[dramatic music]
There you are.
I thought you changed your mind.
Oh, I couldn't let you leave without opening your present.
Now, could I?
Merry Christmas.
[dramatic music continues]
[object clicks]
The Naughty List.
Santa always delivers.
Come with me.
- I can't. - You can.
All you have to do is choose us right now.
[man] I think she went this way.
It's now or never.
Okay. Let's go.
[TV characters indistinctly]
[dramatic music continues]
They're coming.
You ready?
- Jump first. - [both] Think later.
[man] There they are.
[dramatic music continues]
[phone alarm chimes]
[quirky music]
[cheerful music]
[Whitney] So the reindeer and the arctic hare
took off down the hill.
Faster and faster they ran past the towering pines
to the frozen meadow below.
With a quick wave to the reindeer,
the arctic hare tucked in his cozy den
where he stayed safe inside forever.
The end.
All right.
Have a wonderful Christmas break, you guys.
And remember,
if you have Christmas trees at home, no incandescent lights.
Okay?
They're a fire hazard.
Okay, that's it for story time.
Go on outside and I'll meet you there. Okay?
You know, for a
librarian, you sure do slip in a lot of fire safety references.
Kids need repetition.
Anyway.
Tell me about the dress shopping.
Did you find the one?
No. Not yet.
Kurt said he'd marry me in a paper bag.
But I don't know, I just want everything to be perfect.
Kurt's such a good guy.
Well, that's just more proof that online dating actually
works.
Sorry, but that's just how people meet these days.
- It's a fact. - Okay. You want to talk facts?
10 percent of all users are straight up scammers.
- Scary. - And 53 percent of them
greatly exaggerate their profiles.
So at best, you're just waiting for a huge letdown.
And at worst, like, oh.
Wow, your parents really did a number on you.
No, they prepared me.
You have no idea what working for a home
security company exposes you to.
Well, how about meeting a friend of a friend, then?
Lisa's cousin is newly single.
He's super nice, a dentist, very stable career.
His name is Mark and he's open to meeting you.
You know I don't give my phone number to people
- I don't know. - Which is why
I got you his email.
So you can reach out on your super safe cyber
VPN thing or whatever.
"MarkLovesCats1922."
At least he's honest.
Come on, Whit. It's Christmas break.
There's no school,
no summer camps to take care of, no responsibilities.
- I don't know. - Whit.
At some point you have to drop the books, turn off the TV
and dive into a real adventure.
[school bell rings]
Don't chicken out.
All right, grab your bags.
[Rachel speaking indistinctly]
[quirky music]
I like cats.
[cheerful music]
[doorbell rings]
[ambient Christmas music]
[locks clunk]
Hi, Honey.
Merry Christmas.
Oh, it smells good.
Okay. That's [indistinct] is holding up well.
Yeah, it doesn't stick.
Unlike the last one you installed.
Whoa, look at that.
Cranberry orange mascarpone.
There was no ginger bundt cake?
I thought I would venture out a little bit.
- It looks delicious. - Thank you.
Okay, this may sound crazy, but
what do you guys think about doing something
a little different this year for Christmas?
[curious music]
Like skiing.
Honey, you do realize that skiing
is the second most dangerous sport in the world, right?
No, I think that's wrong. Snowboarding is worse.
Regardless.
Humans weren't meant to go
flying down a snowy mountainside at 30 miles an hour.
30 miles an hour, Dad?
- None of us are that good. - What's wrong with game night?
Nothing. Nothing is wrong with game night.
I love game night.
It's just we do it every month.
And I thought we could do something a little more
exciting.
It's Christmas themed game night, Whit.
It is exciting.
And I've got some new charade
prompts that your mother and I think quite hilarious.
Yeah, he's really stepped it up this year.
Okay, Dad.
Did you talk to Rachel about the wedding?
Did she find a dress?
No, but I'm sure she will.
So apparently we'll be sitting with the Bernards, and,
they have a son who's an ophthalmologist.
- Newly single. - Mom.
Well, in case you're not bringing a date.
I could totally meet someone.
Yeah, like Doctor Bernard, the ophthalmologist.
Mulled wine anyone?
- Yes. - Mh-hm. Please.
[curious music]
[Whitney] Okay.
[upbeat holiday music]
Good afternoon, everyone.
I'd like to take a quick moment to acknowledge the hard work
you've put in this year.
I know we've logged a lot of long hours lately,
so I hope you take the next few days
to spend it with your family and loved ones, and...
[gentle music]
Agent Dawson. Just in time.
Care for a refreshment?
No, I'm good. Thanks.
Here for the 4 o'clock.
Right.
Anyway, cheers and happy holidays.
[all] Cheers!
[upbeat holiday music]
You know, it wouldn't kill you to show up early.
Shake a few hands. It's Christmas.
I don't really do Christmas, or small talk.
- Oh, we've noticed - Anyway. Why'd you call me?
Because I have an update on the Bateman file.
They have a new target, sir.
- Agent Dawson... - This is a big one.
Josh.
I'm shutting you down.
- What? - I'm sorry. It's time.
You've been undercover six months,
and you have nothing linking the suspect to any crime,
let alone the disappearance of six priceless artifacts.
Okay, so you're telling me that every time
Lou Bateman shows up at one of these fancy events
and something goes missing
that's just a coincidence?
Doesn't matter what I think.
- It matters... - What I can prove, I know.
Well, I'm going to prove it to you.
I'm already hearing chatter on the black market about all this.
- Buyers are sniffing around. - What is it?
They call it the Heart of Christmas.
It was given to a German princess in the early 1800s
by the son of a wealthy American industrialist.
It's supposed to be worth over $10 million.
Now the owners only bring it out once a year on Christmas Eve
to raise money for various charities around the world.
And this year,
it is the centrepiece at the Mistletoe Ball
at the New York Arts and History Museum.
That's a big event. Swanky.
And guess who's on the board?
Lou Bateman's wife.
Patty.
It has taken me some time, but I finally secured
a lunch meeting with them tomorrow
to discuss a business partnership.
