Her smile faded, and her widened eyes snapped toward the security on the main door.
"Don't even think about it." He smirked. "It's between me and the boss, after all. You don't wanna lose your job, do you?" He leaned in and whispered, "Maybe even your life."
She stuttered.
He shrugged. "I just came to tell him that the body has been buried in the middle of the woods after the dogs ate its flesh. I'm here to collect."
She opened her mouth, but no sound came.
Xavier smiled again, leaned in, picked up her intercom receiver, and handed it to her. "Please."
She gulped, then pressedOneon her phone. He watched as her hand shook.
"Hello, sir?" Her voice shook, too. "There's a man who wants to meet—no there's no appointment. Actually, sir, this man says... The name? The name is—"
"Xavier," he whispered.
"Xavier!" she squeaked into the phone, and he grinned. "Yes, okay. Sending him in." She put the receiver down.
"Yes?" he asked sweetly.
Her glossy lower lip quivered. "Third floor, second door to your left." She gulped.
His fingers drummed on the table. "Thank you...?" His eyes searched her.
"Sarah."
He smiled. "Sarah." He touched his lips with his index finger in a stay-quiet motion, winked, and headed straight toward Chris's office.
He turned the knob and entered the room.
"Please, come in." Chris welcomed him with a smile and gestured toward the three-seated sofa against the frosted glass wall.
"Hey." Xavier sat on one end and was joined by Chris on the other. "Is Giselle okay? I haven't heard from her."
He nodded. "I made her switch her phone and deleted her socials." Xavier narrowed his eyes. "I was afraid Abbott's killer might want to hurt her, too."
He gulped. "Why would he want to hurt her?"
Chris eyed him. "Why would he hurt Abbott?"
Xavier nodded and mumbled, "Can't be too careful. I get it."
He paused, his eyebrows merged. "Are you okay, Xavier? You don't look too good."
He slid on the sofa a little and threw his head back. "I'm okay. I've just been searching for her for the past couple of days." He closed his eyes, and her face surfaced. "I just wanna see her."
He looked at Chris who blinked twice before nodding. "Let's go. I'll take you home. You can rest there."
He got up, ready to go. "I'll feel rested when I see her."
"Is that all of your stuff?" Chris pointed at the bag dangling.
"Yeah."
Chris nodded again, got up, and walked toward his intercom. He called Sarah and asked her to cancel all his meetings for the day.
"I don't get it," he said as he put the receiver down.