Page 106 of Statler

“Don’t give me that, you worthless piece of shit” William barked. “You found something, didn’t you? Either in the books at work, or you came across something your prick of a husband left behind that we overlooked. Either way, you’re coming back here, right now. Do you hear me?”

“Oh really?”

Eliza yelled into her phone, irate that her father was still trying to intimidate her, after all these years, and all the heinous things he’d done. “So you can kill me, too? Like you killed Holden?”

“Ahh. So you do know.”

Fuck. Her father had walked her right into that one.

Well, too bad. He could stew in his own juices and wonder how she’d found out until Statler took him down tonight. Then he’d hear it all at his trial.

She just needed William to believe she hadn’t passed any information on to anyone else, in order for Statler’s timing to work.

“I do,” she admitted around a clenched jaw. “And I thought it would be easier for everyone, you included, if I just left town. Since I’m your daughter, nobody will believe that I’m completely innocent. So, drop it, will you? I have no intention of airing your dirty little secrets. I just want to get far, far, away, and be left alone.”

“You know that’s not how this is going to work,” William said, like every bad guy in every B movie Eliza had ever watched.

“And why not?” she asked, injecting strength into her voice. “Nobody knows what I found, and it will stay that way if you just let me go.”

“I don’t believe you,” William growled.

“It doesn’t matter if you do or not,” she returned grittily. “I’m miles away already, and I have no plans on coming back.”

“Oh, but you do,” the man responded almost gleefully.

“You’re delusional,” Eliza countered.

“Not delusional, daughter,” he spat. “Realistic. You see, I have an ace up my sleeve.”

He sounded so sure of himself, that Eliza began to worry.

“Fine. I’ll bite, because that’s what you’re aiming for, right?” She sucked in a breath. “Why would I come back?”

“Because Jeremy, right now, is holding Granny hostage. He grabbed her from her house not half an hour ago.”

Every cell in Eliza’s body turned cold.

“You wouldn’t… Where is she?” Eliza demanded in a gutted whisper.

“Now, now. None of that. You listen to what I have to say, missy, and everything will be just fine. But if you don’t return, I’ll give Jeremy the authorization to kill the old hag. Do you want that, Eliza? Do you? How will you live the rest of your pitiful life with that on your conscience?”

“You don’t have her,” Eliza asserted shakily. “You’re bluffing.”

“Try calling her then,” William laughed evilly. “You know she never leaves the house, so if she’s okay and she’s there, she’ll answer. If not…?” he gave what sounded like a verbal sneer. “Call me back when you find out that you have no options.”

He hung up.

Oh my God. Granny.

Eliza put a hand to her mouth to stop the scream that threatened to emerge, then with trembling fingers she dialed the woman she loved.

Just as her father said, the phone rang and rang.

He hadn’t been lying.

What should she…?

Statler.