Well, if this goes well, it's
going to put me in close contact with him over the holidays,
and I will be able to figure out his plan
and how he's going to steal it.
I'm already catching heat for giving you
an opportunity to begin with.
Sir. You've got to trust me on this one.
[chuckles] Trust you?
The last time I trusted you, you arrested a perp
without approval.
That guy was going to get away.
And you upset every senior agent in the building.
You danced around protocol,
and you alienated all your colleagues.
I work better alone.
And you don't have a single piece of concrete evidence.
Tell me why I shouldn't take you off this case
and send you to the stacks for the rest of your career.
These criminals,
they're smart.
They could sniff out one of your suits a mile away.
The fact that other cops don't like me,
that's what makes me good at this.
I can blend in where they can't.
You know it. I know it.
I just need until Christmas Eve.
If I'm wrong about this,
I'll pack up my desk and I'll move to the basement myself.
Fine.
But you better make a reservation
for tomorrow with the Bateman's for four people.
- Why? - I'm sending in Agent
Kiera Tanner to join you.
As your girlfriend.
She's new, but good.
You step out of line, I want to know about it.
- Sir... - Don't push me, Dawson.
It's either the girlfriend or the stacks.
I'll call the restaurant.
[cheerful music]
I'm so proud of you for biting the bullet.
So, how did he respond?
Weird? Cool?
Too many exclamation points?
Not enough exclamation points?
Short and sweet.
Something like, "Sounds good."
Villa Amici. 1:00 P.M.
"I'll be wearing a green sweater."
Okay. Straightforward, kind.
Just lunch. So not too much pressure.
I love it.
Your sweater, on the other hand.
Oh, yeah.
What's wrong with it?
It belongs in a World War II museum.
[scoffs] It does not.
Come on, loosen up with it.
Put your hair down.
Hmm. Ah.
How about this?
Oh, yeah. No, see, this is my party shirt.
Well, now it's your date shirt.
Okay.
[cheerful music]
[dramatic music]
[phone vibrating]
[dramatic music continues]
♪ Deck the halls with boughs of holly♪
♪ Fa la la la la♪
[dramatic music]
♪ Fa la la la la, la la la la♪
Thank you. That was very nice.
- I just... - [carolers singing]
[dramatic music continues]
Hi.
I'm just meeting someone here actually.
[spoon clanks]
Oh. There he is.
Thank you.
[curious music]
Hi.
You're late.
Oh. Uh.
Yeah, I guess I am.
Oh, sorry.
I just get lost coming off the subway.
- Did you read the file? - Your profile?
Yeah.
No. But, Rachel filled me in.
Rachel?
I've never worked with her.
Oh, your cousin's friends or something.
Maybe I got that wrong.
Okay, great.
We have to go over it before they arrive.
- Okay, tell me Kelly... - It's Whitney.
I'm pretty sure that it was Kelly, but okay.
Fine, Whitney.
How did we meet?
Well, we're currently meeting.
Are you kidding me? You...
You were supposed to memorize the backstory.
What backstory?
I'm sorry. This isn't really my cup of tea, Mark.
No, it's not Mark.
It's Johnny.
Okay, Johnny.
This is getting weird and, quite frankly, confusing.
Do you even love cats?
- No. - [man] Hi, Johnny?
Wait. No.
- Sit down. - No, sir.
Don't go. Please.
There he is, Johnny boy.
Hey, there he is. Hey.
You didn't tell us you were bringing a date.
You didn't tell me it was a group thing either.
We must have got our wires crossed. Lou,
Patty, meet Whitney, my girlfriend.
- [Lou] Oh. - Sorry?
I'm here for Johnny. Party of four.
Okay. [chuckles]
We'll be right back.
Actually, never mind.
Hey, wait!
You do not get to follow me.
- Easy now. - Girlfriend?
Really? We just met.
It's not what you think.
Take one step closer and I will use it.
I have excellent aim.
Just let me explain.
- I'm calling the police. - I am the police.
[laughs] No, sir.
You are a lunatic.
I'm special Agent Josh Dawson, FBI.
I'm currently in the middle
of an undercover operation, and there's a big mistake.
I was expecting a female agent
who was supposed to play my girlfriend.
But you sat down instead.
No, I sat down with MarkLovesCats1922,
in a green sweater.
It's Christmas. Every guy in here has a green sweater.
Oh, no.
Unfortunately, you are now a part of this investigation.
And if you leave now, it will look extremely suspicious.
It will blow six months of work.
Criminals that walk loose on the streets
could potentially put our lives in danger.
I just signed up for a little adventure.
You know, like a, like a really little one.
I just need you to sit down
at the table with me, pretend to be my girlfriend,
and when the meal's over, I will find
a way to get you out safely.
- Understood? - Yes.
But, no.
Whitney. Look at me.
You can do this. It's one hour of your life.
That's it.
One hour? With a criminal?
No, I'm a librarian.
Okay.
This is what we do.
Let me do the talking. Defer to me.
They ask you any questions, keep it vague.
We can get through this.
We have to get through this.
Please.
Okay.
You promise you can get me out?
I promise.
Sorry about that.
- You okay? - Yeah, yeah.
So we like the tasting menu here.
You two okay with that?
Sounds perfect.
[ambient jazz music]
[Lou] And that's when I had to say to him,
"Johnny.
"Remember to hold on to the club when you swing." This guy.
He plays golf like he's batting in the major league.
What can I say? I'm more of a Babe Ruth
than a Tiger Woods.
I liked him immediately.
He's not like the other Wall Street guys.
Thanks.
But you already knew that, right?
Do you know most shellfish
allergies develop in adulthood?
I did not know that.
Women are more likely to suffer than men.
You don't have to eat the scallops, Babe.
I just think,
maybe starting to hit me.
You know? [chuckles]
Is anyone else having trouble?
I'm sorry.
I just babble when I'm nervous.
Why are you nervous?
I mean...
Look at you two.
You're both so successful and attractive.
It's almost scary.
[Patty] Aw.
That's very sweet of you to say, but we're just regular joes.
