BREAKING NEWS: Watch Wendell Pierce Joke About Suits Daughter Meghan Markle Getting ‘Framed’ by Global Press in Elsbeth Preview.giang

Wendell Pierce is still looking out for his onscreen daughter, Meghan Markle!

In PEOPLE’s exclusive first look at Elsbeth‘s winter return, the Suits alum, 61, makes a reference to his former costar, 43. The upcoming episode, titled “Unalive and Well,” will feature Elsbeth (Carrie Preston) investigating a holistic wellness center after a young man is found dead in his car after visiting.

When she meets the center’s charismatic founder (Eric McCormack), she begins to suspect his involvement in the crime.

The clip begins with Captain Wagner (Pierce) confronting Elsbeth about recent headlines regarding her involvement with the unsealing of Chicago records in the paper. After Elsbeth admits she’s still investigating the latest development in the case, Wagner instructs her and Officer Blanke (Carra Patterson) to look into another homicide.

“In the meantime, I need you on a case. A young man, Cole Campbell, was found deceased on the highway. His car ran off the road,” he explains. “The last place he was seeing was some fancy spa where celebrities and the royals go to.”

Wagner jokes, “The global press was already trying to frame Meghan Markle, and she wasn’t even there!”

When both Elsbeth and Blanke remain silent, he adds, “Detective Smullen is already at the crime scene. I think you can learn some more from him.”

Before she became the Duchess of Sussex after marrying Prince Harry in May 2018, Meghan starred as Rachel Zane in the hit legal drama Suits for seven seasons on USA Network. Over the years, she formed a close bond with her former costars including Pierce.

During a March episode of Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?, Pierce opened up about the last time they filmed together, before Meghan left the series in 2017 ahead of her royal marriage.

“It was the last night of working and I said, ‘Meghan, your life is going to change, and you’re going to be in a bubble, but just always remember, no matter what, I’m your friend, you have lots of friends,'” he recalled. “‘We’re always thinking about you, we’ll always be there for you. And you know, no matter where you are, always know you have a friend in me.'”

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Elsbeth returns Thursday, Jan. 30 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.