
make you do something
you didn't wanna do?
- No.
- Because we know about his history.
We know about what
happened with Angela.
Angela's an unreliable
narrator, okay?
She made Adam feel
like he was a monster.
A monster?
'Cause you see him that way?
I'm married to him.
Okay, well, what about, um
What about Nora?
Is she a storyteller?
Adam did not attack Nora.
What do you think of Nora?
Nora's a friend.
She's like family.
She's
She's godmother to one of my kids.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
What's going on, Sophie?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
I was awake when Adam got into bed.
I was also awake when he left,
ten minutes later.
I guess he thought I
was asleep by then.
You can't be serious.
No, you don't you
don't need to cuff me.
This is not this is crazy.
No, guys, guys, guys.
Preston, come on, say something.
Come on.
You have to know I didn't
Soph, Soph!
What did you tell them?
♪
I didn't hurt Nora.
And you didn't hurt Angela either.
She wouldn't say that,
and neither would Nora.
Maybe not right now, but
that's what evidence is for.
So there's DNA in Nora's rape kit,
and I'm betting that
yours is gonna be a match.
I'm guessing that you think so too.
So, Adam, you have two options.
You can consent to a swab,
or, we can wait for a court order.
It's your choice.
- I'll do the swab.
- Great.
Wait, wait, wait. Please stop.
This is just
God, this is so out of control.
I don't
All right.
You're not gonna believe me,
but I have to say something.
Okay.
Nora and I,
we slept together last night.
Wow.
While your wife was in the house?
Yeah, I know.
But you have to believe me,
- it was consensual.
- Mm-hmm.
Look,
I-I snuck into Nora's room
when everyone went to sleep.
And, I mean, we
we haven't had a
chance to talk about it.
And you're betting that,
- she doesn't remember?
- No, no, no, no.
I, like
I think she remembers.
I
I hope she remembers.
But, it's been a long time coming,
and, we both knew exactly
what we were doing.
Just talk
Please talk
Talk to Nora.
Ask her.
Please.
Okay.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Oh, my God, this is
gonna ruin our lives.
This is gonna ruin our marriages.
Sophie's my best friend.
[SIGHS]
Our kids love each other so much.
What we did was wrong. I know that.
But I just don't
I don't get why he told you.
He promised.
I think he broke your promise
because he was gonna be
charged with sexual assault.
Adam didn't assault me.
Okay.
I'm sorry.
I'm just really embarrassed.
You guys probably
think I'm a train wreck.
We're not here to judge you.
We're here to get justice for you.
But the only way that we can do that
is if you tell us the
truth, Nora, all of it.
So, do you remember Adam
leaving your room last night?
Yeah.
I guess, like, 3:00 a.m.
- Mm-hmm.
- 3:00.
Okay.
And then what?
I, um, I got the spins,
and I know I wanted
water from the kitchen.
I don't know if I made it.
I
That's all I remember.
Because your rape kit
shows internal injuries,
and that could be from your assault,
or, it could also be from
your encounter with Adam,
especially if it was rough or
Oh, my God, no.
No. No, no, no, no.
Nothing like that.
We were
We were really quiet
Gentle.
And Nora, even if we can clear Adam,
right, there are three
other men in that house.
Is there anything you can tell us?
I keep thinking over everything else.
I've known these people for 20 years.
They're uncles to my kids.
And one night, and now I feel
like I don't know any of them.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
♪
[LINE RINGING]
[PHONE BUZZING]
Hey, Curry, what's up?
You're not going to like this.
Preston's gone.
Snuck out the back
like I wouldn't notice.
I've got unis tailing him.
You want me to pull him in?
No, no.
I'm very interested to see
where Preston is heading.
Hey, Preston.
Are you skipping town?
No, uh
I'm just taking a trip.
Looks like they're ready for me.
Hey, unless you want
that trip to be to the hospital,
put your hands where we
can see them and stop moving.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Listen, a family friend
owns this chopper.
Can we just keep this low key?
It's up to you.
Let's go, man.
Come on.
♪
Massachusetts, huh?
- Running to Mom and Dad?
- No.
We used to have a summer
place up near Hyannis Port.
Sold it.
Let me guess, 15 years ago?
Poked around after we
saw where you were running.
The local paper up
there is a small outfit,
but they archive everything
they've ever published.
- It's not what you think.
- Accident 15 years ago,
your father's boat,
two people aboard, Kate Morton dead.
Only 20 years old.
But no police report ever filed.
