Goren directed Eames to one of Little Italy's better known pizza bars. With a little effort, they were able to find parking around the block from the restaurant. Goren called their office, officially clocking them out for the evening. The crowds were light, being only the beginning of the week, early into the dinner rush, and immediate seating was ample. Goren, however, showed no interest in entering the restaurant and instead began habitual pacing of the length of the building's front façade.
"How do you know the mystery guest isn't already inside?" Eames asked after a minute, pushing her hands into her coat pockets while peering through the bay window to the inside.
Goren shrugged, hands outstretched at his sides and paced to the right. "She's coming from downtown, farther away than we were." He paced to the left.
"Ah. A she." Eames snickered, turning to face him.
Goren paced to the right and wiped an imaginary substance from his scruffy chin. "You could wait inside," he suggested nonchalantly, right thumb pointed toward the door.
"Nah, now I'm all curious," her smirk continued.
He paced to left. "Curiosity killed the cat, you know."
Eames rolled her eyes and smiled. "I have plenty of lives left."
Goren paced to the right and fidgeted with the knot of his tie.
"You look fine," Eames assured him.
His pacing stumbled slightly and he raised an eyebrow in response.
She smiled innocently.
He resumed pacing.
The sun dipped below the horizon but the city remained illuminated with its fading glow and ample artificial light. Traffic, both pedestrian and motorized, increased as businesses and offices closed for the evening. The pizza bar also began to fill with dinner patrons.
Goren paced back towards Eames and stood at her side, relatively still, and frowned.
"Maybe she couldn't get a cab," Eames suggested.
He shook his head. "She'd walk before she took a cab. Probably took the subway." He looked to either side before turning slightly in the direction of the nearest subway entrance. His head bobbed to the left and right as he peered around the steadily increasing number of pedestrians.
Eames began to offer another explanation, but Goren took off in long strides to his left. Eames stepped forward and followed him with her eyes, anxious to spot their guest, but she could not discern exactly whom he sought. He stopped and she watched as he bent slightly and a set of arms not his own wrapped around his lower back. She expected him to return quickly for introductions, but after thirty seconds, a minute and more, she began to feel forgotten. Before she worked up the nerve to interrupt their embrace a passerby nearly walked into the pair, but saved himself by only brushing against the sides of Goren and his friend. This seemed to jostle them back to reality and after another moment, they finally turned in Eames' direction.
Goren's friend, Eames noted, was an inch or two taller than she was, but of larger stature, though clearly of strong physique. The woman's wavy auburn hair hung well past her shoulders. She wore loose blue jeans, a charcoal colored wool, waist length coat, and dark brown leather slip on loafers. Her age, Eames' guessed, was likely in the early 40s. Eames' naturally began to run through her internal rolodex of potential occupations for the stranger, but cut short her contemplation upon noticing Goren's face. He was grinning, wide and bright. She could not help but mirror him with one of her own as they finished their approach to her.
"This is my partner, Alex Eames," Goren extended an arm in Eames' direction, "and this is Rainy Jay Jansen." He continued to beam, but the redness of his eyes did not escape Eames' notice.
"Nice to finally put a face with a name, Detective," Rainy warmly smiled as she pulled her right hand stiffly from her pant pocket and gingerly extended it, her blue eyes also appeared reddened.
Eames was careful not to allow her surprise and confusion to show as she accepted the greeting. But as Rainy stepped back, she returned her gaze to Goren, silently asking for more information.
He opened his mouth to respond, but before uttering a sound Rainy had led the way to the door.
"I've been craving this place for at least a year," she began while entering the building.
Goren instead offered Eames a shrug, and extended an arm in the direction of the doorway.
Despite the increasing dinner rush, a polite Italian hostess seated the trio without difficulty. They draped their coats on their chairs and settled in to read the well-worn plastic menus the woman provided them.
A young waiter greeted them warmly seconds later, informed them of the house specials in a barely decipherable stream of heavily accented speech, and ended by producing pen and paper from seemingly nowhere while asking what they would like to drink.
Goren and Eames looked up from their menus at one another with raised eyebrows, both still processing the waiter's words.