Promise.
So, Whitney,
what do you do for a job?
I am a dancer.
Ballroom dancer, actually.
Yeah. Or I was, you know, just kind of in another life.
Are you kidding?
- [Whitney] No. - How exciting.
Oh, I love ballroom dancing.
There's something so romantic about it.
I always wanted to learn, but I have two left feet.
It's true. She does.
So what do you do now that you're retired?
You said former dancer.
I did.
She's more in between jobs right now.
- Yeah. - Oh, really?
Are you looking for work?
- No... - [Whitney] Yeah.
- And, no. - Because I'm planning this huge
charity ball for the museum on the 24th, and I am so far behind
right? I mean, seating charts and vendor questions.
The list goes on and on.
I could really use your help.
Really? Wow.
That sounds like a lot of work.
- Yeah... - It's just until Christmas.
You could come over
and we could hang out while the boys do their,
business thing.
Yeah.
I'd love to.
Yay, Whitney.
We're gonna have so much fun.
So much fun.
- This is... - A big problem.
- Agent Tanner. - Sir.
What happened out there? Did you replace me?
- I was never informed. - You were late.
There were carolers everywhere.
They cornered me.
Anyway, when I arrived, she was already in there.
And you stopped answering my calls.
We were a little preoccupied.
I'm so sorry.
The lunch is over now, and you guys can take over.
I'll just go home and forget this ever happened.
Right? Right.
Sir, we have to find a way to get
Whitney out safely.
I suggest we stage a public breakup
or something of that sort.
Agreed.
The goal of this meeting
was to secure an invitation to the Bateman's residence.
- Correct? - Correct. But...
Did Whitney not just accept a job offer from Patty Bateman?
Which would bring the both of you there on a regular basis?
I have a job.
Technically. I mean, we are on Christmas vacation now.
You heard her. She can't do it.
If we pull Whitney now, they'll get suspicious.
It'll just be a few days.
All she'd have to do is plan the mistletoe ball
with the suspect's wife.
Is that something that you have experience with?
I planned the snowball dance for the school every year.
Not exactly the same thing.
You try corralling 120 kids.
It's not that easy.
I have 10 year old twins, and they are...
Incomprehensible.
I think she's well prepared.
Sir, if I may.
She has no poker face.
She rants when she gets nervous.
Who knows what she'll say if she gets put on the spot.
She could blow the entire op.
You can train her. Strategies for coping with stress.
Basic intel gathering.
- Self-defense. - Is Christmas,
you know, I'm sure she would rather be home with her family.
Actually,
I'm free.
I do have a game night on Christmas Eve with my parents,
which they will freak if I don't come to, but
other than that.
The events Christmas Eve, so.
So if it all goes well,
you'll have this wrapped up before then.
- Right? - Right.
So, Whitney,
will you do it?
Yes. I will.
Excellent. Agent Dawson will send you the case file.
You two can meet up first thing tomorrow.
[curious music]
The bureau sent over a bunch of clothes.
Anything you might need.
- Oh, wow. - One of those for me?
Yes. I got black and a gingerbread latte.
I wasn't sure which one you'd like.
I'm a sucker for nutmeg.
Wouldn't have really gotten that from this.
There's not a wreath or a twinkle in sight.
I have other priorities.
Did you read the material I sent over?
I did.
So you are aware of the mission parameters?
Yes.
Save a priceless necklace from a life on the black market.
That's right. Yeah.
We set up a phone for you.
If we get separated, you need me.
You use this.
And remember, we,
supposed to be a couple, so.
Right. You got it.
So once we get to the Bateman residence,
your goal will be to occupy Patty while I...
Do all the work?
I didn't say that.
Well, we got the bickering down.
Not all couples bicker.
- At least not the good ones. - Okay.
If you find a good one, let me know.
My parents for one.
Really?
Yeah.
They set the bar kind of high.
Yet, you were willing to go on
a blind date with MarkLovesCats1922?
Like you wouldn't go on a blind date.
Oh, I don't date.
It's too risky.
And here.
You're going to want to wear these.
How'd you know my size?
We're the FBI.
Okay, let's go over the backstory.
We'll start with the easy stuff.
Where did we meet?
A, restaurant.
B, museum. C, subway, D, FBI headquarters.
I feel like you're trying to trick me.
Whitney.
- A, restaurant. - No.
We did meet in a restaurant.
We met at the 81st Street subway station.
I saw you standing there. We locked eyes.
The rest is history. Did you not read the material?
It's 340 pages.
These are important parts.
Don't bury it in an unreadable document.
Seriously, you could afford to weave
a little bit of narrative in here.
Go ahead.
Name the six missing artifacts. Go.
Bronze Aphrodite.
Goddess of Love.
Cleopatra's love notes.
- Wrong. - King Tut's.
Love notes?
Or scrolls or whatever.
Go again.
Spycraft.
You need to be able to send a text message
from your phone in your pocket without anyone knowing.
We'll start with something simple, like, "ETA 6 P.M."
Okay.
[phone vibrates]
- Man. - Go again.
It's harder than it looks.
[phone chimes]
Now, good self-defence
is all about momentum.
You don't want to be caught flat footed.
That'll put your opponent to advantage.
Okay. Looks pretty good.
- Thanks. You sure? - Swing at me.
- Yeah. - Okay.
- [body thuds] - [Josh grunts]
Yeah, that was...
That was good.
I forgot to say, my parents
put me in a lot of martial arts classes as a kid.
And dance classes.
Now you're just showing off.
Wait, so the whole ballroom dancer thing was...
Oh, no, that's mostly true.
Just being a librarian is easier on your joints.
[dramatic music]
[body thuds]
Again?
We met on the 81st Street platform.
We've been together four months.
Things are just starting to get serious.
You haven't met my family, and you have no family.
Good.
[dramatic music continues]
Can I ask you something?
Yeah, sure.
When you said you had no family.
You, you mean like no family?
No.
Do you care to elaborate?
Nope.
I'm going to change. Pick something out.
Wheels up in 20.
