Forever And Always

Chapter 34

Callie now sat at Pop's with Veronica, spending some time together at Veronica's request when they heard the doorbell.

" St. Betty is here," Veronica groaned. " She's talking to Sheriff Keller."

" Giver her a chance Ronnie," Callie urged. " Trust me, it is time you hear her side of things." 

" Fine," Veronica gave in. " Sheriff Keller is leaving now. " She looked over to Betty. " Drafting your next savage take-down?" Betty got up and walked over to them. 

" I don't expect you to believe me, But I didn't mean what I said" Betty clarified. " There's no excuse."

" No. There isn't," Veronica agreed.

" Tell her," Callie advised.

" You know about it?" Veronica asked. " What's the insane excuse?" Over some milkshakes and food, Betty sat down next to Callie and explained everything to Veronica. 

"So, to recap..." Veronica began. " You're talking to a serial killer and you are listening to the conversation with the serial killer on the reg and he's been puppet-mastering you?"

" I'll never forgive myself for hat I did, Vee," Betty confirmed. " To you, to Jug, to my mom, hell, even to Nick St. Clair."

" Girl, I would've given Nick's name and then happily treated myself to a facial," Veronica admitted. " I still might...But, yes. You're in a toxic relationship with the Black Hood, and you need to break up."

" Or I could turn the tables on him, Vee," Betty suggested. " He says he'll go away if I do one last thing."

"He wants her to find out who's behind the Jingle Jangle," Callie informed. " Some creep called the Sugar Man."

" Okay, so what's the problem?" Veronica asked.

" If the Sugar Man exists, and I find out who he is, I can't just give up his name. The Black Hood would kill him," Betty explained. " And drug dealer or not, he's still a human being."

"Barely," Veronica breathed as she rubbed the back of her neck.

" I'm so close, Cal and Vee," Betty mentioned. " Will you two help?"

" I'm in," Veronica confirmed.

" Me too," Callie added. The three clinked their milkshake glasses together. 

"We have to address another situation," Veronica spoke up. " Callie, you argued with my father and Mayor McCoy."

"Well I have been hanging out with the serpents a lot," Callie explained. " I have even been in the Whyte Wrym more than once. I am seeing how they see it. They get targeted for everything when we contribute just as many problems."

" Callie, " Betty began. " Just be careful what if they turn on you."

" If they didn't want anything to deal with me, then Fangs would not have rescued me from the ghoulies," Callie informed them. " They were the ones that kidnapped me in the first place."

"Ghoulies?" Veronica asked.

"According to Sweet Pea, they are not a group that you want to mess around with, they are a nasty group," Callie answered. Callie looked to see the two girls looking at each other with raised eyebrows. " Nothing is going on between, me and Sweetpea.

"Nothing at all?" Betty asked. " I mean he walks you home like every night when you are in the Southside.

"He just wants to make sure I am safe," Callie answered. " But between us three, he is pretty cute. You can't tell anyone about this."