Jack and Hannah were preparing to set off again, this time to visit Teri Pratt. Her apartment was located in Queens.
"She probably has some idea about what kind of person Sam Givens is and definitely won't cooperate with the FBI, so I suggest you adopt a strategic approach," LaCroix said, lowering his head and peering over his reading glasses like a strict professor.
"Understood." Jack nodded and headed back to his office to change, while Hannah went to the locker room.
A short while later, the duo reemerged, looking nothing like their usual selves. Jack had swapped his usual casual wear for a sleek long wool coat over a tailored English suit that screamed exclusivity. A crisp, pressed shirt with an expensive silk tie completed the look, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose gave him the appearance of a sharp, young attorney on the rise.
Hannah was no less transformed. She sported a form-fitting women's business suit paired with a pencil skirt. Black stockings and high heels accentuated her legs, while bold red lipstick added an aura of icy confidence, making her look cool and commanding—entirely different from her usual sweet and approachable demeanor.
"Wow," Jubal said, his mouth slightly agape as he looked at them. After a long pause, he finally managed to get out, "Stay safe. Both of you."
The metallic buzz of a slightly off-key electronic doorbell rang out before the rusty iron security gate swung open. Teri Pratt stood at the door, her expression cold and guarded as she sized up the impeccably dressed pair before her.
"Ms. Pratt, good evening. I'm Mike Ross, and this is my colleague, Donna Paulsen. We're attorneys from Pearson Specter Law," Jack said with his trademark winning smile, revealing a perfect row of gleaming white teeth.
But this time, his charm had no effect. Teri continued to eye them warily, her icy demeanor unchanged.
Seeing Jack's go-to move fail, Hannah couldn't help but laugh inwardly. On the outside, however, she maintained her frosty composure. With an exaggerated eye-roll at Jack, she reached into her Chanel handbag and pulled out a cardholder. Removing a high-quality business card, she handed it over.
"Actually, I'm his superior. We're looking for someone named Sam Givens," she said coolly.
Teri glanced at the card, which was indeed luxurious, then lifted her gaze. Her tone remained guarded. "I haven't been in touch with Sam for a while. Whatever trouble he's in, it has nothing to do with me."
"Actually, it's quite the opposite," Jack said with a bright smile. "We have good news for him—"
But before he could finish, Hannah cut him off sharply, her tone dripping with authority. "Rookie, you're talking too much. This is a confidential matter."
Turning back to Teri, she added, "You have my contact information. If you could notify him to get in touch with us, we'd appreciate it. It's urgent." She made a show of turning to leave with Jack.
"Wait!" Teri called after them, her demeanor softening slightly. "Sam wouldn't get involved with lawyers unless it was serious. What's this about?"
Jack chimed in, "I think it might be best to tell her the truth. It could speed things up."
Hannah hesitated, her expression suggesting she was weighing her options. After a moment, she gave a small nod. "Alright, Ms. Pratt, you might be aware that Mr. Givens doesn't have many close relatives."
"That's right. Practically none," Teri replied, her expression betraying a spark of curiosity.
"Well, except for one. An uncle who lived in Muncie, Indiana. He passed away last month and left his entire estate to his closest living relative—Mr. Givens."
Jack added a slight bow and a winning smile for good measure. This time, Teri's demeanor shifted visibly, her cold expression giving way to a glimmer of interest.
"Sam inherited something? How much?" she asked, her tone betraying a mix of disbelief and excitement.
Jack stole a quick glance at Hannah, who gave him a subtle nod to proceed. Leaning in slightly, he lowered his voice as if revealing a big secret. "Not an enormous sum, but it's all been converted to cash. Roughly $86,500."
Teri's previously stern face finally cracked into a faint smile, the corners of her mouth curling upward. "Alright. I'll let him know and have him contact you."
With their act complete, the "Golden Con Duo" turned to leave, bidding Teri farewell. As soon as the iron door slammed shut behind them, they could hear her hurried footsteps and barely stifled exclamations coming from inside.
Jack rolled his eyes as he and Hannah made their way back to the Dodge Hellcat parked outside. Once inside the car, Jack dialed Jubal's number and activated the hands-free mode.
"Well done. Just half a minute ago, Pratt placed a call from her phone to a landline in the Bronx," Jubal's voice crackled through the speakers. "The call lasted about 15 seconds, but no one picked up."
"What's the exact address? We're heading there now," Jack said, starting the car and signaling to a nearby unmarked police vehicle. Inside, Danny gave him a thumbs-up before stepping out with two officers, ready to detain Teri Pratt.
"The address is already sent to your phone. It's a small studio apartment registered under Pratt's mother's name. Her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and moved into a care home six months ago, so the place has been vacant. Incidentally, it's on the same street where Givens made his last ATM withdrawal," a female analyst explained over the line.
"Do you need backup? SWAT is on standby," Jubal asked.
"No need," Hannah replied while buckling her seatbelt. "We'll suit up with vests, but it's clear the guy can't possibly fit 26 kids and a small car into a studio apartment. If no one's home, we just hope to find some evidence."
Jubal's tone turned serious. "Listen up. Just a few minutes ago, we had a new guest at the operations center—Ron Drexler, the governor's office liaison. Fifteen minutes ago, the governor received a ransom video. One of the kidnapped kids, Owen Jamison, appeared in the footage. The kidnappers bypassed the parents and are demanding $1 million directly from the governor. Deadline: an hour and a half."
Jack turned on the police lights and sped up slightly, heading toward the newly discovered address. His tone remained light. "That's actually good news, isn't it? At least now we know it's about money."
"Yes, but it also means we're dealing with some smart criminals," LaCroix's voice interjected from Jubal's side.
"They clearly understand FBI policy—we don't pay ransoms. So they're targeting the governor instead. For the sake of those 26 kids and his political career, neither he nor the legislators will care about that million."
"True," Jack replied, flipping on the siren to clear the road ahead. "But I'll bet anything their appetite goes way beyond a mere $1 million. This is just the start. What do you think, Agent LaCroix?"
LaCroix's reply came calm and measured. "Agreed. These guys are playing a long game. Let's just hope you find something useful in Givens' hideout."
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