[door clicks]
[phone chimes]
[curious music]
[Whitney] You can do this.
You're strong. You're smart. You're capable.
What are you doing?
My affirmations.
They work really well with the kids.
Okay, try to relax, be yourself.
- Okay. - Mostly.
Just, keep Patty talking as long as you can
so I can gather as much intel as possible.
Best case scenario, I find something
incriminating and I arrest him before it gets too far.
And worst case scenario?
We'll cross that bridge when we have to.
[doorbell chimes]
[quirky music]
Hi. Oh, come in, come in.
It's freezing.
[dramatic music]
- Thank you. - There.
Thanks again for coming.
I cannot tell you how happy I am to have some help.
Christmas is so busy.
Yeah. No, of course,
I've actually always wanted
to go to this event, but the tickets are so expensive.
Wow. Your home is so lovely.
Thank you.
Oh, Lou's waiting for you upstairs.
Johnny, you can head on up.
Oh. Great, thanks.
- See you in a bit. - Bye.
You two are so cute.
- Oh. - Don't you just love love?
I do. Yeah.
So do you want to tell me where you are in planning?
Oh, yeah.
This way.
[curious music]
Come in.
- Hey. - Johnny boy.
Have a seat.
I'm sorry we didn't get into the meat
of the business deal the other day, you know?
But, that girlfriend of yours.
What a charmer.
You know, I don't think I'll ever be able
to order scallops again without thinking of her.
You and me both.
I'll call the caterers later and confirm the numbers.
Oh, thanks. And don't forget to include the security team.
- Security team? - For the necklace.
They've got four guards on it 24/7.
It's being stored in a high security
vault near the museum right now.
They won't let anyone see it until the ball.
Seems like it's in demand.
Oh, it is.
Lucky for me, Lou can be very persuasive.
Save me from begging. [laughs]
Now, you have some clients interested in
investing in my startup, right?
Yes I do. And I cannot wait to dive into it.
But, do you mind if I use the restroom first?
Yeah. Yeah. Of course. Go ahead.
- Thanks, man. - Okay.
Have you seen it?
No, but I'm dying to.
[dramatic music]
Tell me again why it only comes out once a year.
Oh, well, as the story goes, it was given to a
German princess by her secret American lover for Christmas.
She only wore it once, on Christmas Eve, for her father
[Patty speaking faintly]
[Lou] What are you doing?
Hey, sorry, I, I got lost.
Your house is enormous.
Yeah, the powder room's by the front door.
Right. Of course.
Did you want one?
Oh, no. No, no, I was just browsing.
It's, quite the selection.
Yeah.
Go ahead then. You can have one.
Take whichever one you want.
You don't want that.
This is the one.
Whitney's gonna love it.
Thanks.
Yeah, and if you have any questions at all, just call.
- I'm here. - Okay. Thank you. Patty.
- Bye. - I'll call you.
- So, did you find anything? - No. Nothing.
We're running out of time.
What does that mean?
I'm gonna have to catch him stealing at the ball.
I got to talk to the museum director.
Okay.
Hello.
You must be Agent Dawson.
I am, and this is,
- Whitney. - Hello.
Did Agent Michaels bring you up to speed?
He did. Yes.
Though I must admit, I find it hard to believe
that a criminal would try to steal a necklace.
The Heart of Christmas, no less.
In a room filled with people.
This man is a professional.
He's done it before, and he could do it again.
So we have to put safety measures in place to stop him.
Yes, but this is a high end event,
so we can't have men in their SWAT gear roaming about.
You know, it just wouldn't be
helpful for the festive atmosphere.
I understand that, but our agents will be undercover,
so we will blend in.
No one will be the wiser.
No, I don't know. If word gets out,
turnout could be low.
And this is the biggest fundraiser of the year.
[Josh] Word will not get out.
Because this is a covert operation.
And while your turnout is important
it cannot be our priority.
Forgive me, but the money we raise here
enables thousands of children
to immerse themselves in the arts
that wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it.
Now, you may not think that's
very important, but I take my duty seriously.
Well, I take my duty to public safety seriously.
Henry, if I may, I think we all want the same things here.
Art should be in a place like this for everyone
to enjoy, right?
Not floating around
on the black market for only wealthy people to see.
So if you wouldn't mind giving us a little tour,
we promise we will make sure
that the necklace stays in the right hands
and that everyone stays safe.
All right, after you.
Thank you.
I would love to see some of your favourite pieces.
[Henry] Oh, yes.
This is one of the grand salons
decorated for whatever season we're in.
Okay, so the necklace
will go right here.
Install security cameras here and here and over
all the entrances and the fire escapes.
Why haven't I received this floor plan yet?
Oh, I will make sure to get you a copy when we're done here.
- Can I see that for a sec? - Yeah. For sure.
Thanks.
This.
This is called "The Dahlia Dance."
Legend has it that the artist was struck
by lightning and while unconscious, had
a vision of a beautiful woman surrounded by red dahlias.
When he woke,
he became obsessed with finding her, but never could.
But then sometime later,
he ran into a woman selling red dahlias.
- And... - It was her.
Indeed.
He gifted this to her their first Christmas together.
What a beautiful story.
Yes, that is why I curated the piece back in 1998.
But a few years ago we actually discovered it was a fake.
But where is the real one?
Buried in a safe outside Budapest.
It is now worth more than a Jackson Pollock,
but it remains a hidden gem unless you know to look for it.
Oh, would you excuse me?
Of course.
What if we created a fake?
What do you mean?
A duplicate necklace with a little tracker thing in it.
And we could let it get stolen.
And then follow it.
Whitney, that is actually a really good idea.
We'd have to switch it out with the real necklace
before it goes on display.
And figure out where they're storing it.
Oh, it's in a vault near the museum.
Excuse me?
Yeah. But, 24/7 guards.
According to Patty.
Why didn't you tell me this sooner?
Well, it never came up.
Okay.
You know, that doesn't make sense, though.
What makes sense?
We're gonna need to swap it at the vault.
But if they can't even get into the vault, how will we?
