𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 || 𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜 ||

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐 : 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤

˗ˏˋ꒰ 🪓 ꒱

The group followed Grace into the alley, where she began to look around frantically.

 "Okay. Okay. Cops are swarming the streets. So, um, you know what?! We'll just scale this wall and jump from rooftop to rooftop. It'll work... cuz we'll have the high ground!" Grace rambled, waving the gun around.

Steph let go of Milo's hand and strode over to Grace. "Gimme that," she demanded, taking the gun from Grace and tucking it into her own pocket. "You have no idea what the hell you're doing. Every plan you've made over the past three weeks has been a fucking disaster. You ruined our lives, Grace."

"I know," Grace whispered, falling to her knees. "I just haven't been thinking clearly lately. All I wanted was to be a regular girl, with no sexual desire until she was safely married. I never asked for this tickle in my mommy spot. I've done so many terrible things. Like touching myself, and lying to the police..."

"And dismembering a body," Milo added.

Grace looked up at her. "Well, we all did that, so... But I called God a son of a b-word... Who am I?" She buried her face in her hands.

"It's alright, Grace..." Asher began to say.

"Don't comfort her. She's fuckin' weird," Steph snapped at Asher.

Grace lifted her head, her eyes red and puffy. "You guys go. I'll turn myself in."

Steph walked over to Grace and placed a hand on her shoulder. "No, Grace. Unfortunately... we're in this mess together."

"A sentiment I understand all too well, Stephanie," Solomon Lauter said as he walked into the alley, drawing everyone's attention.

"Whoa. Mayor Lauter?" Pete exclaimed.

Steph looked over at her dad, confused. "Dad? How'd you know I was here..."

"Please, Stephanie. I've been bugging your phone since you were twelve. And for good reason. The one week I take it away, the one week I'm not watching you, and you go off and do something cosmically stupid," Solomon Lauter responded, crossing his arms.

"Dad, we never meant to hurt anybody..." Steph began, her voice trembling.

"I don't give a shit who you kill. But you just had to do it in that house, didn't you? You guys are coming with me," Solomon Lauter commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Are you turning us in?" Harper asked cautiously.

"To who? The police? They can't stop him. Nothing on Earth can stop him," Solomon Lauter replied, a grim expression on his face.