Rainy Jay did not seem as mystified. "I'll take a pint of the most domestic brew you have on tap."
Eames shrugged. Goren nodded and added, "Better make it a pitcher."
The waiter smiled and nodded. "Need another minute then?"
"I'm too overwhelmed with choices and anticipation to make any decisions," Rainy Jay had yet to look away from the menu.
"I think the special sounded pretty good," Eames smirked, knowing that neither she nor Goren accurately heard what it entailed.
Goren shrugged. "What do you think, Jay?"
"Better go with it, or I'll simply salivate over the menu all night."
Goren nodded at the waiter and handed him back his and Eames' menus.
"The special then," the waiter noted, hesitating before extending a hand for Rainy Jay's menu, which she reluctantly relinquished. He spun on his heels and made way for the kitchen.
Rainy Jay's eyes remained downcast another moment before she excitedly sat back, hands toying with the silverware bundle in front of her. "I brought you some Bruderbier. You'll have to get it later though. I love the subway, but nighttime, alone, with a bag of booze," she shook her head, "not even for you, buddy."
Goren nodded and leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table's edge. "How is Gus, he didn't come?"
She smiled forlornly. "Nah, I am supposed to be reconnecting with the roots on my own for a bit. He is doing well though, thinking of working in the Balkans this summer, busy spending time at University studying and preparing. He said to tell you hello. I guess you got pretty friendly while I was out of commission. I saw some of the phone bills."
He smiled, nodding. "I'd like to meet him, but settling for some German microbrew will do." He sat back, relaxed. "Die Unterhaltung mit ihm war für mein Deutsch gut." Talking to him was good for my German, he added.
"I bet so," she nodded, smiling.
"He did invite me to your wedding, guess I'll meet him then."
Rainy's eyebrows rose in apparent amusement, "Did he also mention when that would be?"
Goren's forehead instantly reddened and for a heartbeat he looked caught, torn, alarmed; afraid he had just spilled the beans on an unasked proposal. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out.
Laughter met his discomfort. Rainy giggled while shaking her head and reaching out tentatively to him. "Don't worry, Bobby. He keeps asking. I keep," she shrugged, twirling her outreached fingers in the air, "delaying." She settled back and turned her gaze to Eames, who had remained a quiet observer.
Goren, shaken, looked to his hands.
Rainy smiled at Eames. "I'm sorry, Detective, we're caught up, and you don't know who is what or who. August, Gus, Bruder, he's my…" her eyes scanned the ceiling above their heads while she drummed her left fingers on the table.
"Your Freund," Goren offered teasingly, recovered from his feared faux pas.
She rolled her eyes in response, "Yes but I'm not fourteen years old, thanks," she sighed, "Mein Freund," she smiled wistfully before continuing, "I had a bit of an accident a few months ago, he kept Bobby in the loop. He works for UNESCO, but the rest of his family runs a brewery and I am beginning to wonder if they're bringing our domestic ale from there." She sat back, titled her head, and bit her bottom lip uncomfortably. "Hey, I'll be back, okay?" She pushed back from the table suddenly, just as the waiter approached. She stood before he had placed the full pilsner glasses or pitcher of beer on the tabletop. Rainy snatched a glass from his tray, took a long sip, set it down, grabbed her coat, and headed for the door before anyone could say a word.
Goren thanked the waiter, who looked mightily confused as he walked away from the table.
"And I thought you had attention span issues," Eames noted, taking a sip from her glass.
A smile singed the corners of his mouth. "She's nervous," he whispered, fingering a bead of condensation on his glass.
Eames tried not to frown. "Maybe I should go?"
Goren's eyes met hers instantly. "No, no. You being here is keeping me from behaving similarly. I appreciate the buffer. I do, Eames, don't go."
She broke his gaze and returned to her glass for another sip of beer. "Been that long, huh?"
Goren continued to wipe beads of sweat from his glass. "Two, three years. I lose track. She travels. I don't think she likes it here very much."
"New York?" Eames asked.
"And the other 49 states," he answered before taking several long gulps from his glass, nearly emptying it. He rubbed his chin, contemplatively. "We've been friends a long time, kept in touch, letters and email mostly, phone calls now and then. This," he motioned at her empty chair, "this is a, a big surprise."