You leave that to me.
Right now, we just need to find a jeweler.
I might have one.
Rachel says she's a bit of a character, but
she made her engagement ring, and it's stunning.
Okay.
What is going on here?
Jewelry is,
kind of a side hustle.
Her real business is...
- [ambient holiday music] - Oh, boy.
[Whitney gasps]
Oh, my goodness.
He kind of looks like you.
It's a little more Pollyanna than my childhood.
What do you mean?
Well, not a lot of gift exchanges in foster care.
Hello, hello. Merry Christmas.
Would you care for some peppermint bark?
- Wow. - I know it's the glasses, right?
I mean, it's the whole Mrs. Claus package. Really.
Well. What can I help you with?
Twinkle lights, inflatable lawn decor?
We've got it all.
We're actually here about jewelry.
Oh, are you two
shopping for a ring?
[both] No.
We're looking for something a little more custom.
Follow me.
[curious music]
Well, so, what are we looking at?
Reshaping. Resetting. Melting gold.
Swapping gemstones.
We need a necklace that looks like this.
Whoa. That's quite the piece.
I know, it's a family heirloom.
[Josh clears throat]
That we lost and are trying to replace.
You think you can recreate it?
All right. These are lab cultured gemstones,
but once I'm done with it,
you will not be able to tell the difference.
We also
need to add this.
Do you think you can do it?
Piece of cake.
Piece of Christmas cake.
[both laughing]
I will email you a photo of the necklace.
All right. Excellent. Give me a couple hours.
- Thank you. - See you later.
I got to follow up with Kiera about the storage facility.
You good here for a minute?
- Oh, yeah. - Okay.
[Rachel] Whitney?
What are you doing here?
Just buying stuff.
What? What are you doing here?
Picking up our wedding bands.
Why haven't you been answering my calls?
I've been very busy.
What happened with you and Mark?
Why'd you ghost him?
Look, I'm so sorry, I...
I got cold feet, and I bailed, and I should have texted
you, but, you know what? We should go out for New Year's.
- Yeah. - We can go.
Hi.
Who's this?
- Johnny. - Yeah.
Whitney's boyfriend.
Boyfriend?
What's he talking about?
Yeah, he's my boyfriend.
I was going to tell you, but I wanted to tell my parents first.
And, I'm going to call them today,
but Rachel was just leaving, so.
- Oh. - I was?
Oh, I was, yes.
Nice seeing you. And,
nice meeting you. Boyfriend.
Nice to meet you.
[item jingles]
Should I be worried?
Boyfriend?
What did you want me to say?
Anything else.
Literally anything.
[bright music]
All righty then.
I think that does it.
Wow. Well done.
Why thank you.
There you go sir.
You might be hearing from me again.
Oh, well you know where to find me here.
- Here, or The North Pole. - [all laughing]
Thank you.
That's a nice couple.
[bright music]
Wow. Look at you.
Look at all this.
Oh, yeah. I'm sorry.
It just needed a festive boost.
Hope you're taking that with you.
What? No.
This is an early Christmas present from your fake
- girlfriend. - [chuckles]
I don't really do presents.
From anybody?
- Wow. - Look, don't look so sad.
Okay?
Christmas is just another day for me.
Anyway. Kiera, sent over the schematics for the vault.
There's only one short term holding area
in the whole building.
The necklace has to be here.
Now, there's only two ways in and out.
There's a front door
which is two feet of solid steel and guarded 24/7.
- And the other way? - The ceiling.
I'll enter through the vent shaft.
Replace the real necklace
with the replica, and then I'll climb out.
Did you call in the diversion?
Oh, yes.
The Christmas cookies will be delivered in one hour.
Excellent.
What happens if you need backup?
I won't need back up. I'll be in and out.
Now you tell me what happens if someone sees you.
Right. I stage an epic family fight over the phone.
Mom is having a Christmas meltdown.
Too many tasks in too little time.
Just don't yell so loud they actually call the police.
Do we get walkie talkies?
No. You ready?
Yeah.
♪ Jingle all the way♪
♪ Oh, what fun it is to ride♪
You want to turn that down a bit?
♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells♪
Kind of calms the nerves, you know?
Don't be nervous.
Your part's done. This is up to me.
You're going to be all right. Right?
Worried about me?
So what if I am?
Don't be. This is what I do.
So what's your trick?
Breathing?
Meditation? Hypnotism?
No trick.
It's all I've ever known.
All right.
I'll see you soon.
[door shuts]
[dramatic music]
Here we go.
♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells♪
♪ Please don't let us get caught♪
♪ I'd like to live another day ♪
♪ And I love Christmas a lot, hey♪
[phone rings]
- [quirky music] - [phone rings]
[phone rings]
Hi, Mom.
This isn't really a good time.
Why? What do you mean? Where are you?
Just, just out for a drive.
[Cheryl] At night, in the winter?
Yeah, which is why I shouldn't talk,
you know, safety in the car.
- Okay, bye. - Oh, no, wait a minute.
I just have to ask a question. I ran into Rachel.
What is this about? You having a boyfriend?
Oh, yeah. I'll explain later.
Why didn't you tell us?
I was going to.
- I swear. - [Cheryl] When?
Soon.
You know, just
trying to find the right time.
[Cheryl] Why don't you bring him to game night on Christmas Eve?
We'd love to meet him.
Yeah. Shoot.
You know, something came up, and,
I'm gonna have to reschedule.
What do you mean something came up? It's a family tradition.
I know, I know.
Which is why we should do it
tomorrow on the 23rd.
Oh. Okay. All right.
- [alarm blares] - [Cheryl] What was that?
Oh, nothing. Nothing.
Okay. Love you. Bye.
[alarm blares]
It's fine.
You've got this.
[door clicks]
- [alarm continues blaring] - [dramatic music]
[whispers] Josh?
[door thuds]
[Josh] Whitney! Grab on.
[Josh] You were supposed to stay in the car.
I heard an alarm.
- I was worried. - Who do you think set it off?
To get them away from their posts.
Sorry for trying to save your life.
