monsters | riverdale

Anatomy of a Murderer

Jughead keeps his eyes on the plate of fries now just to avoid their stares. "Pretty sure my Dad was just arrested for murder."

Veronica informs him, "That gun wasn't there when we searched his trailer. Someone put it there after we left."

Jughead sits up straight and looks at Veronica and then at Betty for confirmation. "What are you talking about?"

Archie and Veronica explain in detail.

"We have to go to the station and talk to Keller," Jughead insists.

They all go to the station to talk to Kevin's Dad. Archie and Veronica explain to him that the lockbox wasn't in FP's closet when they were there.

Sheriff Keller stops the kids from talking. "Your old man confessed, Jughead."

As if on cue, FP walks by them—handcuffed.

Déjà vu.

✿

"Where's Veronica?" Mickey walks into the dining room the next morning.

Hermione answers, "She left early."

Mickey grabs a granola bar from the middle of the table and notices the passports spread out. "Why are those out? Are we going somewhere?"

"Honey," Hermione sighs. "We should talk."

Mickey shakes her head. "Mom, it has been a very long night."

"I know, sweetheart, but now that FP has confessed to being Jason's killer, who knows what else he'll confess to."

"So you think there's still a possibility that Daddy hired him to kill Jason?"

Hermione shrugs. "I don't know, but regardless of that, we are known associates of the man who killed Jason Blossom. Your father may have had something to do with that. Maybe not. But either way, we need to be ready."

"Leaving Riverdale makes us look guilty."

"Mija, I'm guilty. I bribed the Mayor to get the drive-in land, forged your sister's signature, paid off the Serpents." She grabs Mickey's hand hand. "Just pack a bag and leave it in your closet, okay? We just need to be ready. I told your sister and now I'm telling you. Don't fight me on this."

Mickey sees how scared her mother is. Okay."

✿

Mickey closes her locker to see Jughead walking down the hallway alone. She jogs to catch up to him. "Jughead, I thought you weren't coming in today."

He stops and looks at her. He has bags under his eyes and his lids are puffy, telling signs that he hasn't slept and/or he has been crying. "Keller interrogated me this morning."

"Then why are you here? I'm sure everyone will understand if you take a personal day or two."

"I want to apologize to Cheryl."

"There's nothing you can do for that girl at this point, Jughead. The best thing, and I use the term loosely, is to just leave her to grieve."

Jughead ignores her subtle advice and continues on his path to the cafeteria. He zones out anything Mickey is saying on the way, not budging.

Mickey locates her friends and leaves his side.

Veronica looks at her sister, "Mickey—"

"Look!" Mickey cuts her off and points to Jughead, who is approaching Cheryl.

The mood in the cafeteria shifts and so do all eyes.
Everyone wants to see the murderer's son approach the victim's sister.

Jughead says something and it sets Cheryl off. She slaps him and starts to throw punches at his chest. He just braces himself and takes it.