Adam Ames is a supporting antagonist in the Chicago P.D. episode "A Night Owl".
He was portrayed by Richard Thomas, who also portrayed Daniel Varney in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Background[]
Ames was a College Professor, who taught social ethnics and often gave lectures in Canada. He was seemingly happily married for thirty years to the wealthy Claire Ames, and they had three children all of whom he was very close too and he often taught them to face the consequences of their actions. Beneath this seemingly pleasant life was a secret, Adam was a closeted gay man who upon reaching his sixties, sought out a male companion for his needs through the prison pen pal system. He felt kindred spirits with these men, deeming them outcasts for their incarceration and bonding with them, due to his true sexuality. In his letters, he offered to help them after their release in exchange for sexual favors.
Over the course of four years, he met them at an apartment that he secretly purchased and had multiple affairs with at least eleven men from ten different prisons before he ended up meeting Peter Walker, a convict who was in for conning people, and they often corresponded daily until his release. Adam and Walker would get together, with him casting aside Walker's past and falling in love with the latter and volunteering to do anything for him. Adam even planned to leave his family and move in with Walker, but the latter confided in him that he had a price on his head because he owed someone from prison money. Adam initially wanted to use his own money though backed out because his wife had control of it and would suspect something. As a result, he decided to help Peter by transporting a large shipment of heroin across the border, because he wanted to protect Peter and because he had to go to Canada anyway for a lecture. To keep it from being discovered, he lent Walker his car and the latter had a friend hide the drugs in a layer under the carpet in the trunk.
A Night Owl[]
Adam would drive to Canada, but a nightly routine traffic stop impeded him, he spoke with Officer Kim Burgess and allowed her to search his vehicle, but she noticed something amiss and drug hounds were called in. Adam got worried when the dogs found something, and the layer was lifted to reveal the drugs. He tried to feign shock, but Detectives Alvin Olinsky and Antonio Dawson were not buying his excuses and had him placed under arrest. At the precinct, he attempted to lie but Sgt. Hank Voight was not having his lies and told him to come clean, but he couldn't bring himself to turn on Peter.
His family was also notified and disbelieve the accusation while calling a lawyer. Much later, Intelligence discovered that Adam had work done to his car and tracked the person, leading to the discovery of a deceased burn victim and executed a witnessing child. When confronted by Dawson on any involvement, he is horrified to hear he was an accessory to a double murder but still claims no knowledge. They then find a secret apartment in Adam's name. Adam is ordered to reveal the truth, but he refuses to speak without a lawyer, so Sgt. Hank Voight has him cuffed to the railing and has some of his belongings taken. His family was told, while starting to consider their belief in him, because of his newly revealed shady nature.
Intelligence searches the apartment, where the landlord says suspicious men come in, before they discover the incriminating letters with convicts and realize he was being used by Peter Walker, a recently released convict who sent him pictures and he appeared gentler with letters to him. They confront Adam with their knowledge of his hidden life and suspected Walker of being the one who arranged the deal, but Adam attempted to take all the blame, though Intelligence weren't buying it, knowing he was protecting his lover and told him to fess up. He reluctantly explained the arrangement and asked if his wife knew about his indiscretions, but the cops told him that he could tell her.
Much later, Walker was arrested and when confronted on the relationship, he downplayed their status as merely cuddling and was willing to let Adam take the blame for the drugs and murders. As Intelligence were thinking, Claire came to reveal that her and Adam's daughter was kidnapped because Adam owed the gangsters money from the drugs and the leader had sent her a video of a captive Pearl. Adam was shown the pictures of his daughter tied up with a gun to her head and was distraught by the events and that Walker is denying everything, including the relationship and was perfectly willing to let Adam suffer while he got off easily. Adam tries frantically to defend Walker, but Voight makes Adam see that Walker was conning him from the start like he did others, and he breaks down at being used, as well as what he did for the latter. He is then asked if Walker had something he cared about, since it was not him. The tearful Adam turned on Walker by revealing his drug addicted younger brother Marco, who he had a soft spot for. As the detectives go to check that lead, Adam frantically begs them to save his daughter.
Afterwards, Intelligence got Walker to fess up and reveal the kidnapper, leading to Pearl being rescued. She is then brought to the precinct, where she observes her father and now knowing everything, he has done wonders what led to this, before she reveals that her father often taught her to face the consequences of her actions. Lindsay tells her a child died because of his choice to help Walker but does state his decision to cooperate with them will be taken into consideration. Adam sat in the interrogation room until he is reunited with his rescued daughter whom he tearfully embraces and apologizes for his indirect role in her kidnapping.
Adam is ultimately incarcerated for drug trafficking and two counts of accessory to murder while looking at ten years.
Murders Connected to Adam Ames[]
Johnny Zakarian: (Accomplices): Burned alive by Gasper and his crew as he put heroin in Adam Ames car and was killed by Gasper and his crew after the police find it in his car.
Michael Perry: (Nine-year-old boy): Shot in the back of the head by either Gasper or his men after witnessing Johnny Zakarian being burned alive.
Total: 2
External links[]
- Adam Ames on the Chicago P.D. Wiki
[]
 Villains
| ||
|
Chicago Fire Chicago Med Chicago P.D. Chicago Justice | ||