Riverdale was a strange town. It was small but had many secrets. Strong minded news reporter, Alice Smith, was not one to take no for an answer, especially on her latest case. She was determined to find the best evidence. That led her to needing to talk to the sheriff.
She walked into the sheriff's station ready to get an interview with the sheriff himself. Sure he wasn't expecting her but she wasn't going to let that stop her.
She saw that the door to his office was wide open. She poked her head in and tapped on the door to get his attention.
FP looked up from the file in his hand as he peeked over his shoulder to see who it was. "Hello?" He turned to face her.
"Sheriff Jones," Alice looked at his tag. "Hello, I'm Alice-"
"Smith," FP nodded. "I know who you are."
"You do?"
"You're with the RIVW. I've seen your work," FP leaned against his desk and placed the file down beside him. He gestured for her to take a seat on the chair. "So what can I do for ya, gorgeous?"
Alice subtly blushed. She cleared her throat. "I wanted to know if I can get an interview with you for a story I'm working on."
"That being?"
"I'm looking into the mystery drug spur on the southside."
"Is that so?" FP crossed his arms. "What's this about?"
"There's someone dealing these new products called Jingle Jangle. I have reason to believe that its source traces over to the southside."
"Why is that?"
"Do you know anything about this illicit act?"
"I may have my eyes on the Ghoulies," FP simply said.
"The Ghoulies? What about those Southside Serpents?"
"The Serpents? No, I'm more than certain that they're not involved."
"Why?" Alice furrowed her eyebrows.
"I know a lot. I am the sheriff after all." FP shrugged off her question.
"I would think so," Alice nodded. "Are you open for a couple of questions?"
FP felt his phone vibrate and took it as a blessing. He checked his screen quickly. "I've got to get going. This is important."
"But I-" Alice didn't get to finish her sentence because he was out in a flash.
She ran into him at the diner the day after their first interaction. He was paying for his order as she was coming in. He wasn't in his sheriff's uniform so she could only assume he was off duty. "Thanks, Pop."
"It's no problem. Have a good one, FP." The man waved him goodbye.
FP noticed Alice at the door. He gave her a smile, "Hey."
"Hello," Alice said. "I see you're having a feast." She looked down at the big take out bag in his hands. It couldn't have been just for him. She didn't see a ring on his hand so she wondered who he was meeting.
"Yeah, just made a quick stop."
"So about that interview I mentioned, when would be a good time?"
"I don't know what to say. A lot of my work right now is confidential."
"Is there anything you can tell me?"
FP looked down at his wristwatch. "I've got to get going but I'll see you around."
Alice was getting tired of him running off all of a sudden without an explanation. There was something off about this man and she was determined to find out what it was.
She watched him get into his truck then walked out of the diner and to her car. She carefully trailed behind him at a distance.
He drove over the train tracks which she found a little odd considering that that meant he was going into the southside. He eventually reached a bar parking lot. She read the sign on the building's front. The Whyte Wyrm.
She watched as he stepped out of his truck and reached inside for something. It was not the take out bag. "What is he doing?" She wondered. He had a leather jacket in hand. He slid his arms into it and tugged on it, adjusting it for himself. He reached inside the truck again for the food as four teenagers came out of the building. They were wearing the same jacket with a double headed snake on the back.
Alice snapped a picture with her phone. She didn't know what this was but she was documenting it. She couldn't help but to think that he was affiliated with the Serpents somehow.
FP gave the bag to the young Serpent with a neck tattoo. He instantly searched the bag for his burger before passing it to his pal. He similarly gave it to their blue eyed friend and lastly to the pink haired girl.
Alice wondered what the young girl was telling FP. The look on his face looked surprised before a smile grew on his face. He instantly went inside the bar with the young Serpents following behind.
Alice couldn't go inside to see what was going on but she did wait in her car until he came back out. It was a good thirty to forty minutes before FP walked out of the bar with a duffel bag in his hand and a teenager at his side. He wasn't wearing a Serpent jacket like the others she saw. This boy was wearing a crowned beanie. That bag was what caught Alice's eye though. What was inside?
