Law & Order SVU “Did You Believe In Miracles” Recap, Review, Discussion

There were no miracles in Law & Order SVU “Did You Believe In Miracles”. But we did have a heavy dose of two clueless parents and a sexual predator who groomed their daughter under the guise of doing god’s work.    There is nothing worse than someone who preys on children, well, except for someone who uses religion to do it.   And this predator was an expert at it, setting up each parent separately for blackmail, all while he wormed his way into the heart of their young daughter.  Luckily the young son – who we only saw once and then he never appeared again – knew that something wasn’t quite right and mentioned it to a teacher.    This whole family will need some serious therapy, especially once the parents break the news to the daughter that they've tricked her into getting that pregnancy test AND  they are going to raise her baby as their own.  Her brother will likely  be lost in the shuffle  (who knows, he may turn up as a serial predator/rapist/pervert in a future episode). 

All this action was sandwiched between two scenes with Benson and her son Noah at the beginning and end of the episode, the latter where Noah gives his mom a collage of photos of them for Mother’s Day.  It was a sweet scene which gave Benson some happiness in her life, one usually filled with handling tragic special victims cases.  Rollins, however, doesn't get any Mother's Day recognition, well, except for the oblique reference  that one of her children is the daughter of Khaldun's boss (Murphy)!  Also at the end was a scene with Noah, and Benson and Stabler,  which sets up the Law & Order Organized Crime crossover episode, “Lost One”, which followed this episode.  

Detective Velasco was nowhere to be found in this episode, instead we had Sergeant Khaldun from Hate Crimes filling in.   (Velasco will surface in the following Law & Order Organized Crime crossover episode, “Lost One”.)

Here is the recap: 

At a restaurant, Benson, with Noah, watches some videos of him in a dance performance from the past, When Benson wants to look at other older ones, Noah grabs the tablet away from her so she can’t see anything else on his tablet.  She asks what’s going on and he says it is a surprise for a class project for Mother’s Day. 

At Hester Academy School on Monday, May 12, a young boy, Elijah, tells his teacher about his sister Beth going away. She left last Sunday and went someplace far, with Luke. He is not a relative but a grownup and his mom and dad said it was fine but doesn’t think she’s coming back. The teacher looks concerned. 

Later, Fin and Rollins and are talking with the teacher who said that Beth is sick with the flu. She explains her concerns. The parents say Luke is Elijah’s imaginary friend but she thinks something is off. 

At the apartment of Claire and Paul Lee on Monday, May 2, Fin and Rollins speak with the parents who call this a misunderstanding. Luke Davis is a trusted friend and they are on a mission upstate rebuilding homes for refugees.  They told the school she was sick and Luke was imaginary because they didn’t want her to be judged for missing a class for a church project. She is now in Bloomingburg,  the church runs a housing mission there.  They are staying at the mission with all the other kids. She is not allowed to have a cell phone but Luke texted a picture Sunday when they left and he said cell service would be spotty up there.  Rollins explains the school made a police report so they have to verify this. Paul says he has a number for the head of the mission  but he doesn’t always pick up and Claire says there is nothing to worry about; she’ll be back by Mothers Day.

Back at SVU they discuss the matter with Benson. The mission and the number for the guy running it is  legit but his mailbox is full. Fin says the number for Luke Davis is a burner and is turned off and going to voice mail. Benson states she will alert the state police  and tells Fin and Rollins to drive up to Bloomingburg and find her. 

Fin and Rollins arrive at the Two Echoes Church Volunteer site in Bloomingburg on Monday May 2.  The guy running the church explains why his mailbox is full. Luke and Beth were not there this past week, they  never made it up there and he thought it was COVID.  Fin suggests he call them and if he hears from them to let them know.  As Fin and Rollins walk off, Rollins asks what are they looking at, and Fin says nothing good. 

Benson and Fin speak with Claire and Paul to help find Beth.  Fin explains the numbers being a burner cell and usually that means there is something to hide.  The parents start to. Beth does have a laptop and Fin and Paul go look in the bedroom, Paul explains Paul was a songwriter and they always felt they could trust him.  Paul says Beth felt called to go and worries he wasn’t paying enough attention. 

Benson speaks with Claire about Luke and says he is a godly man. He has no email and lives in the neighborhood but admits she took a video at a birthday party that he didn’t know she was recording.

At SVU, Rollins brings some coffee to Sergeant Khaldun and thanks him for coming in so late.  He said the downside of the captains getting along, they  move them around like  chess pieces.  They discuss Luke Davis and Rollins gets a message from Benson with the video from Claire with Luke and Beth.  Khaldun says Luke didn’t find Jesus, he found Beth. 

