This post: https://darkfinch.tumblr.com/post/664869733612584960/okay-but-my-question-re-howd-she-find-out-about from @darkfinch made me think, hey what if!
AU where the reason Eliot's dad was a no-show was b/c he got abducted! And Eliot doesn't find that strange, and J apparently doesn't find that strange (assuming it's actually J on the other end of that text, and not one of the kidnappers; maybe they were both taken!) so no one realizes, until Eliot gets a ransom message....











