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[♪♪]
[shutter timer beeping]
♪ I believe that there's a toy ♪
♪ For every little girl and boy ♪
[security alarm blares]
♪ I believe it I believe it ♪
[spray paint hisses]
♪ And when Christmas comes around ♪
♪ All of the children jump for joy ♪
♪ All because of Mr. Santa Claus ♪
♪ Hello, Santa Hello, Santa ♪
♪ Everything I say is true ♪
[♪♪]
♪ When you come on Christmas Eve ♪
♪ The milk and cookies are for you ♪
♪ See the children bundled up ♪
♪ And making snowmen in the snow ♪
♪ All because of Mr. Santa Claus ♪
Morning, Mrs. Wilson.
Good morning, Detective.
Beautiful day.
It certainly is.
I hope you're not spending your first Denver Christmas
all on your own?
Oh, no. I'm celebrating it with my sister.
She lives here.
-Oh. -In fact...
I'm meeting her now.
Have you set a date for the wedding?
Yeah.
Amy, that's great.
Less great is meeting Jeff's parents.
I'm a wreck.
Take it from your big sis...
they are going to love you.
So... relax.
The thing is...
they invited Jeff and me to spend Christmas with them
in Aspen next week.
Oh. Wow.
That's perfect.
It's gonna be great.
But I don't want you all alone for the holidays
in a new town.
Please, come with us.
To meet your future in-laws?
I'm fine.
Besides, my...my new job has me busy anyways.
Or at least, I hope it will soon.
Speaking of which, I gotta run.
-[humming cheerfully] -Oh, it's right here.
It... it says right here... I got... I sent it in.
It's a denying petition. It's dated the ninth.
You got it.
Detective Anderson.
Detective Morris.
Denying petition.
Yeah, I promise, this time.
[hangs up] Procedure.
Procedure does help minimize errors.
What does procedure say
about decorating your desk like the North Pole?
[chuckling]
If I want a festive workplace, that is my business.
If you want a Scroogey one, that's yours.
And...
that's my stapler you stole.
Remind me again what your job was back in Wisconsin?
Was it chief hall monitor?
Just a humble beat cop...
who's now a detective.
A rookie detective.
As you keep reminding me.
Well...
[Tanya hums "Deck the Halls"]
[♪♪]
[festive humming continues]
Do you mind, uh, not, you know, humming the carols?
Oh, was I?
Oh. Sorry.
I guess I could use a little Christmas spirit today.
My sister has to go out of town for Christmas.
You got any special holiday plans?
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
I'm spending Christmas as it was intended.
Feet up, watching football with the boys.
Don't you have any family to spend it with?
Don't you have enough mysteries to solve over there?
[scoffing lightly]
[♪♪]
[Tanya] Hey!
Who stole my Advent calendar chocolates?
[gasping]
Who took our rookie detective's chocolates?
It's not what it looks like.
I, uh...
I ate them.
I had to work late! I got hungry.
I wanted fast food. It wasn't food, but it was fast.
I'll tell you what.
Peace offering?
Thanks anyways.
Ah, perfect.
-What's that for?
Oh, I'm in charge
of Detective Fletcher's retirement gift.
Oh. That's surprisingly nice of you.
We're dedicating a bench in the holding cell to him.
[laughing]
Hmm.
Morris. Anderson. My office. Now.
Talbot!
Please! Out of my way.
Give me strength. Give me strength.
Talbot, I said fly fishing, not ice fishing.
I'm not retiring to Alaska.
Sorry, sir.
The only fishing I do is for compliments.
I'm on it, yeah. Oh. Hi.
Hot rods coming through. -Yeah.
Have a seat.
Here's what we know.
First, the Modern Art Museum, now minus a Dali painting.
Then a Rodin sketch from the Davrow Gallery.
And now the Civic Center just lost its Degas.
It's the third art heist this month.
I thought Downtown was on this.
-Well, the mayor is transferring it over to us.
I need to clear this case before I retire.
Oh... after-hours break-ins,
high-valued artwork...
sounds like the thieves knew just what they wanted.
Well, Forensics says they're pros.
Used a high-tech coring drill
to get into the museum through the skylight,
and each crime scene hosted a Christmas party
the night of the theft.
I don't know, maybe someone slipped in
while everyone was distracted.
Captain?
You might want to check out these,
from the security cameras.
It's the same Santa from all three crime scenes.
Look at his watch.
I see you have an eye for detail.
Very impressive.
[coughing disruptively]
-I got his name. -What?
Francis Miller, a.k.a. Mr. Christmas.
That was fast.
That's just good detective work.
Yeah, I got a buddy who works at the museum.
He checked the logbook.
And I've got Miller's address and his record for grand theft.
That was fast.
That's just great detective work.
Well, since you two clearly work so well together,
you both can go check him out.
[♪♪]
Just out of curiosity,
when is the last time you vacuumed in here?
Is this a McRib?
They haven't sold these since last year.
So? I'm sentimental.
All right, there it is.
That's Miller's house.
Look at that yard.
The North Pole's got nothing on him.
Jealous?
More like impressed.
Looks like the house next door is for rent.
How do you know?
The sign that says "for rent."
Look. Someone's coming.
[engine shuts off]
[vehicle door opens]
That's him.
-There he is.
-Mr. Christmas himself. -Mm-hmm.
This guy's up to something. I'm sure of it.
You're sure already?
All right, look. I know you're new to this.
Let me tell you something.
No one is ever who they seem.
Don't forget,
Mr. Christmas was convicted 15 years ago of grand theft.
And he's been a model citizen since,
not as much as a parking ticket.
I say assume the best, then follow the evidence.
Well, I say assume the worst and be pleasantly surprised.
No one's off the naughty list
until proven otherwise, as far as I'm concerned.
Yup. With you at the top of the list.
Wonder what that was about. -Mm.
Why would Miller need locksmith tools?
Suspicious enough for you yet?
-[line ringing] -Hi.
Talbot? It's me. Hey, where's the captain at?
Walk with me.
It's my last Christmas in Colorado.
My wife wants to go big.
Keep up! What do we got?
[Talbot] I got nothing, sir.
Captain, I'm telling you...
Miller's got deliveries coming and going.
He's got mysterious characters dropping by.
This guy is planning something.
If we could get in there and search his house,
I bet we could find stolen merch,
maybe even the key to his next job.
I feel it in my gut.
Too bad your gut can't get us a search warrant.
No. I agree.
Not enough here for a search warrant,
so why not bring him in for questioning?
Because.
Sir, if he's up to something, that'll tip him off.
We won't be able to catch him.
We're, like, a week out from Christmas,
and our sneaky little Santa might have another job in mind.
-Another job in mind.
To establish cause, we need real surveillance.
If we can document a pattern of suspicious conduct,
we can go to a judge for a warrant.
How about a stakeout?
There's a house for rent right next to Miller's.
It'd be perfect.
Stakeout...
okay, I'll authorize it.
For seven days, until Christmas.
Great! Have fun.
-Oh, no.
No. You're going too, Detective.
From now on, you're partners on this case.
I don't think that's a good idea.
Finally... something we agree on.
You've been here for two months
and shown great promise, Detective.
You're always saying you want a high-profile case.
Well, here's your chance.
But...
-I'm trusting you.
Don't let me down.
[sighs] I won't, sir.
She is not ready for a job this big.
Let me be the judge.
Besides, you need someone to keep you in line.
[Ryan scoffs]
You have tended to bend the rules.