Eames nodded with a hint of compassion in her eyes.
They sat in silence a short time longer before Goren noticed Rainy Jay's hesitant return. She returned her jacket to the back of her chair, smelling slightly of tobacco.
"Better?" Goren asked.
She said nothing, nodded, and took a long drink from her glass.
"So when did you get in?" he attempted as he refilled his own glass.
"I left Hamburg around nine, CET, got here about noon, EST, couple hours navigating public transportation, long nap once I finally arrived at the hotel, then I called you." She smiled faintly.
"I would have picked you up, you know."
"I know," she nodded.
"It's what, nearly one am there now?"
"New York pizza is worth a little jetlag," she teased.
"What do you do in Germany?" Eames took a leap, and injected herself into the conversation.
Rainy fingered her silverware roll for a moment before answering. "Recuperate," she smiled, "I've been…taking a break from my job for a while. Gus is in Germany, and my uncle, my family is too. It's been home, I guess."
"Do you work for the UN also?" Eames continued.
"I wish." Rainy made fleeting eye contact, and instead continued to take great interest in her silverware bundle.
Eames shot Goren a frustrated glance. He read it with practiced ease.
Before anyone could attempt further conversation, their waiter returned with an enormous pizza, a large basket of bread sticks, and a steaming bowl of sauce and set it on the table before them. Rainy Jay beamed. As the smell reached them, Goren and Eames understood her enthusiasm. Hunger overtook them as the trio attacked the large slices of mozzarella and roasted red peppers. They had nearly each consumed a massive slice before anyone spoke.
Goren broke the silence. "So what's your plan, Jay?"
"Cutting right to the chase, huh?"
He began to protest but she cut him off.
"It's okay. I don't really have a plan. I'm just," she shrugged, "I'm just here. I have to be in DC at the beginning of next month. Gus suggested I take some time to myself, figure things out, before I have to figure that out, work, life…" she trailed off and took and evasive bite of pizza.
"Are you from DC?" Eames asked.
Rainy shook her head. "No, Philly. Came to this city for grad school. Worked in DC at the beginning, now, all over."
"Rainy Jay is a citizen of the world," Goren offered, half sincerely, reaching for a new slice.
She smiled, "Right, now if only you can get the IRS to believe that for me." She returned to her pizza for a moment. "I suppose Bobby's not said much about me, not that there's much to say, but, well, I ask him not to, work rules and," she took a bite, "other bureaucratic nonsense." She washed down the remnants of her pizza with the remnants of her beer. "It's kind of silly, I think, but I do what they say, usually." She grabbed a fresh slice and Goren refilled her glass.
"What, you're a government spy or something?" Eames asked sarcastically, refilling her own plate with pizza and bread, while Goren refilled her glass as well.
Rainy laughed. "No, nothing that cryptic. FBI, overseas, 'not your daddy's FBI' I think is the slogan they're using now. Mostly I chase bad guys and money around the desert and complain about the weather."
Eames eyed Goren hesitantly, and he intentionally avoided her gaze.
"Bobby knows quite a few Bureau personnel," Eames asserted, still looking for his eyes.
Rainy looked at him as well, taking another bite of pizza.
"A few," he answered and then quickly finished his drink and poured another.
"Anyways," Rainy offered, feeling the tension, "I'm back on this side of the pond to check in, that sort of thing. I'm overdue for my turn in the hot seat with the boss. I got my team into a mess a few months ago, now I have to answer for it."
"How long are you staying in the city?" Goren asked.
"You really that eager to see me off already?"
"No, uh, I am glad to see you at all especially after, and... But we just caught a new case, and the beginning, you know, it's consuming. If I'd known…" Goren explained.
"It's okay, Bobby. I know how it works." Rainy played with a half-eaten breadstick. "Like I said, I'm just here, alright? I wanted to see you. If this is it, that's okay. If you have time, that's good too. No worries. I don't know how much fun I'll be anyway."
Goren nodded but no one said anything for several moments, instead focused on finishing the food and drinks before them. Their waiter returned, checked on their status, and left the bill.
"Plans for tomorrow?" Goren finally asked.
