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.
Biography[]
Past[]
He was married to the wealthy Pearl Ames for thirty years and they had three children, among them was a daughter named Pearl. He was very close to his kid and often instilled a lesson of owning up to mistakes. He worked as a college professor and taught social ethnics and was considered a good man.
Unknown to anyone including his own family, Ames was a closeted gay man who upon reaching his sixties sought male companionship. He had several affairs with former convicts that he met through prison pen pal system. He felt kindred spirits in them, as he called them outcasts and viewed himself in the same light for hiding his sexuality. He wrote to the felons and often made promises that he would help them in exchange for sexual favors. He secretly purchased an apartment in a nice neighborhood and had trysts with the men there while the landlord often viewed them as shady men. He soon met Peter Walker, who was unlike the other men in that Ames was gentle in letters and they appear to have a connection, with Ames falling in love with him. He yearns to move in with Walker, so he could leave his wife and they could be together.
Eventually, Walker informed him that his life was in danger, because he owed some dangerous people money. Ames initially thought about getting the money from his wife but backed out, as the money was in her name, and she'd cut him off. As a result, he decided to help Walker by transporting a large shipment of drugs across the border, since he needed to go to Canade anyway for a lecture. Ames lent his car to Peter who had it modified to hide the drugs under the carpet.
"A Night Owl"[]
Ames then made the drive but got caught up in a routine sobriety traffic stop. He spoke with Officer Kim Burgess, and they had a pleasant conversation before she asked to check his trunk and he allowed it, though Kim felt something off and called in the K-9s and Intelligence detectives Alvin Olinsky and Antonio Dawson. As the dogs were searching in the car, Ames tried to protest his innocence before something caught the dogs' attention and the detectives were able to pop the modification and find the drugs. Ames tried to deny any knowledge but was not believed and promptly cuffed.
At the precinct, he continued to deny everything, but Sgt. Voight didn't buy it and his modest background as a college professor caused questions to be raised on his sudden turn to crime. Ames also withheld Peter's involvement in hopes of protecting him from the cops. Ames' family were also notified and called him a lawyer, while vehemently denying his crimes.
Intelligence soon discovered the work done on his car, though the search led to a man being found burned alive and boy being executed. It was found that the man had Ames' car worked on and was killed by his boss while the boy had accidentally witnessed it and was killed when spotted. Ames was told by Det. Dawson of the horrific scene and that he has now become an accessory to a double murder. He is horrified but still unwilling to turn on Peter.
As Intelligence investigate Ames, they discover a secret apartment in his name that caused his family to get suspicious. Ames refused to divulge, and Voight has some of his personal items taken while cuffing him to the railing, before going to the apartment. When there, the suggestive letters to multiple prison systems and the picture of Peter Walker are found. Ames is released from the railing and confronted on his trysts with convicts, with him describing their bond. When the topic moved to Peter, he stated they were in love while denying that Peter was the orchestrator and tries to take responsibility. He is not believed and is told Peter was simply using him because of his background as a con artist. Ames refuses to consider this and asks if his wife knew of his activities with the men though the cops told him that his place to tell her.
Peter is later brought in but denies that the drug involvement and makes it clear that he was conning Ames by stating they only cuddled. Soon Ames' wife reveals that she was contacted by the gang who owned the drugs and tells Intelligence that Ames' daughter Pearl was kidnapped, and they are demanding a ransom for the amount of money that Ames cost them. A horrified Ames is shown the picture and tells the cops to talk to Peter about the situation, only for them to reveal Peter is denying everything such as the drugs or relationship. Ames didn't believe it and tells them to inform Peter about his daughter's life being in danger though Voight tells him that he knows and is perfectly willing to let Ames suffers while he gets off easy. Ames broke down at realizing he was conned and what his helping of Peter led to, and Voight comforts him before asking what Peter cares about because it clearly wasn't him. A tearful Ames then revealed that Peter had a drug addict brother, who had a soft spot for, and his name was Marco. As the cops ran to chase that lead, Ames begged them to save his daughter.
After his daughter is rescued, she returns with Intelligence to the precinct. She is updated on everything: her father's trysts with men, his helping a felon that led to two murders, and being the cause of her abduction. Pearl was asked what type of sentence he was looking at and Det. Lindsay said that a deal was being made for cooperating. Pearl asked to see him and was permitted. A tearful Ames broke down when seeing his daughter alive and apologized for her experience while she embraced him in tears.
He is then imprisoned for ten years, with mild sympathy arising for some of the officers and their friends because he was manipulated by love.
Victims: 2[]
Johnny Zakarian: (Accomplices): Burned alive by Gasper and his crew: 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.
External links[]
- Adam Ames on the Chicago P.D. Wiki
