Trigger warning: physical abuse is mentioned in the chapter below.
"HOLD up," Josie interrupted in a disbelieving voice, "You're telling me that my mother was a rule-breaking, anti-apartheid activist in high school?"
"And," Kevin put in wearily, "that she and my dad were together back then?"
"I don't buy it," Reggie said dismissively, crossing his arms.
Betty, Becca, Josie, Kevin, and Reggie were currently huddled around Betty's desk in the Blue and Gold's office the next day. The blonde-haired girl wanted to get her mother's story out as fast as she could, even after telling Becca the night before.
"How do you know that Reg?" His little sister countered.
"There's no way our old man hung out and did, like, cosplay with a group of lame-ass nerds," Reggie argued, shaking his head, "He's guilty of a lot of things, but not this."
As he threw out the insult, both Kevin and Josie turned to narrow their eyes at him. Betty sighed, throwing her hands up.
"Okay, it's true Reggie," She insisted.
"And you want us to find out what exactly?" Josie didn't seem too enthusiastic about the whole thing.
Becca cast a glance at her before turning back to Betty. She had to admit, even though she was grateful that Betty had told her everything last night, she was still wondering how that all fit in now. If G&G showing up again was just some random coincidence, then she didn't have time to investigate that and her father. It'd have to be put on the backburner.
Her curiosity, however, had still been piqued about her mother.
"My suspicion," Betty started slowly, "is that whoever was running the game back then is running it now. Which is why we need to stop them before things get any worse-"
"Wait, what are you trying to say?" Kevin interrupted sharply.
Josie gave a dry chuckle, "That one of our parents might be responsible for what happened to Dilton and Ben?"
Becca's eyes widened while Betty continued.
"Maybe," The blonde-haired girl admitted and shrugged, "And that's why you can't tell them that you know about their Midnight Club, okay? You have to be careful and subtle when you ask them what they know."
Both of the Mantle siblings shared a worried look. Despite not believing that their father played G&G, Reggie couldn't help the seed of doubt that had been planted in his mind. He knew Rick Mantle was a terrible person, but was he really capable of murdering children?
The first warning bell of the day ended their meeting abruptly. With plans made to discuss things later, Reggie bid his sister good-bye before heading to his first class. Becca was about to leave with Kevin for AP English, when Betty caught her on her way out.
"Also, Becca, there's something else you might want to know," The blonde-haired girl started cautiously.
She quirked an eyebrow but nodded for her friend to continue.
"I went to go visit Jug yesterday, to tell him everything my mom had told me," Betty explained, keeping a careful eye on her, "And I found him, Fangs, Toni, Cheryl...and Sweet Pea playing the game."
Sweet Pea was playing G&G.
Becca blinked several times, processing what Betty had just said. Two people had already taken their lives over this stupid board game...and if the tall Serpent wasn't careful, he could be next. She hated to admit it, but despite everything that had happened, she still cared about Sweet Pea's safety.
After a moment or two of silence, Becca realized that both Betty and Kevin were studying her closely, as if gauging her reaction to the news. Her face became an emotionless mask.
"Okay Betty, thanks for letting me know," The dark-haired girl nodded once, before turning down the hallway to her next class.
The two exchanged a curious glance before departing as well.
---
The rest of the week went by slow, slower than Becca could imagine.
Elio and her had been texting frequently since La Bonne Nuit's opening, and he claimed, after she asked about Sweet Pea's little comment, that he didn't know what the Serpent was talking about. He'd merely went to the bar to get their drinks and, according to him, Sweet Pea had instigated an argument.
Becca wasn't sure she believed him, but she couldn't find a reason not to.
That night, Reggie and her were supposed to go over the other developments in their investigation. She still didn't know how Penny and the Ghoulies nor G&G fit into the mystery. But, eventually, she'd connect the dots. One way or another, she had to. Guilt still wracked her heart over her father's so obvious infidelity, but at this point, her mother would have to wait. At least until she had concrete proof and a way to make sure no one got caught in the crossfire.
The moon hung low in the night sky when her brother finally joined her on their shared balcony.
"I think I have some confirmation on the whole G&G thing," She heard Reggie's voice say from behind her.
"Really? I haven't-"
As Becca turned around, she realized exactly what Reggie's 'confirmation' was. His right eye was red and starting to swell slightly, a frozen bag of peas gripped in his fist. No doubt, the skin would be black and blue by tomorrow morning.
"Reggie!" She gasped, leaping forward to get a closer look, "What...what happened? Who did this to you?"
