Blackmailed by Betty (Jughead Jones III)

Anatomy of a Murder Part Three

Days passed like minutes as the town was on edge. The rumormill was still operating on high as people spoke of their disbelief in FP Jones being the killer. Most of those people currently sat around me in the garage. We all stood looking at the newly found varsity jacket of Jason Blossom thinking what reason anyone would've had for hiding it. "No, no, no! I'm not giving up yet!" Betty said grabbing the jacket and turning to face Archie. "Put this on."

"What?" He asked.

"Put this on!"

"Betty, this is weird." And it was strange seeing my brother in that jacket again. Betty stood behind him and started feeling around until she stuck her hand in the left pocket.

"There's a hole in the pocket!" She said feeling through it as best she could.

"Okay, now we're just grasping at straws." Kevin said looking slightly annoyed at the concept that there could be anything relevant about a hole in the pocket.

"I don't know about you guys but whenever I have a hole in my pocket I always lose my chapstick in the lining." She continued to feel around and by the look on Archie's face he was clearly losing his patience.

"My mont blanc." Ronnie added from behind me.

Suddenly Betty's eyes widen as she pulls her hand back out to reveal a small silver flash drive and hands it to my brother. "Nancy Drew strikes again." We all move to sit around a single screen and Betty plugs in the drive to reveal a video.

There sits Jason Blossom looking already defeated and beaten. We can see Mustang, another member of the Southside Serpents, getting in his face before quickly leaving. In comes Clifford Blossom. The shock is evident as I hear Veronica gasp and feel my own eyes bust open. He walks towards his son whose shaking his head and reaches into his front pocket to retrieve a small shining object we can only assume is the ring meant for Polly. Before we even have time to cope, Clifford pulls out a gun and shoots his own son in the head leaving him dead.

I can feel tears slipping down my face and Veronica starts sobbing. Jughead and Kevin do their best at comforting us, but there's only so calm you can be after watching someone get shot by their own father. Betty quickly stands and dials a number. "Betty who are you calling?" Archie asks looking slightly alarmed.

All I can hear her say is one sentence. "You have to get out of that house, listen to me." She hangs up after and starts pacing across the room. She takes the drive out and walks out.

"This is insane! Who kills their own son?" Veronica asks in a shaky voice.

"Clifford Blossom." We all stare out too shocked to say anything else. I can barely feel Jughead's arm around me as my whole body goes stiff. "I have to go." I try to stand but he pulls me back.

"We all just saw something no one should ever have to witness, where could you possibly be going?"

"To see the people I love, hug them, tell them just how much I need them. Something we should all be doing right about now." I look to him and he nods before releasing my hand from his.

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Later that night after Alice Cooper brings the evidence to Sheriff Keller and Mayor McCoy, I'm stood next to Archie while our mother stands in the doorway. She's only been here a few days, but I have a feeling things won't be the same after she leaves. "I'm sorry Mom but my friends need me." Archie says with a sad smile.

"But you'll come for the summer maybe?" She asks hopefully getting Archie to smile and nod before they hug and step away. "And how about you?" She's now facing me.

"I've said it once and I'll say it again, I'm not leaving Riverdale. I love you, nothing will ever change that. But right now this is where I need to be."

She nods and hugs me. She steps back, but not before whispering 'you be careful' and giving me another smile. Picking up her bag and giving one last look to Archie and I, she walks out the door. And as her shadow fades and the bright red door closes her away from us, I know that Archie and I have made the right choice staying here.

I turn to my dad who still stands on the staircase and give him a hug. "Promise me I'll never have to say those goodbyes to you. Not for a very very long time."

"I promise Alex. I'll be here with my coffee and construction plans judging your social life as long as I can." We separate and I walk past him up the stairs. It's been a long few months, but now it's over.

Maybe the darkness had left Riverdale after all?