No record of who was with her.
I think you ran from that girl too.
Mom and Dad bought you a
place in Paris the same year,
made all your problems disappear.
No, they made me disappear
[SCOFFS] To rehab, to Paris.
No internet, no phone.
For the family reputation, not for me.
Kate was my friend.
I tried to save her.
I really tried.
What happened to
Nora, an accident too?
I didn't hurt Nora, but
Nora did get hurt in my house,
and I was oblivious.
I walked into the
kitchen and I just lost it.
I couldn't stay there.
You couldn't save Kate 15 years ago,
but Nora's still here.
You can still help her.
Okay, look
I love Josh.
He's my best friend.
Like, out of all of them,
he's the only person
I think I'd be friends
with no matter what,
like if we met today.
Okay, what'd Josh do?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Asked me how much
Nora's ring was worth.
Mm.
Josh guessed maybe a few hundred,
but that Nora owed
him much more than that.
Nora's ring.
If anyone has it
Josh.
♪
[SCOFFS] What now?
Why are you back here?
Why do you think we're here, Josh?
You know, I can't help you
if you don't tell me what you want.
I'm good without your help.
I want you to consider
this an opportunity for you
to tell us the truth.
- About what?
- Nora's ring, dumbass.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
Keep it as some kind of sick trophy?
Again, I don't know
anything about that.
I need you to stand over here.
It's gonna take her a
minute to search this place.
I'm gonna start right here.
This your bag, yeah?
Yep.
Nothing sharp in here, right?
Nope.
What do you got
stuffed down in there?
Nothing.
Doesn't look like nothing.
The
Okay.
That's not mine.
That's
[SIGHS]
You can't prove that I
did this because I didn't.
- Is that a dare?
- No, it's a fact.
So either this is a mistake
or somebody's setting me up.
Then clear things up for me.
Start with the ring.
- I
- Don't lie.
We're past that.
So where is Nora's ring?
It's at my work.
Inside the mouth of a porcupine.
Look, I was gonna pawn it,
and then I found out about
what happened to Nora.
But I did not take it as
some, like, creepy trophy.
Yeah, I don't believe you.
Well, you should, because
Nora owes me money.
Oh?
No, that's not what
Ugh.
Okay, look.
Three years ago, she told me
she was starting her own business.
Okay, she needed a way to,
like, get out of her marriage.
So I gave her $2,000.
I didn't know that her "business"
was selling essential oils.
So instead of paying me back,
I've been watching her
sink any cash she does have
into a scam on Instagram every day.
It's infuriating.
So you and Nora fought about
that the day she was assaulted?
It wasn't a fight. It
was a reality check.
Look, I told Nora if she
wants to pay me back,
she needs to get a real job.
- Nice approach.
- So I'm direct.
Yeah, I tell the truth.
Look, that is why you
have to believe me.
I did not hurt Nora.
- No, you just steal from her.
- Oh, my God.
She left the ring on
the bathroom sink.
Probably would have gone
down the drain anyway.
So yeah, I took it.
I just
I didn't mention it to you because,
I knew it would look bad.
It does.
And so does the bloody shirt.
Oh, my God.
That is not mine.
It's small.
It'd be like a crop top on me.
Okay
Then who put it in there?
- How should I know?
- Think!
Where did you leave it?
[TENSE MUSIC]
My bag was by the
front door all night.
Anyone could have gotten into it.
Great.
Thanks, Carisi.
So the court orders for DNA
for Josh, Ryan, and Preston
will be in momentarily.
Lab paperwork's in.
We'll get the swabs.
- We'll have an answer by morning.
- Great.
Might not have to wait
till tomorrow morning.
Got a bar code here.
That's how the dry cleaners
keep track of their stuff.
Anything?
24 Hour Elm Street Cleaners.
Okay.
- It's on Long Island.
- Boom.
We got our guy.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Hey, funny timing.
Was just thinking about you.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
You know, I mean, I've
been loving this little vacay.
Can't remember feeling so rested.
But I'm catching the train back
out to Long Island tomorrow.
Wifey's expecting me.
Ryan, come on.
You really think you're
going home tomorrow?
I do.
You can't keep me here.
- I mean, you'd have to
- Arrest you?
That's funny timing. I was
just thinking about that.
Hands where I can see them.
- Let's go.
- No.
- Yeah.
- What? What
What the hell?
You guys have the wrong guy.
You
What, this is a mistake!
Ryan, hey.
So I'm Captain Benson.