Somehow, she already knew the answer before he opened his mouth.
"Who do you think?" He asked dryly, wincing slightly as she brushed her fingers across it, "Ow, jeez take it easy will ya?"
"Sorry," She mumbled out an apology, still taken aback from the injury, "Why did he...why?"
The dark-haired girl could barely get out the question, feeling tears pooling in her eyes already. She refused to let them fall though, not now, not here.
"He and mom were arguing over something stupid and I just got angry, I guess," He tried to explain, "The nerve he has to still be a piece of shit to mom after watching him make out with that Penny bitch..."
Her brother shook his head, his fists clenching and unclenching at his side as he continued, "As soon as he left for his study, I confronted him about the G&G thing. Don't worry, he doesn't know I know about him and Penny."
He gave a bitter chuckle and pointed at his injury, "And then, this happened. Told mom I got in a fight after school at Pop's."
Becca's fists clenched at her sides and through her tears, she immediately saw red. Her father had made a promise that he wouldn't hurt Reggie as long as she did what he asked. He'd broken it and she'd make him pay dearly for it.
Then, suddenly, an idea came to her.
"Did dad look like he was going anywhere?" She asked suddenly, her eyes flickering towards him.
Reggie's eyebrows furrowed, "I mean I overheard him say to mom that he had an emergency SoDale meeting with Hiram tonight, but other than that..."
Her brother caught on to her hidden meaning, quirking an eyebrow, "Why do you ask?"
Earlier last week, her father had wanted her to move money from designated offshore bank accounts into Mantle Automotive's company account. And there was a certain charge there...for a certain motel...one night's stay paid in advance.
A smirk grew on her face and she met her brother's eyes. He searched her face, before suddenly his lips matched her own.
"I know that face Becca. You make it every time you solve a math problem, nerd," His smile was smug, with a hint of playfulness, but there was an underlying respect there, "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking tonight would be the perfect opportunity for a photoshoot," She said, "And there's a motel just on the outskirts of town that would work great for a landscape shot. Don't you think Reg?"
This time, his eyes lit up in understanding and he dug deep into his pockets before holding up his car keys.
"Way ahead of you sis."
---
The next day, a folder landed on Rick Mantle's desk.
Her father sighed in irritation, looking up from his paperwork, "What do you want, Rebecca? I'm in the middle of balancing the company's budget."
"This might be a little more important," She bit back, her tone laced with anger.
He glanced at her sharply, but instead of replying, he calmly set his pen down and opened the file. A picture slipped out, sharp and clear. Set against the backdrop of a grimy motel, it depicted her father's dark sin. Penny Peabody, clearly recognizable in her Ghoulies jacket, pulling him in for a kiss just outside their shared room.
"I know Reggie's black eye wasn't because of a fight," Becca said flatly, not needing to beat around the bush as she continued, "And isn't it interesting that Mantle Automotive's paid for a night at the Palm Trees Motel when technically, employees aren't allowed to use that account for personal expenses."
Rick's jaw clenched tightly, but he managed to keep his voice steady, "Officially, a client from upstate was coming to discuss my business expansion."
"A client was there, that's for sure," She shot back in a disgusted voice, crossing her arms before adding, "And don't worry, I have several copies in places you'll never find."
Her father leaned back in his chair, absorbing her words, "So I presume Reggie knows?"
"No," She lied effortlessly, "I haven't told him anything."
"Hm," He rubbed at his face, studying her own expression for a hint of deception, "Then what's this about, Rebecca?"
"You broke our deal," The dark-haired girl burst out angrily, "You said he wouldn't get hurt as long as I did what you wanted."
Emotion cracked at her voice, but she gritted her teeth and continued, "I've done everything you've asked without question. Why would you hurt him?"
Rick slammed his fists on his desk, but Becca didn't even flinch. He stood up to his full height, looking down on her with a darkness she'd seen only once before.
"This deal," He gestured between the two of them, "can be altered at any time and in any way that I damn well please. Your brother was accusing me of things that he had no proof of, and I wasn't about to just sit there and be yelled at by my own son. Besides...he was practically asking for it."
Becca resisted the very strong urge to punch him.
"You have no power here, Rebecca," He continued in a slightly less strained tone, "There's nothing you can do."
"I can tell mom," She retorted, her voice strong and confident, "And if that doesn't work, well...I'm sure the town would be very interested in your relationship given your...views on the Southside."
Her father sneered, rolling his eyes, "The Register won't print that picture, I guarantee it."