Captain...
I think we both know I work better on my own.
Detectives, this case is the only thing
standing between me and a banana daiquiri
with an itty-bitty umbrella in it.
I want that daiquiri!
I deserve that daiquiri.
Don't disappoint me.
[crashing]
That's Talbot's job.
I got paper.
[♪♪]
There's a good vantage point here
of his front door and his driveway,
and from upstairs,
we have a good view of his backyard and his kitchen.
And once we're set up,
we'll know if he so much as changes a bulb
in his Christmas lights.
[sighs] Let me guess.
First stakeout?
Yes. How'd you know?
Santa's sleigh doesn't come with as much baggage as you do.
[he chuckles]
It's just the essentials.
The essentials?
If I'm stuck in a snow globe with Scrooge,
at least I can make it Christmassy.
Now...
...we should lay down some ground rules.
Oh, gee. Imagine.
You've got rules.
For starters, can we agree to make this place
a little more organized than our workspace?
You know, I was thinking the very same thing.
Oh, I moved your suitcase
from the master suite
to the room down the hall.
What?
That was me calling the master suite.
Don't you know the rules of "I called it"?
Which brings me to my last proposal.
I will watch from upstairs,
and you will do your surveillance
from down here.
Why do you get upstairs?
Every time you walk,
it is like a herd of buffalo going by.
Why does everyone always say that?
All right.
Fine.
You take the master suite.
If it means we see less of each other,
suits me just fine.
Perfect.
Don't even think about it.
[shutter snapping]
[car engine starting]
Bad news, Detective.
This hotel does not offer maid service.
[sighing]
Here.
Check out his office upstairs.
Do you see the boxes?
Mm-hmm.
And look on the wall. See those charts?
They're more like blueprints. This guy's up to something.
Blueprints...
for what, I wonder?
Maybe his next heist? Wish I could get a better look.
I just can't see anything from this angle.
What's that?
Oh, I'm just keeping notes.
Oh, yeah?
"7:35, newspaper delivered.
8:16, postwoman drops off mail.
10:10, tabby cat walks by..."
[gasping]
Why are you logging this stuff? None of it's even relevant.
You never know what will be relevant
unless you've already made up your mind about the case,
which you already have.
Whatever.
Hey, Talbot's gonna drop off some lunch in the alley.
What do you want on your burger?
I'd prefer a salad, actually.
You know, something healthy and green?
[line rings]
I'll order extra pickles.
Talbot? It's Detective Ryan.
What do you mean, which Detective Ryan?
The only Detective Ryan you know.
[vehicle approaches next door]
Ryan!
Actually, you know what? Make it a double.
No, not on the side. On the burger.
Talbot, why would I want cheese on the side?
It's a cheeseburger.
A "cheeseburger."
[shutter snapping]
You have got to be kidding.
[knocks loudly]
Ryan!
[knocks]
Psst! Ryan?
[knocking]
[yells] Ryan! Hey!
You locked out?
Oh. [chuckles]
I'm fine.
I can call someone.
I live just down the street.
Not necessary.
Thank you anyway.
Just move in?
It's a nice day to work out.
I'd hate to slow down your pace.
[pounds] Ryan!
Could you be any louder?
Could you not lock me out?
-Could you... -Oh!
You must be the newlyweds.
The who now?
The real estate agent said
some newlyweds looked at the house,
but were still on the fence.
That's you, right?
Well, yes.
That's us.
[chuckling awkwardly]
We took the plunge.
Oh, we sure did.
I'm Stanley. And you are?
I'm... Tasha.
And this is my h... husband...
Ru... Rupert. -Rrr... yep.
It's good to meet you, Stanley.
You're right next door to the best decorations around.
Mr. Miller runs
our neighborhood Christmas committee.
The Christmas committee?
Caroling, parties, potlucks...
We're always looking for new volunteers.
I know everyone's gonna want to meet you.
[calls as he leaves] I'll spread the word!
Oh, you hear that, Tasha?
He's gonna spread the word.
Unbelievable.
We're supposed to be keeping a low profile.
Now look what you've done.
What I've done?
You locked me out.
That was an accident! Saying we're married?
I had to think fast.
You should try it sometime.
Well, this is terrific.
Now the entire neighborhood is gonna know we're here.
So much for quiet observation.
We got to pack up. It's done. It's over.
Actually, maybe this can work in our favor.
Did you bump your head on an icicle out there?
If we could join this Christmas committee...
-Ugh. -...We could meet Miller.
Maybe even get that look inside his house.
So you admit that he's up to something?
Miller just got a delivery
from a company that makes key-cutting machines,
and that is... odd.
You're serious about this.
I'm serious about solving this case.
And since
we're on the neighborhood radar now anyway,
we have to try to fit in,
or we're gonna stand out.
Saying we're married?
Hey, it's harder for me.
Why?
It's obvious I can do so much better than you.
[he laughs]
That's pretty good.
That was good.
So...
what do you say?
Shall we give this a shot...
hubby?
[sighs grudgingly]
A couple for Christmas?
[sighs]
Tsk.
Merry Christmas...
dear.
[♪♪]
You want to run that by me again?
If we want to infiltrate Miller's Christmas committee,
we have to show our Christmas spirit,
and that starts with...
a tree in our window.
Yeah. You know that Talbot can only watch Miller's house
for, like, an hour,
so we need to pick one and get back.
This one's perfect. Let's get it.
Sir? -Not so fast!
A little trick my grandmother taught me.
Crush the needles... -Mm-hmm?
-...In your hand... -Okay.
And sniff.
See?
[inhales deeply]
It's beautiful. We'll take it.
No fresh scent.
[Ryan scoffs]
This one's needles are gonna drop any day.
Fine. This one.
The best procedure is to gauge...
each tree by its shape,
its height,
and any distinguishing features.
You know this is a Christmas tree lot
and not a lineup, right?
Are you enjoying this?
I'm taking this assignment seriously.
[grumbles] A little too seriously.
Why are you so Christmas-crazed, anyway?
Maybe I miss Christmas in Wisconsin.
They have detective jobs in Wisconsin.
Why didn't you apply for those?
I have my reasons.
Anyways, I've loved Christmas ever since I was little.
The question is, why don't you?
Well, I used to do Christmas...
until the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future
paid me a little visit.
And by "ghosts,"
I mean Jackson, Johnson, and Abrams,
my wife's divorce attorneys.
You were married?
Yeah, hard to believe all this isn't still taken.
I know.
Anyway, nowadays,
I have priorities other than the holidays.
But it's Christmas.
Well, my ex got the ornaments. I got the golf clubs.
Suits me just fine.
You know,
if we're really gonna sell this thing,
we're gonna need a cover story.
We can't just be walking around,
telling people we're undercover detectives.
Oh, ho. Way ahead of you.
Here are the rings the captain sent over,
and, uh, check your email.
I wrote backstories for us last night.
[laughs]
Of course you did.
So we moved from Tallahassee last month for our jobs, and...
Wait, why am I a chiropractor?
'Cause every cover story needs a grain of truth,
and you are a small pain in the neck.
Wait! Oh, there's more.
Like, where we met and all of that.
Yeah, I skimmed it.
We met at the gym, married a month ago, yada, yada.
I got it.
"Yada, yada"?
The details sell the story...
where we went for our honeymoon and things like that.
[Ryan snores]
Mm-hmm.
Sir, we'll take this one, please.
Sweet. Does that mean we're done?
