Page 121 of Statler

Bastard.

Her syllables snapped. “All because they found out what you were up to, and decided to do the right thing.”

“The right thing,” he hissed. “You mean the right thing that put a roof over your head and clothes on your back for all these years, even after you married that loser. I paid him well, you know. And I also lent you two the money for your house. You never complained then.”

“Because I thought we were getting out of Liminal and that property would revert to you,” she returned evenly. “But you just couldn’t let us go, could you?”

“Not with Holden knowing so much about my business. And now, the same goes for you.” He stood up, but didn’t raise his firearm, instead hanging it by his side, his hand clenched around the grip.

“So what?” Eliza dared. “You’re going to kill me right here? Right now?” she scoffed. “Who’s going to clean up the mess? I can’t see you getting your hands dirty.”

“Oh, I’m not going to shoot you,” he told her with a nasty grin. “You’re right. Far too untidy. Instead, I’m going to make sure you bite down on one of these for your untimely demise.”

He pulled two capsules from his pocket, and held them out so she could see them.

Eliza wasn’t afraid, just curious.

“What are they?” she asked.

“Potassium Cyanide,” he answered almost gleefully. “And if you don’t know how they work, the gas they release upon breaking is an asphyxiant. You’ll be dead from respiratory failure within minutes.”

“And exactly how will you explain that to the authorities?” Eliza questioned, then cannily tapped the side of her head as if she’d had an epiphany. “Oh, yeah. You don’t have to explain anything to anybody, because we have no police department, and the coroner is so far up your ass that he eats shit.”

“Figured that out, did you?” William snickered. “I’d say you’ve stepped up your game a bit, but that would be a lie. Look how long it took you to find out the small amount of…whatever it is you think you know.”

“Oh. I know everything,” Eliza told him, egging him on to lose his control. “Besides the murders you’ve committed? I can add illegal arms manufacturing and shipping to US enemies overseas.”

“So, you have been doing some digging. Good for you,” William mocked. “But it won’t be of any benefit. You’re going to die here, tonight, regardless. And it will be such a shame.” He shook his head in mock regret.

“Why would I take my own life?” she asked, although Eliza figured she already knew the answer to that.

“You were so depressed after the death of your husband, you just couldn’t go on any longer.”

She rolled her eyes. “So predictable.”

His gaze grew shrewd. “But effective. Now, before your life ends, you need to tell me exactly what you’ve revealed to that Bothswait fellow. You two seemed to be getting close over the past few weeks, and I know he’s no dummy.”

In case things went sideways, Eliza wasn’t about to tell him that Statler and his crew had intel about William’s dealings long before coming to Liminal, or that Flazer’s little empire was about to end.

“Close?” she scoffed. “You’re the one who made me go see him every day,” Eliza countered. “I wouldn’t have bothered if it weren’t part of my job.”

“Bullshit,” William spat. “I’ve seen the way you look at him with those weird-ass eyes of yours.”

Eliza had her mother’s bright blue eyes.

William always said they were creepy, and reminded him of⁠—

A monstrous thought struck Eliza, center chest.

Oh. My. God.

If she were right…

“You… You hate my eyes?” she began. “But…they’re exactly the same as my mother’s,” she managed to eke out softly.

“Exactly. Always looking at me,” he bellowed, becoming somewhat frantic. “Always judging. Every time you look at me, I see her staring back. You don’t know how many times I’ve wanted to gouge those horrible blue orbs right out of your head.”

“Why?” Eliza asked, coldness pervading her body, because…she knew.