Tom was silent, his breathing loud and labored as it sounded through the receiver that he held. Finally, after a few moments, he spoke. "What are you doing here?"
Jeremy's eyes darted around before finally settling on his father. "I need more information."
"I already told you all of it," Tom spat out. "You shouldn't have to hear about… about what I did. There's nothing more I can tell you."
He knew his father was right – he shouldn't have to hear the gory details. "Sorel's pushing me to keep hurting Eliza… Elizabeth. I need to know more."
"What more can I tell you? You want me to tell you how I threw her down into the snow? Want me to tell you how much I liked listening to her whimper? Want to know-"
Jeremy swore into the phone, cutting his father off. "That's not what I want to hear! You think I like this? I'm being forced to do something I don't want to do… because of YOU Dad…"
"That's right, blame it on me. You always do. 'Dad's in prison, so everything that goes wrong in my life is his fault.' That's what you're always saying."
Jeremy slammed his hand down on the counter in front of him. "This IS your fault, Dad. Why did you ever get involved with Joseph Sorel?"
Tom's eyes glared as his son through the thick glass. "You know why. I needed money, Sorel had a lot of it. Do you think it's easy taking care of a kid? Kids cost money, Jeremy, and you were costing me a lot."
"Was it worth all of this?" Jeremy asked, motioning with his hands. "You're in prison and I'm cleaning up your mess for you. I know the only reason you blackmailed Emily Quartermaine was to get money to pay back Sorel with… I hate this Dad… and I hate what they are making me do."
Tom started to say something but he stopped himself, his eyes turning cold. "What do you need to know?" he asked, his voice devoid of all emotion.
Jeremy sighed into the phone. He hated coming here. He didn't want to fight with his father, but they always ended up in an argument every time he came here. "I need more information on what you did to Elizabeth?"
"I already told you all the information. The bracelet, 'not a word,' the dress. What else do you need?"
"Something! Anything…Why did you go after her in the first place"
Tom's eyes hardened and he stared off, his voice softening. "I'd seen her around… she was a pretty little thing, you know that? I bet she still is…"
"She's beautiful."
"And she was a spitfire, a wild one. She was asking for it. The way she walked… she swung her hips to the side to get little boys, that Lucky kid, to notice her. She wasn't afraid of anything… I saw her and I knew I had to have her."
Jeremy stared at his father. "You're sick."
Tom's eyes bore into his son's. "I'd be careful what you say, boy. You and I are the same. We're from the same material, the same cloth."
Jeremy shivered. "I'm nothing like you."
A small smile came to Tom's face. "You think I can't see it, but I can. You want Elizabeth Webber… I can see it."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"It's written all over your face, son. You like her. You're attracted to her just like I was."
Jeremy pushed away from the counter until the cord of the phone was stretched as far as it would go. "You disgust me."
"We're more alike than you like to think, Jeremy… you want Elizabeth Webber, I know you do. She's more than just an assignment from Sorel for you…"
"Goodbye Dad." Jeremy pushed away from the counter, slamming the phone receiver back onto the cradle. He stalked to the door, slamming on it to get the attention of the guard.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his father, still sitting where he left him. He hated the fact that his father was in prison, he hated the fact that his father was never there for him, he hated the fact that he was paying for his father's debts with Joseph Sorel…
Jeremy stepped outside and took a deep breath. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the picture of Elizabeth that had come with the file of information on her. His fingers traced over her wide smile. He hated his father.
And more than anything… he hated the fact that his father was right.
The door to Kelly's swung open and Elizabeth stepped back, letting the person leave as she stared at the outside of the diner. The place used to be home to her, but now it was taking all that she had inside of her just to go anywhere near it.
"I hate this…"
Jason turned away from where he'd been talking to Francis, raising an eyebrow at Elizabeth. "What was that?"
"Why do we have to talk in there?"
She was whining and despite the situation, Jason found the corners of his mouth turning upward. "It's just Kelly's."
"Jason, I don't want to go in there… Can't we talk on the docks? Or at Jakes? How about back to the Penthouses? I'm willing to take the risk of seeing Carly."
Jason's head turned towards Francis when he heard the man cough and he saw a quick grin before the bodyguard straightened once more. Slowly, Jason turned his attention back towards Elizabeth. "I can't help you if I don't know all the details, and we need to see if the bracelet is still under the counter."
"I… Jason…"
Stepping forward, Jason cupped Elizabeth's face with his hands, his thumb softly moving across her cheek. "You used to tell me how much you hated it when people told you what to do, how to live your life, remember?"
Mutely, Elizabeth nodded.
"Whoever's doing this to you, using your rape against you… Elizabeth, you're letting him control you. You're scared to go into Kelly's because this person made you scared. Are you going to let him control you?"
"No…"
A small smile came to Jason's face. "You know I can tell when you lie…"
Elizabeth smiled, her voice stronger this time. "I'm not going to let whoever's doing this control me." Stepping away, Elizabeth reached out for Jason's hand, intertwining their fingers before making her way into the diner.
The place was nearly empty and Elizabeth was grateful for that. She looked around before pulling Jason towards the counter. "I already told you how I got the flowers… I found the 'no a word' note on the floor after I stepped on it." She motioned to a spot in front of the counter. "And that's where I found the bracelet."
"It was just laying there?"
Elizabeth nodded. "I was closing and I was in the back cleaning up… I thought I heard a noise out here and that's when I saw it. I flipped out and kicked it under the counter."
Jason moved along the length of the counter. "You didn't see anyone."
"No one."
Leaning over, Jason ran his hand under the counter. He strained for a second, moving closer so that he could reach farther.
He felt nothing.
Elizabeth walked over to him, hugging herself with her arms as she watch Jason pull back his arm, leaning his head towards the floor so that he could peer under the counter.
"I can't see it, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth's eyes widened. No one cleaned under there. It had to be there. "Check again. I know I kicked it under there."
Jason tried again and came up empty once more. He pushed himself off the floor and shrugged. "Maybe Tammy found it? Do you have a lost and found here?"
Elizabeth looked down at the bottom of the counter for a second before she turned, calling out. "Tammy?!"
Tammy's head peeked out the window that separated the diner from the back room. "What is it sweetheart."
"Did you find a bracelet out here?"
Tammy smiled. "No, but Lucky found your bracelet. He came rushing down the stairs the other day and dropped some film negatives. When he went to pick them up, he saw your bracelet under the counter."
Elizabeth stiffened. "Do you know where he put it?"
"He stared at it for a while but then he put it in his pocket and ran back upstairs."
Nodding, Elizabeth forced a smile for the woman. "Thanks Tammy." Turning back towards Jason, she reached for his hand, pulling him towards the door.
As soon as she was out of the diner, she started pacing. "Lucky has the bracelet. Jason, this is not good."
"I'm not following you."
Elizabeth stopped to look at Jason. "I didn't want Lucky to know. Lucky's the only one besides Grams who would know the meaning of that bracelet…" Jason's eyebrows raised and Elizabeth froze, her eyes widened.
"No," she whispered. "He wouldn't…" She looked up and Jason saw tears sparkling in her eyes.
"It can't be Lucky, Jason… it can't be."