Oh, we're just getting started.
On to the decorations.
[sniffs]
Hmm.
How's it going with the tree?
It's a work of art.
All it needs is the powdered snow.
How are you gonna do that?
Fingerprint powder and powdered doughnuts.
Why do I even ask?
[vehicle arriving]
What in the world is all this?
Since you only get one chance
to make a festive first impression,
now it's my turn to show you how it's done.
You're lining them up like guard dogs.
'Cause they're guarding the house.
This guy's called "Spike."
Maybe you should just handle the lights.
Yeah, great idea.
What are you doing?
I'm handling the lights.
This'll give us a little peek into Miller's garage.
He is in and out of there so much.
You see something?
I need a closer look.
[stammers] Are you crazy?
What if he sees us?
Oh, please. He's not gonna see us.
[Miller] Can I help you?
[crashing]
My gosh.
Ho, ho! Hey.
Are you okay?
Yeah, uh, funny you should ask.
I was just, uh...
uh...
honey?
We had... noticed
some of your Christmas decorations had come loose.
Coming loose! And I was just doing the neighborly thing.
So yeah, that should do it.
I'm Francis Miller.
You must be my new neighbors that Stanley told me about.
I was just coming over
to give you one of my homemade fruitcakes.
Oh, how kind!
I'm Tasha,
and this is my husband.
Yep, Ry...upert.
[chuckles awkwardly] That's...
Rupert for short.
Rupert, Tasha.
Well, welcome to the neighborhood.
You know, Stanley mentioned
that Christmas committee of yours.
-Uh-huh?
We would love to join up, if you need help.
-Absolutely!
We can always use more elves.
As a matter of fact,
I'm having a potluck tomorrow night.
I'd love you to come. 7 p.m.
We will be there with bells on.
Christmas bells on.
-[Miller chuckles] -Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
I should probably get back to work.
I haven't even checked our Christmas lights yet.
Honey-bunny...
since you're doing that,
why don't you check
all the bulbs on Mr. Miller's house, too?
Wel... no. Nah, I c... I couldn't let you do that.
It's our pleasure. Isn't it, dear?
[Ryan chuckles uneasily]
You know what they say...
"Happy wife... happy life."
Well, thank you very much,
and it's really nice to meet you.
See you tomorrow.
[quietly] Okay.
[door rumbling down]
What in the world?
Why did you volunteer me to fix his Christmas lights?
He gave us fruitcake.
You know what that means?
Yeah, we have lunch?
No. We had to respond with a Christmas gift of our own.
What? That's not a thing.
Were you raised by wolves?
Were you raised by elves?
Actually, I think there are two magic words
you need to say to me.
Um, "stop talking"?
"Thank... you."
Because of me,
we're gonna get that look in his house.
Thank you.
Morning.
I see you've been busy.
Hey. Rule number 37 of stakeouts...
games help keep the mind sharp.
This might help too.
What is this?
Santa coffee.
The secret's adding cinnamon and cocoa.
My grandmother used to make them at Christmas.
It is Christmassy.
[both chuckling]
Thank you.
[Tanya] Explain, please?
Oh, I was just shopping for a gift for my 10-year-old niece.
Pepper spray?
What? She's too young for a taser.
Besides, it's pink.
[Tanya laughs]
I'll keep my eyes open...
[closes laptop] ...for something better.
[laughs] Okay.
All right.
[laughs]
You got a little something on your...
Oh, do I? I can feel it, yeah.
-Yeah. -Uh, well...
my compliments to your grandma.
She knows how to make delicious, if slightly messy, coffee.
She was amazing.
When I'd visit,
we used to sit up in her room together
and look out the window
and make up stories about people outside.
Ah, so you were a spy from early on.
Just curious about people.
I wanted to be a detective ever since I was a kid.
I just hope I'm up for the job.
What are you talking about?
You seem so self-assured.
Do I?
I mean...
The truth is,
my dad is Chief of Police back home.
And I was a beat cop at his precinct,
on track to be detective.
Most people assume I got the job because of him,
so I always had to work extra hard.
Explains the nitpicking, the attention to detail.
But I wanted to see if I can make detective on my own,
so I applied to the job here in Denver
to prove to myself that I can really do this.
Take the downstairs window today.
Give you a nice view of your new town.
Thanks, but actually...
I'm headed out this morning.
Oh, yeah? Where you going?
I'm gonna pay a visit
to the agency that hires out Santas,
and I'll pick up a few essentials for the house
and the party tonight.
Call me if anything happens.
-Okay. -Okay?
'Kay. Keep that phone ready.
[♪♪]
Great shoes.
Thanks.
Everyone at the North Pole has 'em this year.
[footsteps approaching]
Detective?
Hi. I'm Lois Carmichael.
Nice to meet you. Please come in.
I'm so sorry to keep you waiting.
I just got back from our Chicago office,
and I'm still catching up.
Wow. It certainly is festive around here.
Well, normally, most of our work
is providing valets and, uh, waiters,
but this time of year,
we have a lot of Christmas parties,
so they just stay in character.
Actually, that is why I wanted to talk to you...
about one of your Santas, Francis Miller?
"Mr. Christmas."
He's one of my most popular acts.
All of our clients adore him.
So, he's worked at the art museum,
the Davrow Galleria,
and the Civic Center this month?
I believe so, but I can double-check.
Thanks.
Could I also get a list of any other places
he's been booked?
Yeah, he books a lot of gigs on his own,
but I will make you up a list
of all of our events that he's worked at,
but, Detective... [sighs]
...should I be concerned?
He is a person of interest in a case.
Well, can you keep me informed?
I founded this agency
to help out-of-work actors get jobs,
and I really don't want to jeopardize our reputation.
I understand.
Oh, I need more Christmas lights...
and stockings for the fireplace.
Hmm.
And what's all this for?
"The Case of the Secret Santa"?
You are closer than you think.
Are you sure you don't want to come to Aspen with us?
I just don't like you being all alone on Christmas.
No, I'm not alone.
The other stocking is for my partner.
Partner, huh?
That sounds interesting.
No.
Not my "partner" partner.
Ryan's my partner on the case.
Oh, and what's this Ryan like?
Think...
a Christmas gift you just can't return.
Hmm.
And how's the wrapping?
Is he good-looking?
He's, um...
symmetrical, with...
sharp edges.
Uh-huh.
And that is just what Ryan needs for Christmas.
You went Christmas shopping?
Just a few more decorations
and supplies for our mission tonight.
♪ Ta-da! ♪
That's cute.
♪ Ta-da! ♪
No. No!
Matching Christmas sweaters? What are we, poodles?
We are a married couple going to a Christmas party.
We need to fit in.
But I didn't have time
to get anything to bring to the party, so...
Something smells good.
Have you been baking in here?
Well, you can't show up to a potluck empty-handed.
You said so yourself. Why?
[exhales deeply]
I just can't trust leaving the cooking
to a guy who thinks Funyuns is a food group.
You made these?
Talbot stopped by the bakery, right?
And you just heated those up?
No, I made 'em from scratch.
[she sighs]
Wow.
Where'd you get the ingredients?
What is this, an interrogation?
I had Talbot pick up a few things.
But you're a cold-pizza guy.
Well, there's not much point cooking when it's just me.
Ooh...
looks like super-detective doesn't know everything.
We'll get to the bottom of this later.
Now we've got a potluck to go to.
Okay.
[festive music plays in background]
[sighing]
[hushed] Stop fidgeting.