At Two Echoes Church on Tuesday May 3,  Rollins and Khaldun speak with Pastor Daniel Adams and Molly, outside the church.  They say Luke texted them and everything is fine.  Luke joined three years ago and is active with teenage members.  They says they don’t have to worry, they did a thorough background check.  The woman encourages the pastor to tell the detectives something. 

Back at SVU, Benson and Rollins explain to Claire that Luke is really Nick Pierce.   He is the son of a wealthy family in Rhode Island who has no idea where Luke is and no way to track him.  Benson says he is not who he told them he was and didn’t take Beth where he told them he’d take them. They believe she has been kidnapped. 

Meanwhile, Fin and Khaldun  break the same news to Paul.  Pierce has been renting an apartment in Gramercy and police are tearing it apart.  They are checking rental car agencies.  Paul asks why did he take his daughter, 

Claire says Daniel and Molly told them that Nick was a good person and Rollins says Nick manipulated them and Beth says he also confided in her that he envied the kids at the church.  Benson says this man joined the church and changed his name and befriended his family because he targeted Beth the moment he saw her.  But Claire thinks he was targeting HER.   She says Paul can never know, she and Luke are very much in love. Benson looks  flabbergasted.

Later, Carisi is at SVU where he is told Claire and Nick had an affair for over a year. Benson says he was playing the long game: seducing the mother to get to the daughter.  Benson doesn’t think the parents are complicit.  They are home and Claire is telling Paul.  Rollins scanned the computer and there were lots of Bible references, Carisi thinks he was grooming her.  Fin adds he rented a car a week ago and police found it in an overnight lot in Middletown, the key was in the drop box.  Benson adds he hasn’t used the credit card since he rented the car and wonders if they are on foot or hitchhiking.  Khaldun finds  Purpose Music LLC in Rhode Island, Claire said Nick had Venmo’d he money from an old business account so maybe he Venmo’d somebody else.  Khaldun says he is looking but his account is private. Carisi states he will get a subpoena. 

At Seamore’s in Dumbo, Brooklyn on Tuesday May 3,  they speak with Nadine, who got $5,000 from Nick via Venmo 3 years ago. She says they were dating and she lost her job and offered to get a car so she could take her daughter to school. They explain the abduction and she says Ava was 12 and three of them were going to spend the summer at his cabin upstate but her ex wanted to Ava to spend the summer with him. The next day, Nick dumped her.  She guesses he wasn’t the one he wanted to spend his summer with.  Ava swore to her they just watched movies and cuddled, it was like he brainwashed her.  The cabin was remote near Tupper Lake, off Gentle Rain Drive. 

Meanwhile, Benson speaks with Paul and Claire who are working on forgiveness.  Benson explains the cabin and asks if he ever mentioned taking them there. They said no.  Benson explains Nick has been grooming Beth for years and despite what Benson says, Claire is in denial but Paul says he understands and just wants them to bring their daughter home. 

At the cabin of Abigail Pierce in Tupper Lake New York on Wednesday May 4, Fin, Rollins and Khaldun, with many police, surround the cabin then break in to find  Beth in bed.  Nick comes out with his hands up and with police having their guns drawn, Beth runs over to Nick, confused, saying his name is Luke.  Fin arrests him for kidnapping a minor and Nick tells Beth this is the devil in action, Rollins pulls Beth away as Fin reads Nick his rights.  Beth says Nick did not kidnap  her, it’s god’s will. 

Later, Benson and Rollins  are at the hospital and hear that Beth is not physically harmed but she will not agree to a rape kit. She refused a pregnancy test and as Beth is 14 it is the law that she can decide.  The doctor explained to force her is against the law.  They discuss whether she had sex and they explain the law about the rape kit and her age.   Claire is upset and they continue to explain why she can’t have the test. Paul thinks Claire is in denial and still protecting him, and she says god’s will is unknowable. 

In SVU interrogation with his lawyer, Carisi and Fin question Nick who seems to use the church and god’s will as driving his relationship with Beth.   Fin explains they know about Nadine and Ava and he says they were not part of god’s plan.  The lawyer says the parents approved and there is not crime.  Nick says Beth will give them the god’s honest truth. 

