| "Shadow" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 11.12 | → |
| Production number: 11012 First aired: 13 January 2010 | ||
 | ||
| Written By Amanda Green Directed By Amy Redford | ||
Summary
A wealthy couple is found murdered, and their daughter claims she's being stalked by a mysterious man. The stalker turns out to be a Special Frauds detective who pegs the daughter as a suspect in her parents' murder.
Plot
Wealthy couple the Gillettes are found dead, the apparent victims of a murder-suicide perpetrated by the husband. Their only daughter, Anne, is understandably upset. However, Cragen discovers that the crime was a homicide. The detectives have to tread carefully, since the couple had generously donated to a police charity as well as to the mayor and to the D.A. The detectives note that the security system for the Gillettes' house was turned off, so that a break-in wouldn't be noticed.
Anne seems relieved to find out that her father didn't kill her mother and then himself. She suggests that a burglar must have killed them, but because the crime was so brutal, there must be some personal vendetta against them. Anne recalls that there is a man she noticed who has been stalking her.
After tracking Anne's movements through an art gallery where she bought art, and a jewelry store, the detectives discover the identity of the man following her. The man, Ashok Ramsey, is in actually a detective investigating Anne for fraud. This suggests that Anne is the true suspect. Ramsey is on a "shadow" operation, where his C.O. will deny that Ramsey is working this case. Anne spent through her trust fund from her parents and she has stolen millions of dollars from a charitable organization called the Prestwick Foundation. Ramsey suspects that Anne killed her parents for the money, since she is their sole heir.
Ramsey explains that Anne has evaded paying taxes and has been sued various times for her work as an interior designer. She had stolen money from the Prestwick Foundation, making donations to recipients which turned out to be for her. She has an accomplice, but Ramsey hasn't been able to identify him.
Nigel Prestwick and Chief of Detectives Muldrew order the Prestwick investigation closed, since the money has already been replaced, and it would be a P.R. nightmare if word of the incident got out. But the murder of the Gillettes is still an ongoing investigation, even if the Prestwick case is closed. Ramsey decides to work with Benson and Stabler in order to get Anne. They decide to keep up the story that Ramsey is Anne's stalker and bring him into the precinct. Benson informs Anne that they're finding it hard to link Ramsey to the crime scene. Anne suggests that one of her friends, Nathan Hartman, can help. However, she wants to make sure Nate wants to help out and asks to get in touch with him first. The detectives suspect that Nate is Anne's accomplice.
Benson and Stabler track Nate down and he confirms that he helped Anne steal the money, and that he thoroughly believed that Anne was in love with him. Cragen thinks there still isn't enough evidence to link Anne to the murders, so he tells them to get Anne on witness tampering charges for coaching Nate on what to say to the detectives. Anne is brought in during her parents' funeral. Dr. Huang says that Anne is a sociopath, so Benson should make sure she is comfortable. Muldrew then comes in and tells Cragen that they should not have brought Anne in. Huang informs Muldrew that Anne shouldn't be out wandering around because she is dangerous.
Anne asks to speak with Ramsey in the interrogation room, and then tells him that she knew his mother and that they have a lot in common. Ramsey scoffs at that, because even though they both came from wealthy families, he doesn't want to murder his parents. Anne reminds Ramsey that his mother can be very seductive, which seems to affect him deeply.
Ramsey wonders whether it would be worth it to press charges, since she could easily post bail. It would be easiest to get Prestwick to make his charges, since he's weak and easily manipulated. Benson tells Prestwick to get down on his knees, and when he does, Ramsey takes a picture. Backed into a corner, Prestwick agrees to go ahead with the embezzlement charges.
Prosecutor from the US Attorney's office Camilla Velez is brought in. However, she is wary of taking the case since Anne's parents had been very generous donaters to many politicians. The detectives point out that if they're able to add in the murder of the Gillettes into the embezzlement case, Velez would have a very interesting case on her hands. She agrees to take the case. Stabler informs Anne that she's going to be arraigned on felony bank fraud and will be taken to Riker's Island. Anne tells Stabler that he isn't truly aware of what she's capable of doing to him and his family.
