Directed by Arthur W. Forney
Written by Michael S Chernuchin & Rene Balcer
Emergency room doctors save Debbie Elkins' life after she hemorrhages. She has just given birth but there is no sign of her baby. Debbie says the last thing she remembers is passing out in a taxi. Logan and Briscoe trace the driver and find out that Debbie gave birth in a hotel with her boyfriend - this contradicts the story she previously gave the detectives. They further learn she had an adoption arrangement with a couple named the Savitts, but backed out at the last minute after they'd spent a lot of money on her. Logan and Briscoe track down Debbie's boyfriend and the baby.
It then emerges Debbie had discussed adoption with two other couples, the Baxters and Cushmans. All of them had paid her large sums of money, believing they were the sole prospective parents. In total, she has received over $60,000; with her lawyer guiding her on what to do and say so that she never explicitly promised anyone the baby. Debbie can be charged with grand larceny if the DAs can prove she never intended to give her baby to any of the couples. However, the Savitts have now adopted the baby; they refuse to co-operate. Upon discovering that Debbie threatened to have an abortion if the Cushmans didn't pay her, Stone presses for extortion charges.
Mr. Savitt initially testifies in Debbie's defense; but later, he and his wife come to Stone wanting to change his testimony. They claim that not only did Debbie repeatedly threaten abortion, but her boyfriend is now demanding they pay him not to contest the adoption. He hastily agrees to testify against her so he can avoid jail. Debbie snaps and yells that it's only fair for her to take advantage of wealthy couples - the only time anyone has ever cared about her was when they thought she was going to give them a baby. Her lawyer is shaken by this confession and agrees on a 12-year jail sentence. The Savitts plan to leave New York with the baby and Stone muses that they're probably worried about what will happen when Debbie gets out of jail.
This episode contains examples of:
- Baby Factory: Debbie describes herself as being this.
- Broken Bird: Mrs. Baxter and apparently Debbie.
- Child by Rape: Averted - Debbie initially says she was raped by a co-worker and the baby is not her boyfriend's, but this isn't true.
- Clean, Pretty Childbirth: Averted by the state of the hotel room where Debbie gave birth, and the detectives make an offhand comment about it.
- Financial Abuse: One of the most extreme examples in the show.
- Law of Inverse Fertility: In spades.
- Loophole Abuse: Debbie played this to its maximum advantage.
- Manipulative Bastard: Debbie Elkins.