It feels like it's made out of yak fur.
-Now, remember the plan. -I keep him busy.
And I'll get a look in the studio.
Got it.
Ah, I'm so happy you could join us.
Wouldn't miss it for the world.
Mm, homemade gingerbread.
Oh, it's my favorite. You shouldn't have.
Oh... [chuckles]
She didn't.
Come meet Alicia.
She teaches at our local high school.
Rupert and Tasha.
Hi. It must be rewarding, teaching kids.
Emotionally, yes. For my wallet...
not so much.
-[chuckling] -Oh.
[Stanley cackles]
Hey, hey.
Twinsies!
Ah! It's like looking in a mirror.
[all laughing]
You've already met Stanley.
[Ryan] Yup.
But did you know
that he is a walking encyclopedia
on everything Christmas?
Guilty as charged.
You know, in Russia they call Santa
"Grandpa Frost,"
but in Norway,
the Christmas gnome brings gifts to kids.
Ah! You sure know your stuff.
Edith? Stanley's better half.
Rupert, Tasha.
Uh, hey, have you been to their shop on Broadway?
Denver Art and Antique?
I, uh... I don't believe we have.
[doorbell ringing]
[Miller] Excuse me.
Do you get most of your art, uh, from dealers, or...
All sorts of places.
So, what brought you two to the neighborhood?
Our jobs, actually.
Mm-hmm. I'm in human resources,
and Rupert is a chiropractor.
-Woo. -Really?
Yeah.
Because my lumbar's been giving me grief.
I don't suppose I could get a quick chiropractic adjustment?
[♪♪]
Yeah, why not?
Uh...
Honey! Honey?
Lift! [crunching]
Shouldn't we do that sort of thing
in your office?
[he chuckles]
Oh, yeah, you're probably right.
Probably should. I'll tell you what.
You make an appointment with me.
We'll get you fixed up in the New Year.
Good stuff.
Wow!
You are very strong.
Maybe you should help me move my Christmas tree tomorrow.
[Miller] Hey, guys? Rupert?
Come.
This is Eric and Christopher.
So nice to meet you guys.
-Hi. -Sorry we're late.
The contractor hit a snag with the marble.
-Mm-hmm. -Oh, yeah, that's right.
The boys are just opening a new restaurant,
down, uh, by the Civic Center.
Civic Center? That's a great area.
Yes, but the rent is a fortune.
Oof.
No, thank you. I'm gonna go get some water.
-Hi. -Ah.
Christmas cheese doodle?
The green ones are pesto,
and the red are sun-dried tomato.
How delicious.
I'm Tasha.
Martha.
I'd say, by the look of things, Tasha,
you're a Blitzen.
A Blitzen?
Yeah. Everyone's a reindeer at heart,
and "Blitzen" comes from the German word
meaning "lightning,"
and you strike me as a gal with some sparkle.
[Martha chuckles]
Now, your husband over there...
I'd say he's a Comet.
Playful, energetic.
Well, he is
truly one of a kind.
[guests laughing]
A Christmas committee?
How'd you come up with such a fun idea?
Well, my wife, Cathy, started it.
Yeah. Bless her.
She loved Christmas so much.
Cathy believed in two things...
that you should appreciate every day,
and that you could add a Christmas bow to anything
to make it more festive.
Ah, truth is, Cathy, she put a bow on life.
She sounds really special.
[guests, overlapping] She was.
We actually met on a Christmas tree lot,
if you can believe that.
Hey, how did you two meet?
Uh... at the gym.
Details, please.
I love a good meet-cute story.
Oh... honey, you... you know what?
Why don't you... Why don't you tell it?
Don't you remember it?
Yeah, but you tell it so well.
It was at the gym, in a spin class.
We reached for the same spin bike,
right up front...
I let her have it. Took the one to the side.
It's a good thing I did, too, because...
she's one of those spin-shouters.
I could barely hear the music.
Rock it! Climb it! Pedal on! Feel the burn!
[laughter]
He apologized later and asked me out.
I mean, basically swept her off her feet.
It was all the poetry he wrote
that really won me over, I think.
Aw, I don't think anyone wants to hear about that.
-We do. -We do!
He'd send me sweet little sonnets
he composed all by himself.
Sharp observations, really.
About butterflies.
And rainbows.
Then I proposed, we got married, the end.
[chuckling]
Well, you two are just so cute!
Oh, what can I say?
We finish each other's...
...Sentences.
[guests chuckling]
Francis, which way is the restroom?
Up the stairs, to the right.
[♪♪]
[snapping]
[footsteps approaching]
Tasha...
what are you doing here?
I made a wrong turn.
I'm so sorry.
Well, let me walk you out.
Wouldn't want you to get lost again.
[guests] ♪ O tidings of comfort and joy ♪
♪ Comfort and joy ♪
♪ O tidings of comfort and joy ♪
[laughter]
Woo! Oh. That was very nice.
Woo!
That was all you.
Oh, hey, honey.
Come on! You're just in time for "Deck the Halls."
A-one, a-two, a-one, two, three, four!
[all] ♪ Deck the halls with boughs of holly ♪
♪ Fa, la, la, la la, la, la, la, la ♪
♪ 'Tis the season to be jolly ♪
♪ Fa, la, la, la... ♪
We're gonna say good night.
Such a lovely night.
Yeah, we're gonna go too.
Oh! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
Uh, we should... we should get a picture.
Oh, yeah!
Get that picture.
All right, get in there.
I want to see everybody's faces nice and clear.
Everybody say "Frosty!"
Frosty!
-[snap] -[laughter]
Ah, okay. Thank you.
Let's get another one! Let's get another one!
I've got a... I've got it.
-Both sides. -Okay, okay, okay.
-Good? -Yeah.
"Cheesy-peasy"!
[all] Cheesy-peasy!
-[snap] -[laughter]
-Great, okay. -Cool! -Can you send it to me?
I'm gonna get your jacket, okay, honey?
-Oh, yeah, me too. -Thank you so much.
Good night. Good night. Good night.
Can you send that to me?
Thank you for such a nice evening.
Oh.
Rupert.
I had no idea what a talented musician you are.
Oh, it's...
He is just full of surprises.
Well, you have to join us tomorrow night
for Christmas caroling.
Well, can't wait.
So nice to meet you two.
I'm the house with the ivy,
if you ever need anything... a cup of sugar...
Good night.
Think I'll go grab our coats.
I... got this.
So, Rupert.
I know how difficult it can be, being the new guy on the block,
um, look, when I moved into this neighborhood...
a thousand years ago, um...
I felt like I didn't fit in,
and then, one day, you open up your front door,
and... it's your neighborhood.
Just got to give it time.
Ah. Well, thank you.
Look! You two are under the mistletoe.
[♪♪]
Oh, it's okay.
No, I had the onion dip. Oof!
-Come on. -Kiss her! Come on.
Come on.
Oh!
[guests clapping]
Aw!
[woman] I love it.
See you tomorrow, guys.
-Aww. -See you, guys.
All right, everybody, see you tomorrow.
Oh, not if I see you first.
Don't let that kiss go to your head.
Already forgotten about it.
Hey, what did you find back there?
Power tools
and some kind of industrial drill.
Yeah?
Because Forensics said the museum intruders
came through the skylight with something like that.
I got a shot of his laptop
with a pic of some... country estate?
Maybe his next score.
Well...
despite everything,
I'd say our mission was a success.
You did surprisingly well under pressure.
