Will and Grace returned to the alley where Jack's wallet was found. That was the starting point. He had disappeared somewhere between there and the apartment building. They would just have to go painstakingly from place to place and ask, plus any pedestrians. Will crossed the street to work the opposite side and Grace started on the alley side.
Norma hugged Jack comfortingly. "My shift is nearly over and I won't be back for two days. I can arrange for you to stay here until you're fully recovered. At least you'll have shelter and food," she offered hopefully.
Jack smiled weakly. He was going to miss her friendly face until then. He had hoped he might go home with her, but he wasn't a stray kitten or puppy. He was a man and knew it might compromise something in her situation. He didn't know what it might be, but he had no right to impose himself in it. He would have to be patient. If she wanted to become more than just casual friends, she would have to be the one to make the move. He nodded sadly.
"You can continue to help around here as you feel you're up to it. Greg will be coming on duty and starting the supper shift. I'll tell him we have a 'guest.'" She said giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "See ya, Jack," she said as she stood and walked away.
Jack laid back on the cot and soon drifted off to sleep thinking about his own situation, and where he had heard that name before.
It was getting late. Will and Grace met up with each other to compare notes, but it was a dismal effort as they realized that nobody they had contacted all that afternoon had seen anyone resembling Jack. The decided to call it quits and resume their search the next day. They had stopped just short of the mission.
Norma was telling the new mission shift employee, Greg, about Jack. Greg agreed not to disturb Jack and to let him help with whatever he was physically capable of doing. "Bye, see you on Tuesday," she said as she walked happily from the soup kitchen. She arrived at her modest studio apartment and had to hurry and get ready for her date with Chad. She was just finishing when there was a knock on her door. She opened it to admit a tall, handsome, dark-haired man, looking not unlike a young Gregory Peck. The kissed.
"So where are we going tonight?" Norma asked her beau.
"I thought I'd let you decide this time, hon," he responded.
Norma thought a bit. "How about that Italian place we always want to try over on 72nd?" she offered.
"Great!" Chad responded, helping her into her coat.
Will and Grace realized that they hadn't eaten since breakfast, hunger was overcoming their anxiety.
"Ya wanna send out for something, Will?" Grace inquired.
"No, let's go to that little Italian bistro on 72nd," he replied.
They soon found themselves seated a small table covered with a traditional red-checkered cloth. Glasses of red wine were evident. The two friends were unusually silent, each thinking about their missing acquaintance.
"Jack would have loved this place," Grace choked, stifling a sob.
"Now, sweetie, we can't be absolutely sure what happened. All we have is circumstantial evidence. We just have to believe that Jack is safe and sound until we can prove otherwise," Will tried to comfort.
Grace snorted a little, a weak feeling of amusement coming alive inside her. "Oh, Will, you sound just like a lawyer!" she chided. She opened her purse to get her compact. As she pulled the cosmetic case from her bag, a picture of Jack fluttered out unseen. Grace dabbed at her face a few times and returned the compact to the purse.
Will smiled back. The food arrived and they began their meal. Grace was feeling better as the food and wine started to have its effect. She started rubbernecking as was her habit when her eyes fell on a table not far away.
"Psst…Will!" she hissed.
"What is it, sweetie?"
"Look over there," she whispered motioning with nods of her head in the direction of the other table of interest.
Will looked over disinterestedly. "Yeah, what about it?"
"Isn't that the woman you ran into near the alley today?"
"Maybe it is…so what?"
"I dunno, just a curious coincidence," Grace observed.
Will and Grace concluded their meal. Will left the amount on the table along with the gratuity. As they stood to leave, Grace pulled her bag away, allowing Jack's photo to fall to the floor still unobserved.
A few minutes later, the scene was repeated at Norma's table, but as they left, Norma noticed the picture on the floor as they walked by the table that Will and Grace had just vacated. She bent down, and standing up, gave a little cry, "Jack!"
"What?" Chad asked.
"Oh my God!" she continued to exclaim, staring at the photo. "Did you notice who was sitting here?" she desperately asked.
Chad grabbed it away and took a look. "Who is this?" he demanded to know, feeling a little jealous that she would know someone else so good-looking.
"That looks exactly like the fellow staying at the mission," she gasped.
"There's a man staying there?" Chad continued to inquire, becoming suspicious and huffy.
Taking back the photo, Norma quickly explained the events of the last two days.
The perceptive Chad could see that Norma was taking more than a casual interest in this other man. He said nothing, but decided he would pay an unsocial call at the mission tomorrow.