FP handed him the keys to the truck. "Be careful though. I'll see you later."
"I will," Jughead assured his father.
"Remember, pick up Jellybean." FP yelled at him as he drove. FP waited until he was far out of his sight before he began his walk home.
Alice started her car when she saw FP walking down the road. She slowly continued to follow him. She needed answers to her many questions.
It was a short walk for FP. Upon reaching his place he pushed his door open and placed his son's bag on the table.
Alice left her car and quietly walked up to the trailer. She peeked in through the window.
She would have never thought she would find him at Sunnyside Trailer Park.
She spotted the bag on the table. Her eyes followed FP as he walked around. He hung his Serpent jacket on the coatrack, right next to his sheriff jacket. His back was to her as he took his shirt off. He tossed it into the hamper inside of his closet. He did the same with his jeans and socks after kicking off his shoes. Alice looked away. She waited a couple of seconds before looking in again. She couldn't see him so she turned the doorknob. She gently pushed the door in and stepped in. She could hear water running so she assumed he was going to take some time in the shower.
She took the opportunity to look around. There had to be something that told her about him. The living room looked plain but she still took a quick look around. She went up to the coatrack. It was definitely a Serpent jacket. She took a picture of it. She took another picture of the scene.
She lost track of time as she took her pictures. All of a sudden she heard the water turn off and had to find a place to hide. It was too open in the living room and she surely didn't have hope in the kitchen. The front door was no hope either at that point. She ran down the small hallway towards the bedroom but didn't make it in time. FP saw her when he stepped out of the bathroom with only the towel wrapped around him.
"Holy shit," FP wasn't expecting to see Alice in his trailer. "What are you doing here?"
Alice couldn't think of something to say. There was no lie that could cover up what she was truly doing.
Her eyes went to the huge Serpent tattoo on his ribcage. She pointed at it. "You're one of them. No wonder you didn't want to help me."
"Did you follow me here?" FP gripped on the towel more, making sure it was well around him.
"Are you dealing those drugs?" Alice accused. "Is that what's in the bag?"
"What?"
"You're a corrupt sheriff, aren't you?"
"I already told you the Serpents aren't involved in this," FP scoffed. He was offended.
"You're in a gang," Alice crossed her arms. "Why should I believe you?"
"I was born into the Serpents. You can't blame me there." FP spat back. "Besides I'm not a bad guy. The Serpents are my family."
"Getting a bunch on teenagers to run drugs for you is what you call a family?"
"They're not-" FP sighed. "They're good kids. I would never let them do that."
"You looked so happy getting this bag from them. So what's in here? Jingle Jangle?" Alice reached for the zipper. "And let me guess, jellybean is some sort of code word for it."
FP snatched it away with his free hand. "Woah, you can't just go through that."
"And why not? You said they're not drugs so prove it."
"It's not," FP huffed. It was a couple of things that Jughead brought from his dorm. He had come home for a few days to surprise him. "You have no right to check anyway." He walked it over to the bedroom. Alice went after him. She saw the stuffed animals on the bed, sitting above pretty pink covers. She saw the drawing taped to the wall just before FP shut the door. It was a little girl in the arms of a man and a boy in a crown beside them. It dawned to her that he had kids, including the boy she saw not so long ago.
Before Alice could say anything the front door flew open. "Daddy!" Jellybean ran in. "Daddy, Juggie is home from his school!" She stopped right in front of him and furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. She meant to leap into his arms and hug him but she didn't know why the lady from the tv was in her home or why her father wasn't dressed yet.
"Dad, can we-" Jughead walked in and didn't know what to say. He looked at his father weirdly.
"No," FP put a finger up. He didn't even want to know what he thought was going on. "Let me just finish getting dressed." FP walked over to his closet for clothes and locked himself in the bathroom. His children looked at Alice. It was an awkward moment.
"You're on the tv," The ten year old girl pointed out.
"I am," Alice nodded.
"Are you here to put us on the tv too?" Her little head tilted slightly to the side.
