Forever And Always

Chapter 82

In Dilton Doiley's bunker was four teenagers trying to explain to the new sheriff that they let Tall Boy go. Callie stood right before the tunnel, Fangs stood to the left the tunnel hole, Jughead, and Sweet Pea at the table and FP on the bed.

" Explain it to me one more time," Fp requested.

" We drove him to the bus station at gunpoint and got him on a bus out of town," Jughead explained.

" He murdered Joaquin," Fp reminded them. " And you thought putting him on a bus was enough punishment? I don't buy it."

" Look, I mad the decision," Jughead informed. " I'm sorry that you don't agree with that, but he's gone." Fp looked at everyone and slowly stood up.

" I'm gonna pretend like I believe you idiots for now," Fp said as he grabbed his hat, Callie stepped aside in the tunnel. " I've got my hands full finding Hiram's would-be assassin. Next time you see me, have a better story." He then walked passed Callie and out of the bunker, everyone looked below the bed and saw the dead body of Tall Boy.

*******

One late night Callie was in the Blue and Gold room with Jughead, she was reading through the newspaper on Claudius Blossom's 'suicide' and as he wrote. The door opened, the two looked over to see Veronica coming in, wearing a 40's kind of outfit.

" Nice hat, Bacall," Jughead commented.

" I've got a job for you, Jones and Andrews," Veronica proposed. " I want you two to find out who shot my father." She slammed down two wads of cash in front of the two. " You'll get the other half when you give me their name."

" Tha is a big job," Jughead noted as flipped through the money.

" I think half the people in this town wanna see your old man kick the maple barrel, no offense," Callie confessed. This was a lot of money, she was sure that Fangs could use it for his mom.

" None taken," Veronica dismissed. " I'll give you your first suspect." Jughead grabbed a pen paper. " My mother. A few weeks ago, I overheard my parents arguing. It was right before the quarantine after I had my seizure. My mother was berating my father. Something about breaking a promise."

" What if you don't like what we find?" Jughead asked.

" I'm a big girl, I can take it," Veronica confirmed.

" Well, then, consider us your Philip Marlowe," Callie stated. Jughead stood up and shook hand with Veronica.

*****

By the next day, Callie and Jughead were in the mayor's office.

" To what do I owe the pleasure?" Mayor Lodge asked.

" We'll get right to it, Madam Mayor," Callie said as Jughead flipped his notepad to a blank page.

" Did you shoot your husband?" Jughead asked as he clicked his pen.

" Excuse me?" Mayor Lodge demanded. " I love my husband."

" Uh-huh, but did you shoot him?" Jughead asked.

" From what we hear, not all is well over at the Pembroke," Callie mentioned.

"As records and witnesses will attest, I was on the phone with Hiram when he was shot, picking up lunch at Pops," Mayor Lodge explained.

" What were you and Hiram arguing about when Veronica has her seizure?" Callie asked.

" Well, Mr. Jones and Ms. Andrews, if you must know, we were fighting because I caught Hiram having an affair," Mayor Lodge answered. " I had been suspicious for a while, so I had Sheriff Minetta follow him. This was before he got butchered, of course. And he gave me these." She pulled out and a file and handed them to Callie. She opened the file, small pictures on top and big ones on the bottom. Hiram Lodge with a blonde lady. " Now, I don't know who she is, but he was meeting he regularly at the Five Seasons."