He smirked at her like he'd just won, and it made her next words even sweeter to say.
"I won't go to the Register," A smirk of her own appeared on her face, "I'm sure Betty and the Blue and Gold would do just fine. And when Principal Weatherbee, who no doubt is on Hiram's payroll, forces her to take it down, it'll already be too late."
She said her next words carefully, mimicking his action from earlier and slamming her own hands on his desk. This time, he was the one to flinch.
"Your reputation will be ruined and any credibility you had in this godforsaken town will be gone," Becca pouted in a mocking way, "Say bye-bye to Deputy Mayor Mantle."
Her father's arms lashed out suddenly, his hands gripping both of her wrists like a vice. She winced slightly but maintained her eye contact with him.
His voice was low and sharp with malice as he replied, "You so much as breathe a word to that blonde-haired bitch, and I'll do something much worse than a black eye to your brother and your friends."
"Trust me Rebecca," His fingers tightened their hold, digging into her pale skin, "You don't want to play this game with me."
Becca swallowed thickly, but pressed on, her voice edged with pain, "Then don't hurt him again. And I won't do anything with those photos."
For a moment, her father seemed to be contemplating her offer. She tried to free her wrists from his own, but to no avail.
"Destroy every single copy," He countered, "And I won't lay a hand on Reggie ever again."
She didn't like the sound of this, but at that point, she figured she'd gotten her point across. If he ended up going back on his promise again, she'd find another, worse, way to punish him.
"Fine," The dark-haired girl spit out, "You have a deal."
Rick gave a curt nod, "Good."
With one last squeeze that had her gasping in pain, he finally let her go. She rubbed at her wrists slightly, knowing that by tomorrow, she'd have matching bruises with Reggie. Still, it was worth it.
As she was about to leave, opening the door to his study, he called out.
"You know Rebecca, I'm impressed," He laughed, as if there was something funny about this whole situation, "I see a lot of myself in you. You've come a long way from the summer, and I know when push comes to shove...you'll be just like your old man."
The pride in his voice only disgusted her more and she slammed the door behind her without another word.
---
"So, they said nothing? Admitted nothing?" Betty prodded the four of them in the Blue and Gold's office Monday after school.
"All they did was lie and act like they didn't know about G&G," Kevin said exasperatedly.
"Bury the lead Kevin," Josie put in, "They also announced they're getting married."
She gasped in disgust as Kevin's jaw clenched.
"Oh seriously, as what? A smokescreen?" Betty asked in a disbelieving voice.
"I have no clue," Josie muttered hopelessly, putting her head in her hands.
Becca and Kevin shared a glance, and she shot a sympathetic smile to her best friend.
"You think that was a crazy reaction?" Reggie took off the sunglasses he'd been wearing all day to hide his now black eye, "This is what I got when I asked my dad about that stupid game."
His sister put a hand on his shoulder, giving him a comforting squeeze. A pang of guilt went through her.
"I tried asking my mom," The dark-haired girl met Betty's gaze, "But she just kept dodging my questions and asking what I wanted for dinner, so I'm afraid I'm not much help either."
Reggie shook his head, swallowing thickly, "Why are our parents being so cagey about something that happened 25 years ago?"
Betty sighed heavily, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
Becca echoed his sentiment, "Is it possible one of our parents is a murderer?"
The five of them contemplated her thought for a moment, each one of them not liking the answer to that question.
"Guys!" Veronica burst into the room, looking like she was out of breath, "Whatever this is, it has to wait."
"What's wrong V?" Betty asked worriedly.
"I saw Archie," She burst out, her voice trembling, "He's caught up in some diabolical teen fight-club!"
Becca's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she continued, "And I need to break him out of juvie before he dies or kills somebody! And you all have to help me."
( becca @ rick )
A/N: oof sorry this is coming out so late! I legit forgot today was Saturday haha coronavirus who?? 😂😔
Also, on a serious note, abuse, of any kind, is a very serious subject and the topic should be handed with the utmost care. As a writer, I want to make sure I'm not portraying it in some sort of romanticized light. If I am, PLEASE TELL ME!! It's not something that should be taken lightly, and I would never, under any circumstances, want my readers to feel like that's what I'm doing. I'm here for you all and my DMs are always open for any one of you. ❤️
But seriously Rick should get decked and fuck that guy.
Stay safe and I hope you all have a lovely weekend! Make sure to comment and fave and I'll see you next chapter!!
Also, shameless plug, but go check out my original fiction account @Artylou! Trust me you won't be disappointed ;-)