"I was trying to get an interview with your father but I clearly caught him at a bad time."
"Okay..." Jughead simply said.
"Juggie, can you help me pick something pretty to wear?" Jellybean looked at Jughead with big, wide eyes.
"I don't think we're-" Jellybean was already running off to her room. "Jellybean!" Jughead followed her.
"Jellybean," Alice now understood.
FP came out of the bathroom fully clothed. "Look I don't care what you think about me but don't jerk me around in front of my kids." He said with the intent of only her hearing him.
"I'm sorry," She apologized for jumping to conclusions. "I was obviously in the wrong here."
"Yeah, you were."
"Okay, you don't have to be rude about it."
"Me? You accused me of dealing and being disreputable." FP whisper shouted. "Yes, I am the sheriff and a gang leader but I know my morals. I work to protect not cause any harm."
"So why didn't you want to help me?"
"I told you the information is confidential as of right now. I'm trying to figure out where the Ghoulies set up their kitchen. I can't exactly do that if I'm putting things on the radar."
"I could have just helped you."
"No, these guys are no joke. You shouldn't get near them."
"And why not? I can fend for myself."
"Nope, I forbid you."
"Forbid? You think you can forbid me?"
"I am the law you know," FP smirked.
"Don't be so full of yourself," She rolled her eyes.
"I'm not," FP put his hands up. "I'm just saying."
"Why should I believe you, huh?"
"Because you need me for this damn report of yours," He cheekily smiled.
"I do not."
"Oh, you don't? Then do tell me, why did you follow me to the southside, specifically my home?" Alice opened her mouth to say something but she didn't. "See?"
"Oh, shut up."
FP chuckled. The tension seemed to fade away. "How about this? Let me take you out to dinner and maybe, just maybe, I'll let you help me with this case."
"Just maybe, huh?" Alice tapped her finger on her chin as she thought about it. There was something about him that she found intriguing.
"So? What do you say?" FP asked again.
"I might pick you up on that offer."
"I might look forward to it then."
"I'm ready for the camera," Jellybean came out of her room.
FP was confused on what she was babbling about. "Why did you get into your favorite shirt, Jellybelly?" He opened his arms up for her. She went straight for the hug. He pecked a kiss on the top of her head.
"She thinks she's going to be on tv." Jughead popped into the room.
"It's for just in case," Jellybean shrugged. "And you should be lucky, Jug. You came back from Stonewall just in time."
"Stonewall?" Alice questioned.
"Yeah, it's his school. That's why he doesn't live with us anymore," She frowned.
Alice didn't like to see her sad. She looked at FP who further explained. "My son got into a boarding school for his writing skills."
"Dad," Jughead whined.
"What? I'm proud of you. You're my boy, I get to brag."
Alice's heart warmed up to what she was seeing. She wasn't expecting to learn about what a gentle soul FP was. She felt embarrassed for thinking the worst of him.
"So do you think I'll be on tv?" Jellybean posed, causing everyone to laugh.
"I think you might," Alice would figure something out. "If your father is okay with it, of course."
"Can I, daddy?"
"Anything you want, sweetheart." He tickled her in his arms. She giggled ever so sweetly. "But I think I need to talk about it with her a little more. Do you think you can help me set up a time to do that? Can you ask her?" FP found the perfect opportunity to confirm their impromptu dinner.
"Can you meet with my daddy?" Jellybean asked Alice.
"Yeah, can you meet with her daddy?" FP pouted.
"Yes," Alice chuckled. "I think I can do that."
"Yay!" Jellybean squealed. "I have to change out of this shirt. I don't want to get it dirty for the camera." She ran to her room. Everyone watched the happy child run off.
"I should get going then," Alice excused herself.
"What about your interview?" Jughead asked.
"Your father agreed to meet me tomorrow afternoon."
"I did?"
"Yup," Alice smirked. Two can play that game. "I'll see you then. Goodbye boys." She walked herself out. FP's eyes were glued to her. Jughead took note of that.
"New friend of yours?" He teased his father.
"I sure hope so," FP couldn't deny how excited he was for their date.