Surprisingly, huh?
'Cause I'm just a rookie and not up to the task?
I don't talk like that.
Yeah, you do.
You do.
I may have thought something like that before.
It's okay.
I may have assumed a thing or two about you.
Well, maybe we got off on the wrong foot.
Maybe we did.
And how is it you play piano like that?
[laughs] Lessons.
Since I was six, and a lot of practice.
Well, like I told you, no one's ever what they seem.
Well, just maybe I'm starting to see what you mean.
[♪♪]
blueprints,ot power ,
and a drill like the one used at the museum heist.
Yeah. As for suspicious characters,
Christopher and Eric,
their restaurant is right near the Civic Center.
Stanley and Edith have connections to the art world,
and Alicia...
well, she's just super into me.
And that's more suspicious than anything.
Talbot's doing background checks on everyone.
In the meantime,
is this an evidence board
or one of your Christmas collages?
Any chance we can find that location?
That looks like a great place for the next heist.
I checked the list from the agency,
and it doesn't look like
any of the places Miller's been booked for,
and no information, no address...
it's possible, but it's gonna take time.
So I guess we wait.
Wait.
What do you see?
Anything good on TV?
[wistfully] No.
It's just this neighborhood takes me back.
Oh, yeah?
It reminds me of Christmas in Wisconsin.
We had such great Christmases.
Tons of lights.
Caroling together through the neighborhood.
I miss that.
Your family do anything special?
Sure. Yeah.
Every Christmas Eve,
we'd have this big snowball fight.
My nickname was "Frosty" because my aim was stone-cold.
[laughs] I bet.
You know, I got to be honest.
I was actually just planning to work through Christmas.
Truth is, most of my buddies are already married.
So no other Christmas plans for you?
Nah. Sometimes I drop in on my brother's family
in Albuquerque.
It's nice to see them,
but it kind of reminds me of what I'm missing, so...
usually I just try to stay busy during the holiday.
Hardest-working detective in the precinct, huh?
Cost me my marriage.
[chuckles sadly]
You ever been married?
Close.
I was engaged to a guy I met at the academy.
We...
wanted different things.
He got a job offer out of state on a really small force,
and I wasn't about to give up my dream of being a detective.
Well, from what I've seen, you got a real flair for it.
Really? You think so?
Absolutely. You have real talent.
Just got to believe in yourself.
Thanks.
[vehicle approaching]
Something's up.
The driver, I... I know that guy!
Miller's on the move!
All right, come on.
[hushed] I know how I know that guy!
One of my old partners busted him a couple times
for breaking and entering a couple years ago.
His name's Findlay. I remember seeing the file.
I wonder what's in that backpack.
Hide, hide, hide, hide.
[Tanya exhales]
They almost made us.
Let's wait until they're on the move again.
Okay.
Hey.
This reindeer plushie is adorable.
Might be a good gift for your niece.
What's her favorite color?
I don't know.
Rainbow?
"Rainbow" is not a color.
It's all the colors.
Do you always have to be right about everything?
One of us has to be.
[sighing] Great.
They're gone.
[sighing]
It's been almost two hours. Still nothin'.
Miller will come back. Be patient.
[vehicle approaches]
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
[engine shuts off]
[Ryan] There they are.
Miller's going into the house with Findlay's bag.
I wish we knew where they'd been.
Well...
here's some good news.
I figured out where the estate is.
1215 Crestmore.
It's the Van Houghtons' estate.
How'd you figure that out?
See the distinctive columns?
Oh, yeah.
It's the signature of a local architect.
I tracked her down.
She recognized the building instantly.
Nice work, Detective.
I think this calls for a little celebration.
I might've whipped up a little somethin'-somethin'.
Really?
Mm-hmm.
Buckle up.
Your family had Santa's coffee.
My family...
had Dad's hard eggnog.
Cheers.
Whoa.
That's got a kick to it.
What can I say?
Dad liked to relax during the holidays.
Well, speaking of relaxation,
we haven't finished decorating our Christmas tree.
Ah, the tree! Yes.
Mm.
Well, in that case...
I think we need a little...
[stereo playing]
[♪♪]
[festive music plays loudly]
[♪♪]
Uh, you don't throw tinsel.
You...
place it.
-Mm.
Yeah, not in my family.
-Hey! -Mm-hmm.
Oh, you do not want to start a tinsel war with me.
Oh, you... oh!
Decorated like a tree! Oh, is that fun?
You like tinsel?
-[laughing] -Oh.
Hello! Hello!
Aah! Ah.
I was calling and texting for you guys to let me in.
Luckily, one of you left the back door unlocked.
Why do you look like a powdered doughnut?
I had to cut through the side yard
to make sure that no one saw me.
I tripped over an inflatable snowman,
I-I stepped in what I can only hope is just sugarplums,
and... [sighs]
I tripped coming up to the gate.
Sorry. We couldn't hear you over the Christmas music.
Yeah. What brings you here?
The captain wants me to see how the case is going.
Ah, okay.
Well, it's... it's had its unusual twists.
So I see.
W-What's this?
Um, our evidence board.
Evidence board.
You got some... evidence.
It's Christmassy in here.
Yeah.
What's this?
Oh, that's a...
we just...
Christmas gift for my niece.
She's actually tough to shop for, but...
It's really cute.
Yeah. So, what are you doing here?
Um...
I have news.
Uh, there was another break-in.
A gallery on Santa Fe.
About an hour ago.
I thought you had eyes on Miller 24/7. What happened?
We lost him.
It was my fault.
N... uh, no, it wasn't, actually.
It was my fault.
I was distracted, shopping for the...
The captain is breathing down my neck.
The mayor wants results.
He said...
"No more mistakes, or you two are off the case!"
Sorry.
Uh, I'm supposed to work on my assertiveness.
That's what Captain said.
It's pretty good. It's good, actually.
Let me walk you out.
[Talbot] Thanks.
Do you have any hot cocoa or something?
No, we don't have any of that stuff.
That's cool.
My true love gave to me ♪2ts
♪ 12 drummers drumming ♪
♪ 11 pipers piping ♪
♪ Ten lords a-leaping ♪
[quietly] Aw, come on. Put a little jolly into it.
Like, less Scrooge and more Santa?
Hey, I'm plenty jolly. Where's your voice?
Blending in quietly with the rest.
Besides, you're the musical one, after all.
[all] ♪ Four calling birds ♪
♪ Three French hens ♪
♪ Two turtle doves ♪
♪ And a partridge ♪
♪ In a pear tree ♪
[applause]
Come on, everybody!
We still got a lot of houses to hit.
How do we know
we're not helping Miller scope out his next job?
Think jolly thoughts.
Or maybe he's just having fun?
[Ryan sighs]
♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪
Is that all you've got?
Oh, you asked for it.
♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪
♪ And a happy New Year ♪
[belting it out] ♪ Good tidings to you ♪
♪ To you and your kin ♪
♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪
♪ And a happy New Year ♪
Wow!
[all clapping]
Tasha!
That was a beautiful impromptu solo.
I-I loved it.
I just got caught up in the song.
That's the Christmas spirit.
Onward!
I could've sworn I saw you drop a police badge back there.
I, uh... [chuckles uneasily]
Rupert.
You haven't worn that jacket since Halloween, have you?
[all laughing]
No, I haven't.
He just makes the cutest Old West sheriff.
[all gushing]
I can imagine. [giggles]
[chuckling stops]
I hope you're ready for hot chocolate.
