"Thank you for meeting us, Detective Carter," Finch said as he and Shaw, who stood a couple of feet away scanning the surrounding to make sure they were alone, stood before Carter in the dimly lit area of the park.
"It's 'Officer' Carter now Finch, or just Carter is fine." Carter corrected the small framed man before her. "What's this about, why are we meeting after midnight about a number?"
"Sorry for the late hour and the odd meeting place, but this new number is in the covert business himself and we have to take extra care with his surveillance to ensure that he doesn't discover us. Well at least not until we can figure out who wants to do him harm, or whom he is out to harm." Finch began explaining but could tell by Carter's expression that he'd most likely have to give details about other matters that he felt didn't really concern her.
"OK but why are you needing me to do surveillance, isn't that usually what John and Shaw do?
"Yeah that's what I said," Shaw cut in as she looked briefly over her shoulder to scowl at Finch. "Just because Reese is M.I.A. doesn't mean I can't handle surveillance on my own." Finch rolled his eyes closed and inwardly groaned at Shaw's tact or lack there of. He planned to have a serious talk with Mr. Reese about her working with them, when Reese returned, if he returned.
"John's missing?" Carter asked her concern evident on her face.
"No, I know exactly where Mr. Reese is, he's just..." Finch paused as he searched for the right wording. "Indisposed at the moment."
"Yeah, Reese has been 'indisposed' all week, and I've been doing all the surveillance and I thought I was doing a damn good job of it too, we've closed every case that we've had." Shaw said as she now faced them with her arms crossed at her chest with her angry scowl still locked onto Finch.
"Yes and on every case someone has been shot unnecessarily, Ms. Shaw," Finch barked back at the trained assassin and impressed both ladies with his balls.
"No one died," Shaw mumbled out. With a slight shake of his head Finch turned from Shaw and focused back onto Carter.
"As you can see Det...Officer Carter, we are in need of your assistance until Reese is well enough to return to work."
"Wait so John is sick?"
"That really is not important..." Finch began but Carter cut him off.
"Really Finch? I thought John was your friend, but you don't seem to care very much for his well-being." She spat out suddenly irritated at the man standing before her.
"Oh I care Detective," Finch replied reverting back to the title he had become accustomed to calling her by, Carter didn't care to object on it. "I care very much but Mr. Reese has personal things that he needs to work through. These thing I cannot help him through, believe me I have tried and got a bullet close to my head for my efforts." This revelation made Carter's face bunch up in confusion while Shaw's face held an uncharacteristic amused look.
"Where is he?" Carter asked as she pulled her arms from the pocket of the leather jacket she wore and then placed them across her chest, as she readied herself for a fight with Finch over telling her John's whereabouts. She always found it funny how the man had no issues telling her business and other people's business, but when it came to him and John no one else was allowed to know their business.
"I don't think going to John would be very wise. Besides I really do need you to 'help' Shaw," He said this as he stiffly turned to briefly look to the other woman to his right.
"He means babysit me so I don't shoot anyone 'unnecessarily'." Shaw proclaimed with the roll of her eyes.
"Finch, send John's location to my phone," Carter commanded to Finch before focusing on Shaw. "Shaw don't shoot anybody unless you have to and I mean a dire straits situation." Again Shaw huffed a bit as she rolled her eyes from Carter off to the side.
"Fine," Shaw sighed out. She had grown to respect Carter and for some reason Carter's opinion of her mattered, and definitely more so than Finch's and even Reese's to some degree. Shaw had never had girlfriends growing up, no friends actually. She liked Carter and had come to view Carter as a friend.
"Thank you," Carter said throwing the younger woman a slight smile, knowing that Shaw would be a woman of her word. "Finch I'm still waiting on that location." She said as she held up her phone to him.
"Very well," Finch spoke as he grasped his own phone and began texting her. "I am sending you the address to Mr. Reese's apartment and the security code for the building and the elevator to his loft. That message will self destruct in an hour, but that will be plenty of time for you to get to Mr. Reese. Don't say I didn't try to warn you about his...Behavior."
"Did you seriously just reference Mission Impossible?" Shaw asked in mirth, though she knew Finch would ignore her, but she also knew that she was still getting under his skin a bit.
"Do you know what is causing his 'behavior'?" Carter asked as she studied the address and security codes on her phone, to save them to memory.
"Jessica," Finch answer without further probing, he was actually relieved to have someone else in the know who could try to reach Reese.
"Who's Jessica?" Shaw questioned but was ignored by both Finch and Carter, neither would disclose 'that' information to Shaw, that would be left to Reese to do if he so chose.
"Monday was the anniversary..." Finch continued.
"Got it," Carter cut him off as she pursed her lips, cast her eyes to the ground, and nodded her head a bit. "Ok, I'll check in on John and if Shaw needs backup, call Fusco. Though you might have to bribe him with something really nice 'and' expensive to get him to work with Shaw again." She threw out with a smirk at Shaw, who smiled back at her, before she turned to leave.
"Indeed," Finch mumbled as he arched his brow and looked to the woman still standing before him.
"I don't need a babysitter I said I wouldn't shoot anyone...who didn't really deserve it," Shaw stated as she looked at the retreating back of Finch who had already started walking away. "And who is this Jessica what does she have to do with Reese going M.I.A.. Is she someone I 'need' to shoot?" She called out as she began to follow Finch's steps.