Ransom

Terrible.

T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E. Terrible.

Correct. Try "giraffe."

G-I-R-A-F...

- F-E? - Nice.

If I get one more,

can I have 30 minutes of extra screen time?

Maybe 15 if you get this one.

Naughty.

I-Is naughty one of those weird ones?

Um, you think about it.

I'll be right back.

It says there's naughty like being bad

and knotty like having a lot of knots.

I can spell both now, though.

So basically, I win.

That's odd.

- -

You goof.

Don't make a sound.

What?

- Where is he? - I have him.

You're going to do exactly what I say.

And only what I say, starting with no police.

I'll be in touch.

It was one of those old houses.

The chimneys are wide... and it was the middle of winter,

so I figured the flue would be open.

- So you climbed down a chimney. - Mm-hmm.

Naturally. Of course you did.

Covered in soot, shot at...

but it worked.

- Seven arrests. - All in a day's work.

Yeah, when you're FBI.

Hmm. So how's your conference? A-Are you speaking?

Or are you just attending? I'm speaking.

- Oh. - Mm-hmm.

"Sexual Sadism in Serial Killers."

Fun weekend, right?

I'm gonna need a big run after this session.

It's how I get out of my head when work gets too dark.

There are some great running paths in the city.

Oh, yeah? It's my first time here.

I could use a tour guide.

Okay, note to self:

Beaumont's just not that into you.

- Oh, I didn't mean to... - No, it's fine.

We worked together, professional chemistry was good.

Thought I'd see if it was good in other areas.

It wasn't a proposal. We're fine.

- Drink your beer. - Okay.

So what's your thing when you've got

a messed up case you can't shake?

How do you handle the stress?

I've learned to deal with it.

I, um, compartmentalize well.

- Hmm. -

Sorry.

Uh...

- Duty calls. I'll get the check. - Yeah, I get it.

No, please.

My treat.

- Really? - Yeah.

Here, here's your proof of life.

Thank you for sending that. Now we can move forward.

If you promise that Gabriel won't be hurt,

his parents are willing to pay.

I don't want to hurt him.

Well, we appreciate that.

What is it that you do want?

Do you have a pen?

I want you to get this exactly right.

Give me a second.

Tone's up, anxiety's down.

This guy likes getting down to business.

- - Okay, yeah. I got one.

I want $282,000 in $50 bills

in a black carry-on size suitcase.

- - What's up?

Pull up the file. Check the voice print.

You know, that's, uh,

that's an awfully specific number.

Any special reason?

It doesn't matter to you. Get it together.

I'll call back in eight hours.

- What are you looking up? - What is going on?

One second, please.

I want $282,000.

Get it in $50 bills and put it in

- a black carry-on size suitcase. - Amazing.

The voice print matches.

He's back.

Uh, the voice that you just heard

was from a, a separate recording.

Six years ago.

We've dealt with this kidnapper before.

- Did you get the kid back? - Absolutely, we did.

- Okay. - And what are you afraid to tell us?

The kidnapper mutilated the boy.

Cut off his finger.

Same victim profile as the previous case?

Another boy. Also ten years old. - You made a deal?

After the money drop, we were waiting for word.

Then the doorbell rang, and he was just standing there

with his missing finger. Hand bandaged.

He'd been dropped off at the end of his street.

Why did I let myself get so distracted?

How stupid was that?

A man walked right by me. Why didn't that worry me?

It is not your fault.

It's theirs.

Why didn't you catch this guy?

Because the deal I made to get the boy back

meant letting the kidnapper go.

I'm sorry, how's that?

I have one focus when I'm on a job.

Save the victim.

To do the work that I do, I-I have to prioritize

saving lives over catching criminals.

I create trust.

Sometimes with awful people and I follow through

because it means bringing innocent victims home safely.

So you let them go?

I know you need someone to blame right now.

But I promise you, what you want is a negotiator

who will put Gabriel's safety

above everything else.

Including catching his kidnapper.

I believe I can bring him home in one piece

if you'll work with me.

So, what's the plan?

We need to build a profile of the kidnapper

from the previous case and this one.

Zara, I want you and Oliver

to go check out the grocery store.

You think he was following them?

Maybe. Find out what you can without

tipping anyone off that there was a kidnapping.

- Okay? - All right.

What about us?

We're gonna go see Tommy and Molly Parker.

The first victim and his mother.

Tommy might be able to give us some insight into

who we're dealing with to strengthen

our position when the kidnapper calls back.

- Okay. - It's a bit of a drive.

We'll be back before the next call.

Did you ever figure out why

the kidnapper took Tommy's finger?

We were never sure. It wasn't sadistic.

Tommy was unconscious during the amputation.

Was it an intimidation tactic?

No, no.

It could have been a trophy or a punishment.

I don't know.

We have eight hours to find out.

Gabriel's not coming home mutilated.

Hmm. There's some kind of adhesive in there.

It's definitely rigged to cause a distraction.

Yeah.

So, stating the obvious...

this is a rough one.

We've never dealt with the same person twice.

I knew someday it would happen.

And I always figured I could handle it.

But...

a kidnapper who mutilates ten-year-olds?

The difference between theory

and practice is a feeling in your stomach.

I feel like I want to throw up.

Well, our protocol is correct.

We do what it takes to save lives.

If we don't honor our deals, people could die.

Yeah, it doesn't make it easy.

No. No, it doesn't.

Hey, man. Uh, can I ask you something?

Dude, we know it's broken. We're working on it.

Not the issue.

My car got dinged in here yesterday.

Did you see anybody loitering

- around 4:00, 4:30? - No, but you can file a report.

Oh, no. That'll take too long.

Look...

the truth is...

I'm pretty sure it was my crazy ex.

If I could just get proof that he smashed up my car,

like the security tape or something,

it would really help with the restraining order.

Okay, so there they are.

There. There.

- That guy? - Yeah.

He's been hovering around them.

My manager's shift starts in ten minutes.

- You need to be done. - Come here.

Have you seen this guy before? In the red coat?

Yeah, we hate that guy.

For, like, three, four weeks, he'd come in,

same day, same time, and just hang out.