He looked harmless.
Dorky and so unassuming.
And yet Calvin had tangible, physical,forensicproof that this man had literal blood on his hands.
“Sebastian?” Calvin said to my silence.
“Ah… yup. Okay. I’ll let you go, then,” I answered, keeping one eye on Pete. I was at the opposite end from the door. I’d have to pass the row of sinks to reach it.
“What? No, don’t hang up,” he ordered.
“Oh, my boyfriend is waiting for me,” I answered, making up a conversation that I hoped would keep Pete at bay.
I heard Quinn murmur something in the following silence.
“Is he there with you?” Calvin finally asked.
“Uh-huh,” I answered, trying to not sound nervous.
I took a step forward as Pete flicked his hands dry and reached for a paper towel from the motion-sensor machine. I felt so strange inside. Afraid, because I’d seen what had been done to Casey, but that emotion felt misplaced when I assigned it to fuckingPete.
I took a few more steps.
Four stalls.
Three.
Two.
“Hey, Snow,” Pete called.
I halted midstep and turned my head.
Pete made eye contact in the mirror. “Got a second?”
“Sebastian,” Calvin said into my ear. There was a sound like wind—he was out of the car and moving. “Wheredownstairs are you?”
Pete kept staring at me.
I felt my underarms begin to sweat.
“All right, buddy,” I said to Calvin. “I really do have to go. I’m at the ass-end of the hall and it’ll take me forever to get back to the front.” I gave Pete a smile.
He returned it.
“I’ll see you later,” I finished. I lowered the phone and stuffed it into my pocket without ending the call. “Hey, Pete.”
“I thought you weren’t coming until this afternoon?” Pete asked, tossing his paper towel and turning around.
“Oh. Yeah, I guess I kind of wanted to see the place in action after all. It’s an incredible turnout.”
“About ten thousand total,” Pete said with a bit of a chest puff.
“Who’d have thought this many folks liked old junk?” I joked, taking one step closer to the door.
“I told you, it’s all about enticing the younger generation. I used to teach—did I mention that?”
I scratched my arm nervously. “Yeah, vaguely.”