[Tanya exhales deeply]
That was close.
And where were you hiding that voice?
[♪♪]
Now, don't be shy.
This make-your-own-cocoa stand is my favorite.
Cranberries?
I'm gonna add chili flake...
'cause I like mine spicy.
Uh... great.
I'm gonna add...
marshmallows... down there.
Um, toast?
To our newest elves.
I think they've clearly proven
that "the more, the merrier" is true.
Hear, hear.
Thanks. You guys are so welcoming.
Yeah, I honestly, uh... I don't remember
having this much fun at Christmas in a long time.
Oh...
That sounded strangely convincing.
I'm gonna grab some peppermint.
Well, nothing like Christmas traditions.
Especially here.
You can see that Rupert's getting into the holiday spirit.
[laughter]
Seems like I learn something new about him
every day.
So you two married quickly?
You have no idea.
Like that.
So, a snowy Christmas...
it must be a big change from Tallahassee.
[Ryan] Oh, yeah.
You know, actually, I went to college there.
You don't say?
Yeah! What's your favorite spot in T-Town?
Oh, you know...
boy, there's just so many.
Yeah? Which one? Maybe I know it.
Excuse me for a moment.
[Ryan] Uh...
The Maclay Gardens are lovely.
[Eric] Oh, yeah.
And Adams Street can be fun.
Mm-hmm.
But my favorite place in Tallahassee
is the Antique Car Museum.
Museum!
-Oh. -Ever been?
No, but that sounds fun.
[laughs]
Hey, Eric!
-What? -They have caramel!
You're gonna have to excuse me.
They got caramel.
[she chuckles]
Whew. Got to hand it to you... you do your homework.
The tasting flights they have here
are... the... best,
so why don't you kids have a seat and try some?
I mean, I kinda feel like
we gotta take him up on his offer.
Wouldn't want to raise any eyebrows.
No!
Duty calls?
After you.
Ooh!
[slurping]
Mm! Okay.
The German chocolate's my favorite.
It's bitter,
but it's got a little sweet edge.
Just like you.
[Ryan laughs]
[she sighs]
It's hard to believe that smiley guy is guilty.
[laughter]
Maybe Findlay is the bad apple,
and Miller is the innocent dupe?
Mm-hmm. Maybe reindeer can fly.
Reindeer do fly.
Oh, in your candy-coated Christmas dreams.
Mm!
Oh, that one's good.
It's got a note of, uh... caramel.
If I didn't know better, Detective,
I'd say
you are rediscovering your holiday spirit.
Aw, come on. I got spirit.
Last year, I gave the entire canine unit
reindeer antlers.
Didn't you ever have any, like,
Christmas special traditions growing up?
Besides snowball wars?
Yeah.
I did.
Um...
I never knew my dad, but my mom was from New Mexico,
and when I was little,
every Christmas Eve, we would make these lanterns,
put a candle in a paper bag,
and we would line the sidewalk.
I don't get it.
What?
Why do you keep your best qualities hidden?
Habit.
Or maybe I haven't found
the person I want to share them with.
This is nice.
Yeah, it is.
[♪♪]
Good night, all!
Oh, and don't forget tomorrow, for Christmas charades.
Hey, wouldn't miss it.
-Good night! -Good night.
Oh, and we have a little Christmas gift for you.
We'll be right back.
[chuckling]
Just so you know...
I'm on to you two.
You are?
Are you guys professional singers or what?!
Tasha! Your voice is-is... so lovely!
Rupert?
Not bad at all!
Thank you.
From the photo we took of you.
Do you like it?
Very nice of you.
Uh, you didn't have to do that.
Well, of course we did.
We want you to feel welcome.
You're neighbors.
Neighbors.
[Edith] See y'all!
[Miller] Good night, you guys.
[♪♪]
[Ryan hums "Deck the Halls"]
Cookie?
Sure.
These are amazing.
-Mm. -What's your secret for these?
Simple. You just brown the butter.
Gives them the caramelized undertone
and the chewiness...
really makes the best cookie in the world.
My mom taught me that.
She did a good job.
Mm-hmm.
With the cookies.
Okay.
Whatcha got there?
Oh, not much.
Just, um... a breakthrough in the case.
What?
The Van Houghtons are throwing
a big Christmas party tomorrow night.
Check out the society page.
"This year, the Van Houghton Christmas party
will feature the Romanov Christmas ornament,
valued at over $2 million,
on loan from the Denver Art Museum."
That sounds like a pretty tempting target.
Meanwhile, the background checks
on the neighbors all came back clear.
None of them have any priors.
That's good.
What's all that?
Oh, I was just doing some Christmas cards...
for the neighbors.
Um, just trying to keep up appearances.
Oh, really? 'Cause, uh...
this one belongs to Officer Talbot.
I had extras.
Really? Mm-hmm.
-[phone chimes] -Right.
Motion detector going off next door.
[♪♪]
-Findlay's here. -Sure is.
[Tanya] And they're headed in the backyard.
Okay.
[♪♪]
[whispers] Can you hear anything?
Not really.
I don't know. I don't think we can pull it off.
No, no, I told you...
We need to get closer.
I don't know how much closer I can get.
[Miller] ...we stick to the plan.
Christmas is gonna come early this year.
-[thud] -[groaning]
What was that?
-Boo! -Hey!
You guys okay?
Yeah, I slipped on the... it's just icy.
Well, be careful.
-Mm-hmm. -I'll see you later.
I got my eyes on you two.
[chuckling uneasily]
I'll see you for charades in...
a half hour.
Okay.
Oh, that was close.
Quiet. Quiet in the house...
he's listening, sleep time, night-night...
"Silent Night"! -Yes!
[teams cheering and groaning]
-And, time! -Okay, let's go, let's go!
-Three words! -Uh... a house.
-Tepee! -A tree.
-Second word. -Tree, tree...
-Christmas! -♪ Ahh! ♪
A carol! "A Christmas Carol"!
Oh, yes!
Uh, big picture, big picture, big picture.
Throwing dice!
No! Uh...
Karate. Shiatsu massage!
No, chop, chop...
Chopping down a Christmas tree! Aw!
[cheering and laughter]
It's a movie. It's a movie.
Smiling! Acting?
Smiling movie, smiling eyes.
A window decorator!
Is it "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas"?
[all] Oh!
Flying... partridge?
A Christmas panic attack.
Wait! Are you supposed to be making a snow angel?
[roars] Ah!
Snow angel!
Teamwork!
Peppermint bark for everybody.
-Aw! -Yay!
Thank you.
Oh, no, no. I think I've eaten three bags.
Okay. Okay, your loss.
Enjoy.
Uh, you two have a good time?
Oh!
Yeah. Absolutely.
Thank you for including us this week.
It's been, uh, surprisingly fun.
Oh, I'm so glad you could join us.
[Tanya cracking up]
[chuckles]
If you don't mind my saying,
um, you two have such a fun chemistry.
Oh, yeah.
Like TNT and a match.
[laughs]
Well, the one thing my Cathy taught me was
that the secret to a happy marriage
is always cutting each other a lot of slack,
especially around the holidays.
Well, I'll try to remember that
the next time Tasha's driving me crazy.
Only somebody you care about deeply
could make you that crazy.
Just remember the... the best part of Christmas.
What's that?
The people we share it with.
The moments we share with the people we love.
Well, they're like snowflakes.
They're... They're beautiful
and perfect, and...
mm, no two are alike.
