Forever And Always

Chapter 98

After the run, Callie cleaned up at met at Dr. Curdle Jr's office with Jughead and Sheriff FP Jones. They told her about the school this morning, it was the deadliest prom night since Carrie.

" So how in the hell did Hal Cooper fake his own death in a bus explosion?" Callie asked, she saw heard the hand was chopped off, she needed to hear everything to just to be clear.

" Well, I re-examined the tell-tale hand recovered from the bus," Dr. Curdle Jr informed. He pulled back revealing a hand.  " See here? The erratic incision at the wrist leads me to think this amputation was self-inflicted."

" So the Black Hood cut off his own hand and left it behind to convince everyone he died," Jughead gathered, it was official the Black Hood pulled a Peter Pettigrew.

" It's not an easy task," Dr. Curdle informed. " There are eight bones in the human wrist. FP and Callie both looked at each other, both looked unsettled. After the visit Callie went back home to find Veronica there, papers out. Callie sat besides her mom and looked over the contract as Archie played with a baseball in his hand.

" The deed, the contract I signed, none of it matters," Veronica announced. " It was all fake. My dad still owns Pop's and the Speakeasy and I'm a fool for ever trusting him. And on top of everything he's done to me, he's now planning on buying the entire town."

" Yeah, Ronnie, your dad sucks," Archie commented. Callie and Mom gave him a warning look.

"Vee," Callie breathed. " Think about it a lot of shady stuff goes down at the speakeasy. If it's your dad's name on the deed, he can be prosecuted for it."

" Shady stuff as in..." Mom trailed as she glared at Callie a bit.

" Drinking without carding, and/or illegal gambling let's say?" Veronica listed.

" Hiram did these things?" Mom asked Veronica and Callie looked at each other.

" Well, technically no, not exactly," Callie admitted.

" But if the property were under his name, doesn't that make him liable?" Veronica asked.

" I think I might know someone who might be able to help," Mom informed as she looked back at the papers. An hour later or so, they all sat with one of Mom's friends in La Bonne Nuit.

" Ardelia and I went to Sarah Florence together," Mom introduced. " Now she's my friend at the FBI"

" The FBI has had their eye on Hiram Lodge for a long time," Ardelia informed them. " He served less than a year for embezzlement. So whatever we can charge him with in the future, it's gotta be gangbusters."

" How about serving alcohol to minors and operating an illegal casino? and doctoring books." Veronica asked.

" Aren't those crimes you committed?" Ardelia asked.

" My client can neither confirm nor deny that statement," Mom said.

" Don't worry," Adelia shook her head. " We want your father, not you."

" If none of this stuff will be enough to get Hiram arrested, then what will?" Archie asked.

" Catch him red-handed," Ardelia answered. " We need to arrest Hiram committing a crime in real time."

" Understood, Agent Ardelia," Callie nodded her head.

" Let me see what I can do," Veronica added.

*****

Late that night Callie was now at Sweet Pea's trailer. Betty called so and she made it so it was three-way call with Jughead.

" I thought the Farm would keep me safe from the Black Hood," Betty said on the phone. " But, bonus, I'm also learning a bunch of fun, terrifying facts about myself. I had a session with Edgar and I still can't wrap my mind around what happened."