At a press conference, Chief Bonner claims that Cahill committed suicide. Her father tells her she did fine but went off-script. She says she did her best. He's annoyed she didn't say the case was closed. She says it's not closed. He informs her she's been removed as chief and he will act as interim chief.
Stabler brings Bell food. She complains her physical therapist smiles too much. She asks about the IAB case. Stabler does not want to discuss the psych eval. She thinks this makes no sense. Stabler tells her the investigator has it out for her.
Chief Bonner finds Stabler and tells him about getting fired. She seems drunk. She says the killer is still out there. She has case files for him.
Jet and Sam are in the apartment along with Vargas, who refusees to give his first name. Meredith asks how they can ID the victims if there was no DNA. Jet says whoever said that is a liar. Stabler tells her to stop and Vargas explains how they used AI to recreate the facial structure. Bonner knows the victim, Jessica Clark, who was a few grades below her. Her mother is still in town and she wants to let her know. Stabler insists on coming with. He asks Sam to check some evidence for controlled substances on the QT.
The cops talk to Mrs. Clark who says she always prayed Jessica would return. This was not the colsure she wanted. Stabler is surprised to learn Eric was friends with jessica. Mrs. Clark says until they weren't. Eric started getting obssessed with Meredith and she called Meredith's dad. he was as torn up when she disappeared as if his own daughter had gone missing.
Bonner Sr talks to Eric and promises he's trying to fix things but Meredith is in the way so he needs him to focus on other things.
Bonner's driver wants to be cheif. Bonner tells him they have to see this through to the end first.
Stabler's phone rings. It's a distorted voice who is angry at him for taking away his special place. He had to go to confession to get rid of his thoughts of hurting Stabler.
Stabler calls Jet and tells her to search for CCTV of churches in the area and for Vargas to use AI. Vargas says it would take days to search through the data. However if he searches for churches that have choir comeptitions it becomes manageable.
Jet finds something. She sends Stabler an image. Stabler thinks the face seems familiar.
Stabler calls Meredith over and she knows it's not good news. Vargas goes through the evidence. They got a match. The match is Eric. Meredith insists her brother is harmless, odd but not violent. However, the evidence suggests otherwise. The rest of the team goes and Meredith can't believe this is happening. Now what?
Stabler instructs Bonner to go to her brother's condo. He opens the door and says he thought she was breaking in. She tells Stabler everything's fine but covers, saying she was in the city so she came to check on him.
Eric offers her water. He tells her he's restoring a church while she looks at photos of the victims. He asks why she is on leave. He thinks it's cool that they're actually hanging out. She asks him if he remembers Jessica. He thinks it's ironic that her body washed up on the beach when she hated it. She hugs him goodbye and he wishes they'd done this more often.
Meredith is worried about Eric taking another girl.
Shah calls and tells Stabler to be at his eval in an hour and wear a nice suit. He has to brorow something from Vargas.
Stabler attempts to monitor the op during his psych eval. Naz is there. The evaluator wants to know about his father and doesn't see why it's relevant.
Stacy calls Sam when she begins bleeding. She says she can't call 911 and passes out. Stabler gives them instructions. The evaluator says you'd better not leave. Stabler says don't threaten me with firing me, you'll have to do better than that. He goes.
Eric is with a girl and orders drinks and wants to go back to his place. They laugh together but he gets an evil look on his face. Jet sees on the CCTV and Stabler tells her to call it in as an abduction in progress but the nearest uni is 5 minutes away. Eroc tales the girl and Stabler chases him himself. Bonner refuses to get out of the car or let the girl out. They lock eyes and Eric says he knows him. He tases Stabler and the girl runs away.
Eric takes off with an unconscious Stabler.
Stabler awakens tied to a cross. Eric calls him a big fish and rambles about how much Jesus might have weighed and punches St abler in the stomach. He asks about Stabler's tattoo and says suffering is necessary for forgiveness.
Meredith can't find anything that shows where Eric took Stabler. However she thinks she found something and sends them a photo of a church. No security cameras on the church. Bonner says she has to stop him. She ignores Jet saying no and gets rid of her earpiece. Jet says call Shah and runs off.
Eric continues torturing Stabler. He insists he didn't torture the girls. He saved them.
Jet tries to call Meredith while Meredith tries to break into the church. Meanwhile, Eric thinks Stabler is a gift from G-d to bring him forgiveness. Stabler kicks him when he rushes him with a weapon.
Mereidth shows up with a gun and tells Eric no. He doesn't believe she'd shoot him. He knows she tricked him. She insists she loves him and wants to help him. He doesn't believe her. He says he's here to help her and rushes her, and she shoots him!
Stabler is in the back of the ambulance but gets up to check on Meredith. She is crying about shooting her baby brother.
Captain Cragen meets Bell. She was right. He has found out the IAB guy's rabbi completed suicide and used to work with Stabler's father, and the IAB guy blames Stabler.
Sam says Stay is okay, just a breach of the placenta. He has results. Heroin residue on that foil. Stabler sends him away to go get his kid and take care of his family.
Jet says OMG about the facial recognition on the first victim. Stabler takes a look (We don't)
Stabler meets Meredith to give her this information. It's her mother.