The Ultimate Return of Carlos

4: Chasing Olivia's Ghost

The following day, as Carlos settled into his office, the troubling encounter with the two mysterious men still lingering in his mind. Unable to shake off the unease, he decided to confide in his friends.

"You won't believe what happened yesterday, guys," Carlos began, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "After work, I decided to go in search of Olivia, as I couldn't get my mind off her."

Trevon, leaning forward, curiosity evident in his eyes, questioned, "Olivia? The lady that left your apartment without saying goodbye?"

Carlos nodded, continuing with a recount of the events that unfolded at the club. "Yeah, her. I just couldn't shake off the feeling that I needed to find her. So, I went back to the club where we met."

Toby, intrigued, chimed in with a smirk, "Dude, you're starting to sound like one of those romantic movies."

Carlos, with a wry smile, retorted, "Trust me, this is far from romantic." He shifted to a more serious tone. "Anyway, I went back to the club, asking around if anyone knew her. No one had a clue who she was."

Trevon, absorbed in the unfolding narrative, remarked, "She's like a ghost, man."

Carlos nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Just when I was about to give up, these two unknown guys approached me at the bar."

Toby, skeptical, inquired, "What did they want?"

Carlos sighed, recalling the unsettling encounter. "I have no idea. One of them asked if I was looking for Olivia and warned me to stop. He said that if I don't, I won't get a second warning."

Trevon, leaning back in his chair, commented with concern, "That's intense, man. What did you do?"

Carlos admitted, "I was freaked out, to be honest. But now, I can't shake off this feeling that Olivia might be in danger. So, I've decided to hire a private investigator. Someone who can look into Olivia's background, find out who those men were, and maybe trace her steps. I can't do this alone."

Toby, raising an eyebrow, questioned, "Private investigator? Seriously?"

Carlos affirmed, "Yes, seriously. Something's not right, and I need to get to the bottom of it."

Trevon, then cautiously, advised, "Alright, Carlos, but be careful. We're with you, but this sounds like trouble."

Carlos appreciated his friends' concern, saying, "I understand, guys. I just can't let this go. Olivia might be in trouble, and I need to find her."

Toby, with a smirk, added a touch of humor, "Well, if you're going down this rabbit hole, we're going with you." Then, with a serious expression continued, "Why not use the firm's private investigator? They're discreet and efficient."

Carlos, hesitating, explained, "I want an external investigator for now. I need to know what's going on before involving the firm. If there's something fishy, I don't want to bring it to their attention just yet."

Trevon, supportive of Carlos's decision, added, "Fair enough. Let's find you a reliable private investigator. We'll help you with the search."

The trio spent the next hour exploring the internet in search of private investigators. After some deliberation, they found a group of private investigators online. Carlos, driven by determination, booked a meeting with one of their experienced investigators.

As they waited for the scheduled meeting, Toby broke the silence, "Carlos, this is like a plot from a mystery novel. I hope you know what you're getting into."

Carlos, his gaze unwavering, replied, "I can't turn my back on someone who might be in trouble. I need to find Olivia and make sure she's safe."

Trevon, clapping Carlos on the back, assured him, "We're with you, man. Let's see what this private investigator can uncover. Just be careful, alright?"

And after a few hours, the private investigator showed up at the firm, where Carlos and his friends eagerly welcomed him. Together, they discreetly entered Carlos's office, and in no time Trevon drew down the cotton blinds to shield their presence and conversation from the prying eyes of other firm members.

Seated in Carlos's office, Carlos extended a hand, introducing himself once again. "I'm Carlos. We spoke on the phone. Welcome to Elite Attorneys Partnership. Please, have a seat," Carlos offered, gesturing towards the set of couches in his office.

"Thank you," the investigator replied, taking a seat on the couch. Ready to delve into the matter at hand, he prompted, "Let's get down to business. Do you have a picture of who you're looking for?"

Carlos, lacking a visual representation, confessed, "I don't have one. The only thing I know about her is her name – Olivia. Every other detail about her, I'm clueless. I'm in the dark."

Surprised by the minimal information, the investigator inquired further, "What's the relationship between you and this Olivia lady?"

Carlos, grappling to articulate their connection, hesitated before Trevon jumped in to provide a straightforward answer, "She's a girl he had a one-night stand with three days ago after meeting her at the club during a work celebration. We think she might be in trouble."

Nodding in acknowledgment, the investigator sought more details, "Is there anything else we can use to identify this Olivia lady, other than her name?"

Quickly responding, Carlos provided a description, "Yes, she's blond, petit, and has blue eyes."

Acknowledging the challenge of finding someone with such scant details, the investigator probed further, "What's the name of the club you met her? We'll have to station our agent there to see if anyone with a similar description comes by."

Before the investigator could finish his sentence, Carlos interjected, "Noir Nebula. It's in Bayside in Queens."

The investigator, nodding in acknowledgment, took notes of the information Carlos provided.

"Alright, blond, petit, blue eyes, and the club's name is Noir Nebula in Bayside, Queens. I'll dispatch an agent to gather more details. In the meantime, did she mention anything specific during your encounter that could help us?"

Carlos, trying to recall any relevant detail, responded, "Not really, we didn't have much conversation. It was a spontaneous encounter."

Trevon, interjecting, added, "But we're concerned because she left abruptly, and the way things are looking she might be in danger."

The investigator, noting the urgency, assured them, "I'll do my best to gather information discreetly. If there's anything else you remember or if you get any updates, let me know."