Most People Say Thank You, But I Would Die for You

Chapter 6

Nothing could be found in the office.  Wednesday was rather disappointed, not that she needed any more reasons to start making his coffin.  The distress on Xavier's face was all the convincing she needed.  The only question was how.  Poison felt too boring.  Stabbing him in his sleep was cowardice, it would have to be while he was awake.  Luckily, her options were only limited to her interests.

She set the last files back in the desk drawer.  It was full of old bills that had been paid for years prior.  The man really needed to clean out his drawers.

"Did you find anything else?" Xavier asked.

Wednesday said nothing, to which he understood her answer.  He merely shrugged, shoving his hands in the pocket of his hoodie.  "I don't know what we were expecting," he said at last.  "So he has a gun.  I carry around my knife."

"Who are you trying to convince?  Me or yourself?" Wednesday raised a brow.

"It's just we have enough to think about anyways.  How many mysteries do you want to juggle at once?"

She closed a drawer, her back turned to the window.  "You'd be surprised where random strings are tied."

"Well, we're not exactly in a mystery novel, so I doubt all of these are connected," Xavier retorted as he went through another drawer for a third time.

"Yet," Wednesday retorted.

"Oh?  I'll at least be a lead character, right?" He teased.

Rolling her eyes, she slammed the drawer shut.  "There's nothing here."

"We better make sure we leave everything as we found it," Xavier suggested.  "I don't want to deal with father getting someone another lawsuit over a false theft again."

"I'm hanging on to the gun," she said.  "It might be worth investigating more."

"I'm not sure if that's really a good idea-" Xavier was cut short as the window behind Wednesday shattered.

Glass shot through the room, scattering across the floor.  Both Xavier and Wednesday covered their heads for protection.  Luckily, they were wearing pants, shoes and long sleeves, reducing the cuts from broken glass.

Lifting her eyes, Wednesday saw what had been used to smash the window.  It was a rock, sitting on the ground.  A note was tied to it with a rubber band. Whirling around, she rushed to the window to see who had thrown it.  Of course.  She saw no one.  Wednesday began to climb out the window to hunt them down only for Xavier to yank her back inside.

"What the heck are you doing?" He hissed.

"Get off me," she demanded.

"You're not going to find them out there," Xavier insisted.

"Not when you wasted my time," she snapped.

"We're both not in good shape to fight," he argued.  You were stabbed last week!  And shot with an arrow!"

Grabbing the stone, Xavier pulled Wednesday out of the office, closing and locking the door.  Setting them apart from any potential threat from outside the window. 

There was a buzzing sound.  Wednesday felt in her pocket, pulling out her phone.  Clicking the text message, it took her to her stalker's number.  There was a new photo.  One of her and Xavier standing in the office moments before the rock was thrown.  It was the second picture that gave her a sinking feeling in her stomach.  There was a picture of Xavier working on the Crackstone painting, and it was obviously taken before she had arrived.

"What is it?" Xavier asked.  He didn't wait for a reply, looking at her phone screen over her shoulder.  Her expression must have betrayed the concern she was trying to conceal.

"You're being stalked?"

"We're being stalked," she corrected, showing him the newest one.  "Whoever they are appears to have been inside your house.  A staff member perhaps?"

Xavier didn't answer.  He unwrapped the paper from the stone and opened it up.

The clock is ticking.

Frowning, Wednesday looked at it.  Was it a warning or a threat?  Either way, she didn't think she appreciated the vague note.  "You should have let me hunt them down," she grumbled.

"We're not armed."

She pulled out the pistol.  Xavier pressed his lips tightly together.

"Ok, so we are."

"It might not be too late to track them." She grabbed the doorknob only for Xavier to grab her wrist.  It was firm, but gentle.  She glared at him.  "If you tell me that we should leave it to the police-"

"No.  I agree with you on that.  I don't want the police involved.  I'm hoping to avoid that.  We'll track the stalker down next time.  Right now, we should figure out what we're up against first."

Wednesday opened her mouth to argue before pausing.  Her eyes met with his, which were begging her to let it go.  Normally, she would have ignored it.  But it reminded her of the look in his eyes when she was shot with his arrow.  Perhaps that night had wounded both of them more than she thought.

"Fine," she said at last, pulling her arm away.  "You better get someone to replace the window."

He let out a silent sigh.  "Yeah.  Wonder how we're going to explain the broken window."

"Then don't."

"Yeah, because windows shatter out of thin air for no reason," Xavier retorted sarcastically.

She said nothing.  Making an excuse or a story was irrelevant.  Even if they ended up needing to explain, Xavier would have no problem having an excuse.

But she couldn't help but wonder if Xavier was in this mess because of her.  Was he going to be killed because she was with him?  He was only ever in danger since she showed up at the school.  And if that was the case, did that mean Enid and Eugene could be next?  Or even Ajax or Bianca?