Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Episode 12.24 Smoked

Annette Fox and her daughter, Jenna, walk down the street after completing prom dress shopping for Jenna. Suddenly, a hooded figure shoves Jenna aside and grabs Annette's purse. Annette fights back at first, then gives the thief her purse. But instead of fleeing, the thief shoots Annette in the head at point blank range. Stabler and Benson arrive on the scene and get the details from CSU Sung. They were able to dig the slug out of the building wall, but it was pancaked and is useless for comparison. Benson wonders what the sex crime is and why she and Stabler have been called to the scene. CSU Sung explains that Jenna told the EMTs to call them. Benson and Stable recognize Jenna Fox because Annette was supposed to testify next week at the trial of the guy who raped her.

Stabler and Fin brief ADA West on the details of the rape trial Annette was to have testified in. Annette had gone to a grand opening party at a salon and the proprietor, Luke Ronson, drugged her with GHB and raped her in the back room. Luke denied the rape and provided circumstantial evidence to refute Annette's story, which is why it was so important that Annette testify at the trial. Luke's lawyer, Heshy Horowitz, succeeded in delaying the trial for two years, so it seems very suspicious that Annette was gunned down just a week before the trial. Stabler and Fin check out the security tape of the shooting and notice that the shooter pushed Jenna out of the way and shot Annette after she'd already given up her purse. It was cold-blooded execution.

Benson and Stabler talk to Jenna. Jenna didn't see the shooter's face, but she's convinced that it was Luke. Stabler wonders if anything weird has happened lately. Jenna remembers that there was some guy whom Annette saw watching her from outside in the dark. Jenna never saw him. There were also some intimidating phone calls. No one ever said anything; they'd just call and hang up. But Annette thought it was Luke. In the last call, Annette went off on the caller, telling him to go to hell and calling him a "gutless prick."Fin finds evidence that backs up Jenna's story. There were 83 calls to Annette's cell and 36 to her landline, all from a disposable phone that was purchased from a shop a half block away from Luke's salon. Stabler and Benson will go question Luke.

Benson and Stabler visit Luke at his salon. Luke claims that he didn't know Annette Fox had been killed the prior night. Just as Luke shares that his alibi is dinner with his publicist, his attorney, Horowitz, shows up and tells him not to say anything else. Horowitz says that Luke didn't call him; he showed up because he heard about Annette's death and figured that the cops would try to pin it on Luke. Horowitz tells Benson and Stabler to get out. They're off to retrace Luke's steps from the night before.Luke's publicist confirms to Stabler and Benson that she had dinner with Luke the prior night. She says that when the dinner ended at 7:30 p.m., Luke headed over to St. Anne's, where he volunteers at the homeless shelter every Tuesday.

Stabler talks to Sister Peg at her homeless mission at St. Anne's. Sister Peg explains that Luke donates his time every Tuesday and cuts hair for the homeless and also checks them for lice. Luke had too many "customers" for her to point them all out, but Sister Peg does remember that Eddie Skinner was Luke's last customer.Stabler finds Eddie Skinner inside the shelter. Eddie says that Luke didn't cut his hair because Luke was preoccupied and left suddenly. Eddie reports that he saw a gun in Luke's bag.Benson, Fin and Stabler head to Luke's apartment with a search warrant. Fin finds a bag with a nine-millimeter gun, like the one used to kill Annette, ammo that matches the shell casings and a black hooded sweatshirt. Stabler and Benson arrest Luke at his salon.

Benson and Stabler question Luke, who is accompanied by his lawyer, Horowitz. Luke denies killing Annette and claims he has an Arizona permit for his handgun. Stabler insists that it's still criminal possession to have a handgun in New York without a New York permit. He wonders why Luke had the gun with him at the shelter last night. Horowitz advises Luke not to answer, but Luke says that he was going to the shooting range. Luke claims that he changed his mind when he was halfway there. Benson and Stabler push Luke, calling him out for harassing Annette on the phone and lurking outside her house. Luke seems like he's about to crack and confess something, Horowitz telling him to keep his mouth shut. ADA West interrupts and tells the detectives that she needs a word.