I had it under control.
Sure.
"Come work with the FBI.
Plan a party. It'll be fine."
- What are you saying? - You haven't seen "Die Hard?"
No.
[quirky music]
Jeez. Best Christmas movie ever.
Shhh. Right here.
There's no tie off.
What's that?
If I go down, do you think you can pull me back up?
- No. - Then you got to do it.
[quirky music]
You're serious?
I'll give you the fake. Lower you down.
You swap out the necklace and I'll lift you back up.
Easy peasy.
Okay? You got this.
Okay.
- Okay, I got this. - Okay.
Just remember, no matter what you do,
do not let go of the rope.
The cookies are arriving in three, two, one.
Hey, guys, check it out.
Special delivery.
[dramatic music]
[alarm blares]
[man] I'll check the electrical box.
- You guys stay here. - [alarm blares]
We should lock everything down just to be safe.
[whispers] Forget it. We gotta go.
- [alarm blares] - [Whitney speaks indistinctly]
[whispers] Leave it!
[alarm continunes blaring]
Once they lock the place down,
there would have been no getting out.
- You okay? - Yeah.
Why did you set off another alarm?
- I didn't. - Oh, oh.
I was right there.
I could have gotten.
I know, but something didn't feel right.
I did not want to take that chance.
And we're going to have to wait till the gala
to swap the necklace before Lou can steal it.
I'm gonna have to call Kiera to set up a meeting tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow,
we have to go to game night with my parents.
Say what?
They want to meet my new boyfriend.
[quirky holiday music]
Santa and Mrs. Claus have landed. No tail.
- You're good to go. - Copy that.
Thank you.
Your parents have arrived.
It's go time.
Is this really necessary?
Oh, yes. This is mandatory.
Everything is great.
We just need to get through the next two hours.
Be yourself.
And everything will be fine.
Just, you know, maybe lose, like, 20 percent of the scowl.
I'm not scowling.
You are radiating tension.
Look, I get it. You're mad.
You did not sign up to meet my family.
No, no, it's.
It's not that. I just.
I've never.
You've never met a girlfriend's family before?
Oh, okay.
Wow.
That's okay.
When in doubt, just ask them questions about them
or any home security system.
- They love that. - [door knocking]
- Hi, Honey. - Hi.
Oh, it looks so gorgeous in here.
And there he is.
The enigma himself.
Yeah. Mom, this is Johnny.
Johnny, this is my mom, Cheryl.
And my dad, Jim.
- Nice to meet you. - Likewise. Likewise.
So, how did you meet?
Dad, can we have some snacks
before we start the Spanish Inquisition.
[quirky music]
The game is Christmas charades.
Now, everything in
this hat is holiday themed, so you have to be very specific.
Got it.
Johnny, what do you say you and I team up?
No. That's okay. We'll stick together.
[Josh] No. It's okay.
I'd love to.
[Whitney] Really? Yeah.
Okay. Ladies first.
Do you need to take that?
It's just Patty. She's wondering if...
[Josh clears throat]
If I'm ready for the book
fair in January.
I'm ready. [chuckles]
Okay.
One minute on the clock and go.
Okay.
Chicken. Chicken dance. No, that's not Christmas.
Partridge in a pear tree? No.
Oh! Christmas turkey. Turkey. Turkey. Turkey.
- Christmas dinner? - Yes. Ha! Ha!
That was Oscar worthy.
- I'd like to see you do better. - So would I.
- All right. - [Cheryl] Okay, and, go!
[quirky music]
Pillow.
Nose. Smells like a pillow.
Christmas pillow decor?
Basketball?
[Jim speaks indistinctly]
Right.
Dog? No. Okay. Right.
Okay. Follow your nose.
[Jim mumbling]
All right. Oh, horse! Horse.
Dad, you're just saying random words.
Don't you help. Go on.
Christmas sleigh ride? No.
Oh! Pig!
Pig! Dog! Sleigh!
- No? - Oh, Jim, you're being cruel.
You know, don't you?
Yes. Fine. It's Rudolph.
Welcome to charades.
[all laughing]
You are terrible.
You were great.
Mom. You're up.
Okay.
[gentle music]
Cracking?
[Whitney speaks indistinctly]
[gentle music continues]
- So, Honey. - Mom?
He's awfully cute.
I can tell that he really likes you.
What I don't understand
is what took you so long to tell us?
You know how you and Dad like to vet
the people that I'm dating?
I just wanted the chance
to get to know him without the pressure.
Maybe make my own mistakes for once?
Is it a mistake?
No.
I don't think it is.
Sorry about earlier.
That's fine.
I do get a little protective.
You should.
You know, when she was seven years old,
she found a stray cat in our garage
and it had six kittens.
Cheryl and I are allergic to cats, so
we couldn't have them around, and,
Whitney was inconsolable.
She gets attached very quickly
and very deeply.
So, do me a favor.
If you're not into it for real,
just do the right thing.
Just walk away.
Oh, God. Trust me.
Last thing I want is for anyone to get hurt.
Especially her.
Another round?
Yeah. Thanks.
All right.
Oh, and, Jim.
She's lucky to have you guys.
Thank you.
[Whitney speaking indistinctly]
Well, it was great to meet you, Johnny.
The pleasure was mine.
- Drive safe. - We will, of course.
She hasn't gone over 50 miles an hour in over two years.
[Cheryl laughs]
Thank you for changing your plans and coming tonight.
We didn't really have much of a choice, did we?
Tell me, what are you doing tomorrow?
A party.
A party?
Where?
It's, a silent auction thing at the museum.
You mean the Mistletoe Ball?
- Yeah. - Since when?
Since I invited her.
It's kind of a work thing.
Tell me what it is you do again, Johnny?
- Finance. - Oh, right.
Okay! We'll see you on Christmas.
Okay. Yeah. Bye. Okay. Goodbye. All right.
- Love you. - Love you.
- [Jim] Bye. - [both] Bye.
- Bye. I'll call you. - Bye bye.
- [Jim] Yeah. - [Whitney] Yep.
