"We need to bring this to Sherriff Keller ASAP!" Jughead exclaimed upon viewing the clandestine meeting between Cliff Blossom, Hiram Lodge, Malachai and Penny Peabody.

"Not yet, Jug. We need more proof, and I think I know where to get it," Betty was thinking 10 steps ahead of him. She knew if the Sandman was in her room last night, then he'd been watching for a while. He probably had another blackmail video of their hike on Mt. Infinity where she found Jason's body. They were on a short timeline to get proof of someone else's involvement in Jason's death. "Come on, follow me," Betty power walked straight out of Riverdale High, on the mission of all missions.

"Betty, is this the house from the video?" Jughead asked skeptically an hour later, eying the peeling paint on the outside of the house she squatted in over the summer. "What the hell do you think we'll find in this dilapidated house on the Southside?"

"This is not the house from the video," Betty replied. "I hung out here a couple times over the summer. I'm not sure what we'll find, but I'll know it when I see it."

"You did what?" he asked, unable to picture his perfect girlfriend spending time in this dump.

"I met some people down at Smokin' Joe's one afternoon when I decided to go for a walk on the Southside. I got bored without you all here over the summer," Betty replied off-handedly. "And I couldn't bear to spend any more time at home with all the fighting." Jughead just gave her a sidelong look, then shook his head. He'd try to get more information later, but right now they had bigger fish to fry.

"Ok, so what is it you think we'll find here?" Jughead asked, eyes scanning the cracks where the walls met the ceiling. There was a brownish-looking substance dripping from the cracks, like cigarette smoke leaking from the walls.

"Further proof that Jason Blossom was murdered, and that Hiram Lodge was involved," Betty replied with conviction. "Let's go."

Betty led the way in to the basement. The lights didn't work, obviously, so Betty grabbed the flashlight on the way down the stairs. They were hit with the powerful scent of patchouli that had seeped into the walls over the summer.

"Wow, it smells like a hippie down here," Jughead observed. Betty turned to look in his direction, chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Ok Nancy Drew, what are we looking for?" he asked.

"We'll know when we find it Jug," Betty had pulled a bobby pin out of her hair when she realized the a drawer in the desk was locked. Bingo she thought, the drawer had never been locked before. When she popped the door open, another flash drive was hidden under some comics Sonny had written about their summer excursions. "Here we go!"

Betty and Jughead went back upstairs and popped the flash drive into Betty's laptop. This time there was no video – only audio.

"Ok, one more time fellows. Penny and Malachi, you will pick Jason up tomorrow morning and bring him out to meet the "football scout" then take his phone, blindfold him and drive him to Mt. Infinity. I will mix the drugs and load the syringe. Cliff will then inject the drugs into Jason's arm," said the distinctive voice of Hiram Lodge.

"Alright boss, but what do we do with the body? Mt. Infinity is popular during the summer – surely someone will come across the body. And possibly before it has decomposed to the point of non-recognition," the Ghoulie chimed in.

"Call FP Jones. He owes me one," the puppet master declared.

"This is some damning evidence," Betty stated when the audio ended, though a bit too easy to find she thought to herself. "But what should we do with it? How do you think your dad was involved? Do you think he actually was involved, or was this audio planted?"

Jughead barely heard his girlfriend. "I have no idea," he replied. "I wouldn't put it past my dad to be involved, he did seem awfully interested in how we came up with the theory that Jason Blossom was murdered. Suggested maybe we put the idea to rest. I need to go check in with him," Jughead replied.


Jughead watched in horror as the police drug his father out of the trailer in handcuffs. Betty gripped his hand and he pulled her into his chest, kissing the top of her head. FP Jones was whacked out of his skull. His little tête-à-tête with Hiram Lodge the previous night reverberated through his skull, pulsing his brain painfully against its cage.

"You will take the fall for Jason Blossom's murder. I saved the kid's life, I can take it back any time I want," Hiram spoke barely above a whisper. FP recalled feeling distraught outside the emergency room, after Jughead was brought in for surgery after a wicked motorcycle accident. Jughead was just a toddler then, and FP knew the kid was too small for the back of his bike. He had only meant to have one beer. Then Hiram Lodge showed up and the doctor stepped out of the surgery room looking grim. FP turned and emptied his stomach in the nearest trash bin. Next thing he knew Hiram had his hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry FP Jones. I'll make sure no one knows how drunk you were, and the boy will have the best medical care we can find. But one day I'll ask for a favor, and I hope you'll repay in kind."

Knowing full well Hiram had absolutely no qualms about killing a high school kid, FP Jones turned to face the ruthless mobster. "If I help you, you give me your word Jughead is not harmed."

"You have my word, FP," Hiram replied, thought not actually agreeing to FP's request.

a/n: I know this is a short chapter, but I am struggling to keep the story going forward and not in circles. Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed, and read up to this point! I am going to keep this going, but likely in shorter chapters from here on out.

Ever yours in chaos,

~Alice