56 Finding the Thief

"Which is why when the police arrive I'm having them do forensics so whomever did this can be punished to the fullest extent of the law."

Oh no. This is not good. Not good at all. If I tell I'm going to get in trouble, but if I don't tell someone innocent could get in trouble. Dang it. All I was trying to do was teach him a lesson and it completely backfired on me. I guess the jig is up.

"Uh Will, I have something I need to tell you."

"Whatever it is can wait until after we deal with the police. I need you to give a witness statement."

"A witness statement?"

I hear a knock on the door and Will smiles.

"That must be them. Let me go get the door."

"Yay, the police are here." I say weakly.

He walks back in with two officers looking a lot more excited than someone who just got robbed should be.

"Thank you so much for coming to my home. I need you to find whoever did this as soon as possible."

"Of course, Mr. Wang. We'll find whoever did this and punish them to the fullest extent of the law."

One of them pulls out a kit and starts dusting for fingerprints. I'm dead. The other one starts interviewing Will. I can't hear the questions. I'm too concerned over the fact that I might actually lose my job. I wanna cry.

"Ms. Cyrene?"

Realizing he's talking to me, I get out of my head.

"Yes, officer?"

"My name is officer Melendez . Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"No, not at all."

"I understand you were here yesterday."

"Yes. I came in the morning and the evening to cook for Will and play with Donner and Blitzen."

"And how long were you here for?"

"I don't know, in the morning or evening?"

"Both."

"Maybe four hours total. Two in the morning and two in the evening.

"Are you sure?"

"I don't know. That's why I said maybe."

"Did you see anyone come inside while you were here?"

"No. It was just me and Will. I think if anyone did come the dogs would have caught on pretty quick. They're very smart."

"So the security system didn't catch anyone else here. That means that you're the only person who could've done the theft."

"Officer-"

The other officer walks out with something in his hands.

"Found some prints."

"I bet I already have a match for them."

"Fine I did it okay. I stole his underwear."

Will smiles when I say this, and shakes hands with the officers.

"Thanks for your help, gents."

"It was our pleasure. My wife is a huge fan."

After the officers leave I feel a weight in my heart. Will on the other hand is filled with glee.

"You're going to fire me aren't you."

"No, I'm not going to fire you."

"Really?"

"If I was going to fire you I would have done it last night when I saw you taking my underwear."

"Oh thank goodn-, wait a minute. You saw me taking it?"

"Of course."

"And you didn't say a word?"

"No."

I grit my teeth and smile while talking through them.

"Why not?"

"I wanted to see how far this could go. You did take my underwear."

"Because you took my bra first!"

"I had a reason for that?"

"Oh really? You had a reason for taking my bra. Let's hear it. Why did you take my bra?"

"To teach you a lesson."

"Hah. Don't even. You took it because you wanted it for some creepy perverted reason."

"Hey I will have you know I am known for my looks. I have had hundreds if not thousands of women very willingly give me their bras!"

"Then take theirs! Leave mine alone!"

"You shouldn't have left it lying around for me to find."

"It was drying! You can't just throw something that delicate in the washer. Besides, you wouldn't have even felt it if you hadn't made me press my body up against yours."

"I, you, you probably never got over your crush on me."

Why is his face red all of a sudden? Is he sick?

"That wasn't even a crush. I just thought you were pretty to look at. Like a pair of earrings."

"So you think of me as an object."

"Of course not. You have your uses."

"I knew it."

"You, my dear, are my money tree."

"Excuse me?"

"I tenderly and lovingly take good care of you and in return you grow lots and lots of money for me."

His face turns to ice when I say this.

"Let me understand you right. You don't see me as anything other than something to use for money?"

"Well, I mean I kind of see you as a friend. A very ill tempered, quirky, and perverted friend but putting that all aside. I like you."

"So you like me?"

"Wait, what? No, I said I see you as a friend."

"And after that you said you like me."

"Young man, don't you even try to twist my words."

"It's not twisting if you're the one who said them exactly like that."

"At the end. I said that at the end."

"Too late you can't take it back."

"Yes I can. I'm taking it back right now. I don't like you anymore."

"I can't hear you," he says while walking away.

"I SAID I DON'T LIKE YOU! HEY COME BACK HERE!"

I run to catch up with him and catch him by the wrist.

"Wait a second. Don't you need to call the police?"

"Why would I need to do that?"

"To tell them you found the culprit and you've decided to press charges."

"They already know."

"What?"

"I told you. I saw you doing it last night. I just brought them in to get you to fess up."

"So you made me think that not only was I going to lose my job, but that I might possibly serve jail time for what? Kicks?"

"Well when you put it that way-"

"Will."

"Yes, Astra?"

"You better run. Cause this time I'm really gonna kill you."