When I finally stopped with my thoughts, my mind whirled. Haphazard thoughts came at me from all directions. Gino knew him. Why had I never heard the name Carlo? If he was his friend, why had he never mentioned him? Had he never called while we were together? Did Gino know what he did?
My phone rang, startling the shit out of me. I looked at the screen, half expecting it to be Gino. But I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was Thayer.
“I need you,” I said.
“What’s going on, G?” Thayer asked.
“I’m in Florida?—”
“Oh,” he said, clearly getting the wrong idea about why I was there.
My words rushed out of me. “I came down here to break up with Gino. I wanted to wait to tell you because I didn’t want you worrying about me when you should be focusing on Big Bear.”
“G,” he said, as if he couldn’t believe what I’d done for him. For us. “Then why do you need me? What’s wrong?”
Tears welled in my eyes, the enormity of the situation hitting me like a freight train. “He’s here.”
“I know Gino lives in Florida.”
“No,” I said, my voice a whisper. “He’s here.”
“Who?”
“Carlo. The man who robbed the boutique.”
“What?” I could practically see his eyes narrowing in confusion all the way across the country.
“I know it sounds crazy,” I said.
“How do you know it’s him? You didn’t see his face,” Thayer said.
“But I heard his voice.”
“Why would he be there?” he asked.
“He was at Gino’s office. The receptionist said they were old friends. I heard him speak, Thayer. It’s him. Gino knows him.”
“That son of a bitch,” he said. “Where are you now? Are you safe?”
“I’m in the lobby. He left before me. I’m not sure if he’s still in the building or not.”
“Jesus Christ,” he said. “Did he see you?”
“I don’t think so. Thayer, I don’t know what to do. I need you to tell me what to do right now.”
“I don’t fucking know,” he said. “If you call the cops, they’re going to doubt the credibility of your claim. You’re a victim who thinks you heard their attacker’s voice.”
“Don’t you believe me?”
“Of course I do. I just know how the law works.”
“Shit,” I whispered, ducking into my spot in the corner. Carlo had stepped out of a restroom and walked through the lobby, his long strides transporting me back to that night.
“What?” Thayer asked.
“He’s leaving,” I whispered into the phone.
“Do not follow him.”