[door shuts]
[Whitney sighs]
I think that was great.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
- That was weird. - Yeah.
Texts. Rescheduling.
The ball.
The chemistry seems genuine.
Maybe. There's something she's not telling us.
How's it going in there?
[Whitney] I'm almost ready.
Good, because I want to go over the plan one more...
[soft music]
I think it fits.
Yeah.
Should we go over it again?
Yeah.
Go for it.
Okay.
Suspect is Lou Bateman,
believed to be responsible for the theft of six
stolen priceless artifacts from around the world.
His next target is the Heart of Christmas,
otherwise known as the Mona Lisa of jewelry,
and only comes out once a year, so.
So it's our last shot.
But no pressure, right?
After we arrive at the museum, we will wait for Patty's
introductory remarks.
And then I will create a diversion.
A gentle nudge at the champagne tower and?
Kaboom.
I cut the power and swap the necklace.
And hopefully no one is the wiser.
Now, we don't know who Lou is working with
or when he's going to make his move,
so we have to keep an eye out
for his accomplices, but do not follow them yourself.
You leave that to me.
You having second thoughts?
- No. - It's okay if you are.
Because we can always say you got sick.
You don't have to come.
You still don't think I can do this?
I didn't say that.
No, it's,
it's fair.
In my life,
anything like this, I probably would have been
absolutely terrified.
But for the first time ever,
I feel like I'm a part of something
important.
Like, I can help people.
And I want to see that through.
Plus,
Patty will be really mad if we don't show up.
That's true.
And we can't have that. So,
unless you want to be late.
Shall we?
[dramatic music]
Agent Dawson, we are in position,
and we are standing by.
Copy that.
Here we go.
[dramatic music continues]
There it is.
[Lou] There he is. Johnny boy!
- [Lou] Hey. - [Patty] Oh, Whitney!
It looks incredible in here.
- And so do you. - Thank you.
This is Henry, the museum director.
These are our new friends, Whitney and Johnny.
It's nice to meet you.
Yes, it's nice to meet you.
Henry has done such a brilliant job curating the museum.
Have you seen the Dahlia Dance?
It is my favorite piece in the whole museum.
I mean, aside from the necklace. [laughs]
[announcer] Patty Bateman, to the stage.
Honey, I think that's your cue.
Have fun, you two.
I better go for moral support.
I'll catch up with you. All right?
Sounds good.
- Ready? - Ready.
[dramatic music]
[Patty] Good evening, everyone,
and welcome to the 10th annual Mistletoe Ball.
In honour of the museum's Art for Kids program.
On behalf of Henry Kopelman and our lovely board of directors,
we would like to thank you all for coming.
Your generosity during this holiday
season is deeply appreciated, and we do have a number of fun
things to do tonight. But first,
we want to remind you that we do indeed have a dance floor.
So here to kick it off with a tango is a former
professional dancer and my new bestie, Whitney.
Take it away, Whitney and Johnny!
What's happening here?
[classical ballroom music]
Are you going to dance?
Okay.
I guess there's no good way to get out of this now.
I don't think so.
And the necklace?
We'll keep eyes on it.
Have you ever danced the tango before?
Nope.
Follow my lead.
Backwards. Forward.
Down.
Twirl me.
[classical ballroom music continues]
[gentle music]
[Jim] Hello, Whitney.
Dad?
[quirky music]
What are you doing here?
Well, after last night, your mother and I
looked up the ball and decided we had to come.
And this was such a good cause.
We get to see you again.
Boy am I glad we got those last minute tickets.
That dance was worth the price of admission.
Well, I guess all those dance classes
you took me to as a kid finally paid off.
Where's Mom?
Oh. She's gone to freshen up.
So, John...
What's happened?
- I don't know. - [Kiera] Dawson, what happened?
- Was that you? - It's not us.
What's going on?
Find Mom. Stay together.
Excuse me. Excuse me.
We missed it.
- The necklace is gone. - [Kiera] Copy.
[Kiera] Do you have a description?
No. Not yet.
Look.
Hey!
[dramatic music]
FBI, stop!
Male, he's got a briefcase.
He's heading for the roof.
Hey!
[body thuds]
You're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say will be held against you.
Josh, look.
It's empty.
It was a decoy.
For what?
[tires screeching]
Is that Henry?
Eagle is on the move. Black SUV.
We have a new suspect.
His name is Henry Kopelman.
He's the museum director.
Mom? Dad?
They have my parents.
[dramatic music]
We now have two hostages.
Repeat. Two hostages. They're in a second vehicle.
They're heading westbound towards Main Street.
Wait!
What are you doing?
Going over. I'm going to cut them off.
I'm coming with you.
No, it's too dangerous.
These are my parents.
[dramatic music continues]
[tires screeching]
Hold on tight.
Jump first. Think later.
[dramatic music]
You okay?
Wait!
[tires screeching]
FBI! Get out of the vehicle!
Hi, Honey.
FBI. Put your hands where I can...
See them.
How did you do that?
Picked up a few things over the years, your mother and I.
From the home security installation business?
Okay. Mom, what is going on?
Before we, started the home security business...
You were in the bureau?
Spent a few years in the art fraud department
in the late 80s.
Excuse me?
Hostages are safe.
I repeat, hostages are safe.
So, we met as young recruits.
We worked together for seven years.
Found out your mother was pregnant, so...
We both decided to retire immediately.
What about your home security company?
We opened it two months before you were born.
That's all real.
Agent Dawson.
You have eyes on Lou Bateman?
He's already in custody,
but he says he has nothing to do with it.
Of course he did.
- What about Henry? - Backup's in pursuit.
We got him on GPS.
Wait. What?
Well, thanks to the tracking device you installed.
What are you talking about? We never swapped necklaces.
It's gone.
What? Then who did?
We did it.
Well, why?
Postponing game night?
Not telling us about your new boyfriend?
Last night, you just weren't yourself.
Nothing added up.
So we called an old friend in the bureau,
asked him to look into Johnny here.
And when we discovered agent Josh Dawson...