West informs Stabler and Benson that Luke isn't their killer. CSU Sung shows them that the strike marks on the shell casings from Luke's weapon don't match those from the killer's gun. And upon close examination of the security tape, Sung has concluded that Luke's hoodie doesn't match that of the killer's either. West tells Stabler and Benson to cut Luke loose.Benson walks Luke and Horowitz out of the precinct and into a cab just as Jenna arrives. Jenna can't believe they're letting Luke go. Benson assures Jenna that they're not and nods toward Stabler and Fin, who follow Luke and Horowitz in an unmarked car. Jenna feels like everything is falling apart. She was supposed to go to prom, but she's burying her mother. Jenna is very upset. Benson promises Jenna that they'll get Luke.

Fin and Stabler follow Luke's cab to his salon. Luke starts to head inside, but then changes direction and hustles down the sidewalk. They follow Luke to St. Anne's where he disappears inside. Fin follows him because Luke has never seen Fin. Fin finds Sister Peg inside. She points out where Luke went. He's talking heatedly to Eddie Skinner. Fin snaps a photo with his phone and sends it to Stabler. Stabler tells Fin that Eddie is the guy who reported seeing the gun in Luke's bag. Fin hangs up and approaches Eddie, who flips a table up at Fin and bolts when he sees Fin staring at him. Fin grabs Luke and drags him after Eddie, who has run out a side door. Stabler intercepts Eddie and finds a disposable phone in his pocket.

Stabler questions Eddie while Fin interrogates Luke at the precinct. Eddie has a long rap sheet. Luke admits that he hired Eddie to harass Annette but insists that he never said to kill her. Eddie denies having anything to do with Annette, but Luke explains how he bought the burner phone and paid Eddie $500 to call Annette and promised him $5,000 if the trial fell apart. Luke claims that he stormed out of the shelter the night of Annette's murder because Eddie tried to squeeze him for more money. Eddie wanted to kill Annette because she yelled at him. Stabler calls Eddie out for being gutless. Eddie declares that he wants his phone call.

Stabler, Fin, Benson and West meet in the observation room. Benson believes Luke. Stabler does too and thinks Eddie is the shooter. West comments that it would help if they had the gun used to kill Annette. West advises the detectives to arrest Luke for witness tampering and Eddie for assaulting a police officer but tells them not to lock the men up together, so they can't concoct a story. Fin will put Luke in the cage and suggests that Stabler puts Eddie in the downstairs lockup - after he gets his phone call. Stabler lets Eddie make his call, but interrupts him when he gets animated, yelling into the phone about getting out of there so Stabler can take Eddie to lockup. Stabler is surprised that someone like Eddie has a lawyer. Eddie remarks that there's a lot about him that Stabler doesn't know.

Benson calls Jenna to tell her that they've made progress but warns her not to get too excited. Stabler gets a call that the van to Central Booking has arrived. He rousts Luke from his cell and takes him to the van. But Eddie isn't among the other perps. The sergeant in charge insists that he emptied out lockup, and Eddie wasn't there. Stabler wonders who the hell let him out. Stabler and Benson question Lieutenant Harrison to find out how Eddie got out of lockup. Harrison says that a Fed, some guy with the ATF, took Eddie. They ask Harrison if he at least got the name of the ATF agent who took Eddie.

Benson, Stabler and West find ATF Special Agent Grier at his office. West demands that Grier produce Eddie. They tell Grier that Eddie is the prime suspect in the murder of a rape victim. Grier doesn't think Eddie is a killer. He busted Eddie three months ago for transporting untaxed cigarettes across state lines and selling them to bodegas around the city. Eddie flipped himself and offered to be the inside man in a sting operation to bust a ring of cigarette smugglers. Grier explains that the buy goes down tomorrow. West declares that they're not leaving without Eddie. Grier remarks that Eddie is a federal asset and the Feds are higher up in the food chain. Stabler responds by cuffing himself to Eddie. West starts to call McCoy. Grier relents, suggesting they can all get what they want. West says they're all ears.