"A black and white cookie is at the top of my list, otherwise I'm just gonna see where the day takes me," Rainy smiled.
"I hope your hotel has a gym," Goren teased.
Rainy tossed her balled up napkin at him in response and used the distraction as an opportunity to snatch the leather bill binder from near his hand. Goren opened his mouth to protest but Rainy only glared playfully in his direction in response. She retrieved her wallet from her inner coat pocket and slid a credit card into the binder.
"Is it a good one?" she asked Goren, finishing her beverage.
"What?"
"Your case. Something interesting?"
Goren looked to Eames and shrugged slightly. "Couple of college kids at Hudson found dead this morning."
"I heard about that, was all over the TV and radio when I left the airport. Any leads?"
Their waiter came for the bill binder while Goren looked to Eames again, who very subtly nodded her permission. After the waiter retreated in the direction he came, Goren responded. "Two of their roommates haven't turned up yet, but other than that, nothing yet."
"Ah, a true mystery then. Sounds right up your alley." She winked at Eames.
Goren nodded. "We'll see where it goes."
"If you make good headway, I wouldn't mind some company when I find some New York pasta tomorrow night." Rainy smiled as their waiter returned with her card and receipts.
Goren and Eames thanked him for his service while Rainy signed the slips. The trio stood and shouldered their jackets while heading for the exit.
"Where are you staying, we'll give you a lift," Eames offered.
"Hilton on Church," she responded.
"Government work pays that good, huh?" Eames teased as they headed for the SUV.
Rainy shook her head, "Gus. He has a buddy at the UN here, wife or somebody works there. I deal in the currency of favors rather than dollars."
Goren opened the rear passenger door for her before taking his own seat up front.
They buckled their seatbelts and headed for downtown.
Eames drove the vehicle into the guest loading zone in front of the hotel.
Rainy leaned forward and offered her hand, "Glad to meet you, Detective. Hope to see you again while I'm here."
Eames shook it and nodded.
Meanwhile Goren got out of the car and waved away the approaching valet. He opened Rainy's door and walked with her to the entrance of the hotel.
Rainy stretched her arms up and around his neck, pulling him into an embrace.
"Thanks for dinner, Jay," he whispered into her ear.
"Welcome. Call me tomorrow?"
They separated and Goren nodded. "How should I reach you?"
Rainy searched her pockets. Goren understood her movements, produced one of his own business cards and a pen from his breast pocket, and handed it to her.
She scribbled a telephone number and hotel room number on the back of the card and returned the items. "Good to see you, Bobby." She headed into the hotel without waiting for a response.
Goren lingered a moment longer before rejoining Eames in the SUV.
Morning came quickly for Goren and Eames. The President of Hudson University had already begun applying pressure to his connections within the City and Police Department, who in turn applied pressure to Captain Ross, who wasted no time relaying their concerns to his detectives.
Goren and Eames spent the morning following up with probable witnesses the uniformed officers had spoken with or been told about the previous day at the crime scene. While they appeared productive to the captain, their efforts bore no additional information.
Near eleven am, Captain Ross approached with an earnest look on his face. The detectives internally prepared their explanations for lack of progress as Captain Ross began to speak. "I just received a terse message from one of the girls you interviewed yesterday. One of the missing returned to the nest. She hung up before I could ask details."
Goren and Eames stood immediately and reached for their coats.
"I also received a message from Dr. Olivet, who informed me you missed an appointment yesterday evening. She said she can squeeze you in before lunch, if you go now." Captain Ross addressed his comments to Goren with a serious glare and low voice.
"Captain, I can reschedule…" Goren began.
"You had your chance to do that, Detective, before she contacted me. Some uniforms and I will meet Eames at Jordanais' apartment after she drops you off."
Goren began to protest again, but his partner glared at him. "What about an interpreter?" he resigned to ask.
"Do you really think that's necessary?" Captain Ross condescended.
"Lucas indicated the language was a problem, if it's Bakr…" Goren again looked to Eames for support.
"We'll figure it out. I'll meet you there, Captain." Eames nodded to the superior officer, finished buttoning her jacket and made way for the elevator.
Her partner grudgingly followed.