Did you get anything from Miller?
Well, not about the case, but, uh...
a couple other surprises.
Your "Tannenbaum" was outstanding!
Hey, uh, tomorrow, don't forget!
-Okay. -We'll see you then!
Thank you.
Bye, kidlets. See ya.
[indistinct chatter]
You're awfully quiet.
What is it?
I don't know if Miller is
the kindest, most intuitive guy in the world,
or if he's messing with us.
Wait. Just when you've convinced me
he's masterminding a crime ring,
you're having doubts?
You heard his whole "Christmas comes early" speech.
Yeah, well...
what if we're wrong?
I mean, it's happened before.
What do you mean?
You know, after my marriage fell apart,
I had a really hard time
trusting my instincts about people.
I worry maybe I jumped to conclusions too soon...
...about a couple of people.
I know what you mean.
All I can say is,
being fake-married to you has had its ups and downs.
[both snickering]
Okay.
But...
I have no regrets.
[phone chimes]
As for jumping to conclusions about Miller...
we'll find out tomorrow.
The captain just approved us
going undercover at the cocktail party.
If Miller so much as touches that ornament,
we've got him.
Okay.
[Tanya gasps]
[Ryan chuckles]
It's snowing.
I have to admit...
our little neighborhood looks amazing.
[Ryan] Yeah. It sure does.
[♪♪]
So... how's Aspen?
Gorgeous, and things with Jeff's parents are going great,
but I just wanted to make sure you're okay.
I'm better than okay, sis.
I'm headed to a Christmas party tonight.
If that's working, I want your job.
Funny enough, it is.
And your partner? Detective Scrooge?
Turns out he's surprisingly jolly.
To be honest, we've...
[laughs] ...been having a lot of fun together.
You should see him
trying to buy a Christmas gift for his niece.
And just like that, you're laughing.
[Ryan, calling out] Tanya!
I got a little present.
I gotta go.
We'll discuss this later.
I'm sure we will. Love ya.
The captain dropped off our outfits for the party.
You might want to see this.
You've got to be kidding.
[♪♪]
♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪
♪ Jingle all the way ♪
♪ Jingle All the way ♪
♪ Oh, jingle bells Jingle bells ♪
♪ Jingle all the way ♪
♪ Oh, what fun it is to ride ♪
♪ In a one-horse open sleigh ♪
♪ Jingle bells Jingle bells ♪
♪ Jingle all the way ♪
♪ Oh, what fun it is to ride ♪
♪ In a one-horse In a one-horse open sleigh ♪
♪ Hey, hey ♪
♪ Jingle all the way ♪
I've gone undercover
as a bartender, a bouncer, and a bellhop.
This is definitely a first.
Well...
you look great.
Thank you.
This way, we fit in with the waiters.
Well, just don't tell the boys down at the precinct.
So I shouldn't have texted them that photo of you?
Just kidding.
All right, fan out, Talbot.
[sighs]
This is some party.
Well, with so many guests,
it's gonna be tricky to keep an eye on everything.
I doubt Miller is just gonna grab the ornament and run.
Well, maybe he's scoping it out for another time.
The ornament is only here for the evening,
so if he's going for it, tonight's his chance.
Why would the museum loan it out in the first place?
Mrs. Van Houghton has one of the best art collections
in the state.
She also sits on the museum board.
May I have everyone's attention, please?
Welcome, all, and Merry Christmas.
I am proud to present
the Romanov Christmas ornament.
[guests applauding and gushing]
Made over a century ago by Fabergé himself,
a Christmas gift for the tsar's daughter.
[hushed] Just keep an eye on Miller.
Let's not get too close.
Copy.
[♪♪]
[Mrs. Van Houghton] Let's get the dance floor going.
We've moved some tables. Spread the word.
[quietly] That includes you too, officers.
All seems well.
Maybe you can help me break the ice?
I mean...
we would have a better view from the dance floor.
Detective,
are you asking me to dance?
I mean...
in so many words.
♪ It came upon a midnight clear ♪
You know, I'll miss this.
Miss what?
This assignment...
our house,
decorating.
Our little neighborhood.
You know what I'm gonna miss the most?
The company.
That makes the two of us.
♪ The world in solemn stillness lay ♪
Oh!
Yet another surprise?
[laughs]
You're a good dancer too?
Well, people aren't always what they appear.
♪ To hear the angels... ♪
Hey, after all this is said and done,
how would you feel...
-I'd love to. -Good.
I was hoping you would say that.
♪ To hear the angels sing ♪
Where's Miller?
He was just there.
Talbot, where are you? We lost Miller.
I took my eyes off the guy for one minute.
Have you seen Santa?
Sorry, have you seen Santa Claus?
-[guests gasping] -Oh dear!
Talbot, check the breaker.
Anybody seen Santa Claus?
He was just...
There's been a robbery!
[gasping]
[♪♪]
No, not the ornament, thank goodness.
But my two Van Goghs are gone.
-Mrs. Van Houghton,
walk us through exactly what happened.
Well, when the lights went out,
I went to get a flashlight from my desk,
and as I went into my study,
I saw that the paintings were gone.
Thank you, Mrs. Van Houghton.
Please. Find them.
This is a fiasco, huh?
We only lost track of Miller for a moment.
Not enough time to steal anything.
Could he have had help?
Look, the captain wants you guys
to search Miller's house.
But that's letting the cat out of the bag.
He wants you there now.
He's already got a signed warrant.
[♪♪]
[Tanya] Mr. Miller?
Tasha, Rupert, hi.
-You going somewhere? -Uh, yeah.
I've got a couple of things to take care of.
That'll have to wait, I'm afraid.
Excuse me?
We're police detectives, Mr. Miller,
and we have a warrant to search your house and your car.
I-I-Is this some kind of joke?
I'm afraid it's not.
[Miller] I don't understand.
[sirens wailing in distance]
That... that doesn't belong to me!
[Tanya] Where's the other painting?
Other painting?
I don't know how that one got there.
[siren chirps]
Captain, we wanted to handle this quietly.
And I wanted to make sure it got done now.
You have your orders, Detective.
Francis Miller, you're under arrest for grand theft.
But I didn't steal anything!
I-I... and I have so much
to take care of for the holidays.
Read him his rights.
No, you're making a terrible mistake!
[quietly] I only wish I was.
We have to take Findlay in too.
View security footage,
interview the other guests from the party...
And we will.
But I'm bringing in extra help on this case.
I think you two have done enough.
Captain.
[♪♪]
Santa coffee?
Or my best attempt.
Thanks,
but I'm not sure I'm in the right mood.
Any word on the missing painting?
Nope.
Searched Miller's whole house.
Nothing. Same with Findlay.
And those blueprints we saw?
Long gone as well.
Captain.
How's Miller's questioning going?
He's refusing a lawyer.
Says he hasn't done anything wrong.
On top of that,
he insists he'll only speak with you two.
I haven't done anything wrong,
and I-I have no idea how that painting got there.
If that's the case,
tell us about the climbing equipment you had.
Tell us about the locksmith tools,
about the glass-cutting tools we found.
Tools used at the crime scene where you worked as Santa.
Well, if wearing a fluffy red suit
and making people happy is a crime,
then... [chuckles]
...consider this my confession.
So you don't deny consorting with former convicts
like Findlay?
Deny it? No, not at all.
And given your past,
the grand theft conviction a few years back...
And the blueprints I saw in your study.
You got to admit,
it sounds more than a little suspicious.