Benson and Rollins speak with Beth who wants to see Nick or go home.  When Rollins tries to connect with her about her brother Elijah, Beth says Rollins is trying to indoctrinate her and she gets argumentative.  Benson makes an excuse for Rollins to exit the room and tried to connect with Beth, making Bible references.  She says she and Luke are still “pure” and admits she loves him and he loves her, just not like her father.  Benson mentions getting married and Beth says she can’t tell her about that as Luke says no one will understand god’s truth that they will be judged.  Benson asks her to help her understand. Beth says Luke’s plan is god’s plan  and Jesus said he will come again and that day has come. 

With Carisi and Fin  out of interrogation, Benson says Nick has Beth thinking he is the second coming.  There is not rape kit or admission of sex.  Rollins says apparently she is better than talking to psychopaths than teenage girls.  Benson tells them all that Nick has gotten so deep into Beth’s head and asks Khaldun if they got anything from the cabin. He replies there were no contraceptives  or anything to show there has been sexual activity.  Fin adds they sent the bedding and the towels to the lab; they are still waiting on bodily fluids and DNA.  Carisi comments without a rape kit it isn’t probative anyway.  Khaldun says Nick was prepped for the long haul and had at last 3 months of food and medical supplies there.  Carisi asks about the parents and Rollins says the husband has more clarity on this.  Benson adds Claire thinks Luke can be redeemed. She appears still in love with him. Carisi thinks this will be a problem at trial, and Fin suggests they just keep him behind bars, even if  he can walk on water he can’t bend steel. 

At arraignment court Part 11 on Thursday May 5, Nick pleads not guilty.  The defense argues for ROR and then says Nick is the victim and took advantage of his search for spiritually to seduce him to a lifestyle with sexual deviants and says the Lee household was endangering Beth. Paul stands up and yells that is not true and the judge orders him to set down.  The defense attorney them states Paul forced him into demeaning sexual acts that left his client open to being blackmailed.  Claire looks back at Paul with shock. Paul shakes his head and the lawyer says he will be bringing a motion to drop the charges.  Carisi is dumbfounded and Paul looks terrified. 

Afterwards, in the hall,  Claire speaks with Carisi about Nick being on bail and the lawyer should force Nick to say that was a lie.  Carisi tells Rollins to take Claire off for coffee and he moves to speak with Nick in private. 

Rollins talks with Claire who thinks what Nick said was a lie and Paul is not gay. Paul admits to Carisi and Fin that there was one time when he and Nick got “loaded” and  it got intense and they hugged and then Nick put his hand on his leg and unzipped his pants.   He just went with it because it was easier than embarrassing him.  Nick swore he wasn’t gay but he just felt close to him and they agreed it was best not to tell anyone. It was a sin and they prayed.  Fin asks if it was just that one time, and Paul says maybe once or twice. Carisi looks frustrated. Paul asks if Claire has to know and Carisi says she will find out, anything a defendant has that can be used against you, they usually do. 

Back at SVU, Benson, Rollins and Khaldun discuss this latest wrinkle – that Nick used  both the mother and father as insurance in case he had to blackmail them.  Benson and Rollins explain he is a sophisticated predator and is obsessed and dangerous.  Khaldun asks that Carisi can still get a conviction for kidnapping but Rollins reminds him Beth won’t testify and the parents gave permission for him to take Beth.  Benson thinks he’s done this before and ask that there is a case with Nadine and Ava.  Rollins explains Nadine is willing to help hut Ava’s father is against it.  Benson wonders if it is a custody issue and thinks Nick knows how to pick his victims.

Meanwhile, Nick and his lawyer speak with Carisi about the “uncomfortable truths” and the lawyer threatens that the Lees will be  put on trial.  They try to get a lower charge and Nick says he wants to marry Beth if he gets her parents’ permission and it would keep them out of court. But Carisi isn’t having it and says they are not dropping the charges and looks forward to hearing what Nick thinks is best for Beth - on the stand. 

Back at SVU, Carisi brings Benson up to speed. Carisi thinks that Nick could read as crazy to the jury and Rollins adds so could the family.  Beth is still not willing to testify.  The parents  won’t see a therapist and are having supper tonight with the church group.  Carisi says without their cooperation he will need Rollins and Khaldun to testify.  Before he exits he asks Rollins if he will see her tonight and she says he will. Khaldun suggest Rollins leave and has  picked up on their relationship as he is a trained detective and deduced it.  He asks if Carisi and Captain Murphy get along and Rollins asks if he deduced that too.  He laughs and says there is a phrase his dad used to tell him that translates to “You don’t chose your family.”   Rollins looks at her phone and gets a message and says it is the Lees, Beth is missing again.  She and Khaldun exit. 