We got tickets to the ball to make sure you're okay.
And we saw you dancing and looking at your purse
like a predator locked on its prey.
So while you were distracted, we took a peek, saw the necklace
and realized what was about to happen.
The old bait and switch.
We've done at a time or two ourselves.
So I took the necklace.
Cut the power.
And during the chaos that ensued,
I swapped it for you.
But as I was walking away, I saw someone take it.
We followed. But then.
But anyway, you know the rest.
I still don't understand.
Did you hire Henry?
Oh, he's probably getting a cut of the sale, Honey.
Yeah.
I can't believe this.
I know it's a lot to take in.
No, what I can't believe is you guys.
You've been lying to me for, like, forever.
Honey, it was for your own safety.
Now you, sir.
I do not know how you got her mixed up in this.
Whoa! No.
He had nothing to do with this.
In fact, he tried to talk me out of it multiple times.
- Then why... - Because I wanted to.
Because my whole life, I've been trying to be this
perfect daughter for you two.
Being safe, never, never taking any risks.
It's stifling.
And meanwhile, you two are like SWAT people.
I need space.
[Jim] Whitney, please.
I'll talk to her.
We're going to have to get your statements on record.
Can you take them to headquarters, please?
Of course.
[footsteps clomping]
Whitney, wait.
- You okay? - No.
Because I can't help but feel like
everyone in my life thinks I'm incompetent.
Nobody thinks that.
Yes, they do.
And you, worst of all.
How many times did you say to your boss, "She can't do it?"
I didn't know you then.
And yet, just two hours ago, you were trying to convince me
- out of all of this. - Because I didn't
want you to get hurt.
Not because I thought you couldn't handle it.
I wanted to protect you.
Like my parents were.
You can't be mad at them for wanting to keep you safe.
By lying to me?
By not
trusting me.
By crashing
the most exciting thing in my life.
Whitney, they're your family.
Don't shut them out.
What do you know about family?
[gentle music]
Yeah.
Okay, I'll be right there.
I got to go.
Henry's in custody.
Okay.
I'll have someone drive you home.
[gentle music continues]
[gentle music]
It's gone.
[Josh] Henry. Henry. Henry.
It's quite the mess you got yourself into.
Me? Oh, please.
There was nothing subtle about what you guys did tonight.
You promised no drama.
Says a man who tried to steal a $10 million necklace.
[glass knocking]
Sir, I just got off the phone with the museum.
The necklace is not the only thing missing.
- What? - Apparently,
a painting was also taken.
It must have happened after the crowd was evacuated.
Which painting?
It's the one with the woman and the red flowers.
The Dahlia Dance.
Oh, she is bold.
Gotta give her that.
Wait.
What do you mean, "she?"
Whitney.
- What are you doing here? - I just wanted to make sure
you're okay after all the craziness.
May I come in?
Of course.
[Whitney] I didn't know you were traveling for Christmas.
Last minute trip to Aruba.
Need a break from all this cold.
[faint thud]
What was that?
What was what? I didn't hear anything.
You know, I've been thinking about the necklace
and all the artifacts that went missing.
Bronze Aphrodite, King Tut's scrolls.
The Dahlia Dance.
You know what they all have in common?
Love.
You know who loves love?
- Whitney. - Look, I get it.
Who doesn't love a romantic story?
I know I do.
I've read all of them.
Leave now and I will forget you came here.
I can help you, Patty, but you have to tell me the truth.
I'm afraid it's too late for that now.
[dramatic music]
- [door thuds] - FBI. You're under arrest.
I recorded that.
- If that helps. - Oh. That's great.
Thank you, Whitney.
[uplifting music]
[soft music]
[door knocking]
Merry Christmas, Kiddo.
Can we come in?
[lock clunks]
Listen. About yesterday.
You had every right to be mad.
As a parent, your number one job is to keep your kids safe.
And despite feeling like we made the right choice at the time,
we know we took it too far.
We actually thought you liked your life.
Liked your job.
I didn't realize how much pressure we're putting on you.
If I'd known you were so unhappy,
I would have told you sooner.
I am so, so sorry, Honey.
Those kittens you saved that one Christmas when you were a kid.
I don't know if you remember this, but,
when you found them in the garage
those kittens were up in the rafters.
You had to climb up there to rescue them.
And that's how your mother and I found you.
Seven years old.
Hanging by one arm.
Fearless.
You were always capable, Whitney.
We were just too afraid to let you go.
[gentle music]
- I'm sorry. - I know, Dad.
[doorbell rings]
Sorry.
- I should... - Go.
Right? Yeah. Okay.
Yeah.
Go, go, go, go.
Hi.
Never got a chance to thank you.
Things got a little crazy last night.
- You don't have to. - Yeah, I do.
Patty would have gotten away if you hadn't slowed her down.
About what I said at the museum.
I'm so sorry.
It's okay.
No it's not.
I was upset, and I took it out on you.
And you didn't deserve that.
Here.
What's this for?
You couldn't let another Christmas go
by without someone getting you a present.
[gentle music]
I know this
wasn't your experience growing up, but
maybe going forward, it could be?
- Do you mind? - Oh.
I got a little something for you, too.
- It's the replica. - Oh.
And I did remove the tracker.
Little reminder of everything that you did this week.
And I hope that when you look at it,
you see what I see.
An elementary school librarian?
No.
The bravest person I've ever met.
Anyway, it's, It's Christmas.
I'm sure you want to spend time with your family, so I'll,
I'll leave you to it.
Wait.
What are you doing tonight?
You know me.
It's just another day.
You could stay.
You are supposed to be my boyfriend
after all.
Yeah.
About that.
Maybe we could ditch the fake part.
Sure you don't want to give MarkLovesCats1922
another shot?
I have never been more sure of anything in my life.
[gentle music]
- Mom. - Sorry, sorry. Sorry.
Hey, Josh, you want to come in?
Dad. It's my apartment.
Of course he's coming in.
We need to work on boundaries.
[Whitney] I was thinking I should join the FBI.
[all] What?
[dramatic holiday music]