Stabler goes undercover with Eddie to complete the buy for the cigarette bust. Benson and Grier watch a video feed on Stabler's briefcase from nearby. Stabler and Eddie step into a warehouse and meet with Phil and "Tiny," who is Phil's protection. Stabler and Phil work out the details of the buy. Stabler haggles over the terms, then asks if they have product. Phil directs Tiny to flip on a light, which reveals a huge stack of cigarette cartons. Outside, Benson comments that the warehouse walls are messing with the transmission. Grier orders all units to move in. Benson objects because Stabler hasn't given the signal. Grier declares that it's his op, not Benson's.Grier and his men bust the buy, but Eddie takes off. Grier goes after him. Eddie clocks Grier in the face with a crowbar, knocking him down. Stabler catches up to Grier, but Eddie has already gotten away.

Benson and Stabler walk and talk as they go down a hospital corridor. Benson tells Stabler that it wasn't his fault they lost Eddie because Grier led the charge into the warehouse way too soon. Stabler isn't looking forward to telling Jenna that her mom's killer is in the wind. He feels like they keep failing her. Benson gets a call from Fin as they arrive at Grier's curtain area in the ER. Grier apologizes to Stabler for jumping the gun. Benson reports that Fin checked the homeless shelter and Sister Peg hasn't seen Eddie since they arrested him. Stabler asks Grier where he thinks Eddie would go. Grier suggests the Bahamas. Stabler remarks that Eddie won't get very far without cash. He remembers that Luke never paid Eddie the money that he owed him.

Stabler and Benson creep into Luke's brownstone, where Eddie has Luke at gunpoint, demanding money. Stabler and Benson swing in, guns aimed, and demand that Eddie drop his gun. Eddie uses Luke as a human shield. But Stabler's got a shot. Benson advises Eddie that it's over. Eddie finally puts the gun down. Stabler arrests him for Annette's murder, and Benson takes Eddie's gun into evidence with a gloved hand.

At the precinct, Stabler and Benson show Eddie evidence that the strike marks on the shell casings from his gun match those on the one that came from the bullet that killed Annette. Eddie wants a deal. He says he can give them Luke for raping Annette. West walks in, wondering what evidence Eddie has. She says that she can use Annette's testimony from the preliminary hearing, but it would need to be corroborated to convict Luke. West offers Murder Two and 25 years to Eddie for corroborating testimony. Eddie reveals that Luke shared the intimate details of his rape of Annette. Eddie bargains some more, offering to tell them where he got the gun with which he shot Annette if they'll bump the charge down to Murder Three.

Stabler and Benson go to Grier's office. They show him Eddie's gun and explain that Eddie says he got it from Grier. Grier calls Eddie a liar. Grier's boss wants Eddie to explain how Eddie's gun is the same one missing from an undercover operation executed a year ago in Laredo, Texas, where Grier was then stationed. Grier admits that he gave the gun to Eddie because he claimed he needed it for protection. Stabler marvels that Grier would do something so stupid, given the handgun problem the country has, with too many of them getting into the hands of too many bad guys. Benson accuses Grier of letting Eddie clock him with the crowbar because Grier wanted him to disappear with the gun. Stabler and Benson arrest Grier.

Stabler puts Grier in the cage with Eddie and Luke. Sister Peg has stopped by the precinct with some surveillance photos of Annette and Jenna. The photos were in someone else's locker at the shelter, but they have Eddie's handwriting on them. Benson comments that it will bring Jenna some closure. Fin gets off the phone and tells Benson that she can tell Jenna in person because the front desk just called to let them know that Jenna's on her way up. Benson meets Jenna at the elevator. Jenna wants to see her mother's killer and Luke. Benson leads her to the cage. Jenna takes a long look, then turns and heads back down the corridor to the elevator.

Benson walks back to the squad room. Suddenly, gunfire erupts. It's Jenna! She shoots indiscriminately at the cage. Grier and Luke go down, dead. Eddie is wounded. Benson and Stabler yell at Jenna to stop and put down the gun. But Jenna is in a daze. She shoots all around the precinct, hitting Sister Peg. Stabler trains his gun on Jenna, telling her to put her gun down. Just as she's about to comply, Eddie calls out from the cage that he should've killed her with her mother. Jenna raises her gun at Eddie. Stabler yells at Jenna not to, but she's not listening. As Jenna starts to squeeze the trigger, Stabler fires, taking her down. As Jenna lies dying, she tells Stabler that she bought the gun off the street; it was easy. Benson kneels over Sister Peg, who is dead. Stabler and Benson share a look of horror and disbelief. And off the tableau of carnage, we fade out.