At the  Orchard Townhouse on May 5,  Claire and Paul are both frantic. Beth went inside the restaurant and they never saw her come out.  They speak with a worker inside who shows them video footage where Beth left at 6 PM.  Beth was in the bathroom a long time and when the woman knocked, Beth came out and was almost giddy and said she was late to meet someone. She looked like she changed her clothes. They think Nick got to her.  Fin says Molly Adams said Beth  asked her to get a message to Nick. It was s Bible quote from  Corinthians : "For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid." Molly had said it was from Daniel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" sermon.  Rollins wonders that Beth was in a white dress and meeting someone, and Benson thinks Beth thinks she's getting married.  They suspect it’s somewhere near water, or a bridge. Fin recalls she had the Brooklyn Bridge on her screensaver. 

Later, Fin, Rollins, and Khaldun catch up with Beth and Nick at Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo, Brooklyn on May 5. Fin says Nick violated the order of protection and Nick says Beth asked to see him.  Beth says they are exchanging vows.  Nick is arrested and Beth is frantic.   Nick tells Beth they are not going to believe them and tells her they walk by faith, not by sight.  Beth announces she is carrying god’s baby. Rollins looks stunned.

Back at SVU Benson and Carisi see this video footage of Beth's comment with Claire and Paul.  They don’t know if it is  true but because Beth initiated the contact it is not kidnapping. Claire realizes he planned this all along. Benson says the two are obsessed. Paul asks if there is a way to get him out of Beth’s life.  Benson asks that if Beth will be 15 next month, there may be a way.

Later, Claire is meeting with Beth near  the Brooklyn Bridge and discuss that Beth wants to marry Nick.  Claire suggests that she and Paul may have a solution. Beth says she is keeping the baby and when she is  old enough they are going to get married.  Claire says Beth turns 15 in a month so if she is pregnant and has parental consent, they can get married in the state of Maryland.  Claire adds if they gave permission… Beth asks if they’d do that, and Claire says they can’t stand living like this but the state will need proof of the pregnancy and proof that Luke is the father. Beth says she would need to ask Luke, but Claire says she can’t but suggests they just go to the hospital and get this done and she will tell the ADA that no one will testify at trial and he will have to drop the charges. Beth says she prayed for this, and Claire says so did she.  The embrace and Claire says she needed to do this for a long time and says she loves her. 

As Carisi and Benson play the recording back for Claire and Paul, Carisi says Beth’s confession isn’t admissible unless she confirms with the grand jury.  Benson adds the fetus’ DNA was a match to Nick, that proves rape 2.  Paul says Beth won’t testify, but Carisi says it doesn’t matter, the DNA – his lawyer won’t allow him to testify.  The parents sigh in relief and Paul thanks them.  Benson asks if Beth knows any of this,  and Claire says they are going to tell her tonight.  Babson knows this has been a difficult decision to make.  Claire says they will raise the baby as their own and work on repairing the marriage and pray that Beth forgives them, eventually. Benson says they will get through this. 

Later, as Benson and Noah are dining outside, Noah asks her to open his Mother’s Day present.  She does so and it is a framed collage of photos of her and Noah.  She whispers that she loves it. She asks him to come to her, and they share a hug and she looks overjoyed.  Noah asks if she is okay, and Benson kisses his forehead and whispers “Yeah, I am.”  

Later, Benson and Noah are walking and Benson asks Noah what should they do today. Noah says whatever she wants, it’s her day.  They run into Stabler, who is holding a large bouquet of flowers.    Benson is surprised and when Benson starts to introduce Stabler to Noah,  Noah says he knows, it’s Detective Stabler, her old partner.  Stabler says he can call him Elliot and shakes Noah’s hand.  Stabler says it is nice to meet him and Noah says it is nice to meet him too.  Stabler wishes Benson a happy Mother’s Day and says she looks great. Benson asks if he is going to see his mom and Stabler says yes, the kids and he are going to the cemetery first and lunch with mom. Benson nods and asks that Stabler give them all her love.  He says he will.  He asks what they have planned today, and Noah says whatever mom wants. Stabler laughs and says that is a perfect answer. Benson laughs.  Noah adds maybe some ice cream. Benson says she can’t think of anything better.   Benson gets a message and looks surprised.  Stabler asks if everything is alright, and Benson tells Noah she is so sorry but they have to take a rain check on that ice cream. She adds she is really sorry.  She asks Stabler that he worked with Officer Jesse Santos. Stabler says yes, out of the 3-7, asking why. Benson says she will get Noah home and she will call him as soon as she can.   As Benson and Noah walk off, Stabler walks the other way and turns back, looking concerned, then continues to walk away. 

(The story continues in Law & Order Organized Crime "Lost One")