You have to believe me.
That part of my life...
it's all in the past.
Tell us what happened.
What you've really been up to.
[takes a deep breath]
My wife, Cathy...
...she believed in the power of forgiveness, and...
thanks to her, I got a second chance.
Now I try to give second chances to folks like...
like Findlay, uh, who need them.
And he might be an ex-con,
but did you know
that he's also an excellent carpenter?
I don't follow.
We've been renovating a house
for a family who can't afford it.
It's right next door to Findlay's.
The building equipment, the locksmith tools...
The late-night deliveries...
the blueprints...
All to get the house finished by Christmas,
and now...
we'll never complete it in time.
What about the photos of the Van Houghton estate
in your laptop?
I research all my parties.
Then why not say anything about this?
Why the cloak-and-dagger,
if you're just repairing a house?
A tribute to Cathy.
She always insisted on making the gifts anonymous.
She taught me
the most important part of Christmas was sharing,
not taking credit for it.
[♪♪]
Hey.
I got your message.
Why'd you leave the station so fast?
I had to clear my mind...
and check out Miller's story.
I stopped by the house they were fixing up,
and the neighbors confirmed Miller's story,
word for word.
Doesn't prove he's innocent,
but I admit, something doesn't feel right.
I know. I feel terrible,
and it's Christmas Eve in a few hours.
What do we do?
The captain put Hedges on it.
I... I just can't let it rest.
What do you have in mind?
When you run out of leads,
you run all your old leads again.
Thanks so much for showing us around again.
Oh, I just want to put the whole thing behind me.
Such a shame.
It started out as such a lovely party.
Especially with the Romanov ornament.
Kind of took some finagling to get the museum to allow that.
Imagine if the ornament had been stolen too.
Ugh. I don't want to think about it.
Oh, there's one more thing I wanted to ask.
How did you come to pick Miller to play Santa at your party?
My friend Lois recommended him.
Not Lois Carmichael?
Yes. She handles staffing
for a lot of arts events around town.
Thank you for your time.
Ryan, I think I might know what happened.
-Really? -We need to look at
the video footage at that party again.
Something Carmichael look.
mentioned to me when I first met her.
Something about why she opened up the agency.
She said she helps "out-of-work actors."
It looks like
she was an actress back in the day herself.
-Mm. -Hmm!
Detectives!
I heard you got your thief.
How well done.
I'd... I'd be so happy to give you a statement,
but, uh, I'm in such a hurry.
Holiday plans?
Yes, I am off to meet friends in Bali.
Hey, before you do,
we were just noticing this article.
I used to be an actor.
Can you believe how young I was?
[chuckles] Gave that up decades ago.
Really? Once an actor, always an actor, I'd say.
I'm sorry?
I asked you for a list of events Miller was working.
You left Mrs. Van Houghton's party off that list.
I'm sorry. That must have been an oversight.
I mean, it's just been crazy around here.
Ah, yeah, of course.
And, you know, being a friend,
Mrs. Van Houghton probably didn't seem like a client.
All the events you've co-chaired,
the visits to her house...
you probably know that place like the back of your hand.
Her art collection,
maybe even her security system?
Ah, must have been really tempting
to pull one final score before moving on.
That would be tempting.
Especially considering Bali doesn't have
an extradition treaty with the U.S.
Oh, just hold on a second.
You are obviously confused.
I don't think we are.
-It doesn't feel like it. -Yeah, no.
I'd guess
you blended in with the staff, just as we did.
Mm.
And at the other parties, too.
And with Miller's police record,
if anyone connected you to the crimes,
you had ex-con Miller standing by.
Yeah, he's a pretty convenient fall guy.
I mean, if you need one.
This is crazy.
I-I was in Chicago during the thefts.
-Mm. -Your alibi?
[both laughing]
[cracking up] Yeah!
I double-checked.
You bought a round-trip flight,
but you didn't use your return ticket.
I'd say
you drove back here, maybe even took a train...
[Ryan] Could be.
Well, whichever it is, I assure you we will find out.
Everything that you've just said
is purely circumstantial.
You don't have any evidence.
[Tanya sighs deeply]
Unfortunately, the cameras at the party
didn't catch anything.
Well, there you go.
Except for
one caterer's van...
with its own dashcam.
And we tracked down that footage.
Uh-oh.
I believe... this is you?
-Hmm! -I think this is her.
Isn't it? -It does look like you.
Yeah.
Putting one painting into Miller's trunk
to deflect suspicion,
while you put the other one in your car.
Ah, what a rush!
Yes!
Woo!
Which means,
Lois Carmichael...
y...
You know what?
You take it. You deserve it.
No, you take it.
[together] You're under arrest.
Carmichael confessed to everything.
Turns out her business
has been on shaky ground for years.
She needed the money.
The missing painting's been recovered.
Miller's been cleared and released.
Findlay too.
That's a relief.
You two did great work.
Tanya,
I'm glad you transferred to Denver.
You've been a great addition to the team.
Thank you,
but it doesn't exactly feel like a victory.
Yeah, I know what you mean.
Miller's reputation kind of got dragged through the slush.
And he's been humiliated
in front of all his friends and neighbors.
Yeah, all he really wanted to do was spread Christmas cheer.
Two things were taken that night,
the paintings, and...
Miller's silver-and-gold reputation.
I'll admit I wish things had gone differently too.
And actually, Captain...
...there is one thing you can help with.
[Miller] So long. Enjoy.
Well, thank you!
We would've never been able to finish in time.
This is a great thing you've done.
Making a difference for this family.
I'm really sorry for everything.
Don't be. You were just doing your job.
So... what's next for you?
It is Christmas Eve, after all.
After all this, I...
I just want to go home.
Merry Christmas.
-Merry Christmas. -Merry Christmas.
[♪♪]
What is all this?
[everyone] Surprise!
Merry Christmas!
Who's hungry?
Our turkey's just about finished.
How about some of my famous cranberry Christmas tarts?
Three-layer North Pole Bundt Cake comin' through!
Ahh! What is all this?
The Christmas committee.
We scheduled an impromptu meeting
to thank you.
Thank me? For what?
For everything you've done for the neighborhood,
and for all of us.
I'd like to propose a toast...
to our very own Mr. Christmas,
for bringing us all together.
And for showing us what Christmas can be.
-Hear, hear. -Bravo!
[Miller] Merry Christmas, one and all.
Merry Christmas, you two.
[together] Merry Christmas.
Well...
all's well that ends well, as they say.
Hey, look.
Somebody rented our house.
Huh.
I guess that really means the case is over.
Yeah.
I guess everything turned out okay.
I'd say...
more than okay.
Oh, yeah?
You would?
Sure.
It doesn't take a detective to see we work well together.
Hey, a question for you.
Sure.
What?
If I were to, uh, I don't know,
invite you over sometime to make gingerbread,
would you say yes?
Absolutely.
Perfect.
Would you like to come over to make some gingerbread?
What do you mean?
You're the detective.
Figure it out.
You rented this place?
What can I say?
I like our little neighborhood.
Think I'm going to stick around for a while.
That is the greatest Christmas present
I've gotten in years.
Finally, we agree on something.
Glad to hear it...
'cause...
you might have found a partner for keeps.
Uh-oh.
[♪♪]
♪ Joy to the world ♪
♪ The Lord is come ♪
♪ Let Earth receive her king ♪
♪ Let every heart ♪
♪ Prepare him room ♪
♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪
[♪♪]