"Now Veronica, it's our turn for a question. What exactly does your dad do for a living?"
There was a pause.
"My dad was a businessman. He was also under investigation for mistreatment of some of his factory workers. Mom and I also found out he was involved in a drug and crime syndicate called the Scorpions."
"The Scorpions? But they disbanded a lot time ago." Betty's eyebrows squishes together in thought and confusion.
"If they did, then they must have gotten back together. He had an inside contact named Mustang who apparently knows the ins and outs of this town. My mom, however, disagreed with all this and threatened to tell the lawyers. He ran at her with a knife and I shot him with one of the family guns to save my mother. Hiram Lodge is... Burried. People don't like widowers, though, so we just lie and say he's away on business constantly. Luckily he left us enough money to maintain our lifestyles indefinitely. It was just super shitty to find out as a daddy's girl that your father is a criminal and otherwise bad person. It's also why my mom is working right now. We're living on savings and she's stockpiling so we don't run out. It feels so good to say that out loud. Keeping it a secret has incredibly hard, even though nobody really asks."
I looked over at Betty, who was still holding my beanie. She was looking a bit pale and my hat was looking squishy. Dammit. We really should have started cleaning up her hands by now.
"Hey Ron, do you have a first aid kit around here somewhere? Betts accidentally hurt herself earlier and I'd like to clean it up." She rolled her eyes, clearly thinking I needed some medical attention too. She then walked us to the bathroom and grabbed a bulky red bag from under the sink.
"Should I leave you to it then, Romeo?" I nodded and she shut the door behind her. I brought her hands over the sink and let my hat drop in. I turned on the water, rinsing it out and cleaning my girlfriend's wounds. She yelped as the water stung, but it had to be done. It is strange how someone can hurt themselves on purpose and not mind the pain but once they're out of that mindset the wounds are vulnerable. I rubbed some salve on it and wrapped some bandages over top. I wrung out my hat the best I could but it was still way too wet to wear. Sigh. I washed my face and I looked fine, I just had a few knicks and cuts.
"Has anyone ever told you that you look amazing without that dumb hat on?" Veronica chimed, having reopened the door, causing Betty to glare at her. "Relax B, it was only a statement. You did good, but I'm not after your man. I've got a date with Archiekins tonight anyways."
"So what were you up to on this side of town before I needed to rescue you, anyways?"
"We were trying to investigate Chuck. Apparently that's a lot harder than it looks. I beat him at Chicken by an inch of our seats, which was by far the dumbest thing I've ever purposefully done in my life by the way, and he went off on me when he lost. Total sore loser. Doesn't really prove that he wasn't involved, though. It's just so annoying that we have to investigate all the usual suspects because Kevin's asshole dad is so set on me being some pyro serial killer or something."
"The usual suspects... We should talk to the Blossoms next. If we're pretty sure their great grandfather killed mine then whose to say they didn't murder Jason." Betty suggested.
"Wait, what?!" Veronica looked confused.
"Oh, right. The other day when we were talking about suspects at Pop's, we mentioned something about the Blossoms. As it turns out, traditionally Betty's name should be Betty Blossom. The reason why it is not is because Cheryl and Jason's great grandfather murdered Betty's great grandfather in cold blood for control over their syrup company. Crazy runs in that family so I wouldn't put it past them to be the ones who killed Jason, too. The only question is why. So yeah, we have the suspects narrowed down to Chuck, Hal Cooper, maybe Alice Cooper, and Clifford or Penelope Blossom."
"What? Betty that's insane! But I think you should put Cheryl on that list."
"Why? Cheryl was the one who probably loved Jason the most, except for Polly. She wouldn't kill him."
"Unless she was jealous and upset when she found out Polly was pregnant. I got major creepy incest vibes from those two, like a gothic horror romance novel. Polly being his second cousin, or is it third, doesn't really detract from that. After what happened with my dad, I thoroughly believe rich people are more likely to be tied up with evil than everyone else- including people who wear jackets like that one." She pointed to my jacket.
Regardless of whether we were going to interrogate Cheryl, we had to figure out how we were going to get the Blossoms to talk to us at all. If they did it, they wouldn't want to interrogate themselves, and if they didn't then they wouldn't want to risk their reputation by letting that idea get out. I was either going to have to get creative, or let some people with a little bit more experience join in on the plan.
"If you're coming, throw on a leather jacket. We're going to see some friends." It was time I paid the serpents a visit. Maybe they would have some insight if I just pledged my loyalty.
Veronica seemed almost a bit too excited and she quickly jotted down that she was hanging out with Betty and I before her date with our redhaired friend, leaving the note by the phone just in case. She hopped in the back, smiling ear to ear. Archie once said she loves being driven around without a chauffeur because it felt more real. Not sure if that would ever make sense, but it didn't really matter. While the adults usually hung around the Whyte Wyrm, the younger folks tended to prefer to lounge around near the high school. That's where I found the same crew that rescued me from Keller merely days before.
"Here to accept our offer, Prince?" Chevy asked.
"It's just Jughead, and I'm considering it. For now I'm keeping my alliance as leverage if that's okay. As I'm sure you're all well aware, I'm in it even deeper now that Jason's body was found around here. I'm trying to find who. I have a few clues, but if there's anything you can offer than I'd be willing to 'pay' for the help."
"Well whoever did it put the body in the trash for a reason. The haste stow job either meant they were rushed or they wanted us to find it to raise suspicion to this end of town. Possibly even both. Whose on the shit list?"
"Shit list?" Veronica asked.
"Oh right, by the way this is my girlfriend Betty who you may have seen around the trailer park, and her best friend Veronica. They're helping me solve this. Ron, he means list of suspects. We have Betty's mom and dad, this ass named Chuck Clayton who you may have heard of, and apparently every surviving member of the Blossom family. Obviously we'll require some tact when we approach Betty's family, but we mostly need to find a way to get to the Blossoms."
