The Other Serpent - Book 2 (Riverdale Season 2)

The Tell Tale Heart - Part 1

"Tall Boy won't be coming back anytime soon," FP said, walking inside the trailer.

"Good," Jughead said as FP dropped his keys on the counter and walked into the kitchen. "He was a coward."

"You know, riding back, I was thinking maybe I should take a page from your book and have a sit down with McCoy. Now that we know that Hiram Lodge is responsible for what happened to the statue, I say we show her the head, appeal to her sense of justice." Jughead and Aminity sighed, looking away as he walked over to the couch, taking off his jacket. "What? You don't like that plan?" They stayed silent. "Wait a second," he said as he noticed something missing. "Boy, where the hell is General Pickens' head?"

"Yeah, Jughead," Aminity said, looking over to him. "Where did you put the head?"

***

"Veronica, are you trying to manage me right now?" Jughead asked as they sat in the student lounge.

"Define manage."

"People are gonna lose their homes."

"Jughead, why don't you and Aminity come over with your dad and sit down with my dad and hash this out like civilized humans, face to face," Veronica proposed as Archie and Betty sat there awkwardly.

"What, you mean your dad didn't like Pickens' head being sent to him?" Aminity asked sarcastically, glaring at Jughead. He huffed and Veronica remained silent.

"Okay, one condition," Jughead compromised. "Your dad comes to Sunnyside Trailer Park."

"That way he can see the people there, the families," Aminity said, deciding to drop her grievance with her brother.

"The people he's gonna be displacing."

"Fine and trust me, no one is being displaced," Veronica agreed.

"Oh my God, did you guys hear?" Kevin asked, walking into the room. "My dad's scanner's blowing up. The police found another dead body this morning, there's blood everywhere."

"Could the Black Hood have risen from the grave?" Jughead sighed.

"Did they say whose body?"

"Where did they find it?" Betty asked right after Archie.

"The investigation's ongoing, but apparently it was a gruesome gangland style execution at the motel. There's blood and brains splattered all over the duvet..."

"Okay, Kev," Archie stopped him. "We get it."

"I gotta go," Betty said, standing up and walking out of the room without another word.

***

"Riddle me this," Jughead said as he and his sister stood in front of Mayor McCoy. "What do Sunnyside Trailer Park, Twilight Drive-In, and Southside High all have in common?" he asked as he circled the places on a map laying on her desk, drawing lines between them.

"I'm sure I don't know," she said, sitting up and pushing the map back to him.

"They were or are townland."

"Meaning the mayor controls them. That would be you."

"The drive-in was shut down as was Southside High. Now the trailer park is in jeopardy. Can't you just feel the invisible hand of Hiram Lodge all over this?" Jughead asked her.

"What, exactly, are you insinuating?" she asked, leaning forwards so their faces were close.

"If you've been accepting donations from the Lodges in exchange for favors such as land deals..." He scoffed. "Now is your chance to come clean to the public."

So, supper short chapter, but I still hope you liked it! Stay safe!