Later, Cragen tells Benson that Anne has put a hit out on her and Ramsey. Cragen then tells the detectives that he's taking them off the case because it's much too dangerous for them. Benson isn't about to let Anne scare her away and wants to work with Ramsey in order to take her down. Stabler is annoyed that Benson is working with Ramsey behind his back, but Benson says that he still has to go deal with Cragen.
Ramsey and Benson are at Riker's, ready to transport Anne to the federal prison before the trial. On the way, a van intercepts them and two masked men jump out of it. They shoot at Ramsey and Benson, who are both taken down. The masked men take Anne, who is delighted at this "rescue".
However, one of the masked men is Fin, and he takes Anne somewhere so he can collect the rest of his money. Not knowing that Fin is actually with SVU, Anne trusts him implicitly. Anne calls someone as the detectives listen in, and Anne confesses that she killed her mother because she was going to remove her name from the will. She had to kill her mother to protect her inheritance. She didn't want to kill her father as well, but she ended up having to. Fin and Anne arrive at the hotel, and then Benson, Stabler and Ramsey storm into the room. Fin arrests Anne, who claims that she will find a way to kill them all.
Cast
Main cast
- Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
- Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
- Richard Belzer as Sergeant John Munch (credit only)
- Ice-T as Detective Odafin Tutuola
- Stephanie March as A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot (credit only)
- B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang
- Tamara Tunie as M.E. Melinda Warner (credit only)
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
Recurring cast
- Jabari Gray as CSU Tech Keegan Timmons
- John Schuck as Chief of Detectives Muldrew
Guest cast
- Naveen Andrews as Detective Ashok Ramsey
- Valerie Cruz as U.S. Attorney Camila Cortez
- Dennis Boutsikaris as Nate Hartman
- Stuart Burney as Yancey Winthrop
- Mark La Mura as Jewelry Store Owner
- Nathan Lee Graham as Gallery Owner
- Edward Hibbert as Nigel Prestwick
- Sarah Paulson as Anne Gillette
- J E Brady as Mike
- Mark Havlis as Funeral Director
- Robert Langdon Lloyd as Reverend Fitzgerald
References
Special Frauds Unit; Sana Ramsey; England; London School of Economics; Washington Heights Children's Orchestra; Marquis De Sade;
Quotes
| “ | In the right inside pocket, you will find something of interest. | ” |
–Ramsey to Stabler | ||
| “ | Sometimes those needs are misunderstood - judged, unfairly, by society. On your knees, worm. Now! Get up. You owe me a new pair of boots. | ” |
–Benson traps Nigel Prestwick | ||
| “ | If you really believe I could do something like that to someone I love, what do you think I could do to someone you love? | ” |
–Anne Gillete about murdering her parents | ||
| “ | I know that men have needs. But when a wife can't fill those needs, men have to look elsewhere. | ” |
–Olivia Benson | ||
- Huang: Do you want me to use bigger words? Fine! She's a psychopath with extremely violent tendencies!
- Muldrew: Stop showing off! (sighs) Bring her down for murder, and I'll back your play. But screw the pooch, and I'm going to let The Crap roll downhill!
- Cragen: (after Muldrew leaves) They better crack her, or we're going to have a lot of shoveling to do.
information & notes
- This episode was originally scheduled to air on January 6, 2010. Executive producer Neal Baer Twittered the date change on December 17, 2009, while re-posting a bubble tweet, but gave no explanation.
- During the slide-show, the pictures used of Sarah Paulson are from her appearance in the Law & Order fifth season episode, "Family Values."
- Among the pictures on the credenza behind Ash Ramsey's desk at One P-P is a still of Bette Davis as Jane Hudson in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane.
- Fin's use of a submachine gun makes this the first episode in which a member of the main cast fires a weapon other than a pistol.
Episode scene cards
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Residence of |
All Grace Church |
Special Frauds Unit |
Residence of |
All Grace Church |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Prestwick Foundation |
United States |
Residence of |
Rikers Island |
| Previous episode: "Quickie" |
"Shadow" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 11 |
Next episode: "PC" |