"Hmm... Well is Nana Rose still around? Matron of Thornhill. She's old enough that if she's still kicking, she might have some answers." Ah right, I had forgotten about her since she rarely left Thornhill anymore. "I'll have the boys do some looking around, too. Anything to keep Junior out of jail." He clicked his teeth twice at me. I was still a bit apprehensive about joining but ultimately I felt I probably should. They had my back, and that's more than I could ask for. I was about to walk away when I turned around to face them again.
"Oh one more thing before I leave, I'm going to need another jacket." The guys smiled and looked between Betty and me.
"Same as before or smaller and curvy?" A guy in the back asked.
"Relax guys, it's just for me. I simply think it wouldn't hurt to have a spare." They looked at me as if to say yeah, right. I just smiled and left with my arms around the shoulders of two ladies. It was a sign of protection, just in case they thought Veronica was free game.
I dropped her off at Archie's place, though he looked a bit concerned to see her in a leather jacket even though it had no snake on the back. She told him to relax and he did. I'm sure she explained everything else, too, but before we could blink they were gone inside. I was so glad I had rescued Betts from the fate of being the eternal third wheel to those two. Archie seemed to be more committed to Ronnie now, too.
When we got back into the truck, Betty faced me.
"I'll do the talking. I look like Polly and Polly always said she got along with Nana Rose. Now we just have the figure out when she would be at that mansion by herself."
"Well that gives us two options. We can either cause a distraction, or we could just wait until tomorrow when they're off at church. I'm sure it's too much effort to bring her along these days." It seemed like such a smooth plan, leaving me with a truck and Betty for the rest of the day, but I was on borrowed time.
"Okay, tomorrow morning it is, but we should go see my dad and talk that out today. The sooner we figure this out, the better. I don't even want to rest until we have you off the hook." She squeezed my hand and we got out of the vehicle to walk into Betty's old house.
"Dad, are you home?" It was eerily quiet in the house and the lights were all off.
"I'm in the backyard!" He had yelled but it was muffled by the walls of the house. We went out the back door and saw Hal sitting in front of a burning barrel full of who knew what.
"What are you burning, Dad?" Betty peered in to get a better look but it was too hot to see anything so she backed off.
"Well maybe I'll start the questions, Betty. Who's this you've brought with you? Boyfriend? I thought you were into that Andrews kid next door." She gripped my hand tight.
"Dad, this is Jughead Jones. And yes, we're dating. Are you going to answer my question now, Dad, because there was a murder in town and burning a bunch of stuff seems awfully suspicious."
"Relax Betty, they're old editions of the Register I've had lying around. I'm shocked you think I'd even do something like that, honey. I know I didn't exactly approve of Jason and Polly, especially since he knocked her up, but I could barely handle spanking you girls as kids let alone murder."
Betty looked relieved but then she decided to read into the embers from a safer distance.
Justice for Cooper Blossom (front page)
Murder Investigation Dead End (page 3)
The Blossoms did it! (front page)
Apologies, Previous Story Redacted (front page)
The anxiety slowly crept back in again.
"Come on, Betty. It's getting late."
"I'm sorry about Great Grandpa Cooper, dad. I really am." With that, we left. Mr Cooper did not chase us, nor did he say a word.
We went to go see his estranged wife, next, and as luck would have it she was standing in front of the trailer waiting for us, with arms crossed.
"Elizabeth Cooper, just where have you been all day? Don't you know it's not safe to go out right now?"
"Relax mom, I have Jug." She looked up at me like I was her night in shining armour with a knitted crown to boot. I didn't know if I was strong enough to protect her, though, especially if things went sour fast. My mouth went dry. "We were just investigating what happened. I don't want Jughead to get stringed up for something he didn't do. I was there! I am proof that he couldn't have done it. We just need more than that so everyone else can see the truth, too."
"You're too close to this, Betty. I don't like it. You're in far too much danger." Her eyes went straight to mine and what she said next made me want to deck her right in the face but I don't hit ladies and I know Betty wouldn't have approved. "And Jones boys have trouble following them like a shadow." For the umpteenth time today, Betty gripped my arm like her life depended on it. There was a darkness in her eyes, and it maybe scared me a bit.
"I don't care, mother. I love Jughead. Jughead and FP are family to me. I don't care if I'm in danger. How could I live with myself if the love of my life was found guilty of murder and I did nothing to help save him? You know what, I'm staying over there tonight. These might be big decisions, but they're mine to make. Come on Jughead." She pulled me along.
When we got to my trailer, I pinned her against the siding, arms trapping her in, faces mere inches apart.
"Did you mean all of that, or were you just trying to piss her off?" Her breath fanned my face and it was intoxicating.
She wrapped her arms round my neck. "I meant it, every word. I know we're young, but sometimes when life is thrown at you this way, you're forced to grow up a little faster. I've always been a bit mature for my age and now I know for sure what I want and it's you. You're my family, and it doesn't have to be a nuclear family with a white picket fence. We could have an apartment or a trailer or even run our own hotel. As long as we're together, I'll be home with you. I love you, Jughead." Her voice sounded so vulnerable and she went up on her toes so she could kiss me. It wasn't a kiss based on sexual tension or exploration like before. It was gentle like lovers. I responded in kind.
"I know I almost said it before, but god I love you Betty Cooper. Let's go home."
We spent the night pretending everything was domestic and normal, instead of preparing for the on coming storm raging outside. It didn't really matter to me anymore, so long as Betty didn't get dragged down with me. I was happy, and if I had to die, this would be how I'd want to spend my last few days.