Uh, before we get started,
do you need anything?
You need water or anything like that?
Is this you playing good cop?
Well, for that strategy to work,
there'd have to be a bad
cop, too, and it's just me, so no.
Um, anyway, listen, I've been
out of the office for a few days,
so I am playing catchup,
which is the worst.
So I just need you to bear
with me for a minute here, um.
Sorry, I can't
My eyesight is going.
All right.
So what do we have here?
Um, I need you to help
me understand, Ryan.
So Nora, she blacked out at 3:00 a.m.
And your shirt, which
had Nora's blood on it,
was found in Josh's backpack.
How did that happen?
I have no clue.
You're saying it was my shirt?
- It doesn't mean I was wearing it.
- Oh, okay.
Well, fair enough.
That's true.
So, um
Maybe we'll find
somebody else's DNA on it
other than yours and Nora's.
Oh, and sorry, you should
know that we are searching
the room again at Preston's.
So if there's any
reason that we would find
Nora's blood on your
clothes or, you know,
a towel or your bed,
then you should tell me now.
I saw Nora briefly
after I said I was in bed.
Oh, you lied about that.
Well, why?
I was protecting myself,
because I'm innocent,
- and I saw what was happening.
- Okay.
All right, so let
Clean slate here, okay?
Let's, let's start over.
'Cause as I said, 'cause
I'm new to all of this,
and the reason that
I'm here is to listen, right,
to find out what really happened.
So, can you tell me that?
Okay.
Uh
I went for a snack in the kitchen.
- Mm-hmm.
- Um, guess I scared Nora.
She slipped, hit her head.
So I helped her, like always.
Oh, okay.
So, you touched her?
That's, that's how you got
her blood on your shirt?
So it's your shirt?
Yeah, I talked to her, I held her.
Well, it sounds like Nora
was lucky that you were there.
Yeah, I mean, that's our
relationship in a nutshell.
You know, Nora has a
problem, I swoop in and fix it.
And, you know, I'm
basically her therapist.
You sound like a very good friend.
I mean, wow, especially
after all these years.
Well, less in the last
few years, you know.
She's probably going to
see a real therapist finally.
But before this weekend,
she was at it again,
texting saying she missed me.
The relationship sounds like a lot.
It sounds like it's very demanding.
It's a toll I'm willing to pay.
Why?
Is it because you think she
owes you something in return?
Hey,
I see what you're doing.
What?
You completely ignore
the nuance of my very
- complicated situation.
- All right.
Sorry.
Hold on.
Let's start again.
I'm sorry.
What
I missed something.
I
What did I misunderstand?
- Tell me.
- Context.
Nora and I have a long shared history.
You can't understand
it in only a few days.
Ryan, the only thing
that I need to understand
is, what happened
between the hours of
3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Did
Did Nora ask you to have sex with her?
I won't be saying
anything like that out loud,
Captain Benson.
Okay.
So, Ryan, I'm gonna
I'm gonna be straight with you.
I think that the reason that Nora
sort of pulled away from you,
has something to do with Adam.
Nora and Adam
had sex last night at Preston's house.
Nice try.
- No, they didn't.
- Yes, they did.
- Sophie was there.
- Mm-hmm.
And from what I hear,
she wasn't too happy.
♪
Adam.
Adam, really?
Oh, he's always
skated by on his looks,
because he has
nothing better to offer.
I mean, what advice
could Adam offer Nora?
Tell me.
Tell her what football game to bet on.
You feel betrayed by her.
Anyone would be.
Oh, Jesus Christ, man.
All those
All those
All those vapid books
I read over the years
and all those phone calls.
All those phone calls that we
We spent hours talking.
We spent hours talking.
Nora used me.
Well, she told me she wanted me.
Day after day, for years,
one way or another, I know she did.
And then she had the audacity.
She got all upset
when she actually got what
she's been pretending to want.
♪
Come on.
Do you get it now?
How unfair it is?
All my effort for sloppy seconds.
Ryan, I don't know.
I'm not really seeing, you
know, the good guy here.
What I'm seeing is, um
Is a delusional guy.
Who thinks that Nora
finally wanted to be with him.
So he brought condoms,
not for your wife.
You made your move on Nora,
and she rejected you.
She pushed you away,
and she hit her head,
and your ego got hurt.
So you raped her,
and then you left
her on the cold floor.
You put your shirt in Josh's backpack
to get it out of the house.
And the condom,
you flushed it down the toilet.
Am I getting the nuance now?
♪