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𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐀 𝐒𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐘'𝐒, 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 at her laptop when she felt a presence in the seat across from her. She looked up from her typing and saw Victoria sitting on the other side of the booth. "Um... hi?"
"Are you okay?" she asked and Eliza raised her eyebrows. "It just feels like I've barely seen you at home recently. Is it because of Graham's death?"
"No, I just—" Eliza sighed and closed her computer. "I've known him for as long as I can remember and it's weird not seeing him in the sheriff's department. I mean, he'd been sheriff for so long."
"And that's all it is?"
Eliza tilted her head. "Why are you so concerned about my reaction to Graham's death?" she asked in confusion. "He was well-known throughout the entire town. Are you also asking everyone else? That seems a bit extreme..."
Victoria shook her head. "No. Just... you're my friend, so I was worried."
Eliza nodded. "Well, I'm fine, Victoria, thank you for worrying. If you want to worry about someone though, I don't think Hannah would mind some company. She's still a little shaken up."
"Does Regina know that Hannah was there?"
"No," Eliza replied, warming her hands on a mug of coffee. "No, every time Mom asks, Hannah just stays silent. She won't be mad at you if she doesn't know."
"Thanks again for bringing her home that day," Victoria said and she nodded. "I figured you would be the safer option than me."
Eliza clicked her tongue. "She actually tolerates you a lot more than she does Emma, for reasons that I don't actually know. So, don't mess it up," she teased with a chuckle when the door to Granny's opened and Emma walked in.
"Oh good," Emma said, walking over to the two. "Victoria, I was hoping you'd be here. I need a favor."
"What's up?"
Emma crossed her arms. "Regina fired me and is appointing Sidney Glass to the position—"
"Sidney?" Eliza repeated with a scoff. "The chief editor of the Storybrooke Daily Mirror?" Emma nodded. "Wait, what do you mean she's 'appointing him'? You were Graham's deputy, typically that means that after a few weeks, which it has been, a promotion is automatic. And that would be you."
Emma shrugged and sat next to Victoria. "Well she said it's not automatic if the mayor appoints somebody within that time period and she's doing that today."
Eliza nodded and pressed her lips together. "You know, my mom made one small mistake when she insisted I become a lawyer. I read everything, I know everything about this town, its laws, maybe even more so than she does." She slid her computer toward the two women and they looked at the pdf.
"The town charter?" Victoria asked, looking up at Eliza who nodded.
"Not many people read about it, or know about it," she replied, leaning back in her seat. "But it does clearly say that the mayor cannot appoint anybody. She can, however, appoint a candidate. So, if Sidney is her candidate, and you, Emma, are another. That calls for an election. And unless I'm very much mistaken, you might want to hurry."
